Chasing Cars

About a week later, I was told I could leave bed rest. They told me to be careful and relax and not stress myself out. Definitely no sex. But I was still super excited about being free. Chris took me out to eat to celebrate. I went back to work right away and felt much better. But that also meant I had to spend less time with Chris. We went back to our regular once-a-week excruciating visits.

When I was given the okay to have sex again, I didn’t say anything to Chris. I didn’t want him to think I expected it from him since I technically broke up with him. But eventually, it became unbearable. I wanted him bad. But it was the middle of the night when I decided I needed him immediately. I had the key to Vic’s apartment. Maybe I could just sneak in. Maybe Vic wasn’t even awake.

I jumped in my car and headed over to his house. I was already on his street when I realized how stupid it was to go over there in the middle of the night. I parked across the street and looked at the house. It was dark. Only one apartment was lit up. But Chris wouldn’t like to know that I’d come all that way and didn’t at least say hello. I could just say hello.

My reasoning was pathetic, but I got out of the car anyway. I knocked on the door first. I didn’t want to ring the bell just in case they were sleeping. But Vic’s car wasn’t parked out front beside Chris’s. I knocked again. Nothing. So I decided to let myself in.

My heart was hammering as I crept into the living room. It was dark and weird being in there by myself. A part of me felt like I was intruding. But then again, I reminded myself that Chris and I still loved each other a whole heck of a lot. And I was pregnant with his kid either way. So I couldn’t really intrude, right? I crept down the hall and saw that Vic’s bedroom door was open, but the room was empty.

I opened Chris’s door and found him sleeping on the bed pushed up under the window. It was open, and the street light shone in, lighting up his handsome face and reminding me of how I’d fallen in love with him in the first place. I put my bag down and went to his side. His room was warm, so he had a fan going. I was wearing a dress, so I decided not to bother with too many introductions.

I climbed onto his lap and kissed his lips. I felt his body freeze, and he took hold of my arms. He pushed me gently away from him so he could see my face.

“Jesus, you scared the shit out of me,” he said.

“Sorry,” I replied. Then I went back to kissing him. His fingers tangled in my hair, and he muttered against my lips.

“I must be dreaming,” he said.

“Nope,” I told him. Then I sat up to pull the dress over my head.

“Is this a good idea?” he whispered.

“My doctor gave me the okay again,” I explained.

“She did?”

“Yes.” Maybe he missed me as badly as I missed him because he didn’t say anything else after that. “Where’s Vic?” I asked as we helped each other undress.

“Josh’s, I think. He said he was helping build the crib.”

“He won’t be mad about me being here, will he?”

“No.”

“Good.” He held onto my hips, and I got started. We were quiet for a few minutes before the doorbell rang. Chris and I both froze. His window was right next to the door, and it was open. We weren’t being very loud yet, but we were definitely on the right track.

“Ignore it,” he said. So I went back to it, and the doorbell rang again.

“Vic, Chris, are you home?” I heard a voice again. It was the same voice from the phone. The woman. I forgot all about her. I stopped and shot Chris a look. He sighed and put his hands on his head.

“She comes over in the middle of the night?” I whispered.

“She’s driving me nuts. She won’t leave us alone, but Vic likes her,” he whispered back.

“I thought you were going to make her go away.”

“She lives upstairs. And she doesn’t take a hint. She comes over here for Vic, and it’s his house. So I can’t exactly kick her out.”

“Bullshit. Vic’s car is gone. She’s here for you.”

“Marley, you don’t have anything to worry about. Especially not from her.” The doorbell rang again.

“She’s determined,” I said.

“She’s annoying,” he retorted.

“Do you think we could scare her away?” I kissed his lips, and he tucked my hair behind my ear.

“Mm… we could sure try.” I kissed him one more time and went back to work. But with much more enthusiasm than before. Chris grunted in response and gripped my hips again.

I didn’t want to fake moan because she could probably tell if I did, but I might have exaggerated just a bit. I got the bed to squeak as loudly as I could, and I was doing a lot of moaning and saying his name. I was pretty sure he wasn’t faking when he gripped my hips and let out an “Oh God.” There was no way she didn’t hear us. She didn’t ring the bell again. But I heard her go back upstairs, and her door closed. And then I didn’t stop. I was on a roll. I didn’t care who could hear us or what I sounded like.

When we finished, I didn’t get off of him right away. Instead, I remained where I was, breathing heavily and closing my eyes.

“Please tell me you weren’t exaggerating because that was amazing,” Chris said. I laughed.

“I was at first. But then I got really into it. So the rest of it was real,” I told him.

“Good.”

I climbed off of him and laid down on his side. I rested my head on his chest, and he wrapped his arm around me. The other one reached for the blanket and pulled it over us. I figured he did this for Vic’s benefit since the both of us were still sweating. He ran his fingers over my cheek and kissed my lips.

“Goddamn it, I miss you,” he said. I smiled.

“I miss you too.”

“Stay with me tonight?”

“You didn’t even have to ask.”