Hold Me If You Can by Stephanie Rowe Page B

what would a man like Nigel do to her self-control?
    She didn’t want to know.
    She just wanted to be safe, in control, and a force to be reckoned with, thank you so much.
    “I’ll get it.” He shoved himself to his feet, hauled a box down, ripped it open with a knife that appeared out of nowhere, and then resumed his position. He bit off a large chunk and swallowed it. Nothing sexy in his approach. He was all business right now. And the fact he was in warrior mode was just as mouthwatering as the sensual perusals. Dear God. What was wrong with her? Could she get her mind out of the gutter for one minute? She wasn’t that kind of girl, remember?
    It was too dangerous.
    “Try again,” Ella said.
    “Okay.” Natalie leaned toward Nigel, cleared her mind, and concentrated all her energy on him. “Blink your eyes twice.”
    No blinkage.
    “See?” She sat back and threw up her hands in frustration. “I can’t do it! I can’t even influence a Dullet. Why would I be able to influence him?”
    “No.” Nigel grabbed her arms and hauled her over to him. “Ella said every Mystic can influence Magicks. You can do it.”
    “I can’t—”
    He put his hand over her mouth. “You’re blocking your powers. You gotta let it go.”
    “He’s right.” Ella leaned around him. She was focused now, her face calm and confident as she allowed herself to be consumed by this world she knew so well. “Every Mystic has a power source, an inner passion, that drives their ability to influence others. It’s what fuels you.” She nodded at the virility balls. “Yours is sex, and you’ve got to tap into that.”
    “Sex?” Oh, Natalie was so not liking the sound of that. “What do you mean?”
    “It means you need to unveil the sensuality within your soul and let it soar,” Ella said. “Feel the eroticism deep in your belly, allow it caress your soul and seduce your own body.”
    Natalie became aware of Nigel’s intense scrutiny. She peeked at him, and her breath caught at the expression of raw lust on his face. He met her gaze, then his attention dropped to her mouth. She swallowed and licked her lips before she could stop herself.
    Nigel let out a faint growl, and her entire body tightened. “Oh. God.” She turned away from him and focused desperately on Ella. “I can’t go there right now.”
    “You have to.” Ella made a noise of exasperation. “It’s your path. It’s how you do it.”
    “Well, yeah, I know, but I’m not doing it. There has to be another way.”
    Ella scowled at her. “You’re not frigid, but you’re sure acting like it.”
    “Frigid? I’m not frigid!” Oh, well, this was certainly fantastic. Nothing like being completely embarrassed in front of Nigel. “I just want to maintain complete and utter control of all hints of passion or sexual need within me. That is completely different from being frigid!”
    Nigel coughed, a pathetically inadequate attempt to hide his amusement at her protest. Perfect. Just perfect.
    “You’re blocking your sensuality.” Ella nodded at Nigel. “Use him to tap into your inner vixen.”
    Nigel raised his brows. “Yeah, feel free to use me however you want.”
    Something began to pulse deep in her abdomen at his dark and hooded look. “I—”
    “He’s sexy, he’s masculine, he’s got so much testosterone that he’d turn a nunnery into a lusty den of iniquity, for God’s sake,” Ella said. “With all his sexuality and yours, you should be able to get him to give you a naked lap dance by only thinking about it.”
    Oh, God. She was thinking about it. She was really thinking about it. Nigel, his torso bare, his decadently soft leather pants low across his hips. His abs flexing as he moved his hips in a suggestive invitation, his hand reaching for her breast—
    “All she needs to do is ask,” Nigel said, his deep voice rippling through her. “No influencing necessary for that.”
    “Yes, yes. Can you feel that sensuous current building between