His jaw tightened. “I’m not going to argue with you right now. It is a very long way back to my lair.”

Lair. Lair? What the hell was a lair? A hole in the ground? Julie bit down on her lip. It seemed that for right now she was safe. Well, if freezing to death was considered safe. She had until morning before he planned on forcing himself on her. She would need to try and escape before then. It was her only way out of this.

His warm hand clasped her arm and she shrieked. “I told you not to touch me!” She yelled, and tried to yank her arm free.

“What is wrong with you?” He asked. “Why are you shaking? Are you so afraid of me that why you are reduced to a quivering mess?”

“You wish, you asshole! I’m freezing cold. I’m probably going to have frostbite.” And she was a little afraid of him, okay, a lot afraid. Not that she would ever admit it.

“Cold,” he made a humming noise. “I keep forgetting that you’re human. What else is ailing you?”

“Well let’s see… I’m hungry, my feet hurt and I’m tired.” He wasn’t very bright, was he?

The big oaf let out what was probably a curse word in dragon language. It made no sense to her. “I had planned on us making the trip back right now but that’s not going to be possible is it?”

She shook her head. “I need to rest.” It was true, she really did need some R&R before she could do any heavy hiking but more than that, she needed an opportunity to escape. It might not be possible once they arrived at his lair. Oh god, was this really happening?

He cursed again. “I wish I could shift but we are not permitted. I have to bring you back on foot. It is our way. Lores are lores.” She wasn’t sure what he was going on about.

Fear coursed through her at the thought of him shifting. He really was an animal, in the literal sense of the word.

“Your shivering is becoming worse. I will carry you a little ways into the forest so that we can find shelter from the wind.”

As much as she detested the thought of him touching her, the idea of being out of the elements was just too appealing. Julie nodded. “Fine, but don’t get any ideas. I’m freezing.”

He made a growly noise, leaned over and picked her up, as if she weighed nothing. God, he was tall and built like a brick shithouse. His chest was like a hard wall of muscle. He was also really warm and she couldn’t help but to nestle in closer. “I mean it, don’t get any ideas. I’m just really cold.” She had to suppress a moan as his warmth seeped into her.