You are not heavy.

She swallowed the frog of her pride that refuse to let him carry and she gave her one of her not too happy smiles.

"Is there a plank or Long tree Branch we can place on it?" She asked looking around.

There was no fallen trees, tree branch or wood they could place on it.

Lewis saw her disappointment. "Really, don't mind carrying you Kristine." He let her know.

Kristine wasn't letting him or anyone carry her. She didn't feel safe, if she didn't feel her feet on the solid ground. It would be like she was floating and she have never parachuted before.

Fear grip her. She clutched the hands of her bags tighter that it hugged her flat back.

Fear of being carried and fear of walking into this water.

"How long do we have until we get to an inn before dark."

He sighed. He didn't know that for sure because he had never camped near these areas before.

"Maybe twenty minutes." He measured with his eyes looking through the thick forest of trees. He could only see a path they could pass through.

She sighed. How could she stand being dirty for twenty minutes. She felt like snatching everything, anything.

"It is just a few meters Kristine." He said trying to assure her.

"I understand you don't enjoy dirt. Neither do I and I know it is not your fault. You didn't bring boots. Everything is fine and besides I am going to be extremely careful, I won't let water slash on you."

Kristine looked at him and gave a small smile. "I hate to bother you like this. Honestly I....."

He moved close to her and stopped when they were standing a metre close to each other. "You are my responsibility and besides I go to the gym sometimes." He said with a smirk.

She smiled and rolled her eyes. What was he trying to say, she weighed that much?

She was 5 ft tall and 2 inches and she weighed 76kg.

Was that heavy?

She smiled. "Fine. Okay."

He looked at her, like he didn't hear her before.

She nodded her at his preposition earlier to carry her. "Fine."

He smiled and did a happy dance which made her laugh but she was not done. Her face straightened. "If I am heavy, you can just drop me down but nicely."

He smiled and moved even closer. "I won't drop you and I won't let you fall."

She looked at him again, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When last have someone ever carried her, she felt she was too heavy and too embarrassed to be carried but because....only because he insisted, she was letting him carry her.

He tilted slowly and swept her off her feet. A little scream escape her and she put her hands round his neck tightly. He couldn't help but smile.

She wasn't so heavy, if she allowed him, he could lift her up even higher but Kristine would never, not with the way she held him. He smiled and crossed the water slowly, even though she was closing her eyes.

She was beautiful, amazing, reserved, workaholic and the kind of person he felt intrigued to know. He had never felt this with anyone. Not even experienced his heart beating unconsciously loud in his chest while he tried to maintain a cool appearance.

He was trying so hard not to scare her and at the same time, get her to have fun with him.

This 10 days, what would it be like?

"Are we struck?" She asked cutting through his thoughts.

He had stepped into the water but haven't moved because he kept staring at his scared new friend, he fancies.

She opened her eyes and looked around them. They were still in the mud.

He cleared his throat. "No, we are not."

She was the kind of person, who was hard to impress. He hoped he was able to give her a nice time with him.

He walked.

When she saw he had crossed the mud water and was standing on a solid ground. She looked at his face when he didn't drop her down.

"We are clear now." Her eyes went from his dark eyes to his nose, lips and back to his eyes.

"Do you want to come down? We might have other muddy water like this one.'

She smiled. "When we get there, we will figure that out. Aren't your hands tired?' she asked him, looking away and looking back at his eyes.

She had been this close to Gerald before but it didn't feel, awkward, overwhelming and scared as it was right now.

"No, I can still carry you for ten minutes, if you let me."

"I am sure that is not fair if I do that."

"I may not look as strong as I say but I am strong."

She gave a smile. Was he trying to convince her?

"I don't doubt that but I love the feeling of the Earth under my feet."

"Or are you scared I am going to drop you when my hands get tired?" He asked.

Truthfully, she was afraid to fall but she was even more afraid of the attachment between them.

"Lewis, thank you." She said quietly.

His eyes didn't waver nor did he pull her up to indicate she was heavy or his hands were falling for their shoulders.

"Kristine, would you mind if I kissed you right now." His voice sounded low and sexy in her ears.

She looked away from his face. Kiss her now? Kiss her? She just met this guy. If her head was not functioning, she might have agreed he kissed her.

"When do we get to an inn?" She asked instead.

He looked away with a small smile and slightly carefully, dropped her down.

When she felt her feet on the ground, her confidence came back. She moved a little bit away from him.

"You sure have a way of changing the topic."

She smiled and clutched her bagpack.

They walked. The silence was comfortable between them. Sometimes he would glance in her direction and sometimes she would glance in his direction when she thought he wasn't looking.

Being in a relationship right now, wasn't what she needs. She needs develop herself to be independent without a guy in her life and just when she decided, she was out of guys, he showed up in her life and was slowly planting an attraction which was already growing.

Yes, she liked him. He gave her something Gerald never did, attention. He was nice, something most of the other three guys she dated didn't have. He was patient with her, something only Bella and Richard could do.

He is an adventurer, she is a business woman. They were not supposed to have any connection.

When they get to the real world what happens?

She looked at him again. Everytime, he looked at her. She wanted to kiss him, hold his hand. When he had carried her, she wished he carried her longer.

But that was not going to happen.

"Here we are." He said looking in front of him.

She looked at what was in front of them. An inn, small and causal.

At least they found something, before it got darker.

"I hope there is a Jacuzzi for you?" He asked with a smile before he walked forward.

She shook her head. Smiled and walked after him.