Julie allowed herself to fall onto the grass. She sat with her head in her hands. Two miles, might as well be a hundred miles. Her eyes stung with the need to cry but she held back the tears. She wasn’t a quitter or a moaner. On a heavy sigh, she started to get back up when Coal put his arms around her and lifted her off the ground.

“Put me down.” She wriggled to prove a point. “I can walk on my own.” She couldn’t.

“Like hell,” he growled. Coal began to walk in big strides.

“Put me down.” She said, a little bit more harshly. The truth was that his arms felt good around her. She felt comfortable and safe but she shouldn’t and it irritated her. She was also quite capable of hobbling the rest of the way on her own. Maybe.

Coal put her down and took a step away. He towered over her. The big savage folded his arms across his chest. “I am a strong, fierce warrior. I’m more than capable of carrying you.”

“I’m sure you are.” She tried not to sound too sarcastic and failed. It was clear he was strong. His muscles had freaking muscles.

He narrowed his eyes. “No, you don’t seem to get it, I’m very strong.”

“Good for you. I’m still okay with walking.”

“You’re not okay. You’re far from it. I don’t know why you won’t let me help you.” His muscles bulged. Thin, thin cotton pants – now shorts - ruffled in the light breeze.

Coal sucked in a deep breath. He turned and walked away and for a second she thought that he was leaving her. She sprang to her feet, although, sprang wasn’t really the right word. It was more like staggered to her feet. After everything, now he was leaving her, right now? The bastard!

“Where do you think you are going?” She shouted after him. “Hey! You can’t just leave me here.”

Coal kept walking and her heart sank like a stone. Just as she was about to run… okay hobble… after him, he stopped next to a small outcrop of trees and kicked his toes against a large felled tree. It was black with charred branches. It had probably been struck by lightening. He kicked it a second time. There was a loud thud. What was he doing?

Coal reached down and wrapped his arms around it’s massive trunk. Even a big guy like him had trouble getting his arms around its immense girth.

What the hell!

She heard a creaking noise. No way! No damned way! The trunk lifted. Slowly but surely, Coal lifted the thing. His biceps bulged, his back muscles were… who even knew back muscles like his existed. Next thing, the trunk was above his head. As in, arms out stretched, up high above his head. No way!