“Sure thing.” I was halfway back to the bar before I realized that table six was the group of hot guys Darlene wanted to foist on me. I groaned but filled pint glasses and placed them on a tray before heading for the table in the back corner. I studied the men as I approached. Definitely tourists. Wealthy, from the looks of things. Collared shirts and sweaters that probably cost more than I made in a night here. Darlene was right, they were good-looking, but they weren’t my type.

I unloaded the glasses, one at a time, onto the table. “Here you go, boys. Need anything else? Something to eat?” The last thing I needed was them getting shitfaced and making a scene.

A guy with sandy-blond hair and blue eyes gave me a grin. It was a smile I knew he’d used on countless women before. One that probably got him what he wanted nine times out of ten. But all I could think was that his eyes weren’t quite blue enough, and his hair was too blond. “We could actually use some tips from a local.”

I put on my polite hostess mask. “Sure, what are you looking for?”

Blondie leaned back in his chair. “Good restaurants. Places to hike. Anything that we shouldn’t miss.”

I tucked the tray under my arm. “The Mad Baker is my favorite breakfast spot. The General Store has great sandwiches, and they can pack you lunches for day hikes. I’d check out the trails around the bluff and maybe do a kayaking trip for some whale watching.”

“Sounds like there’s a lot of great stuff to do around here.”

“There is. The General Store has tons of brochures for more activities, too.”

“Thanks.” The guy gave me another of those flirty smiles. “Want to take that kayak trip with us?”

Before I could open my mouth to politely decline, a heavy hand landed on my shoulder and sent shivers down my arm. “Excuse me, gentlemen. I need to steal Bell away.”

Ford steered me away from the table and back towards the hallway. I was so stunned by his move that I didn’t even fight him. But when we hit the hall, I shrugged out of his hold. “What the hell, Ford?”

His expression was relaxed, but the set of his shoulders gave him away. “I didn’t like the way those guys were looking at you.”

My mouth opened and closed like a fish on a line. “You didn’t like the way they were looking at me?”

“No.” The statement came out on a growl. “It—it was like they were undressing you with their eyes.” He could barely get the words out, as if the idea were appalling to him. He might not want me, but some men did.