Garrett’s home is beautiful, with nothing but rolling hills of greenery for company just outside of Lexington, Kentucky. The large house is painted white with a wraparound porch that I love especially when I spot two rocking chairs to the left of the front door.

“What do you think?” Garrett asks.

I turn to face him and smile, feeling so happy and finally free to be myself—something that I’d always struggled with while being with Harry.

Taking his hand that rests on his thigh, I intertwine our fingers. “Your home is beautiful, and it reminds me of my grandparents farm.” I kiss his knuckles and bring his hand to my cheek. “I feel as though I can finally breathe here with you.”

He frowns and to my relief, changes the subject with his question, “Are you hungry?”

“I might be.” I smile.

He grins and the smile crinkles the corners of his eyes, making my heart thump in my chest. “Stay put while I come around and get you.” He quickly comes around to my side and opening the door, he slides one arm beneath my legs and the other around my back. “Doctor’s orders.”

“I’m not about to complain.” I wrap my arms around his neck. “I love being this close to you.” I nuzzle into his neck causing him to stumble.

“I think you better stop that before I drop you.”

“You won’t drop me.” I know this is the truth.

He doesn’t say anything else until he’s placed me on the sofa. “You need to let me go,” he says because my arms are still around him.”

“I don’t want to. I think you need to come down here with me.”

His eyes heat and the hands on my hips tremble. “Sirena,” he moans, closing his eyes.

“I’m still going to be here when you open those mesmerizing eyes.”

“Mesmerizing, huh?” he grins and crouches between my legs. His arms rest against the side of my thighs and his hands slide around to my bottom. “I have a feeling that having you here is going to cause me a whole lot of trouble, not to mention, keep me in a permanent state of arousal.”

I chuckle and tease. “Arousal? I like the sound of that.”

“You would,” he mumbles, shaking his head while backing away from me his eyes full of mirth. “I need to go and grab your things from the car.”

“I’m curious as to how long you told Charlotte I would be here because three suitcases is a lot, even for me.”

He watches me carefully and a delightful blush coats his cheekbones. “We’ll see.” With those two words uttered, he dashes out of the front door and a few minutes later I hear him placing the cases by the door.

Settling back into the soft cushions of the cream sofa, I kick my shoes off and curl my legs under me. Right now I feel that everything is new and exciting, but at the same time there is a nervous flutter in my belly wondering what’s going to happen in the future. In three months I’m going to have a son or daughter to look after and I can’t get past the fact that it would be a lot to ask of anyone to take on with me.

“You’re thinking too hard,” Garrett says, staring down at me from behind the sofa. “You need to rest and be stress free, so stop worrying.” He bends and kisses my cheek before he clears his throat and moves away. “I’m going to take your luggage upstairs.” He pauses. “Do you want me to unpack for you?”

The thought of him unpacking my panties and bras fills me with amusement, but I let him off the hook. “No, I’ll do it before going to bed, thank you though.” I smile gratefully up at him.

“If you’re too tired then ask for help. You’re not alone now. You need to realize that.”

Sighing softly, I admit, “Even though I’m always around my family, I’ve felt alone for a while as though I didn’t belong and I realize that it’s all because of Harry. He made me feel like I had to be someone else when I was with him, and I was miserable.”

Garrett stares at me for a few minutes and then he slowly moves around the sofa. He sits beside me. “Spread out so that you’re comfortable.” I place my legs over his lap and let out a small sigh when he gently caresses back and forth along my legs. “That’s better. I hate seeing the creases of worry and regret spread across your beautiful brow. That’s all in the past so try and move forward and enjoy the rest of your pregnancy.” He offers a small smile. “My home is your home, Sirena. I want you to be comfortable here and to move around freely once you’re time on bed rest is over.”

He’s right and reaching out, I take his hand from my leg and smooth my fingers over his palm. “I’m afraid, Garrett. I’m afraid that I’m going to get so comfortable here with you that I won’t ever want to leave.” I shrug, trying to act nonchalant when I already can’t imagine my life without him in it.

The worry etched on his face causes my belly to tighten with nerves. Have I said too much? Moving too fast for him to catch up?

I’m being as truthful as I can so instead of staying silent, I add, “When I’m with you I feel so many emotions.” I smile shyly. “Comfortable, happy, attraction, but most of all, I feel as though I’m meant to be here with you. I know the way that I feel at ease with you is so damn fast but there you have it…I’ll, um, stop rambling now.” I cringe at my muddled way with words, hopefully he’ll find it cute.

He offers me a wistful smile. “I don’t ever want you to feel that you have to leave, okay?” Squeezing my hand he rests his head back against the sofa. “I have a feeling that I’m going to enjoy having you around, and feel free to ramble all you like.” He grins.

“I hope so.”

“I know so.”

“Oh!” I jump slightly and quickly place Garrett’s hand over my protruding stomach. “Feel, my baby’s active.”

His eyes widen as his hand on my stomach is pushed outward while the game going on inside of me continues. He laughs and tears reach his eyes, which of course sets me off. “Amazing,” he breathes and reaching out places his other hand on my belly. “I’ve never felt anything like this before.” Holding my gaze he adds, “Thank you.” He dips his head and places a soft kiss on my bump.

My emotions finally get the better out of me as tears flow down my cheeks while I try to smile through them. Garrett brushes them away with his thumbs, settling his hands on either side of my face. “You’re going to be an amazing mother, Sirena.” With his eyes solely focused on me, he leans closer and very slowly caresses my lips with his own.

He pulls a breadth away as though he’s testing my reaction and then I sigh with pleasure as he continues to place light kisses along my lips. He groans applying slight pressure, which causes my mouth to part allowing him access. His taste bursts on my tongue and all I can think about is getting closer to him as my fingers slide through his hair.

“Sirena,” he whispers, breathing heavily his forehead resting against mine. “What you do to me.” Closing his eyes, I watch as he slowly pulls himself together. “I think I was doing something before you distracted me.”

Licking around my lips with the tip of my tongue, Garrett’s eyes follow the motion and they darken with lust. I reach out and lay a palm to his cheek, which he leans into. “I think,” I say, “that you were about to take my luggage upstairs.”

“Hmm.” He kisses my palm. “I’ll be quick and then I’ll make us some lunch.”

Softly smiling, I lay back on the sofa and after a short pause he disappears to sort my luggage out.

I listen to the soft thud of his feet as he moves up the stairs, and then I try to listen for his movement above, but that’s less obvious until a door clicks closed.

Garrett’s home isn’t what I’d expected, although I should have realised he wouldn’t live in a fancy, modern mansion, it wouldn’t be very ‘him’. It’s homey with two large comfortable sofas and matching chairs spread through the room. There is a television on the wall with a DVD player beneath and if I’m not mistaken a PlayStation four. I smile at that because he obviously likes his games. My cousins Ryan and Jaxon are gamers and spend more time than I’d consider normal, battling it out online.

The huge living room leads through to a kitchen, which looks like sunshine. The yellow walls and white trim make me think of daisies on a summer’s day. I notice Garrett quickly making his way over. His smile always seems so easy when he looks at me, and mine in return feels natural.

“What are you thinking about?” he asks, moving to crouch at the side of the sofa, and leaning over me, he kisses my nose before he settles with his face nuzzling into the top of my head. “You always smell so good.”

I reach above my head and sigh as my fingers make contact with his head, holding him close. “Mmm, I was thinking about you, which is why I was smiling. You make me smile.”

A low growl has my eyes searching for his, but they’re looking further down my body. As I follow his gaze, I realise my shirt has split open and is now showing rather a lot of my baby bump. “Oh,” I whisper.

Garrett smiles when his eyes finally meet mine. “You make me crave things that I’d given up on long ago,” he says so quietly that I almost don’t catch his words, then clearing his throat, he says, “Sandwich’s and fruit. Does that sound good?”

“As long as we eat together then that sounds amazing.”

His eyes flicker back to my belly before my face. “I wouldn’t want to eat anywhere else but with you.” He kisses me on the nose and straightens, disappearing into the kitchen, but not before I spot his arousal pushing against the zipper of his slacks.

If seeing part of my stomach gets him worked up then wait till he seems me in my pyjamas . . . Sleeping arrangements! I haven’t given them much thought, well none really. Will I be sharing a room with Garrett? Or will he give me my own space? I do want to be with him, but at the same time, it’s probably way too soon for room sharing. It doesn’t stop my body from wanting him though, and it has nothing to do with not having sex in what feels like forever, it’s so much more. I have a feeling that with Garrett I’d feel well and truly loved, which doesn’t scare me as much as it probably should.

Thinking all that though, I can’t help wondering what he sees in me when I look like a beached whale. My belly is only going to be getting bigger as well over the next three months.