Three Little Words (Fool's Gold #12)(26)

“What was your best idea?” he asked.

“What?”

“You said this wasn’t your best idea. What was?”

She turned and stared at him. He wore jeans and a T-shirt and had on mirrored sunglasses. He looked good. Better than good—he looked fit and sexy and dangerous.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she said, staring at tiny images of herself reflected in the lenses.

For her faux-relationship debut she’d gone with a blue summer dress. Simple, but with great lines, and the color matched her eyes. She’d thought about curling her hair, but that had seemed as if she was trying too hard. They were going to be walking, so she’d picked cute, flat sandals that matched the skinny belt she’d added.

“Relax,” he said with a smile. “You need to look like you’re having fun or everyone will assume I’m lousy in bed.”

She came to a stop by a booth selling lavender everything. Lotion, lip balm, infused honey. Normally she would have explored, but how could she shop with that comment hanging between them?

“What does you being good or not good in bed have to do with anything?” she asked, careful to keep her voice low.

He removed his sunglasses. She saw amusement in his eyes. “This is a new relationship. You should be riding on the high that is the thrill of being with me.”

“Seriously? This is our public debut as a couple, so according to the world, we haven’t been together very long. Why would I have slept with you so quickly? Are you saying I’m easy?”

“No,” he said and lightly brushed her lower lip with his thumb. “I’m irresistible.”

She was torn between rolling her eyes and acknowledging the faint humming that had started inside her. It was more sensation than sound. As if she were anticipating something wonderful.

“You have an inflated sense of self,” she told him.

“Sometimes.”

There were hundreds of people milling around them, live music in the park and shrieks from kids on the rides at the end of the street. Lots of noise that seemed to fade into the background as she stared into Ford’s dark eyes.

“You’re really annoying,” she said, but there wasn’t a lot of energy in her voice.

He leaned so close his lips lightly brushed her ear. “It’s not even my best quality.”

She shivered slightly and not because it was cold. What was his best quality? she wondered. And would knowing about it make things better or worse between them?

Before she could decide, Ford slipped on his glasses again and led her toward the area with all the food stands.

“Let’s get some sugar into you,” he said. “You’ll feel better.”

“Are you being sexist? Are you saying women like sugar?”

“You’re defensive this morning.”

“I know. I’m sorry. I’m nervous. What am I supposed to say when your mother walks up and asks about our relationship?”

“I’m keeping an eye out for her and will do my best to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

“Using your million-dollar SEAL training to avoid your mother? The navy would be so proud.”

He bought her a lemonade. Isabel hated to admit it, but sipping the drink did make her feel better. She could do this. She’d practically been a pretend wife to Eric. Being Ford’s pretend girlfriend couldn’t be more difficult than that.

He put his arm around her as they continued walking.

“How are the brides?” he asked.

“They’re good. I dealt with the interfering mother, talked another bride out of a pale green gown that made her skin sallow and averted a bridesmaid mutiny. All in a day’s work.”

“See, you’re impressive, too.”

His arm made her feel secure, all tucked in against him. He was just tall enough that she fit against him perfectly. She could feel the muscles of his body shifting, bunching, releasing as they walked. Eric had been in decent shape, but leaner than Ford. He had narrow shoulders and a much smaller chest.

Ford exuded power—both physical and mental. It wasn’t that he was a brainiac so much that he was determined. Mental toughness, she supposed. Something that had never been her forte.

“You know what you’re doing in the store,” he said. “You’ve been away from it for a long time. Did it all just come back?”

“Mostly. I have my grandmother to thank for that. I spent weekends with her and she was usually in the store. I learned by watching her. She was so great with the brides. She knew exactly what to say. Or not say. Sometimes she spent the whole afternoon keeping the mother-of-the-bride occupied. She kept games and toys in a box in the office in case there were younger kids.”

His hand tightened on her shoulder. “You loved her.”

“I still do. It was hard when she died.”

“I remember.”

His words surprised her. She glanced up at him. “The letters. I mentioned her passing.”

“You were sad a long time. I remember how I felt when my dad died. It was like everything changed.”

“Did me talking about my grandmother remind you of that? I didn’t mean it to.”

“No. I understood what you were going through and I hoped it would get easier.”