Page 17 of #Resort Love (Lakeview Harbor #1)

“I’m sure they’ll appreciate that.” They walked along and when they came to Walker’s cabin, Harlow had a moment of panic. Was this smart? Should she be pursuing anything with the man who essentially killed her dream?

Oh.

Oh, that thought hit like a ton of bricks.

It was one thing to have a one-night stand with a guy she would never see again—which was her theory on Friday night. However, it was another to have a second experience with the guy who single-handedly ruined any hopes of her achieving her biggest dream of getting out of Harbortown.

Crap.

Crap, crap, crap!

Carefully, Harlow pulled her hand from his just as he stepped up onto the porch. He turned and looked at her, and she wished she hadn’t acted impulsively.

Again.

It was crazy how attractive he was and how much she truly wanted to go inside with him. Maybe it wasn’t smart and maybe it was wrong, but clearly making good decisions wasn’t her strong suit, so…

“Everything okay?” he asked, and she heard a hint of vulnerability in that masculine voice.

Nodding, she smiled. “Everything’s fine. I figured you needed your hand to unlock the door.”

“Oh. Good.” And yeah, his shoulders sagged with relief. He turned his back to her and even in the dim lighting, she admired his physique. He looked amazing when he was all sweaty in jeans and a T-shirt, and he looked even better in snug trousers and a button-down shirt.

And I already know he looks even better out of them…

Oh God. She was a goner.

The door opened and light spilled out onto the porch as Walker turned and held his hand out to her. This was it. This was the defining moment; was she going to stay or go or…

She put her hand in his and climbed the step onto the porch and let him lead her inside.

“It still needs a lot of work,” he said, closing the door behind them. “I thought about painting, but overall, the cabin needs so much work that it seemed like putting a bandage on a leak, you know?”

Overall, it was a little dingy, but it was clean, and the furniture was new, so it wasn’t terrible.

“I bet this is a big change from the resort suites you live in, huh?” she teased.

“Oh, absolutely.”

They stared at each other and Harlow could feel her heart racing and wondered if Walker’s was doing the same.

It was crazy to be nervous, but there was still a chance that this was all one-sided on her part and she was the only one thinking sexy thoughts.

Like…maybe he just genuinely wanted to show off the cabin or…

hell, maybe he was even a little uncomfortable staying on the property all by himself.

She knew she would if she were in his shoes.

“At least you bought a new bed and pillows and whatnot. It would probably be kind of awful to have to stay here and have it be the same stuff that had been sitting here for the last six months. Or…sixty years,” she added with a laugh.

“That never would have happened. I wouldn’t have allowed it.

I know we both acknowledged over dinner that I’m a bit of a snob, so I never would have been able to sleep on an old, cheap mattress or scratchy sheets.

Staying at the Lakeview Inn was bad enough.

I don’t think they’ve updated any of their bedding in around twenty years. ”

Her mind immediately went to exactly how Walker looked sprawled out in bed, wearing nothing but a sheet.

“They probably haven’t,” she forced herself to say, her throat suddenly going dry. “I don’t think they stay busy year-round, but maybe if they did some improvements, people would want to stay there. I imagine you don’t get a lot of return business if the beds aren’t comfortable.”

“Very true,” he murmured, and maybe it was her imagination, but he was suddenly…

closer. “Last year I convinced corporate to replace all the beds in each of the hotels. I had gone on vacation with my family to Hawaii, and the place we stayed in had the most amazing beds. Like…the best I had ever slept in. So, we tested them in a few of our VIP suites and the guests loved them.” He nodded toward the bedroom. “And that’s what I had sent here.”

Harlow felt her eyes go wide. If the mattresses were fit for VIP suites at deluxe resorts, they probably cost a fortune! And he put one in this outdated, dingy cabin?

Pfft…snob.

Ugh…why am I like this? Forget about the snob and focus on how freaking sexy he is! No, wait! Wrong order! Focus on the snobbery and stop thinking about Walker and beds and sex!

Which was almost impossible to do. The man oozed sex appeal and it didn’t matter how wrong this was and how much she shouldn’t want it. The fact was, she did. Badly. Hell, she was practically obsessed with the thought of having sex with Walker again.

“Harlow?”

“Hmm?”

The grin he gave her was so damn sexy it should have been illegal. “I asked if I could get you something to drink.”

She stared up at him and came to a decision: she wasn’t going to wait for him to make a move. Life was too short, she had nothing to lose, and he was far too tempting.

“No,” she said, boldly pressing her body up against his. “I don’t want a drink, Walker.”

She knew instantly that he was completely on board with where this was going; his grip on her waist tightened and his gaze darkened.

“What do you want?” he murmured gruffly, even as he began to lower his head toward hers.

She quickly shrugged her blazer off and tossed it on the sofa before grinning up at him.

“This.” Reaching up, Harlow curled her hand around his nape and dragged him down to close the distance between them. But he stopped her just before she could press her lips to his.

Shit.

I totally misread the situation.