“Not really.” She slowly circled the large stone pavilion at the center of the garden till she met back up with Reese. “Are you?”

“No,” he said. “I was thinking that if you don’t mind walking a little farther, I could show you the lake.”

“That sounds lovely,” she said, wistful. “But I fear it’s too dark for us to see anything properly.”

“Why don’t we give it a try?” he suggested. “If it’s too dark, we’ll head back to the house.”

“I suppose it can’t hurt,” Sophie said, shrugging her slender shoulders. “And an evening walk might be just the thing to induce sleepiness.”

“If you say so.” He shot her a smile. Wished he could take her hand and hold it all the way to the lake.

It would have been completely natural for him to do so, and lately it was becoming more difficult to stop himself from reaching for her. Somehow, he knew that her skin would be soft and warm and that the pressure of her palm against his would be just right.

The more he’d come to know Sophie, the more he craved her touch. Thought about it day and night—while he worked in the garden and while he lay in his bed.

And he wanted to do a hell of a lot more than hold her hand.

Sometimes Sophie looked at him as if she wanted to touch him too. Maybe it was wishful thinking, but every so often, her gorgeous blue eyes seemed to glow with affection … and simmer with desire.

Even so, Reese resolved that he wouldn’t be the one to cross the clear boundary she’d set. It was a matter of trust, and he suspected that the only reason she occasionally let down her guard with him was because she felt safe.

In some ways, their whole relationship depended on that trust, and he couldn’t jeopardize it, no matter how much he might wish to hold her hand.

So he settled for picking up the lantern and holding it between them as they ambled across the lawn, down the hill, and past the copse of trees where they’d spent the night last week. He led her through a wooded area, then paused just before they reached the clearing.

Sophie turned to him, expectant. “Is something wrong?”

“Not at all,” he said, grinning as he held the lantern aloft. “Follow the path, right between those two trees—and then you’ll see the lake.”

Sophie looked down at the dirt path, taking care to step over sticks and small rocks. She thought it very sweet that Reese wanted to show her the lake, but she couldn’t imagine there would be much to see, especially since there was no moonlight to speak of.