Page 104 of Down and Dirty

Some ladies at a neighboring table stopped eating and gazed at her with sudden interest.

“You better explain yourself,” Hilda said with mock severity.

And Britta did, much to the ever-dropping jaws of her two friends… and their neighbors.

“Oh, I do not think that is so perverted,” Hilda said, “except mayhap for that wheelbarrow business.” She leaned closer to Britta and Madrene and confided, “Torolf taught me how to pleasure myself. In front of a mirror.” Seeing the interest she had garnered, Hilda continued with glee, “And one time he made love to me as I was bound and gagged.”

“Do not dare stop now,” Madrene said.

Already, Britta was picturing herself in such situations… with Zachary, of course.

“And you both know about chocolate body paint, do you not?” Hilda inquired.

When she finished relating the purpose and method of chocolate body paint, Britta said, “Can we stop to purchase some on the way back?”

“I’ll second that, and mayhap strawberry, as well. Ian is partial to strawberries.” Madrene had a considering expression on her face. “And, by the by, I think my brother Torolf wins the prize for most perverted.”

“I will tell him that.” Hilda smiled.

“Oh, no, please do not,” Madrene said.

They all stood up, preparing to leave, when Hilda said, “So, anyone game for The Horny Toad?”

“The what?” Madrene inquired.

“A sex shop.”

“Hilda!” Madrene was laughing. “You shock me.”

“Hah! There is naught that could shock you, Madrene,” Hilda contended. “You are the one who gave me edible underwear for a bridal showering gift.”

Edible underwear? Eeeew! A sex shop? “Uh… I do not think I am interested in purchasing sex,” Britta said. “I get enough from Zachary.”

Everyone laughed at her then, including the people at nearby tables.

The plot thickens…

Mullah Ahmed Arsallah sat in a San Diego hotel suite watching a TV screen showing remote-access pictures of that bastard Floyd’s home, twenty miles away.

“Everything is in place?” he inquired of his assistant.

Daoud nodded. “Our operatives are in place in the house across the street. Six of them.”

“And the occupants of the house?” He addressed Hakim, who was sometimes referred to as The Executioner.

“Disabled and will not awaken for hours.” Hakim would have preferred killing them all, including their hostages-to-be, something which might yet happen.

“And Lieutenant Floyd… are we certain he will not return in the midst of our… um, mission?”

“He and seven other SEALs are occupied with that bomb threat we devised. In a place called Pennsylvania. Even if he were warned now, it would take half a day for him to return. By then, we will be gone, including the boy, Allah willing.”

Arsallah nodded. “Number of guards inside and outside?”

“One inside, two outside,” Hakim said. “Plus there is a woman inside with the boy, as well. A military woman from WEALS.”

Arsallah frowned his confusion.

“Rather like a female Navy SEAL.” This explanation came from Daoud, who exchanged stony looks with Hakim. The two men had no love for each other, which was just as well. Arsallah did not like his comrades to develop strong bonds with each other. Their whole allegiance should be to him. “It is a new military unit for women,” Daoud elaborated.