Rubbing One Out - Susan Mac Nicol Page 0,47

lovely sentiment and I appreciate it. Thing is, maybe we should leave the special stuff for when we’re alone at home?” His fingers stroked Dae’s gently. Dae swallowed. Those sensuous gestures were causing havoc with his senses and his groin. He and Ben had fooled about a few times since Dae started sleeping in Ben’s bed, but the last time had been two days ago.

“Ben, while we’re talking about magic…” Dae took a deep breath. “We need to have a conversation about your wishes.”

Ben immediately retracted his hand and scowled. “What about my wishes?”

Dae sighed. “I can’t stay here forever. You know I have to go back sometime. If I don’t at least grant one of your wishes, the Lady Mage will arrive here personally to encourage me. She can be quite fearsome.”

Ben’s lips tightened. “Will you be punished?”

Dae shook his head. “I don’t believe so. Djinns are given fairly free rein on their wish-granting, but I’ve been here nearly two weeks. They’ll start to ask questions.”

Ben toyed with his beer bottle. “So I’d better get to it and make a wish then.” He smiled, a twisted thing that made Dae wince. “So you can go home.”

Those last flat words made Dae’s heart ache. “It’s not that I’m anxious to go. You know that. I like being with you. But I’m a Djinn and I have…responsibilities.” I’d rather stay here with you. If you wanted me enough.

Ben raised his empty bottle in a mocking cheer. “Then I guess I should get serious and think about what I want.” He grinned fleetingly. “I think I know already.” He stood up. “Now, come on. I promised you a ride on the Big Wheel. Let’s get up there and I can show you the countryside from up high. It’s spectacular.”

He dashed out of the tent, leaving Dae staring after him.

After a few moments, Dae stood and followed him out into the cool night towards the flickering lights of the illuminated wheel.

Chapter 13

“Isn’t he a cutie?” Ben watched Taffy swimming around. Dae stood next to him in the enclosure. Given the delighted noises the Djinn was making, he was charmed by the penguin’s antics.

“He’s so damned cute,” Dae enthused as he tossed another sprat to the colony of penguins sunning themselves on the rocks. “Are they always this greedy?”

Ben chuckled. “Yep. You’re their best friend right now.” He threw more food their way, and the ones in the water dived elegantly to retrieve it. The zoo had closed for the evening ten minutes ago. Ben thought it would be a treat to take Dae to see his treasured animals outside of the hoo-ha of the usual visiting times.

“Tell me more about penguins,” Dae asked as he put down the now empty sprat container and perched his behind on a rock. The sun was low in the sky but there was enough sunshine to warm them as they loitered. “Why do they look as if they’re wearing a tuxedo?” His eyes sparkled in the waning sunlight as he stretched his longs legs out in front of him and drew his long jumper sleeves over his hands, which looked a little blue. He looked relaxed and quite adorable.

Ben laughed. “It’s called countershading and it’s pretty clever. When they’re swimming in the water, from the top they look dark to predators above, like they’re part of the ocean. From below, the white of their bellies blends in with the sun, distracting predators below. It’s a camouflage tactic used not only by penguins but sharks, dolphins, porpoises, even insects.” He shrugged. “Land animals have it too, like deer. It’s nature’s way of protecting certain species.”

“Wow, fascinating.” Dae cocked an eyebrow. “They swallow the fish whole. Don’t they have teeth to chew with?”

Ben shook his head. “No teeth. Instead, they have these weird fleshy things—we call them spines—on the inside of their mouths, which face backwards. They allow the fish to slide easier into the gullet.”

Ben was gratified to notice Dae looked well impressed at his knowledge. He hadn’t spent years at university and researching abroad to not know his subject matter. He didn’t get a chance to show it off much.

“Penguins can drink seawater too. You’ll see them sipping it. They have a gland above their eye, called the supraorbital gland, which acts to remove the sodium chloride from their bloodstream. They excrete it through the bill, or by sneezing.”

Dae’s eyes bugged out. “Oh, how bizarre. Sneezing it out? That’s different.” He grimaced. “Remind me not to get