n on the dirt road leading back

two large, brown paper grocery bags filled to the brim with potatoes, flo

de him, her hands

t expanded with each breath, the way a bead of sweat rolled dow

them. She needed him to stop treating her like

enly stopp

d loudly, grabbin

urned his head, his brow furro

o a grimace. "The one I twisted in the bathroom

aned her back against the rough bark. She slid down slightly, look

down at the two heavy bags in hi

gripping the thick paper tightly. He he

," he instructed.

y. "I can't. If I pull with my

y. "You're going to h

d up and down the dirt road. Two other milita

oice dropping to a harsh whisper.

h to ensure the women down the street might hear. "My h

ought his teeth might shatter. He gl

fully set the two large grocery bags down on the dusty roa

," he g

triumph. She practically

s around his thick waist. Cade hooked his arms under her knees a

ucted, his voice strained wit

the sturdy paper handles of the groceries. She pulled them up to re

his pace noticeabl

rm skin of his neck. He smelled like

r lips brushing a

he whispered softly. "It

He recovered instantly, but his entire body went

ng," he ord

slowly traced a circle on his sho

ng, Sergeant Ma

lamped his mouth shut and walked even faster,

he corner ont

e! C

shattered the q

ame sprinting down the sidewalk toward the

. Clara lift

toward the alley behind the housing units. "He's i

rained from

etting Clara slide off his back. He shoved the

ade took off sprinting toward the alley, hi