Jessie laughed, a wonderful sound that echoed around his home. Leaning forward, Smitty peeked into the ice cream container. “I wonder what use I can make of this leftover ice cream.”

He gazed up at Jessie, raising one eyebrow. She gave a little squeal and made a run for it.

Sitting back in the chair, Smitty asked the cute ass dashing away, “Where are you always running to? It’s a one-room apartment.”

Jess turned over and looked at the clock. She’d overslept. It was nearly eight in the morning.

She sat up and Smitty’s arm immediately wrapped around her waist. “Don’t go.”

“I’m supposed to make breakfast for the kids this morning and I’ve already missed that.”

“It’s Saturday. Stay the weekend.”

“I can’t do that.”

“Why?”

“Um... ”

“As she scrambles for an excuse,” he mumbled under his breath.

“I am not scrambling for an excuse.” Man, she really needed to stop lying. But what did he expect? Casual sex didn’t involve whole weekends. At least they didn’t if she hoped to have a prayer not to get too deep into this. “I just can’t—”

“I know,” he said, sitting up. “Let’s ask the Pack.”

And before she could stop him, he’d grabbed her cell phone off the bedside table.

“Give me that!”

“Not until we get an answer.” Flipping her phone open, he went up on his knees and went through her contacts. Jess tried to get the phone from him but he kept moving so she couldn’t get a grip.

Putting the phone to his ear, he asked, “And who is this? Well, hi, May, darlin’. I’ve got little Jessie Ann here—”

“Give me that goddamn phone!”

“—as you can hear, and I’m trying to get permission for her to stay the weekend at my house while my parents are out of town.”

“I am not playing with you!”

“Yeah, she said she already missed breakfast, but I figure she can make that up during the week. Uh-huh. Yeah, she’s still naked.”

She gasped. “Bobby Ray!”

“Keep her naked the whole weekend? Yeah, I can do that. Yup. Naked and happy. I can handle that. Thanks, darlin’.”

He looked over his shoulder at her. “May says you can stay.”

Jess grabbed the phone from Smitty’s hand, and as she brought it to her ear, she heard her Pack yell, “Have a good weekend, Jess!” before they hung up.

Slamming the phone shut, Jess turned to yell at Smitty but he’d disappeared—with her clothes!

It was a one-room apartment, but the man was crafty. And by the time Jess had spun in a circle looking for him, he’d suddenly appeared infront of her—without her clothes.

“Where are my clothes?”

“Safe.” He reached for her. “Safer than you are.”

Jess slapped at his hands and quickly stepped away. “I am not staying the weekend.”

“You are if you want your clothes back.”

“Blackmail!”

“Extortion. Now bring that pretty ass over here. You know I’m cranky in the mornings.”

“Go to—hey!”

Smitty scooped her up and walked back over to the bed, throwing her on it. “I don’t know why you insist on fighting me.” His smile was slow and wicked. “’Cause we both know you’ll give me what I want.”

“You are such an egotistical ass—”

He kissed her, pinning her to the bed with his body, his arms holding hers above her head. Before she knew it she was writhing and gasping beneath him.

“I wager,” he panted in her ear when he finally pulled back a bit, “I can keep you in this bed all weekend long.”

And much to her annoyance and enjoyment... he did.

Chapter 16

Smitty slammed open their bedroom door, thoroughly enjoying Ronnie Lee’s squeal of surprise and Shaw’s roar of anger. Especially when Shaw scrambled to pull the covers over their naked bodies.

“Hey, Ronnie Lee,” he said casually. “I was wondering if you could help me with something kind of important.”

Shaw went to say something, but Ronnie slapped her hand over his mouth. Smitty bit the inside of his cheek as he eyed the position of their bodies—Brendon on top of Ronnie. And, again, naked.

Lord, Bobby Ray Smith, sometimes you can be a real asshole.

“Bobby Ray, can you go out into the living room? I’ll be out in two shakes of a dog’s tail.”

Fighting to hold in his laughter, he turned and moseyed on down the hallway. As promised, Ronnie suddenly appeared, a hotel robe wrapped tightly around her. She backed out of the bedroom, holding up her finger and pleading, “You just wait right there, darlin’. I’ll be back in a few minutes. I promise.”

She closed the door and headed down the hall toward Smitty. She held up that finger again, brought it to her lips to indicate silence, and flashed five fingers at him. Then she disappeared down another hallway.

Smitty wandered into the living room and dropped onto the couch to wait. In about ten minutes, Ronnie reappeared. Freshly showered and dressed, she motioned to Smitty while grabbing her leather jacket.

Ronnie opened the front door and again motioned to Smitty. Knowing where this was going and wondering what exactly was wrong with his people, he stood and followed after her. He met her at the elevator. “What are you doing?”