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chair. “No more. If eat too
    much, I fall asleep, and I still have to clean this place up.
    His face transformed with disbelief. “You’ve got to be joking.”
    Sneaking one last carrot off the plate, she shook her head. “No, I really do fall asleep. Right where
    I stand. Ever since I was a kid.”
    “I mean, you’ve got to be joking about cleaning this damn place.” He crossed his arms over his
    chest. “It’s after midnight and you’re ready to fall on your ass.”
    “Anyone ever tell you that you’ve got a way with words?”
    He sighed loudly. Julie watched in curiosity as a battle took place on his face. As if he wanted to
    wash his hands of the whole situation, but couldn’t bring himself to do it. How odd . “No.”
    She straightened. “ No? ”
    “Someone else is going to clean this shit up. And it ain’t you.” Reed took her hand and pulled Julie
    to her feet. “Come on. We’re going for a walk. I’m tired of being cooped up indoors.”
    “Why do you have to drag me along with you?”
    “If I leave you here, you’ll clean,” he explained, then came to a stop, glancing down at her feet.
    “You bring some decent sneakers along, or just those medieval torture devices disguised as shoes?”
    Chapter Eight
    Julie followed Reed on the dark path leading up the side of the mountain. He’d brought a flashlight
    with him, but so far it had proved unnecessary¸ the full moon providing more than enough illumination
    to see where they walked through the trees. He’d run this path that very morning and had memorized it
    easily. He knew exactly where he wanted to take her. Did she know what his intentions were? He’d
    made no secret about wanting her. The possibility that she’d come with him in the middle of the night,
    hoping for the same outcome, heated his blood.
    He cast a look over his shoulder, sighing inwardly when he glimpsed her expression. Too bad she
    looked scared half to death. She might want him, but the situation clearly made her more than a little
    nervous. Hell, he obviously made her a little nervous. Not a good thing. And entirely his fault. He’d
    never been one to hold back in the bedroom, physically or verbally, but he’d laid it on extra thick
    with Julie, playing a game of “shock the snooty rich girl.” To show her that he was nothing like the
    old-money, loafer-wearing pretty boys he suspected she usually dated.
    Now it had backfired. After all the ways he’d provoked and taunted her, she’d placed her trust in
    him and gone out with him into the woods, the expectation being that they would finally slake this
    insane attraction between them. Only now it didn’t feel right. He didn’t want her nervous or
    questioning her judgment. He wanted her to feel…confident in him. Instead, she appeared seconds
    from turning tail and booking it back to the resort. It bothered him. A lot more than it should.
    Hell. It wasn’t going to happen between them tonight.
    Reed practically growled into the darkness. When the hell had he ever cared about being noble?
    She was a big girl, capable of making her own decisions. Yet he suspected if they slept together
    tonight, she would regret it in the morning. They barely knew each other. Their only association so far
    had been him making passes at her at every opportunity and arguing. She’d wake up tomorrow, a little
    sore and a lot sorry. For some reason, he couldn’t stand the thought of it. Gratification tonight
    wouldn’t be worth having her look back on him with regret. As the stranger she’d had a hot, sweaty
    one-night stand with, the one who had nothing in common with her. She would feel cheap and she
    would associate that feeling with him. No. He couldn’t do it.
    Decision made, he figured it wouldn’t hurt to find out just a little more about her. They might part
    ways at the end of the week, but small talk had never actually killed anyone, right? Besides, he’d been
    curious about something since he first laid eyes on