Release (Off Balance 3)

“Mud . . . happens . . .” He looked Alyssa straight in the eyes and said, “Sounds normal to me. Say it with me.” John was having fun teasing the new girl.

“I’ll pass.”

“Well, we need to get goin’. I guess we’ll see ya around town,” he drawled.

His green eyes . . . she could stare at them for hours. They were hypnotizing, and for some reason she had a feeling he knew it since they hadn’t broken each other’s gaze. “See you around.”

Cranking the gas, the engine roared back to life. John clutched the gear with his barefoot and glanced over his shoulder at Alyssa. She was absolutely breathtakingly beautiful. He couldn’t think of any other words to describe her. Alyssa was gorgeous from head to toe.

“Later, sugar.”

“Bye, princess,” Jace threw in.

A smile tugged at her mouth. “Later.”

Alyssa watched as John and Jace took off, a puff of dirt flying up into the air. When they were half way down the street, she turned around and walked back to her house.

Looks like she just got a dose of some of that southern charm she’s heard of and she was okay with it, especially coming from John.

Chapter Two

Stepping inside the lecture hall, the door closed behind her with a loud thud and all heads turned in her direction. She quickly glanced at the students. She wasn’t sure why, it wasn’t like she knew anyone.

“Can I help you?” the middle aged woman down in the front asked. Alyssa pulled her schedule free from her folder and handed it to her. The woman glanced down at the paper. “Welcome to my class, Alyssa Winters,” she said with a genuine smile. “Take one of the opened seats in the back and start jotting down the notes. At the end of the class come see me and I’ll get you what you need.”

“Thank you.”

Climbing the stairs, she passed six rows of beige desks. She rounded the back row and found an opened seat. Sitting down, she pulled out a pencil and her notebook and began copying the notes.

As she was writing, Alyssa could feel eyes on her. She didn’t want to look, but it was like they were burning a hole into her face. A quick glance from the corner of her eye confirmed her suspicion.

Two desks over, John was leaning on the back legs of his chair with a pencil dangling between his lips. Her eyes focused on his mouth for a moment and noticed his tongue flicking the pencil. Then their eyes locked, and the smirk that spread across his face made her body flush. At first she didn’t recognize him all cleaned up, it caught her by surprise. This side of him was more alluring compared to what she met the other day, though see wouldn’t mind seeing him in just shorts again.

Her eyes blinked rapidly, and she tried to focus on her teacher’s voice. He pulled the pencil from his mouth and started bouncing it between his fingers, the eraser tapping lightly on the desk, a sound only meant for her to hear. A grin tugged at his lips, and she found herself trying not to return the smile. It was a futile attempt. Alyssa’s face softened at the playful gleam in his eyes when he whispered hi.

Then she noticed it . . . a dimple. He had one dimple right above his jaw line when he smiled. How had she not noticed a few days ago when she met him and Jace?

An innocent looking dimple, hazel green eyes that spoke of temptation, topped with a sinful smile? Not to mention that southern drawl?

Alyssa was in trouble. Big trouble. John was cleaned up and looking good, completely different from the other day. He waved and her stomach dropped. John was . . . pretty hot.

“Ah, Mr. Jackson,” Mrs. Jones said, grabbing his attention. “Stop flirting with Miss Winters. Focus on the reason why you’re here. Eyes on the board.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

John winked at Alyssa and then did as the professor asked. He spent the next two hours sneaking glances at her.

Class ended and Alyssa quickly gathered up her books. She glanced at her schedule while walking out of her first class when a strong arm hooked around her neck and rested on her shoulders. Startled, she looked up at a grinning John. He tugged her to him and they walked together down the hall as if they had been friends for years, not having just met only recently.

“Figured since you’re new here, I could walk you to your next class. Where you headed?” His deep voice was right near her ear.

Alyssa looked at her schedule. “Physics?”

“Ouch. Not my kind of class, but I can lead the way.”

Alyssa held her books tighter to her chest. “Thanks, Johnny,” was all she could muster. She wasn’t expecting John to wear cologne, or even own any, but the scent that lingered on him smelled divine. She found herself leaning in to get a better drift of it.

“Huh.”