Sunday Snippet: Toying with Desire

I'm welcoming September with open arms. August ended up being a truly weird month. We'll see if September flows any smoother.

Decent week of television. I stuck with classic and mysteries. I finished up a 77 Sunset Strip binge watch last week and launched into Peter Gunn, logging about seven more episodes via Prime and now a marathon on regular cable.

I caught the Classic Who episodes of The Enemy of the World. Interesting segue… an episode of The Saint featured the actor who plays Two. It's just a weird little connection that made me smile.

I also watched another Midsomer Murders episode. Oddly, they're back to Causton CID again instead of Midsomer Constabulary. Obviously, it's not a huge deal, just one of those random things that popped out at me.

Yes, I'm strange.

Tonight's post is from Toying with Desire, a novella that got a start with a random comment about a sex toy party.

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…

Carly lifted a brow and held back a bark of laughter. He thought she'd talked Lola into cheating on Rich? How could he be so stupid? For someone who looked intelligent, he'd fast proved to be a huge disappointment.

Shaking her head a little, her eyes met his. "Excuse me. You think I did what?" If anything she'd kept Lola from seeking solace from another man.  

Zeke edged closer to her and lowered his voice. "You've got Lola throwing parties for…" He searched for words. "Mechanical devices, while Rich is in a desert hotbed and can't do anything about it. What gives you the right to interfere in their marriage?"

Did he honestly consider the purchase of sex toys as interference? What decade did he live in? And why did she have to be wickedly attracted to him? She didn't like "those" people. The type who passed judgment on others. Gads… she couldn't tolerate that kind of blindness.

"Don't forget the performance stimulants and dress-up outfits. If you're going to use euphemisms, you might as well include all the categories." Pushing against his chest, Carly darted around Zeke, giving herself some breathing room. "Oh… and let's not forget written and pictorial enhancements." She spun around to face him again. "What exactly is your problem? Aside from not being able to call a dildo a dildo?"

In full anger mode, Carly laid it out for Zeke. "Lola is a good friend of mine. She's missing Rich something fierce. His last two leaves have been canceled and a year is a damn long time to someone as young as they are. Do you realize Lola was this close"—Carly mashed her thumb and index finger together to emphasize the words—"to sleeping with some hot barista at Ground Central?"

Yeah, think about that, you fucking moron.

"And you accuse me of helping her cheat on Rich." Pissed off, Carly looked him right in the eye. "You're an ass."  

Finished with her tirade, Carly pivoted and started toward her car.

I had a lot of fun writing Carly's response to Zeke's asshattery. This story is coming along nicely and I hope to have it finished up soon.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Throw in the Towel

It's so weird to be in the last week of the month. Sometimes it felt like August would never end and other times like it flew right by. I'm actually looking forward to September.

Busy week with work projects but I did get some shows watched. I started a new episode of Blue Heelers and so far enjoy the second season.

Caught several episodes of Peter Gunn. There's a marathon next weekend I'll probably end up watching also.

Watched the Tomb of the Cybermen episodes of Classic Who. I'm bummed there aren't a lot of the second doctor's episodes available for viewing.

Also caught another Midsomer Murders episode. I like the new guy. I also need to figure out when they started working for Midsomer Constabulary instead of Causton CID. Probably way back in a previous season and I just missed it.

I'm in the middle of a 77 Sunset Strip marathon. This is one of my favorite classic shows.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Throw in the Towel, a novella that started with a writing community prompt.

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…

Hell, yeah, it will.

Craig mulled over Taurin's response with his gaze on her retreating back.

Maybe he should call her back and ask her to explain. "Okay, no. I don't need a connect the dots lesson." But the flash of… what? Disbelief? Interest? Whatever…

It threw him.

And the view of her ass in the clinging shorts didn't help.

He followed the women's stats and Taurin ranked at the top of the pack. He'd made a name quickly, to the point of having a few nibbles from sponsors. But Tauren?

"Hell, she outclasses me." For the most part.

He started the mud runs for fun but developed a passion for competing. His work in sales gave him lots of flexibility and he'd finally managed to map out his schedule to coincide with the weekend races. Kind of nice to bump into the same people and get to know them a little.

"And, man, I want to get to know Taurin Beach more than a little."

He couldn't do that standing in a damned towel.

After taking a quick look around for more nosy reporters, he finished dressing and shoved his dirty gear into his duffel bag. His mind drifted to Taurin again.

"I wonder what she does for a living?" He'd have to check the affiliation bios.

Exiting the tent, he spied Taurin sitting by the huge bonfire the event managers would get started at dusk. Maybe I won't have to check the bios. She no longer had her gear and she sat in a comfortable camp chair. She must be staying on site. He had a room booked in a hotel about five miles up the state route. Man, he envied her if she had a camper or a trailer. If he kept competing, he'd definitely look into investing in one.

Why not start the getting to know Taurin better thing right now?

He made his way over to her location and dropped his bag on the ground. She glanced up from reading something on her phone, her eyebrow arched in question.

He hunkered down, using his duffel to keep his balance. "Mind if I ask a personal question?" Hopefully, she'd keep the running banter they had in the shower area going.

Her lips curved with a sly smirk. "Guess that depends on how personal it is." She tucked her phone into the cupholder on the chair. "Ask me and I'll let you know if I mind."

Yep. Definitely keeping the banter up.

I like writing about potential competitiveness between characters. In this case, a mutual respect already exists so their rivalry will hopefully be fun.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Tell Me More

Ugh! August is fast becoming the craziest month I've ever had. This past week I filled my gas tank up on Monday and by Wednesday, I only had half a tank left. For perspective… a full tank of gas usually lasts about two to three weeks for me. Does that say anything about the week I had? LOL

Seriously, though, a lot of back and forth travel several times a day did give me lots of windshield time. It also gave terrible drivers and a buttload of construction but that's a whole different rant for another day.

I did end up having a highly productive week workwise, which means I didn't have a lot of time for television. I did hear the news of Krypton's demise unless another network picks it up. Here's hoping that happens. I really do love the characters.

I've been rather disappointed that my once favorite network is no longer in the running for my viewing time. I either watch on demand via the app or not at all. It makes me sad that Syfy has fallen so far. I literally used to watch the channel almost exclusively way back in the day.

As much as I love the convenience of streaming shows, I miss having a wide variety of stuff to choose from during the day on regular cable television. I have been enjoying the local channels' digital offerings. MeTV, Decades, Comet, Charge, This TV, etc. has some great classic stuff. That's what I've been having on in the background. I'm also a big fan of Ovation right now.

I did get to watch a few more episodes of Peter Gunn this week but that's about it.

Tonight's post is from Tell Me More, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Shannon Tewes and Webber Dillon work for a premier 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…

Webber Dillon yawned and stretched then swung his legs over the mattress to sit up. "I gotta stop working seventeen hours a day." A hot shower and breakfast on the go should wake him up.

Of course, coffee would be necessary for him to stay awake. Early morning meetings sucked balls.

He made the shower short even though he wanted to stand under the hot spray for at least an hour. "Right… not this morning." He had to go over the emailed images Shannon sent earlier in the week.

Right in the middle of the haunted garden project. He barely finished the wrought iron edging Marjorie insisted on adding to pathways. Of course, her last-minute faux forgetfulness amounted to bullshit. Marjorie loved to dump a pile of steaming crap in his lap so she could watch him frantically try to pull off the impossible.

Shaking his head, he poured a travel mug of coffee. "Not sure how much longer I can take Marjorie's ballbusting." Then again, he only had to do one thing to get her to back off. "Right. Not gonna happen." Ever.

So far, he'd kept his end of the deal from hell he'd struck with the event planner. And he planned to never give her a reason to pull her trump card. His work ethic spoke for itself but Marjorie had his balls in a vice and wouldn't hesitate to use any leverage she could gain to force his hand.

He took his caffeine to the table and opened the file Shannon sent. After familiarizing himself with the plans, he jotted a few notes and ideas to add during the meeting. Shannon did good work. Her mock-ups were easy to follow and she didn't scrimp on detail.

He grabbed his folder and tucked it under his arm. "And she got it in before the meeting for once." Finally… he could look forward to a less stressed and busy week.

Scooping his coffee up, he headed for his SUV ready to grab a quick breakfast taco on his way in to Fabulous Fetes.

Webber is going to lose his mind when he discovers Shannon had a last-minute, brilliant idea for the wedding. How much fun will it be when she decides to apologize?

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Surf's Up

August is shaping up to be the busiest month I've had in a long time. Between running around with my daughter and new projects landing in my inbox, I need about five more hours in each day.

Very limited television viewing this week. I ended up not starting the playlist listen while working. Too many interruptions.

I did watch a marathon of Aurora Teagarden Mysteries. Also caught some Peter Gunn episodes.

Other than that, the manuscript evaluations I've been working on took precedence. It's easier to review and assess when it's quiet and I don't have something else trying to pull my attention away from the material.

On a very happy note, I finished up a manuscript I've been writing for a long, long time. It's the follow up to Shyler: Finding Home, a Furlough 99 novella. The story ended up being more involved than I thought it would be and it turned out so much better than I'd hoped. Look for it soon!

That's pretty much it for television this week. I really want to get back to Krypton and finish up Riverdale and Arrow. Hopefully this week.

Tonight's post is from Surf's Up, a novella that started with a writing community scene prompt.

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…

The small twin-engine taxied to a halt and Farley did a quick sweep of the island via the security cameras. "All clear." He grabbed his gear and stuck close to his employer when he exited the plane.

Marla brought up the rear, keeping Lane between her and Farley. The pilot didn't disembark, immediately driving down to refuel and take off again. The trio walked the short distance to the waiting Land Rover, painted to Lane's specifications in bright red and crisp white, the colors of Pennylane Enterprises.

Climbing inside the vehicle, Farley did another scan with cameras and motioned for the driver to move out. Keeping his eyes glued to the tablet during the brief ride to Lane's manor house, Farley pulled up the feeds for the interior of the main dwelling, the pool house, and the duplex Farley shared with Marla when in residence.

Marla tsked. "Always with your nose buried in tech." She popped open a compartment and withdrew a bottle of water.

Farley didn't glance up. "Yeah, yeah. You do your thing and I'll do mine." He sent a quick look toward Lane. "House is clear. Want me to bump the air conditioning up a little? Inside temperature is seventy-five degrees." Lane usually liked his interior space at close to arctic levels.

Lane hand-waved the question. "Nah. Leave it." He opened an app on his phone and Farley bit back a laugh when the thermostat took a nosedive.

Marla shoulder-checked Farley. "You gonna ask me?" She batted her eyelashes.

Farley smirked. "Nope. The duplex is at a perfect seventy-two degrees." The exact climate he and Marla preferred.

She flashed a smile. "You take such good care of me." She made a show of swooning in her seat.

Lane made a gagging sound. "Geez, get a room, you two." He rolled his eyes.

Farley slid into fantasy mode for a few moments, picturing Marla sashaying into his bedroom with nary a stitch on. He shared accommodations with Marla on a regular basis and they had yet to cross any lines. But, somehow, on the island where they had separate entrances and exits to a shared house, the idea of getting a room became sexier. And, okay, his brain worked in weird ways but he'd always put it down to the fact the when they shared a hotel suite or an apartment, they bumped into each other all the time. In the duplex, his imagination ran wild, wondering what Marla got up to.

Lane intruded into Farley's fantasy. "I wanna learn how to surf."

Farley blinked. "Do what now?" Body surf? Boogie board? Surely Lane didn't mean on an actual longboard or regular surfboard.

Lane gave a snort. "You know… surf. Hang ten." He flung an arm out. "I own a damned island, not to mention a sporting goods company. Shouldn't I know how to do island things?" He shook his head as if Farley asked a stupid question.

And, okay, maybe a little on the mark, but, hell, Lane pulled the idea out of his ass.

Marla gave a growling sigh. "Who's coming and how long do we have to vet them?" She grabbed her bag and fished out her phone.

Lane smiled. "Jacobi Jannsen will be here in the morning. And he's famous among the surfing world so you don't need to vet him."

Farley barely got in a two-and-a-half count before Marla unsheathed her claws.

She leaned forward. "Excuse me? We vet everyone who comes to one of your private residences." True fact. "What if Jannsen has money problems and he's collecting a big payoff to drown you in the ocean." Her tone clearly stated she might consider doing the drowning.

Farley already had Jannsen's bank records open and started an in-depth background check.

Lane shook off her concern. "As your counterpart can no doubt tell you, Jacobi is flush with cash at the moment." He settled back on the seat and pinned Marla with his gaze. "I'm not a complete moron, Marla. Jannsen just signed a lucrative endorsement deal with Pennylane Sports." He reached for the door handle when the Land Rover pulled to a stop in front of the manor house. "He agreed to teach me when we finalized the contract yesterday."

Marla climbed out behind Lane but shot Farley a questioning glance. He confirmed Lane's details with a nod before getting out.

Her shoulders slumped. "Fine. But you're not going out alone with him. I don't care how many dotted lines he signed on." She brushed past Lane to check and unlock the front entry.

Lane gave her a wide grin. "I figured as much. That's why you two are going to learn with me."

Farley choked down a laugh and braced for the inevitable explosion.

So far, writing Farley and Marla and their interactions with Lane has been a complete joy. I love these characters!

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Summer's Eve

Whew. Long, long week with a ton of busywork stuff along with my regular workload. I sometimes get the idea that most of my family members don't realize how long or how many phone calls it often takes to make things happen. Luckily, I'm in a position where my job isn't at stake if I need to make those frequent and often time-sucking phone calls. But… bleh.

Had an even more sporadic viewing week. I'm not fairly behind on a lot of my shows. But… I did catch up on some laundry so not a bad tradeoff. I got two episodes of Blue Heelers in while folding and stacking clothes. LOL

I got a little more of Riverdale watched but haven't finished the episode yet. I might be getting to the place where I need to switch over to music. The main reason I've been light on viewing for the past few weeks is a heavy work schedule and lots of distractions from other drama.

I have so many playlists that I listen to while driving. I should probably start listening to them while working also. Maybe I'll start that this week.

Since there's not much to report, tonight's post is from Summer's Eve, an Organic Nature short.

Here's the mini-blurb:

The beginning of summer means Vin Derbish is chest-deep into his busy season. Eppie Collins is used to not seeing much of Vin during the month of June, but suggests a spontaneous camping trip when the weather turns nasty with thunderstorms. A few days in a cabin with pouring rain as their soundtrack can't be a bad thing.

And a snippety peek…

Eppie Collins ran inside to grab the phone. "Hello." Her breath came out in gasping pants.

Vin Derbish groaned. "Damn, Eppie, it sounds like you're having sex."

She laughed. "That would be hard to do since you're not around." The month of June hit squarely in the middle of his busiest time of year.

He sighed. "And I won't be for at least another week. But…" He paused to say something to one of his workers. "I have an idea for getting together if you can get someone to cover the farm this weekend and maybe make a couple of calls for me."

She liked the sound so far. "Fill me in and I'll bribe or beg whoever I have to." If Lily couldn't cover weekend hours, Dani might be able to.

And Dani owed Eppie for the Easter emergency, even if Eppie would've been there no matter what.

Vin's voice came through louder and clearer. "Whew. Sorry. Next time I'll wait until I'm actually in my truck before I call." He switched over to Bluetooth. "So… if you can find someone to cover, Greg mentioned he'd be staying in town from Wednesday through Monday morning. He's helping spearhead the organizers for the veterans who'll be participating in the summer reading program at the library. That means the cabin will be free and I thought maybe you could meet me there."

Eppie hesitated a little. "I'd love to, Vin, but how do you see this working? Me at the cabin for fourteen hours a day while you're working? Which isn't a no, by the way, more a question about whether it's worth making the trip for the whole weekend." She could go up on Saturday and head back on Sunday.

Vin chuckled. "Man, I'm screwing this up royally. Check the weather report. We're supposed to get a line of thunderstorms rolling through for the next five days." He waited until she'd pulled up her app. "There's a good chance I'll be available and I know how much you love storms."

Eppie pictured watching the clouds roll in from the cabin's small porch. "Oh, yeah. Sounds awesome." She waved to Lily when she entered through the front door. "Let me talk to Lily and double-check with Greg. I'll give you a call later, say after nine?" He usually worked until they had no light left.

This close to the summer solstice meant he put in some very late evenings.

Vin let out a whoop. "That'll work. I'll probably be having a beer with the guys at Mo's." The little tavern sat just across the county line and had half a dozen rooms Vin's crew had taken over.

Eppie grinned, getting excited. "I'll speak with Lily now. Love you." She ended the call and motioned Lily over. "I have a proposition for you…"

I love this couple so much. This series is a joy to write and coming up with small… snapshots… into their relationship is challenging but also fantastic.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Stone-Cold Sober

July kind of flew by in a series of weird weather and crazy work schedules. I'm oddly okay with that. The weather is what it is… and will probably keep acting like an angry toddler. My work calendar is bursting at the seams and I'm excited about my new projects.

But… my television viewing is sporadic, which isn't a bad thing. I'm just so used to doing rundowns each week I feel like my blog is naked if I don't have a full slate. LOL

I did get a few shows watched. I started with Midsomer Murders and got a holiday episode. There's a new detective sergeant or maybe it's detective constable, but either way, I'll miss Jones. I loved that character. Which isn't to say the new guy won't grow on me. He's not bad. Good mystery also.

Started a new episode of Blue Heelers and it's rather different and I like it. I'm not sure how long the first season is, but the series is something like fourteen seasons and it's nice to have variety in format.

Caught two more episodes of Peter Gunn and Classic Who. I'm kind of excited to watch a live-action episode with Two. So far, it's been six animated episodes.

Finished the final episode of Blade. I have to admit to still being disappointed with the outcome on my rewatch. Sometimes I can have a change of heart when I've got a few years of distance when viewing a show's run.

Frankie Drake Mysteries had a great episode. I'm starting to like Grayson a little more and it'll be fun to see if Frankie's mom sticks around.

Watched the fifth episode of Daredevil and, eh, this is something of a slow-moving season. I do like where things are going and it's great to see Karen kind of have to face what she did in a previous season. That said, I'm enough of a Fisk non-fan to really not want to watch a bunch of scenes with him. And the FBI agent annoys the crap out of me. I actually think he's too smart to be playing things so stupidly. So, yeah, I hope the rest of the season evens out.

Started Riverdale's Bizarrodale episode and hope to finish it later today. This season has been dark and twisty and I like it.

New episodes of Killjoys have started and I'll be hopelessly behind on those, but I can't wait to watch this final season.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Stone-Cold Sober, a novella that started with a scene prompt from my writing community.

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…

Tansy stood at the stove, keeping an eye on the stir-fry sautéing on the burner. Her lips curved in a grin when the key rattled in the door. David never got the quirky lock to open on the first try. A string of muttered curses soon followed.

She laughed and backed away from the stove, crossing the living area to pull open the raised-panel walnut wood slab. "You have to insert the key, jiggle it twice, then turn." Pivoting, she went back to the stovetop and shook the pan to keep the heat distributed.

David chuckled. "Or… I could get you a new lock." He tossed his jacket on the antique coat tree.

Tansy swung her head around. "And ruin the character of my front door? Don't even think about it." Switching the burner off, she divided the food between two plates.

David grabbed a couple of glasses and silverware. "I'm just saying. I'm pretty handy with stuff like that." He filled the cups with water and added some ice.

Tansy carried the entrees to the table and settled in her seat. "No, you're not. But you're handy with everything else." They had a running joke about her DIY skills outpacing his and his laundry and cooking talent topping hers.

Simple stir-fries were her only accomplishment involving a stove.

David sat down and dug into his food. "I got a call from West today and I need a favor." He chewed and swallowed. "Damn, this is terrific." He scooped another forkful into his mouth.

Tansy shook her head. "You need a favor? For West?" David talked about the guy frequently, but Tansy didn't know West at all.

She'd moved to Granite Hills five years ago, well after David's elusive best friend had left town.

David nodded. "Yeah. He's coming back for a while and looking for a place to rent. Something quiet and out of the way, if possible." He stopped eating. "He sounded burned out on the phone, probably because his last operation totally went to shit but only because the head of the company had to stick his nose in where it didn't belong." He rolled his eyes and took a drink of water.

Tansy quirked an eyebrow. "Which means what exactly?" According to David, West did consulting work for civilian contractors in former warzones.

David frowned. "It means even though West isn't the one who screwed up, he's done working for a guy whose pay grade gives him the opportunity to fuck shit up." David's tone went hard and his eyes held a flash of anger.

Tansy always got a little lost when David mixed military lingo in with regular conversation, but she wanted to understand what happened. "The head of the company sounds like a total jackass." She'd had former managers who fit that mold to a T.

David finished his last bite of stir-fry. "More than that. He's an irresponsible dickhead whose actions cost lives not to mention put a lot of people in the hospital. If he'd followed West's advice, which he pays a lot of money for, no one would have died." He pushed his plate away and drummed his fingers on the table. "West is gonna need to decompress and get some distance away from work. He left the company and wants to consider new options."

Tansy nodded. "I might know of at least two places that would suit him. I'll need to check availability and I can put some feelers out for anything else that might be coming up." She slid back and gathered the plates. "How soon will he need something?" One of the two properties she had in mind might not be ready for at least a month.

David got up and helped clear the table and started rinsing their dishes. "Probably within the week." He handed her the cups to put in the dishwasher.

Tansy's eyes widened. "Wow. Okay. I'll make a few calls this evening."

David smiled. "You're awesome. Thought maybe we could plan something next week. You're gone Monday and Tuesday, right? We could do a margarita night with Mexican takeout on Wednesday if that works for you." He finished loading and started the dishwasher.

Tansy gave a nod. "Sure. I'll pick up the fixings for margaritas on my way back." She reached out and grabbed David's hips, tilting her head to one side. "I'm finally going to meet your best friend. I was kind of wondering if he really existed or not." Her lips quirked in a grin.

David laughed. "I think you'll like him even though he's nothing at all like me. We're the definition of polar opposites."

Tansy chuckled, trying to picture the antithesis of David. "Well, I'm looking forward to meeting him." She backed away and grasped David's hand to tug him into the living room. "Let's take a quick walk then I'll start making calls."

This is one of my favorite tropes, meeting the right one at a very wrong time. It's so much fun to write how characters navigate their various minefields to find a happily ever after.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Steamed Up

Man… the heat has been horrible this week. I hope everyone has a cool spot and is dealing with the high temperatures safely. Ugh… it's miserable. Watching the Irish Open, I truly wanted to be there. I mean they were wearing sweaters and jackets. I could go for that right now. And, yeah, everyone needs to remind me when I'm griping about how cold it is in May next year to shut up and deal. LOL

Slow week for television viewing. I had a full slate of work and needed to focus so I didn't get as many shows watched.

I did catch another episode of Daredevil. I missed watching one last week. Not a bad episode but too much Fisk for my liking.

Krypton had a great episode. I'm in deep and want to know what happens next. I'm honestly not sure if I care whether Lyta is redeemed or not but I do want to see her reaction to the reprogramming.

Watched another episode of Painkiller Jane and the pieces started to fall into place. Only about three or four more episodes left of this show.

Last but not least, I caught another episode of Durham County. Man, Michelle Forbes can really play the barely hanging on by a thread character better than a lot of actors. She's scary good at those roles.

That's pretty much it for this week. Tonight's post is from Steamed Up, a novella that started with a writing community prompt.

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…

Huck pulled into the parking lot of the nondescript warehouse and cut the engine. "So… this is it." Four stories with plenty of room.

Which he might need working with Raina.

He gave the building a quick once-over. Not much to look at, a gold-plated sign with Underground Entertainment beside the door the only indication the place had occupants. But it had clean lines and plenty of care. No streaking from soot and other pollution down the sides of the brick exterior. The parking lot had a security gate and lots of space, and the roof had satellite feeds for live shows. All in all, a ton of money-making potential.

Pulling the keys from the ignition, he pocketed them. "Why don't I feel great about this?" Right… Raina.

When Maisie and Earl Merchant decided to sell out and retire, they stipulated Hector had to keep Huck on board. After all, he'd grown the company to its current status and if Hector played his cards right, Huck would make him piles of cash on merchandise too.

Huck almost walked anyhow… but Hector dangled a big bump in salary plus creative control on design. Huck's kryptonite. No, Raina used to be your kryptonite… the creative desire kicked in after you split up.

Huck snorted. "Doesn't matter. For creative freedom, I all but gyrated across a stripper stage to accept the offer." Not like he didn't have practice.

Once upon a time, a long while ago—underage and in high school—way back when.

A quick rapping on his window and the door popping open startled Huck. Tina's face peeked inside his car. Her floral scent, while not unpleasant, tickled his nose and almost made him sneeze.

She stepped back and draped her arm over the window in a sex-kitten pose. "Huck, I've been waiting and watching for you." Her tone took on a breathless quality. "I'm so glad you're here."

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He didn't appreciate Tina's welcoming gesture, especially since it reeked of being an ambush. Dammit, he didn't want a scene with her.

He'd defined their hookup in clear and certain terms. He had a need—for one night only—and she happened to be available. Dirty, sweaty sex and nothing more. No strings, no romance, and no repeat performance.

Too bad Tina didn't want to accept the terms. He'd spent the time between then and now dodging her calls and texts. Giving her his number might prove to be his biggest mistake.

He slid out of the vehicle, being careful to avoid brushing against Tina. "I'm sure I can manage to find my way inside. You didn't need to come out to greet me." He'd wanted to have some time to observe the inner workings of the facility before he met with Hector.

Tina preened and moved so he could close the door. "Well, I just wanted a moment to let you know I talked you up in the morning meeting and I also set Raina straight." She tried to hook her arm through his, but her fingers only brushed his sleeve…

Because he stopped short. "What did you set Raina straight about?" Reaction burned through his veins but he kept his tone calm.

Tina blinked in confusion. "Us, of course." Her mouth pouted prettily.

Huck pinned her with his gaze and held it for several long moments. "There is no us. Never was, never will be." He wrapped his fingers around the door handle. "I'm sure I made that clear. If there's going to be a problem, tell me now and I'll talk to Hector about finding someone else to handle the merchandising for Underground." When he pulled the door open, he quirked an eyebrow.

Tina's eyes went wide. "You wouldn't. Hector's been raving about having you on board since the deal went through." She kept her voice low so no one would overhear.

Huck lifted a shoulder. "Then let's make sure we're on the same page. I'm not here for workplace hookups. With you or anyone else." Including Raina.

As if that would happen.

Huck pushed for clarification. "Are you certain you understand now?"

Tina gave a terse nod and entered the building ahead of him. She didn't glance back or speak to anyone on her way to the ladies' room. Huck hated to be the bad guy; loathed playing the role of asshole. But, damn, he didn't need another complication.

Hector bustled out of his office and clapped Huck on the back. "Welcome, welcome. I'm thrilled to have you on my team." He flung an arm in the direction of the room he'd only just vacated. "Take a few moments and look around, then come on in when you're ready."

Huck lifted his chin in acknowledgment. "Sure, I won't take long." He made a cursory stroll around the training room, which Hector situated front and center.

The man certainly had a Midas touch when it came to staging brawls. The spectacle and showmanship never failed to top audience expectations. But the man's misogynistic tendencies often rubbed people wrong—especially Huck.

Why am I working for this dickhead again?

Right. Creative freedom to design and sell merchandise. If all worked out, Huck would go out on his own in five years or less. Then he wouldn't have to work with a guy who thought anything with tits should be used to make money.

A fact Huck got acquainted with during his time with Raina. She'd walked from their relationship, choosing to let herself be used that way by Hector to make big bucks. She had the smarts to do anything she wanted. Why let Hector put her physical assets on display?

Huck stopped outside the locker room. Shit. Raina.

He closed his eyes. "I'm gonna have to work with her." And he would… if only to prove a point.

Huck knew promo. He lived and breathed selling merchandise tie-ins to spectacles created by entertainment kingpins like Hector. And Huck kept everything legal; licensing and appearance contracts, quality control, and number crunching with pristine accounting practices. His background with both sides of the law gave him a unique perspective. Cutting corners and cooking the debit and credit columns never paid off.

He'd know within three months if Hector fudged his receipts in any way—from live pay-per-view to ticket sales to what he paid his fighters and trainers. And his marketing and promo people.

Huck made his way back to the office and entered, taking a quick glance around the space. He found Hector seated behind the desk and Raina pouring some coffee into two mugs.

Hector rose and came around front, accepting a mug from Raina. "I'll keep this brief. I want you two to head up bookings and promo. I don't care how you get the job done as long as you do." He paused, taking a sip of the steaming beverage. "Either of you have a problem with this setup?" His eyebrow quirked.

Huck shot a quick look toward Raina. "No, no problem here." He wouldn't admit it if he had one.

Raina's lips curved in a wry twist. "We'll be fine, Hector." She wrapped her hands around the mug and brought it to her lips.

Huck had a momentary flashback to when she'd drink coffee in bed after a night of steaming up the sheets. Not here. Not now. Focus on the work.

Hector lifted a hand. "Good, good. I'll take my leave. Have a couple of new fighters to get signed in and ready to rumble." He ambled out of the office and snagged Tina on her way back from the ladies' room.

Huck went over to the coffee bar and poured a mug. "Give me a moment to get some caffeine then we can get down to business." He glanced back and Raina gave him a nod.

So far, so good.

He wouldn't have to address the whole Tina situation just yet.

I'm so pleased with how this story is going. I love the trope of being a couple too soon and then making their way back together thing. After jumping a few hurdles, of course.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin