Don’t look at my progress bars. Or rather, my ‘lack of progress’ bars. It’s been a week, but I’m going to try to catch up on a few things, not the least of which is sleep. We had an all night pool party in my basement last night, compliments of a January thaw, a bunch of rain and a cranky sump pump. But, despite that, I’m going to make words tonight. After I tickle you all.

The follow-up to Nuts About You, takes place several months later. Nathan and Vince are settling into that part of the relationship where things are familiar, but that familiarity itself is exciting. And Nathan’s sheer lack of judgement, as always, comes into play:

Nathan could have walked over to Vince’s in human form if he’d wanted. He’d done it before—it wasn’t that far, maybe a half an hour if he walked fast. And it was summer now. No cool breezes or sudden cold rain squalls to spoil the trip.

But there was something fun, almost illicit, in making the trip cross country in squirrel form. Climbing up one of the trees in Vince’s back yard, peeking in the windows to spy on his boyfriend. He still managed to catch him in the shower on a regular basis. Just the thought of it made him chitter in excitement as he bounded across the grass and up the trunk of the old oak tree. He scrambled out to the edge of the branch—

Dammit. Too late for his shower fantasies.

He spun around with a quick flick of his tail and raced for the ground. A magnolia tree half hid the window to the master bedroom. The branches were thin, but if he was quick, he could run the length of one of the stronger ones and make the jump from it to the windowsill.

Assuming the window was open. He didn’t try that on cold days anymore.

Something about this little guy always makes me smile.