Page 58 of Elite Metal: Warriors

He gaped at her. “No. It doesn’t.”

“They would never expect me to thumb a ride with a trucker.”

Was she insane? Had he somehow gotten tangled up with a mad woman? “You’re safer with me.”

“Says you.”

“Yeah. Says me.” Were they in third grade? And why the ever loving hell was he enjoying this battle? What was wrong with him? He should tie her up and gag her.

Well, fuck. The thought of tying her up did something nasty to the coils of his bowels. His pulse surged at the nastier visions flickering through his imagination.

“I don’t know you, Mister Ghost. I don’t even know your name. Why should I trust you?”

“Because I saved your ass back there in your apartment?”

“I was doing fine when you arrived.”

“Right. With a blade a second from severing your jugular.”

“I had him right where I wanted him.”

He had no idea why he barked a laugh. Probably because she was as brash and fearless as he was. Probably because they were very much alike. Too much alike for comfort, really. “My mission,” he said in a firm tone, “is to get you, and your intel, safely to HQ—”

“In an undisclosed location.”

“Right. I’ve saved you twice now—”

“Twice?”

“The dude in your apartment.” He held up one finger. “And the dude in the garage.” A second.

“We don’t even know the dude in the garage was after me.”

“Seriously?”

“He could have been a mugger.”

“He wasn’t a mugger!” God damn it. Had he thought her funny? Had he thought her like him? She was annoying. A pest. A… He caught sight of her in the rear view mirror. Her amused expression lanced him. With annoyance, yes, but lust as well.

Motherfucker. She was playing him like a fiddle.

“Aside from all that, I suspect you’re a perv.” This, she said in a soft, teasing tone.

“I’m not a perv.”

“You made me strip.”

“You were covered with trackers.”

“You watched.”

“I needed to make sure we got them all.”

“Do you suppose there was one up my ass?”

“Do you want me to check?”

That shut her up. It was a long while before she said, “You rubbed your erection against me.”