Chapter 6

Taking her by the hand again, he studied the area around them. "I haven't eaten yet today either, so how about I go rustle us up some grub? We can eat before we head back."

"Head back to where?" she asked as they started back to the cave. Her voice sounded husky, even to her own ears. She cleared her throat again.

"According to my instructions, I'm supposed to find you and go back to where I crash landed." He stopped suddenly and spun around to face her. He took her by the shoulders. "Jesus. I didn't even ask. Are you okay? If you arrived here anywhere near as hard as I did…" His face screwed up at the thought and he immediately started checking her for injuries.

She tried to reassure him as he ran his hands down her arms and up her legs, feeling for breaks that had already healed, swatting at him when he got too close to the junction between her thighs. "I'm fine. Really." Now. "I just kind of floated here…" Like an anvil in the cartoons.

He didn't need to know that the reason she'd been hiding in the cave for two days was because she'd dragged herself there after breaking numerous bones upon her arrival, and it had taken that long for her to heal.

He straightened up with obvious reluctance, his eyes continuing to rove over her with concern.

She cocked an eyebrow at him. "Really. I'm fine. You have instructions?"

Brock pulled a slip of paper out of his pocket and handed it to her.

She read it out loud. "Find the girl and return to where you started. You have five days." She handed it back to him with a snort. "Dramatic much?"

Brock started walking again, taking her hand and pulling her along with him. "Well, anyone who can send us through space and time to a different place with nothing but a clap of their hands is someone who can be as dramatic as they please as far as I'm concerned."

"I'm perfectly capable of walking on my own, you know," she told him.

He gave her a puzzled look and she held up their linked hands. But instead of letting her go, he scowled and tightened his hold. "I don't want you to 'shoosh' away from me again."

They reached the cave and he ushered her inside before telling her with obvious reluctance, "Wait in here for me. I won't be long." He started to leave, but paused to tell her, "Hang on to the wall if things start getting weird. Or a rock. A heavy one. Don't go anywhere."

Heather ducked through the opening and stepped inside, turning around to face him again. "Why can't I just come with you?"

"Oh. Uh…" He dropped his head, hiding behind his long hair as he rubbed an imaginary dirty spot off of one muscular forearm. "Because I hunt in my…uh…other form."

"Oh." She really didn't want to be alone again. "Do you have to hunt like that? Can't you do it…like this?" She waved her hand around, indicating his current human, and very attractive, form.

He glanced up at her with sheepish blue eyes. "Um, well, it would be kind of hard to catch something with my bare hands. Teeth are easier."

She could see his point. "Other than hanging on to something and/or anchoring myself down, what am I supposed to do while you're gone?"

His rugged face lit up with a naughty smile, and she saw a flash of white teeth. "Watch my clothes."

"Watch your…oh." She stared in awe as he shrugged out of his shirt, revealing row upon row of rippling abdominal muscles, a hard chest, and defined biceps under smooth, golden skin. There wasn't an ounce of fat on him.

How was that even fair?

He folded up his tee shirt and stuck it under one powerful arm, then bent over to unlace his boots. Kicking them off one at a time, he stuffed his socks inside of them. Handing her his shirt, he suggested with a wink, "You may want to turn around for this next part. At least until we get to know each other better."

Her eyes widened as his hands went to the waistband of his pants. His long fingers popped open the button and yanked the zipper down. Sliding his hands under the material and over his narrow hips, he pushed them down his strong thighs and muscular calves, his long hair covering his manliest parts as he bent over to pull them off each leg.

Heather spun around before he stood up again and caught her gawking like a virgin. But, damn. He looked even better naked, if that were possible. Warm breath stirred the hair on the back of her head. She stiffened, knowing he was so close…and wearing absolutely nothing. Her heart sped up as he reached over her shoulder to hand her his folded pants.

His deep voice rumbled near her ear, causing goose flesh to rise up all over her body. "Stay here. I'll be back as soon as I can."

She caught her breath as he straightened up, but then lowered his nose to her hair, inhaling deeply, and then the warmth behind her was gone. She waited a few seconds before turning around.

A large wolf/human hybrid stood just inside the fog, more muscular than a normal wolf and more animal than human. It was twice Brock's human size and covered with sparse, sun-kissed brown fur. Its back muscles twitched, its sapphire blue eyes staring at her intently as she stood there hugging his clothes to her chest. Then it ambled away on four legs to go find their breakfast.

Had he been gauging her reaction? Maybe she should've acted more shocked. Or afraid? But honestly, he was a magnificent beast; in either form.

Lifting his clothes to her nose, she inhaled his scent. He smelled faintly of fresh pine and clean air and something masculine and woodsy that she couldn't quite put her finger on. It made her want to rub his clothes all over her bare skin. Or better yet, rub him all over her bare skin.

She never should have made that promise to Grace when he'd first shown up at her apartment after following her friend there. The one where she’d told her she would stay away from him.

Although she didn't think it should really apply anymore anyway. Actually, now that she thought about it, she'd only told her best friend that she would stay away from him "for now".

It wasn't now anymore. It was later. Much later. Days later. And besides, it didn't count if you were in a different world.