Tough Love in Thailand

"Seriously though, think about it man," Tom continues, tearing my attention away. He leans across the table, putting a hand on my shoulder. "We're ramping up over here -- pretty soon, I'm aiming to have an event every month. We'll get Suzuki one of these times, you guys can have your fight. But besides that, you got a mind for the business, man; you'd do good here. You should stay, at least for a little while."

I sigh. He's been trying to talk me into extending my trip for the last ten minutes. "Yeah, I hear you, but there's just...stuff back home, you know..."

He shakes his head and laughs. "Don't lie to me, man. You don't got fuck all going on back at home, and I know it. You know I know it. Why else would you be trying a comeback fight at age forty five?"

Bastard. He knows me well -- he knows me way too well. "I'll...think about it," I lie.

Our group is a large one, and slowly everyone starts to filter over to the bar next door. I look for Nok but don't see her. A bit disappointed, I go get a beer and start talking with one of the Thais; he introduces himself as Sam, and I recognize him as Nok's cornerman. Turns out he's her younger brother. He's seen my fights; he's a fan, and pretty soon we're chatting away.

"Me and my brothers, we were training first. Start from young age, here -- six, seven, eight. Nok, she wanted to train too but...less common here, to train a girl. So she make me train her in secret," he laughs at the memory. "I am the youngest, so I am easiest for her to bully. One day, we bring her to the gym, and she amazed everyone. After that she is training with the boys, every day. My brothers, they fought in some tournaments, they did okay...But Nok? She already beat all the women around here, many times. That's why she only fight men now. She has a chance to be something special. She can win next Women's National Tournament, I know it."

"I'm sure she can, too," I smile at the obvious pride on Sam's face. "She's really good."

Suddenly she appears as if summoned, excitement plain on her face as she scurries over and grabs us both by the wrist, tugging on us to follow. I can't lie, I'm happy to see her.

"Come on, come on, come on!" is all she says, dragging us both away towards the back of the building.

I should have guessed -- there's a mini Muay Thai ring there, the type they set up for drunk foreigners to fuck around in and get beat up by bored Thais.

"Let's go Jeff, round two!" she says, bursting with excitement, already taking off one of her earrings.

"She loves to fight," Sam explains almost apologetically.

I can only laugh and hold up my hands. I felt bad enough earlier -- I don't want to have to hit her twice in one day. "What? I think once is enough today, Nok. Maybe we can just watch?"

She arches an eyebrow and gives me a challenging look. "You scared? Big guy?"

I laugh, ignoring her teasing; I just smile and hold out a hand, palm up. "No; I'm greedy. You wanna fight? I need money. Money, honey."

She ticks her tongue and rolls her eyes, slapping my hand away. Another group has made their way over towards the ring, some English guys on holiday from the sound of them. Her eyes light up at the sight of them, and then she starts speaking rapidly to Sam, rolling up her dress and giving him her jewelry.

She turns to me and hands over the white flower as she puts up her hair. "Don't lose it," she says with a shy smile before she flounces to the ring, talking to the guys in charge of it and gesturing towards the foreigners.

Soon enough, me and Sam are ringside as Nok gets ready to go at it with one of the lads. They're laughing and joking, remarking on her diminutive stature as she stalks the space, hyping the crowd up.

"I can't fight a girl, mate," the one in the ring is telling his friends.

"*Woman*," I lean in and say, to a round of perplexed stares.

*

She kicks the crap out of the poor guy, to the amusement of everyone else -- especially his friends.

I buy her some drinks at the bar afterwards. I still feel kinda bad, kinda guilty...I can't help but feel like I took some of her money, in a way. After seeing her in action, I gotta admit there's a decent chance she could've beat Liam. Instead, that prize money went to me -- I figure the least I can do is spend some of it on her.

At least, that's what I tell myself. Truth is, I might just enjoy spending time with her. I might just enjoy it a lot.

So we sit at the bar, listening to 80's music and talking about our fight. Talking about her training. Talking about everything. I've never experienced anything quite like it -- there's a level of understanding between us I just haven't felt with a woman before. Perhaps it's from fighting each other, perhaps it's from having the same vocation; perhaps I'm just drunk. But I can't help feel like she gets me...and I'm starting to get her.

The time flies, and a few drinks become a few more. Her face is starting to turn a little red, and I'll bet mine is too -- and not from where we hit each other.

"You will...go home soon?" she asks after awhile, flushed and playing with her drink, watching me out of the corner of her eye. "To your girlfriend?"

I laugh, the room only spinning a little bit. "I'll be heading back in a couple days...but no girlfriend, no. The ladies like guys when they're young hotshots, but not so much when you're old and broke."

"Mmm...maybe some ladies might, still," she muses with a smile, brushing back her hair and fixing the flower.

Suddenly her face lights up in excitement as she glances at the TV, and she starts to slap my arm. "Jeff Jeff Jeff!! Look!"

I look up, and my heart sinks. They'd been showing old fights on the TV, and another one's just started -- and there we are. Me and Suzuki.

It's the fourth fight, the last one. We were at the end of our primes and both of us knew it. We were desperate, each of us -- desperate to stay on top, to stay in the game.

That's why it got nasty. It got fucking mean, I've never been in another fight like it, before or since. It turned into a war for survival; he broke my leg, I broke his orbital and both his hands. They say it's a great fight but I wouldn't know, I've never watched it. Some losses just stay with you, and man...that one broke my fucking heart.

We both made it to the end, barely able to stand, and he beat me on points. I've never been more distraught. I sobbed in the locker room, I sobbed in the ambulance, I sobbed in the hospital. I cried more than I did at my parents' funerals...I think because I knew. That that was it, that that was the end. I'd given it my all and it hadn't been enough, and I wasn't getting it back. I had a few more fights after that, but fuck...that was the one.

What do you do when you can't do what you love anymore? When the only thing you've ever been good at is taken away? In my case, not much; nothing's worked out since I retired. Maybe that's why I'm over here, chasing the past.

Fuck. Fuck, I was having such a good night for once, too. But now I feel that familiar panic closing in; that dread, that fear. The truth is, I don't know what to do with myself, and I haven't for a long time. And that scares the shit out of me.

I can't watch. I turn away.

I feel a light touch and I glance over. Nok's giving me a sad look, her arm arm draped around my shoulder. Damn.

She knows. She's young, her career's just starting...but somehow, she knows. She's a fighter, I realize. She gets it -- she's fought and lost, too.

She turns and slaps the bar, berating the staff until they change the TV, until they put something else on. I give her a small grin of thanks, and she puts her head against my shoulder.

"Jeff?"

"Hmm?"

"Come here. I want to show you something."

I let her pull me to my feet, and she leads me by the wrist out back, to the alley behind the bar. It's started to rain, a slow warm drizzle that spikes the humidity, making everything hot and wet.

"What is it?" I ask, feeling drunk and worn out. Feeling old.

She gives me that shy look and throws a light kick at my leg; I check it out of reflex, shaking my head. "Ah, fight again? Listen...not now. Sorry I'm just...not in the mood."

She pouts and throws a pair of punches; I don't bother to block, letting her hit me in the chest.

"You scared again, big guy?" she scowls. She fakes the leg kick -- I recognize the setup from our fight -- and I know what's coming. I resignedly raise my arms to block the barrage of punches that are on the way.

Only...only, I don't know shit. I don't know what's coming at all.

She glides in off the hip feint, but rather than punching she reaches out inside my guard, wrapping her arms around my neck. She slams into me, hard, pushing both of us back, crashing us into the side of the building as she catches me in a wild kiss.

I'm stunned for a second, scarcely able to process what's happening. Then instinct takes over and I've got her in my arms, I'm kissing back, savoring the taste of her: blood and booze and her own womanly flavor. I pull her strong little body against mine, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Jeff I...I think I like you...big guy," she says, breaking away and looking bashful with her reddened cheeks, watching me hopefully with her pretty brown eyes.

She never really caught me in the fight earlier...but now? I'm nearly floored.

I can't help it -- I start to smile. I start to smile and suddenly things don't seem so bad.

*She gets me.*

I pull her in, I kiss her again; I kiss her until I can't breathe, both of us heedless of the rain.

"Nok..." I pant against her. "Nok, I think I like you too."

*

We run off together in the rain, laughing. The little house I'm staying at is only a few blocks away, and we're kissing again at the door as I fumble with the keys, the two of us soaked.

She's different when she's in my arms. She's sweet and shy; unsure, but eager. Fighting is what she knows, it's how she expresses herself, but this...maybe this is new to her.

So when we get inside I take it slow. I kiss her awhile against the doorframe, gently guiding her hands to my chest. She hums happily, exploring the muscles of my torso through my soaked shirt. A puddle forms on the ground beneath us, our clothes dripping wet.

As we heat up I pull her against me more firmly, her eyes widening as she bites her lip, my fingers bunching up her dress and finding their way to the hem. I start to play with it, inching it up her body; she looks at me shyly, then leans in for another kiss as I pull it past her hips and up along her torso. She raises her arms, and then she's just in her sportsbra and lady's boxer-briefs.

Much like in the shower, I'm struck by the sight of her figure; I run my hands down her sides, admiring the womanly strength in her, my fingertips brushing over the definition of her abs as she hisses in a shaking breath. There's redness there still -- hurt that I caused. Bruises have begun to darken her thighs as well.

"Sorry," I say with a small grin, glancing down at her injuries.

"Stupid," she whispers, trying to frown and failing, ending up in a cutesy pout. "You are still too gentleman."

"I think you like it," I murmur as I move down and press my lips to her neck, making her gasp. I kiss my way along her beautiful brown skin, causing her to tremble as I sink to my knees, as I find myself facing her stomach.

I search out the redness there, the spots where my strikes had landed, and slowly I push my mouth to her, sucking at her skin. Her eyes light up and her mouth falls open as my tongue flicks across the soreness of her abdomen, as I seek out the harm that I gave her and do my best to make amends.

She shudders at my attentions, letting out a breathy giggle at the sensation; I move across her freely now, licking her toned muscles, my strong hands slowly rubbing at her thighs. She's been on my mind for only a day but already she feels so precious to me. Somehow she feels like a second chance, a hint of a happiness I never thought I could have.

So while I'm touching her, I worship her. I want her to know. I treat her like a treasure, kissing down her stomach and thighs, massaging her legs, looking up into her eyes, where she watches me with a half-lidded admiring gaze. I see it there, what she'd only hinted at before, what had only been suggested -- her hidden, secret desire.

She's such a warrior, so tough and strong...but that doesn't mean she can't want to be wanted as well. To be beautiful and desired, to be treated like a woman.

That's what I intend as I start to play with her waistband, and she hisses an intake of breath as I tug it down ever so slightly. I can't help but smile -- she'd been so bold before in the shower. Now it seems the situation has been reversed.

"You scared?" I smile up to her.

She chews on a finger and shakes her head, her eyes shining, her other hand in my hair. I kiss her luxuriously through the fabric; then I give a slow tug and start to disrobe her.

I bare her pretty brown pussy, the morsel right at my eye-level. Her dark hair is trimmed short, a neat little patch of it resting right above her plump little slit. I stare in wonder at it, her hands clasped together against her mouth, her eyes huge with nervous anticipation.

I kiss her hip, and when I look up I see her state. Smiling, I stretch out and take one of her hands in my own, running my thumb across her knuckles and hoping to ease her anxiety as I start to make my way across her.

Her breath hitches and she lets out a high-pitched whine when I make contact with her mound. As I kiss her more and more, though, her tune turns to soft little moans of pleasure, half-voiced yet growing stronger as she warms to my touch.

I tease her folds into my mouth. I lick and I suck. I start to enjoy her, I start to eat her out nice and slow. Her little vocalizations get more and more wanton, and soon enough she's moaning breathily against the doorframe, her hips pressed against my face.

God she tastes good -- god her body feels so good to touch, so wonderful in my hands. It's like handling a little tigress, it's like admiring up close a deadly work of art, her whole form marked by supple strength and beauty.

Her eyes find mine and her mouth falls open all the way, and then suddenly I'm lifting her, carrying her to the bed, eating her still as I hold her high. She squeals and laughs through her pleasure, eyeing me amorously once I've set her down atop the sheets.

As soon as I let go she's bounding up to her feet, standing on the bed and catching me in another eager kiss. She comes after me with the same ferocity from our fight, and I can't help but feel I've awoken something in her. Her hands tear at my shirt, pulling it up and over my head and casting it aside as she clings to me, as one of her lean legs hooks around my thigh.

I'm so turned on by her -- she's so fearless yet demure, strong but still soft, a wonderful set of contradictions I just can't wait to explore. I rumble in my chest, feeling her tremble against me, feeling her heart race, and it's with slow deliberate movements that I tug down my shorts and boxers, that I pull off her sportsbra and press her to the bed beneath me.

Having her naked in my arms...it's a whole new experience. It's a wonder beyond words. I've been with enough women before, but never like this. Never anything like this.

I can't explain it, but everything feels right. It just feels like we're aligned, like we're headed the same direction and always have been, and are only just now starting to realize it. A nervous energy seems to burn in us both, a disbelief that something like this could actually be happening.

So I hold her, graceful and strong, never wanting to let go. She mewls against me, unconsciously pressing her hips against the muscles of my thigh, pulling at my big body as if eager to get closer but uncertain as to how.

Fortunately I have some ideas, and it's with a tender touch that I adjust her, that I turn her so my hand can descend between her legs. She gasps and grins as I start to pet her, her body melting into my firm touch. She's so hot and wet, and soon I'm spreading her, slipping a finger inside and pushing in.

"Ahh...Jeff..." she quivers and pants. She's so tight -- I don't think she's ever had a man before, her walls shaking at my entrance. With that in mind I take my time, touching her with an aching slowness, feeling her sweetness seep over my thick finger as I slip it in bit by bit, exploring her deeper. My lips stay pressed to her neck, whispering again and again how pretty she is, how beautiful as she shivers and moans.

Once she's stretched for the one I add a second, drawing a low groan out of her as I fit it in and work inside with a wet squelch. I can feel her start to rotate her hips against me, starting to enjoy this strange sensation of being filled. I'm so god damn hard at the way she moves, at the little noises she makes, and as my cock gives a strong throb I don't think I can keep myself from her any longer.

"Nok I want you..." I breathe against her neck, nipping at her, inhaling her scent. "Do you want me?"

"Mmm..." she twists and eyes me, giving a slow shy nod, a pleasurable expression on her face as she grinds tentatively against my fingers. I smile and kiss her face, turning us, ending up on top, my big bulk pinning her to the bed.

There's no getting around it -- she's small and I'm not. My fat thick cock dwarfs her, it looks like I could reach to her belly button. I've no desire to hurt her, not now or ever, but god damn is this going to be a tight fit.

God damn do I need her, though.

So I line myself up and start to push, drawing from her a cry, a wince of pain as she feels herself start to stretch. Her cute little cunt clamps down around me, almost making me breathless. Her embrace is so damn snug but still I push in, opening the way for myself as she arches her back and gasps.

"Stay with me baby," I murmur against her ear as I take her in my arms and press in further. I know I'm causing her pain; I know it and I hate it and I just can't stop, her little lips spasming against me, making me tingle. She clings to me with all of her sinewy strength, nodding her head, wordlessly asking for more.

She's so fucking tough -- fuck I admire this woman. I rock out and in, the way slowly getting easier as I start to glide, her goop coating me and easing my onset.

And then just like that her expression changes: to one of wonder, to one of disbelief. She lets out a shaking breath and starts to grin, her eyes glowing as she pulls me to her face, as she kisses me with a fierce passion, biting my lip as I enter her deeper.

All of a sudden everything that was difficult is smooth and slippery and sensual, and it ceases to feel like a fight to fit inside her. In fact it's nothing like a fight at all -- we're aligned and on the same side, eager only to be joined and together in this moment. There is no conflict, there is no opponent; there's only me and her, and the soft patter of the rain outside, and the white flower laying on the pillow.

So as I slide in and out of her, slow and steady, I don't fuck her. Instead, we make love; we make love long and lazy, lost in this feeling of shared pleasure. I kiss her deep and slow, I take my time with her, I really do, longing only for what I already have, for more of this right here.

Thus it's almost regretfully that I realize I'm going to go, a warmth bubbling low in my gut that I know just won't be dispelled on its own. I'm already starting to stiffen, to seize up, my muscles tingling as I kiss her greedily, as an aching heat starts to surge through me.

I give it to her harder a few times, making her groan, and then I'm there; gasping, I pull myself from her and stroke, her pretty eyes gazing in wonder at the sight of my huge engorged cock quivering right above her body.