One Chance (Hogan Brothers 1)

She mewled against his mouth as he pulled her to him. Their bodies were flush as he ran his hands over every piece of flesh he could reach.

“Lay back, sweetheart,” he murmured in her ear. She did as he commanded. Nude, except for her little white lace panties before him. Her light hair spread across the bed like a halo, highlighting her innocence.

No matter what happened with her crazy ass family, this girl owned his heart, and he had every intention of owning hers as well.

Sophia’s body vibrated with anticipation as Lennox’s eyes roamed her naked flesh, devouring every single inch of her he could with a seductive gaze. With one simple yet scorching look, he made her melt for him.

The heat his gaze emitted as he watched her body ready for his touch made Sophia feel more in those moments than she ever had before. He played her body like a finely tuned instrument, and she loved every second of it.

“Nox?” She questioned when he still hadn’t made a move towards her.

Kneeling on the bed at her feet, his large callus-roughened hands landed on her knees. Holding her, squeezing as if he weren’t sure she was real or not.

“You’re every fantasy I’ve never had, Sophia.” His words were sincere, coming straight from his heart. She didn’t need him to tell her, his strategic movements spoke volumes. He was worshipping her every curve with barely a muscle moved.

“I’d like to be,” she replied back quietly. Her lashes hid her eyes as she watched his hands slide slowly up her thighs.

His big body leisurely covered hers, his stare locked on her eyes gauging her reaction to his every move. Bracketing his arms around her head, he was basically boxing her in. She should feel trapped, scared. What she felt instead was…cherished. Safe. With Lennox, she knew she never had anything to fear in her combustible world. There was nary a doubt that he would let anything happen to her if he could help it.

“I need you to be mine, Sophia. Every inch of your curvy little body. Every thought. Every breath. I need everything you are to belong to me.”

The intensity of his words, the reverence in his tone, it all spoke to her. “I already am.” His gaze widened at her words. “Whatever you want from me, Lennox, it’s yours.” Placing a hand over her heart, she whispered, “My shattered heart, you healed it.” Bringing her fingertips to her temple. “My broken mind, you made me believe.” Finally, touching her lips. “You made me feel, Nox.”

Both of his hands delved into her hair, cradling her head lovingly as his mouth descended on hers gently. As they met, there was no rush, no hurry to reach some end goal. They savored, enjoyed. Gave to each other what no one had been able to before.

“I’m going to marry you, darlin’.” His tongue licked inside her lip when she gasped. “You’re going to have my babies.” Her eyes flew open with shock. “I’m going to be your everything.” Her face lit up.

“I’d like that,” she told him. His huge grin was enough to know they were meant for each other. There were very few things in her life that she was sure of, but Lennox was her real deal. The one thing she knew she could count on. His words cemented it.

A creak outside the door alerted them to his mother’s possible spying. He didn’t scramble away from her, though. He smiled like he’d known she would do it.

“Don’t worry, Ma, I ain’t about to jump her when she’s hurt!” he shouted towards the door. Her jaw dropped to her chest, and he just laughed.

“Lennox,” Sophia hissed at him.

“She took longer than I thought she would.” He shrugged as if it were no big deal.

With her good hand, she covered her face, completely embarrassed that they could have been caught. “Oh my God.” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

He continued to laugh as they heard Lorraine’s retreating footsteps and the closing of her door.

“Calm down, Soph,” he told her, grabbing her good hand to pull her to her feet. Helping her slip into his shirt, she immediately calmed as his scent surrounded her in a comforting embrace. Cuddling into bed, he held her tight in his arms as exhaustion took hold of her again.

“I can’t wait for our forever,” she mumbled as her body succumbed to slumber.

H.O.P.E

Hold on, pain ends.

The ringing of his cell phone woke Nox from sleep before dawn had broken the sky. Searching behind him for the device, the name flashing across the screen shocked him.

“Hang on,” he mumbled into the receiver as he struggled to break free of Sophia’s hold around his waist. Clearing the bed without waking her up, he stepped into the hall with a brisk, “What do you want?” to her father. The man made it extremely hard for Nox not to snap on him whenever they spoke.

“We need to meet,” the man replied. “Without Sophia.”

Shocked, it took him a moment to reply. “I won’t hide a meeting with you from her.”

“I don’t want you to, but we need to discuss something without her around. Sophia is so strong, and just because I was an absent father doesn’t mean I haven’t recognized her strength. She’s also extremely fragile, Mr. Hogan. What I need to discuss with you, it will hurt her. And that is the very last thing I want to do.” The man sounded tired and remorseful.