Page 132 of Deadly Strain

Sharp took a step toward her and she pushed away. “No, I could be contaminated with spores. Don’t touch me.”

He froze for a moment, then let his hand drop as he growled, “I’m not leaving you to do this alone.”

“Yes, you are.”

“No, I’m not.”

“I outrank you. I order you toleave,” she yelled, desperate, willing to do anything to convince him to go.

He snarled at her. “You promised to follow my commands in situations where I’m the expert.”

He wasn’t going to go. She could see it in his eyes, in the set of his face. He smiled, a long, sad upturn of his lips, and turned to Smoke. “Get us some support here.”

“You sure, boss?”

“Never more sure in my life.”

Smoke left.

“Okay, sweetheart,” Sharp said to her as if they were discussing a plumbing problem and not the instrument of their death. “Let’s have a look at this grenade.”

She wanted to smack his face. She wanted to kiss the living daylights out of him. She settled for holding out the grenade and wiping cold tears off her face. “You are an idiot.”

“Nope,” he said, giving the device a thorough examination, though it was still in her hand. “Just a schmuck in love.”

“What?” He couldn’t have said what she thought he’d said.

He smiled again. “Speaking of which, will you marry me?”

Speechless, her jaw opened and closed a couple of times, before she managed to snap it closed and say from between her teeth, “Not funny.”

“Not joking.”

“Ha. We’re both going todie.”

His expression turned serious. “How sure are you of that?”

She lost her righteous anger in a heartbeat. “The possibility is good.” She swallowed hard and begged, “Please, I...I love you, too.” The last few words came out as a whisper. She cleared her throat. “Let me finish this alone.”

He put his hand over hers on the grenade. “Could you let me do it alone?”

Bastard.Smart, stubborn bastard. He had to know how she felt or he wouldn’t have asked the question. “No.” Her shoulders sank. “This is going to kill us both.”

He didn’t respond to her prediction, but asked, “Do you have a plan?”

“Nothing past getting here, throwing the grenade inside and running for my life.”

“That’s not bad. Let’s see if it would work.” He moved past her and into the cave. A flashlight came on and he led her inside a few feet until the walls of the cave expanded a bit.

“If we throw it up against that side,” he said, pointing to the right. “The blast might deflect off this side and back in on itself rather than funneling outside.”

“Okay.”

He pointed the light at her, just below her neck, and watched her for a moment. “You look tired, sweetheart.”

She was so tired. “Yeah, I’m going to crash soon.”

“It’s almost over, darlin’.”