SUSAN TIPPETT BRAITHWAITE

Liquid heat coursed through Amy as they knelt, kissing on the dirt floor of the cave. She wrapped an arm around Kelvin’s neck, the other around his back, pulling his body closer to hers. It wasn’t enough, she needed to feel his skin against hers. She’d never wanted anyone like this before, it was an all-consuming fire that scared and excited her in equal parts. She eased him onto his back and straddled him, ready to give in to the maddening need pulsing around her core.

Kelvin hissed in pain. “Easy.”

Reality barreled back with a slap. What the fuck was she doing? He was the enemy, the cause of all of her latest woes. It was a moment of weakness, an error in judgment—another to add to her catalogue of fuck ups. It was a simple case of gratitude; he’d saved her from being gutted…He’d killed for her.

Amy glanced at the body. Was that what he was now, a body, a corpse? She should feel something, shouldn’t she?

“Look at me, Amy. It was him or you.” Kelvin caught one of her hands and kissed it, his lips scorching her ice-cold hands. “As much as I’d love a quick fuck, we need to go.”

That shook her out of her numb stupor. “That will never happen.” She yanked her hand free and pushed away from him and the dead man.

Kelvin winced again.

Now she could see why, blood stained his jacket and into his jeans. “You’re hurt.”

“It doesn’t matter. We need to get going.” He rolled the body over and stripped it of outer clothing, weapons, and other things she couldn’t make out.

“I’m not going anywhere, and I don’t think you should either.”

He stuffed the scavenged items into his backpack. “We need to move, they’re still after the box.” Kelvin ripped the sleeve off the shirt he’d taken from the body and proceeded to wad it up over his wound. He tossed the stolen coat to her. “Put this on.”
Sickened, Amy let the coat fall to the ground. “No. I’m staying here.”

A cold smile twisted his lips. “Feel free to hang out with our friend. Get a good look at your future.”

Amy didn’t relish the thought of staying in the tiny cave with a corpse. But, she wasn’t leaving without some knowledge of why her life was in danger. “Why do they want the box? Why are they willing to kill for it?”
He sighed. “We don’t have time for this.”

“Make time.”

He bent awkwardly to retrieve the coat and placed it over her shoulders. “It’s safer if you don’t know.”

She shuddered in the toasty coat. “You mean, it’s safer for you.”

“Lives depend on the information in the box.” He grimaced as he put on the backpack. “That’s all I can tell you.”

He gripped her arm, but he seemed to be holding her for support, not to guide her. “Let’s hope he left the keys with the snowmobile.”

“You can’t drive with your wound.”

Kelvin paused at the mouth of the cave. “You’re right, you drive.”

Uneasiness sunk low in her belly as they headed away from the safety of the cave.