Mercenary Courage (Mandrake Company) by Ruby Lionsdrake

around in his grasp, to face him and kiss him, showing him that she appreciated him just as much.
    The elevator stopped again. She couldn’t see which floor it was this time, with so many people crammed in front of her, but she hoped the shoppers would stream out. Maybe the monks would leave, too, so there wouldn’t be any more stops. Viktor and Ankari could go straight to the hotel room she had reserved, and he could wait until later to check on his ship.
    “I’m surprised you were watching that closely,” she murmured, turning her head toward him, so only he would hear her words. Why was the door taking so long to open? The women shuffled, muttering to each other and jostling Ankari with their bags. She scarcely noticed, being hyper aware of Viktor rubbing her neck and nuzzling her ear. “It seemed like your opponent was taking all of your attention.”
    “Are we stuck?” one of the women asked.
    Stuck? No, Ankari did not want to be stuck. She and Viktor had places to go, shower heads to visit.
    “Here. Push that. Call someone.”
    “Not quite all of it,” Viktor whispered. “I see everything. Those who are my enemies. Those who are my allies.” He bent his head lower, kissing her neck. She leaned back, her body melting against his. She could feel his ridges of muscle through her shirt, along with the hard bulge in his trousers pressing against the small of her back. She was not the only one aroused. Too bad they could not do anything about it in an elevator full of monks and old ladies.
    Still, she laid her head back against his shoulder, relishing his attention, that he thought so much of her for being there with him, even if he so rarely needed help. The arm he had wrapped around her shifted, his hand roaming upward, stroking her through her clothing. His fingers brushed her breast, and she glanced around, afraid she would catch someone watching. Or that someone would look back at her and notice the way her nipples had hardened, poking against the fabric of her wrap top. But a tall woman standing in front of her blocked the view for the others. It would have been difficult for anyone to see Viktor’s roaming hands. So long as she didn’t start groaning and panting.
    Even as she had the thought, an image popped into her mind of her turning around, tearing Viktor’s belt open, and leaping onto him right there, the audience be damned. He cupped her breast, perhaps having similar thoughts. He found her erect nipple with his thumb and circled it, rubbing the thin fabric of her blouse against the sensitive flesh. This only drove more images into Ankari’s mind of her and Viktor having sex right here in the elevator. She found herself squirming in his embrace, even though she needed to stand still, to pretend she was waiting quietly in the corner, as bored as the others. But even through her clothing, Viktor’s hands were lighting a fire inside of her. The idea of having to walk all the way to the hotel and suffer through a check-in tormented her, but she could do it if it meant diving onto the bed and having him all to herself for the night.
    “Hello?” one of the monks up front said. “The elevator has stopped between floors five and four. We need assistance.”
    “Sooner rather than later,” a woman added amid a rustling of shopping bags.
    Others grumbled and sighed dramatically. Ankari struggled not to groan as Viktor nibbled and sucked at her neck. The fire kindling in her body grew hotter, more demanding. The hand cupping her breast ran down her stomach to her belt. Tight heat flushed her core, and she imagined him delving lower. But surely he wouldn’t, not with people all around them, people who were sure to notice the foreplay going on in the corner. She rested her hand on his, thinking that she should keep him from going lower. It wasn’t a restraining grip, though. She couldn’t bring herself to stop him if he wanted to explore further. The heat between her thighs blossomed, almost aching,