Page 47 of The Sheikh and the Single Mom

“Nina.” Her name was an incantation on his lips, drawing her towards him. “Oh, Nina. I love you. And I’m so, so sorry.”

Nina wasn’t sure who moved first, but then they were on their feet, the chairs scraping back as they hurried around the table. Rashad caught Nina in his arms, and she pressed her face against his firm chest, overcome by everything that had passedbetween them in the last few moments. She could hear his heartbeat against hers and feel the warmth emanating from him.

“Am I so ugly that you can’t even look at me?” There was a teasing undertone in Rashad’s voice now, and Nina laughed despite herself — and despite the tears still glistening in her eyes.

“No, of course not.” She lifted her head and tilted her chin back so that she could meet his intense gaze. “I just… I can hardly believe that this is real. I thought I’d never see you again — or that I’d only see you as a rival.”

“I thought the same.” Rashad’s lips crooked into a smile. “I’m glad we were wrong.”

“Me too.” Nina paused. “You’ll have to apologize to the twins, too. I made plenty of excuses, but they were sad not to see you again after the weekend together.”

Rashad winced. “I’m ready to apologize. The twins deserve better. So do you.”

“No.” Nina lifted onto her tiptoes until her lips were only inches from Rashad’s. She could smell that aftershave scent and see the five o’clock shadow across his chin, though it was barely afternoon. She could see the way his pupils dilated when she was near and the look in his eyes, as though he wanted nothing more than her. “I think you’ll do just fine the second time around.”

“I’ll do my best,” Rashad said, his eyes never leaving Nina’s. “I don’t suppose I could steal a kiss?”

“Hmm.” Nina pretended to consider. “I suppose that could be arranged.”

As if he’d been waiting to hear those words for years and couldn’t wait a second longer, Rashad pulled Nina into a kiss. Their lipsmet with all the passion they’d had during their first kiss all those months ago, but there was something more now, too. This time, Rashad kissed Nina with the promise of a future and the surety of a love that wouldn’t waver, no matter what happened. He tasted like sweet coffee and hope.

They kissed for a long time, as though they were the only two people in the world. When Rashad finally pulled away, he kept his arms around her.

“So, tell me, what shall we do now?” he asked, his voice low.

“First, we’ll sign our agreement.” Nina nodded to the papers on the table. “Then, I think we should take the day off, don’t you?”

“We can go for a sail,” Rashad suggested. “You can bring Miles and Kate.”

“You can tell me more about how amazing I am.”

“You can tell me all about our baby.”

They smiled at each other, then Nina extricated herself from Rashad’s embrace and picked up the pen. It scratched against the paper as she signed, the smell of ink wafting into the air. With a smile, she turned back to Rashad.

“I need one more thing to seal our agreement.”

“Anything.”

“One more kiss — then we’ll officially be in business.”

“You don’t even have to ask.” Rashad swept her into a dipped kiss.

Later, they would go for a sail, the twins in tow. They’d swim and cook together and play board games and hide-and-seek. But fornow, on this warm March day with the future bright and wide ahead of them, they led each other to Rashad’s bedroom, their laughter and teasing turning into something sweeter and more intimate.

Finally, there were no more secrets and no more fears between them.

EPILOGUE

NINA

It was hard to believe that one whole year had passed.

Nina looked down at the sleeping face of her younger son in her arms. His eyes were closed, and his long lashes, so reminiscent of his father’s, were splayed across his chubby cheeks. His rosebud mouth was curved in what Nina could only describe as a smile, though her baby books had warned her that at only four months old, Rafi was probably too young to be smiling.

“How are you, my love?” An arm slid around Nina’s waist and she sensed as much as felt Rashad’s presence beside her. She leaned back against his muscular chest, enveloped in his masculine scent and his warmth.

“He just finished feeding and he’s asleep now.” Nina turned her head to give Rashad a quick kiss. “How was the meeting?”

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