"Mom, are you done with the interrogation? We have somewhere to go." Lauren chuckled. She leaned over and kissed her daughter's head, "Be safe, both of you."

"Always."

Jumping into his truck, he cranked the ignition. There weren't many streetlights lit up at night in the small town they lived in so he backed out of her driveway slowly.

As John began driving toward Whiskey River, he turned on the radio. Take your Time by Sam Hunt streamed through the speakers and he caught Alyssa lip syncing along. He smiled to himself over the fact that she knew a country song. Looking at her, he said, "I meant what I said, you look beautiful, Alyssa."

Blood rose to her cheeks. "Thank you. You don't look so bad yourself. Am I overdressed or something?"

John chuckled. "No."

"Good . . . So who is going to be here tonight?"

"The guys, Jace and Ford, and some local friends we grew up with. Nothing big or anything. We're just hanging out. This is something we do like once a month or so. Not really much else to do here."

"Cool." Cool? Who said cool anymore? Her nerves were getting to her. She could smell John's spicy, alluring cologne surrounding her in his truck. He didn't usually wear it, but when he did, sweet Jesus, he smelled incredible. Almost as if he had two sides to him, fun and flirty during the day but once the sun set, his impish and sexy side came out. What was it about cologne that enhanced the appeal in guys? Like it produced pheromones or something and girls came running.

Alyssa rolled her bottom lip between her teeth as they pulled onto a darkened dirt road. Would she see any familiar faces where they were going? Would John stay by her side or go off and leave her? It was bumpy as they drove about a half mile in to the large clearing in the woods. Roughly ten trucks were lined up, some with their lights shining on, others with the tailgates down. John found an opening and backed his truck in. They stepped out and made their way to the medium sized fire pit. Thick flames of orange, yellow and blue crackled under the starlit sky. The pit was surrounded with heavy gray blocks to keep the fire from spreading. Coolers were placed sporadically about and a few trucks had music playing.

Without looking in her direction, John slid his hand down the inside of her arm and laced his fingers with hers, finishing with a light squeeze. She wasn't expecting it, but she liked the show of possessiveness he displayed in doing so.

"Johnny boy," Jace drawled, handing him a beer and Alyssa the other.

"Jace, you fucker. What have I told you about that?" he tipped the beer back giving Jace shit for calling him Johnny boy.

"Hey, don't blame me. It's all your girl's fault here," Jace retorted, nodding the bottle toward Alyssa.

She took a sip of the cool, refreshing beer. "If Johnny didn't have pet names for me, I wouldn't have pet names for him. So therefore, it's his fault he's called Johnny boy." She finished with a winning smile.

Ford snickered. "She's got a point."

"Oh, so you're taking her side?"

"Nope. Just stating the facts."

Alyssa took another sip, smiling as she did. "You know I'm right," she said with the bottle to her lips.

John just shook his head, trying to hide his own smile.

"Where's your truck? You brought a cornhole with you, right?"

"Yeah, it's over there," he hitched his thumb behind his head.

"Sweet. You go drop that fancy tailgate of yours and we'll grab the cooler and head over."

His friend loved to give him shit over the fact that his brother Luke bought him a jacked up truck for his eighteenth birthday. "Deal."

"What's a cornhole?" she asked.

"It's not a cornhole. It's corhole, sugar." John shook his head with a grin, his eyes smiling at her. "You've got a lot to learn, city girl."

By the time they reached his truck, Alyssa finished her beer faster than normal due to her nerves. Between glances from other females and the smell of his cologne combined with being outdoors, it did something to her head. Not to mention, the swagger in his walk was pretty damn hot. She shouldn't be annoyed over the gawking eyes, but she was and she didn't like it one bit. John wasn't really hers per say, but in a sense he was tonight.

"Where should I put this?" she asked John, lifting her empty beer.

"You're finished already?"

She nodded, handing John the beer.

Tilting her head, Alyssa drank him in. The distressed jeans he wore hugged his backside to perfection and she couldn't help but glance at the little tears here and there. His long, firm arms pulled something heavy from the truck bed. Her lips parted when she reached his profile. John's dirty blonde hair dipped into his eye, the dimple near his jaw standing out again. When he yanked the boards toward him, Alyssa could see the flexing muscles in his biceps with each tug. He stood straight, and then looked at her. Who knew arms could be so hot, too?

"This is cornhole," she heard but didn't comprehend. "We're you just checking me out?"

"What?" She cleared her throat. "No."

A slow, crooked smile slid across his face. "Liar," he stated and stalked toward her. Alyssa backed up blindly, rounding the truck to the driver's side and leaning against it.

John boxed her in and stepped close. Everything about him overpowered her senses in every way. She tried not to inhale his intoxicating scent, but it was too hard. Her pulse raced when John leaned down and curved the side of her face.

"Johnny . . ." she whispered. "What are you doing?"

"I can tell you're lying, your body gives you away. Admit you were checking me out."

"I . . . I was not. I was looking to see what cornhole is."

His nose grazed her neck and he leaned in. Her heart raced at his closeness. "Oh, really? So the flush in your cheeks was all over a game? And what about your parted lips? Were those for the game too?" She nodded. "You know, I can see your pulse pumping in your neck right now." His tongue snaked out and slid across her neck to her thumping pulse and she shivered. "Either I make you nervous, or you're lying. Which is it?"

Her breathing accelerated, Alyssa was at a loss for words. "Neither," rolled off her lips. John hovered in front of her mouth, feeling his breath mix with hers. Alyssa couldn't move. Her hands were flat against the truck. He was so close she could almost taste him. If he breathed, his lips would be on hers.

"What would you do if I kissed you right now? Would you pull away? Or would you pull me closer?"

Her glossy, heavy eyes stared up at him with arousal. John danced dangerously close to her mouth with his, just barely grazing. He pressed his body firmly to hers, feeling every sweet inch of her. Alyssa gasped. She gripped his waist at the contact, digging her fingers into him.

"You," he pressed his lips to her neck and grinded his hips into her. "Are." She gasped when he repeated the action, pushing a little harder the second time. "Lying," he said, then kissed her forehead and stepped back.

John walked away as if he wasn't affected by the kiss the way she was. He pulled out the cornhole boards just in time for Jace and Ford to show up. John stole a quick glance at Alyssa and winked. Her jaw slackened.

He knew she was lying.

"You know, we don't just let anyone ride our shit, unless we're in the sack," Jace said, wiggling his brows. "Then it's a free for all."

Alyssa rolled her eyes, playfully slapping his stomach with the back of her hand. "Please."

Jace chugged his beer. "It's true. I've never seen anyone ride his ATV before." He nodded toward John who was standing in front of the fire pit talking to Sarah, which wasn't boding well with her. This is exactly what she didn't want to happen, to be left alone while he talked with another girl. "Next thing you know he'll be letting you drive his fruity truck."

"It's not that big of a deal."

"If that's what you think . . . but what would happen if I wrapped an arm around your shoulder right now?"

Her face scrunched together. "Nothing?"

Jace took a long gulp of his beer. "Wanna test it out?"

"Not particularly."

"Scared?"

She huffed. "I'm not scared. Seriously, we're just friends. I don't know why you would think anything else."

"I've known John much longer than you, and you may say you're just friends, but by the way he's looking at you and letting you drive his wheels? No, definitely not just friends."

She tipped her beer to him. Could he be right?

"If you say so."

Jace scooted closer. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and tugged her to him. Alyssa took another sip of her beer, relaxing into him and getting comfortable.

The spark, crisp sounds of the fire caught her eyes. The blue and yellow summoned her, forcing her to look at it. Alyssa was fascinated by the beautiful colors until she noticed John standing a few feet to the right, laughing away with someone other than Sarah now. She was gorgeous from head to toe with her bouncy blonde curls to her perfectly placed makeup. She looked like a Barbie doll. Her insecurities were coming out and she hated it.

"You see that?" he asked, flicking his jaw toward John.

Alyssa was conflicted. She cared for John as a friend, but she still felt a pang of jealousy seeing him talk with another girl. This is exactly why she said no good thing can come from a kiss. Because a kiss leads to another kiss and feelings are secretly woven through it all. Maybe it was the beer that was causing her emotions to bounce around and mess with her head. Jace's fingers massaged her shoulder and she rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes, trying to clear the unexpected feelings she had for John.

"I see it."

"You're playing with fire," Ford mumbled, walking up to grab a beer and then left.

Alyssa sighed into Jace as John turned around. His eyes danced across the crowd until they landed on her. His smile dropped from his face, and he pierced them with a dark look as he sauntered over to where they stood.

"See?" Jace whispered in her ear. "Look at him walking over here ready to mark his claim."

Alyssa chuckled. "You're still wrong."

"Whatever you say, sugar plum."

John was in front of them. "Ready to play some cornhole? It can get pretty competitive," he said casually.

She sipped her beer. "I am. Do you want to invite your friend to play too?"

Jace snickered next to her.

John didn't even look over his shoulder when he answered. "Nope. Me and Alyssa on one side against you and Ford." he said to Jace. He acted as if it wasn't a big deal which only got under her skin even more.

"Fine by me, but it's really me and Alyssa on the same team since we're on opposing sides," Jace smirked, still holding on to Alyssa.

John gave him a blank stare.

Jace snuck a grin at Alyssa. "Let's do this."

"Told you he didn't care," Alyssa whispered to Jace.

"Trust me, he cares," he winked.

Breaking away, John placed the cornhole boards nine feet apart, counting by nine large steps. He distributed the sacks and then went to stand near Alyssa as Ford walked up.

"Just in time for a game, you're over there with Jace."

"Alright, just let me crack another beer open. Need one?"

"I'm good. You?" he asked Alyssa. She shook her head. Ford grabbed another bottle from the cooler. He placed the bottle in his mouth, bit down and popped the top off. Horrified, she asked, "Aren't you afraid of losing a few teeth?" He just looked at her and laughed then walked to stand with Jace.

"Do you know how to play," John asked, turning toward Alyssa.

"Can't say that I do."

"Alright, so the goal is either to land a sack on the board and keep it there, or to make it in the hole. Don't throw too hard or too light. If you arc it high enough, and lightly, it will land and slide up. Hence why the boards are elevated and smoothed down. You can stand behind the board or next to it, but not in front. I'll go first so you can see, and then Jace will go, then you and then Ford. Ready?"

"Yes."

John took one last swig of his beer and placed it on the rail of his truck. He stood next to the board swinging his arm back and forth before he let go of the sack. It flew through the air and landed on the board, sliding up to stop right before the opening. A smug smile splayed across his face.

"Nice," Jace said. "But watch me sink it."

Surprised, Alyssa looked to John. "Can he really?"

With the beer pressed to his lips, he said, "Oh, yeah. We're a competitive bunch."

And just like that, Jace took three swings and let go. It slid up the board and dropped into the hole. He yelled and threw a fist in the air.

"You're up."

Alyssa picked up the beaded sack and stood next to the board. She was never really into sports, so this should be interesting. She began swinging her arm back and forth aiming for the hole. She silently counted to three and then let go, watching the sack soar through the air . . . and land off to the side . . . not even close to the board. Defeated, her shoulders dropped as Ford and Jace cracked up at her landing. Alyssa glanced over her shoulder and found John's back to her. He too was laughing so hard that his back was rattling.

"Oh, sure, laugh at the city girl for never playing your hillbilly games."

"I'm sorry," John put his hands up, "but that was horrible!"

"Well, what do you want from me? I have no aim, and I've never played a sport in my life."

"Ford," he yelled over to the other side. "Throw it back and let her have another shot."

Ford threw the sack back and John caught it. "I'll teach you. Come stand behind the board instead of off to the side."

As Alyssa stood behind the board, John came up close behind her. Hyperaware of his proximity, she could feel the heat of his chest on her back. "Here, take the sack. Roll it around in your hand and get used to the feeling."

With his left hand, John held Alyssa's hip. His searing touch went right through her, heating her whole body. He placed his right arm under hers and held her palm with his thumb as they began swinging.

"Eyes on the bottom part of the board," he whispered near her ear. "Don't aim for the hole or else you won't make it. Keep swinging like this . . . Slow and steady wins the race . . ."