Page 105 of Lowering His Guard

But no longer. Now, I have Brock. The man I trust.

The man I’m lying to.

I blow out a breath. I need to tell him the truth. I can’t keep my secret to myself any longer. No matter how much I want to. I want to enjoy the big grump for a few more weeks until he leaves Smuggler’s Hideaway.

Who am I kidding? I want to enjoy him for the rest of my life. But I can’t. Not without telling him the truth.

Brock squeezes my hip. “What are you thinking about so hard?”

“Whether mermaids and seals get along. They’re not natural enemies.”

He grunts. “Pint-sized.”

I roll around to face him. He’s adorable in the morning. His hair is a mess, and there’s a day’s growth on his beard. I reach up to scratch my fingernails along his jaw.

He captures my wrist. “What’s wrong?”

“Why would anything be wrong?”

“You’re not talking faster than Tanner can run.”

“Tanner can run awful fast. No one can talk faster than him.”

He squeezes my wrist. “Stop avoiding the question.”

“What was the question again?”

He tickles my ribs and I bat his hands away. “Stop. Stop. I’ll tell you.”

But I don’t. I stare into his blue eyes – blue eyes I wish our children could have – I can’t speak. The words don’t come. For the first time in my life, I’m left speechless.

Brock grunts. “Fine. I’ll tease it out of you.”

“Tease it out of me? What do you—”

I yelp when he rolls me onto my back. He looms over me before crawling backward until his mouth is at the same level as my core. I open my legs in invitation.

“No coming until you tell me what’s bothering you.”

“You’re mean,” I pout.

“Determined,” he grumbles before spreading me open with his thumbs and latching onto my clit. I moan as I arch off of the bed.

“No coming,” he repeats.

I want to complain. I want to argue. I want to do anything but tell him the truth. But I can’t concentrate. I can’t think clearly. Not with his tongue doing wicked things to me.

He teases my opening with a finger. “Ready to tell me?”

“No,” I groan as he sinks his finger inside me. He pumps in and out as his tongue circles my clit over and over again.

I groan. I’m nearly there. So close.

Brock freezes. His finger and mouth disappear as he kneels in front of me.

“Tell me,” he orders.

“I’m afraid,” I admit.