Sunday Snippet: Killing Time

Holy cheez-its! Ohio is back to chilly, where-did-spring-go weather again. We haven't even hit fifty degrees for the day. LOL

But, the brisk temperature makes for great television viewing. This week didn't turn out too badly either.

Gotham's episode moved the story along and I'm excited to see what this week holds.

The Flash had a great showing. I loved all the interactions with the characters. Quite a complicated mix but somehow the relationships all work. Agents of SHIELD ended a character I've grown fond of, but I thoroughly enjoyed the inside movie references and how they tied into the small screen story.

Arrow pulled off a great episode, at least the part I saw. I had an unavoidable meeting on Wednesday and haven't had a moment to really catch up on the beginning yet.

Legends of Tomorrow. Wow. I hope the whole time travel thing lets the sacrificed character return. If not, I'm going to be very disappointed. Truly great stuff, though. And Orphan Black continues to blow my mind each and every week. I LOVE this show.

All caught up on Banshee and Wynonna Earp, with the exception of this week's episodes. That will be rectified later today. Caught the trailer for season three of The Last Ship and I'm now eagerly awaiting June so I can dive back into this one.

And that's it for television this week.

Tonight's post is from Killing Time, a sexy short built on the prompt of one vehicle, two characters on a stakeout or recon mission, and three hours until their shift is over. I've tweaked the timing a little, but otherwise stayed true to the concept. And whoa… so much fun, I have to say.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Landry comes up with a great idea to kill time while on a stakeout with her hot co-worker. Her biggest challenge? Getting Thryn to participate in a lively game of truth or strip.

And a snippety peek…

Thryn didn't doubt Landry had a game plan in motion, but he might end up surprising her. Once he figured out what she specifically wanted from him. If he read the clues she'd dropped correctly, her little truth or strip game might prove incredibly interesting.

He shot her a quick grin. "I've got news, Landry. I don't play to lose either." His brain spun with mix of questions he could ask and images of her peeling off clothes.

Landry met his gaze square on. "Put your money where your mouth is. Ante up." She tapped the workspace between them.

Thryn opened and they went back and forth until he lost the hand.

He leaned back. "Okay, truth. Ask away." Kicking his feet out, he braced for an embarrassing query.

Landry tilted her head to one side. "Married? Single? Seeing anyone?"

Thryn snorted. "That's more than one question, but I'll give you a pass this time." He straightened and started shuffling the cards. "Divorced. Yes. Not at the moment." He dealt the next hand.

Landry gathered her cards. "Conversationally speaking, how long were you married?" She glanced up and arched an eyebrow.

Thryn smirked. "Win the next hand and I'll tell you."

She did, with a little help from him.

A narrowing of her eyes gave the only clue she thought he'd lost on purpose. "Okay… how long?" She shuffled the cards, but held his gaze.

Thryn answered quickly. "Almost two years. Been divorced for almost ten." He'd give her a freebie… because he planned to change the game on the next round.

Landry's eyes widened. "Wow… you got hitched at a very young age, didn't you?" She didn't have to do any math, his vital stats were in his personnel jacket.

Thryn shrugged. "Straight out of high school, right before I enlisted in the military." When she went to deal the next hand, he stopped her. "Look, let's change this up a little. Same rules, but high card wins." He kept his palm over hers on the deck of cards. "Not that I don't enjoy poker, but we've got a limited amount of time here." His thumb brushed the side of her hand.

Landry lifted her chin and gave him a long, considering look. "Okay. Since you're speeding this along, what do you have in mind as the outcome for our short window of opportunity?" Her voice rasped out and she cleared her throat before her lips curved in a flirty smirk.

Thryn nudged her hand aside and tapped the deck. "Guess you'll have to keep playing if you want to find out." He flipped over a card, revealing the king of hearts. "And draw an ace while you're at it."

Landry squared her shoulders. "Game on, then." She slowly drew her card, glanced at it then laid it beside his. "The ace of spades. Looks like I win again."

Thryn laughed. "In that case, I see the outcome being whatever you want." The woman's luck pretty much guaranteed she'd get her way.

Landry gave him another sexy smile. "Good to know."

This may end up turning into a novella, but either way, I love the way it's coming together.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Justice is Served

Happy Mother's Day to all the terrific moms out there! Enjoy the day and may you all be pampered and treated to your fondest wishes.

This week in television had some terrific stuff. Starting on Monday with Gotham, which is supposed to get a third season—yay! Hunters is still kind of dragging for me, but I'll finish out the season just because.

Tuesday's episode of The Flash ended on quite the cliffhanger. Looking forward to this week's follow up to find out what, exactly, happened. Agents of SHIELD kind of disappointed me but I did like the interaction between Daisy and Mac. And Fitz and Simmons are completely adorable.

Wednesday's Arrow proved very interesting. I had a sneaky suspicion Alex would turn out to be kind of cagey. Here's hoping he's not a total asshat… or that Thea makes him hurt a lot if he is. J

Thursday's Legends of Tomorrow made me so happy. I really do love this show. And the team is starting to mesh together in a great way. Orphan Black continues to blow my mind in wonderful ways. I wish I could say the same about After the Black, but maybe they'll find a good footing in the near future.

Wynonna Earp is still one of the best shows on TV right now. I'm very intrigued about Dolls's situation and look forward to more revelations on that end. I'm still a little behind on Banshee, but slowly catching up. Considering it's the last season, I'm not in a huge hurry to say goodbye.

And that's it on the television front this week.

Tonight's post is from Justice is Served, a novella based on the prompt of one character is convicted of a crime they didn't commit, the other character handles their appeal.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Derby Stack is a cold-blooded killer, but not by choice. She's convicted for her crime, but makes a last ditch appeal to Nate Mobius's legal firm. He takes the case and together they uncover a trail leading back to her childhood therapist.

And a snippety peek…

She finally broke the silence. "Why am I here?" She didn't move from her location by the door, but she folded her arms across her chest.

Nate angled his head around. "Would you rather be somewhere else? Back in the interview room, maybe?" He couldn't wait to hear her answer, his curiosity revved to maximum.

Derby lifted a shoulder. "I know what to expect in an interview room." Her gaze zoomed in on him again. "I don't here. What do you want from me?" Her tone had an edge to it.

Nate liked the reaction. Throwing her off balance drew new responses, things she couldn't have prepared for. Headway won, fought for with sheer instinct.

Nodding toward the seating arrangement, Nate indicated she had a choice. "I want you to sit, be comfortable, and know you're safe here." He swept his arm out. "For as long as you're in this room, no harm will come to you."

She reacted immediately. "No place is safe. Not for me." A shudder rippled through her, but she loosened her arms and quietly made her way to the loveseat. "You're an idiot if you think otherwise." Instead of plopping down on the cushions, she ran her fingers over the fabric then turned and gracefully got settled, tucking her legs up under her.

Nate counted the snide comment as another win. She'd said more in those few sentences, with an honesty she probably didn't know she'd provided, than she had in their previous meeting. Getting her out and away from an institutional environment gave him an opportunity to observe her in a new light.

Something he needed to do if he had a hope in hell of winning her appeal.

Nate perched on the edge of the recliner. "As long as you're in here, just you and me, you won't be hurt. You have my word." He waited until she met his gaze. "This room isn't wired or rigged for outside viewing. It's the best I can offer." He watched her closely for her responses.

She frowned. "Lots of ways a person can get hurt, but you couldn't possibly understand." She opened her mouth to say more, but a succession of quick knocks on the door drew her attention.

She sent him an accusatory glance.

Nate held up a hand. "I've been expecting the interruption. Stay put, I'll be right back." He got up and crossed the room, tapping twice on the door.

The deputy opened it and handed Nate the stuff he'd ordered. "You sure this is a good idea?" His skepticism rang through loud and clear even though he kept his voice lowered.

Nate juggled the food and beverages. "I'm sure." He nudged the door closed with his foot, shutting down any additional questions.

Turning toward Derby, he caught the quick flick of her tongue over her lower lip and the twitching of her nose at the aroma of a fresh pizza pie from his favorite hole-in-the-wall restaurant.

Carrying the boxes over, he deposited them on the free end of the loveseat.

Her mouth dropped open. "Is that beer?" She reached out to snag a bottle, her wide-eyed gaze colliding with his. "I'm allowed to have one?" Her tone held a note of disbelief.

Nate flipped the lid up on the pizza box. "Why not? You're over twenty-one and we'll probably be here for a while. And I'll clear it with the jail, so you won't be put on lockdown."

She twisted off the cap and tilted the bottle to her mouth, letting some of the amber liquid slide down her throat, before responding. "Thanks. Appreciate it."

Nate blinked, a little stunned she hadn't put up her defenses. The pizza and beer? Best call ever. He settled into the recliner and snagged a piece of pizza, content to let their session unfold at Derby's pace.

Nate has his work cut out for him. He'll fight hard to earn Derby's trust.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Just One Moment

Welcome to May! I'm excited to have some warmer weather finally… enough to want to be outside and working on my yard. :D

Let's see, television this week ended up being a mixed bag. I want to really love Hunters, but eh, not quite sure I'm feeling the joy with that one. We'll see what ends up happening.

The Flash and Agents of SHIELD put out two good episodes. I'm truly interested in finally discovering who's under the mask in the Zoom's cage. Also hoping whoever it is, they're an ally. My jury is still out on AoS, but we'll see how the next few episodes go.

Arrow is breaking my heart, but wow, what terrific performances by the entire cast. My one small gripe has to do with showing Barry having his speed back when Tuesday's episode ended with Wells saying he'd help Barry get it back. Then again, schedules being what they are, they might not have had a choice. I'm just a little disappointed because they're usually so on top of small details like that.

Legends of Tomorrow remains pretty awesome. I'm so thrilled with the character interactions any disappointment I have over Savage being so smarmy as a villain are miniscule.

Wynonna Earp? Man… I love this show so much. It's acting as something of a replacement for Lost Girl with strong, kick ass females and the plotline is truly interesting. I love the sister dynamic and the fish out of water scenario Wynonna experiences on a regular basis. Looking forward to more revelations about Doc's deal with the devil and seeing how long he rides the fence.

Still behind on Banshee, but hoping to catch up soon. Also backed up on Marcella, but I rather love the twisty turns this series takes on a regular basis. Love not knowing if the heroine of the show is actually a villain, too. J

And that's it for television this week.

Tonight's post is from Just One Moment, a sexy short and free read that will have two similarly named titles by my alter egos, ML Skye and Skye Ritchey. The free read will feature two characters from a previous release. I always love revisiting my characters to see what they've been up to.

Here's the mini-blurb:

A life-threatening situation and a couple in love. Just one moment to say everything that needs to be said for Kiernan and Lars.

And a snippety peek…

Kiernan ducked and took cover. The gunfire echoing in her ears and the rapid thumping of her heart dampened the sound of her short, gasping breaths. She'd lost sight of Lars, but he'd be close. He never let her get too far away.

The man always had her back.

And she loved him for it.

She almost jumped out of her skin when a hand clamped over her shoulder. Smothering a scream with her fist, she relaxed, instinct kicking in. A quick glance behind her and she breathed easier. Lars flashed a warning look and motioned for her to follow him.

Staying low, she crawled along the path Lars made through the overturned crates and shipping pallets. The rest of his team stayed engaged with the targets, also known as Kiernan's worst nightmare. Lars came to a stop inside the small office she kept directly beside the main entrance to her rented space in the commercial section of the marina.

Kiernan eased inside and heaved a sigh of relief when Lars pushed the door shut. The room offered additional cover and provided some soundproofing from the combat going on in the main work area. His hand cupped her face and she leaned into his palm.

He smoothed his thumb over her bottom lip. "You're doing great, Kier. This went to shit, but we have a contingency plan." He nodded toward the space between her filing cabinets. "There's your way out." Crab-walking over, he swung his feet out in front of him and placed his boots on the wall.

One hard kick later, a three foot by three foot square opened into the warehouse next door.

Kiernan's mouth dropped open. "What the hell?" Sure, she'd fit but he didn't expect her to leave him, did he?

Lars scooted out of the way. "I want you to get out and get clear of the building, at least two blocks." He held out a hand. "Now, Kier. I need you to do this for me." His gaze met hers.

A jolt of fear slithered down her spine. "Why, Lars? What's going on?" She moved closer, grabbing his biceps so he couldn't back away.

He flicked a glance toward her work area. "I need you safe and the only way to make that happen is to get you out of the line of fire." He kept his tone even, but frustration crept in.

Kiernan didn't take kindly to his words. "I'm not leaving you. We're in this together." They had been since the moment he'd pulled the rug out from under her, clueing her in to the people she worked for.

Lars grabbed her face between his hands. "You're a distraction right now. My team is putting their asses on the line and I have to be out there with them." His angry gaze zeroed on her.

She blinked, the sting of tears pissing her off. But she'd made a promise to follow his instructions to the letter and she'd do what he asked. Even if she wanted to punch him in the mouth.

Letting go, she eased away. "Fine. I'll take off." She turned, staying low, and started for the opening, but stopped and angled back around. "But first, I want one more moment of your precious time." She growled the words, lifting a brow, daring him to deny her request.

Lars exhaled slowly. "What, Kier? Seriously, you need—"

She cut him off. "I love you, Lars, even though you're being a total jackass right now." She crawled through the opening, not waiting on a response.

I had so much fun going back to reveal this moment between Kier and Lars. I hope everyone enjoys the final product.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Just Dessert

A random observation to start things off. A new office chair totally makes a huge difference when it comes to comfort for writing or editing. Just saying. I got a new chair on Friday and I can already feel the difference. Nice!!

Busy week on the television front. Gotham had a great episode. I hope it gets renewed because I'm interested in where the characters will end up next.

The Flash moved the story forward and I'm looking forward to seeing the finale. Arrow did a repeat, but this week should be new. Legends of Tomorrow had a great new episode. I'm liking what they're doing with the character interaction.

Agents of SHIELD took another bizarre twist and I like it. My one quibble would be the somewhat constant pulling the rug out will get old if it happens all the time. I do get a little tired of turning good guys into bad guys and that's saying something because I love all the shades of gray between black and white.

Wynonna Earp continues to make me happy. And I got partially caught up on Banshee. Gotta say the first episode kind of blew my mind in a terrific way. Not at all what I expected. I'm about halfway through season two of X Company and I’m still enjoying everything about the show.

I didn't say anything about Orphan Black last week because my brain was still processing the premiere. But, wow, what a terrific episode! And the follow up kicked butt, too. Lovely to see Paul, if only briefly. I have so much love for this show and how they raise the stakes each season.

And that's it for television.

Tonight's post is from Just Dessert, book three of the Black Unicorn Comics Adventure series. Lucy and Brian are back and celebrating their anniversary.

Here's the mini-blurb:

On Brian and Lucy's anniversary, they receive a gift from his gran that has the couple reliving their first night together.

And a snippety peek…

Brain flashed back to the night he fell under Lucy's spell. Best night of his life, even if it didn't start out that way. He'd gone to dinner with Chelle, supposedly to make up for something he'd done to irritate her—a common occurrence, which should have been his first clue they weren't meant to be.

As usual, Chelle prattled on and on about Reg and Ana and how she and Brian should do more with the couple. Brian thought their weekly brunch on Sundays a nice routine, but Chelle never thought they spent enough time together with his best friend and his wife. Ana's busy schedule didn't leave a lot of room for get-togethers. The woman ran several charities and organized gala events, which raked in lots of donations.

Chelle rolled her eyes. "I don't see why they can't pick up the tab when we meet on Sundays. Ana's got more money than she'll spend in this lifetime." She nibbled on her shrimp cocktail.

Brian frowned. "Why should she foot the bill? We're the one who invited them, at your insistence. It's fair to split the check." Not like he and Chelle didn't make enough to cover the cost of their own meals.

Chelle snorted. "I'm just saying once we made it a weekly event, she could have offered. She's always going on about how she gets in to the best places. Why not treat us to some of her legendary sway and score us comped meals?" She drained her wine glass and gave Brian a pointed look.

He sighed and refilled the goblet. "Look, Chelle, you never complain when Ana brings in all the leftover swag they have from her numerous events. And you're always the first in line to score the best stuff." Often to the detriment of the other Black Unicorn employees.

Chelle laughed. "As if anyone else at that place knows what to do with most of the freebies Chelle drops off." She twirled her fork in the air. "I mean, seriously? Lucy doesn't know the first thing about fashion, not when she constantly shows up for work in cutoffs and a tank top. Does she even know how to dress professionally?" She scooped up some of her pasta and paused halfway to her mouth. "And don't even get me started on Soch. The yummy stuff Ana brings in is lost on anyone with that many tattoos." The fork disappeared between Chelle's lips.

Brian welcomed the reprieve. He'd had about enough of Chelle's constant barrage of insults toward their coworkers. Watching her watch everyone else in the restaurant with a calculated gleam in her eye turned his stomach. He finally saw Chelle for the social climber she intended to be.

How the hell did I get tangled up with her?

How, indeed, Brian. Gotta say I love revisiting this couple and their crazy group of friends.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Imagination

Finally, a fairly lovely week. The weather took a turn for the better with mild temperatures and some sun.

Gotta say The Magicians finale shocked and surprised me. Loved it! The premiere of The Hunters has me intrigued so I'll continue watching to see how things pan out. No episode of Bitten this week, unless I missed the US viewing night. I've seen the next to last episode and some big twisty-turns I didn't expect.

Agents of SHIELD had a great episode. I have to give Brett Dalton credit for being so good at playing truly creepy. He's got the chops to pull it off.

Legends of Tomorrow also had another great episode. And finally, looks like we'll have a new / another villain. Glad to see the potential there.

Loving Wynonna Earp. I'm all caught up and really excited about the potential for this series. Still need to watch the first three episodes of Banshee, which I'm hoping to do later tonight. Also started a new ITV drama, Marcella, and so far, really like it. One of my favorite actors is starring so I'll be glued no matter what. LOL

And finally, I'm getting back into X Company, an excellent Canadian drama about WWII. Loving the second season so far.

And that's it for television this week.

Tonight's post is from Imagination, a novella based on the prompt "using a blindfold". How can that not be fun to write?

Here's the mini-blurb:

Holland Dukes and Rand Allerdyce love to play games. When Holland decides Rand needs to stimulate his imagination, she uses a blindfold and makes him rely on his other senses. Rand gets payback, pulling the same scenario… in Holland's office.

And a snippety peek…

When the room went dark, Rand tensed, ready to fight off an attack.

He caught a whiff of gardenia and smiled. Relaxing, he waited to see what happened next.

Holland's voice purred closed to his ear. "Let the game begin…"

Rand turned toward the sound, carefully reaching out. "And what fun treat do you have planned tonight?" His fingers met silk, gliding lightly over the fabric.

Holland grasped his hand. "Imagination."

Rand's lips quirked. "I want to touch more than your hand." He twined their fingers together and tugged her forward.

Holland made a sound between a purr and a chuckle. "You will, Rand. Patience."

He could play the waiting game, especially if she rewarded him with a hot experience. "Okay, no rushing then." He loosened his grip on her fingers.

Holland leaned in close. "Exactly. Now… let's go with taste." Her mouth met his, her tongue slipping past his lips.

He smiled when she eased away. "Mmmm. Mint with a velvety undertone of chocolate." Licking his lips, he made a low groan. "Combined with the gardenia perfume, you're hitting all my favorites." A sigh escaped before he could stop it.

Holland made a tsking sound. "All right, Mr. Know-it-all. Listen…"

The scratchy sound of a zipper being lowered met his ears. "You're not planning to lead me around by my dick, are you?" He could almost picture the saucy smile on her face.

Holland laughed, a sexy rumble close to his ear. "No. Because that would involve touch and I'm still on listening and hearing." She stepped away. "Follow the sound now…" Her heels made a tick-click-clack on the parquet flooring of the foyer before becoming muted when she crossed to the slate tiles in the kitchen. "Where am I?"

Rand grinned. "You're in the kitchen, picking something up." The slide of glass on the granite counter gave her action away.

Holland made her way back into the entry. "Very good. You get a reward for your effort." Her fingers grazed his cheek. "Open wide now. We're back to taste again."

Rand complied and bit into a succulent strawberry covered in chocolate and whipped cream. Another favorite. Holland certainly pulled out all the stops tonight.

Her mouth covered his again, the taste of the ripe fruit on her lips. He let her control the embrace, groaning when she swept her tongue along his, getting a little lost in her allure. When she eased away to feed him another strawberry followed by one more, he dutifully finished off both. She could feed him all night if she wanted. The loss of sight only served to heighten everything else and he thoroughly enjoyed having her in the driver's seat.

The sound of her heels walking back into the kitchen kicked his anticipation up a notch. When she returned to his side, he reached out, craving contact with her. The gaping hole from his open zipper gave him a little breathing room, but the hard ridge of his cock wanted some attention.

When his hands found her hips, he whispered. "What's next?"

What's next, indeed? Use your imagination. LOL

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: The Hunt

Just in time for the weekend, snow showers in Ohio. LOL Considering I was still wearing shorts and flip-flops in October, I won't gripe anymore. J

Update on the gimpy kid… she'd made huge strides over the last week, going from her splint down to a boot and now easing into a brace. She's doing therapy and it's making a huge difference. She won't be ready to jump hurdles before the end of track season, but she's mobile and crutchless for the most part. *throws confetti*

Sad there isn't a new Walking Dead, but also a little relieved. I'll give next season a quick go then decide if I can deal with Negan or not.

The Magicians is almost to the season ender and I'm kind of excited to see what happens. Bitten is also two episodes away from its finale and I'm kind of sad there won't be any new episodes to look forward to.

No new The Flash, but Agents of SHIELD had a terrific showing. I rather like how the deep division seems to be setting up Captain America: Civil War.

Arrow… wow. I'm actually kind of shocked at who we lost. That said, never say die in a show based on a comic series. There's a solid chance we'll see the one we lost again.

Legends of Tomorrow put a good episode together. I really love the complicated mix and relationships portrayed. I will admit, I'm actually kind of tired of Savage constantly having the upper hand. I'd like to see a serious blow dealt to him and maybe an introduction of some other villains.

Still need to watch Banshee, but I have the eps ready to go. And the first episode of Wynonna Earp proved awesome! If the second ep is as good, I'm all-in. Kind of looking forward to The Hunters and hoping it holds my interest.

That's it for TV this week.

Tonight's post is from The Hunt, a sexy short based on the prompt "personal space violation." How could this one not be fun?

Here's the mini-blurb:

Megan and Guy, corporate retreat directors, stage a scavenger hunt for their client's team building exercise. After a major disagreement, the couple spends most of their time making up—and trying not to get caught in compromising positions.

And a snippety peek…

"If I have to do one more team-building exercise by creating a fort out of office furniture that culminated in a group sing-along of "Kumbaya", I'm going to kill someone. I think it's time we pulled our contract and went looking for a different place to hold our corporate retreats." Joe Homage folded his arms over his chest and heaved a frustrated breath.

Megan Dewes pursed her lips and pondered how to respond to the outburst. Mid-level groups like Aztec Holdings had a ton of turnover in their ranks and always looked for ways to help their employees work together toward the common goal of selling more equipment. Joe Homage, the VP of sales, attended every session—usually two per year—and this would make his tenth outing. No wonder he'd boarded the crazytown express.

Megan rose and made her way around the desk, propping a hip on the edge. "What can I do to liven things up for you, Joe?" She didn't want to lose Aztec's business, not when she and her partner were finally going to have time off.

Which they wouldn't get if Joe pulled the plug.

He shot her a look. "Really? You're going to use sales tactics on me?" He dropped his arms and turned away. "Because I can sell swampland in Florida."

Megan quirked a smile. "Okay, then. Why don't you tell me what you want and I'll see if we can make it happen. You've always had the option to change your package, Joe." Of course, he didn't do the booking, his exec assistant did.

Which meant he probably didn't have clue he could request something different.

Joe cocked his head to one side. "Well, uh, I don't know. But there's gotta be something besides the same old stuff all the time." He gave her a hopeful look.

Megan started to reply, but the door opened and her partner entered, carrying two cups of coffee from the kitchen carafe.

Guy Rillion never failed to take her breath away… or to not distract her when he walked into a room. But she had an account to save, so she only nodded and scrambled to come up with a new idea for Joe's group.

Reaching across the desk, she pulled the Aztec file toward her and flipped it open. "Let's just check and see what we can shuffle around here." Joe leaned in, his shoulder brushing hers.

Guy moved through the office, placing the coffee on the desk and settling into the chair. "Morning, Joe. What's up?" He met Megan's gaze for a brief second before turning his attention to their client.

Joe straightened. "Er, well, I was thinking about pulling the contract, but Megan asked for some ideas to change up the program a little. You know, shake things up so they're not so boring." He finished on a mumble.

Megan stuck her tongue in her cheek to keep from snorting with laughter. She didn't know whether to whip out a ruler or walk away.

Guy looked ready to do battle and Joe like he wanted to crawl away as quickly as possible. Nothing like a bona fide measuring contest to get the day started.

Having a great time with this one…

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: How to Tell Off the Boss

So, first week of April in Ohio and we had a wintry mix of sleet and snow yesterday. *shakes head* Come on, Mother Nature, cut us a break. LOL

On the television front… The Walking Dead set everything up for the finale tonight. I'm actually thinking I won't watch it live. It's been a rough week and my brain might just break if one of my faves doesn't make it out alive.

Missed Gotham on Monday and haven't caught up yet. This plays into the rough week angle. My teenage daughter had her first track meet Monday night and badly sprained her ankle during the warm-ups. The poor kid didn't even get to compete. The good news is she cleared all the hurdles. The bad news? She needs to work on the landings. LOL Needless to say, she's on crutches and miserable but gets to see the orthopedic guy tomorrow. Whew.

The Flash and Agents of SHIELD had great episodes. I liked seeing the fallout from previous episodes on both shows. Time travel always kicks my interest up a notch and The Flash usually pulls off nice twists when it happens. Henry Simmons is terrific at playing Mack and I'm glad he's on Agents of SHIELD.

Arrow added some new layers to relationships and it was cool to see a Flash villain show up in Star City. I kind of liked having Felicity save the day and Curtis was a total riot in the Arrow cave / bunker. I love his character so much.

Legends of Tomorrow surprised me with revealing how Mick survived his encounter with Snart. Very cool to see Sara back in Nanda Parbot and being introduced to Talia. I loved the little seeds / references to Nyssa, too.

I checked into The Magicians and love the kind of twisty things they're doing with the relationships there. Bitten also had a great episode, but I'm truly sad another pack member met his end. I'm very ready for Elena and company to kick ass and end the menacing presence in their lives.

I'll be catching up with Wynonna Earp and Banshee sometime today. Will probably be adding little bits to next week's post on both.

And that's it for television this week.

Tonight's post is from How to Tell Off the Boss, a novella built on the two word prompt "Bug off". I love a challenge and this one ended up not being as hard as I thought it would.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Orin Murdoch's boss, the newly installed VP of Sales, is driving him insane with new promotions that just don't work. Edda Case, an upstart marketing whiz, takes Orin in hand and teaches him how to tell off the boss with style.

And a snippety peek…

"Yes, Linna, I'll cross-check the dates of the campaign. No. No, I don't know what could have happened to result in a loss that big." Orin Murdoch heaved a sigh. "Yes. I'll have something put together for a meeting tomorrow." He hung up and shook his head. "Please, whatever rules the universe, let that woman get hit by a bus in the very near future."

A garbled snort drew his attention and he glanced up to find Edda Case, their marketing genius standing in his doorway. She had her messenger style bag hoisted over her shoulder and her polka-dot trench coat draped over her arm. At least someone got to leave work at a decent hour.

Edda smirked. "If you're talking about Linna, a bus would be too quick." She stepped into the office and made her way to stand in front of his desk. "Now, something along the lines of falling from the top of a skyscraper might be a good way for her to go." She dropped her bag on the floor and grinned.

Orin rolled his eyes. "Seriously, I don't understand what happened to the last campaign. And she's demanding answers." Meaning he'd be here most of the night.

Edda shrugged. "Look, I'm getting ready to meet some friends for either Korean or Thai food, not sure which yet." She grabbed her bag again. "Either way, it's comfort food for me. You should join us." She widened her eyes and nodded.

Orin sighed. "Yeah, sorry, can't." He pointed to the open files on his desk. "I've got the next launch to get in order and, of course, the research for why the last campaign didn't meet expectations." His stomach growled, but he ignored the pangs.

Edda shook her head then leaned forward a little. "If you ask me, we put forward a no-fail plan. There's something not quite right about the low sales." She straightened and met his gaze. "Think about it." Without waiting for a response, she turned and sailed out of his office.

Orin grabbed his pen and tapped it on the edge of the desk. Edda couldn't be thinking someone deliberately tanked the project, could she? Nah. Who in their right mind would pull a stunt like that?

If using possible sabotage as an excuse wouldn't make him look like an inept ass, he'd absolutely use the idea. Instead, he'd run the numbers forwards and backwards and figure out where the breakdown occurred. The grumble from his midsection sounded again and he got up, crossing over to the break room to grab some yoghurt and granola. A terrible dinner, but something to tide him over for an hour or two. He could always order something for delivery later.

Sitting back down, he pondered Edda's invitation. They worked well together but didn't associate outside of the office. Polar opposites would describe their personality types. Edda's brash, bold, and colorful style translated into her work. She dreamed up marketing and advertising that put products front and center and dared people not to see them. Orin didn't have a creative bone in his body, but he thought and worked with the big picture in mind. And numbers were his refuge. Forecasting, projecting, finalizing. He rarely missed the mark.

So what the hell happened to the jump bag project?

Something along the lines of falling from the top of a skyscraper might be a good way for her to go.

Edda's words played over in Orin's brain. He chuckled. Then laughed. He gave Edda props for creativity. And he regretted not taking her up on the offer to have dinner. Even with a group of her friends, he doubted the evening would be anything but fun and enjoyable. Edda might not be his usual type—not that he had a type anymore, considering he couldn't remember his last date—but she drew people to her with vivacious wit and keen intelligence.

Finishing off the yoghurt and granola, he tossed the items in the trash can and settled in to crunch some numbers.

Gotta say this one is very fun to dive into. Hoping to have a finished draft sometime this summer.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin