Erik squinted at him. "You're being unusually elusive. Spill."

Ace sighed. "He lost points on the dismount."

Vince cringed quietly. Ace caught it.

"Too much? I'm trying to keep things coded in deference to your delicate heterosexual sensibilities," Ace said.

Olive looked at Vince with a face full of question.

"It was the word mount," Vince finally said. "Brought up ... images."

Olive patted his knee. "Poor boy. Suck it up."

"Ix-nay on the uck-say," Ace whispered loudly.

"So," Olive persisted. "Bad dismount?"

Ace nodded. "Escaped before I could catch my breath. Didn't even get a last name."

"Did you want a last name from this one?" Erik asked.

Fuck...