The start of the school year looms closer for my last kidlet. She'll be starting her junior year but she's already been involved in fall activities. Band camp for two weeks and three-day-a-week practices in the evenings. The golf season officially started and she had her best eighteen-hole round this past week with an eighty-eight on a par seventy-two course. In between all that, she worked a part-time summer job at our local pool, got hired and trained for a new part-time job at a local restaurant that opens in a few weeks, and got her first car. GAH! Okay, the husband and I are actually paying for the car, but she's involved in so much we decided she needed a vehicle. She'll be contributing toward the payment and her insurance with the part-time job and banking the rest of her paycheck in her shiny new checking account.
The struggle is real… my wee one is fast approaching adulthood.
So… the busy week of car loans and new editing projects kept me from my usual viewing schedule. I did a lot of Murder, She Wrote and In the Heat of the Night marathons. I did catch a few other shows.
Wynonna Earp. Watching everyone grieve for Dolls broke me a little. It's Wynonna Earp so of course there was nothing standard for the process. And we got quite a bit of plot momentum and new secrets. This show… never a dull moment. Ever. And one of the best fight scenes ever in the history of fight scenes on Wynonna Earp. Just saying.
I'm behind on Killjoys, which makes me very sad. I'll hopefully catch up this week. Fingers crossed.
I caught another episode of Garage Sale Mysteries, which I'm rather fond of. I like the dynamic and mix of characters. And in the mystery category, I caught the first episode of Midsomer Murders season thirteen. Moving right along on the episodes I haven't seen yet.
Also caught some more The Dresden Files and remembered by I enjoyed this show so much when it originally aired.
Caught another episode of Canal Road and I gotta say I have a theory on who either killed Spence's wife or ordered it done. I'm totally going to freak out if I'm correct. Australia has some kick ass television… just saying.
I watched two Batman DVDs this week. Gotham by Gaslight ended up being a terrific experience, topped only by a rather grown-up for animated DC fare of Batman and Harley Quinn. Seriously, I'm down with the kid version, but I'm completely there for a more adult-oriented movie.
Caught another episode of Babylon 5, basically the opening of the first season after the initial pilot. I'm looking forward to rewatching the entire series. Also caught most of another episode of The Sarah Conner Chronicles.
And that's about it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Hot as Hades, a novella that started as a special call submission featuring gods and goddesses.
Here's the mini-blurb:
Roxie St. Clair, an up and coming artist, wants to live and work on her own terms. But when the god of the underworld informs her of the underhanded tactics of her former employer, she decides to turn the tables and fight back.
And a preview snippet…
Strange did not begin to describe the information swirling around in Roxie's head. The god of the underworld traipsed around among the mortals… and even more surprising was the reason why.
To please his mate and fulfill a promise to Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty.
Could Roxie's life get anymore insane?
She stared out at the Mediterranean landscape, marveling anew that she even had the opportunity to do so. The view couldn't be more magnificent. She wanted to reach out and grab the gorgeous colors to take home with her.
Actually she wanted whatever dream she was in to never end. The whys and hows Hades used to transport her to this place were beyond her realm of imagination. She honestly didn't care anyway. Sometimes leaving things unexplained made the (more sense) best option.
Especially when it felt like everything was about to come together in a big way. She'd just met Aleksander Callas and they'd hit it off immediately. Just as Hades told her they would.
Aleks was quite possibly exactly what she wanted in a man. Smart without being condescending, he discussed her work and where she'd like to see it. He asked questions and presented options instead of telling her how things would go.
And holy hell he was handsome. But not in a pretty way. He looked like he'd be as completely at ease in the wilderness as he was in the city.
Well-rounded. That was the term she'd use.
Roxie liked him. A lot. And now she had to wonder if it was all too easy. Hades did whatever he did to get them here and BOOM… her life suddenly looked like a happy fairy tale.
The other shoe would drop or an anvil would fall out of the sky and land squarely on her head. Right? It couldn't be this easy.
"Roxie?"
She turned in the direction of the voice. Aleks strolled out onto the terrace and made his way to her side. She faced forward again, unwilling to let him see how much doubt she had. She also had to fight her attraction to him. If ever she wanted to break a rule…
"Where's Hades?" She figured the god was a safe topic.
Aleks shrugged. "He was called away for a bit. He said he'd return within the hour."
Roxie nodded, but said nothing. She faced a dilemma. Hades made the introductions, ate a leisurely lunch, and bowed out? Had he noticed the jolt she got when Aleks shook her hand? Did he see her flush when she went hot? Hades couldn't possibly know she thought Aleks looked good enough to eat… in small bites… to make it last longer and savor the all the yummy goodness.
She didn't want the powerful pull she experienced around Aleks – like a satellite sucked into a planet's orbit – but she couldn't help it. She had so hoped when he opened his mouth, she'd discover ice water flowed in his veins. No such luck. His cultured accent sent delicious shivers down her spine.
The more she found out about him, the more magnetic the attraction. Aleks worked with dozens of very well-known artisans. But he didn't name drop or expect accolades. So unlike Rick Martin, who would have found at least three ways to work the biggest 'name' into the conversation within the first five minutes.
And Rick always talked work. The next big event he planned. How much he raked it in at his last opening. Who he hobnobbed with at the most recent gala. Aleks smoothly traversed back and forth between art and myriad of other subjects. A couple of hours with him and they had several interests in common: stargazing, taste in music, and cooking.
Why, why, why did she have to find the man so damned appealing?
He angled his head toward hers. "You're pensive, Roxie. What's bothering you?" His hand moved to rest on top of hers.
Roxie scrambled for an answer. "This has to be too good to be true." Not a lie, she fought the urge to pinch herself to make sure she didn't dream it all up.
Aleks shook his head. "No, all true. But it will take work. Hard work." He studied her for a moment. "But you're used to that. Tell me what's really on your mind."
Damn his perception. Roxie eased away from the railing and paced back and forth. She stopped, turned toward Aleks and blurted. "I'm very attracted to you, dammit."
Aleks raised a brow. "And that's a bad thing?" His lips quirked, but he managed not to laugh.
Roxie paced again. "Yes. No." She threw an arm out, frustrated. "I don't know." Her feet stopped again. "I have a rule. I do not mix business and pleasure." She heaved a sigh. "And I really, really want to with you."
Aleks did grin. "Is that all?" He moved to her side and turned her toward him. "In that case… I hate your work. Problem solved." He snapped his fingers.
Roxie laughed. "God, if only it were that easy."
Aleks slid his hands to her shoulders and leaned in to whisper. "It is. Kiss me, Roxie."
God, his voice made her wet and tingly. Her hands moved up to cup his face and her mouth met his. Oh hell, the man kissed like he did everything else. Damned good.
Her blood heated and thrummed through her veins. His hands skimmed down her back and cupped her ass. Aleks slid his tongue against hers and Roxie wanted to strip down and do him right there on the balcony. In broad daylight.
I love this story so much. Need to get cracking on finishing up the scenes and getting ready to publish!
That's it for this week.
Cheers!
Skye
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