Page 92 of Bit's Bliss

“Stop this.”

His eyes opened wide at my response. “Eberly, I?—”

“No. I won’t allow you to do this. You are in no way to blame for anything that’s happened. All you’ve done since the moment I met you was care for me, care about me, in a way no one other than my parents ever has. You know me better than anyone, even them, so you also know that it’s because of you that the way I’m speaking to you right now isn’t something I would’ve been able to do a month ago.”

I saw a half smile. “You would’ve. Just like the day at the old winery when you told me what was what.”

“Do you mean the Stonehouse and Gardens?”

He chuckled. “Yeah, the day you renamed the place.”

“That was still because of you, Trevino. I knew then that I could trust you enough to speak my mind, something I’d rarely ever done. I knew you’d listen and not make me feel stupid for sharing my ideas.”

“I hate that you felt anyone would make you feel stupid, little dove.”

I smiled, and my eyes filled with tears.

“What?” he asked.

“I love it when you call me that. I’ve been waiting for you to since we left Hope Springs.” I wove my fingers with his. “There’s something I need from you.”

“Anything.”

“Be you, Trevino. Be the guy who tells me there will be consequences if I say something bad about myself. Be the guy I feel safe with, protected by, loved by. Stop thinking you didn’t do everything you could to save my life.”

He grinned. “And if I don’t?”

I pursed my lips and scrunched my eyes. “Then,you’llface consequences.”

“Come here,” he said, pulling me onto his lap. “I love you, little dove.”

I wriggled when I felt his hardness pressed against me. “Even when I get mad at you?”

“Especially when you do.”

I raised a brow. “Is that right?”

He reached under me and squeezed my bottom. “I’m thinking of ways I can punish you.”

My cheeks flushed, and my pussy clenched. “So am I, sir.”

28

BIT

TWO WEEKS LATER

“How’s it going?” Brix asked when he walked into the Stonehouse, as I now called it, with his wife and their baby.

“Almost ready,” I said, climbing down from the ladder where I was replacing a bulb in the strung lights. I walked over to the stroller and knelt down. “She’s gotten so big,” I said, reaching out to stroke the baby’s cheek with my fingertip.

“Reagan is going to miss her Uncle Bit,” said Addison.

“You don’t have to return to Mexico, you know.”

They’d been in town since little Reagan was born but had announced, the night before, they were leaving for their ranch in Alamos, which was adjacent to Tryst’s.

“Uh-oh, somebody’s hungry,” said Addy when the baby started to cry. She leaned up and kissed Brix’scheek. “I’m going to take her to the cottage. We’ll see you later.”