Ozzy doubled over, clutching his sides as he laughed, her tickling fingers making him laugh uncontrollably.

"St-stop... my sides!" he gasped between paroxysms of laughter brought on by her swift fingers.

  She giggled, and said "The stop-tickling toll is four kisses!"

Ozzy gasped, "D-deal!", before surging upright, putting one hand on her cheek and his other around her waist as he leaned in to kiss her, hoping she'd stop with the first installment of her 'stop tickling toll'.

 Clarissa slid her arms around him, ceasing the tickling, and kissed back with clear and obvious pleasure as she molded her body to his.

Ozzy clearly enjoyed it, as well. When he finally broke the kiss, he gasped for air for a moment before saying, "Heh... ow. Remind me not to provoke your pest side ever again. So, you want the other three now, or later?"

  She laughed, and said "One now and  two in the car on the way home?"  She lightly drew a circle on his chest with her fingertip, smiling as she did it.

Ozzy grinned and said, "As you wish, milady. One now, two on the way home."

With that, he kissed her deeply once more, gently running his fingers through her hair.

  She enjoyed that kiss too, and when it broke, she said "Can't get better than kisses in really tight quarters, now can we?"

Ozzy smirked and said, "I imagine it'd be rather difficult to kiss when we're farther apart. But, no, I don't think it could get much better."

  She poked his belly with one finger, and said "You are ornery as all get out, Ozzy.  Further than close quarters is blown kisses, silly!!"

Ozzy chuckled and said, "Yeah, I can get that way sometimes. I guess you'll have to brighten me back up when 'Mr. Gloom and Doom' starts to show through. Old habits die hard, ya know?"

  Clarissa grinned, and said playfully "If you go all gloom and doom on me, I shall tickle you MOST unmercifully until you smile.  That is not a threat, that is a promise!"  She hugged him good and hard as she 'promised' that threat.

Ozzy grinned and nodded, "Sounds good. Thank you. Heh, you put up with so much stuff from me. I'm certainly a lucky guy."

He returned the hug, wrapping both arms tightly around her. He couldn't think of the last time he'd been so happy, or simultaneously been so afraid. Clarissa had been in danger today, and while she didn't seem to be very affected by it, Ozzy was worried about what would happen next time, what would happen if he COULDN'T get there in time.

  Clarissa grinned, and said "You're worth it.  Now.  You ready to be a sardine?"  Her cousins had cleared just enough space out for the two of them to fit in the car, so they would indeed be sardines!

Ozzy grinned and replied, "With you? Always."

Ozzy then opened the car door and got in, hoping to take the generally less comfy middle seat, so he'd be squished against the Big Pile O' Stuff (tm), and not Clarissa. Or, if they'd have to double up, he figured it would be better for her to sit in his lap, rather than the other way around.

  She giggled.  There was barely room for his butt, so she'd definitely be a lap creature, and once he was in, here she came, right in and onto his lap with a giggle.

Once she was on his lap and well in the car, he shut the door before wrapping his arms around her, grinning broadly.

"Here we are again. Get as comfortable as you can, Clarissa, 'cause I think we're in this for the long haul. Now, then, about your toll..."

With that, he kissed her again, though he was clearly just using the 'stop-tickling toll' as an excuse. Which, knowing Clarissa, was probably exactly what it was intended to be.

When he pulled back, he asked with a small chuckle, "So, teach, am I still improving?"

  Clarissa kissed bak with gusto, and then whispered, from nose to nose distance "Oh yes.  It's a skill that definitely improves with practice, but you can NEVER get enough practice.  We still need to do lots and lots of practicing."

Ozzy smiled and looked into her eyes as he said softly, "I'll definitely have to keep my schedule open for all that practice. I wouldn't want to miss a session, after all. Otherwise you might have to assign me some make-up work."

  Clarissa giggled, and said softly "Good.  Because I have plans for lots and lots of sessions with you, Ozzy."

Ozzy grinned and replied, "Awesome. Just tell me when and where, and you know I'll be there if at all possible. It would literally take some impressive superhuman effort to keep me away."

  She grinned, and asked softly "Want to meet up daily at five or so?"

Ozzy smiled and nodded, "I'll be there. It'll take some pretty impressive superhuman effort to keep me away."

He then moved in and kissed her again, long and deep. He was certainly going to enjoy 'paying his toll', and he'd make sure she did, too.

  Clarissa leaned into that kiss, and as they were kissing, they were headed out of the parking lot and onto the freeway back to Weston.    She was perfectly happy with her perch, and loved her 'seat belt', or as everyone else would call it, Ozzy's arms wrapped around her.

Victoria drove with Penny and Iris, heading back to Weston.