Waking an hour ago with Sirena in my arms had felt amazing . . . and uncomfortable. My morning erection had been rock hard and hard to miss with it pressing up close and personal to Sirena.

I smile at her now while she pouts at the doctor as he tells her to rest up for a week. “Take it easy, please.”

“I think we have a difference of opinion about ‘taking it easy’ Sirena. When I say rest up, I mean bed but I will concede to the sofa during the day if you wish,” the doctor makes his point and gives her a stern look.

Before he can go on with his lecture, I reassure the doctor, “She’ll rest as she’s coming home with me.” I wink at Sirena when she turns surprised eyes in my direction. “I’ll look after her.”

“Now that’s sorted I’ll go and sort out your discharge papers.” With that the doctor leaves the room.

The silence stretches between us but then a smile starts to spread on Sirena’s face and happiness shines in her eyes. “I’m going home with you?”

“Is that a problem?” I ask even though I can see the answer on her beautiful face.

She slowly shakes her head. “Are you sure it isn’t going to be a problem for you?” Biting her lip, she turns away. “I said last night that it feels natural to be with you, but are we really thinking about starting a relationship when I’m heavily pregnant?”

I close my eyes and try not to think about the age difference, but I have to—twenty-four years is a lot to consider. I rest my elbows on my knees. “It’s the whole package that is Sirena Bennett that has me tied in knots, but . . . how old are your parents, Sirena?”

“I knew there would be a but.” Her eyes shutter, and she whispers, “My mom is fifty-two and my dad is sixty-four.”

It’s worse than I thought. “Your mom is only three years older than me.”

Silence follows my statement while Sirena refuses to meet my gaze. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll bite the bullet and go and stay with my parents for the week.”

My heart constricts as she curls on her side, her back toward me, her silence saying more than words.

I can’t do this to her.

Moving closer, I reach out and tug gently on her shoulder, but she doesn’t budge. “Just go Garrett. I’ll be fine. Better you go now than later.” Her voice is husky with tears as I make a decision in light of her distress that I hope doesn’t destroy us both.

Dashing around the bed, I capture her tear stained face between my palms and kiss the tracks of her tears. “I’m afraid if this between us develops into so much more that eventually you’ll listen to your family when they discover you’re with me, and that you’ll move on.”

Sighing, Sirena turns to the opposite side and sits up with her legs over the end of the bed. “It’s okay.” She wiggles from the bed and slips her feet into her flat shoes before walking into the bathroom and closing the door.

I sag into a chair and run my hands through my hair in frustration. I should have kept my mouth shut because now she’s shut me out and it hurts—probably more than it should considering our short acquaintance.

“What’s happened?” Charlotte questions, her face losing all color.

I warily lift my head and meet her gaze and realize I’m probably making her worry all the more for her sister. “Sirena is fine and her release papers will be ready soon . . . She’s in there.” I point at the bathroom.

“Thank God.” She presses a hand to her chest. “When I only saw you I thought something was seriously wrong.” She raises a brow.

I run a hand down my face really feeling my forty-nine years as I watch Charlotte move closer. “If everything is okay with her then why do you look,” she waves her hands around, “like that?”

“I told her that she could move in with me while she has to rest either in bed or on the sofa—doctors orders—and then, I had to go and mention the age difference. I asked her how old your parents are . . . there’s three years between your mom and me.” I stare at the bathroom door willing her to appear and to say that she’ll still come home with me.

“I take it she didn’t like it being pointed out, which by the way, I’ve already done.”

I frown. “When?”

“Before I took her out to dinner when she admitted that you had her distracted.” Charlotte shrugs. “My sister is loyal to those she loves, Garrett . . . no matter their age.” Smiling, she adds, “I’ve seen the way you look at her. I saw the way you pushed your way through in that restaurant to get to her. If she’s what you want then don’t let anything get in the way.”

“I really upset her.”

“Her hormones have her crying at the drop of a hat, plus her soon to be ex is a first class asshole who made her sign legal forms agreeing that he has no claim over her baby.”

“She told me. What an asshole!”

“He’s signed his rights away, and don’t get me wrong I’m glad about that and I know Sirena is, but it had to be a low blow regardless of her feelings about him.”

“Does she still have feelings for him?” I shouldn’t ask but I want to know just what I’m dealing with when I tell Sirena to screw the age difference.

“She married him because she was told not to. She’s stubborn and doesn’t do well when told not to do something . . . so be warned.”

Moving toward Charlotte, I shove my hands into my pockets and smile. “That’s a good warning to have, I also know how to make her do what I want when she’s being stubborn.”

Charlotte rolls her eyes and laughs. “Yeah, well, she’ll figure you out soon enough.” She meets my gaze. “It was nice to see her smile, Garrett. For the first time in months I saw her really smile and that was when you walked in here and held her hand. It reached her eyes, and until I saw that last night, I hadn’t realized it was missing . . . tell her I’ve been by and I’ll go by the lake house and pack her some things.”

“Thank you, but why are you doing this? Pushing us together? I assumed that you wouldn’t want us together.”

Charlotte glances at the bathroom door before turning back to me. “Sirena already relies on you more than she does me. Although I’m not sure she realizes that yet.” She shakes her head. “I’m going before she comes out. Just take care of her, and when you swing by for her clothes, I’ll give you my number.”

I nod as Charlotte walks out and leaves me alone with my thoughts, and anger. How the hell could anyone want to give up his rights to his child? I’ll never understand anyone who does that. At my age I’d give anything to have what her husband had.