UNFORGETTABLE (Able Series Book 3) by Gigi Aceves Page A

know . . .”
    “No! Don’t blame yourself. The doctor said it happens; the baby just didn’t attach that well. This isn’t something we could’ve avoided. Please, don’t blame yourself. At the very least, do that for me.”
    “This is exactly what happened the first time. You can’t fault me for thinking that. Allow me to process this.”
    He sounds so robotic. Not that it’s not sincere, but that it’s without feeling. It’s as if he’s detached himself from his heart—he feels so far away . . . so very far away from me. But, when you love a person, you build them up instead of tearing them down, so that’s exactly what I’m doing.
    “If there’s one thing I want you to learn from this, it’s that we can’t control fate. It won’t bring our baby back, and while I’m heartbroken beyond words, I don’t want you carrying the same guilt again, Brian. It’s excruciating, it’s raw, the pain is so real and intense, forgetting is almost impossible. So, don’t add guilt into it. There’s no need for it. Our angel is in Heaven now, and I’m okay with that. . . . I need to be okay with that for my sanity.”
    “And, you’re saying it’s not okay with me? Doing this alone isn’t the solution.”
    I breathe deeply as I pray for more strength. “I need to heal and so do you; and doing it together, I don’t think is healthy for either one of us. I don’t want to forget or heal doing it your way. I don’t want fear surrounding me as you’ve done all of your life . . . what you’re doing now. I don’t want it to incapacitate me enough that the thought of trying again paralyzes everything in me.”
    “Tami, this isn’t the way to go, not by a long shot. You promised!”
    Shaking my head I say, “Hiding and avoiding me for days isn’t a sign of your willingness to heal. Is that a sign of being ready to forget? I say, you’re running away.”
    “But, I’m not running from you. We need to do this together.”
    Wiping a few errant tears, I give him the final blow. “Together? I needed you to be there for me, but instead, you chose to be in your own world, wallowing in your own self-pity. So please, you have to do the same for me. I just need time away from you.”
    His voice cracks, and I quickly steel my heart. “Where does this leave us?”
    “It leaves us where we are, except we’re doing it separately.”
    “Do you still love me?”
    I start laughing and crying at the same time. I’m pretty sure I’m pulling a Roxy right now, and giving Brian a coronary; either that, or he’s contemplating on calling the men in white for me.
    “You’re asking me if I love you. I think you should ask yourself that, Brian. Seriously, ask yourself that question, and let me know what answer you come up with.”
    Quickly, he reaches for me as I abruptly stand and turn to leave. “Stop; face me, please.”
    I take a deep breath then slowly face him, but nothing could have prepared me for hearing every single thing that comes out of his mouth.
    “Give me this, please.”
    I remain motionless, my eyes still on him. Slowly, he leans, claiming my lips with his. Our tongues dance and love on the other while he cups my face. He deepens the kiss, and it seems he’s savoring my breath, inhaling all of me.
    “Forever.”
    He confesses after every swipe of his tongue against mine. I start tasting his tears along with my own, my moans become whimpers.
    “I love you, Tami.”
    His pained voice is full of longing, but the words that vibrate against my lips, those words fill my empty heart to its fullest. He releases my lips, allowing my eyes to see the devastation that plays on his face. His thumb dances across my cheek, moving to my lips while his eyes speak silently to mine. He wipes away my tears as I wipe his that are caused by misplaced fear and loss. Reluctantly, his hand drifts away from my face . . . he’s letting go while I painfully allow him to.
    I watch his finger glide down from my lip, to my jaw, then