Page 97 of Elite Metal: Warriors

She forced down a familiar irritation, an unwelcome desire that there could be something more for her than her life as it was.

Her life was fine. Wonderful. Perfect.

It would be even better when she finally achieved her goal.

She was so close.

She couldn’t allow this man to fuck it all up.

And he might.

The gorgeous bastard had been tailing her for days. He’d tried to be inconspicuous, but seriously, what woman with blood in her veins would not notice him? He was tall—seemed even taller here, in Hong Kong, where most men were in the five foot range. He was well over six. And his body…

She suppressed a shudder as he took her arm and led her across the grand foyer of the hotel. His body was magnificent. Muscled and thick, bunching with energy and vigor. And then there was his face. Perfect features, beautiful blue eyes, long lashes and a noble nose.

She didn’t dare think of his lips. His lips on hers.

It was wrong to think of fucking him. Stupid, even.

She had a mission to complete—a critical mission that she needed to complete before Gregor figured out what she was really up to and dragged her back home with her tail between her legs. Fucking this man would only get in the way.

She glanced at him from beneath her lashes as they waited for the elevator. When his gaze met hers, when his beautiful lips kicked up into a small smile, she swallowed heavily.

Because, yeah. He made her drool.

Drool.

No man had ever made her drool. No man had ever had such an effect on her.

That alone was ample reason to do her business and get out.

While Nat had never been afraid of any man, she had to admit, this one sent skirls of nervousness through her.

Or maybe not nervousness.

Maybe it was just lust.

It had been a while, after all.

The elevator door opened with a silent shush, and he set his hand to the small of her back and led her in. Funny how the contact burned, even through her blouse. Her nerves awoke and sang.

She told them to shut up.

As he pressed the button for his floor, her attention fixated on his thumb. Thick and blunt. Manly. It was—

Nat gave herself a mental shake. For pity’s sake. It was a thumb. Nothing to obsess about. Nearly everyone had one.

He nodded to an elderly couple who joined them in the car and as the doors closed, the four of them faced forward, staring at nothing as the elevator moved. Nat remained motionless, but her mind was in a whirl…because that thumb, his thumb, had begun some kind of heinous torture against her back. Sweeping, swirling, stroking.

She had no idea why her knees went weak.

No idea why her body liquefied.

It was only a thumb.

She was stronger than this. She always had been. No mere man had ever had any power over her. She’d gone to great lengths to make certain of it.

That was why this situation was so annoying…and scintillating.