Now he was back, holding her close as they danced, the feel of his hard body as thrilling as it had been that night she slipped into his bed. But what, she wondered, did she want to do about it?

Better sense told her to steer clear of this man. But all of a sudden, she was tired of better sense.

Excitement and determination ticked to life at the realization of just what she planned to do.

An hour and a half later, Jesse rolled down the long drive to the back of the house. As soon as he braked and put the Jeep in gear, Gwen Randolph leaned across the console and kissed him.

"Mmmm," the blonde murmured. "I've missed you. I hope you're not angry that I followed you to Texas."

"I haven't been here a week."

"A single day is a long time away from you. Besides, what was I to do when you weren't answering your messages? I called your dad and he didn't have a clue where you were. You haven't even returned Hal's calls, you naughty boy. I can't believe you're avoiding me, your father, and your golf coach when you have the PGA coming up. I have all sorts of media scheduled for you. Everyone is dying to talk to you about your heroics. I decided it was only good business to fly out here and tell you myself."

Hell, who would have known that being a hero would be so hard?

The fact was, he wasn't a hero. He had done what he had to do. When the woman collapsed in front of him, he had revived her instead of standing there and watching her die. Hard to think of that as heroic-just necessary. And the last thing he wanted was to talk about it. Which was exactly why he had driven halfway across the country and was avoiding his publicist's calls.

"Gwen, I've already said I'm not interested in interviews right now."

He pressed back against the leather seat, and she must have sensed that she had overstepped her boundaries. She cooed and stroked his jaw. "I'm sorry, baby. Let Gwen make it better."

Leaning closer, she put one delicate finger on his chin and turned him toward her. The long French-manicured nail trailed low as she kissed him with an expertise that was matched only by her ability to get his photograph in every major print publication in the United States and Europe. Gwen Randolph had single-handedly turned Jesse from an up-and-coming golfer in a sport that wasn't all that popular, to a media star. And it was that status that had gotten the top agents in the country interested in representing him. This despite the fact that while he had won plenty of tournaments, he had never brought home a single one of the majors' trophies.

So he owed Gwen. He knew it. But more and more, the casual affair they had started had become less

and less casual, and he wasn't interested in being serious with any woman.

He started to set Gwen back, but before he could, her hand slid down his chest and then lower until she cupped him. Instantly, he hardened, his breath sucked in.

"See, Gwen knows how to make her Jesse happy."

His body came to life, and the fact was he didn't want to think tonight, not about golf or the mounting pressure for him to win the PGA Championship.

Which is why he gave in when Gwen's hand slid expertly against him. "Let's go inside," he stated gruffly.

Helping her out of the SUV, he led her into the cottage. At the door, she kissed him again-hot and wet,

intense- making it easy to lose himself to the feel. But when they pushed inside, instantly the hairs on the nape of his neck rose.

Gwen glanced around, taking in the small space. "How quaint," she said, her voice filled with invitation.

He didn't respond. His eyes narrowed. But then Gwen kissed him one more time, her hands going to just the right places.

"Where can I change?"

He pointed to the bathroom door that stood adjacent to the bedroom. She took her small overnight suitcase, blew him a kiss, then disappeared.

The light burned low in the tiny galley kitchen. The ruffled drapes were pulled closed over the window.

He didn't remember leaving the light on or closing the curtains. And just when his mind assimilated the

small pot of tea and two cups sitting on the table, someone said, "Surprise."

Jesse whirled around and found Katie standing in the bedroom doorway. She wore a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, her dark curls pulled up in a ponytail. Her pearl white teeth sank nervously into her lower lip, and she held a photo album close to her chest. She looked beautiful in an ethereal way.

Katie. Little Katie Bloom.

Time seemed to stand still, his thoughts momentarily frozen by the sight of her.

"I brought you some tea," she said, a wry, nervous smile tugging at her full lips. "And I pulled out some

old pictures that I keep stored in the chest by the bed in there. I haven't looked at them in ages. I thought

it might be fun."

The world faded away as he stared at her, his gaze traveling along her body, taking her in. Even wearing shorts and a T-shirt she looked amazing and wonderful- innocent and pure-everything that he wasn't.

Everything a woman like Gwen was not.

Gwen. Hell.

Katie's lips parted and she walked toward him. She opened the album and extended it. But just when she started to point out a picture of him dressed as Superman when he was nine, he snapped the book shut. "You've got to go."

"Go? But I thought we could talk and look at photos ... maybe even dance one more dance."

"You and me?"

"Well." Embarrassment seared through her. "I just thought... at Bobby's Place ..."

"Hell."

But then something clattered beyond the closed bathroom door. Kate stood very still as she tried to understand the expression on Jesse's face, not to mention the noise coming from the bathroom.

"What was that?"

"Really, Katie," he said with determined command, "you need to leave."

She was barely aware of Jesse taking her arm. But before he could escort her to the door, a woman appeared.

"Tada! What do you think?"

Kate's mind ground to a jarring, stomach-churning halt. She staggered back a few steps and would have staggered farther if Jesse hadn't been holding her arm. A woman she had never seen before stood in the

doorway, the light behind her making it clear that underneath the sheer excuse for a nightgown she wasn't wearing a thing.

The woman was all but naked!

Kate gasped.

"Who are you?" the women demanded in unison. Then they turned to the only man in the room.

He dropped Kate's arm and gave a world-weary sigh. "Katie, this is Gwen, my publicist. Gwen, this is

Katie, my ... ah, host?"

"Jesse, how could you?" both women demanded.

"Me?" he asked, practically choking on the word. "I didn't invite either one of you here. I was minding my

own business, then you"-he pointed at Kate-"show up and want to serve me tea."

Kate's mouth dropped open. Gwen smirked.

Jesse focused on the publicist. "While you fly into town without so much as a word to me and want to

serve me ... yourself."

This time it was Gwen's mouth that dropped open.

Kate was mortified, though mostly because she wondered how she could have thought that a cup of

hot tea and a walk down memory lane would in any way compare to the naked likes of women such

as this ... this ... other woman.

She had offered him tea!

Kate wondered dismally if she could be any more of an embarrassment to the female race.

Turning on her flowered Keds, she started to leave.

"Ah, hell." Jesse plowed his hands through his hair. "I had no right to say that to either one of you."

She kept going.

"Katie, wait. I'm sorry. Bringing tea was very . . . thoughtful. I didn't mean-"

Thankfully, he cut himself off. She didn't need him adding anything else to the already insultingly

embarrassing situation. She was thoughtful, not sexy. Sweet, not enticing.

She made it to the door without a word, since there was nothing to say other than to ask him when he

was leaving El Paso. Preferably sooner rather than later, and if he needed assistance packing, she'd happily help. Clutching the photo album to her chest like a shield, she left the cottage with as much dignity as she could muster. Then she headed into the dark, crossed the yard, and had to force herself past the swimming pool without throwing herself in.

To: Katherine Bloom Chloe Sinclair From: Julia Boudreaux Subject: Truth to tell Good Saturday morning, girls. So, Kate, is it true that Jesse showed up at Bobby's Place after I left? Did you really dance with him?

xo, j To: Julia Boudreaux Katherine Bloom From: Chloe Sinclair Subject: Urban cowgirl She danced with him. Twice. Fortunately that's all she did. Chloe p.s. Since I am at the office, and I can see neither of you are here, I'm glad to know that providing home access to the office e-mail system isn't going to waste.

To: Chloe Sinclair Julia Boudreaux From: Katherine Bloom Subject: Technicality Does trying to seduce him count as doing more?

Dismally yours, Kate Katherine C. Bloom News Anchor, KTEX TV West Texas To: Katherine Bloom Chloe Sinclair From: Julia Boudreaux Subject: Good Lord What have you done now? You seduced him? How? Were you naked in his bed? Naked in the shower? Naked with flowers? Regardless, any sort of seduction with that man is a mistake.

xo, j To: Katherine Bloom Julia Boudreaux From: Chloe Sinclair Subject: No!