Sunday Snippet: Transference

March 19, 2017

And we had about two inches of snow this week. Mother Nature is laughing her ass off right now.

The Walking Dead had another great episode. I always love Carol and I enjoyed Morgan's journey. The Talking Dead follow up made me happy, too.

The Flash took a turn I didn't expect and I like it. Looking forward to seeing what else the speed force comes up with to throw at Barry.

Legends of Tomorrow going to the moon proved a fun ride. Personally, I want a lot more Mick and Martin scenes. Their timing is so terrific. I'm also loving the Sarah / Rip dynamic. Love this show.

Arrow upped the tension by a zillion. His past keeps coming back to haunt him in huge ways. While I love how Adrian has everything twisted in his direction, I'll enjoy seeing him go down. At least I hope he goes down. Hard. And doesn't get back up. I'm also waiting for Felicity to land on the hot seat. Something tells me she's going to get into a mess she can't get out of.

Riverdale had a bye week, which makes me sad. No new episode this week either. Grr.

I finished up the first season of City Homicide and started Luke Cage. So far, I'm enjoying the Harlem vibe and look forward to seeing how Luke comes into his hero status.

Still need to catch up on Murdoch Mysteries and X Company. Possibly this week.

And that's it for television. This week's post is from Transference, a novella that started with a scene prompt... One character is loading up their belongings for a move or transfer and they find a letter that reminds of their last time with another character.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Leslie Karr is packing her meager belongings to move into a new apartment and finds a letter from Granger Unger explaining why their night of shared grief over the loss of his brother can't go anywhere. After three years, Leslie still wonders if he may have been wrong and decides to test the waters by looking him up before she leaves town.

And a snippety peek…

Granger tossed a ball against the wall of his office. He'd sent all the lab techs home—no one had great ideas after working twenty-four hours straight. He couldn't leave—not yet.

His team hovered on a breakthrough, so close Granger could almost see the solution in his mind. But not quite.

"Argh!" The ball hit, bounced, and returned only to roll between his trash can and file cabinets.

Rising, he dragged on a jacket and exited the office. The darkened lab cast shadows on the floor and walls. When did it get dark? The clock read just after nine. Geez, I need a life. He'd been cloistered in his office for well over three hours. But he had nothing to get home to or anyone waiting on him.

His stomach rumbled. "Okay, food I can do." He locked the lab and jogged down the steps to the first floor.

The security guard glanced up from his monitoring station. "Heading home, Granger?" He settled back in the chair and folded his hands over his belly.

Granger cracked a smile. "Not yet, Wallace. Heading out to grab a bite then coming back to work." He paused by the counter housing the camera feeds. "Can I get you something?"

Wallace shook his head. "No, thanks. The wife cooked up a storm today, trying a bunch of new recipes for her blog." He patted his stomach. "I'm her official taste tester and, man, I'm about to burst from eating so much." A satisfied grin crossed his features.

Granger lifted a hand in farewell. "Sounds terrific, Wallace. I'll be back in about thirty minutes." He waited for the guard to buzz him through the door then exited into the brisk night.

Suppressing a shiver, he strolled away from the research facility and crossed the road, heading toward an Irish pub that served excellent food in short order. The stars twinkled in the clear sky and Granger took a moment to gaze upward. He liked this time of year, but the usually mild weather of late spring hadn't arrived yet. The bite of winter lingering well after its normal run. Ohio weather never failed to amuse and amaze him.

He pulled the door open and entered the pub, the blast of warmth welcoming and full of comfort. The owner, Donal, lifted his chin in greeting then jerked his head toward the kitchen. Being a regular provided top-notch service without saying a word.

Granger gave a thumbs-up then grabbed a seat by the window. He didn't wait long, getting his order within fifteen minutes. Donal waved Granger off and suggested he come in to pay his tab this weekend.

Donal always seemed to know when Granger needed a break. He'd definitely stop in on Friday or Saturday and unwind. But first, his team needed to find their breakthrough.

Wallace nodded, the phone to his ear, when Granger walked past. He hit the stairs again, going up a floor then wandered down to the lab and back into his office. Settling behind the desk, he popped the lid on his takeout container then noticed his message light flashing.

Hitting the speaker, he keyed in his password. Maybe inspiration struck one of the techs. Nothing prepared Granger for the blast from his past.

"Hi, Granger. It's Leslie. Stupid of me to call, but, well, I finally graduated and have several interviews scheduled—God, that's not why I'm calling. I'd like to see you, if you're not too busy. I'll be in town Friday, staying through next week. If you're available, give me a call."

She signed off with her contact number.

Granger blinked and sat, hard, in the chair. Jesus. Leslie. How many times had he thought about her over the past two years? Every time he'd thought of Thad, which, granted, hadn't been as much recently. He missed his brother, especially around the holidays when Granger didn't have any family to visit.

But he'd held firm to his promise to leave Leslie alone. "And what did it get me?" A string of one-night stands and weekend relationships.

But he couldn't lay the blame at Leslie's feet. He wrote the letter. But she didn't reply or respond. You didn't leave her much of an opening. He hadn't. Not even a smidgen. How had she coped? He still got a kick of guilt over leaving that letter in her mailbox. She didn't have anyone either. Who had she turned to when she needed someone to talk to? God, he'd been such a shit. Pulling away not even a month after his brother's death. Hey, dumbass, she wants to talk to you now. Call her.

Grabbing his phone, he dialed her number.

Granger is going to kick himself for not calling Leslie sooner. But it gives him the opportunity to examine where he is and where he wants to go.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Toying With Desire

March 12, 2017

Seriously, the back and forth of warm then frigid weather is the one thing I hate about March. My sinuses rebel in a big way and it's never pretty. LOL

The Walking Dead had a great episode last week. Nice to see Rick and Michonne working together. Rosita on the warpath is also pretty great to watch.

The Flash is speeding along to the reveal of the big bad and I have a sneaky feeling I'm not going to like who it ends up being. We'll see what happens.

Legends of Tomorrow finally brought Rip back from the edge of evil… or did they? It's never one hundred percent certain with this group. Looks like a great episode coming up.

Arrow had the week off and I missed my Wednesday night fare. I'm not a huge fan of these stupid three week hiatuses. Just show the damn episodes already.

Riverdale also had a great episode. This series is fast becoming my number two show. I loved getting some background about Fred and FP. That said, if Fred had a band in high school, why was he pretty much unable to connect with Archie about his music? Little things and details like this can make or break a show for me. Here's hoping there's some improvement there. I love sneaky Betty. Cheryl's right about Betty betting a terrible liar, but she's got some game with her clueless parents. On a side note, the seeds being planted for a messy situation with Betty, Jughead, and Archie make me happy. I'd like to see a little more Dark Betty emerge.

I finished up Jessica Jones and ended up loving how things played out. As hard as it is for my brain to wrap around David Tennant playing a raging asshole, I gotta give him kudos for being completely creepy. Started a rewatch of one of my favorite Australian series, City Homicide. I love that show. Also need to catch up on X Company and Murdoch Mysteries.

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Toying with Desire, a novella that got a start from a challenge to write something not the norm.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Carly Johnson, a savvy business owner who sells sex toys, isn't looking for love… her track record is terrible. But when she meets Zeke Moran, under less than stellar circumstances, sparks fly and Carly wants to take a chance… but first he has to get over his preconceived ideas about her career.

And a snippety peek…

Zeke Moran wondered how the hell a demon of a woman got the upper hand over him. Staring at the empty space while the door slowly swung shut, he felt the loss of heat they'd generated.

Carly Johnson turned out to be nothing like he imagined. She didn't have blond hair or huge tits—though hers were more than adequate—and her head didn't appear to be empty.

No, she seemed intelligent. Eloquent. Cool under pressure. He'd come looking for some skeevy, trampy type. Instead he met up with a weird mix of sexy smart and hotly demure.

The combination completely threw him.

Hell's bells.

He followed her outside… didn't have much of a choice. Found her leaning casually against the concrete barricade in front of the bar, looking strangely ethereal under the neon glow of the sign. She popped up as soon as she caught sight of him, but waited for him to make his way to her. Stuck out her hand as soon as he was close enough.

"Carly Johnson… and I'm assuming you're Lola's brother, Zeke?"

She'd thrown him again. He didn't expect her to be amicable. Zeke shook her hand, even though her friendly demeanor pissed him off. The woman had him twisted sideways and upside down.

And he didn't like it one damn bit. Who cared if her grip was firm, yet soft at the same time?

He sure as hell didn't.

Dropping her hand as if it burned, he growled. "Damn right, I'm Lola's brother. And I wanna know just who the hell you think you are, talking my sister into cheating on her husband."

Zeke tends to step in great big piles of his own creation. He'll learn to think before he opens his mouth.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Throw in the Towel

If February in Ohio can be an angsty monster, March is its drama queen sibling. The wind is doing some wicked crazy things lately.

I'm kind of looking forward to The Walking Dead tonight. Of course, whether I watch the entire episode depends on if Negan makes an appearance. I really, really don't like him eating up screen time. No offense to the actor. He's terrific.

The Flash had another great episode. Dueling Harrisons is fun to watch. I'm truly wondering if Iris has a future on this show. I love the actress so I hope she does. That said, the CW isn't afraid to kill off favorites, so, yeah, there's that.

Arrow had another great episode. I had a sneaky suspicion about Adrian, especially after he mentioned Oliver stole his girlfriend back in the day. Season five is kind of up and down but the threads merge in ways I'm not usually expecting and I like that.

Riverdale is still holding my attention. I'm a little iffy on the jumbled up feeling I get, like there's not really a solid through-line, but I'm more than willing to hang in there and see where everything goes. I chuckle at their previously ons… I know a show that used to slip stuff that didn't make it onscreen into the previously ons… just saying.

Finished up season two of Daredevil and loved how everything came together. Looking forward to more with Matt, Foggy, and Karen. Started Jessica Jones and hit just over the halfway mark. It's not quite as great as Daredevil, in my viewer opinion, but I'm enjoying the acting and the characters. Okay, I'm not really excited about Hogarth, but eh, whatever.

And that's it in television this week. Tonight's post is from Throw in the Towel, a novella that got a start with the writing community prompt of "Towel-related hijinks". Such a fun idea!

Here's the mini-blurb:

Taurin Beach and Craig Wallmartin are top competitors on the mud run circuit. When Craig is caught by a reporter with nothing but a towel, it gives Taurin the perfect idea for catching his attention and finally getting what she wants. Him.

And a snippety peek…

Once she cooled down, she caught sight of Craig Wallmartin, the hot, hard object of her latest fantasies. Fit men made her weak in the knees and Craig could be a cover model for one of her books. Maybe all of them. He'd won the men's division and looked to be chatting with a rep from one of the shoe sponsors. He dripped with sweat and had mud and muck from head to toe—just like Taurin did. Then again, what screamed buy these shoes more than a walking epitome of demonstration? Schmoozing with a rep would be worth the itchy, caked on goodness when the course clay and debris started to dry.

But not for her.

Squeezing the mud out of her hair, she ducked into the mobile shower area the course owners had set up. Stripping off her disgusting clothes, she stepped under the hot spray, thanking the universe for the corporate cash kicking in the extra bucks for the huge comfort. She rinsed off the dirt, sweat, and—ouch—blood. A stray vine of a jagged prickly bush caught her just below the bicep.

"Might help if I learned to look where I'm going."

The small gash burned like hell but cleaned up okay. A little triple antibiotic and she should be good to go. She finished up with a double hair wash and finally turned off the shower.

Shivering a little, she wrapped a towel around her torso and quickly jammed her dirty gear into her duffel bag. Hoisting the bag over her shoulder, she started to exit the shower area into the changing room but paused when she heard voices. She hadn't heard anyone else enter the facilities.

"Mr. Wellmartin, Craig, can I get a few quotes for our viewers?"

Taurin poked her head around the partition separating the changing area from the central hub of the building. Sure enough, Craig stood—a towel wrapped around his waist and still wet and dripping from his shower—blinking at the brazen reporter from mudrunmainia.com. Lori Michels, if Taurin remembered correctly. And didn't the woman have some gall?

Craig's grip tightened on the terry cloth. "Lori, if you'll give me five minutes, I'll be happy to speak with you." He used his free hand to guide Ms. Michels toward the exit.

The woman protested. "Please, Craig, I'd really like to get a jump on everyone else…"

Taurin narrowed her eyes when Lori shifted sideways a little and Taurin caught sight of Lori's phone—recording the exchange with Craig.

Holy shit. The reporter would definitely have a jump on everyone else—an almost naked Craig would drive a buttload of traffic to mudrunmania.com site. Lori kept squirming around, trying to stay in the competitor's zone and Craig struggled to keep his towel covering his midsection. Lori, no doubt, got some very revealing footage.

Taurin couldn't stand the spectacle anymore. She dropped her duffel and rifled through for some clean clothes. Yanking a shirt over her head, she then pulled on some shorts and dashed out into the open area.

She planted her hands on her hips. "Hey, Craig, you might wanna check her phone. She's been recording your entire exchange."

His demeanor immediately went from friendly exasperation to angry disgust.

Lori shot Taurin a venom-filled look before she gasped and tried to play her ballsy move off as an accident. "I'm so sorry. I had no idea." She swiped the back button on the device and stopped filming. "Must've inadvertently hit the camera icon while you were trying to shoo me out." She batted her eyelashes.

Taurin snorted and rolled her eyes. My ass you didn't know exactly what you were doing.

Craig didn't buy the lame excuse either. "I doubt that." He shook his head and growled. "I think you've got what you wanted. Now, get out." He pointed to the exit.

Lori smirked and made a hasty retreat.

Taurin strode back to the women's side and grabbed the rest of her gear then slid her feet into her flip-flops. She turned around and almost bumped into Craig, still holding his towel in one fist.

Geez, the guy should come with a warning label—lethally hot, please don't get too close. Her gaze focused on the hard, bare chest a mere few inches in front of her. She resisted the urge—barely—to touch the smooth skin, marred by a single, jagged scar on his left pec. She'd love to trade war stories about battle wounds… in bed.

Glancing up, she found him giving her a hard stare and she quirked an eyebrow. "Yeah, sorry. Did you need something?" She squashed the desire to list the things she'd be happy to do for him.

He shook his head. "No, just… look, thanks." His voice had gone gruff and grumbly. "For, well, helping in there." His head jerked toward the changing area. "Can't believe she filmed me. I don't get it." He grimaced.

Her eyes widened at his discomfort. Did the guy have no clue? Maybe he didn't.

She flashed a grin. "Are you kidding? Mud Run Mania should pay you. You'll increase traffic and traction to their website once her video goes viral." She moved past him into the less intimate space of the changing area.

Other competitors started rolling in and she dumped her duffel bag on a bench, lifting a hand in greeting to a few.

Craig followed her after throwing on a pair of clean shorts. "Do you really think a video of me in a towel telling Lori to get out will generate that much interest?" He snorted.

Taurin blinked. He really didn't have any kind of idea how hot he looked. Members of both sexes were giving him once-overs on their way to the showers.

She bit back a laugh. "Again, I ask, are you kidding? Hell, yeah, it will." Needing to leave before she said more, she gathered her bag and beat a hasty retreat.

I enjoy writing fun romps and this one is well on the way to being one of those.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Tell Me More

February in Ohio can be an angsty monster. Two days ago we hit almost eighty degrees. Yesterday, we had a fifty-degree drop in temperature and snow. Seriously… Mother Nature has a warped sense of humor. Just saying.

I'll be skipping this week's The Walking Dead but thoroughly enjoyed last Sunday's episode. I'm always up for Daryl and Carol being in the same space.

The Flash ended up being pretty good, but I need to rewatch. Too many distractions going on while it aired. I did get to see most of Legends of Tomorrow and I'm torn between really hating Rip as a bad guy and kind of enjoying it. I'm very fickle sometimes.

Arrow ended up being awesome! Thea moving behind the scenes to protect her brother is terrific, even when she goes too far. The Merlyn blood is strong in her. I loved Oliver comparing her to Moira, too. A nice, subtle reminder of her other role model in life.

Riverdale got real with the Blossom family secrets. I loved getting some dark background on them. Also enjoyed some of the other undertones pinging in the background. I'm a little confused about Fred's marital status… didn't he say he and Mary split up but they're civil to each other? Oh well, whatever adds more drama, right?

I'm halfway through season two of Daredevil and still enjoying it. It's not as tightly written as the first season, but I love where things are going.

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Tell Me More, a novella that started with a two-word prompt of "don't stop".

Here's the mini-blurb:

Shannon Tewes and Webber Dillon work for a premiere event planner and don't always see eye to eye. Shannon has a knack for putting Webber on the hot seat whenever their boss is around and Webber has several ideas of how he'd retaliate if he ever got Shannon in a compromising position.

And a snippety peek…

Shannon Tewes jolted awake and sat up, scrambling for her sketchpad. "Holy crap. This is perfect." Her fingers traced out a design, lightly shading in the gauzy effect that her brain conjured while sleeping.

She wanted to get as much detail on the page as possible before adding the new concept to her presentation.

Five minutes later, she leaned back and held up the pad. "Wow. This will be amazing." She'd drawn a long tunnel draped in a crepe-like fabric. "Add some lights, probably red, and some candelabras to line the path and, viola, a stunning entry for the guests." The Halloween-themed wedding would go down as one of her favorites.

Crawling out of bed, she crossed over to her small workspace and got her laptop going. She opened the project file and scanned the sketch into the computer. She'd flesh out the idea after she made some coffee.

She'd pay for this burst of inspiration when she came down from the creative high. And she didn't need Marjorie to lose faith in Shannon if she nodded off during the meeting later today. She'd already be pushing the limits of Marjorie's patience by adding in a large-scale, last-minute stroke of genius.

Mercurial by nature, Marjorie walked the gamut when they made changes close to a deadline. Which they did all the time. Fantastic Fetes earned its reputation for pulling off the impossible.

Working the mouse to fill in the color, Shannon grinned. "It's a good thing Marjorie could sell snow to Santa Claus." Unlike Shannon.

She preferred to be well behind the scenes. But Marjorie had mad people skills when it came to clients and getting them to part with their money. With her employees, she created friendly—usually—rivalries that garnered terrific ideas from her design teams.

Ugh. "Webber's not gonna be thrilled with me." Her counterpart for the Halloween nuptials had cranky down to an art form.

But, damn, between the smokin' hot body and the way he worked miracles by bringing her ideas to life, she hated working with anyone else. She kept her serious crush buried deep and under wraps. Marjorie liked to taste-test the help, but Shannon tried to maintain the separation of personal and professional.

But if Webber ever eased up on the grouch factor, Shannon might consider crossing the line.

She snorted. "Yeah, right. As if that'll ever happen."

Especially when he got a look at her new presentation.

I think I'll fun finishing this one up. Shannon and Webber have a ton of chemistry.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Surf's Up

February 19, 2017

Okay, I ended up watching The Walking Dead and enjoyed having the group back together. As always, The Talking Dead made me happy, too.

An off week for The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow, which meant I got to start a binge watch of Daredevil. So far, so good. I have two more episodes of season one to watch and I'm loving it.

Arrow's episode with the origin of Wild Dog ended up being terrific. I'm so happy they got a season six order. Arrow is consistently one of my favorites.

Riverdale continues to be must see for me. It's not perfect, but I like that. Lots of room to grow the characters and plot threads. I'll be waiting patiently for the next person to slap Alice Cooper… or to bring her down. Either is okay with me.

Caught up on Murdoch Mysteries and happy to see Brackenreid back. I enjoy him a lot. Looking forward to this week's episode.

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Surf's Up, a novella that got a prompt from a writing community. I veered a little off course from the main set-up of having the main characters be secret service agents on vacation in Hawaii with the president. But I'm really thrilled with where this one is going.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Marla Siff and Farley Osbourne protect a wealthy businessman as part of his entourage. People assume tech geek Farley is the muscle, but Marla is the combat trained protective detail. When a threat looms, they retreat to the private shores of their client's own island and Marla and Farley fight their attraction to keep their boss safe.

And a snippety peek…

Marla Siff lounged at the loft railing in the VIP section of Amberlane, owned and operated by her employer Lane Pennyworth.

She gazed down at the dance floor and checked the comms. "Farley, security mark-in. Can you hear me from here?" She didn't turn, waiting on her counterpoint's reply.

Farley cleared his throat and responded. "Coming through, loud and clear." He muffled his voice but the blonde draped on his left side asked who he spoke to.

Marla's lips twitched. Farley Osbourne made computer programs, apps, and anything technological purr under his capable hands. Dancing around explanations should give his skill set a boost.

Marla checked in with suit one and suit two, strategically positioned by the steps leading down to the main bar, one at each stairwell. She never remembered their names and Lane rotated about a dozen different burly guys to act as his front men. They could protect him if necessary, but Lane mainly used the "suits" for show. Marla and Farley always took point on Lane's security detail and traveled with him twenty-four seven.

She angled around, pirouetting on her four-inch heels. Lane insisted she and Farley look like part of his entourage. She'd kill to be in boots and fatigue pants right now.

Lane had a buxom beauty on either arm and both women hung on every word coming out of his mouth. Marla didn't bother checking in with him. He rarely remembered to put his earwig in.

She glanced around the VIP section. Not a big crowed, which surprised her. The lower level looked to be standing room only. Usually the bouncer sent up a steady stream of club dwellers to entertain Lane.

Marla filed away the detail and walked the perimeter, stopping to chat with a super-hot six-footer with wavy, dark hair and an impressive physique. His gaze lingered on her cleavage and his hand wandered to her hip. The short hemline of her sequined dress inched upward when he tugged her closer.

Stepping away, she deflected his interest. "Sorry, hot stuff, maybe another time." Glancing back over her shoulder, she gave him a flirty wink.

Movement at the top of the steps caught her attention and she frowned when a waiter breezed directly past suit one. She edged closer to the lounge area, keeping a close eye on the guy while he served drinks. When he'd emptied the tray, he reached into his vest and a flash of silver kicked Marla into action.

She maneuvered into position. "Gun!" Shouting the word sent the guests into a frenzied escape.

As expected, the fake waiter went for Farley, assuming him to be the biggest threat.

Marla smiled and kicked off her shoes. "Never fails."

Farley's physical attributes fooled the best, but his genius lie with the programs, apps, comms, and equipment. Not that he couldn't handle himself in a brawl, but Marla lived for combat situations. She had the special forces training and loved using those skills to thwart anyone after her employer.

With a quick glance to Lane, she indicated he should duck and roll. He immediately complied. Atta boy! Lifting her hand, she struck a trigger point on the fake waiter. His grip loosened and the gun fell to the floor. Farley swept it aside and moved into action, covering Lane while Marla engaged the would-be assailant.

The suits flanked Lane and Farley, getting them to the private, hidden door. One stayed behind, already in communication with local law enforcement. Marla made short work of the assassin and suit two stepped up to keep him subdued until the officers arrived.

Marla led the way down the elevator and out the rear entrance where a limo awaited them.

Marla shot Farley a sideways glance. "Looks like your remote app saved the day." He'd pinged the driver the moment the altercation started.

Farley shrugged. "It's what I do." He got Lane into the car and climbed in after him.

Marla followed but didn't let Farley hand-wave his action. She sent him a pointed look, silently giving him kudos for thinking ahead. And he'd to a lot lately. The attempts on Lane, whether kidnapping or assassination, continued to get more frequent and bolder. The man needed to scale back on his appearances.

And maybe stop pissing people off. His Midas touch often included playing hardball with hostile corporate types and an occasional third-world kingpin. Not taking no for an answer didn't help.

Lane sprawled on his seat, shaking his head. "I think it's time to go to the island. You two deserve a break." Translated, Lane wanted to chill and hide for a while.

Marla couldn't agree more about taking a break. The thing Lane forgot? She and Farley continued to work whether they were on a private island with Lane or in the field.

But she wouldn't say no to a sunny, tropical reprieve.

Marla and Farley might have just a wee bit of time to smell the lush foliage around them on the island. Stay tuned to find out.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Stone-Cold Sober

The Walking Dead returns tonight and I'm torn between wanting to watch and not. I'm feeling very bleh today and might hold off and watch later.

The Flash is getting good. Not that it wasn't already, but I like how much they've upped the stakes and how the Flashpoint 'verse continues to bleed into the current reality.

Legends of Tomorrow also keeps getting better. And it's renewed for season three, which makes me very happy. I'm gutted over Rip becoming a marginalized version of his former self. Here's hoping that changes soon.

Arrow finally had some payoff for the bitchtastic reporter. Oliver just can't pick 'em. I do love the addition of Dinah and look forward to her interactions with the team. Rene and Quinton made me so happy. I love the dynamic there.

Riverdale again had a terrific show. The Betty and Veronica, B & V, team-up kicked major ass and seeing Alice get punched in the face made me happy. I'm kind of hoping we'll get to see what makes her such a harpified menace. Can't wait for this week's episode.

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Stone-Cold Sober, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

When Tansy Jons meets West Tamesin, they have an instant connection, but she's dating one of his oldest friends. A drunken evening and almost hook-up with West has Tansy examining what she feels as soon as she's stone-cold sober.

And a snippety peek…

Jeff wished West all the best and headed back into the office. West slid behind the wheel and started the engine. His phone pinged and he switched over to Bluetooth before answering.

"David, how the hell are you?" West backed out of his parking spot and drove toward the street.

David laughed. "Damn, West. It's good to hear from you. I'm great." He paused a moment. "You, on the other hand, sounded like shit on the message."

West snorted. "Still call 'em like you see 'em, eh?" David knew West too well.

David snickered. "With you? Always. Seriously, man. What's going on?"

West filled David in while he drove out of the city and hit the freeway. The whole shitty story came pouring out along with the mention of coming home.

Weight dropped off West's shoulders when he took the exit heading for his condo. "So, I was wondering if you know of any place for rent? Something out and away from people?" He turned into his driveway and stopped outside the garage.

David gave a quick answer. "I don't, but let me ask my new girlfriend. Tansy's got an inside line on all the available properties coming on the market."

New girlfriend? He'd been out of touch with his best friend for too long.

West ribbed David. "New girl? I thought for sure you were gonna marry the last one." He'd actually been waiting on David to pop the question and give West a date to be home for the wedding.

David tsked. "Nah. Thought we were headed that way, too. But Greta took a job in a different state and I'm not at a place where I want to move." A long pause followed. "Long distance relationships don't interest me."

A lick of guilt hit West. "Damn, man. I'm sorry. You should've called me." Maybe he had; West traveled a lot over the last year.

David snorted. "Eh, we made a clean break. Haven't talked to her since she moved." He changed the subject. "Met Tansy John at a networking event and we've been hooked up ever since. Going on about three months now."

West leaned back in his seat and cut the engine, waiting on the Bluetooth to kick off before grabbing his phone. "Is it serious between you two?" Rebound relationships weren't really David's style.

David huffed out a breath. "Maybe? I don't know. She travels the tri-state area going to estate sales for the designer she works for." He waited a beat. "But she always comes home after a day or two on the road." Meaning no long distance relationship stuff.

West popped the door and exited his car. "Well, that's great, David. Think a week will give her enough time to put some feelers out?" He'd take a couple of days to pack up and put his condo on the market.

The furniture and big appliances would stay. West only needed his personal items, clothing, bedding, towels, and his coffeemaker, all of which would fit in his car.

David let out a low whistle. "You're not wasting time, buddy. Yeah, I'll get with her tonight."

West thanked his best friend and ended the call. He entered his home and strolled into the kitchen, grabbing a beer from the fridge. Popping the top, he wandered into the living room and sank down onto a side chair. Maybe he should think about finding a good woman and getting settled. For too long he'd had fast fucks or a relationship that lasted no longer than a one-night stand. Hell, he couldn't remember the last time he'd spent an entire weekend with someone.

Couldn't remember that last time he'd wanted to spend that long with a woman.

Moving home could change his mindset. Used to being alone, he could only hope so.

Because he needed something to hold on to now.

I like where this one is going and hope to have it finished up in the next couple of months.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Steamed Up

Hello February! Where the weather in Ohio is like a frigid tundra one day and a balmy spring on the next. Ha! Sometimes we get both in the same day. Yeesh.

Well… Riverdale kept my attention and fulfilled my wishes in its second episode. I don't have shows reach and grab me like they used to so this is terrific! I'm completely interested in what happens next.

Gotham just keeps getting better and better. I'm dying to find out what happens to Penguin and can't wait to see the Riddler come into emergence. It's going to be a bumpy ride.

The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow had great episodes. Even the Legion of Doom didn't suck. Looking forward to seeing new episodes this week.

Arrow also had a great episode. I like where they're going with the new Black Canary. I'm also kind of holding my breath to see whether the DA is going to end up being a good guy or a bad guy. I'm also waiting for the other shoe to drop with a seed planted quite a while ago with Oliver being in Russia.

Got all caught up on Teen Wolf and enjoyed the midseason finale. Not sure where they can go with the final ten episodes, but I'll be there to see them.

Started the new season of X Company and it's terrific. I really love this show and the cast. I have three more episodes on tap and can't wait to watch.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Steamed Up, a novella that got a start with a prompt of writing a scene with sexy times in the shower with someone else watching.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Raina Forbes and Huck Holloway are forced to work together after a spectacular break-up. Their close-quarters job situation has sparks flying between the former couple, and shaky new relationships are tested with Huck's going down in flames. And contrary to popular opinion, Huck doesn't always play nice when he truly wants something… or someone.

And a snippety peek…

"Merch Madness just sold their shares to me and Huck Holloway starts working out of this location today." Hector Wells pranced behind his desk, his chest puffed out with pride. "I consider this the best news in the history of best news."

Raina Forbes groaned, but refrained from calling her boss an idiot.

Hector stopped his victory walkabout and pinned Raina with his beady gaze. "You got a problem, princess?" He resorted to calling names when he didn't want a confrontation.

Considering she and Huck had a spectacular breakup almost a year ago and hadn't spent more than five minutes in the same room since, why on earth would she have a problem? Not like Huck could ride her ass about Hector anymore; not when the man would be Huck's defacto employer now. She'd laugh out loud if the idea of seeing Huck again didn't throw her into a tailspin of memories better left alone.

Raina shook her head. "No, no problem." She'd be peachy or die trying.

Hector snapped his fingers then pointed in her direction. "Better not be. You and that Holloway guy have to learn to play nice."

Dammit. Of course Hector would remember she and Huck had a thing. And of course, he'd say something about it.

Manny Johnson, one of the trainers, shot her a look.

Raina shrugged. "Nothing to worry about." Except it could be if Huck decided he didn't want to be civil.

Any why would he be? You didn't end on good terms.

Tina Lamb, Hector's latest assistant, finally rolled in—late, as usual—and blew Hector a kiss. Hector gave her an indulgent smile and Raina's fellow announcer, Marissa Cathaway, shook her head in disgust. Hector always hired bubble-headed fluff brains to handle his day-to-day busywork. And he always wondered why he went through at least four a year.

Tina preened in front of Manny, but directed a question to Hector. "Did you deliver the news yet?" Her heels made a clacking noise on the tiled floor while she made her way to the desk and not waiting, for confirmation. "You all are going to love Huck Holloway. The man is a force of nature." She put her dainty purse in the top side drawer then flashed a smile. "If I had my way, he'd be in the brawls." Flicking her gaze to Raina, she all but purred. "He's an animal in bed." Bombshell dropped, Tina pulled the chair out and settled behind the desk.

Tina arrived after the spectacular breakup, but she'd heard rumors. No doubt, she wanted confirmation of Raina's previous status as Huck's bedmate. Raina rolled her eyes but didn't rise to the obvious bait. But… her nails left half-moons when her fingers curled into her palms.

Figured Huck would go for a simpering flower like Tina. Someone men would find malleable and agreeable—in bed and out. Unlike Raina who didn't like to be told when found lacking.

Manny nudged her shoulder. "You gonna let her have the last word?"

Raina shrugged. "Why not? She obviously needs a confidence boost." Marissa burst out laughing and Raina decided to make a dignified exit during the distraction.

Manny fell into step beside her. "There's my girl."

Raina's lips curved but she didn't reply. She'd never be his girl. They hooked up on a casual basis, when either needed to scratch an itch.

Raina intended to stick with the status quo. She didn't want commitment right now, even if Manny tried to push for more, which he did sometimes. Building the brand, making a strong presence on the elite spectacle sports circuit—her work—took up most of her time. Hector wouldn't always be her boss. Getting her name on the map and moving up the influence chain would guarantee a chance for her to call the shots one day. Since the breakup with Huck, her goals had solidified—own her own company and be the boss.

Raina would never admit the actual reason she kept Manny at arm's length and shied away from a real connection—Huck Holloway had ruined her for anyone else.

Gotta say, I'm having fun with this one. Raina and Huck are a joy to write.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin