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He smiled brazen and wide, passing over her ill humor like a true friend.
“If my hotness is not enough to distract you, let’s talk about all the things you’re going to do once you offload this basketball.”
For months, she had been whining constantly about everything she missed while pregnant, so even in her addled state, the list reeled off her tongue smoothly.
“First up, spicy tuna rolls.”
“I’ve got Aiko’s on speed dial,” he said, referring to their favorite sushi place in Wicker Park, the north side neighborhood where they both lived. “Just say the word.”
“A double gin and tonic.” As soon as the words escaped her lips, her mouth watered like she was Pavlov’s dog. “Just one, though, because I’ll be breastfeeding.”
Tad’s dark brows lifted and his gaze dropped to her breasts, covered by a hospital gown. They’d ballooned to a point where they could be seen from the International Space Station. There was the Great Wall of China, then her massive boobs.
“The miracle of life,” he murmured dreamily.
She thumped him in the arm. “Perv.”
“Well, they already look fantastic, but I’m all on board with them getting bigger when your milk comes in.” Tad had devoured all the pregnancy books in the name of supporting her as they approached the big day and he knew more than the average male on the topic. He mimicked cupping zeppelin-sized breasts. “What are we talking here? Double Ds, Double Fs?”
“You’re impossible,” she said, feeling dangerously tender toward him right this minute.
He raised her clasped hand to his lips and brushed his soft mouth across her knuckles.
“What else are you looking forward to,mia bella?”
Mia bella.My beautiful. She loved when he called her that, especially when she was feeling less than beautiful.
“Seeing my feet again.” Also on the MIA list were unmentionable body parts, such as the overgrown forest between her legs that machetes might have trouble hacking through.
Jules had set up an appointment for a bikini wax about ten minutes after her waters broke seven hours ago.
“Cute shoes. My feet have puffed to marshmallows and my shoe collection misses me terribly.”
She’d sequestered them in the back of her closet along with her most fashionable threads—the ones single girls on the pull wore as their armor—because the sight of them every time she opened the closet door gouged her fashion-loving soul.
Most of all she missed feeling sexy, and all research pointed to the disturbing conclusion that it might be a while before she got there again. Demon was going to be a real crimp in her love life for sure.
As if the little bugger heard her negative thoughts about him, he made a break for the border.
“I have to push,” she said with authority, desperately trying to sound like she had some control over this frightening situation. It was a biological need to propel this baby into the world, but also a psychological grasp at the tethers. Her entire life had been spent ducking and diving from the hard decisions. Fleeing when it got tough, shutting down when the situation demanded she step up.
Five months ago, she’d made the best choice for her baby when she left London and all the pain behind. Finding the strength to admit she needed help by mending fences with her brother had brought her to Chicago. To a new life and a ready-made family.
“Not yet,” Doc ordered.
“Yes.” Jules disagreed because it felt right.
Demon applied the screws again, determined to rip her open in his push to embrace daylight. The pain. Oh, God, the pain. She screamed, terrified and thrilled to be finally taking charge of her life.
“Okay, push,” the doctor said as if this baby wasn’t running the show.
“Come on,mia bella.” Tad wiped his rough, callused palm across her sweaty hair-matted forehead.Do I look beautiful now, you bastard?“You can do this. You can do anything.”
And in that moment, she believed him. He was a man, so lying was ingrained in his DNA and one of his penis people had got her into this mess. But he was also her friend, and she believed him.
Forty seconds of the most agonizing torture she had ever experienced and it was over. Her eyes registered a blur of red, a ball of rawness, really, before the doc whisked him away to be examined and prodded.
“Is he all right?” She turned to Tad, whose face was frozen in a mix of wonder and fear. “Tad, is he all right?”
