The Surgeon's Secret Baby Wish. Laura Iding

in the adult unit at Trinity. I can understand why Tristan feels the need to be next to his sister.”

      He stabbed the button to call the elevator. “I can understand how he feels, too, but that doesn’t mean he gets his way. How would we provide care for him? Especially when he’s still an ICU patient?”

      “I don’t know, but I’m sure we could figure out a way.” Naomi’s chin tilted at a stubborn angle. “Those two kids deserve to be together.”

      When they entered the unit, there was a team of medical personnel in Emily’s room. The young girl had just come back from surgery.

      He followed Naomi in. For several moments they watched from the doorway as the team reconnected her to the bedside heart monitor, the large bulky Heartmate sitting beside her, dwarfing her small, frail frame.

      Soon the urgency abated and the number of people in the room dwindled to just the nurse assigned to Emily’s care. Rick was about to go and talk to Tristan when he noticed Naomi taking a seat next to Emily’s bed.

      “Hi, Emily,” she whispered, smoothing the young girl’s blonde hair away from her face with a tender, caring touch. “Did you know your brother Tristan is here, too? He’s right down the hall. He’ll be in to visit you very soon. He told me to tell you he loves you. Tristan loves you, Emily.” Naomi’s voice broke and she blinked away tears. “You’re going to feel better soon, you’ll see.”

      His heart lodged in his throat. The compassion on her face tugged at him. He wanted to go to her, to wrap her in his arms and hold her close. Naomi didn’t just care about a young patient, this was something more. The wistful expression full of love and caring in her eyes reminded him all too well of the way Gabrielle had looked when she’d held their daughter in her arms.

      He shook his head. What was wrong with him? He shouldn’t be attracted to Naomi, especially not when in that fleeting moment the keen compassion in her eyes had reminded him of his wife.

      Gabrielle and Sarah deserved better than to be shoved aside and forgotten.

      He turned away, tearing his gaze from Naomi. Somehow, some way, he had to find a way to keep the pretty surgeon at a safe distance. So she didn’t threaten his sanity.