Page 58 of Down and Dirty

“What’s that mark on yer shoulder?” Sammy asked Britta around a mouthful of food.

“Don’t speak with food in your mouth,” Zachary advised.

Sammy stuck out his tongue, covered with half-chewed food.

“It looks like ya got bit by a bear,” Sammy observed, back to the mark on her shoulder.

Britta glanced sideways to her shoulder, saw Danny look, too, then turn to his brother, Zachary, and pump one arm in the air.

“Yep, a big bad ol’ bear,” Danny told Sammy.

The conversation veered then toward a discussion of WEALS, Sammy’s tutor lessons, which would start on Thorsday, Zachary’s father having hired guards, and the lovely sunny weather outside.

The whole time Danny was watching her and Zachary closely, as if trying to puzzle something out. “I’m taking Sammy for the day,” he announced of a sudden. “An uncle’s prerogative,” he added, seeing that Zachary was about to protest. “You need a day to yourself, Bro.” He patted Zachary on the arm.

“That’s nice of you to offer, but—”

“We’re going to Disneyland,” Sammy announced. Then, addressing Britta, he said, “Wanna come with us?”

“Oh, nay, I do not think I could go to Dizzy Land today. I… I… ”

“Your dad and Britta are gonna spend the day together,” Danny explained to Sammy.

“The whole day? What’re they gonna do for a whole day?”

She looked at Zachary, saw the hot regard in his eyes, realized he was not about to return her to the base any time soon, then turned back to the others.

“I would love to go to Dizzy Land.”

Chapter 11

Heigh-ho, Heigh-ho, it’s off to Disneyland they did go…

“I can’t believe I’m wasting a day off going to a glorified kiddie park.”

“’Tis not my fault.”

“Oh, yes, it is, sweetheart. Danny gave us the perfect opportunity to stay home, alone.”

“Nay, ’tis your fault. You are the one who gave me a hot look.”

“Hot looks are bad?”

“They are when they make me do lustsome things.”

Zach glanced over at Britta in the front seat and smiled.

Danny was sitting in the backseat with Sammy, enthroned in his car seat, playing a game of I Spy. The roar of the motor and traffic noises through the open windows made their front seat conversation relatively private. They were halfway to L.A. and a blasted day at Disneyland. At least they had VIP passes, thanks to his dad, which would move them around some of the time-sink lines.

“You were incredible last night, Britta.”

“Oh, do not speak of that again.” She put her hands to her cheeks, which were nicely flushed. “I was a wanton.”

“God bless wantons.”

“That is profane.”

“Ya think? Why would God create great sex if he didn’t want men and women to enjoy it?”