Oh, Spring.

So close and yet so far. March always means springtime to me, but it's hard to remember that spring doesn't actually happen until much later in the month. The sun is shining for now, though, so I'll content myself with imagining that summer is just around the corner and pretty soon the boys will be back on the beach, playing shirtless volleyball and giving each other ass-pats.

I finished a novel last night that's due to start in May on Torquere Press's Turn of the Screw serial subscription service. It's called Keeping Karma and it's probably as close to sci-fi as I'll ever get, which isn't really close at all. Alexander Myers can "hear" the animals that come into the emergency veterinary clinic where he works. It's a little bit of a stretch for me since I don't really do the fantasy/sci-fi thing, but most of the novel is pretty contemporary, aside from that. Oh, and there's some sex. Dylan Travers is a very cute animal control officer that attracts Alex's attention from day one.

Here, have a little taste...

The warm puppy’s squirming brought Alex back from thoughts of the past and he smiled again at Andrea. “Okay. I’ll tell the doctor you’re ready. Let me just --”

Pee, the puppy thought.

Alex reacted as fast as he could. He snatched the puppy from the table and deposited him on the linoleum floor. Immediately, the little dog began to sniff around in circles before lifting its hind leg and urinating against the cabinet.

“Great,” Alex told it. “Perfect. Don’t worry, I’ll get it. No problem.” He sighed and waited for the puppy to finish peeing.

“Wow, you got him just in time,” Andrea marveled. “I never know when he has to go until it’s too late.”

“Yeah, it’s a gift,” Alex muttered, grabbing a towel and sanitizing spray from the same cabinet the puppy had christened. He wiped down the spot while the puppy sat on Andrea’s shoes and watched him.

Game! Play?

“No,” Alex answered, not able to suppress a chuckle. “Cleaning up your piddle is not a game.”

---

Then, of course, Alex meets Dylan...

The officer pulled out a small business card and returned to drop it on Alex’s desk. “If I have a really busy night, sometimes I don’t get to check on the critters I bring in. Could you call me? That’s my extension.”

The card landed on top of Alex’s raptor book and he looked at it. “Sure,” he said slowly. “Call you about the deer. Will do.”

“Thanks.” The officer grinned at Alex again and headed for the doors, this time not stopping. His white truck was parked at the curb and Alex watched until the man got in and drove away.

He dropped his eyes to the card again. “Dylan Travers -- Animal Control Division” was printed in small type, along with the county’s seal and police department symbol. Alex touched the raised letters with the tip of his finger. Dylan.

The card went into Alex’s wallet.

---

Hijinks ensue, naturally. I'm excited. :D