“Where are you going?” he asked while she zipped up her backpack. Why she felt the need to bring her laptop with her to a karaoke bar, he’d never know.

“Back to the office. I’ve got a ton of work to do.”

He waited for the punch line, but it never came. “You’re serious?”

“She’s serious,” Sabina sighed out. “Pathetic, isn’t it?”

“Give me a break. I left a lot of stuff not done.”

“And you’ll sleep when?”

“I can use the couch in my office. And the engineering-coding floor has a Sleep Room. I’ll crash there.”

“I thought... ”

“You thought what?”

Smitty glanced around at the Pack and he quickly figured out they had no intention of giving him and Jessie some privacy.

“I thought you’d come home with me tonight.”

Sabina bumped her arm. “Sex is better than work. Go home with the wolf and use him like the dirty, vile whore he is.”

Smitty frowned. He had no idea if the woman was helping him or not.

“Not tonight. He didn’t make it worth it.”

“Make it worth it?”

She looked up at him. “Yeah.”

“If you come home with me, I’ll make it worth it,” he promised.

“Sex is sex, Smitty. I can get good sex from any unmated male here.”

“She sure can!” someone from the crowd yelled out, proving they had everyone’s attention.

“So what would make it worth it for you?”

She grinned. “Sing for me.”

“I don’t sing for anyone.”

“So I’m anyone?” She snorted and picked up her backpack. Sad when she had to have Danny help her haul it on. But when she put that thing on, it meant she was leaving.

“You’re serious?”

“Extremely,” she muttered while trying to keep her balance. Why she didn’t get a better bag or take some of that crap out, he’d never know.

“Fine.”

Brushing past her, Smitty headed up to the stage.

Jess’ eyes grew wide and she looked at her Pack. “No. Way.” She turned, but did it so quickly her backpack threw her off and if Danny hadn’t caught her, she’d have fallen flat on her ass.

Letting Danny put her back on her feet, she watched Smitty flip quickly through the song book, pick something, and plug the code into the machine.

She never thought he’d get on that stage. Not in a million years. Even his mother could never coax him into singing. Not even when he was drunk off his ass and he’d do pretty much anything else. Based on his reaction alone when she mentioned it, Jess thought nothing had changed.

Yet there he was, pulling hisbaseball cap a little lower on his head, hooking his thumbs into the front pocket of his jeans, and focusing on the monitor rolling the lyrics. It took her no time to recognize the music. She’d always had a thing for Randy Travis. No country singer she knew of had better down-home love songs. But it was the man’s voice that got her every time. Yet, for the first time ever, she found a voice to rival the master. Low, smooth, and decadent, Smitty’s voice rolled over her as he started singing “Deeper Than the Holler.”

“Lord have mercy,” May whispered next to her.

“Good God,” Sabina said in shock.

Jess didn’t say anything. She had no words. Nothing witty or dismissive. She could only stare—and pine.

It wasn’t a long song, and before she knew it, Smitty finished. The crowd jumped to its feet—even the bears, who were notoriously snotty about that sort of thing—clapping and cheering.

Smitty, his eyes focused on the floor, walked off the stage and through the crowd, ignoring all the pats on his back and praise of his voice.

He walked right up to Jess, grabbed her hand, and kept on moving. He didn’t even stop to say good night, check on his friend, or anything else people might do.

Smitty walked out of the club and dragged Jess down the street until he hit an alley. He pulled her inside, pushed her up against the wall, and kissed her. A desperate, yearning kiss she returned, her hands running up his back and shoulders until her fingers could dig into his hair.

He finally pulled back, after he had her like melted chocolate in his hands, and said, “You’re coming home with me.”

Definitely an order and she so didn’t give a shit. “Yeah. I’m coming home with you.”

He kissed her one more time until she groaned and clung to him. That’s when he pulled away and, taking firm hold of her hand, dragged her to his truck.

Chapter 18

The cell phone woke him up Thursday morning. Not surprising. He’d meant to set his alarm but he kept forgetting. For the last three nights he’d had Jessie Ann in his bed and the last thing he worried about was time. After they left the Karaoke bar Monday night, they’d started making out in the elevator leading to his apartment, unable to keep their hands off each other. Nearly fucked in the hallway but she took off running and Lord knew he loved a good chase. The rest of the night they spent in bed, making each other come like crazy. It had been nice.

Hell. Who was he kidding? It had been amazing.

The next night she’d shown up at his door, extremely tipsy on champagne after dinner with a client, and dumped there by Phil. After getting her out of her skimpy dress, they’d dived under the covers and spent hours playing “what am I fondling now?”