“Here I come!” I take one last look in the mirror, resisting the urge to wipe off the dark red lipstick and put on my clear gloss instead, before turning off the light and grabbing my purse. “Hey!” I pull open the door and get my first look at Quinton and man, it’s like he gets better looking every single day.

I think I do a pretty good job not staring at how handsome he looks in his plaid button-up and puffy vest, a combination I didn’t even know worked for me until this very moment. His beard is still on his face, but I can tell he’s been to the barber recently because it’s lined up so well that I swear it just creates a bull’s-eye around his full lips. It’s all very lumberjack in a way that makes my insides quiver.

“You look gorgeous.” He leans in and drops a quick kiss on my red painted lips, his facial hair tickling against my face and making my mind drift to places it shouldn’t . . . like what that beard would feel like against the inside of my thighs.

“Thank you,” I say, hoping he’ll think the blush in my cheeks is from the cold wind blowing around us. “You look very handsome as well. Very outdoorsy.”

“I figured it was fitting for what I have planned today.” He pulls a hand out of his pocket and wraps it around mine. It’s such an innocent, sweet gesture that it makes my heart feel like it’s going to explode.

“Outdoors?” I look at the deceptively cloudless sky and the bright Colorado sun. Sure it looks beautiful, but it’s freezing outside. And I might not do heat, but I definitely do not do the cold. Plus, I brought my cute jacket, not my warm one. I’m not prepared for outdoors. “Isn’t it a little cold for that?”

“Ouch, Elliot!” He brings his free hand to his chest and holds it over his heart. “You already don’t trust me?”

“You’re such a dork.” I lean into him, shoving him with my shoulder. “Fine, I’ll give.”

“Good, because I think you’re going to love it.”

I look up at his wide smile and shining dark brown eyes and can’t help but agree. “I’m sure I will.”

He unlocks the doors to his fancy-ass BMW as soon as we approach. The dark blue paint glitters beneath the sun and I’m pretty sure he just got it washed, a mistake only a person new to Colorado would make. A native understands that you just give up hope of having a clean car until at least May. Especially when the forecast is calling for snow soon.