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She couldn't help herself She laughed They were alive No alligator got thee, but then so do you--the latest in cool perfume Thank God no one else can smell us"

"Although we ator," Arnaud said

"That's so not funny," she said, trying not to laugh She was afraid she e of hysteria "I'm freezin'"

"So aht soon"

"Don' you dare talk about climbin' up that bank I'll push you back in myself"

There was no sound above them other than the drone of insects No trickle of dirt to alert the at all, but she suddenly kneith absolute certainty they weren't alone She wrapped her fingers around his wrist to get his attention and put her finger to her lips signaling above them

They both lay in silence, Arnaud, frowning, trying to hear whatever had spooked her He put his ainst her ear "I can hear the insects"

"Soht Her entire body had gone on alert Deep inside soe itch raced like a tidal wave just under her skin, rushing through her body in alarm

"Bijou!"

Her heart dropped She'd recognize that arrogant co voice anywhere Remy Boudreax was up above the when she was at her absolute worst Shemud all over her cheeks and chin

"Bijou, answer me" The i above the bank for her

Arnaud started to roll over in an effort to get to his feet

"Shh," Bijou cautioned, panic-stricken She put her hand over his ator eat me than have him see me like this"

The voice above them rose in volume "Damn it, Blue You'd better be alive Answer me Where the hell are you?"

"That's a friend of yours I take it," Arnaud drawled around her hand

"He is not goin' to get the satisfaction of seein' and smellin' me like this," she hissed

So the path of the SUV There was a lot of cursing in Cajun French

"We have to be rescued before dark," Arnaud pointed out in his usual pragmatic way

She was silent ato curl herself into a little ball "You get rescued, and then come back for me"

"You really like this man, don't you?" There was a trace of amusement in his voice

"Don' laugh at a desperate wooin' back in that really sustin' water"

"Blue? Where the hell are you? You damn well better not be in that sunken SUV"

Arnaud raised his voice "We're here, trapped below you A little worse for wear but we're alive"

"Traitor," Bijou hissed between her teeth She covered her face again, s more mud "I'll never live this down"

"Bijou?" Remy's voice was directly overhead A small amount of dirt rained down

"The ledge is cru," Arnaud cautioned "You'll have to stay back from it"

"Well back," Bijou whispered "Like the other side of the bayou Why do these things always happen to me?"

"Bijou" There was a short pause "I need to hear your voice Are you all right?" This ti and for sos