Page 12 of Duty Bound

He secured the weapon over his back and crouched down. The gap was so small, how on earth would he fit? It didn’t look big enough for her.

Shit, he was going to go for it. Not that they had a better option. Or even a worse one.

It was so black in there…

“I’ll go first. Keep behind me.”

She gulped as he eased himself into the tunnel. The light from his head-mounted flashlight danced off the narrow, rocky walls, and she heaved a sigh of relief. At least they weren’t going to be swallowed by the darkness.

His massive shoulders took some maneuvering, but then he was in. He actually did it. She watched as he leopard-crawled along for a few yards, her eyes dropping to his tight, khaki-clad butt.

Catching herself, she blinked. What the hell? This was hardly the time. Still, she had to admit, it was a great butt. Hard, taut, muscular.

“You coming?” he called, but it was too narrow for him to turn around.

“Does it lead anywhere?” She really, really didn’t want to go in there, but what choice did she have? He’d demolished their only other way out.

“Looks safe enough. The breeze is strong. I think we’ll be okay.” A few seconds later, he started moving again.

Oh, God. She was actually doing this.

If he can fit, so can I.

Lily got down on all fours.

Here goes...

Taking a shuddering breath, she crawled in after him. The ground under her hands was cold and crumbly with a metallic smell that would have been sharp and pungent had it not been diluted by the breeze.

They progressed slowly, inch by inch, for about twenty yards, him in front of her and her focusing solely on his wiggling butt. As silly as it sounded, that perfect backside helped keep the panic at bay.

Eventually, the passage widened into a small, rounded alcove where they could sit side by side. The soldier pushed his night vision scope aside and wiped sweat from his face. “We can rest for five minutes.”

“Thank goodness.” Lily sat next to him, back against the wall. The stiff breeze made the confined space more bearable, and she wanted to believe the hilltop and freedom were only a short distance away.

“You okay?” he asked. The head light was still on, so his features were a dark haze. That was okay with her. It would be pitch black in the tunnel without it, which would probably send her over the edge. This way was better.

His voice was familiar. She tried to place it but couldn’t. “Yes, I… I think so.”

“Good.” He pulled a compass out of his pocket then studied it. “We’ve been going steadily west and at an upwards trajectory, so it shouldn’t be long until we reach the outside. I’m guessing another twenty, thirty minutes. Do you think you can handle that?”

Like she had a choice. “Yeah.”

He turned his head, and the alcove was plunged into darkness. Nearly there, she told herself. Just keep going. It was dark and claustrophobic, and she couldn’t stop thinking about what would happen if the tunnel narrowed to a point where they couldn’t get through. What then?

A muffled blast made her jump and sent a puff of dust down the narrow tunnel.

“What was that?”

“They’re trying to blast their way into the cave.” His voice was controlled, measured. Meantime, she was about to have a full-blown panic attack. There was no going back.

He must have sensed her terror, because he turned around and laid a firm, calloused hand on her arm. “Stay calm, Lily, and keep breathing normally. We’re almost out.”

“Okay,” she whispered. “I’ll try.”

“Good.”

“Um, I have to ask. Do we know each other?” It was the familiarity with which he said her name. She couldn’t see his eyes but sensed he was looking right at her. Her face, on the other hand, would be illuminated by his head light.