Silver and Chrome: A Bad Boy MC Romance (59 page)

It took her a few minutes
in the kitchen before she felt like her face had lost enough of its heat that
she could go back in there. She couldn't believe she'd let him catch her
staring at his chest. What was she, 16? He was so fit, though. She could
definitely see him fighting professionally, although from what he said it
wasn't that easy. Something about what he had been talking about had seemed
familiar, though. She'd heard about those smaller MMA events before but she
couldn't remember where.

She grabbed a couple of
beers and walked back into the other room. She handed one to Joel and he took
it without his usual argument. He even thanked her, which was almost as
surprising as when she had heard him laugh a few minutes ago.

She sat back down and the
two of them drank their beers in silence for a time. Joel wasn't much of a
talker, but that didn't really bother her. She kind of just liked having a man
around again. It had been a few months since she and Colin had broken up. She
missed little things about his presence, like the manly smell he left on her
towels and sheets whenever he spent the night. Joel finished his beer quickly
and she got him another one.

"You're a
bartender?" Joel asked suddenly, as he opened the new bottle.

"Currently,"
she sighed.

"What would you
rather be doing?"

"Anything. No,
that's not true. There are definitely worse jobs. It's just not where I saw
myself after high school. I was going to go to college, but then I got this job
and I liked having the money and freedom and the lack of homework and all of a
sudden, two years later, I'm still here."

"What would you be
doing then, if you had gone to college?" Joel was finally opening up and
asking her questions. She wondered if guzzling the beer so quickly had loosened
his lips a bit.

"I would love to be
a nurse," she said.

"I can see
that." His eyes flicked over to the towel sitting on the coffee table,
still stained with the darkness of his blood.

"Yeah. Well, first I
have to stop serving drinks for a living." She took a last sip of her beer
and looked at his, it was almost empty again. "Speaking of which, do you
want another one?" She couldn't believe how fast he could put them down.
His belly didn't look like he was much of a drinker. Then it struck her.

"Shit," she
said. "You're probably hungry, right? Do you want something to eat?"
She had asked earlier but not waited for an answer, and then all she did was
bring back beer. He slept at shelters for god's sake. He probably hadn't had a
decent meal in who knew how long. Not to mention fighting probably worked up an
appetite as well.

This time Joel seemed
embarrassed. He just shrugged and looked down at his beer, his fingers turning
white around the bottle as he gripped it.

"Let me see what I
have." Amber went back into the kitchen and found some left over pasta she
had eaten for dinner last night. She threw it into a bowl and nuked it for a
minute.

"Here, have
this," she said, handing the bowl and a fork to the fighter.

Joel took it with a small
smile and then started to eat. The food was moving so fast into his mouth she
didn't think he was even tasting it. She went back into the kitchen to get him
another beer and by the time she got back out, he was finished.

"Wow, it was that
good, eh?"

"Great," he
said, taking the new drink from her. This time he only took a small sip before
putting it down on the coffee table. "Thanks." The word was seeming
to come more easily to his lips.

She didn't want to
embarrass him further by asking when the last time was that he ate, but she had
a feeling it had been a while. She couldn't imagine what it would be like to
have to rely on handouts for everything. Especially not for someone like Joel,
who seemed to hate taking anything from anyone and was suspicious every time he
did. Sleeping with a bunch of strangers every night must suck.

"Listen, did you
want to stay here tonight?" As soon as she said it she couldn't believe
she had. Her mother's voice in her ear was silent but she was pretty sure it
was because it had just fainted. "On the couch, I mean," she added.

"I don't know,"
he said.

"It's not a big deal
either way," she said. "I just thought maybe you'd like a break from
the shelter. That way you wouldn't have to go out in this rain again."
Through the windows she could see that the storm hadn't let up yet. If
anything, it had gotten worse. Occasional flashes of lightning lit up the room
as they were talking.

She could see the
indecision weighing on his face, as if deciding whether to spend the night was
a life or death decision. It was almost comical to her, given that Joel was
someone that punched people in the face for a living.

"Ok, sure," he
said. There was another pause, because clearly manners were still foreign to
him, but he finally added "thanks."

"Great. Let me get
you some blankets and a pillow." She stood up, still wondering whether she
was making a big mistake.

"Slater," Joel
said. Amber turned to him and raised an eyebrow. "My last name. It's
Slater."

She smiled, turning to
head to her room to get the bedding.
 
Progress
.

It had been more than a
year since he'd stayed anywhere other than a shelter. The last time had been
when he'd sprung for a hotel on his 19th birthday with some of the money he had
gotten from panhandling, before he'd started to fight. He remembered how fresh
and clean the sheets had smelled, and how much more relaxed he had been without
having to worry about what sort of bed bugs he was laying on, or whether
someone was going to try to pick his pocket in the night. He knew he might
regret staying here, but in the end, the thought of another night even close to
that had been too alluring.

A couch may not be better
than a hotel bed, but it was miles better than a shelter cot. And he had
nothing to steal with him anyway, even if he thought he had to worry about
Amber. Which he didn't. He decided she was really just a sweet girl that
probably would have someone take advantage of her kindness one day. People like
her never stayed nice for long before they got screwed over by someone looking
out for number one. Then they became bitter and jaded like everyone else.

"Joel, can you come
here for a second? I could use a hand."

He bounced to his feet
and made his way to the bedroom. Amber was standing on a little footstool in
front of a closet with her hands above her head. The swell of her breasts
caused the white shirt she was wearing to lift up, exposing her flat stomach.
She wasn't as toned or defined as he was, but he appreciated that she kept in
shape. Her skin was very pale, and her belly button looked like a little divot
in a sheet of freshly fallen snow.

"I'm trying to get
some blankets out but I have too much crap piled on top of them. Been a while
since I've used these I guess." She was tugging on something that all of a
sudden loosened, causing her to lose her balance on the stool and fall
backwards with a shriek. Joel stepped forward quickly, snatching her from mid
air in his arms.

"Oh my god,"
she exclaimed. Joel could feel her heart pounding in her chest even though his
hands were wrapped around her back.

"You alright?"
he asked.

"Yes. Sorry, I
should have just taken everything off the top before trying to pull them
out." She was still breathing heavily, but hadn't made a move to leave his
arms. She finally seemed to realize he was still holding her when she looked up
at him, their eyes meeting and their faces just inches apart. Joel could feel
something as he looked down at her, but then the moment was broken as she
pushed away and stood up. "Good catch, anyway." she said. "Maybe
I'll let you get the pillow."

Joel walked forward and
looked up to where she was pointing. At over six feet, he was able to simply
reach up and grab it without issue. As he did, he leaned forward and his chest
was mere inches from Amber's face. He thought she would move, but she didn't.
He brought the pillow down and she still stood there, motionless.

He was close to her now,
close enough to smell the rain in her still damp red hair. It was starting to
curl a bit now, as it dried. He could also see freckles on her nose and the
tops of her cheeks that were too numerous to count, but also so light that they
almost blended in with her fair skin. Her eyes were the color of the sea and
seemed just as deep.

"Got it," he
said softly.

"Great," she
responded, just as quietly. Her mouth was close enough to his that he felt her
breath on his exposed neck. She had to look up to see his face as he stood in
front of her, and he looked down. The top of her shirt was low enough that the
swell of her breasts were visible from his angle, and he could see that the
freckles of her face extended down onto them.

He had an overwhelming
urge to kiss her just then, her full and pouty lips were parted and he could
almost imagine how they would taste. It had been a long time since he'd kissed
a girl. He didn't meet too many desirable women in the shelters. And unless he
was missing the signs, Amber probably wouldn't object. But instead, he turned
away, hugging his pillow to his hip and picking up the blankets that had fallen
to the floor when she had freed them. It was late, and this wasn't a good idea.
He had nothing to offer a girl like Amber. He had nothing to offer anyone.

She watched as Joel
walked out of her bedroom, a little wrench of frustration forming a knot in her
stomach. They had been so close right there. The musky and clean smell of him
had been overwhelming and she had been sure he was going to kiss her. And she
would have let him. Of god, would she have let him. But then he didn't. This
guy didn't make any sense.

It was probably for the
best anyway. She didn't need to get mixed up with a guy like him. He didn't
even have a place to live and he fought people for a living.
 
How much more of a Mr. Wrong can
you find?
 
The familiar voice
of her mother was back, whispering in her ear.

She followed him into the
other room. He was already laying the blanket down on the couch and had removed
his hoodie. The legs of the sweat pants she had lent him stopped above his
ankles, they were a bit short after all. The scars on his back were white and
twisted and stretched with the muscles as he set up his makeshift bed. She
could imagine her hands running along those muscles, feeling their warmth and
firmness. Amber blinked a few times to clear the image from her mind.
 
Not tonight. Not with him
.

She walked over to the
couch and helped him straighten the blankets, then picked up the pillow just as
he was bending down to grab it as well. Amber seized onto it first, and then
Joel ended up grabbing onto her instead. His grip was strong, and his big palm
completely enclosed her hand.

"Oh, sorry,"
she said. He turned, still hunched over, and his face was right at her level.
His blue eyes were focused on her lips as she apologized. "I was-"
She didn't get to continue, without warning Joel leaned forward and pressed his
lips against hers. And suddenly, everything else was forgotten. The only thing
Amber could focus on was Joel now. His lips pressed hard against her as his
tongue rapidly invaded her mouth. She responded with a similar urgency, and
pulled her hand from the pillow and his grip in order to wrap them around his
muscular back and melt even closer into him.

Joel dropped his grip on
the pillow as well and let it fall back down to the floor. He thrust his hands
under both of Amber's arms and lifted her effortlessly off the floor, swinging
her around and pressing her roughly against the wall of her living room. She
reached forward to grab him again, letting her fingertips run along each ridge
and muscle in his back as their tongues resumed their tangle.

She felt Joel's knee
between her legs, pushing against her thighs, forcing them apart and she
willingly spread them. Her hands slid down to his firm backside and she gripped
it through the thin fabric of the sweat pants. His own hands ran up along the
outside of her shirt and grabbed a hold of both of her breasts, squeezing and
kneading them vigorously. The fabric rubbed against her nipples with each grasp
of his strong hands, and she could feel a dampness start to grow between her
legs.

Suddenly, she felt his
hands grab tightly against the weak fabric of her shirt and pull, tearing the
front of it open completely. She gasped in surprise, which made him thrust his
tongue even deeper into her mouth. She closed her lips on it hungrily and
tightened her thighs against his knee as well, trying to press herself more
firmly against it. The roughness of his face against her skin reminded her of
how masculine he was, and she breathed deeply against his face as they kissed,
taking in as much of his manly scent as she could.

Joel's active hands were
on her bare chest now, and he quickly grabbed a nipple with each one, giving
them light tugs as they continued their urgent embrace. Little tendrils of
pleasure were spreading through her chest as he continued to manipulate her
nipples, and the wetness between her legs only grew hotter. Her own hands needed
to feel his flesh again, so she pressed them against his back and then slid
them down until they pushed past the waistband of his pants and rested against
his bare ass.
 
God, this is the
hardest ass I've ever felt.

Joel responded by letting
one of his own hands let go of her breast and drop down her body as well. He
pushed past her own loose pants and dipped immediately into her underwear,
pressing against her hot sex and finding the source of her wetness.

Amber threw her head
back, letting it bump against the wall behind her as his fingertips penetrated
her. She was pulsing with desire. Ready for him to push deeper. Ready for more
than just his fingers. Grasping a hold of his muscular backside, she pulled him
forward against her. She could feel the hardness of him through the pants,
pressing against her stomach. She worried that he was going to be too tall, but
she had no intention of letting that stop them from trying.

Sliding a hand around his
hip, she didn't stop until it closed around his hot organ. It felt impossibly
big as it throbbed against her palm. Joel's other hand dropped down from her
chest and then he used them both to yank down her pants and panties in one
pull, bending as he did so and causing her to lose her grip on his burning
flesh.

His big hands clamped
around her hips, his face level with her steaming sex. He was staring at her
sparse red pubic hair, and she had a twinge of embarrassment as she thought
back to when the last time was she had trimmed, wondering if he was disgusted
by her. Almost in answer, he pushed forward and planted a kiss between her
legs. An involuntary shudder ran up her spine and she opened her legs wider,
but he was done there for now.

Joel's hands pulled and
pushed her hips, spinning her around so that she was flat against the wall and
her ass pointed back at him. She looked back at him as he stood up, dropping
his pants as he did. He was enormous, and she had another thrill of fear as she
contemplated what was coming and how it would feel.

Before she could think
about it for too long, he was pressing against her from behind, his tip nestled
against her opening which was already open and wet enough to accept him.
Reaching her arm back, she grabbed a hold of his ass again and pulled him
forward roughly. Joel responded by thrusting his hips up as he stood, spreading
her as she was completely filled with his hardness.

Amber let out a small cry
as the brunt of his impact flattened her against the wall and opened her wider
than she could ever remember. She felt Joel's knees pressing against her thighs
as he pushed her up, her own feet lifting from the ground with each upward
plunge. She spread her legs even wider to accept him easier, inviting him to
push deeper and harder with his colossal organ.

The circumstances and
force of this virtual stranger made the experience hotter than she would have
ever imagined, and she could feel her climax starting to build between her
legs. Each slide of his hard skin along her insides made her shudder, causing
wisps of pleasure to spiral up through her appendages.

Grasping her hips and
moving her again, Joel pulled her from the wall and spun her sideways towards
the couch until she bent at the waist, throwing her hands out to catch herself
from falling and gripping the armrest. The entire time, Joel never exited her
body and now that he was in a more comfortable position, his rhythm started to
increase as his thighs started to slam into her behind, slapping their skin
each time they made contact.

He leaned forward,
snaking his hand along her skin and grabbing one of her breasts firmly again
without slowing his pace. As soon as his rough fingers touched her nipple, it
was enough to throw her over the edge. Amber felt her body tense up and begin
to quiver. She could feel herself clamp down on the hardness inside of her,
which seemed to push Joel to his own shuddering conclusion. A hot jet of
pleasure erupted within her even as a loud moan escaped her lips. Every nerve
ending was on fire and tingling as Joel continued to add to the wetness inside
of her.

When he had finally
stopped his eruptions, he pulled slowly out and this time her moan was more of
a complaint at their loss of contact. He stumbled over to the couch and rolled
onto it, and she followed, falling against him in a sweaty, panting heap.
Neither of them said another word before falling asleep against each other.