Hold On to Me

by Lucia Franco

  Each one shook their heads no. Jace nodded and then hopped back on, this time sweeping out high over the water when he heard the crack again. Before he could let go, the branch splintered and broke, free falling from the sky. Jace flew into the water, still holding the rope as the branch followed. He hit the water on his back, a giant splash echoing over the river.

  John, Alyssa, and Ford trekked down the dirt to the shore break to retrieve Jace. He came out unscathed, grinning like a fool.

  “While that was fun as hell, you suck at tree swings, Johnny boy. You’re cut off,” he sniffled, and headed for a clean towel.

  The four of them, including Jace, laughed hard together. Something cracked open inside her chest, and Alyssa realized how at home she felt for the first time in years. She absorbed everything around her and smiled. She was truly at ease for once and loving life.

  “I have no idea why that would’ve happened, but Ford got it on camera. Let’s go watch it.”

  Once the sun disappeared, John was on his way to pick up his girl. He pulled into Alyssa’s empty driveway and she ran outside. She opened his truck door and slid in close to him with a huge smile on her face.

  “Someone’s excited to see me.”

  Alyssa rolled her eyes, a smirk on her face. “Don’t get ahead of yourself. I’m just excited school is over and summer is here.” When he didn’t respond, she followed his gaze.

  “What?” she looked down at her outfit.

  His mouth hung open. “I’m in shock right now. Where did you get a camo shirt from? I know that’s not something you had in your closet.”

  Alyssa playfully smacked his arm and sat back. “I ordered it a few weeks ago,” she said, staring straight ahead trying to suppress a smile.

  John’s mouth turned into one of the sexiest grins she’d ever seen. A panty melting, impish grin while his eyes lit up. Her stomach turned over and her cheeks flushed. “You bought that for me, didn’t you?”

  “Psh.”

  “Admit it. You bought that shirt to wear for me!” he exclaimed.

  “I bought it to fit into your little town, that’s why.”

  John continued smiling, not saying a word for a moment. “You are such a liar!”

  “Whatever,” she pushed her lips together. “Let’s go.” She may have purchased the shirt with John in mind, but no way was she admitting to that.

  “I wouldn’t think white shorts went with camo, but you’re lookin’ pretty good right about now. Actually, I don’t think any of the chicks wear white with camo,” he said, putting his truck into gear.

  “I’m never wearing this shirt again. In fact, I’m going to burn it tonight at the bonfire.”

  John barked out a laugh. “Then what will you wear?”

  She looked over at John with a twinkle in her eyes. “Your shirt of course.” John wore a muscle shirt, his toned arms were curved and cupped perfectly as he drove with an arm draped over the steering wheel. The way he drove his truck was pretty damn hot. Never had she thought that before. Maybe because she had never seen someone like John who got her all hot and bothered drive a truck.

  Remembering what Jace said about guys and their ATV’s, and how just not anyone drives them, she wondered if that included his truck. She was going to test that theory.

  “Can I drive your truck?”

  John looked at her as if she asked him to sign over the title to it. “What?”

  “Can I drive your truck,” she repeated, enunciating each word.

  John hesitated. “Right now?”

  “Yeah, I’ll slide over and take the wheel while you gas it.”

  “Well, that’s not what I was thinking, but it’s a good thing we live in a small town or else this wouldn’t work.”

  John let up on the accelerator and Alyssa got as close as she could to John. She leaned over and took control of the wheel.

  “Want to just sit on my lap?” he asked. This wasn’t working for him, especially with the way her legs were stretched out next to him begging to be caressed.

  “Alright,” she smiled. Carefully, Alyssa climbed onto John’s lap making sure not to step on him or it could cause an ugly accident since they were still driving. Easing down on John’s lap, he let go of the wheel and placed his hands on her hips as she took over and drove.

  “Want the gas too?” he asked, and she nodded. Giving up complete control of his truck wasn’t something he ever did, but he made an exception for Alyssa. Pulling up to a stop sign, John leaned back and watched Alyssa drive. His dick was growing hard with her little, plump ass on him. She reached over and cranked the radio and began wiggling back and forth in excitement.

  “I like this. I kind of want a truck now.”

  “Baby, you can drive my truck anytime you want,” he said with a flirtatious tone, thrusting his hips up. John squeezed her hips and didn’t remove his hands, only slid them lower to her where her shorts cut off and curved his fingers under, gently rubbing her skin.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “Payback is a bitch,” he said, and leaned up to kiss her neck. John’s fingers slid close to her now wet sex and she involuntary widened her legs. His other hand held her stomach, holding her in place.

  “Johnny,” she said huskily. “This isn’t a good idea.”

  “That’s not what you said a few weeks ago when I was driving,” he reminded her.

  Alyssa groaned, her head lulling back. “You play dirty,” she said.

  “You have on such tiny shorts … Do you know how easy it would be for me to slip my fingers in you right now?” he whispered against her neck, his fingers grazing her wetness. Luckily, they were pulling up to the party otherwise he would take Alyssa just like this.

  “Too bad we’re here,” she said.

  Driving into the open field, trucks were parked all around. A giant bonfire was center stage about fifty feet away, and just about every young adult in South Fork was here walking around with beer or sitting on tailgates. John slipped his finger under her panties and she moaned so low he knew she was trying to hide it.

  “I can’t find a parking spot,” she whispered. “How the hell do I back this thing in?”

  “I found one, I can back it in for you,” he joked as his finger pushed inside. She clenched her thighs, squeezing his finger. “It would be a tight squeeze, but I could make it work.” Alyssa laughed. “Sugar, you’re making this too easy for me. You’re saying all the right things.”

  “I can’t help it,” she laughed. “Oh, right there!” she yelled.

  “Yeah? You like that?” he said, pushing in and out of her. His dick was straining under her ass, probably aching the worst it ever has.

  “Not you, John. A parking spot.”

  “Aghhh,” he laughed. His head fell back against the head rest.

  John looked out of the window and spotted his friends as she backed in his truck. Jace and Ford stood together, mouths hanging wide open in shock and clutching their beers to their chests.

  “Here, you need this,” Jace said, handing him a double shot of whiskey. He passed one to Ford and Alyssa too. “It’ll put some hair on your chest and replace your balls.”

  Jace winked at Alyssa, where she hid her smile behind her shot glass. Ford was in the process of tipping his shot back when he laughed at Jace’s comment and spit half of it out. “That was a good one,” Ford said.

  “Dude, you should just hand the keys to your fruity truck to Alyssa. She looks much better driving it.”

  “Is that jealousy I smell?” John asked, and threw his shot back.

  “Nah, I’m just busting your chops,” Jace said, and handed him another.

  “Another?”

  “Since when did you become such a light weight, Suzie? It’s summer. This is how we roll.”

  John shrugged, Jace was right.

  “Let’s make a toast,” Ford said. The four of them raised their glasses high. “Here’s to the good times and one epic summer.” They clunked their glasses togethe
r and threw the shot back. Alyssa cringed from the burn at the back of her throat. She definitely wasn’t a whiskey or bourbon kind of girl. She leaned toward beer.

  “I’m pretty sure I’ll be growing that chest hair by the end of the night.” she coughed, her eyes watering. “That’s some strong stuff.”

  “Get used to it, blondie. It’s what’s on tap tonight,” Jace said.

  After their round of shots, they split up for a bit to mingle for the next hour. Everyone was relaxed, laid back and having a good time without a care in the world. Games were being played, cornhole–which she recognized–and music coming from trucks. Taking center stage was the bonfire. It was huge, probably twenty feet high by five feet wide and it blazed under the heated star covered sky. She was captivated by it.

  Alyssa smiled. She loved everything about this night. Who knew she would come to love the little back pocket town of South Fork so much?

  She walked around hand in hand with John. The whiskey was streaming through her veins, warming her blood and making her feel good. John kept her close and hardly took his eyes off of her. In fact, she didn’t see him even glance at another girl. Maybe this friends with benefits thing wasn’t such a bad idea after all. Considering the way he held her hand, or when he leaned against a truck with his arms wrapped around her while he talked to a friend, she was falling hard for him. She didn’t want to, she wanted to keep it strictly platonic, but he was making her swoon hard.

  Not to mention, his southern drawl was pretty damn sexy.

  Hooting and hollering and excitement pulled John and Alyssa toward the crowd growing around a truck. They had no idea what was going on, but as they shimmied their way through to the front it was quickly discovered.

  Jace was doing body shots. At the sight, John burst out laughing.

  His shirt was long gone and his shorts were hung extremely low on his flat stomach. A brunette girl rubbed lemon on his waist and then sprinkled salt across. When she was done, Jace looked behind and spotted John.

  “Johnny boy!” he yelled with a big grin and glossy eyes. They slapped hands and said hi.

  “Jace! Let me guess—you lost your shirt.”

  He grinned.

  “You can’t be trusted to be alone anymore. How do you always lose your shirt?”

  “The fuck if I know,” he said. “But it’s not like I need one while doing body shots—hey girl,” he said when he spotted Alyssa. “Ever done a body shot?”

  “Can’t say I have, Jace.”

  “Ah, a body shot virgin. Well now’s the perfect time to do it. I’m lubed up and ready to go.”

  Alyssa tried really hard not to laugh, but it was a futile attempt. She busted out giggling, feeling pretty tipsy at the moment. Jace was a funny guy.

  “She’s good, Jace.” John answered, squeezing her hand.

  “I don’t even know how it’s done.”

  “Well, watch and find out, pretty girl,” Jace slurred. “You can be next.”

  A shot was handed to the blonde, Sarah, she realized. She quickly threw it back then ran her tongue along his hips slowly. Jace moaned as the girl did it and rested his head back.

  Alyssa swallowed. Well … that was actually hot.

  Jace stood up, stumbling a bit. “Alright, your turn honey,” he said to Sarah. Instead of running lemon and salt on her stomach, Jace did it at the tops of her breasts. Naturally, the guys in the crowd hollered. A glass was handed to Jace. He took the shot, licked the salt up then kissed her lips after. The crowd yelled and Sarah stood.

  “You’re turn, brother,” Jace said to John, whose eyebrows rose high.

  “Come on, you gotta let Alyssa try it out.”

  “I’ll let her try it out on me, anytime,” someone said. Heads turned and landed on Ben, who was smirking. His eyes were locked on Alyssa and John didn’t like it one bit. It was as if he was trying to undress her with his beady eyes. “Hey, Ben,” she said sweetly.

  “No need, Ben. She’s got me,” John spoke up.

  “And if she doesn’t want him, she’s got me,” Jace joked.

  “And me,” Ford chimed in. Where did he come from? It didn’t matter. What mattered was keeping Ben away from his girl.

  “Why doesn’t she answer for herself,” Ben pushed.

  She smiled sweetly. “I have Johnny, tonight” Alyssa said quickly. “Thanks though, Ben.” There was no reason for her to be rude to him. He was her friend after all.

  “Let’s do this,” Jace said, breaking the awkwardness. He rubbed his hands together and said, “Who’s first?”

  “I’ll go,” John said.

  Reaching behind his neck, John fisted his shirt and pulled it off. It was the ladies turn now to holler for him and she didn’t like it one bit. Alyssa bit her lips. Well, shit. Her eyes locked on his body and her mouth watered as he pulled his shorts low. A trail of peach fuzz led into his pants that she hadn’t noticed before. He climbed up on the tailgate and laid back, his legs hanging on the edge. Sarah came forward to put the lemon and salt on him, but Alyssa stepped in.

  “I got this,” she said sharply. Alyssa took the lemon and ran it slowly across his waist, making sure to give him a good coating and then she sprinkled the salt on him. A shot was handed to her and she asked what it was.

  “Tequila,” Jace said, as if she should’ve known.

  “Oh, shit. It seems like tonight is a first for a lot of things,” she winked. Alyssa raised the glass and took a deep breath before she tipped it back. Holy shit that’s gross! She thought to herself. Bringing the back of her hand to her mouth, she winced from the burning, disgusting taste. John reached for her to lean down and if he hadn’t, she would’ve forgotten to lick him. Slipping her tongue out, she ran it seductively and as slow as she could from one hip to the next feeling every indentation, dipping slightly under the lip of his boxers. She went to stand up, but John pulled her face to his and kissed her hard, thrusting his tongue inside her mouth. She leaned in, completely forgot that people were around and kissed him back with the same intensity. Her heart hammered against her ribs.

  “You did that shit on purpose,” John said, breaking the kiss. She grinned, her heavy lidded eyes gleaming at him.

  “That’s what you get for working me up as I drove your fruity truck.”

  A huge smile broke out on his face and he kissed her one last time before standing up. Her smart mouth and wild personality called out to John big time. He found it incredibly attractive. Fuck friends with benefits, he wanted more.

  No, he needed more.

  “Alyssa’s turn!” Jace yelled.

  “I think I’ll pass.”

  “Awe, come on,” Jace begged. “Don’t be a Debbie Downer.”

  Alyssa glanced at John, who shrugged. “It’s up to you,” he said.

  “Do it!” Ford yelled.

  “What the heck? You only live once, right?” she jumped on the tailgate and went to lift her shirt, but John stopped her.

  “Nope. Up here,” he tapped her chest and rubbed the lemon on, then the salt. “Ready?” she nodded. John was handed a shot. He threw it back and then trailed his tongue along Alyssa’s chest, making sure to dip between her breasts. When he finished licking all the salt off, he trailed his lips along her jaw to her mouth where he delved in and kissed her deep and slow.

  Alyssa grabbed the back of his head and kissed him hard. Their tongues thrashed in and out as if they were making love through a kiss. That body shot worked her up good and she wanted John. Not breaking the kiss, she leaned up and swerved to his front spreading her legs. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and, as if he was reading her mind, he lifted her up and walked away. The group of friends went wild as he carried her off, her feet dangling down his hips.

  But they didn’t hear them. In that moment it was just them.

  John made it to his truck and pushed her up against the side hard, her hips rolling into his. The body shots were a dumb idea because now he was drunk and horny as fuck. Deep breaths and rising che
sts, they were panting into each other when he broke the kiss.

  “Never, ever, do a body shot again,” rolled off his lips, the heat in his eyes seared her core. “That tongue of yours is dangerous.”

  “I could say the same to you.” Alyssa inhaled, breathing in a mixture of Georgia air, John’s earthy scent, and the firewood burning as she slid down his body trying to find her footing.

  “Somehow, somewhere, we’re going to finish what we started tonight.”

  “I’d like that,” she whispered huskily.

  Sometime later, they were getting ready to call it a night. The party was winding down, the crowd was thinning out. The four friends had been there for countless hours.

  John stopped drinking after the body shot to sober up, but he could still feel the effects. Now they were looking for Ford and Jace.

  “There they are,” Alyssa said, pointing.

  “Hey guys, ready to head out?” he asked both Ford and Jace as they walked up to them.

  “Johnny!” Jace said, giving John a sloppy side hug.

  “I’m ready,” Ford said.

  “Are you okay to drive?” Alyssa asked Ford.

  “Sure am. I haven’t drank anything other than beer after we did those double shots hours ago. I was ready to head out anyway. I gotta help my pops on the farm tomorrow. It’s been an epic night,” Ford said, walking away. “See ya’ll tomorrow.”

  “Jace?” Alyssa’s voice was raised.

  “You know you’re my best friend, Johnny boy?” Jace said cheekily to John, not hearing Alyssa’s question.

  He laughed. “Oh yeah? That so?”

  “That so,” Jace repeated, walking to his truck.

  “Want to head to my house and we can hang out back for a bit?”

  Jace wiggled his eyebrows. “Sounds like a hot date.”

  Alyssa shook her head. “I swear, you two can’t say anything without turning it into a sexual innuendo.”

  They high fived each other and she laughed.

  “You okay to drive, Jace? We can drive if you want.”

  Jace looked at her like he was insulted. “I got this, pretty girl,” then he jumped into his truck and spun out.