I couldn’t stop laughing. “I’m never going to be able to look at that desk the same way again.”

38

FORD

I knocked on the guest room door. “You ready?” There was some grumbling from inside, and I had to clench my teeth to keep from laughing.

“I really don’t think this is necessary,” Bell called through the door.

“I think it’s plenty necessary.” Proving to Bell that I wanted a real relationship with her was not going to be an easy task. Words weren’t going to cut it. Because even though I’d told her I was planning to stay on Anchor, I could still see the shadows of doubt in her eyes. She needed my actions. I wanted to show her that I wasn’t hiding from anyone’s judgment. And I wanted all of Anchor to know that she was mine. No more locals sniffing around her at the bar and making me want to bash their heads in. I wanted the world to see that she was taken.

The door swung open. “We left Caelyn and Darlene with a full house at the bar.”

I wanted to say something about the fact that Hunter was going to be helping them out, but I couldn’t seem to form words. Bell was absolutely breathtaking. She wore a simple black dress that must’ve been made out of magic material because it hugged every valley and curve. Layered necklaces dipped in and out of her cleavage, and her blond hair hung in waves around her face. My gaze kept traveling up and down her body, trying to take it all in, but it was the cowboy boots that almost did me in. All I could imagine was Bell in nothing but those boots.

“Ford? Ford, are you okay?”

I started at the sound of worry in Bell’s voice and shook my head, grinning. “I’m pretty sure you just pickled my brain.”

She quirked a brow. “Pickled your brain?”

“Trouble…” I slid an arm around her waist, pulling her against me. “You look…incredible.”

That adorable pink hit her cheeks. “Thank you. You clean up pretty good yourself.”

I took her mouth in a slow, lazy kiss. “Come on, let’s get out of here before I carry you to the bed and forget all about dinner.”

Bell nibbled on her bottom lip. “I could get behind that idea.”

“Nope. I am taking you on a proper date. Tonight.”

“Oh, fine,” Bell grumbled.

I chuckled. “Only you would complain about me taking you on a date.” I led her down the hall and out towards my SUV.

“I don’t need all that fancy wining and dining.”