Royal Heirs Required (The Sherdana 1)

“A lot of things haven’t been fair lately.” He brushed her hair off one shoulder, grazing her skin in the process.

To Olivia’s immense shock, desire sparked. How was it possible after all she’d been through? She looked up to see if Gabriel had noticed her reaction and to her dismay, he had.

“Olivia.” His deep voice rumbled in his chest, creating a matching vibration in her. “We need to talk.” He found her hand with his.

The slide of his fingers against hers made her heart race. “I think we’ve said everything there is to say.”

“Maybe you have, but I have a few things you need to hear.”

Olivia’s gaze shot toward the twins. To her relief, they were oblivious to the charged undercurrents passing between her and Gabriel. The girls had been through enough and didn’t deserve to witness them arguing. She turned her back to them and pitched her voice to carry no farther than the foot that separated her from Gabriel.

“Don’t do this. There’s nothing you have to say that I want to hear. What I need is to leave this country and forget all about you.”

“Can you do that?” he murmured, his free hand cupping the side of her face, his tender touch bringing tears to her eyes. “Can you forget me? Forget how it was between us?”

Harsh emotions sandblasted her nerves raw. “Would you want me to do otherwise?”

“Yes. Stay and fight—”

“Fight?” The word g

usted out of her on a bitter laugh. “I have nothing left to fight with. It’s gone, Gabriel. My ability to bear children. My chance to be a mother. I’m nothing more than a shell.” An empty shell without him. “I just want to go home and forget.”

Forget how his smile transformed her.

Forget how it felt to fall asleep in his arms.

Forget how much she loved him.

“Can you?” He cupped the back of her neck and pulled her gently against his powerful, muscular body. “Can you forget me?”

Her pulse danced with erotic longing. She tore her gaze away from the sensual light in his eyes that drew her like a candle in the darkness. How was it possible she could want him with such intensity when the parts that made her a whole woman were gone?

He lowered his voice to a husky murmur. “Because I will never be able to forget you.”

It wasn’t fair of him to tell her that. To tantalize her with longing for what could never be.

Contact with him seared her from breast to thigh. Her incision burned the way it had during those first few days, reminding her that she’d have a permanent mark on her body that would never let her forget.

“Maybe not forget,” she told him, keeping her voice soft to hide its unsteadiness. “But you’ll move on and be happy.”

Before he could respond, they were struck from two sides by the twins. Sandwiched between them, Olivia had no way to escape Gabriel. He saw her predicament and a predatory smile curved his lips before they descended to hers.

Sweet sunshine washed through her body as she surrendered to the delicious drag of his mouth against hers. This was where she belonged. To this man. And these girls. The family she craved.

Her whole world contracted to Gabriel’s kiss and the twins’ hugs. A great rushing sound filled her ears, drowning out her inner voice and all the reasons why this couldn’t be her future. Loving Gabriel had never seemed so easy. Outside pressure didn’t exist. She was free to express herself, to tell him what was truly in her heart.

I love you.

But she never uttered the words because the girls clamored for their own share of Olivia’s attention as the kiss fell apart. Her lips tingled in the aftermath as Gabriel held her close a moment longer before letting her step back.

“Tea party. Tea party,” Bethany called.

Karina seized her and pulled.

It took her a couple seconds to realize that the girls were referring to the small table set up near the window. She shook her head. “It’s your nap time.”

“Girls, Olivia is right. Hattie will read to you after you lie down.”