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“Jump in with me! You won’t even need a shower tonight.”

Alyssa deadpanned. “Oh my God. You’re serious, aren’t you?”

“That’s the rednecks way to taking a shower,” Ford yelled.

“I am not jumping into that disgusting water.” At the end of her words, John waved his arms around the murky water and splashed Alyssa. “You just went mudding. You have so much dirt on you that it’s going to take more than one shower to get it all out and you’re worried about some river water?”

“John! I’m serious! Stop!”

“Not until you jump in and give me the kiss you were supposed to.”

Hesitating, Alyssa stared at him. She was covered in mud, having the most fun she’s had in a long time, and John was the reason for it all. Taking a deep breath, she jumped into the cold water. She came up to see John swimming toward her. He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her to his front. “It’s not so bad, is it?”

“I guess not.”John smiled. “Now where’s my kiss?”

“Ah, I think you got your kiss this morning, country boy.”

“I sure did, but that wasn’t part of our deal just now.”

“Hey—that deal was your own deal that I never agreed to.”

John squeezed her waist, tickling her. “Yes, you did. I have witnesses to prove it.”

“John!” she squealed.

“Give it to me and I’ll stop.”

“Ah, come on, Alyssa, put him out of his misery please and kiss him already!” Jace yelled from the land.

“Do it!” Ford shouted.

John smiled at Alyssa, his green eyes lighting up. She could feel his enthusiasm. “Yeah, just do it.”

Alyssa huffed loudly. “What am I going to do with you guys?” before planting a kiss right on his mouth. Her legs wrapped around his waist and she gripped his face while she kissed him hard. John wanted a kiss, he was going to get one.

John didn’t think she had it in her to kiss him in front of his friends, but she did. Underneath the water, his arm circled her waist while his other hand was on her neck, cradling her close to him. Desire coursed through his veins as she kissed him, her lips nipping and then her tongue stroking his. Maybe this kiss deal wasn’t such a great idea because all he could think of was the sex they had earlier and how he wanted to lay her flat on her back and do it again.

John pulled back, breaking the kiss. They panted into each other, trying to catch their breaths while Jace and Ford whistled. Her lips were swollen, her eyes glossy with arousal. She wanted him again just like he wanted her. John was in serious trouble. The look she was giving him could make John drop to his knees if he wasn’t in the river.

“No more deals,” she whispered.

Letting go of her, John dunked Alyssa under the water playfully before swimming to the grass. He waited for her to come up behind him and when she

did, he helped her out of the water and walked to get towels. Handing her a towel, he waited until she was finished drying off to use it.

“Ya’ll want to get a fire going and crack a few beers here after the sun sets?” Ford asked.

John and Jace perked up. They were always ready for a party. “We’re down.”

Looking at Alyssa, he asked, “Want to come with us?”

Alyssa smiled brightly. “Sounds like fun.”

Alyssa took an extra long shower, washing her hair more times than she could count and scrubbing every inch of her body multiple times.

She was sure she still had mud somewhere.

She stepped out, dried off and dressed. There was a chill in the air at night, so she went with black leggings, an aqua tunic and a synced, white belt. Even though she lived in the South now didn’t mean she couldn’t wear her Michael Kors wedges just because everyone else wore boots.