Normally Coal would bite her lip or tickle her in a situation like this, instead, he frowned. “I’m not sure.” She could sense that he wasn’t being entirely honest with her. Coal knew what Blaze wanted. He just didn’t want to tell her.

Why? Then the answer hit her. Oh, the meeting was about her. Blaze didn’t seem to like her very much. Maybe he was going to try and talk Coal into sending her back. Like the last time. Shit, now her body reacted. Now? She felt a tightness in her belly. A clamminess on her hands. The air seemed to freeze in her lungs.

“Hey.” Coal squeezed her hand. “You look like you’re afraid of something. It worries me because I’ve never seen you afraid before.” He smiled at her. “Not when I was hunting you. Not when I caught you. You stabbed me in the back.” He chuckled, giving his head a shake. “Yet, you’re worried now. Don’t be, Julie. You have absolutely nothing to be afraid of. I promise.” He gave her hand another squeeze.

She huffed out a breath. “If you say so and for the record, I was petrified on the top of that mountain. If I had fallen, I think I would’ve shat my pants.”

Coal laughed. “I would’ve caught you. I will always catch you. When you finally realize that, we’ll finally be on the right track.”

“We’re on the right track.” It just slipped out of her mouth. Julie licked her lips.

Coal’s gaze softened. “Yes, we are.” He grabbed her and kissed her like there was no today, like there was no tomorrow. He kissed her like she was it for him and well, she returned the favor. By the time he released her, they were both short of breath.

Coal growled. “Get back into bed. I won’t be long.”

“I thought we could go out. Maybe…”

Coal shook his head. “You are too close to your heat. We will either spend the next few days in bed together, or I will need to stay in another chamber until you are over it.”

“In bed for a few days it is then.” She slipped her hand under the elastic of his pants and squeezed his beefy ass.

Coal growled again. It was a loud and terrifying sound. Her panties were wet in an instant. She loved the animalistic sounds he made. Coal sniffed, groaned and pulled himself from her embrace.

“I’ll be back. Get in that bed.” He glanced over her shoulders, his gaze on the bed.

“If you take too long I’ll start the party without you.” She bobbed her brows and looked up at him from under her lashes.

His jaw tightened. His eyes darkened. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Try me.” She shouldn’t tease him this way but she couldn’t help herself.