For a moment, Johanna just stood there on her doorstep, too shocked and confused to move after watching… well, whatever had just happened.
But seeing the huge man that had appeared from nowhere facedown on her sidewalk made her body jump into gear, and she quickly moved to his side to see what she could do.
Had he had a heart attack? No, he looked more like he’d been tased, though there certainly wasn’t anyone else around who could have done it.
Nothing made sense anymore.
“Mister, are you okay?” She prodded the guy’s shoulder, hoping he’d move. Even lying down, he was massive, a wall of muscle and maleness.
Being this close to him only further confirmed Jo’s suspicions. His face, turned slightly to the side, revealed masculine features and a beard that was better trimmed but still unmistakable from the one the man in the photo had.
Was this a dream?
Should she call an ambulance or something?
Suddenly, he took in a long, harsh breath, eyes flying open. And without notice, he pushed himself off the ground, standing up and brushing himself off like nothing had happened. As though he hadn’t just collapsed like a falling tree a moment ago.
“I’m fine. I’m fine,” he exclaimed, sounding oddly suspicious as he looked himself over.
To Jo’s surprise, there wasn’t a single scratch or cut on him. Perhaps he’d just had the luckiest fall of all time.
“Are you sure? What just happened?” She might not have had any clue what was up, but she was still grateful to him for doing something about the increasingly pushy salesperson that had been on her doorstep a minute ago.
And then mysteriously walked off like a robot…
“Nothing you need to concern yourself with,” he said, looking himself over once more before turning his gaze to her.
Piercing teal eyes met hers, making Jo’s senses jump inside her skin from their intensity. Blue like Caribbean waters at the edges, deep emerald green at the centers around his irises.
Now that he was standing at his full height too, Jo could see how big he really was. Not just big, humongous. And the fitted blue shirt and dark jeans he wore did little to hide the impressive muscles in his shoulders and arms.
The concept of this person being her “assigned dragon protector” almost would have made sense now that she saw him…if the whole idea wasn’t so preposterous.
His neutral expression, which still had a hint of a scowl even while resting, tightened into a frown. “It’s not preposterous,” he said flatly.
Jo, lost in her thoughts, snapped to attention. “What?” she replied, confused as to how he seemed to have known exactly what she was thinking a moment after she’d thought it.
But he just looked to the side, ignoring her question. “Forget about it.” He folded his arms, making his biceps bunch up as he turned back to her. “After all, I’m here as promised.”
Jo just stood there, still a little shaken and stunned by the whole thing so far.
He appraised her like one does when they’re deciding if something is worth their time, and Jo felt a mild shiver go up her back.
“Your information packet. You received it, didn’t you?” he asked, sounding annoyed.
She nodded. “Yes, but it didn’t make a lot of sense.”
“What could have possibly not made sense?” he asked bluntly.
Jo folded her arms and shrugged. “Dragons, fairies, shifters. It’s all a bit farfetched, don’t you think? Besides, I don’t even know who you are.” She felt more exasperated the longer she was around him.
“I’m Dallin, and I’m here to protect you, Johanna.” He was anything but cordial as he said it, dusting off a shoulder as he spoke.
“From what?” The fact he knew her name before she even knew his was a bit unsettling. “From pushy salespeople?”
Dallin bristled. “He wasn’t taking no for an answer. If I hadn’t intervened…”
“And I’m grateful for that.” Honestly, she was. It was just hard to focus on anything other than Dallin’s blue-green eyes watching her like he could see right through her. “But that was a fluke. Hardly anything supernatural.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Johanna,” he said, waggling a finger imperiously.
“Everyone just calls me Jo.”
“Jo, then. You’re in danger, Jo,” he said.
“From what?” She felt her tone rising slightly.
“From the powers of chaos that want to capture and torture you. Well, technically, drain the magic from you, but I’m not going to let that happen.”
What was she supposed to say to that?
After all, she was just a baker. What could any of this possibly have to do with her?
“Baker or not, you still need me.” He stepped closer to her, and part of Jo felt like it was jumping awake, buzzing inside her. The other part—the rational part—knew there was something fishy with this whole thing.
And how in the hell did he know she was a baker? Was he a stalker or something?
He flinched almost imperceptibly, then just smirked at her.
“Oh, because I’m a fairy or something? Is that it?” She mirrored his stance, arms folded and head slightly cocked.
He just frowned. “You’re not a fairy. You’re a beacon. Someone with latent fae powers from one of your ancestors.”
“What, do you have a problem with fairies?”
“They’re called fae. And yes, as a matter of fact, I do,” he said. “But like it or not, I’m here to watch out for you.”
This whole thing was just too much for words. Why exactly was she outside arguing with some male model-slash-bodyguard on the sidewalk when she had things she needed to do?
“I don’t know who sent you or what they want from me, Dallin, but I happen to have a very happy life all by myself. And whatever it is you’re selling, you can just keep it.” With that, she turned on her heel and made her way up the steps toward her house.
With shocking reflexes, Dallin vaulted the steps ahead of her, standing on the landing in front of her, blocking her way.
“You don’t understand the seriousness of this situation. If you did, you wouldn’t be walking away from me.” He was serious, eyes slightly cold.
For the slightest of moments, she almost believed him.
“Please move out of my way,” she asked, and Dallin shifted to the side, letting her make the way to her door. But she could still feel his glare.
“You should consider yourself lucky you were assigned someone as powerful as I am. I can guarantee your safety better than anyone else I know.” His cock-sure attitude and the fact that he continually insisted that crazy things were real was grating on her last nerve.
She reached to open the door to her house, then whirled on him, feeling her body react to him in spite of herself.
“Lucky? For all I know, you’re just a con artist making up stories so you can make me pay for your ‘protection.’” She spoke with her hands, making air quotes, which somehow made Dallin raise an eyebrow with amusement.
“Believe me when I say that I have much better things I could be doing right now than tricking a human.” He stepped forward, closing the distance between them in the small, covered landing at the entrance of her home, making the space around them feel tiny. “Don’t assume that I’m here because I want to be.”