Unchained (Hogan Brothers 3)

“What do you need, Joey?” Sophia smiled as she helped him, obviously not having the same reservations as Sage.

“You want me to get Loch for you?” It wasn’t until a minute had passed and no one answered him that she realized the question was aimed at her.

“Umm, please?”

As Joey walked away, Nox and Soph shared a look of disbelief. Confirming it wasn’t just her, who barely knew the man, that had noticed something was different about him.

“Sage?” Loch’s voice lit her entire body up. “What are you doing here?” He ignored everyone else as he approached her, still hiding beside Braxton.

“Oh…well”—his hands seemed to roam her entire upper frame, throwing her for a loop—“I asked Braxton to bring me here after we went to church.” Suddenly shy in front of so many people, her voice lost strength.

“Church?” he questioned, puzzled. “What for?”

“Insight.” She didn’t know how to explain to him how difficult it has been since she hadn’t been in the presence of the Lord.

“Did you find what you were looking for?” There was no judgment in his attentive gaze. The hard lines on his face spoke of the need for her to have everything she needed.

“I believe so.” She beamed delicately.

“Good.” His grin matched her own. Pulling her into his arms, he kissed the side of her neck, making Sage sigh with contentment. “How about Brax takes you to my place, and I make you dinner tonight?” There was a desire for something she didn’t understand in his voice as he whispered in her ear.

“Are you sure?”

“I think it’d be nice. We can talk.”

“I’d like that.”

“Me, too,” he murmured, kissing slowly along her jaw on his way to her mouth. Stealing her breath and making her body buzz, she felt wild in his arms. They didn’t remain that way for more than a few seconds as throats clearing had her pulling away. “Soph, will you call Ma for me; tell her Sage is staying with me tonight?”

“Oh sure, leave me to get in trouble.” There was laughter in the woman’s voice, but Sage didn’t want anyone getting in trouble.

“Oh, please don’t. Not if it’ll cause strife.” Just the thought caused panic to slither down her spine like a snake in water.

“I was kidding, Sage.” Sophia walked over to her, gripping one hand in both of her own. “I was simply teasing, Lochlan.”

“Are you sure?” It was a real fear for her. Discord was something she could no longer handle. Not after everything that had happened.

“Promise.” Sophia winked at her as she walked away and followed Nox to his office.

“Are you sure you’re alright, Sage?” Loch had a look of great concern on his face.

Unable to hide her misgivings, her throat was tight as she spoke. “After everything, I just don’t want… I can’t handle…” She couldn’t get the sentence to form.

“I got you, Angel.” His arms, rippling with tension, wrapped around her shoulders, bringing her flush to his chest. The erratic beating of his heart alarming her more. He was angry.

“I’m sorry.” She breathed into him.

Leaning down so his mouth was next to her ear, he told her, “You have absolutely nothing to be sorry about, Angel.”

“You’re angry,” she rebutted.

“I am.” She tried to pull away. “But not at you. At your family. At the state you’ve been left in.” Even mad, his words remained soft, relaxing her.

As they parted ways, him with the promise of being home in a couple of hours, her with the promise not to fret, Loch kissed her again.

Deeply.

Packed full of more emotion than she could ever decipher. Her body came alive once again as his strong hands held her in a tight grip as he plundered her mouth. Her nerve endings caught on fire with a need burning deep in her gut for something she couldn’t comprehend. Their bodies were flush from lips to knees as Loch seemingly deepened the kiss into something stronger than she had ever felt before. He left her aching as he pulled away slowly, sipping from her lips.