It was true. Somehow, some way, she’d gotten Bobby Ray Smith to play tug in the snow with the remnants of their morning meal.

She gave herself another month before she’d have the snobby wolf bastard chasing his tail too.

It wasn’t until her elbow hit his ribs that he woke up.

“You’re missing the best part.”

“There’s a best part?”

Jessie sighed. “See? Once again proving my point we have nothing in common.”

“I’m sorry. I just can’t get past the ears.”

She turned off the DVD. “They’re elves. They’re supposed to have pointy ears.”

Smitty yawned and sat up straight. “There’s gotta be something we can both agree to watch.”

“Like?”

“Uh... westerns?”

“You’re kidding, right?” Jessie finger-combed her hair behind her ear. “What about a good British mystery?”

“British? Isn’t that like the elves?”

“Forget the British.”

“How about horror movies?”

“You mean like scary ones that are psychological in nature, taking you to the ultimate brink of fear?”

“Nah, I meant zombie ones.”

“Zombies?” Jessie shrugged. “I never got the zombie thing. I mean, they’re already dead. Why do they need blood?”

“Forget the zombies.” Smitty glanced at the bookshelf holding one of the Pack’s DVD collections. Floor to ceiling and three cases deep, it seemed to have every geek movie ever made. Amazing. All those movies and nothing they could agree on. On a sigh, hope gone, he mumbled, “The Godfather?”

“One, two, or three?”

“That third one doesn’t exist for me.”

Jessie turned to face him, her eyes wide in shock. “The third one doesn’t exist for me either.”

Afraid to hold out hope, Smitty asked, “Goodfellas?”

“In my top five. But anything by Scorsese or Coppolla is a must-see. If not a must-see two thousand times.” She took his hand, held it against her chest. “What about the old black and white ones? From the thirties and forties?”

“Anything with Jimmy Cagney.”

“I love Jimmy Cagney.” Her grip on his hand tightened. “We actually have something in common, Bobby Ray. I’m so happy I’m gonna cry.”

“And if we have one thing in common, I’m sure we have others.”

Jessie patted his hand. “Let’s not push it, baby.”

“Good point.”

Jess sat on the couch by the window, staring out at the snow-covered trees just outside the house. Except for the fire blazing in the fireplace, the house was dark and quiet. She’d called in earlier, made sure her Pack was okay. They were andapparently having a great time during the storm. Although Shaw had been heard muttering, “I’m so calling a zoo for those pups.”

Strong fingers stroked down the column of her neck. “You all right, darlin’?”

“I’m fine.”

Smitty sat on the other end of the couch and they stared at each other. Jess had no idea for how long, until Smitty opened his arms. “Come here, darlin’.” She did, crawling over to him and settling in between his legs, her back to his chest. He held her tight, his chin resting on her now-healed shoulder, although she had no doubt it wouldn’t be the last time he tore into it. She expected it to look like his mother’s one day.

They fell asleep like that, holding on to each other. Surprisingly early in the morning, Jess woke up to Smitty kissing her body. They enjoyed each other for hours, took a break to eat, then went back at it.

The storms had ended and they decided to have a late lunch/early dinner in town. But when Jess walked out of the bathroom in a pair of panties and nothing else, she found Smitty getting dressed.

“What’s wrong?”

“Get dressed, Jessie Ann.”

“What’s wrong?

“I figured with all the snow, Wilson’s plane out of JFK would be grounded until the storm passed, but he’d be forced to stay inside. I sent the Reed boys to watch out for him. Put your Pack and mine on alert. But he’s gone. So’s his Pack.”

She dropped to a crouch and dug into her duffle bag. “And?” She knew there was an and.

“He knows I’m with you. His momma has already got word to my daddy’s cousin.”

“Eggie?”

“Yup.”

Eggie Smith was a hardcore Smith who spent the majority of his time as wolf in the hills outside of Smithtown. The man hated everybody and everything except his mate of twenty years and being a Smith. Eggie was the one you called in when a Smith got crossed. He had no boundaries and no problem taking down anyone he deemed a threat to his family.

She felt panic slither down her spine. “I’ll be dressed in two minutes.”

“It’ll be okay, Jessie Ann. My daddy and momma are still here. We’ll talk to ’em.”

For some reason, she really didn’t think that would help.

Chapter 31

“It’s nothing personal,” Kristan said firmly. “I really just don’t like you.” She nodded. “What do you think?”

Johnny shrugged. “Seems rude.”

“You think?” She bit into her candy apple. Mr. Shaw had told them where to find the staff kitchen. And the staff at this hotel had the hookup. She couldn’t tell her mom or Jess. They’d finish off the cabinet filled with chocolates in less than thirty minutes.