"Muddin" Tori Lynn replied "We drop g's here in the South. I'm not sure you are ready to go out with the Redneck Rat Pack. Have you ever been on a four wheeler or side by side."

"I'm from Canada. Not outer Mongolia, babe." he laughed "I'm good on quads and jet skis."

Tori Lynn looked at him skeptically and pulled his shirt over her head. "I'm going next door to get dressed and round up Colby. You get dressed in play clothes." James smirked at her and pulled her in for a kiss. "Hands to yourself Neal." she said batting his hands away. "I'm serious nothing you wouldn't throw away if it got dirty."

"Fine" he said stealing another kiss "I'll meet you at your place in 5 minutes." James headed to his closet to find clothing.

Tori Lynn walked over to her apartment and knocked on the door. Kase pulled the door open. "You don't have to knock" he said "It's your place."

"Some things can't be unseen" teased Tori Lynn.

"I thought I told Neal to keep you busy." said Colby deadpan "I'm beginning to question Neal's stamina."
"My what?" said Neal walking into the apartment.

"Stamina" replied Colby "I thought I told you to keep her busy."

"My stamina is fine Mr. James" answered Neal "However Mr. Rice seems to need you two for something at the Florida Georgia boys farm. So since you are a package deal we are all going mudding."

"Tori Lynn you can't taking him muddin'. For fucks sake he just said mudding. Look at him he is ready to skate." teased Colby.

"He is Canadian" said Kase "Give the guy a break. We can't all be Southern. Give me a few minutes and I'll be out of your hair Colby." Colby shot Tori Lynn a dirty look.

"Actually Chase said you are more than welcome to come with us."

"Umm do they...." asked Colby.

"Yep no one gives a fuck." said Neal "You coming Kase?"

"Up to Colby" replied Kase.

"Y'all decide amongst yourselves. I'm going to get dressed." called Tori Lynn over her shoulder.

"I'm going to help Tori Lynn get dressed" said Neal smirking at the boys "We'll be right back. Hey babe, I get to help pick your outfit."
James came into Tori Lynn's room and flopped on her bed on his stomach. He was watching her rummage around her drawers. She pulled on a pair of boy short panties that said "meet me in the penalty box" across her ass. Neal groaned. "What" asked Tori Lynn as she wiggled into a ripped up pair of jeans.

"Now that I know what is under there I want to take it off" replied Neal "What other panties are you hiding from me."

"Perv" said Tori Lynn smiling at him "You'll just have to stick around and find out." She pulled a shirt from her closet and tossed it at him. She then pulled a Real Tree print sports bra out of her dresser. She whipped James shirt off and tossed it on his head. She had the sports bra on by the time he untangled himself.

"This is the worst striptease ever" pouted Neal. Tori Lynn laughed and leaned over and kissed his pout.

"We're under time constraints." she replied pulling on the black baseball style shirt. Neal was busy reading the words stretched across her breasts. The shirt was black with camo sleeves. It had the words "Baptized in Muddy Water" scrawled across the front. He recognized the deer with the bow as the girls Browning logo. He was learning. He watched as she pulled on matching camo socks and knee high mud boots the same print as her sleeves.

"Are your mud boots monogrammed?" he asked.

"I'm Southern everything is monogrammed." she replied.

"And you say I'm fancy."

"You are very fancy. My pretty city boy."

"Wait until I have you in Whitby this summer. You'll see I'm not a city boy." said Neal climbing off the bed "You will like my house in Whitby. It's on the lake and has a private dock. It's quiet. I even have a hammock on the deck."

"Yes my private lake house with a private dock sounds very rustic Nealer." she said laughing "Hodgenville has all of 3000 people James. I'm sure Whitby has a higher population."

"I didn't mean it that way" he replied rubbing the back of his neck. Damn it thought Tori Lynn I hurt his feels again. Tori Lynn walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She laid her head on his back.

"I'm teasing you Jamie" she pressed a kiss against his back "I want to see your hometown. You've been to mine. Plus your mama already invited me up. She said I can come with Pete if you do anything stupid. Something about having other sons she can fix me up with."

"No. No. No" said Neal pulling her in front of him "No more Neals. In fact no more boys. I think I am going to be completely selfish and keep you to myself. But first I have to share you with a bunch of hot upcoming country singers that want to whisk you away."

Tori Lynn moved away from James and went to her mirror. James watched as she brushed her hair out and pulled it up in a ponytail. She slicked on some peach lip gloss. She walked over to Neal. He was so not ready for muddin'. He was wearing tennis shoes, Pens track pants, and a matching hoodie.

"Come on Neal let's go get dirty" Tori Lynn grabbed him by the hand and led him back to the living room.

"Well look at you Real Tree Barbie" teased Kase "You gonna let him wear that" he asked nodding at Neal.
"What's wrong with my clothes?" asked Neal looking at Tori Lynn.

"Nothing" she said laughing "I'm not sure he has redneck clothes Kase. He has his number monogrammed on the sleeves of his dress shirts. This is hockey casual."

"I can hear you two" said Neal pouting. Tori Lynn motioned for him to lean down. She pressed her lips against his. "I guess that is better."

"Come on Neal I'm driving." she said dragging him by the hand. "Colby are you taking your truck"

"Nope we are taking mine" replied Kase "Mine had a winch."

"Are we going to need a winch?" asked James.

Kase clapped him on the back "If we do this right we just might."

"Come on city boy" said Colby "We'll keep you safe."

James eyed Tori Lynn's truck dubiously. The truck was black and primer gray. Tori Lynn swore it was in good running order but Bodie never finished the body work. He wasn't sure what year the truck was but he was pretty sure it was older than all of them.

"Damn girl" said Kase looking at her truck "80's stepside?"

"79" she answered "She runs great doesn't look so hot. When I get famous I am going to have her restored."

"You gonna put her in the mud" asked Kase.

"Damn right" she replied. Neal climbed in the passenger side of the truck. The last time he had been in the truck he had been drunk on bourbon and Tori Lynn. How the hell had he not noticed it only had lap belts? He needed to talk her into driving the Rover. Fuck he'd buy a truck if it made her happy. Maybe he could con Pete and Nick into bringing his Jeep down. She would like the little Wrangler. "Why so quiet Neal?"

"Just thinking about you needing real seatbelts" said Neal " Sorry I know you love the truck. I'm thinking purely about the you being safe aspect."

"I know it needs work" she replied "I'll get to it."

"It doesn't have airbags or any safety features." he groused.

"Jamie it's a 35 year old truck. It's solid metal." she explained.

"You could make me super happy and drive the Rover or the Ferrari"

"Um no to the Ferrari. You need to drive the Rover as the weather gets worse."

"When I am gone will you please drive it?" he asked those turquoise eyes locked on her.

She realized it wasn't about control but he was honestly worried. "We will work it out."

After about 30 minutes Tori Lynn wheeled her truck to a stop in a muddy field. She saw Chase, Sam, Cole, the FGL boys, and a few others standing around. She quickly noticed the camera crew. She turned and looked at James "Maybe I should have put some make up on."

"You don't need it." he answered without missing a beat.

Chase was striding over to the truck "Damn baby girl. That's a truck. But it's a hot mess."

"Shut it Rice" she called climbing down "She needs a little TLC."


"Neal you need to fix that truck for her" said Sam "Can't let her roam around Nashville with primer showin'"

"If I thought for one second she would let me I would be all over it." said Neal throwing his arm around Tori Lynn "But this falls into the category of not acceptable big gifts." Tori Lynn tilted her face up at Neal. She was beaming at him. Score one for the hockey boy.

"Pop the hood" called Chase.

Tori Lynn leaned in and popped the hood "Careful with that Rice. That's not a NASCAR. It's real metal."

"Hey sass" said BK coming to rest beside her "You okay with us filming this for On the Line." She nodded.

"And CR24/7" said Chase from under hood. Tori Lynn stepped up on the front bumper and looked under the hood with Chase.

"My girl pass inspection" asked Tori Lynn.

Chase grinned at her that slow dimpled smile "It'll do. Where is Colby?"

"Pulling in now." she replied heading towards Colby.

"Make sure he is down with the cameras"

"I will Chase. I'm not sure that Kase will be as understanding."

Chase motioned for Neal to come over to the truck. The hood was still up. Fuck thought Neal. He liked cars but he knew shit about them. So now the redneck boys would know.

"So how bad do you want her to not be driving this?" asked Chase. Sam and Tyler had joined them beside the truck. "It's mechanically sound and the body work isn't bad. But it's not up to today's safety standards."

"I think I have her talked into driving the Rover when I am not around. She isn't going to give this up easily. It's her brother's truck. His project before he passed away. His things are still rolling around the floor board." said Neal "I don't want to fight her on it. So I'm going to foist the Rover off on her as much as I can. Hell I'd buy her whatever she wanted."

"So if we break it today you'll make sure she has a vehicle?" asked Tyler

"It will break her heart if something happens to this damn truck. No fucking breaking it."

"We won't break it at all. We are just going to get it very stuck and tell her that the u joint or something broke. We'll haul it out and take it up to Tyler's. We'll help you get it fixed up for her." explained Chase.

"Y'all done plotting" asked Cole "They are headed this way."

"Neal" quizzed Chase.

"Sounds like a plan" he answered as Tori Lynn came back over.

"What's a plan?" asked Tori Lynn

"Your country boys were explaining this whole mudding thing" said James "So I think Chase was going to take you out on the quad. Right?"

The camera guys were all standing around until Chase motioned them forward. Chase and the FGL boys did a quick intro explained that it was the last day of CMA week. They introduced Tori Lynn and Colby as Neon Cathedral. Chase then introduced James Neal hockey superstar. Chase told the CR24/7 nation that Neal was a "mudding virgin." Stressing the g on mudding.

"Leave my boy alone Rice" called Tori Lynn "He's Canadian." She wrapped her arms around Neal.

"Tori Lynn is very protective of her Yankee." said Tyler "Gonna break him in right. But first his girl is going get on this quad with Chase."

"Why do I feel like a sacrificial lamb? Colby take care of Neal"

"I play hockey. I can take care of myself" replied Neal smacking her ass as she headed towards Chase.

"I don't see any ice James Neal" she called as she climbed on the quad behind Chase. Neal watched her wrap herself around Chase. She locked her arms around his torso. The camera gut was on a separate four wheeler.

Chase took off on the quad. Tori Lynn buried her face into his back. "Ready to scare your Canadian?" yelled Chase. Tori Lynn just laughed. They hit the first bump in the trail and landed in a mud hole. Chase turned the quad sideways and spray mud everywhere. The camera man and the camera were covered. Tori Lynn felt it settle like a fine mist. She burrowed closer to Chase. They came over the next small ridge and hit another puddle before he cut back towards her truck.

James was watching Tori Lynn hold on to Chase as she was being slung through mud hole after mud hole. He watched Chase cutting back towards the truck through what looked like a small lake. Her face was buried against Chase's back. Logically he knew it meant nothing but his inner caveman still didn't like it. He watched mud and water cascade down over Tori Lynn and Chase before they slid to a stop in front on him. He could hear her laughing. James loved that sound. He however doesn't like Chase being the one to make her make that sound.

"Nealer if she catches you giving Chase hockey goon eyes she will kick your ass." said Colby.

"I'm not trying to be a dick." replied Neal "But I really just want to grab her and climb the AT&T building."

"You are so fucked" laughed Sam coming to stand with Neal, Colby, Kase, and the FGL boys.

"I don't think you have anything to worry about" laughed Tyler "I think Chase got the message loud and clear after the bathtub episode."

"Bathtub" asked Colby looking at Neal.

"You told me to keep her busy fucker" replied Neal nudging Colby into Kase "I was holding up my end of the deal. Then these jackasses wanted to play in the mud."

"You're welcome" answered Cole.

"Welcome" questioned Neal looking at Cole.

"Damn right" teased Cole "If this goes as well as planned you'll both need another bath."

Tori Lynn walked up to the boys standing around her truck. They were all laughing and ribbing Neal. She wasn't sure if she should intervene or not. Sam slung an arm around her and tucked her up against him "Tor I think the only part of Chase not covered in mud is where you were holding on to him."

"We can fix that" said Tyler taking a flying leap at Chase. They both ended up covered in mud. Tyler stood and head towards Tori Lynn "Come on Tori Lynn give me a hug." His arms opened wide. Tori Lynn hid behind Neal and Kase.

"No way Hubbard" she called "I am so not taking a mud bath this early." She started to run but Cole grabbed her. She was shrieking when Tyler smeared mud on her face. James laughed. Mud or not she was still beautiful.

"I see how this is going to be" laughed Tori Lynn "I need more girls. So y'all don't gang up on me. Some help you are Neal."

"What was it you told them? I'm a pretty city boy. Not a fighter." replied James.

The boys all started laughing. They were lining up atvs and side by sides. Chase hollered at them to load up. James looked at the vehicles skeptically. Tori Lynn grabbed him by the hand and pulled him towards the 4 person side by side Sam was driving. She pulled James into the back. She buckled herself in and nodded at him. Cole slid into the passenger seat. Chase was on the front four wheeler with Tyler beside him. BK was had a side by side behind them with Kase, Colby and the camera guy. Tori Lynn smiled brightly at Neal and slid her big sunglasses over eyes.

"If you get scared Neal holler." said Sam. Neal nodded. "Not that I am gonna stop" called Sam "Ready Tor." Tori Lynn smiled at Sam then at Neal.

"If you break him the Preds will be pissed" said Tori Lynn. Chase and Tyler's four wheeler's roared to life and started towards the trail. Chase and Tyler hit the first edge of the trail mud flew as they got traction. BK threw his in gear and followed. Sam followed behind him. BK slung mud all over them. Sam hit the trail and the side by side slid then caught and went over the first hill. It dropped over into a mud hole. Tyler and Chase split and went opposite sides. Tyler was stuck and rocked it back and forth before it caught and sprayed up the small hill. Tyler was pointing BK and Sam towards the side of the hole towards Chase. BK hit the mud and bogged in. When it caught traction it lurched and went to the right then crawled out of the mud.

"Hey baby girl hang on" called Cole "It's slinging Kase and BK. You too Neal." Sam put the Cat down into the mud on the side Chase crawled up. The left front wheel dipped down low enough that muddy water was pouring in at Neal's feet. Tori Lynn laughed when he pulled them up and put them against Sam's seat.

"Just dirt Nealer" teased Tori Lynn over the roar of the engine. She watched as BK went up the trail to join Ty and Chase. The cat lurched again and before catching mud sprayed all 4 of them. Cole turned around with his camera phone.

"Day one of Canadians in mud holes" said Cole "James Neal, hockey superstar, are you having fun?" James was rigidly holding onto the bar beside him as the side by side rocked as it climbed the small ridge. His eyes got wide as they dropped over the other side of the ridge into an even bigger mud hole. Tyler and Chase were doing donuts in the muddy water.

"Oh sure" said Neal "this is a perfectly normal way to spend a Sunday with your girlfriend and her Redneck Rat Pack."

"I'm not sure he is having fun Tor" laughed Cole "Neal needs more mud in his life Sam."

Tori Lynn grabbed Neal's hand and squeezed it. He wasn't scared necessarily but this wasn't his idea of a good time. They hit the mud hole sideways. Water poured into the floor board. Sam gunned it and mud flew up and over all of them. He slung the cat sideways and the wheels flung mud everywhere grabbing traction. Tori Lynn was laughing and having a great time. Once they were at the top of the rise they circled around to a dry bumpy side of the trail. James was still trying to figure why they were in the muddy side if they could have just used this trail.

"You scared yet Neal" asked Tori Lynn motioning for him to lean down. She attempted to wipe the mud off his face but only made it worse.

"Nope" he replied. He hauled her up against him and kissed her. The boys were all hooping and cat calling. "

"Hey Tor wanna get your truck out there?" asked Tyler "I've got a winch if it gets stuck and so does Kase."

She nodded and grabbed Neal. Chase came with them. "You wanna drive Tor or you want me to drive" asked Chase "Someone will have to hold the camera. I'm not sure me or Neal can ride in the middle."

"I'm giant. Neal's a giant. You have to ride in the middle in your own truck" she sassed as she grabbed the camera and climbed into her truck. Chase and Neal both laughed. Chase slid into the driver's seat and Neal into the passenger seat beside Tori Lynn. She turned the camera towards Neal and smiled. He smiled back at him as the truck roared to life. She had the camera trained on Chase.

"Chase don't break my truck" she pled.

"I can fix it if I do" he said as the truck hit the edge of the mud hole. Water mud and dirt went flying. He crawled the truck up the first ridge. They dropped down into the first mud big rut and the truck lurched before grabbing traction. Up and over the second ridge and into the giant mud pit. Chase took it left then cut back right. He let off the gas and the truck sank a bit. He revved it back up and the truck pulled to the right towards where Tyler had to rock the 4 wheeler. He floored it and the truck sat and spun. Mud was flying everywhere. It didn't seem to be moving.

"Chase Rice" said Tori Lynn "My truck is stuck."

"Oh that's her middle name voice" said Neal "She would be yelling all three names of yours if she knew it."

"Haha Neal" called Tori Lynn "See if you can rock it out."

After 20 minutes of rocking the truck to no avail Tyler came up over the ridge. Tori Lynn and Neal bailed out of the truck and sat on the hood of Kase's truck. She watched them hook the wench and chains to her truck.

"Are we still having fun" asked James.

"It's not fun until someone is stuck Jamie." she answered. He pulled her over so she was sitting in his lap.

All the other guys were up to their knees in mud and were helping get the truck free. Colby came and sat down beside them. "Tori Lynn it's stuck deep. I'm not sure what it was but there was a popping sound. Chase said he will look when we get it to dry land." She watched as they pulled it free from the mud and towed it towards the field. She scrambled off the hood of the truck and into the back. Neal and Colby joined her. Kase came over and drove them down to the truck. The boys were all scrambling around the truck. Neal climbed out of the truck and lifted her down to the ground. She was being quiet and he didn't like it one bit. He wasn't sure he could lie to her about it being broken.

"Let us haul it up to Tyler's garage and hose it off so we can see exactly what is wrong." said Chase "I'm sure it's fixable."

Tori Lynn nodded but hung back snuggled into Neal's side. "Hey we'll get it fixed." he said squeezing her. She just nodded "Beau wouldn't want you upset over a truck. Hell knowing Beau he would have been the one to get it stuck. It doesn't even look much worse than it usually does." She smacked him.

"My truck is beautiful" she replied. James laughed at least she was talking.

"Now that might be a stretch kiddo" said Colby "Beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder. Kase said he'll take us all back to the apartment whenever you all are ready."

Tori Lynn watched as they hosed mud from her truck. James was at her side. She watched them argue over what was wrong with the truck. She told Tyler her dad would come get it on a rollback. "Got experience with it not running babe." asked Tyler.

"Yeah remarkably it was in worse shape than this when I got it back from Boston." she replied "Bodie had given up on it."

"Well it just needs a little love, a decent body man, and maybe a prayer" said Chase "Sorry baby girl."

"Nah it's fine." she said "only down side is Neal gets his way."

"I do" asked Neal looking down at her.

"I'll have to drive whichever one you want me to drive until we can get my car down here." she replied "Stop smiling at me you idiot. I am not happy about this."

Kase came over and was telling Sam he couldn't see what could be wrong with it. Sam and the boys pulled him and James over so they could explain what was wrong with it. While Tori Lynn got what she needed out of her truck.

"There is nothing wrong with it Kase" explained Colby "Neal is going to have it redone for her but she would never just let him. So the boys here offered to help."

"So lying to her is the best plan" asked Kase.

"Probably not" answered Neal "But she will forgive me."

"What am I forgiving you for now Nealer" she asked. He scooped her up and was carrying her to the nearest mud hole. "Nealer what are you doing?" He just smirked at her and tossed her in the mud hole. She squealed as she landed in the mud. "What the hell Neal?"

"You promised we were going to get dirty" he replied walking away.

"Well then I intend to keep my promise" she sassed. She took his feet out from under him before he realized what happened. He was sprawled out in the mud and water. The boys were all laughing when Tori Lynn straddled him.

"That was totally a slew foot, babe." he said looking up at her "That's game misconduct 10 minutes. Good thing you are dressed for the box."

"You wanted dirty" replied Tori Lynn.

James' hands came up and captured the sides of her face. They left muddy prints where he touched her. He pulled her face down to his until his lips found hers. James didn't break the kiss until Tyler threatened them with the water hose. Tori Lynn flipped the boys off then climbed off Neal. James watched her walked back towards the guys. Covered in mud, no make up, and hair matted she was still the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

"You coming Neal" she called over her shoulder.

"Not yet" yelled Chase smirking at Tori Lynn. The cameras were still rolling. Tori Lynn started laughing. "I can't wait until this is all edited together. I'll send it over."

James climbed into the back seat of Kase's truck with Tori Lynn. She slid over next to him and cuddled into his side. She laid her head against his chest. "Did you have fun Jamie?"

"I got to hang out with you so it was perfect. A little messy." replied James "Plus I still get to help you clean up." He was wiggling his eyebrows at her. She started laughing. Life with Neal would always be interesting.

Notes

Be proud gang LuvCreature87 has sacrificed herself to do my editing. Thank you soo much!