He dropped down on top of her. He captured her mouth in a slow, simmering kiss before leisurely rolling off. When he turned to her, emotions gathered in a knot in her stomach. She swallowed, loving the way he looked at her, wanted her.

“Jess,” he whispered, a warm palm cupping her cheek. “I knew it would be good, baby. But it was even better than good.”

“Yeah, I know,” she murmured, contentment coursing through her veins as she snuggled closer.

“I never lost it so fast before,” he said.

She reached out and touched him, marching her fingers over his chest. He was such a giving lover, putting her needs first and taking her to places she’d only ever dreamed about.

Sexy and rumpled, with a grin that made him look boyish, he touched her hair, pushing it from her face. “I love the way you opened up tonight.”

“You’re a man of many talents,” she said, giving a lazy, catlike stretch. But she couldn’t get too comfortable. She had to remind herself this was temporary. While they were good—great—together in the bedroom, it certainly didn’t mean they’d make great life partners. Even if he was serious about wanting more, which she still doubted, there was a lot more to relationships than good sex, and she wanted a man who would put his family first.

“Come on,” he said, slipping off the side of the bed.

“Where we going?” she asked.

“Back to the ranch. I have to check on Eleanor.” He gave her a grin full of mischief and promise. “Then there are so many more things I’m going to do with you.”

After returning to the ranch, Mac walked Jess to her room so she could get changed and he made her promise to meet him at the saloon later. He stood outside her bedroom door long after she’d closed it, and listened to her move around inside as his mind went over everything that had just happened. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Totally blown away by Jess and the things they did at Wranglers. Jesus, he knew sex between them would be good, but it was even better than he expected. So much better, in fact, it scared him a little, even though he wanted more from her. He ran a shaky hand through his hair and forced himself to push away from her door and make his way outside to the barn.

Twenty minutes later, after checking on his mare, Mac left the barn in time to see Jess exit the lodge and head toward the saloon. Loud country music spilled from the open windows, and as she approached the door, he hurried his steps to get there first.

He felt a shudder move through her body when he put his mouth close to her ear and whispered, “Allow me, ma’am.”

He pulled the door open and settled his hand on the small of her back as he led her inside. When she saw a stage set up near the bar, she turned to Mac. “What’s going on?”

“Karaoke night,” he explained.

She shook her head. “I’m not going up there.”

Ignoring her protest, he said, “Come on, let’s have a drink.”

He guided her to a table in the corner, and when Tamara the waitress came by, Mac put their order in. Jess grinned as she listened to one of the guests massacre a song, and when the crowd broke out in laughter, his heart tightened, loving the way her smile lit up her pretty face.

After their drinks arrived, he shifted closer. His worries that things were moving too fast for her—hell, for him—disappeared as she leaned into him. He pulled her in tight, reveling in the new comfort between them. They watched guest after guest take the stage, and after she finished her drink, he knew it was their turn. He climbed to his feet and dragged her with him.

“No way,” she said.

He put his mouth close to her ear. “My rules, my way,” he reminded her. Then he softened his voice and added, “And don’t worry, I’m coming with you.”

Her dark eyes met his, and he smiled at her, encouraging her to break out of her shell and try something new. They exchanged a long, thoughtful look.

She drew a breath and let it out slowly. “Okay,” she said with a hint of nervousness edging her voice.

He took her to the stage, and she hung back a bit as he looked through the music. Once he found a song from their high school days, he grabbed a microphone for himself and handed her one.

Mac started singing first, so out of tune the crowd started booing him. He turned to find Jess grinning, and he shot her a pleading look. “I need help here,” he said.

She shook her head at him, put the microphone to her lips, and began singing along quietly. When the patrons heard her voice, they all began clapping. She grinned, and her voice grew a little stronger. Mac slipped his arm around her waist, holding her to him as they belted out the lyrics.

Halfway through the song, Jess messed up the words, and shot him an embarrassed look. Mac waved his hands toward the crowd, gesturing for them to shout encouraging words. They clapped, and even though heat stained her cheeks, she smiled with them, and then quickly picked up where she left off.

He listened to her sing, her beautiful angel voice so pleasing to the patrons. He felt a tightness in his chest, right around the vicinity of his heart. Of course, he’d known all along that she could carry a tune, having caught her singing in the music room after all the other students had left. She was normally shy and hated putting herself in the spotlight, which was why he’d brought her here tonight. She’d opened herself up to him in the bedroom, and now he wanted her to open herself up outside of it.

When the song ended, she was ready to pass the microphone off to the two women waiting their turn—the two petite Barbie-doll blondes who’d been with Blake earlier—but the crowd clapped, demanding more. Jess blinked up at him, her nose crinkling in the cutest way. “What do I do?”

“How about one more?” he whispered. “They love you.” Damned if he could blame them.

“Okay,” she agreed, and he was certain he saw pleasure backlighting her eyes.

He picked another song.

As they belted out the lyrics once again, he noticed the small sway to her hip. As he watched her open up, actually enjoy herself, his heart swelled with pride.

When they finished and the two women took to the stage, they both handed off their microphones. Mac pulled her in close and asked, “Want to get out of here?”

She nodded, and he led her outside.

He nudged her and said, “You did good.”

She smiled at him and teased, “I wish I could say the same for you.”

He laughed and whacked her ass. “Hey!”

After she laughed, she went quiet and said, “Actually, I can’t believe I did that, but it was kind of fun.”

“You should let loose more often.”

“Maybe I will.” she said.

The chorus of birds pulled Jess from her slumber. She opened her eyes and blinked against the early-morning light spilling in through the slit in the curtains. Shifting on the comfy mattress, she stretched out her limbs, and when her hand connected with hard, warm flesh, every delicious memory from last night came rushing back, and not just sexual ones. Her body ached in the most intimate places, but it was the pounding of her heart that really caught her attention.

She rolled onto her side and couldn’t help but smile as she perused him. Flat out on his back with his arms above his head, he slept quietly. While she wanted to wake him, to touch his hard body all over again and feel him inside her, she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Not when he looked so relaxed and peaceful. Besides, after all the things they’d done together last night, from the club, to the singing, he deserved a little rest.

She slipped from the bed and without bothering to dress, quietly walked to the window. Off in the distance, she spotted someone swimming in the lake and wondered who else would be up at such an early time of morning. Padding softly to the bathroom, she brushed her teeth and washed up, anxious to get outside and do her morning stretches before the other guests surfaced.