“Sure you can handle the basics of walking and talking at the same time, darlin’?” She bared fangs and he quickly pushed her away. “A simple yes would have gotten the same sentiment across, ya know?”

“Why are you here?”

“My team’s here for additional security coverage for the museum. Good thing, too, with lions and hyenas fighting in the hallway.”

Jess chuckled. “Good point.” She motioned to the door. “Since you’re security, can you let me back in?”

Smitty stared at her. “Do you have a ticket?”

She blinked. “It’s inside with my coat.”

“Sorry, darlin’, I’m not really authorized to let you in if you don’t have a ticket.”

Jess took a steadying step. “I’m sorry. What?”

“We’re only letting in people who have their tickets. You don’t. Sorry.”

Jess’s teeth began to chatter and she desperately rubbed her arms. What exactly was wrong with this man? Yesterday all he’d wanted to do was “help” her. Now she couldn’t get him to open the goddamn door when she was freezing to death. “Tell me you’re joking.”

“Jessie Ann, you know how serious I take my job. I can’t let anyone into the party without a ticket.”

“You son of a—”

“Now, now, Jessie Ann. No call for that kind of language.”

She threw her hands up. “Fine. I’ll just go walk around the entire goddamn building and go in through the front. Hopefully I won’t die from exposure on the way.”

“Nah, you know our kind don’t die that easy from the cold.” She ignored him and turned to walk away. “They won’t let you in either,” he said to her back.

She stopped. “Why not?”

“You don’t have a ticket.”

She spun on her heel, shocked she didn’t fall on her ass in these goddamn shoes. “Bobby Ray Smith, I swear to God—”

Still calm, he cut in and said, “Don’t blaspheme at me, Jessie Ann.”

“It’s Jess-i-ca!” she nearly screamed. “Not Jessie. Definitely not Jessie Ann.”

He shrugged. “I like Jessie Ann.” It was his calmness that had her crazed. That calm, in-control Smitty air. His brothers didn’t have it. His father definitely didn’t have it. So Smitty must have gotten it from his mother. But right now it made Jess want to take off her shoe and stab him in the eye with the five-inch heel.

He glanced at her hand. “You can use your phone. Call one of those friends of yours to bring your ticket.”

“They’re not carrying their phones. Their phones are in their coats.”

“Why wouldn’t they have theirphones?”

She held up hers, gripping the small device so tightly she had the feeling she’d crush it. “Because I’m carrying mine!”

“No need to yell, Jessie Ann.”

“I can’t talk to you.” She spun around yet again and started to walk away.

“Of course,” he said behind her, “maybe there’s something we can work out.”

“And what would that be?” she bit out even as she kept walking.

“You go out with me tomorrow.”

Again, Jess stopped in her tracks. To her utter disgust and self-loathing, her heart leaped in her chest. “A date? You’re having me freeze my ass off because you want a date.”

“Not a date,” he said right by her ear and she nearly jumped ten feet straight up.

How does he do that?

“Just two friends hanging out.”

Of course. Because why would Bobby Ray Smith go out with “little” Jessie Ann Ward? Her leaping heart tripped and took a nice plunge off Depression Mountain. This had all to do with his ego and nothing to do with her. Sixteen years and she still wasn’t worth... Oh, forget it.

“My friends don’t let me freeze to death.”

“I’m sure you’re not as difficult with your friends as you are with me. Just say the word yes and I’ll get you right inside, darlin’.”

“You’re a bastard.”

“I’m a Smith,” he said simply.

“What’s the difference?”

“To many there is none.” His grin was slow and so damn charming she wanted to slap it right off his face. “One word, Jessie Ann. Yes. And I’ll take you inside.”

“That’s blackmail.”

“That’s an ugly word. I prefer extortion.”

She couldn’t even feel her toes. The thought of walking around the entire goddamn building to get back inside made her cringe. Especially in these stupid shoes. Never again would Phil get her in shoes like these.

“I’ll never forgive you for this.”

“Doesn’t sound like a yes to me.”

“Fine. Yes.”

Smitty immediately took off his jacket and put it around her shoulders. It smelled like him, and she kind of wanted to growl and rub it all over her body.

He walked her back to the door, and as he opened it May nearly tumbled out since she had her hand wrapped around the inside handle.

“Jess! There you are. We’ve been lookin’ everywhere for you, girl.”

“I had to take a call,” she growled.

May looked between her and Smitty. “All right,” she said before scampering away like the weak-willed mutt she was.