Silver and Chrome: A Bad Boy MC Romance (77 page)

The last few days had
been a whirlwind of activity for Joel, and he was happy to lay in bed on Sunday
with Amber, her bare leg draped over his waist and the sweaty sheets cast onto
the floor. Their breathing was just beginning to settle back down, but knowing
Amber she'd probably be back on top of him giving him another work out at any
minute. As enjoyable as that thought was, he wanted to talk to her first.

"I haven't had a
chance to tell you everything that happened yesterday with Shawn," he
said. He'd met with his trainer and Louis Gagnon, the manager who he had
introduced to Joel a couple of days ago. Joel had asked the man to represent
him, and together the three of them called Nathan and Umberto to go over the
details of the contract they were offering. He'd only really told Amber that he
signed, but then they went out to dinner with his mother and got home late. The
morning had been taken up with other, more pressing activities and his stomach
was growling for breakfast already. But he was anxious to tell her about what
he'd decided.

Amber kissed his shoulder
blade where her head rested, her red hair tickling his chin as she moved. Her
hand slid down along his body to trace the contours of his abdominals. He knew
from experience he wouldn't be able to concentrate for very much longer.

"So like I said, we
signed with Titan for three fights to begin with. Depending on how things go,
they may opt to add additional fights, but I'd be paid more for those and I
have the option to say no."

"Why would
you?" she said, her fingertips still lightly gliding up and down his
stomach, but inching lower with each pass.

"I probably
wouldn't, I don't know. Point is it would be up to me." That was important
to him, at least. "Anyway, the pay for those fights is only a couple grand
each, but there is a bonus that doubles that if I win."

"Which you
will," she said. Her hand slid below his belly button and her leg moved
lower so that it only covered his thigh now, exposing the rest of him to the
warm air of the room and, more importantly, her exploring hands.

"Hopefully. They
said my first fight will likely be against Carlos."

"Hmph," she
said, her fingers pausing for a split second before continuing their descent.

"Anyway, the money
from those will be nice, but the bigger payday comes from sponsorships. Umberto
already mentioned a couple who are interested in signing me. Louis is going
over the details. Usually that money is used to pay for a fighter's
training."

"I thought you were
going to continue at Rock House?"

"I am."

"Well that's great
then! You'll get some savings together. Maybe we can finally move some place
with better air conditioning."

"Maybe," he
said. "But I was actually wondering if you thought you could handle the
heat for a little bit longer," he said.

"Oh, sure. I guess
so."

"It's not so bad at
nights anyway, it's really only annoying during the day."

Her hand had stopped
completely now. "Well, I know you're training during the day but I'm
usually at home until I leave for work in the late afternoon. But yeah, I
mean... we can stay here." He could hear the disappointment in her voice.

"About that,"
he continued, trying to keep the smile off of his face and from his voice.
"I was thinking maybe you should change your schedule."

This time she lifted her
head to look at him, annoyance forming creases in her brow. "You don't
make money as a bartender during the day," she said. "It's just not
practical. I thought you understood that."

"I do," he
said. His smile leaked onto his face and it seemed to annoy her even more.

"So why would you
suggest changing my schedule if you know I wouldn't make any tips?"

Joel put his arm over the
side of the bed and reached under the mattress, pulling out a brochure. He sat
up on his own arm, making a space between them and dropped it down onto the
bed.

"What's this?"

"I think you aren't
going to have time to bartend anymore," he said.

Amber picked up the
pamphlet, but her furrowed brow remained. "Huh? Why are you giving me
this? This is for a nursing college."

"I know," he
said. "Sign up starts next week. Shawn is going to advance me the first
semester's tuition and I can pay him back after my first fight and I get
paid."

"I don't
understand." Amber was shaking her head, but her eyes were glued to the
papers in front of her.

"Amber, I don't need
the money. I've never had any, and I can go without for a while longer without
missing it. This apartment is cheap, and from what I'm going to get between the
fights and the sponsorships, even if I don't win, I can afford to pay for this
place and your tuition."

"Joel, I
don't-"

"Shhh," he
said, putting his hands over her mouth to stop her from protesting. Her lips
were soft and once she closed her mouth he let his fingers trail across her
cheek and then glide through her long red hair.

"Please don't argue
about this, Amber. I want to do this for you. After everything you've done for
me... shit, everything good that's happened to me in the last couple months has
been directly because of you. I would never have any of this if it wasn't for
you. I wouldn't have ever spoken to my mother again. Never heard her side of
the story..."

His hands traced along
the nape of her neck. "I would have gone my whole life believing that my
mother thought I was a piece of shit, and I would have continued to hate her
until I died. I would have continued to believe that there was no one out there
who could love me, that I wasn't worthy of it... I would never have realized
that I could love someone as well. That not everyone is out to just take. Some
people give.

"You've given me my
dreams. The ones I've held in my mind for years, but also ones I never even
dared to have when I slept. I can finally repay some of that. You have to let
me. I want to give you your dreams."

Amber looked up at him,
her eyes misted over in tears and she leaned forward. "You already
have," she whispered, pressing her lips against his. It was all the answer
he needed.