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“It wasn’t very polite”

She could feel the sand on her neck, feel it press relentlessly, feel the slippery cool grains everywhere and her head spun, dizzy “I hate you”

He sighed “Why are you so stubborn?”

“Why are you?” Tears filled her eyes and she couldn’t even brush theet out of here without your help but you’reand that’s cruel—”

“Refusing to ask for help is worse That’s a death wish, and stupid”

“What word do you want? What is it you want to hear? Tair, you’re so marvelous Or Tair, you’re my man What is it you want?”

The edge of his , Wo for please”

Tair rose in one fluidto his horse, he withdrew a rope, tied it to his stallion’s saddle and returned to her side

He stretched out on the sand, and inched his way toward her and tossed the looped rope around her shoulders, and tugged, the loop tightened lasso-like and he had her secure

Whistling to his horse, the stallion began to back up and with Tair guiding the rope, heTally free of the sand

“Thank you,” Tally choked, tears strea and she rubbed one cheek and then the other, her face streaked with tears and sand

“You’re welcoain to the stallion and the horse trotted over Swinging into his saddle, he leaned down, held an aro home”

Tally froze She didn’t put her hand in his “But that’s the problem, Tair It’s not my home”

“Here we go again,” he muttered beneath his breath

“It’s not”

“I don’t want to do this now The sand is still unstable from yesterday’s storm There are probably more sand traps out here If you really wanthome”