OK. FINE. So I pass it along without a taking a drink.

I thought everyone would give me shit about it, but no one even seems to notice. Evidently, Phillip is the only one concerned about my drinking habits for the evening.

We are now in plain view of Jake and his loser friends. Of course, pre-Boobs, I thought they were my friends too. I find myself staring at Jake through the fire in a daze. I catch him looking back at me, but before I can read his expression, Danny twirls me around to face him.

The boy wastes no time.

I know, he knows that Jake is watching, but I have to wonder.

Is he doing this just to piss off Jake?

Or is it because he's actually enjoying it?

Danny kisses me thoroughly and very much seems to be enjoying it.

I know I am.

In fact, I feel like my knees could give away at any minute. He puts his hand on my back, between where my sweater stops and my jeans end and rubs slowly. Then while still kissing me, he runs that hand up under my sweater. I find myself thinking alternately how wonderful it feels, what Jake must be thinking, and how I really don't care.

I may very well be developing multiple personalities from all this trauma.

My thoughts are interrupted by the feel of Danny's hand sliding down my back, past the waistband of my jeans, and into thong territory. I don't move, but I stop kissing him and suck in a deep breath. Danny quickly moves his hand onto the outside of my pants. But then he chuckles in my ear, glances at Jake, and slides his hand down to the bottom of my butt, where it meets my leg and gives it a little pinch.

I toss my head back and kinda laugh and scream at the same time.

It definitely gets Jake's attention.

The laugh is not for show, though, but because it really tickles.

I know, it's a weird place to be ticklish. It's kind of like when I stand behind Lisa and stick my index fingers into the sides of her waist. That girl can't help but scream out loud. It is also funny because Phillip and Danny are the only friends of mine who know this about me, having been ratted out by my Dad years ago during a particularly competitive Thanksgiving Day game of flag football. Instead of grabbing my flag, Dad pinched me there, which caused me to fumble the football.

Danny and my team lost because of it.

He still gives me crap about that.

Jake does not know this fact about me, and I'm sure what Danny is doing must look bad.

I'm still sort of laughing and thoughts are swirling around in my brain. I bring my head back towards Danny and realize he is like, right there.

He puts his lips on that little spot right at my jaw line, almost up by my ear, where I am even more ticklish.

Believe it or not, this is a spot that Jake, in over a year, has never found.

And I have NEVER told Danny about it.

I giggle out loud and think fleetingly, if he can find that spot so fast, maybe we belong together.

You just can't fight fate. At least that's what Lisa says.

I feel like Meg Ryan in Top Gun. I just want to scream aloud, Danny, you big stud. Take me to bed or lose me forever.

Uh. Like now.

Seriously.

Who cares about making Jake jealous?

But evidently our PDA was all Jake could take.

He grabs my shoulder, jerks me toward him, and says, “JJ, what the hell?”

I can feel Danny right behind me. He's so mellow about this. He just wraps his arms around my waist, pulls my back in tight to his chest, and leans his chin on my shoulder.

Like this is an everyday occurrence.

God, I wish it was.

Of course that is exactly what he wants Jake to think.

I can only imagine the look he's giving Jake.

If it were me, I would have my thumbs stuck in my ears, with the rest of my fingers waving at him, going nana, nana, boo, boo.

But I doubt Danny is doing that.

Because my ego has been substantially boosted by Danny's attention, I look very blankly at Jake and let out a breathy sigh, “Well Jake, Danny was just kissing a very ticklish spot on my neck. One that you've never managed to find, and well, you're interrupting.”

I raise my eyebrows at him and shrug my shoulders in a what's a girl to do look.

So many boys, so little time.

Scratch that.

One boy and not nearly enough time.

Jake studies Danny and me, and then says very calmly, “I didn't realize the two of you had stayed so close.”

Of course this was exactly the opening Danny had been waiting for. “Well, I guess you could call it that,” Danny chuckles. He looks down at me, kisses the side of my neck and runs the back of his hand down my side, from boob to waist, very slowly and suggestively.

Jake is clearly PISSED. His face looks twisted, but I don't think he dares throw a punch at Danny, especially now that the two linemen have come to stand directly behind us.

So Jake, being the loser that he is, goes for the weaker link.

ME.

Jake says very loudly, so everyone, anywhere within earshot of the North 40, can hear. I feel a crowd gathering around us.

“WELL, HOTSHOT,” Jake snorts, “DON'T THINK YOU'RE GONNA GET ANYTHING FROM THAT,” he says, with a scowl toward me.

Like I am an inanimate object.

“AS YOU CAN SEE,” he continues, as Boobs magically appears at his side, “I HAD TO GO ELSEWHERE.”

Jake tosses his arm around Boobs, and they both laugh at me like I'm some big inside joke.

Sadly, I probably am.

Of course, I'm HUMILIATED by the fact that my alleged virginity is being discussed in front of half the student population.

Do I have a witty comeback?

What should I say?

Maybe I'll just punch him.

No, bad idea.

But I don't have to say a thing because Danny steps up to the plate.

He pulls me a little closer. I didn't think I could get any closer, but hurray I could!

He runs his hand across my thigh, sending chills up my spine. Then he laughs out loud at Jake and says, “Hey Jake, ya think maybe there's a REASON she's never done it with you?”

I can see by the look on Jake's face the thought never crossed his mind.

Hey wait a minute, I could be a player too.

Or not.

Danny cocks his head and shrugs at Jake, “Might explain all them trips to Lincoln…..” Then he looks at me in a way that can only be described as hungry, and I give him a kind of slow sexy smile that I didn't even know I was capable of making.

It takes a few seconds for the implications of what Danny said to sink into Jake's little brain. When Mr. Rocket Scientist finally puts two and two (well, one and one) together, his head looks like it's going to explode, or quite possibly implode.

He flies toward Danny. I instinctively duck down, just as someone grabs my arm and pulls me out of the way of the flying fists.

Of course, who else?

It's Phillip.

He holds my arm tightly and practically drags me out of the party.

We get to his car and he orders, “Get in. We're leaving.”

I can tell he is mad at me and I probably shouldn't argue, but I cross my arms in front of my chest and say, “What about Danny?”

I am so not done with that boy yet.

“And ME? And maybe I want to see Jake get the crap beat out of him. And hey, Prince Charming, why aren't you in there helping to defend my honor anyway?”

Okay. I might have gone a little too far with that one. Sometimes my mouth gets away from me. Phillip is very obviously not happy with me.

“Get. In. The. Car. NOW!”

“OKAY, OKAY, fine,” I say to Mr. Bossy, as I slide into the seat. After he slams my door, walks around and gets into the car, I finish, “but I'm not going home yet.”