Stalemate
I closed my left eye and looked at the wooden chess board set on the table between Johnny and I, hoping that the new perspective would help me discover a way out of the imminent loss awaiting me. None came to me, so, keeping my eyes on his remaining knight, who was moving a little too close for comfort to my king, I slid my bishop three spaces away to avoid its capture. I sighed and leaned back in my chair when the last of my rooks was taken by his bishop, forcing me to move my king. One more move and he said, "Checkmate!" happily.
"Good job," I said, checking the time. The digital clock on his bedside table told me that it was still day, and that it wouldn't be dark for another two hours. "Shall we go again? I'll be black this time."
He collected all of the pieces he had captured from me and began setting them up on the small black and white spaces, and he smiled. "Alright," the cowboy said. "But let's make a deal." I listened closely to what he was going to suggest. "How 'bout whoever wins this next one gets to choose their prize?" I nodded in agreement, already imagining saying "Checkmate", beaming at my opponent, and then-
'Stay focused, Marion,' I told myself, forcing my mind away from the thought, moving my pawn in response to his first move. 'You can't afford to get distracted.' The game proceeded for some time before he had my King backed into one corner, blocked from escaping it by his queen and bishop. I furrowed my brow and concentrated hard on finding the best next move. Johnny smirked at the positioning, positive that he would win the game. However, my king had just made his move, and now a faint smile played on my lips.
"Stalemate," I told him happily. "Guess I get to choose a prize now too." He shook his head with a grin on his face.
"I don't see that matters," he answered. "I think we both want the same thing..." And with that, we both claimed our prizes, thoroughly enjoying them until the very last second. At the end, I was breathing heavily, and he captured my rosy lips with his mouth.
"You're right," I said. "I most definitely did want the same thing as you." He laughed lightly.
"Good," Johnny said, grabbing his hat from the floor where it had fallen. "Go again?"
I, of course, nodded, eager for another prize.