Um. What?

I wanted to protest. Fishlipped, I'm sure of it, my denial that this stranger-arrogant and instantly unlikeable or not-thought he could muscle his way into our treasure hunt without our permission making my stomach knot into a ball of intense need to shove him off the end of the dock.

I didn't. I behaved. Only because I was literally held in place by shock. If I'd been better prepared? Yeah, no promises he'd have survived the splash.

"Allow me to ...