Bounty

by Aubrey St. Clair

  Amber just nodded slowly, her eyes on the same spot between them.

  "I've watched fights on television," she said after a moment. "You seem just as good as any of them."

  Joel laughed and Amber looked up in surprise. "Those guys are in a different league," he said.

  "Is that what you want to do some day?"

  He snorted. "I don't even dream that big."

  "Why not?"

  Joel threw up his hands. "How do you think you get to do that professionally? Not by fighting in alleyways. Those guys all belong to expensive gyms, they train at different clubs in different martial arts disciplines. They start off fighting in small local promotions, basically small MMA events, and then either get noticed or get a manager and try out for something bigger."

  "Where do you train?"

  "I don't," he said. Not anymore. "I was on my high school wrestling team. I did well on that. Never lost a fight. I also studied a bit of Judo and boxing after school for a few years." If my dad had known that, he probably would have went out and took lessons himself so that he could beat me even worse. Smartest thing I ever did, doing all that behind his back. "These days I just work out at the Y on my own."

  "Clearly," she said. She was looking at his abs again. He watched her until she broke off and looked up at him. When she saw that he had caught her staring, she started to turn red.

  "Umm, do you want something to eat or drink?" Amber stood up. "I need a drink." She turned and walked towards the kitchen before he even had a chance to respond.

  14

  Amber

  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.

  15

  Joel

  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.

  16

  Amber

  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 fe
el.

  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.