With a gentle shove, he threw it back down to the right of where it had been. So, he was strong. Very strong.

It didn’t seem like Coal was done. He looked around and then made for an outcrop of rocks. Next, he picked up a large boulder, lifting it above his head. It didn’t look like it was any effort for him. He lowered and extended his arms a couple of times, grinning at her all the while.

Her mouth hung open, it couldn’t be helped. Wow! It was barbaric. It was nuts. It was also pretty hot.

Coal threw the boulder several feet away from himself, in the opposite direction to her. He clapped his hands together and walked back to her. His muscles looked pumped. His pecs did that jump thing and his abs looked bigger than they were before.

Oh god! She was ogling him… again. Giving him ideas and feeding his ridiculous levels of arrogance. Not a good idea.

“Okay, so you’re strong.” She shrugged. “I’m sure that’s normal for a dragon shifter.”

“I will carry you, female.” His eyes were locked with hers. “I don’t want you to argue. You are under my protection and you can’t walk right now so it is up to me to help you.”

What the hell did she say to that? “Um… okay. If you insist.”

This time when he picked her up, she didn’t protest or try to wriggle free. Coal cradled her close and began to walk. Sheesh, but the guy was fast. She had to close her eyes to stop herself from feeling nauseous. That’s how fast the ground passed beneath them.

“I’m glad that you were so upset about my leaving you.” His chest rumbled. “You didn’t want me to go, did you?”

When she glanced up he was smiling.

Jerk! “I… um… I didn’t want to be left out here all on my own, not with sore feet and a swollen knee. It had nothing to do with you per se.”

“If you say so, female.” She could hear that he was still grinning.

Let him smile. Whatever. She knew it had nothing to do with this arrogant caveman shifter. She didn’t know him. She didn’t trust him and she didn’t want anything to do with him.

Julie planned on seeing her time here as a holiday. A little break from the real world. She’d have food in her belly and a roof over her head. In a couple of weeks, she would have to go back to Walton Springs and then she’d have to worry about her future. Not right now though. She hooked her arms around his neck. “No ideas,” she said.

Coal chuckled softly, his chest vibrated.