Page 71 of Her Heartless Duke

“I want you so much!” she sobbed against his chest. “Please…”

He acknowledged her request by kissing her deeply as he thrust into her fiercely.

One. Two. Three.

Olivia felt as if she was careening into another realm, her body exploding into a billion stars as she crested the sensual wave he had urged her to ride.

At the same time, he spilled into her with a low groan, swallowing her scream into his deep kiss as they rode out the tremors that racked them both.

Moments later, he rolled over, easing himself from out of her with a groan as he drew her into his arms. He pressed a soft kiss to her damp forehead.

“Stay.”

Olivia, who was feeling the slumberous effects of their exertion, looked up at him in confusion.

“Stay with me, Olivia.”

She knew she could not. She knew sheshouldnot.

“I cannot,” she replied brokenly. “You know I can’t.”

She felt him tense from the way his embrace shifted around her.

“You mean you won’t?” he said in a hard tone.

Olivia felt the tears pricking at her eyes as she shook her head, which now felt as if it weighed considerably more than it should.

Dr. Edwards had warned her that she was to refrain from any physical exertion, and although it felt as if dancing was a much more physically demanding task, she had to admit that she was now feeling a little dizzy and out of breath.

Apparently, this did not go by unnoticed.

“Olivia, what is wrong?” Isaac asked her, frowning. “You look rather pale.”

She laughed weakly. “This pallor should not be unexpected after what we have done.Again.”

“You know that is not what I am referring to!”

“Do not raise your voice at me!” Olivia countered hotly. “I may not be your precious Lady Vivian, but I shall have you know that I will not allow you to walk all over me like that!”

His brows snapped together suddenly. “What has Lady Vivian got to do with this?”

“Everything,” she whispered brokenly. “Justeverything.”

He had only agreed to helping her because of Lady Vivian. Even after she had scorned him, he was willing to demean himself to some sort of dancing instructor for a chance to be with her again.

Why can’t it be me?Olivia wanted to rage at him.Why can’t you love me as much as you love her?

But she knew those words would fall on deaf ears and she was not one to push herself where she was not wanted.

“I have to go now,” she mumbled, averting her gaze from his. “I shall see you at the dance competition, Your Grace.”

He did not say anything as she extricated herself from his arms, as she picked her discarded clothing and put them on one by one.

When she left Anderleigh Hall that day, she felt even more broken than she had been by her illness.

CHAPTERTWENTY-SEVEN

Olivia spent the rest of the evening sobbing in her bed, refusing to eat dinner and claiming that she did not feel well enough to get out of bed.