Free Play Along by Mathilde Watson

he hadn't found it yet, and he was about to give up and head out when he'd noticed the young stranger enter the bar.
    He'd made one last circuit around the bar, but this time his only conversation involved apologizing to the people he bumped into. His attention was drawn completely to the small, huddled form that settled at the end of the bar. Mark wanted him, badly, but he was hesitant to approach him or to make a move. The kid looked so sad, so lost and defeated, and so damned young.
    When the bikers moved in on him, it felt natural to intervene. And now that he had the young man in his arms, he didn't want to let him go. He wanted to keep hold of this slender body, feel it pressed against him, skin to skin. He longed to kiss that mouth again, to devour him whole and possess him, body and soul.
    The moment stretched between them and eventually became awkward. Reluctantly, Mark let go and stepped back, but he didn't get far. The young man stopped him, sliding his arms down from around Mark's neck to settle his hands on Mark's hips, wrapping his fingers around the belt and holding on.
    Mark couldn't resist reaching out again to touch the smooth cheek in front of him, letting his hand run down the side of a long neck to the collar of a white dress shirt. Fingering the material he smiled, tugging gently at the fabric.
    "I take it you aren't from around here, are you?" he asked, hoping to break the ice.
    The kid laughed, a real laugh, with no force behind it and shook his head. "You would think that, wouldn't you? Actually, I grew up here. This is my home town." He shrugged and smiled in a self-deprecating way before absently running his hands around and up Mark's chest. "First time I've ever wandered in here, though." he added, resting his hands on Mark's shoulders. "Oh, and, uh… I… M-my name's Chance, by the way."
    Mark grinned down at Chance, staring into his sky blue eyes and watching the most adorable blush spread over his face. Damn, he was perfect . " Chance, is it? Well , I ' m Mark. "
    Chance smiled and tugged on Mark's hips, pulling him back against his body. "Well, Mark. You saved me tonight. So why don't you take me somewhere so I can thank you properly, hmm?" Chance punctuated the question by rocking forward on the stool, pressing his insistent erection against Mark's own painful hard-on.
    Mark groaned and dropped his head onto Chance's shoulder. The words were suggestive enough, even without the added physical contact. Mark longed to lift the slight young man onto the bar and take him then and there.
    Chance's teeth nipped sharply against his ear lobe and snapped Mark out of his dense haze. The offer was clear enough, and Mark wanted nothing more, but something about it didn't feel quite right. Underneath the brazen words and actions, Chance held his body tense, and Mark could feel his wiry body trembling.
    The offer probably only stemmed from gratitude, the younger man's erection the result of adrenaline rather than desire. Mark didn't want to take advantage of anyone, and to do it to this poor kid, after having prevented someone else from doing just that, well, wouldn't that make him even worse?
    "You don't owe me anything, Chance. You don't have to play along anymore." Mark raised his head and stepped back out of the tantalizing circle of male heat given off by Chance's body. He tried to smile reassuringly, but his smile froze when he met with the determined look in Chance's eyes.
    " Damn it Mark! I swear to God I ' m not playing here. This is probably the clumsiest come-on you ' ve ever heard, but I ' m serious. I want you , Mark. And you want me too, right? Please, just take me somewhere and fuck me. "
    Mark was stunned by the sweetness of it, coming from a total stranger in a bar, begging for nothing more than the brief intimacy of a one-night stand. How could he possibly walk away from that? And why should he?
    He relaxed, deciding to take Chance at his word. They were both adults, and they both clearly