Red took a deep breath to steady himself before slipping through the employee exit and stepping back out into the world.

His meeting had gone… Truth be told, to say it had gone well wouldn't really be an accurate description of the whole ordeal. It hadn't been a disaster, which was a welcome change, but that was the most positive thing he could say about it. His associate was only somewhat argumentative and he didn't feel like he had sacrificed too much to get the deal made, so it all worked out in the end. Mostly, he was grateful it was over.

Red usually avoided this town like his life depended on it, or rather avoided it like he would be the one bringing death and destruction in his wake, so the sooner he left, the better. Any time he spent here always felt like he was tempting fate.

When he walked out into the alleyway behind the restaurant, movement in his peripheral vision drew his attention. A young woman was in a romantic clinch at the end of the alley with what appeared to be a security guard, half hidden by a dumpster. Things appeared to be getting quite heated between the couple, who were utterly oblivious to the fact that they were being observed.

Red shook his head. What a ridiculous spot to pick for a tryst. Surely there was somewhere close by that was more private and less… odoriferous.

He cleared his throat, startling the pair into jumping apart from each other. "The stench really helps get the juices flowing, doesn't it?"

"Huh?" the security guard said dumbly.

"I know I prefer to get my jollies while basking in the aroma of day old garbage."

Red knew he had a presence about him, that he came across as commanding enough that he often didn't need to pull his gun to intimidate people, but he was still taken aback by the way the security guard took off down the alley at a run without so much as a glance over his shoulder. Chalk up yet another reason the man shouldn't be entrusted with the security of anything valuable.

The young woman, however, was not so easily intimidated.

"Thanks a lot, Captain Buzzkill. I really had him going for a while there."

"So is this what you do for fun on a Friday night? Lure unsuspecting men into alleys and then… what exactly was your endgame with the security guard?"

She shrugged, nonchalant. "Doesn't matter. These were my stomping grounds back in high school. I got away with a lot around here. I kinda wanted to see if I still had it. Pretty sure I proved that I do."

The young woman took a few steps towards him, casually and deliberately crossing into his personal space. Red raised his eyebrows.

She had a swagger about her that reminded him a bit of himself, or at least his younger self, before he learned the control that had become so valuable to him over the years. Whether her confidence was real or feigned, 'swagger' was really the only way Red knew how to describe it. It was immensely attractive, and so was she; he always had been a sucker for daring women and this young woman was no exception.

She wore dark jeans, a well-loved leather jacket, and a pair of sturdy leather boots that did away with at least two of the scant few inches of height between them, so when she stepped up close to him they were nearly eye to eye with each other.

She took the knot of his tie between her fingers, putting just the slightest bit of pressure on it so he felt a little pulling tension around his neck, which he had to assume was intentional.

"Nice tie," she said, and her mouth curved up in the corners when she gave him a quick once over. "Nice everything, actually. What's a guy like you doing in a dump like this?"

"I had some business in the restaurant," he offered, telling himself it was a vague enough explanation that it didn't matter he couldn't really keep himself from sharing it. So what if it was a line? She could genuinely be curious.

(Excuses, excuses…)

"Oh, did you?" she said. "That's funny. Rumor has it this place is up to its neck in mob ties. But you wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

"Thank you for the warning. One can never be too careful."

Her face broke out in a killer smile—she had dimples to die for and eyes such a vivid, clear shade of blue, he had rarely seen it outside of the ocean lapping the shore on tropical beaches.

Oh, but she was gorgeous…

Red wasn't surprised in the least that she could—quite literally—charm the pants off of credulous men. He was a little surprised that she would try to do it to him, however. He was already aware of her scheme and thus she had nothing to gain from him, really.

(Unless she was planning on mugging him, which was entirely possible. At the moment, he rather thought it was worth the risk to find out.)

"Look. Maybe this… seduction act… works on lesser men—"

"I don't know, I think it works just fine on you," she said, boldly brushing against him through his trousers. Not even Red's considerable skill in putting mind over matter could completely prevent his blood from rushing south; it was as if his cock was simply waiting for the first indication that his attraction was reciprocated. She felt him twitch with interest and chuckled, low and darkly amused, her gaze dropping to his lips. "Kiss me," she whispered.

"Why should I do that?"

"Because you want to."

"Oh? Do I?"

She nodded. "Oh, yeah. You think this is as exciting as I do. You like cutting loose every once in a while. You like taking risks. You like… giving up control." She closed her hand around his wrist, teasing the sensitive skin just inside the sleeve of his jacket with her fingers. Chances were she could feel his pulse racing; that might even be why she'd touched him that way. And she knew exactly what she was doing—the adrenaline currently rushing through his veins certainly confirmed her read of him.

"You see a lot for someone so young."

"I've seen a lot for someone so young."

"That doesn't surprise me in the slightest."

"So… what are you waiting for? Kiss me."

Red took a slow, deep breath and let it out in a sigh, mentally scolding himself for allowing himself to get caught up in her spell. Was he really so lonely that a romp with a total stranger in an alleyway seemed like a good idea?

Yes.

Yes, he was.

He leaned in, just a little, just enough to prompt her to do the same. She did so without even a hint of hesitation, which was all the validation his lust-fogged brain needed to close the distance. When their lips brushed, they let out tiny matching moans and pulled back simultaneously to catch each other's eye. They both rushed forward again, seeking a deeper kiss.

She maneuvered him across the alley, practiced and discreet, back behind the dumpster so she could use it as cover like before. He half expected to feel her nick his wallet and leave him wanting, but that wasn't her plan for him. Just yet, at least. So far her plan was to plunder his mouth with her tongue and palm his cock through his trousers.

Red didn't usually do things like this. Or, he did, rather—but his partners weren't usually complete strangers. That was often far too dangerous for a man like him. A stranger might not really be a stranger. They could merely be someone hired and sent to get close enough to take advantage of him or to harm him in some way. He doubted that was the case tonight, but it didn't make what he was doing any less reckless.

Still, she was too intoxicating to turn down. A little human connection went a long way.

As they kissed, Red trailed his hand down to cup her through her jeans, surprised at the eager way she drove herself against his palm, at the heat between her legs.

"All of this actually does turn you on."

"Hell yeah it does."

"Is it the risk or the… reward… that arouses you?"

"Is there really a difference?"

Red chuckled. "You're a woman after my own heart," he said. "How did you discover your affinity for this… unorthodox hobby?"

"I had a lot of time on my hands in high school and there's really only so much you can do for fun in this town. Legitimately, at least. So I made my own fun. My boyfriend used to be the one to reap the… special benefits from it."

"Where is he now?"

"Hell if I know."

"Am I risking an ambush by a jealous lover?"

She shook her head. "He's been avoiding me since the beginning of summer. I invited him tonight like I've done every other night, but he blew me off, like he always does. It doesn't matter now. Too little, too late. Besides, even if he did show up, there's nothing to worry about—he likes to watch." Red pulled back a bit, hesitant. "Look, I'm fucking someone tonight—and you're handsome, you're interested… I don't see a good reason it shouldn't be you."

"Would you have slept with the security guard?"

"Maybe. I usually stop with a hand job on a grift like this, but I'm feeling generous. Besides, running home afterwards to fuck myself just doesn't have the same appeal as a thick, hot, hard cock, does it?" Her fingers traced the outline of him through his trousers in time with her words. "Sometimes a girl likes to feel alive, and what better way is there than this?"

"I think you may have a point."

"You bet I do," she said with a teasing grin. "So what do you say? You wanna feel alive tonight?"

"Yes. Yes, I do."

Placing her hand flat on Red's chest, she pushed him back against the wall and positioned herself so her body blocked any clear view of him from the open end of the alley that the dumpster didn't block. Her wandering fingers made quick work of his belt buckle and fly. She drew him out of his boxers, her curious touch encouraging him to stiffen fully.

"Nice," she said, taking a moment to spread the leaking fluid around the head of his cock.

She spat in her hand for extra lubrication and started jerking him off—inelegant, but effective all the same. A particularly well-timed twist of her wrist had him gripping her shoulder and throwing his head back, and the texture of the brick wall was rough against the back of his head.

He was so lost in his own mind and body, he couldn't make out her words the next time she spoke.

"Huh?"

She slowed her strokes. "I asked if you were close."

"Oh," he said, and swallowed thickly. "Closer than my ego would like me to be."

"That sounds pretty good for my ego," she said, and he snorted a laugh. He pulled her head close to his, spearing his fingers through her hair.

"Kiss me," he said, and she eagerly obliged, her own fingers still teasing his shaft, more gently now.

"God, I can't wait to have you inside me."

Red's breath caught and he throbbed against her fingers. "Do you have protection?"

"I always come prepared," she said with a smile against his lips, fishing a condom out of her pocket and shoving it into his hand.

"Was that supposed to be a play on words?" he asked; instead of answering, she turned to face the wall, undid her jeans and shoved them down, and then braced herself against the brick with her ass arched towards him enticingly, the dark leather of her jacket standing in a stark contrast to her pale cheeks. She met his gaze over her shoulder and Red was hit with a wave of arousal so massive, he thought he might pass out.

Reaching down, he slid his fingers through her folds in search of her clit, and she let out a plaintive noise when he found it, swiveling her hips to stimulate herself against the pressure. He dipped his fingers inside her, first one, then two, and she bore down, squeezing them at every thrust.

"Fuck, that's good," she said, fingertips gripping the edges of the bricks as she pushed back against him. When he withdrew his touch, she grunted in frustration; he licked his fingers clean with a barely muffled moan and looked up to see her staring back at him with her bottom lip between her teeth.

Red tore open the packet and rolled the condom down his shaft, idly stroking himself as he admired the tableau before him for a moment.

"What are you waiting for?" she demanded.

He took a deep breath and stooped to align himself, still half in disbelief at what he was doing. She was more than slick enough to ease his movements; in fact, he met with much less resistance than he was expecting, entering her with a sharper thrust than he intended.

"You good?" he whispered into her ear, and she nodded against him.

"Move," she breathed. "God, please move."

And so he did.

Red did his best to pace himself, to keep her pleasure at the forefront of his mind, so he wouldn't lose himself in the heat and driving need. She groaned, struggling to keep the volume of her voice low enough not to draw attention to them.

"Faster. The second guard'll be back soon."

"But—"

"Don't worry. I like it rough."

Red snapped his hips. "Like that?"

"Yeah."

"Again?"

"Please."

Red wrapped his arms around her middle, holding her tightly against the force of his thrusts. The metal teeth from the zipper on her leather jacket dug into his wrist with every movement. She grunted when he snaked his fingers between her folds to rub over her clit, and started clenching around him, hips jerking erratically.

It was too much. When the waves crashed over her, Red allowed himself to be swept away along with her.

Gradually, their pounding hearts slowed, their heaving chests calmed. Red's breaths stirred the downy hairs on the back of her neck, at least the ones not stuck down with sweat. They tickled at his skin with every exhale.

After a while, she drew her fingers over the hand that still rested on her abdomen. "We should get ourselves back together before that guard shows up," she said, quietly.

"Right. Of course." He pulled out of her, mindful of the condom, which he dealt with with the help of the dumpster.

She fixed her clothing before turning to face him and met his gaze with her lip caught between her teeth, a flash of something that resembled regret in her eyes. "I'd say 'see you around' but I guess I probably won't."

Red shook his head. At least he wasn't the only one who was disappointed that this would be the end of the road for them.

She neatly tucked him back into his boxers and zipped him up in one quick motion, patting him through his trousers in a way that Red could only describe as 'fondly'.

She leaned in and took his mouth in one last rough, sloppy kiss, full of teeth and tongue. "Thanks."

Red watched her bound out of the alley while holding himself up on the dumpster with his elbows, still struggling to convince his shaky legs to support his weight again.