Page 3 of His Virgin Vessel

A smile burst instantly across my face. She couldn't have said anything better. Just the idea of going out for a drink and a dance with my big sis made the whole day seem better.

"No."

But, of course, there was always Sheriff Brian Dugas to put a stop to any suggestion.

"Why not?" I snapped.

"Is there a problem, Dad?" Risa asked, more democratically.

"War Cry's back in town," Dad said darkly.

"Oh," Risa said. "I guess ... maybe another night."

"What? Why?" I asked. "What's War Cry?"

"A biker gang," Risa explained. "Bad guys. And they hang around all the bars and clubs. We couldn't be sure of not running into them."

"They sell bootleg hooch," Dad went on.

"Isn't Prohibition over?" I said, trying not to sound too sarcastic.

"Illegal booze, then." I saw the irritation in Dad's face, but he was more conciliatory for Risa's sake. "Dangerously strong stuff. Even if you don't run into them, there's a chance you may run into their product. I've got a list of places they've been selling to, but there's no knowing if it's complete. While they're around, I don't want you two going out on the town."

Risa nodded. "It sounds like it's for the best. Let's make it a girls' night in!"

"Good idea," I said. But in the back of my mind I was already picturing a burly biker with tattoos all over him, plying me with drink and then ... Well, what happened then would be pretty much up to him.

# # #

It was about ten o'clock when my eyelids started to droop.

"Are you all right?" asked Risa, solicitously.

"I guess I'm a bit tired," I admitted. "It's been a long day, and we've had a bit to drink." No matter how much of a rebel I liked to think myself, I'd never been too rebellious to drink peach schnapps with my sister while watching Pretty in Pink.

"You want to call it a night?" suggested Risa.

"I think so."

Risa eyed me cautiously. "You sure you're okay?"

For a moment, I thought she had spotted that I was faking it. But, no; she was genuinely worried about me. That made me feel a little guilty, to know that I was deceiving my sister so I could sneak out. It wasn't even that I particularly wanted more to drink or to meet bikers. It was just that Dad had said it wasn't allowed, so out I had to go.

# # #

After Risa had headed back to her room, I waited a further half hour, then got dressed (fortunately I still had some underwear here which I had never got around to picking up). I slid the window open as quietly as I could. The tree outside had been my ticket to freedom so many times that I was surprised my dad had never cut it down. He probably thought he was cleverer than me—big mistake.

I shimmied down the tree and hurried to my car. With a grin plastered across my face, I turned the key in the ignition. Nothing. I tried again. Still nothing.

As quietly as I could, I got out and lifted the hood—you didn't grow up as a daughter of a single father without learning a thing or two about engines. One of the first things you learned was that a car need a battery to start.

Once again, Dad had just assumed the worst of me! How dare he!

Thinking fast, I hurried back to the house and slipped in the back door. There, on a hook in the kitchen, the keys for my Dad's truck ... did not hang. He had thought of everything. Which only made me angrier. Why the hell didn't he trust me?! Other parents didn't do this sort of thing! He didn't take these precautions for Risa! It was so unfair.

I headed back out. If I tried to get back to my room by going up the stairs, then Dad was sure to hear me, so my only option was back up the tree and to bed. If Risa was still awake, maybe I could tell her that I hadn't been able to sleep, and we could watch Dirty Dancing.

But, as I climbed into the tree, my night took a very different turn.

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