Seal It With A Kiss (McClellan Trilogy) by Judy Hagemann

going back. When it ends, and it will end—I will be the one to get transferred, I will be the one to have to uproot and leave. Not you. Not that long ago, I was in a relationship—hell I was engaged to be married and that all crashed and burned. I don’t know if I am even ready for another relationship. Relationships drain you—they suck the life right out of you.”
    “What the hell did he do to you?” Brock asked with concern in his voice.
    “What makes you ask that?” She defended.
    “Oh, he did something all right. Did you not just hear yourself?”
    A tear formed at the corner of her eye and Brock instinctively reached up and brushed it away with his thumb. She shook her head no. Brock led her to the bed and made her sit down with him while he held her hand. “Tell me what he did.”
    “I came home early to surprise him, but it was me who received the surprise. I found him in bed with my then best friend. I guess it had been going on for quite some time. Right under my nose! I am a fucking detective and I didn’t see that one coming. I think I am in the wrong line of work honestly.”
    Brock reached up to brush away another tear and his hand lingered on her face. “You are beating yourself up over nothing.”
    Fire shot out of her eyes as she jumped off the bed. “Fuck you.”
    “I could only hope that is where this ends.”
    Holly leaned down grabbing her shoes and headed for the door. Before she could get there, Brock had grabbed her from behind holding her arms to her side. “Let go of me!”
    “No, not until I explain.”
    “You have a lot of nerve asshole.” She shouted.
    “Good! Get pissed off, but make sure you are pissed off at the right guy.”
    “You’re the only one I see in this room.” She said looking around.
    “Not the way I see it at all. This ex of yours is here too, you can’t get past what he did to you and you’re blaming me for being a guy.” He said as he pressed her up against the wall with his body. “Yes, I am a guy, and I think that you are the sexiest woman I have ever met in my entire life. You can’t group us all together into one neat little package and classify all of us as losers. I have never, and I stress, never cheated on anyone. I don’t believe in it, I don’t condone it, and I sure the hell don’t do it. When I told you that you were beating yourself up over nothing, I was referring to your fucking ex—he’s nothing. I can appreciate that you were hurt and angry with what he did, but you shouldn’t waste one more minute thinking about the asshole.”
    “I wasn’t—and I don’t.” She defended.
    “What?”
    “I wasn’t upset when I walked in. I was more relieved than anything. I have written both of them off as mistakes in my life.”
    “Then why can’t you give me— us a chance?” Brock asked quietly.
    “You don’t know how badly I want to, but relationships just don’t work out for me. They never have.”
    “Fine.” He relented.
    “Fine? You are going to drop it? Just like that?” Holly asked.
    “No. That is not where I was going at all.”
    “Then what the hell are you talking about?”
    “You don’t want a relationship—I do, but I will settle.”
    “Settle for what?” She asked, confusion written all over her face.
    “The only solution that I see to this whole situation is to become friends with benefits. It’s a win/win situation. We both get to have great sex, there are no expectations that are normally unspoken when in a relationship, and best of all, there are no breakups. You seem to have a hang up with breakups, so this is the perfect solution!”
    “You have lost your ever loving mind.” Holly concluded.
    “Have I? Here is a sample of what you would be experiencing if you agree. Now close your eyes and just feel.” Brock pulled both of Holly’s hands over her head and pinned them to the wall with one hand while his erection pressed into her backside.
    She could feel his warm breath before she felt his