Page 19 (1/2)

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah I hit my forehead on the stairs" His breath dances overdeeply, ainst his

Outside our tiny roo explodes The walls shudder, dust falls into h I lean my face into Bowen’s shoulder and force myself to take slow, even breaths His ar my head

"It’s okay," he whispers "We’ll be okay" His chin bumps the crown of my head when he talks "It’s the militia They won’t find us in here If it were a beast, or the …" His body shudders

I turn ainst his chest, and listen to the sounds of his body Breath moves quickly in and out of his--frantic

Boots pound the ground outside our rooo up the stairs, and unsettle ainst his shoulder and hold my breath Most of the boots echo overhead, but one pair comes back down the stairs Another shower of dust rains down I press ainst him and take deep, slow breaths The smell of him makes me think of cool mountain lakes and pine trees and sweat I take a deeper breath, letting les of his body, the safety of his physical presence, and loop ripping the back of his shirt with h the factory and finds its way into our tiny shelter

"We need the Fec!" I recognize the voice Mickelht be the most important person alive It is mandatory that you turn her over to me"

Bowen’s arainst the rise and fall of his chest

Feet thu our shelter

"Sir, he’s not here Toht," a different voice says "Marshall thinks he saw so in the factory across the street"

"File out," Mickeluns ready"

Boots echo and fade as they leave I lift one, and dare a deep breath of the dusty air "Why d--" His hand presses against my mouth

"Someone’s still here They always leave one ainst ainst each other’s, and his hand stays firm over my lips The air in the shelter is suddenly so dense I can hardly breathe Or ainst Bowen that stealstime we stand motionless And then the solitary sound of boots resonates through the factory, fades, and drifts into nothing

Bowen’s body grows slack, and he moves his hand from my mouth to the back of my neck His breath cools the sweat on hs and rests his forehead againstsoft touches my lips--his--an accidental, feathery touch But then his hand tightens on the back ofa line of fire fro my jaw, to the soft skin below my ear He takes a deep breath and ain, soft and firm And very deliberate His lips part, and I don’t knohat to do I’ve never been kissed

My storip Bowen’s shirt and let ainst his But he pulls his face from ainst h his dark hair and curses

"What?" I say, breathless I lick my lips and taste salt

He points to the door Or what’s left of it--a gaping hole in the side of the factory, surrounded by rubble The led door lies beneath the solitaryon the opposite side of the factory

He turns back to me, pulls me out into the open, and takesthe backpacks with food and water The shelter is cra Except a sh to fit one body I look at Bowen’s scowling profile and wonder, Did I iain and can still taste hi up at me

My heart jumps into my throat "What?"

His jaw muscles pulse "Don’t ask questions Just do it, Fo"

I pull the stained shirt over my head Bowen stands and puts his hands on my bare shoulders and looks down into my eyes My knees tremble and I lean toward him He frowns and flips me around so my back is to him, and pulls the shirt from my hand It falls to the floor by my feet