Sunday Snippet: Vin's Valentine (an Organic Nature short)

November is starting off with a wild trajectory. The election in the US is taking up a lot of air and space in my life and I'm okay with that. It does make it harder to focus on anything but the election, which isn't optimal for my work projects.

That said, I'm weirdly calm and very hopeful. Which is not to say I'm complacent because that would be stupid and reckless. There's going to be a lot of work to do regardless of who wins the presidency, senate, and house.

My tricky manuscript turned extremely challenging, but I finally got it finished up late last night. Now I can focus on a couple of projects that were simmering on the back burner and start two new ones that need attention.

Had an okay week of viewing. Trick or treat night took up some time and an unexpected accident involving my oldest and his fiancé needed my attention. Thankfully, both are okay and weren't injured in the crash.

I started the week with an episode of Elementary and I also ended the week with one. Both were enjoyable. I thoroughly enjoy the vibe when Sherlock tries to coordinate outfits for Joan. So far, it looks like she ditches those in favor of choosing her own.

Caught an episode of The Batman and enjoyed it. Nice to see Batgirl back in action. I'll be finished with this show at the end of this season and I'm not sure what I'll be replacing it with.

Also watched an episode of Classic Rugrats. The three vignettes were new to me again. I think I'm going to shift back to the new Rugrats once I'm through this season.

Enjoyed another episode of Mr. and Mrs. Murder. I'd seen most of this one before and really enjoyed the snappy and snarky dialog between the characters.

Caught another episode of London Kills and, whew, I got spoiled for what would happen and it still freaked me out. Really like this series.

Finished up season nine of Death in Paradise. Looking forward to season ten even with some of my misgivings with DI Parker. I love this show enough to give him time to grow on me.

Enjoyed the second half of Silent Witness. The show managed to surprise me, and I love it when that happens. One thing to note … I'm always curious about where Jack and Nikki live. Jack had such a cool house during the last season and now he seems to be in a townhouse of some sort. This is after he bought the fixer-upper that his dad and brother (for a while) shared with him. Weird stuff makes me curious.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Vin's Valentine, an Organic Nature short featuring the Valentine's holiday.

Here's the miniblurb:

After Eppie revealed her kinkier side to Vin, their trust and bond is deeper and better than ever. But there's someone else who knows how Eppie likes to play and he's hell-bent on worming his way back into her life.

And a snippety peek…

Vin didn't agree with Eppie's assessment of slinking away, but he totally got why Eppie felt the way she did. Maybe getting to the bottom of Nash's visit would restore her equilibrium. Or, if nothing else, she could get peace of mind.

He offered a tentative suggestion. "Maybe you could look into what your options are for getting your money back."

She shrugged. "Might be something to consider, but it's definitely not the reason he showed up." A small shudder went through her.

Vin wrapped an arm around her. "If you're not comfortable with this idea, say the word. I've got favors I can call in and you wouldn't need to be involved."

Eppie sighed. "No, there's a reason he turned up here. Maybe Miss Suction Lips doesn't do it for him anymore, or maybe she's got nothing else to offer. Whatever the reason, he's being too affable to not be up to something."

Vin cupped her chin and tilted her head back to meet his gaze. "All right, but any time you're not cool with anything, we pull the plug."

Eppie grinned. "Absolutely." She got her phone out and quickly sent off a text to Nash.

Then she leaned up and meshed her lips with Vin's. This time, Vin didn't hold back. He deepened the embrace and slid his tongue past her teeth. He popped her button loose and slid his hands inside her jeans, easing the fabric past her hips. Eppie kicked them off while she unzipped his pants. Stepping back, Vin shucked them along with his boxers. Eppie yanked her shirt over her head and removed her bra. Vin scooped her up and tumbled her onto the bed, easing back to slip her panties off. He shrugged out of his shirt and settled between Eppie's thighs.

She wrapped her fingers around his biceps. "Thank you … for earlier. I needed the wake-up call." Her hips rose and her wet center teased his erection.

Vin leaned down, brushing his lips over hers. "You're welcome. I love you, Eppie." His mouth covered hers, and he thrust forward, going deep.

This series is so much fun. I love writing Eppie and Vin and showing how they work through challenges.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Vin's Valentine (an Organic Nature short)

My youngest kiddo is twenty today. I'm officially no longer a parent of a teenager. Wow. Feels like a milestone.

Had a long week of work projects but got a decent amount of television viewing done also. Sometimes running in the background and other times when I needed to shut my brain off for a while.

I caught two more episodes of The Alaska Triangle. Skagway featured as a gold-rush ghost town and an island with a possible colony of bigfoot ended up being really interesting.

Watched two episodes of The Muppets. The show is growing on me, which is kind of moot since it's only a single season, I believe.

Enjoyed two episodes of Harrow. I'm very intrigued by the backstory mystery. I want to know who Harrow is protecting because I don't buy into the idea he's the culprit. I'm leaning toward Fern at the moment.

Caught two episodes of Peak Practice. I'm liking season seven even if it's kind of messy at the moment. I also rather love the new doctor.

Dove into two more MasterClass lessons with Es Devlin. I love the way she describes her process and how she encourages collaboration. I think I'm going to love this class.

Started The Witcher: Nightmares of the Wolf and didn't finish it. I'm not in the right head space for the animation right now. I'll pick it back up at some point.

Enjoyed two episodes of Classic Rugrats. This is one of my background shows. I can put an episode on and enjoy while I'm digging into something else. I needed that this week.

Watched two episodes of Chicago Med. I'm very interested in the episode titles and like how they're all part of a theme. This show is so good.

I'm almost finished with the first season of Snoopy in Space. This is another background show that I can put on and enjoy when I need a break. The episodes are a quick ten minutes and very fun to watch.

Caught another episode of The Brokenwood Mysteries. I'll probably finish this show up and then have to wait impatiently for a new season. My one singular critique of this show is having Gina be so clueless about Mike's disinterest. It's been seven seasons and I kind of wish they'd address that dynamic at some point.

Started a new season of Silent Witness and while there's no Harry anymore, I like the changes. Should be fun to follow along now.

Finished up an arc of Classic Who and will usher in a new season this week. I'll be interested to see where the show goes from here.

Started a new mystery show with Paranoid and thoroughly enjoyed the first episode. I'll enjoy diving into this one.

That's pretty much it for the weekly update. Tonight's post is from Vin's Valentine, an Organic Nature sexy short.

Here's the mini-blurb:

After Eppie revealed her kinkier side to Vin, their trust and bond is deeper and better than ever. But there's someone else who knows how Eppie likes to play and he's hell-bent on worming his way back into her life.

And a snippety peek…

Shit. Eppie hated Jordan for getting inside her head.

She sighed. "Okay, it is a fair question but I don't like it. I don't want to talk about him." The nasty taste would stay in her mouth all night if she did.

Vin took her hands and led her to the chair. "Okay, why not talk about why he's here?" He settled on the couch.

Eppie shook her head. "He's not. I told you, I sent him packing." Her hands twisted with frustration.

Vin gave her a pointed look. "All right, why was he here?" His brown arched.

Eppie hemmed and hawed, not wanting to even think about Jordan's lame attempt at begging forgiveness. "Well … um … he …" She finally snapped her mouth shut.

Vin huffed out a breath. "He wants another chance, right?"

Eppie shrugged. "Doesn't matter. He's not getting one. I love you, Vin. Jordan has an agenda but he won't reveal it until he's ready." And, no doubt, his true reason for showing up would be something vile and rage-inducing.

Vin brow furrowed. "So what? Is there a rule book that says we have to play things his way?"

Eppie blinked. "Well, no. What did you have in mind?" And why didn't think of turning the tables instead of falling into the black void that sucked everything up whenever Jordan blew up her life?

Vin gave her a wide smile. "Find out why he's here."

Eppie liked the idea. "How?"

Vin pulled out his phone. "I'll do some digging and you … maybe play along, see if he'll reveal anything." He typed a quick list on his screen.

Eppie's eyes went wide. "You'd be okay with that? You'd trust me?" She leaned forward in the chair.

Vin grabbed her hands. "Never about not trusting you, Ep. Or even Nash, although it's a given he shouldn't be." He sighed and let go to stand and pace back and forth. "I trust you and always will. If you wanted Jordon, you would've acted on the attraction. You didn't." He paused and faced her. "I stopped you earlier and asked if he was still with you because the guy hurt you. And seeing him again might have brought up some unresolved issues…" He trailed off and shrugged.

Eppie loved him even more for being concerned. She got up and grabbed his hand, leading him upstairs to the bedroom. "Okay, maybe there are some twinges. But they're not romantic ones." How could she explain? "I hate that I basically slinked away and didn't fight harder to get back what I invested with him." Even now it made her angry. "I pretty much gave him permission to keep the money because I said nothing at all."

And didn't that make her stupid?

I love how Eppie and Vin work through and resolve potential challenges. This couple is so much fun to write.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin 

Sunday Snippet: Vin's Valentine (An Organic Nature Short)

Hard to believe November is almost over. I think the whole furnace fiasco made the month seem a lot shorter than it actually was. That and my workload hasn't decreased… not that I'm complaining.

Had a somewhat slower week with television. I stuck mainly to marathons during the day. I did get some old-school Midsomer Murders watched along with several episodes of JAG.

I watched another episode of Riverdale and, man, Edgar is super creepy. Also, I still dislike Hiram with the passion of a thousand suns. I actually loved the whole shakedown of the gargoyles. The filming of that scene had me glued to the screen.

Other than that, I'm halfway through an episode of Murdoch Mysteries and really hoping they're not going to have Julia and William break up over the doctor who has the hots for her. I'd be very disappointed.

I also had a run of Classic Who episodes on Pluto TV. Nice to have that on in the background when I'm getting the dishes done or folding clothes.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Vin's Valentine, a sexy Organic Nature short.

Here's the mini-blurb:

After Eppie revealed her kinkier side to Vin, their trust and bond is deeper and better than ever. But there's someone else who knows how Eppie likes to play and he's hell-bent on worming his way back into her life.

And a snippety peek…

Vin Derbish turned into Organic Nature's driveway and narrowed his gaze. "Who's driving an expensive import around here?" He slowed when the driver barreled toward him, peering to get a look at them.

The lane had plenty of room but Vin swerved a little to avoid a collision. "Shit driver, whoever the hell it is." He caught a view of the guy when he sped past. "Huh…" He braked and confirmed his suspicion in the rearview mirror.

The license plate of the BMW read NASHONE.

Vin rolled forward again. "What's Eppie ex doing in town?" He pulled into his usual spot close to the house, got out, and headed around to her studio. "Hey, Ep? That was Jordan Nash, right?" Vin didn't deal with Nash directly, but he'd worked on several of his projects.

Eppie rolled her eyes. "None other. He dropped in, spewed his usual bullshit, and I sent him packing." She put another crate under the worktable. "I can't believe he made the effort to find me then drive out here. Why the hell would he?" She grimaced and glanced away.

Vin frowned but didn't comment. They didn't speak of Nash often, especially since he'd cleaned Eppie's bank account out and she hated the fact he'd played her for a fool. Vin's experience with Sheri bordered on something similar with the exception of Sheri not hiding the fact she liked Vin's monetary achievements.

Eppie shook her head then shot Vin a heated glance. She started toward him, her fingers undoing the buttons of the flannel shirt she wore. After shrugging it off, she untucked the waffle-knit thermal shirt from her jeans.

Vin didn't move, waiting to see what she did next. A trickle of concern moved through him. Did Nash stir up old feelings of uncertainty in her?

Eppie grabbed hold of his heavy jacket and pushed him against the wall. "You're a little overdressed." She pushed the garment from his shoulders.

Vin shook his arms free but gave Eppie full rein. She lifted her chin, slanting her mouth against his. Her kiss went off-the-chart hot in under two seconds. Vin grasped her hips but held back. An underlying hint of desperation in her lips threw up a red flag.

When she popped the button of his jeans, he gently halted her progress. "Eppie… Are you with me or Nash right now?" He'd gladly drop trou and have sex with her anytime, but not if she had her ex on her mind.

Eppie blinked. "What? Why would you think—"

Vin gave her a pointed look. "It's a fair question." One that deserved an answer.

Even if she didn't want to face it.

These two… I love writing Eppie and Vin. The challenge of having an established couple work their way through everyday relationship hurdles is something I enjoy.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Vin's Valentine (An Organic Nature Short)

Well, graduation turned out to be an inside affair, with bad weather predicted for the evening. That means a hot, crowded event in the gym. Bleh. But I loved watching my son get his diploma and even got him to stand still long enough to take a couple of pictures. LOL

Gotham is really going for broke. I'm not quite sure how I feel about Lee's walk on the dark side, but I'll hold out and see what happens.

I continue to be saddened by the "meh" of Doctor Who. I miss the days when I couldn't wait for new episodes. Now I'm lucky if I remember to turn it on because there's no anticipation for new stuff. Eh… hopefully that will change soon. I really enjoy the quasi-spinoff, Class. I'd love to see more of that one.

Orphan Black starts the final trip next weekend and I'm excited and sad and impatiently awaiting the premiere. Can't wait to see what Sarah and her sestras bring to the screen.

Watched a Torchwood marathon, well, only the first two seasons because I loved them so much. The third wasn't bad but the fourth… ugh. Ended up pretty much hating that one. If rumors are true and there's going to be a Torchwood revival, I'm hoping like hell it's more like the first two seasons. Fingers crossed.

That's it for television. Tonight's post is from Vin's Valentine, a sexy short and part of the Organic Nature series.

Here's the mini-blurb:

After Eppie revealed her kinkier side to Vin, their trust and bond is deeper and better than ever. But there's someone else who knows how Eppie likes to play and he's hell-bent on worming his way back into her life.

And a snippety peek…

Eppie Collins carried a huge tub of fabric upstairs from her basement storage space. "Can't believe I ran out of heart-shaped soaps." Not that she'd complain.

This year's signature scent hit all the right romantic notes. Gardenia, freesia, and peony. A touch of spring in a rich, luxurious blend. The bars flew off her shelves. Having gorgeous, fabric packaging helped. Eppie needed to send her sister Dani on a weekend spa trip for coming up with the idea.

Halfway to the door, the bell chimed and Eppie hoisted the tub to one hip, opened the heavy oak, and pasted on a smile of greeting.

The curve took a quick downward turn when she came face-to-face with her ex, Jordan Nash.

He wore a sly smile and, as usual, made a slow once-over of her appearance. "Eppie, babe, you're looking incredible, as always." His eyes flashed with interest.

Eppie did a slow ten count, taking in the tailored clothes—a crisp, pale blue button-down, dark cuffed pants in sienna brown, and a tweed blend jacket with a navy and tan pocket square—expensive shoes, currently covered in a slushy mix, and a new close-cropped haircut.

He'd obviously put her ten grand to good use over the past few years. But the change in his appearance couldn't wipe away the image she had of coming home and finding Jordan in the shower with a prospective client, a woman they'd had over to dinner the night before. Said female had her lips wrapped around his dick while he had his hands fisted in her wet, stringy hair.

She moved past him and shut the door behind her. Jordan stepped out of her way, not bothering to ask if he could help with her heavy load. Eppie placed the bin on the rustic, mission-style church pew she used for displays in the summer.

Then she placed her hands on her hips. "What do you want, Jordan? How did you find me?" Not that she'd tried to hide, but she moved across the state and she'd never told him where she grew up.

He rolled his shoulder. "A quick name search turned up your website and from there it wasn't hard." He nodded toward the door. "Aren't you going to invite me in?" For effect, he shivered a little.

Eppie snorted. "Unless you're here to make a purchase, no, I'm not welcoming you into my home." She pinned him with her gaze. "Why are you here?" Keeping her voice even proved harder than expected.

She really wanted to punch him in his smarmy face.

He sent her a contrite look. "I'm looking for a second chance, Eppie. I hated the way things ended between us." Wrapping his arms around his waist, he hunched into his jacket.

Eppie quirked a brow. "Really? Looked to me like you were enjoying the hard suction of, what was her name again? Lilly? Lucy?" She waved a hand. "Eh, her name doesn't matter. Your dick in her mouth was all I needed to see." She picked up the crate and started for her studio.

Jordan followed, picking his way carefully through the snowy path. "Eppie, you have to know she meant nothing to me. In fact, she was supposed to be the warm-up to a pleasant new experience for us." He pitched his voice low, probably trying to sound sexy.

He failed on epic levels.

Eppie stopped and faced him. "What gave you the idea I'd welcome another person in our bed?" Sitting in a chair watching, maybe; but actively participating?

Nope. Not her thing. The fact Jordan assumed Eppie would fall in with his plan kind of blew her mind. Consulting her would have been nice.

His eyes went wide. "Are you serious? You forget I participated in many of your kinkier fantasies. Adding another woman to the mix shouldn't have been a problem." His lips curved in a wolfish smile. "And, of course, I've got more than enough to satisfy two."

Eppie shook her head. Could he have missed the point any more than he did?

Jordan unwrapped one of his arms and trailed a finger down her cheek. "I know how much you like a nice, big cock, Eppie. How long has it been since you've had one?"

Had his tone always been so oily? How had she missed the size of his ego? So unlike Vin… right, time to end this conversation.

Eppie made a show of looking at her watch. "Hmm. About six hours ago, Jordan." She started toward her studio again, but glanced back over her shoulder. "In my ass." Why not twist the knife a little?

Jordan provided the expected reaction. His mouth opened then snapped shut and the abject hurt quickly replaced by anger on his face meant she'd scored a direct hit. Good. Served the asshat right.

He schooled his features. "I'm disappointed I missed the opportunity, but no matter."

Ha. Eppie would totally call bullshit if she didn't want to be rid of Jordan as soon as possible. Missed opportunity? Since when did anal sex equate as some big prize? Oh, right. Since Jordan coveted doing the taking.

He didn't need to know her ass had yet to be breached. And he had no reason to stick around any longer.

Eppie paused outside her shed. "If there's nothing else? I have orders to fill. Valentine's Day is a big holiday for me." She'd made sure to inject dismissal into her tone.

Jordan frowned, no doubt still hung up on his lost chance. "Of course. I'm sure it is." He backed away, watching where he put his feet. "I'll be in town for a few days… if you change your mind. Maybe we could have dinner?"

Eppie made a noncommittal sound and shouldered her way into the shed, lifting her fingers in farewell. Shutting the door, she dropped the bin and leaned against the wall. She rubbed at her temples, fighting a headache.

"There has to be a reason Jordan fucking Nash decided to show up."

And a second change had nothing to do with it. She'd bet her ass on that one.

I'm pretty pleased with how this one is coming together. Jordan is a fun antagonist to write and Eppie needs the chance to deal with him once and for all, especially since she has Vin to soothe away the 'ick' of dealing with her ex.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin