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The NFL’s grumpiest single dad has met his match. And she comes with sunshine, surfboards, and absolutely no respect for his scowl.
I have a simple philosophy in life: ride the waves, soak up the sunshine, and never turn down an opportunity for a little trouble.
Brock Porter clearly does not share my philosophy.
The grumpy NFL star is on Smuggler’s Hideaway for training camp with his teenage son and enough scowls to frighten away every mermaid in the Atlantic. When his son joins one of my surfing courses, Brock decides that means he needs to supervise.
I should find his hovering annoying. Instead, I find myself wanting to discover exactly what it takes to make the grumpy giant smile. What makes his blue eyes sparkle. How it would feel to have those strong arms hold me.
But Brock is only on the island for training camp. Getting attached to him – or his son – is asking for trouble.
Too bad I’ve never been very good at staying out of trouble.
And Brock Porter might be my favorite kind yet.
Lowering His Guard is a spicy small-town sports romance featuring grumpy/sunshine, a protective single dad, football chaos, meddling teammates, a pint-sized surfer who refuses to be intimidated by a scowl, and an NFL star who never stood a chance once a surfer started breaking through his defenses.
Training camp brings all the Steel City Seals to Smuggler’s Hideaway at once, which means overlapping timelines, familiar faces, and football-player chaos. Read in any order.
“Do you want to put your bikini top back on?”
I wrinkle my nose. “I guess I should.” I grab the hem of my t-shirt.
“What are you doing?” Brock shouts.
“Duh. I can’t hardly put my bikini top on while I’m wearing a t-shirt. I can remove it with the t-shirt on no problem but the other way around? Kind of impossible.”
“Aren’t there changing rooms?”
“Changing rooms are for prudes who don’t enjoy surfing topless.”
“You…” He swallows. “You surf topless?”
“Not anymore. Hudson put a kibosh on it. He’s such a rule maker.” I shake my bikini top at him. “Can I put this on or are you going to scream again?”
He growls. “I don’t scream.”
I grasp the hem of my t-shirt again but he shackles my wrists before I can whip it off. “Jace could see you.”
My shoulders fall. “Shit. Hadn’t thought of that. Stand in front of me. You’re a brick wall. No one can see me if you’re standing in front of me.”
He whirls around and crosses his arms in front of his chest. “Go ahead. No one’s coming.”
“Bummer. I thought you’d be looking at me while I changed.”
“Finished,” I announced once my top is on.
Brock glances over his shoulder. His eyes widen when he notices I’m wearing a bikini top without a t-shirt. I admit. It’s a tiny bikini top I wouldn’t usually wear in front of my students but today’s laundry day.
Heat flares in his blue eyes. I wait for him to make a move. Please make a move.
“Dad! Dad!” Jace yells. “Where are you?”
“Later.” Brock marches off without a backward glance. How disappointing.
