Hope Ford – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read

Hope Ford – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read http://www.ilovenovels.com Wed, 13 May 2026 18:54:05 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 http://www.ilovenovels.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/favicon.png Hope Ford – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read http://www.ilovenovels.com 32 32 The Billionaire I Can’t Deny (The Brodys of Whiskey Run #3) Read Online Hope Ford http://www.ilovenovels.com/the-billionaire-i-cant-deny-the-brodys-of-whiskey-run-3-read-online-hope-ford Wed, 13 May 2026 18:54:05 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/the-billionaire-i-cant-deny-the-brodys-of-whiskey-run-3-read-online-hope-ford Genre: Alpha Male, Billionaire, Contemporary, Erotic, Insta-Love, Suspense Authors: Hope Ford Series: The Brodys of Whiskey Run Series by Hope Ford
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Total pages in book: 45
Estimated words: 43198 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 216(@200wpm)___ 173(@250wpm)___ 144(@300wpm)

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I ran from him once.This time… he’s not letting me go. He’s my fake boyfriend, my last hope… and the man I was too scared to keep. Miller Brody is powerful, possessive, and completely out of my league. One perfect night was all it took to ruin me, and one moment of doubt sent me running. Now my world is falling apart, and he’s the only one who can fix it. Miller doesn’t just step in. He takes over. He pulls me into his life, his home, his arms, and tells the world I belong to him. It’s fake. It has to be. But the way he touches me feels real. The way he looks at me feels dangerous. And the way he says mine… it feels inevitable. I tell myself I won’t fall for him again. Because if I lose this, I won’t just lose him.
I’ll lose everything that matters

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

CHAPTER 1

LINDSEY

I’m packing up my gear, fumbling the whole time.

I do this every day. Sometimes even more than once. But today, nothing is going like it should.

I don’t even have to look up to feel his eyes on me.

It was supposed to be a quick photo. As a matter of fact, I was told he demanded that it not take up more than three minutes of his time.

Well, his photo shoot was at ten a.m. this morning, and he’s still here at five o’clock.

Miller Brody is known for being aloof. He’s a lone wolf, and word on the street is he’s close to no one except his family. Of course, there are other rumors. I heard a few more today. Some of the women I photographed made no effort to hide how much they wanted him. One even hinted—boldly—at just how good he is in bed.

Just hearing that made my heart rate pick up. Jealousy. Pure and simple.

It’s crazy. I don’t know this man. I’ve only seen him in pictures until today. But there’s something about him that brings out a possessiveness in me that I didn’t know I had.

The man that has watched me all day rises from his seat in the corner. Sometime during the day, he’d uncuffed his sleeves and rolled them up, baring strong forearms covered in ink.

He removed the tie and undid a few buttons, and there are more intricate black lines on his neck. Everything in me wanted to point my camera at him, but I withheld.

As soon as he rises, the staff approaches him, seeing what he needs. It’s like everyone is attuned to him, wanting to please him, and when a young blond woman with perky breasts licks her lips and asks him if she can get him anything, I know exactly what’s on her mind.

I lower my gaze to my camera. Just pack up and get out of here, Lindsey. There’s no reason to stick around and see which woman he chooses to take home with him today.

I try to ignore the whole situation… until those tattooed forearms I’d been drooling over are right there in front of me. “Lindsey.”

His voice is gruff, and I swear I feel a rumble in my lower belly.

I look up. His large fingers are stroking his beard as his gaze pierces me. I lower my eyes. “How can I help you, Mr. Brody? Were you not happy with the pictures?”

He takes a step toward me. “I didn’t see them.”

I look around for my assistant that was hired for the day, but he’s nowhere to be found. Probably left as soon as he packed up my gear. Everything is stacked up, and I realize I’m going to have to lug it all out to my truck. Oh my God, this day is never going to end. “I’m sorry, Mr. Brody. My assistant was supposed to⁠—”

Miller pops his shoulders. “He tried. I didn’t want him to show me. I want you to show me.”

My mouth falls open. Is this some kind of rich thing? You don’t let the help near? My lips purse in anger. I have thought a lot of things today, but I didn’t expect Miller Brody to be a stuck-up snob. “Right, well, let me show you.”

He points at my mouth. “What are you thinking right now?”

I hold my camera between us. “Excuse me?”

He lifts his hand and smooths my cheek softly. I should pull back from his touch, but I’m too surprised to move. “You’re mad… Why?”

I shake my head. “I’m not mad.”

He smiles softly. “Lindsey, I’ve watched you all day. When you’re pleased with a photo, your eyes sparkle. When someone annoys you, you get a line between your eyes. When you’re jealous, your face flushes and you look away.” He smiles as he says that one and then strokes my cheek again. “And when you’re mad, your mouth tightens.”

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Crowned by the Ruthless Billionaire – Ravenous Royals Read Online Hope Ford http://www.ilovenovels.com/crowned-read-online-the-ruthless-billionaire-ravenous-royals-read-online-hope-ford Fri, 03 Apr 2026 23:15:19 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/crowned-read-online-the-ruthless-billionaire-ravenous-royals-read-online-hope-ford Genre: Alpha Male, Billionaire, Erotic, Insta-Love Authors: Hope Ford Advertisement

Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 29008 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 145(@200wpm)___ 116(@250wpm)___ 97(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >30

Glamour. Intrigue. Desire hot enough to burn down a palace.

These possessive princes and kings won’t settle for just any woman. They want their queen. The one true love who can bring these powerful royals to their knees.

New standalone stories by your favorite best-selling steamy romance authors, Hope Ford, Olivia T. Turner, and Michele Mills.

A crown has never been so sinfulHe’s a cold, ruthless billionaire.
Royalty by blood. Heir to danger itself.
And now he wants me as his bride.

I rescue stray animals.
He destroys empires before breakfast.
We have nothing in common… except the sparks I can’t ignore.

He’s infuriating, arrogant, and somehow gentle when no one’s watching.
But I know better than to fall for a man like him.

He’s being forced into an arranged marriage.
And instead of a tiara-wearing heiress, he chooses me.

If I say yes, I give up my simple life.
If I say no, he loses everything: his crown, his control, his future.

Either way, I’m not walking away untouched.
Because behind his icy mask is a man who burns only for me.
And I’m not sure if I’m strong enough to walk away…
or foolish enough to stay.

Glamour. Intrigue. Desire hot enough to burn down a palace.

These possessive princes and kings won’t settle for just any woman. They want their queen. The one true love who can bring these powerful royals to their knees

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

CHAPTER 1

COLE

I lift my wrist and look at the time. Fuck.

I’ve got ten minutes to make it to my father’s house, and we’re sitting in traffic. My father is not someone you make wait.

I ask my driver, “What’s the holdup, Stone?”

He leans his head out the driver's side window, trying to see down the road. “Shit, I dunno. Maybe someone's having car trouble.”

I look out the window, and the worry about meeting my father disappears when I see what’s happening on the sidewalk in front of the animal shelter.

A man is shoving his finger in a woman’s face, and I can hear his raised voice even through the glass, but I can’t make out what he’s saying.

“I’ll be back. Stay here,” I tell Stone.

“Cole… where… what?”

I don’t care that we’re sitting on Main Street or that I have somewhere to be. I’m a Kingston, and even though I do a lot of wrong things, I will never stand by when a woman is being verbally or physically attacked. I ignore Stone as I get out of the car and walk over to where the man is still shouting.

As soon as I reach the two of them, I put my hands at the waist of the woman, lift her up, and place her behind me, and I’m shaken as I look into the blue eyes of the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.

She’s mad. Fighting mad. I want to soothe her, but first I need to deal with the Neanderthal. I turn back to him. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

The man pounds himself in the chest. “Me? There’s nothing wrong with me! It’s that little bi⁠—”

He doesn’t get the word out. I punch him in the throat, and he falls to the ground with his hands around his neck, trying to catch his breath.

“Cole—” Stone says.

I raise my hand to stop him. I don’t need a lecture right now. I should have known he wouldn’t stay in the car. He may be my driver, but he works for my father, the mafia king of the South, Robert Kingston. And if something happened to me on Stone’s watch, we all know how that would turn out.

Ignoring Stone, I approach the woman. “Are you okay?”

For the first time, I notice she’s holding a white cat protectively against her chest. She blinks up at me. “Yes…yes, I’m okay.”

“What is going on here?” I ask her and instantly regret the harshness of my voice. I fist my tattooed hands at my side to stop from reaching for her.

She takes a step back. “I’m just trying to⁠—”

She stops suddenly and shakes her head, wiping the tears from her eyes. “This is my fault. He owns the building and can do what he wants. I’m just trying to save the animals.”

I put my hands on her shoulders, and she tenses. I hate that I have that effect on her. Yeah, most people fear me and my family, but I don't want that from her.

My first instinct is to lift my hands off her, but I don’t. “Talk to me. Tell me how to fix it.”

She holds the cat tighter, and I realize I need to go about this another way. I release my hold on her and instead run my hand lightly across the cat’s head and down its body. “What’s her name?”

“His. I mean, Leo is a boy.”

The cat starts to purr loudly and lifts his head to look at me. It’s as if he’s judging me, trying to figure me out, and I’m not sure which of us is more surprised, me or her, when Leo stretches and climbs into my arms.

I hold the cat to me, and it curls into a ball against my chest. I can feel the change in the woman standing before me. She steps toward me. “Leo likes you.”

I look into her blue eyes and demand, “Tell me your name.”

She tilts her chin. “Luna.”

The man on the ground starts to shuffle to his feet, starting to cuss again.

Stone stands between him and me. “Cole, your father is waiting.”

I huff out a breath. He’s right. I gesture to the man that Stone is holding back and ask Luna, “What can I do to help?”

She shrugs her shoulders. “Nothing. There’s nothing anyone can do.”

I tilt my head to look at her. “Try me.”

“You can’t⁠—”

Leo moves around and slides into my jacket. I hold him to me and reach for Luna. This time she doesn’t tense. “Tell me. Why is this man bothering you?”

She blows out a breath, and I hate it because her face shows defeat. “I owe him twelve hundred dollars for rent. He’s closing the shelter down.”

It’s my turn to tense. “I’ll take care of it.”

I put my hand on her chin and lift. “Did he touch you?”

I wait for her response so I know if I’m about to kill a man or not.

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Dear Brother’s Best Friend – Naughty Notes Read Online Hope Ford http://www.ilovenovels.com/dear-brothers-best-friend-naughty-notes-read-online-hope-ford Thu, 26 Feb 2026 08:21:04 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/dear-brothers-best-friend-naughty-notes-read-online-hope-ford Genre: Alpha Male Authors: Hope Ford Advertisement

Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 34934 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 175(@200wpm)___ 140(@250wpm)___ 116(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >36

I’ve always wanted my brother’s best friend.
But he was older, off-limits, and never once looked my way.
Now I’m pregnant by another man, back in Whiskey Run, and barely holding it together.

Then the letters start.
Dirty. Sweet. Addictive.
They worship every broken piece of me… but they’re unsigned.

I should be focused on putting my life back together,
not daydreaming about two different men.
The one I’ve ached for since I was old enough to understand desire.
And the one who’s making me fall with every filthy, tender word.

They might be the same man.
Or they might not.

But if I open my heart again—to either of them—I could lose more than I already have.
Or maybe, just maybe, I’ll finally get everything I’ve been afraid to hope for

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

CHAPTER 1

ELIJAH

My best friend since ninth grade looks up from the notepad he’s writing in. “Everything is on track. Eight months to put up a twenty million dollar hospital complex is aggressive, but I can do it.”

I nod my head. “I know you can.” Kane has been my right-hand man since I started the company when I was nineteen. We’ve come a long way in the last sixteen years. Wolfe Construction is now a multi-million dollar company, and I’m proud of it.

Kane rubs his hand across his brow and pinches his temple.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” I ask him.

He drops his hand and tries to appear relaxed. “Nothing is wrong. I told you I can handle this, and I can.” He blows out a breath. “I got this, Elijah.”

My forehead creases, and I give him a pointed look. “There’s something you’re not telling me.”

His eyebrows lift, and before he can deny anything, I shake my head. “Don’t give me any shit, Kane. We’ve been best friends for most of our life. Spill it.”

He jumps up from the chair he’s been sitting in. “Okay, fine. I might as well tell you. People are going to be gossiping about it soon enough.”

I stand up and clench the back of the chair for support. A few thoughts go through my head, wondering if Kane has gotten himself into some kind of trouble, but I quickly shake that off. He’s been clean for ten years. There’s no way he’s using again. I would be the first to know. But obviously there is something going on here. “What is it?”

He rolls his eyes with a huffed breath. “Samantha is coming back to Whiskey Run.”

Just hearing her name makes my heart rate pick up. I stutter, “Sassy’s coming home?”

I can hear the catch in my voice, and I clear my throat. “Your sister’s been gone for five years.”

I unclench my hand on the chair and cross my arms over my chest. It’s been five years since I first noticed that Sassy, my best friend’s little sister, was everything I wanted in a woman. She was off limits then, and I’ve tried to push her out of my mind, but obviously I haven’t succeeded.

Kane nods. “Yeah, she’s coming home, and…”

His voice trails off, and he grimaces, almost angrily.

I walk around the table. “She’s coming home and what?”

He lifts his gaze from the ground and looks into my eyes. I try to brace myself for whatever bombshell he’s about to drop. By the look on his face, it’s a big one.

He lifts his hand and rubs it through the scruff of his chin. “Samantha is pregnant, and her boyfriend dumped her.”

I grit my teeth. “What the fuck did you just say?”

He nods in agreement. “I know. I get it. I’m pissed, and I have half a mind to go kick the guy’s ass, but Sam made me promise not to.”

A wave of heat flushes through my body. Anger doesn’t even begin to cover it. Samantha is the sweetest woman I’ve ever known. She wants to take care of everyone and is funny and kind. To think she’s been hurt by some dickhead pisses me off. “Who the fuck is he? Give me a name,” I demand.

Kane opens his mouth just as his phone rings. He looks at the caller ID. “It’s her.”

I crowd him as he answers his phone. He leans his head back to look up at me with confusion, but I gesture for him to talk.

“Hey, sis, everything okay?”

Kane shakes his head, and the need to hear Sam’s voice moves me closer to him.

“Shit, it’s okay, don’t cry.”

I clench my fist at my side as Kane continues. “It’s fine. I’ll be there in two hours. I’ll look at your car and get it going. Don’t worry.”

He clenches his eyes shut. “Sis, please, you have to stop crying.”

Unable to hold back, I grab the phone from Kane. He stands there, mouth agape as I speak softly into the phone. “Hey, Sassy, how you doing, honey?”

She’s surprised to hear me on the phone, but a sob still escapes her. “I’m okay,” she lies.

“Where are you?” I ask.

She names a gas station in a town two hours away. “Sit tight. Okay. I’m going to be there in less than two hours. Don’t stress, okay, Sass? It’s not good for the baby.”

She gasps. “Kane told you.”

I nod my head, avoiding Kane’s gaze. “He did tell me, honey. I’ll be there soon.”

“No! I mean, I don’t want to bother you. Kane can come get me… no rush… I’m fine.”

“Sit tight. Lock your doors,” I tell her before hanging up.

I instantly send Sassy’s contact information to my phone, and then I shoot her a text from my phone. “This is Elijah. Call me if you need anything. I’ll see you soon.”

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >36

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Obsessed Bodyguard – Lone Star Security Romance Read Online Hope Ford http://www.ilovenovels.com/obsessed-bodyguard-lone-star-security-romance-read-online-hope-ford Sun, 01 Feb 2026 09:23:17 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/obsessed-bodyguard-lone-star-security-romance-read-online-hope-ford Genre: Alpha Male, Erotic Authors: Hope Ford Advertisement

Total pages in book: 16
Estimated words: 15152 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 76(@200wpm)___ 61(@250wpm)___ 51(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 >16

He’s my bodyguard.
Too old. Too off-limits.
And I push every line he swore he wouldn’t cross.

Everyone thinks being the Rodeo Queen is all rhinestones and spotlight.
But under the crown, I’m suffocating—
Too many eyes. Too many hands.
Too many men who don’t understand the word no.

So my family hires him.
Brooding. Watchful. Unshakeable.
He doesn’t smile unless I’m pushing his buttons.
Doesn’t touch me unless I make him chase me.

They say he’s only here for my name. My image.
But the way he looks at me?
Like I’m something he’d burn the world down to keep.

If I give in, I’ll have to trust him.
If he gives in?
God help anyone who gets too close to what’s his.

Meet the heroes of Lone Star Security. Cowboy bodyguards forged under the Texas sun. Dangerous when they have to be, gentle when it counts, these ranch-bred alphas wear Stetsons over steel and carry more scars than they’ll admit. They don’t do anything halfway. Instead, they do sunup to sundown, with dust on their boots and love in their hearts. These protectors will ride through hell and high water to prove worthy of the women they love.

Start 2026 with a bang. This January, these bodyguards discover the best part of falling in love is breaking protocol for a kiss worth the risk

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

CHAPTER 1

LONDON

This was a bad idea.

I look out the front window of the car into the darkness. The only light is coming from the headlights, and I’ve never been to this part of Valor Springs. I look at the boy sitting next to me.

I’ve seen him around the rodeo circuit, and he’s been asking me out for months.

He looks at me with a smirk on his face, and there’s no doubt he thinks he’s about to get lucky. I’m a damn fool. And it’s all Dillon Carson’s fault.

Ever since Dillon was hired to be my bodyguard, I’ve been doing crazy things, acting reckless and getting myself into one pickle after another.

“Mitch, where are we going?”

He wiggles his eyebrows at me. “Makeout point… I mean, Lookout Point.”

I cross my arms over my chest. “Mitch, I said we could talk. You could take me to get a coffee. I didn’t say I wanted to go to Lookout Point with you.”

I wait for him to say he’ll turn around or apologize, but he does none of those things. “Look, we’re almost there.”

I scoot closer to the door, away from him. Turning in my seat, I look out the rear window of the truck, hoping to see lights following us, but there’s nothing. Just blackness.

I put my finger at my neck, playing with the gold charm. Dillon gave it to me as a gift, but I’m not a fool. I know it’s his way of tracking my every move. This is our little game. Well, I know it’s a game. He thinks I’m just being an irresponsible kid, even if I’m twenty-three years old.

I don’t know why I do it, but I do know that he never, ever touches me unless he has to chase me. Then, and only then, does he seem to let his guard down and let me see what he tries to hide behind his eyes. He wants me. He may not want me to know it, but he does.

I don’t even have to close my eyes to picture Dillon Carson in my head. He’s tall, strong, handsome, and he always has a stoic expression on his face. Except when he’s tracking me.

I glare over at Mitch. “I’m telling you right now, Mitch, stop the car.”

He hits the brakes and slams the gear into park. “Fine, I stopped the car.”

I look around, and besides a few stars in the sky, there’s nothing.

“Take me back to town.”

He laughs. “Now why would I do that? We just got here.”

He starts to slide toward me, and I put both hands up, trying to stall. “Stop. Let’s talk.”

He blurts out a laugh like us talking is ridiculous. “You wanna talk, talk. I have other things in mind.”

He keeps coming closer, and I reach for the door. I’m almost out when I’m yanked back inside and pressed up against Mitch’s body. The only other man that has held me tight like this is Dillon Carson, and this feels nothing like that.

I take a deep breath, trying not to panic. “Mitch, wait, please. I can’t… I don’t want to…”

He kisses my neck, and for just a second, I forget to breathe. And then I snap out of it. I jab him in the throat, just like Dillon taught me, and then I’m scrambling to get out of the truck. He follows behind me, hissing in breaths. I try to run around the truck, but he grabs my hair and pulls me backward. I turn, and without thinking about it, I lift my knee and hit him between the legs.

He doubles over, screaming, but I don’t wait another second. I take off running but only get a few steps when lights glare in front of me. Oh, thank God.

I can barely make it out, but as it comes closer, I see that it’s the ranch truck. I know it’s Dillon.

He gets out, and his mouth drops. He looks at the ripped shoulder of my shirt and my wide, scared eyes, and his face twists in anger.

I’m shaking my head, my arms wrapped around me. “I’m sorry… I’m so⁠—”

He doesn’t let me finish. He lifts me up into his arms and walks around to the side of the truck. He opens it and puts me in. I can feel the anger coming off him in waves, but he’s so gentle with me it makes me want to cry.

“Did he…?” he asks, his voice strangled and filled with emotion.

I shake my head. “No, I hit him like you taught me.”

He nods. “Good girl.”

He shuts the door and leans in the open window. “Stay right here. I’ll be back.”

I cover his hand with mine. “No, just forget it. Take me home, Dillon. Please?”

He forces a smile onto his face. “I’ll just be a minute… I promise.”

I have my hand on his, and he could easily walk away, but he stays put, looking at me, waiting.

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The Ex I Can’t Forget (The Brodys of Whiskey Run #2) Read Online Hope Ford http://www.ilovenovels.com/the-ex-i-cant-forget-the-brodys-of-whiskey-run-2-read-online-hope-ford Wed, 07 Jan 2026 10:40:40 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/the-ex-i-cant-forget-the-brodys-of-whiskey-run-2-read-online-hope-ford Genre: Alpha Male, Erotic, Novella, Suspense Authors: Hope Ford Series: The Brodys of Whiskey Run Series by Hope Ford
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Total pages in book: 45
Estimated words: 42576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 213(@200wpm)___ 170(@250wpm)___ 142(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >45

He’s my boss.
My second chance.
And the man who’ll never forgive me.

Two years ago, I ruined everything.
One mistake, and Logan Brody walked away without looking back.

Now I work for him.
Same piercing stare. Same clenched jaw.
Same hands I still dream about.

He keeps his distance. Keeps his walls high.
And makes it painfully clear—I’m the last person he wants near him.
But his silence says more than words ever could.

His gaze is a warning. His touch is a dare.
When he finally kisses me, it feels like a promise—and a threat.

I came back to make things right.
But the past I ran from isn’t finished with me yet.
And this time, losing him might not be the only thing that breaks me

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

CHAPTER 1

LOGAN

I can’t keep putting it off.

I haven’t been back in the office since the day I found out my business partner hired my ex-girlfriend. I’ve kept busy, taking on assignments that take me as far from Whiskey Run as I can get. But my business, Stronghold Security, won’t survive with a boss that never comes in, so I’m going to have to face the music and walk into the office. Even if every time I look at Bree, my heart cracks a little wider. And even if seeing her that first day made me realize I’m not over her. Fuck, nowhere near it.

I look up at the new sign for the business. Stronghold Security. It’s big, bold, and lit up on Main Street. Zach and I talked about the design, and I knew it was coming, but seeing it now really makes me feel that it’s all coming together. He told me in an email last week that Bree had been working on it and it would be up this week. Hell, every email I get from him mentions something about Bree. There’s no escaping her.

I get out of my truck and take a deep breath. It’s still dark, and there’s at least another hour before the sun rises, but Bree is already here. I had hoped to get here and go straight to my office and shut the door. Hell, I’d planned to stay there all day if it meant I could avoid her.

As I look into the big bay windows, I see her already stationed at her desk. She has her hair in curls, and it’s hanging over her shoulders. My jaw tightens as I think about our time together. It was two years ago, but it might as well have been yesterday. We met in the produce section of some bodega in New York. I was on an assignment with the Ghost Team, and I was happy to be on a mission in the States instead of overseas. I remember looking up from the apples and there she was, reaching into a stand-up cooler for a drink on the top shelf. Her back was to me, and as my eyes traveled down her body, I knew in that instant that she was going to be mine. Her curvy body and luscious ass had me taking a step toward her, wanting to block her from the sight of any other men. I didn’t know anything about her. Hell, I hadn’t even seen her face, but I’d never reacted to a woman like this in my life, and I knew she was meant to be mine.

And when she turned and gave me an apologetic smile, asking me to reach something for her, I knew in that moment that I would go to the ends of the Earth for this woman. She’s beautiful in a way that takes your breath away, and I felt like a fool as I just nodded and pulled out the drink she wanted. I held the bottle out to her, but I didn’t let it go. I remember the urgency I felt, as if letting go meant she’d walk away from me and I’d never see her again.

“Hi,” I stuttered.

She bit her plump lip, her smile widening. “Hi.”

”Go to dinner with me.”

I realized after I said it that it was more of a demand than a request, but she didn’t even blink. It was almost as if she was feeling everything I was feeling. She looked down at her sweatshirt and leggings and then back up at me. “I can’t go like this. I just got out of a workout class, and I should shower.”

My legs almost buckled just thinking about her in the shower. I cleared my throat. “You look beautiful. And…”

I paused because I knew that the words that were about to come out of my mouth were too controlling, too possessive, just too much. Hell, I still didn’t even know her name at that point, and I was about to tell her that there was no way I was leaving this store without her.

She lifted her chin at me curiously. “And what?”

I clenched the bottle in my hand to stop from reaching for her as the words tumbled from my lips. “And I don’t want to let you out of my sight.”

She blinked up at me, and I continued. “I figure you’re not going to tell me where you live just yet… not until we know each other better. And I don’t want to let you go until I know everything there is to know about you.”

I fully expected her to walk away or even call the cops. We didn’t even know each other. It was a big city, not like Whiskey Run, where everybody knows each other. She surprised me, though, and just shrugged. “There’s a great Italian place just around the corner. Does that work for you?”

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >45

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The Hero I Can’t Resist (The Brodys of Whiskey Run #1) Read Online Hope Ford http://www.ilovenovels.com/the-hero-i-cant-resist-the-brodys-of-whiskey-run-1-read-online-hope-ford Sun, 07 Dec 2025 21:11:30 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/the-hero-i-cant-resist-the-brodys-of-whiskey-run-1-read-online-hope-ford Genre: Alpha Male, Erotic, Virgin Authors: Hope Ford Series: The Brodys of Whiskey Run Series by Hope Ford
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Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 47196 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >50

He’s my brother’s best friend.
My childhood obsession.
And now… my bodyguard.

Zach Campbell is assigned to protect me from a stalker.
He looks like he stepped off a movie set—smoldering eyes, chiseled jaw, and body made for sin.
The kind of man who belongs on a magazine cover. Not in my kitchen.
But behind the perfection is a man haunted by guilt—dark, quiet, and always shadowing his smile.

He’s supposed to keep me safe. Not pin me against counters. Not steal the air from my lungs with one look.
But the second he walks through my door, everything changes.

He watches me like he owns me.
Touches me like he’s dying to sin.
And when he finally kisses me?
I’m ruined for anyone else.

He says he’ll protect me at all costs…

But it’s not the stalker I fear.
It’s losing the only man I’ve ever wanted

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

CHAPTER 1

ZACH

The last time I saw her, she was a kid. She was a tomboy who trailed after her five older brothers and swore to anyone that would listen that she was going to marry me someday.

I was a twenty-something-year-old and was too busy and too dumb to pay her any real attention.

Now her older brother, my best friend and business partner, wants me to protect her.

“Check your phone,” Logan orders me.

I hesitate. My gut has never steered me wrong, and right now it’s screaming that this is something big and not to be taken lightly. I should hand this job off to Alex. He’s solid. He’s a good bodyguard and has plenty of military experience.

Even though I know I shouldn’t, I open the video Logan just sent me, and immediately I forget how to breathe.

The woman staring back at me is not a kid. She’s a grown, curvy woman. She has her hair twisted up in a messy knot, flour on her cheek, and she’s giggling at something off camera. For the first time in my life, I can’t look away from a woman.

A thousand questions go through my head, but I know I can’t ask Logan any of them. He’s overprotective of his sister.

I can just imagine how it would go if I asked him if she was single.

“Zach,” Logan says.

I force my eyes off my phone and look at my friend. “What does she need protection for?”

Logan growls. “She’s been doing these silly videos, and now she has a stalker.”

My heart starts to race, my blood starts to boil, and I’m fighting to remain calm. I start to ask and then stop and clear my throat before trying again. “What do you mean a stalker? And what is this?” I ask, holding up my phone.

Logan shakes his head and waves his hand around. “It’s ClipClap.”

I am trying to keep the frustration out of my voice, but it’s getting hard. “Logan, I know it’s ClipClap. I know what ClipClap is. I mean, what is it? Does she do videos like this all the time?”

He rolls his eyes. “It’s her job… I mean, that’s how she makes her money, and no matter what my brothers or I say, she won’t quit.”

I cross my arms over my chest. “What do you want me to do? Find the stalker and neutralize him?”

He blows out a breath. “If only it was that easy. I’ve had the team working on it, and they said that whoever it is has a VPN set up, and we can’t trace the IP address.”

I turn away from Logan and walk over to the big window. Logan knows me, and there’s no hiding from him, but the last thing I need is for him to know I am attracted to his sister. “So what’s the plan?”

I can hear the frustration in Logan’s voice. “I have to finish this last mission for Walker. I don’t have a choice, but I can’t just leave my baby sister unprotected.”

I’m taking the job. I took one look at her and decided that, but I don’t want to seem too interested. “Logan, we’re just getting Stronghold started. We have so much to do and⁠—”

“Miller is paying the bill. He put up two hundred and fifty thousand dollars to keep our sister safe.”

I turn and look at him in shock. I know Miller. He’s Logan’s older brother, and I knew he had money, but I didn’t realize he had that kind of money. “Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars?”

He shrugs. “He’s a millionaire. He wanted to invest in Stronghold, and when I told him I wanted to do it on my own, this was his way of keeping our sister safe and helping me out.”

I think about my sister Abby. If she was in danger, I would do—or pay—whatever necessary to do to make sure she was safe.

We’re a start-up. We really aren’t in a position to turn down paying cases, but getting paid for this doesn’t sit right with me. “I’m not taking any money. I’ll do it for free.”

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >50

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Marked by the Obsessed Biker – Heat & Ink Read Online Hope Ford http://www.ilovenovels.com/marked-read-online-the-obsessed-biker-heat-ink-read-online-hope-ford Wed, 29 Oct 2025 22:14:39 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/marked-read-online-the-obsessed-biker-heat-ink-read-online-hope-ford Genre: Alpha Male, Biker, Insta-Love, MC, Novella Authors: Hope Ford Advertisement

Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 22106 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 111(@200wpm)___ 88(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >23

She’s the one thing I can’t touch.
But I’ll burn down this whole town if someone else tries.

Alice isn’t just my club brother’s daughter—she’s mine.
Even if she doesn’t know it yet.

For months, I’ve kept my distance. Watched her. Protected her.
She thinks it’s duty.
She has no idea how badly I want her.

Then she puts herself in danger—and I stop pretending.
No more patience. No more space. No more lies.

She’s not a job.
She’s everything I want.
And now that I’ve had a taste, there’s no going back.

I’m going to mark her.
And she’s about to find out what it really means to be mine

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

CHAPTER 1

ALICE

“What would the birthday girl like to drink? A margarita or a Screwdriver? Oooh, how about Sex on the Beach?”

I smile at Emily. “Long Island Iced Tea?”

She does a little twist, starts gathering bottles off the shelf and then singsongs over her shoulder, “Long Island Iced Tea coming right up.”

Lexi sits next to me at the bar, and Emily points at her. “You want one too?”

Lexi nods. “Yep. Thanks, Em.”

Felon walks over to Emily and kisses her neck, then whispers something to her. She leans into his touch and rolls her eyes. “Jack, it’s her birthday. If Gunner doesn’t want her to drink, then he should be here to tell her. I’m not.”

I lean over the bar. “Wait. Excuse me. Did you just say that Greyson said I shouldn’t drink… on my birthday?”

I look between Felon and Emily, and she gestures to him. “He said it. Not me. I’m just here minding my own business, making some drinks.”

I glare at Jack, and he holds his hands up, palms out. “Look, Pres sent Gunner on a job, and you know how he is. He doesn’t like for you to drink if he’s not around. And he hates when people call him that.”

I throw a hand up in the air. “Greyson is his name. And do you know how insane it is that he doesn’t want me to drink if he’s not around? I’m twenty-five years old, and I know my limits.”

Emily nudges me in the side, then smiles sassily next to me. “Maybe it’s the fact that the last time we went out drinking, some guy thought he could get handsy with you, and Gunner destroyed the man and the bar.”

I gesture around the room. “We’re at the clubhouse, and all these guys think of me like their sister.”

As soon as I say it, it’s like a reality check, and I turn on my two friends. “Oh my God, is this why we’re celebrating here? Because Greyson said so? I wanted to go to The Whistler, and you two talked me into coming here. Why?”

Emily and Lexi both just stare at me wide-eyed. I cross my arms over my chest and glare at Ben. He’s Lexi’s man and his club name is Boss. I’m not sure why, unless it’s because he’s the boss at Heat & Ink. “Is that why the party is here? Because Greyson said so?”

I groan and stomp my foot. I know I’m being childish, but I’m at my wit’s end. Since the second I arrived at the Exiled Guardians Whiskey Run chapter, Greyson has been by my side. It was fine in the beginning. I was still getting over losing my dad and moving to a new place, and well, it was nice having someone to talk to. He’s a tattoo artist at Heat & Ink, and since I work the reception desk there, we spend a lot of time together. I actually thought he liked me and that maybe he was going to ask me out or something. Well, that never happened. Instead he thinks he can just boss me around and tell me who I can and can’t see. Scratch that, because Greyson runs off any man that shows any interest in me.

Boss shrugs his shoulders. “Look, I may be the boss at Heat & Ink, but I’m not an idiot, and I’m not going to go against Gunner on this. You know he’s psycho when it comes to you.”

Without thought, I stand up from my stool and start walking backward, my mind made up. “Okay, I’m going to the Whistler. Who’s going with me?”

Emily is smiling ear to ear. “I’m in.”

Lexi smiles up at Ben and then at me. “I’m in.”

Boss throws his hands up. “Fuck it, I’ll drive.”

I hold a hand up. “Wait. Are you going so you can spy on me for Greyson? Or are you going to celebrate my birthday?”

He inhales sharply. “I’m going because my ol’ lady is going and so I can celebrate your birthday and… because Gunner will put me in a body bag if I turn you loose in town without one of us with you.” He points at his temple and rolls his finger. “I’m telling you, the dude is loco when it comes to you.”

I jut my chin at him. “Yeah, he’s taken the big brother role a little too seriously.”

Boss reaches behind the bar and grabs a set of keys off the hook. “Come on, ladies. Let’s go.”

Emily whispers something to Felon. After a long kiss, she comes back smiling and her lipstick completely wiped clean from her mouth. “Jack is going to meet us there.”

Boss, Lexi, Emily, and I walk out to the black SUV parked on the side of the clubhouse. Boss opens the door for Lexi while Emily and I climb into the back. I look out the window at the passing scenery, and instantly my thoughts go to Gunner. He’s everything I could ever want in a man, but he’ll never be mine. The quicker I come to terms with that fact, the better off I’ll be. He’s a protective guy, and I guess I bring it more out of him. Maybe it’s the fact that my dad was the president of the Exiled Guardians Texas chapter and that he’s gone now. When I came here to Whiskey Run, I did it because my dad had always talked about this place and how much he loved it. I couldn’t stay in Texas anymore. Anything and everything reminded me of him, and I needed a fresh start. But I didn’t realize that coming here was going to bring on a whole new slew of problems.

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >23

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Coming For Her Curves – Coming For Christmas Read Online Hope Ford http://www.ilovenovels.com/coming-for-her-curves-coming-for-christmas-read-online-hope-ford Sun, 12 Oct 2025 20:51:35 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/coming-for-her-curves-coming-for-christmas-read-online-hope-ford Genre: Alpha Male, Erotic, Novella, Sports Authors: Hope Ford Advertisement

Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 26448 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 132(@200wpm)___ 106(@250wpm)___ 88(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >28

He was my first love.
The boy who made me believe in forever.
The one who left for the big leagues… while I stayed behind in Whiskey Run.

Now, twenty years later, he’s back hotter than ever.
And he says he’s here for me and every single one of my curves.

When I ended things back in high school, I told myself it was for the best. He had the world ahead of him, and I couldn’t leave my family behind. He never knew the real reason why I broke his heart.

But he’s here now, retired at the top of his game, determined to win me back. He’s all charm and confidence, sliding right back into my world like he belongs.

The problem? I’m not the same girl he left behind.
I’m a divorced nurse with curves, and a heart that’s been shattered. I’ve been lied to before, and I’m not sure I can believe a man like him really wants me.

If I let him in, I could have the happily ever after I’ve dreamed of since I was eighteen.
If I don’t… I’ll lose the only man I’ve ever truly loved.

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

CHAPTER 1

RYKER

We won! The crowd is going wild. The security and half the police force is here tonight because they knew this was going to be a good game, and we didn’t disappoint. For the first time in twenty years, the Lonestar Thunder baseball team has won the big game.

I’m all smiles as my teammates celebrate, smacking each other on the back, pumping their fists in the air. The family members of the team are making their way out onto the field. I find my dad in the crowd and jog over to greet him, picking him up in a big hug. He says loudly, “I’m proud of you, son.”

I smile ear to ear. “Thanks, Dad.”

He pulls back and holds his hand out, ticking off my stats on his fingers. “You had five at bats, four hits, two home runs, one triple, one double, and six RBIs. You had a hell of a game, son.”

I hug him again, and I can’t help but think about my mom. She would have loved to have been here. Hell, if it wasn’t for her and my dad, I would never have made it to the big leagues, let alone kept my head on right. Since she passed away five years ago, it’s just me and him. “Thanks, Dad. And I mean it. You’ve always been here for me. I love you.”

He wipes the wetness from his eyes. “I love you too, son.”

My teammates come up, and we’re a bunch of grown men sobbing with happiness and celebrating. We stay on the field for a while. I have a friend from security take my dad to his car, and later as I’m walking through the now empty tunnel toward the locker rooms, I pull my phone out of my bag. I tell myself not to do it, but it’s like I can’t stop punishing myself. It’s been twenty years since the love of my life said she wanted to end things. We were just kids, and I should have gotten over it by now, but in times like today, when emotions are welling up inside me, she’s the first person I think of.

I go to the social app, the book of faces, and search her name. Isabel Curtis. I’m smiling as I look at her picture. She’s still as beautiful as I remember. She’s grown up—hell, she’s married and has a kid, but I still think she’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I scroll down and stop in my tracks. I bring the phone up and read her status again. Am I seeing what I’m seeing?

Twenty-four hours ago, Isabel changed her status from married to single.

She’s single. The love of my life, my Izzy, is no longer married.

I scroll her feed, as if it’s going to give me the answers I’m looking for. What happened? Is she okay?

Nothing. There’s nothing else. She made that post and nothing else. I open the comments on her status change, looking for clues, and there are numerous comments from her friends pumping her up and telling her she’s going to be okay.

Hell, yeah, she’s going to be okay. I’m going to make sure of it.

I walk into the locker room, and some of the team is already in here. I look around for the general manager, and as soon as I find him, I walk up to him. “Can we talk?”

He must see the look on my face, and he nods his head. “Sure. Is this a locker room talk or a private office talk?”

I take my hat off, rub the sweat off my forehead, and put it back on. “Private.”

His eyebrows lift. “Okay. Let’s go.”

I follow him to his office. He holds the door open and closes it behind me. “Have a seat.”

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >28

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Big and Bold (Stone Cold Cowboys #2) Read Online Hope Ford http://www.ilovenovels.com/big-and-bold-stone-cold-cowboys-2-read-online-hope-ford Sat, 30 Aug 2025 08:42:34 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/big-and-bold-stone-cold-cowboys-2-read-online-hope-ford Genre: Alpha Male, Contemporary, Erotic Authors: Hope Ford Series: Stone Cold Cowboys Series by Hope Ford
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Total pages in book: 22
Estimated words: 20639 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 103(@200wpm)___ 83(@250wpm)___ 69(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >22

She was never supposed to stay.

Confident. Curvy. A city girl who belonged to a world I could never touch.

But I married her anyway thinking I could keep her at arm’s length and still call her mine.
I never let her all the way in. Never let her see how deep she got under my skin.
And now she’s done pretending that’s enough.

When she hands me divorce papers, I expect her to run back to her perfect, polished life.
But she doesn’t.

She gets a job slinging coffee in town like she’s not tearing my whole damn world apart.

So I give her an ultimatum—thirty days in my bed, living like we used to.
After that, I’ll sign.

Only I won’t.
Because the truth is, I never stopped wanting her. I never stopped needing her.
And if I can't tear down these walls I built to keep her out, I’m going to lose the only woman I’ve ever loved.
For good

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

CHAPTER 1

DUSTIN

“Dustin Clay just laid down that steer in a smokin’ fast three point seven seconds. Y’all, give it up for tonight’s bulldoggin’ champion!”

The crowd goes wild, and I take my hat off and wave it around like I’m expected to do. I should be happy. This is what I wanted, and if it was this time last week, it would feel different. But now I just feel empty.

I’m handed a trophy, and there are flashes from every direction as people take pictures. I’m in a daze as I look around me. People are smiling and clapping. I’ve won plenty of events before this one, and I wait for that feeling, the one that makes you tremble with excitement. I wait for my chest to tighten, that feeling of pride, awe, and the sense of accomplishment. But it never comes. None of it does. As I look around at all the smiling faces, all I can think about is the one person I wish was here with me. My wife, Annie Clay.

She’s the only woman I’ve ever loved and the only woman that could destroy me. That’s exactly what she did when she had me served with divorce papers last week.

A cowboy pats me on the back, and I force a smile onto my face. He’s all happy for me, not knowing that my life has gone to shit in the span of seven days. “Congratulations, Dustin!”

I thank him, and I have to push my way through the crowd as the announcer continues. “And with that win, Dustin Clay now qualifies for the Jasper Classic where the bulldoggin’ first place prize is one hundred thousand dollars. A year of competitions all lead to this event of the season.”

As the announcer drones on, I keep walking. This is what I wanted. This is what I have been striving for, but now it feels like it’s not even worth it. I wanted that money to make life easier for me and Annie, but if she’s not with me, why do I even care?

People are patting me on the back, congratulating me, and I smile tightly as I walk through. Once I’m away from the crowd, I let out a breath, hoping some of this anxious feeling is going to disappear.

Ray finds me. “Congratulations, boss man.”

I nod my thanks. I can feel his curious gaze, but I know he won’t ask. Ray is one of the ranch hands I employ. He knows that Annie is gone, and he also knows that I’m close to losing my shit. Ray takes his hat off and wipes his forehead. “I’ll take Bolt home and rub him down.”

I nod at him. “Thanks, Ray. I’ll be at the ranch later.”

Without waiting for a response, I walk straight to the parking lot. I get into my beat-up truck and hold the trophy in my lap. This should feel different, and I’m still waiting on that feeling to come, but all I feel is an overwhelming sense of disappointment. I toss the trophy into the passenger seat and start up my truck. I pull out of my parking space, spinning gravel on the way. I almost pick up the phone and call Annie, but I know how that’s going to go. I’ve tried calling her a hundred times since I received her papers. No explanation. No nothing. She didn’t tell me I was a piece of shit. She didn’t tell me that she was sick of my rundown ranch or that she couldn’t live like this anymore. She didn’t give me any reason. Just a note that said she was leaving and then she was gone. And now she’s not answering my calls. She’s not returning any of my text messages. Hell, it’s like she’s completely forgotten about me.

I’m halfway back to Whiskey Run, and that feeling in my chest gets even tighter. I’m about to drive home to an empty house, and the thought is overwhelming. Fuck, I miss my wife.

This past year has been the best year of my life. I thought we were happy. Yeah, it wasn’t all easy, but I was happy. And I thought she was too. Boy, did I get that wrong.

As I stop at a stop sign in downtown Whiskey Run, I turn my head and look into Red’s Diner. It’s a Saturday night, and even though they’re probably closing soon, there’s still quite a few people in there. I’m in the middle of debating whether I want to stop and grab a slice of their Blaze apple cake instead of going home to an empty house when I see HER.

Annie’s long brown hair is up in a ponytail, and I watch her as she walks to a table. She’s smiling, but it’s not the smile she always saved for me. That should make me happy, but it’s short-lived as she pulls a pad of paper from her apron. Apron! What the hell is she doing? Is she working at Red’s Diner? After she had me served with divorce papers, I thought for sure she’d be far away from our ranch and Whiskey Run.

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >22

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Marked by the Protective Biker – Heat & Ink Read Online Hope Ford http://www.ilovenovels.com/marked-read-online-the-protective-biker-heat-ink-read-online-hope-ford Sat, 16 Aug 2025 22:25:35 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/marked-read-online-the-protective-biker-heat-ink-read-online-hope-ford Genre: Alpha Male, Biker, Erotic, Insta-Love, MC, Novella Authors: Hope Ford Advertisement

Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 24154 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 121(@200wpm)___ 97(@250wpm)___ 81(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >25

He’s not supposed to touch me.
I’m definitely not supposed to want him.
But rules blur when a broody, inked inmate looks at you
like you’re his salvation.

I’m the sunshine counselor that sees the good in him.
He’s the tattooed ex-con with a shady past.
We had one night the night before he walked free and
I told myself it was over.

But he watches me when I leave work.
He protects me from a distance.
He tells me we’re wrong together…

But he keeps coming back.

And when I show up at his door, desperate for answers,
he finally stops running.
He puts his mark on me the only way he knows how.
Ink on skin
Heat in every stroke.
A secret tattoo that says what neither of us can.

We don’t make sense.
We don’t fit.
But somehow… I already belong to him.

Welcome to Heat & Ink where hot possessive tattoo artists leave their mark in more ways than one.

The Heat & Ink series mixes Contemporary, Sci Fi Romance, and Paranormal in three standalone stories by best-selling STEAMY authors, Hope Ford, Michele Mills, and Olivia T. Turner

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

CHAPTER 1

FELON

I’m tense, sitting in my metal chair, with my gaze locked on Miss Riles. Her name is Emily, but we’re not supposed to call her that. She’s the only one in this place that offers any kind of light in all the darkness. She looks for the best in all of us, even the ones that don’t deserve it.

I’ve been here in Jasper Prison for a little over a year, and it was six months ago that Emily started working as a counselor to the inmates. I had resisted counseling up to that point, but one look at her, and I knew I wouldn’t skip another meeting. Hell, I attend more group meetings than is required of me, and the one-on-one meetings are the moments I cling to.

Emily fidgets in her seat, and I know it's because she feels something for me. There’s no hiding it even though she’s tried. But every meeting, I plant my ass in the seat closest to her and soak in her every move, every glance, and every hitched breath she has.

I arrived early to the conference where group therapy is held, hoping to talk to her for just a second, and she’s spent her time, head buried into case files, acting if she’s ignoring me. “Can we talk after?”

Finally, she lifts her big green eyes up to me. I wonder if she realizes that desire is plain to see on her face. She looks at the guard standing by the doorway across the room. He’s not paying us any attention because he’s more focused on his phone than anything. Just watching him pisses me off. He should be protecting Emily even though she doesn’t need protection from me. But that asshole doesn’t know that.

She sucks in a breath and slowly releases it. “I don’t think that is a good idea.”

I slouch down, trying to make myself smaller even though I’ve spent most of my life doing the opposite. I’m a big man compared to her, and the thought of her being afraid of me keeps me up most nights. “Are you scared of me?”

“No. I’m not scared of you at all,” she answers immediately, and I let out a sigh of relief. She’s not lying. I’d know if she was. She may not realize it, but every emotion, every thought, everything shows on her face. She doesn’t have the experience or the know-how to keep things hidden, and that’s why leaving her here scares the shit out of me. These guys in here will prey on her innocence. They will fuckin’ ruin her.

“Then talk to me after the group session.”

She looks at me, surprised. I’ve never pressured her, but today I feel like I have to. “Please, Emily. I get out tomorrow. I just need to talk to you.”

She wants to. I can see it in the way her eyes are sparkling and the way she’s looking at me. Just when I think she’s going to say yes, she shakes her head. “I can’t.”

I fist my hands in my lap to stop from reaching for her. The thought of leaving her here is making me crazy. I want to protect her. Hell, I need to protect her, and I’m not sure how I’m going to do it when I’m outside these walls.

The door swings open, and more inmates walk in. I watch each of them, and every fuckin’ one of them looks at Emily as if she’s a feast meant just for them. The thought sickens me and pisses me off at the same time. The urge to stand up and take down each and every fucker in the room is intense, but as if she senses my growing anger, Emily stands up and moves to the opposite side of the room. She appears to be putting away files, and when she’s done, instead of joining the circle, she sits behind her desk. I’m not sure if she’s putting distance between her and the whole group or just needing to put distance between the two of us, but I’m happy she’s over there, half hidden behind the big desk.

She starts the group session, and we all go around talking about anything we want to talk about since the last meeting. Every one of the guys has their eyes glued to Emily.

She doesn’t even seem to notice the effect she has on all the men here. She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on, and I’m not the only one to think so. She’s curvy and has a grace about her that makes me salivate just watching her. When she’s in any room, she commands everyone's attention. I’m not sure if that is her beauty or just the fact that whoever she’s talking to, she makes them feel like they are the most important person in the world. I’m in here with some of the worst men there are, but she makes them believe in themselves.

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