Page 53 of Twin Surprise for the Italian Doc

‘You might need to go in a hurry.’

Muscles in Georgia’s jaw tightened. ‘I can call an ambulance. I know a few people who work there and they’d get herepretty fast.’

‘Youwantme to move out?’

If she said yes, would he pack his bag and leave instantly?

She wasn’t ready for that. If he left, it would be even easier to avoid finding the right moment to tell him.

‘Um...’ Georgia bit her lip. This was getting onto dangerous territory. Her mind was spinning.

There was a soft chant as background to the conflicting thoughts.

Tell him...tell him...tellhim...

‘Ah...maybe not quite yet. There won’t be much room when the...when the...’

‘Baby arrives. I get it.’

But he didn’t get it. Georgia had slammed on the mental brakes when the word ‘babies’ had been about to emerge. She’d sworn Kate to secrecy about that, on the grounds that she wanted to surprise everyone she knew. It was gratifying to know that she hadn’t even told Luke. Or maybe shehad. Maybe guys didn’t pass on that sort of information because it wasn’t interesting enough.

The moment he knew she was carrying twins, the game would be over. He’d know that she was bigger than expected for dates and that her pregnancy wasn’t nearly as advanced as she’d let him assume. It would force the truth to come out.

‘When is it due?’

‘You never know with first babies.’

The responsewas evasive. Despite trying to make that chant go away by giving in to it, something was overriding her determination and making it impossible.

‘They’re rarely on time,’ she added, a little desperately, ‘and usually late.’

She hurriedly poked the last pot lid into the cupboard and then reached for the drainer to stand it upright at the end of the bench. But Matteo was reaching for it as welland his hand caught her wrist.

‘I need to know,’ he said quietly. ‘My mother and sisters are putting pressure on for me to go home for a few days. My work schedule will allow it in a couple of weeks but that could be just the wrong time. I want to be here for you.’ He was making circles on her wrist with his thumb. ‘I could be your birth partner instead of Kate if you like.’

The sensation ofthose circles on her skin was travelling up Georgia’s arm like wildfire, obliterating every other thought that was still spinning. Up her arm, through her chest and straight down to an area low in her belly. It felt odd to experience a bolt of pure desire like this. Did pregnant woman still have sex when they were the size of a small elephant?

Would anyone other than the father of the baby evenwant to?

And, if he did, how exactly did they make it work?

She closed her eyes on a long blink as that thought pushed the others away. She might know a way...

Matteo’s thumb stilled. ‘What is this from?’ he asked quietly. ‘This scar? I’ve been wondering about it...’

Someone throwing a bucket of iced water into her face could have had a similar effect on dousing that desire. For a moment,Georgia froze.

She’d already sensed that this was an opportunity to tell Matteo the truth. Or to at least tell him when her due date was so that he could work it out for himself and force a stop to this horrible procrastination. More than that, she realised that a better opportunity would never present itself. She was actually being given a chance to offer the foundation of any excuses for herdeception before she dropped the bombshell of Matteo’s impending fatherhood.

But, yet again, she couldn’t do it.

Memory was such a bizarre thing. A smell could evoke a feeling of being straight back in your childhood, for instance. A thumb touching a jagged scar could suddenly burn, as though she could feel the pain of her arm being jammed in that car door all over again. She could definitelyfeel the shudder of remembered fear that had rippled down her spine.

She had to snatch her arm away.

‘Don’t...’ she whispered. ‘Please... I don’t want to talk about it. I...can’t...’

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