The rain came down even harder, and I looked up and closed my eyes, letting the cool raindrops mix with the dirt and salty tears on my face. A gust of wind caught my hair and swirled it around. Loose strands stuck to my damp cheeks.
It dawned on me that I had no way to get home. I came in a cab, but this wasn’t a usual route. I pulled my phone out, but the battery had died. I’d been so distracted with the test and everything that I’d forgotten to charge it.
This was just my luck. I worked so hard all semester and studied all week only to bomb my test this afternoon. It was already a bad day, one of the worst of the year, and now I was stuck out in this cemetery, miles away from anything.
I gave in to the tears. It didn’t matter. No one was there to see me cry. I folded my arms across my chest and kneeled under a large oak tree, planning to wait out the storm before I ventured home.
The wind blew harder and was cold against my wet clothes. I shivered. Why did this have to happen to me, and why now, of all days? I hugged my knees to my chest and rested my head on my arms. The rain pounded down in sheets and the wind blew hard. I was completely soaked and totally depressed. And there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it. Welcome to my life, I thought miserably.
“Allie!”
I looked up when I heard my name. Chris was running towards me.
“Here you are!” He wrapped me up in his arms and held me tight. I shivered and clung to him, not wanting to let go.
“What are you doing out here?” I asked.
He hugged me close and buried his face in my wet hair. “I came by to see how your test went. Emily let me in, and I waited for over an hour. You never came.” He pulled away and looked into my dirty face. “I tried calling, but you didn’t answer. Then Emily realized what day it is. Your mom.”
Lightening streaked across the sky, the roll of thunder seconds behind.
He held my face in his hands. “Are you okay?”
I shivered again. “There were weeds. I couldn’t just leave them,” I said, looking down at my bloody hands. “I took a cab, but then it started raining. My cell is dead, and I didn’t have a way to get back.” My teeth chattered against the cold.
“Let me take you home.” He pulled off his jacket and wrapped it around my shoulders.
At the speed he drove, it didn’t take long to get back to civilization.
“Where are we going?” I shouted when we drove past my building.
“To the hotel. Is that okay?” The bike slowed as he waited for me to answer.
“Sure.” The engine roared as we accelerated. I didn’t care where we went as long as I was with him.
Once in his room, I twisted a dry towel through my hair. He took off his shirt, and I admired the view. I shivered again, but only partly from being chilly. “Mind if I use your shower?” I asked.
“Help yourself.”
The water was hot and stung my skin, but it did well in washing away all the mud and tears. My clothes were still drenched, so, after drying off, I wrapped the towel around my body and went out to find Chris. He was lying across his bed, wearing only a pair of dry pajama bottoms.
He sat up immediately.
“My clothes are wet,” I said, feeling bashful.
He got up and walked towards me, taking my hands and examining my cuts. “This must have been a horrible day for you.”
“It’s better now,” I said, embarrassed by the condition he’d found me in. I was glad to see him, glad to be in out of the rain, but sorry he’d witnessed my meltdown. “I’m sorry.”
His brow wrinkled when he looked at me. “For what?”
I looked at the painting above his bed, a geometrical abstract done in yellow hues. “I’m sorry you had to see me that way. Sorry for my temporary bout with insanity.” I felt like an idiot.
He pulled me against him and rubbed my back. “Never say that. You’ve had it rough. You know, I’d say you deserve to be a little crazy every once in awhile.”
I pressed my ear against his chest and listened to the slow rhythm of his beating heart. “I don’t think I did too well on my test.”
He kissed the top of my head. “No sense stressing about it now, right? What’s done is done.”
I nodded at the wisdom of his words, but I couldn’t make out the expression in his eyes. They were darker than usual. “What are you thinking about?” I asked.
“I’m glad you’re here.”
“Me too,” I agreed. I reached up and wrapped my arms around his neck, my lips finding his. My towel fell to the floor, but I made no move to retrieve it.
Chris sucked in a deep breath and traced a fingertip down the length of my spine. I could barely breathe.
“Allison,” he whispered, his breath hot in my ear. He folded his fingers between mine, lifted my hands to his lips, and kissed each knuckle, never taking his eyes off my own. He then wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me against him. His lips were hard against mine, hot and fervent. One hand slid up to the back of my head and gathered a fistful of my wet hair.
A moan escaped from low in my throat, and I was lost in the pleasure. I cupped a hand around his head, trying to pull myself closer to him. My right leg wrapped around his left, and I lifted my hips up to his. We shuffled awkwardly towards the bed, an entangled mess of limbs and desire and longing.
He knelt over me. The mattress sunk under our combined weight. His lips brushed across my wrist, up my forearm, and to the bend in my elbow. He planted little kisses up my arm, nuzzled my shoulder, and drug the tip of his nose slowly across my clavicle, pausing at the hollow beneath my neck. “I want to know every inch of you,” he said before repeating the routine down my other arm.
My body was alive with sensation. I tugged on his pants, wanting them gone, but he crawled off of me and stood up. My breaths came in pants, and I just looked at him, confused. He grinned at me, and, ever so slowly, walked over to his dresser. He pulled a shiny foil square out of his top drawer.
“Oh,” I gasped. Thank goodness he was still thinking clearly. I sure as hell wasn’t.
He stepped out of his pants and took his time coming back to the bed. He watched me intently, as a predator would before striking its prey. And then, all at once, he was next to me, and then inside me, filling me, satisfying needs I’d forgotten I even had.
Chapter 21
I invited Chris, Lauren, and her husband Antonio over for dinner. After the chicken noodle soup disaster, I still felt the need to prove to Chris that I could cook.
I had just put the pan of chicken enchiladas, one my specialties, into the oven when Lauren knocked
“Hi, guys!” I said, pulling the door open. I stared at Lauren’s belly. It got bigger every time I saw her. “Wow! You’re huge!” I laughed. “How are you feeling?”
“Like I swallowed a whale,” she groaned. “Where’s Chris?”
“He had a late rehearsal. He should be here soon, though,” I said, glancing at the clock.
Antonio settled in front of the TV and turned on a basketball game. Lauren gave him an irritated look. “Make yourself at home, why don’t you?”
“What?” he said. “There’s a game on tonight. I want to check the score.”
She grumbled a few choice words and went to the kitchen. “So, tell me,” she asked once she got settled into a chair by the table, “how are things? And by things, I mean you and Chris.”
I stood at the counter, chopping up a head of lettuce. “Things are great.” I didn’t try to hide the smile.
“Oh, come on. I know you’re dying to talk about him. Let’s hear it.” She fixed me with an inquisitive stare.
I scooped the lettuce into a bowl and put it in the fridge before dropping down into the chair next to her. “He is, without a doubt, the greatest thing that has ever happened to me,” I said.
“So, you’re finally over all that ‘I don’t have anything to offer him’ nonsense?”
“Yeah, I am.”
“Have you slept with him yet
?”
“Lauren! Geez!” I shouldn’t have been surprised by her straightforwardness. This was Lauren, after all.
“What? It’s a valid question.”
A stupid, involuntary grin pulled at my lips. She’d know if I tried to lie. “Okay, okay. If you must know, yes.”
She cocked her head and looked at me. “Was it good? Because judging from that body of his, I’d bet he could…”
“Whoa!” I laughed, holding my hands up to stop her. “Yes, yes, okay? It was amazing.” I looked at her seriously. “He makes me feel so safe. I never had that with Paul, you know? He made me happy, or at least I thought he did at the time, but what he and I had was nothing compared to what I’ve got with Chris.”
Satisfied, Lauren leaned back in her chair. “I’ll admit, I’m jealous. Antonio and I used to have that spark. Over the years, the passion just sort of faded. Of course, this doesn’t help much in the intimacy department.” She ran a hand over her belly.
There was a knock at my door. I went to answer it, but turned back to Lauren first. “You know, it’s weird. We’re so comfortable with each other, but my heart still does flip-flops when I see him.”
“Puppy love,” she said with a dreamy smile. “Give it time.”
I gave her a sideways glance, wondering if I should even ask what was going on with her, but as soon as I saw Chris it was forgotten.
“Hey!” He handed me a bottle of wine.
“Hey, yourself,” I said, standing up on my tiptoes for a kiss. He planted one on me.
Lauren groaned. “Come on, you two. Can’t you at least wait until after dinner? You’re gonna make me lose my appetite.” She pretended like she was sticking a finger down her throat.
Chris laughed and wrapped a finger through my belt loop, pulling me against his chest.
Lauren grinned. “Come and meet my husband.”
Lauren introduced the guys, and we all settled around the coffee table for a game of Yahtzee. Antonio had just thrown a full house when Lauren closed her eyes and inhaled. A spicy aroma drifted through the apartment. “Mmmm, smells good.”
Chris smirked. “Careful. Smells can be deceiving, especially when Allie’s cooking.”
“Hey!” I gave his shoulder a playful shove.
“Allison is an amazing cook,” Lauren said. “I’ve never tasted something she’s made that I haven’t absolutely loved.”
“I don’t know,” he teased.
“I promise it won’t be a problem tonight,” I said. “I could make enchiladas in my sleep. I should probably go check on them, though. Wouldn’t want the cheese to burn.”
Lauren struggled to get to her feet; Antonio had to help her up. “This is getting so old,” she groaned as she hobbled to the kitchen. She looked like a weeble-wobble, but I wasn’t so sure she wouldn’t fall down.
The cheese was bubbly and starting to brown. “Okay,” I called to the guys, pulling the pan from the oven. “Let’s eat.”
The four of us crowded around my table. I watched Chris carefully as he took his first bite. He chewed slowly, a blank expression masking his face, and I worried that he didn’t like it. “Well? What do you think?”
He wiped his mouth with a napkin, took great care in folding it across his knee, and then looked at me. “I think I’m in love. This has to be the best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth. Well, almost,” he added with a wink. Lauren kicked my shin under the table.
Once everything was eaten, the guys went back out to the living room while Lauren helped me clean up. She leaned against the sink, but gripped the edge so tightly that her knuckles were turning white.
“Are you alright?” I asked, concerned.
She squeezed her eyes shut and nodded. “Just a contraction. It’ll pass.” She stood like that for several seconds, and then relaxed. “See, no big deal.”
I wasn’t so sure. “How long have you been having them?”
“They started this morning, but have been irregular.”
“You don’t think you should go in and get checked?”
“And miss this?” she said with a tight lipped grin. “No way.” She leaned against the counter again and groaned. “Oh man, here comes another one.”
“Should I get Antonio?”
She shook her head and took a few deep breaths. “Not yet.” She then grabbed her belly and doubled over.
I wasn’t about to let her give birth in my kitchen. I jogged to the living room. “I think Lauren’s in labor.”
Both guys looked up from the TV. Antonio turned white.
I couldn’t help but laugh. I wasn’t sure who looked worse, him or Lauren.
“Are you sure?” Antonio asked, getting up from the couch. “She isn’t due for another week. We’re not ready.” He paced circles in front of the TV. “We didn’t bring her overnight bag. I don’t even have a car seat yet.”
Lauren appeared. She was slouched over and holding one hand under her belly. “I told you weeks ago we needed to get one. And what did you say?” She lowered her voice to mock her husband’s, “‘Don’t rush me; we’ve got tons of time.’ When will you learn to listen to me?” She flashed her husband a teasing smile before doubling over in pain. “Oooow!!”
The four of us piled into Lauren’s Grand Prix. Chris drove. Antonio and Lauren rode in the back, working to keep each other calm.
“How about we drop you two off, and then Chris and I will swing by your place to get your bag?” I suggested as we pulled into the emergency room drive. Chris stopped against the curb, and Antonio ran in for a wheelchair.
“That would be great,” Lauren said. “I think it’s on the floor in my closet. I can’t believe this is happening!”
I gave her a hug. “You’re going to be great. Now, go have that baby. I’ll be back soon.”
I climbed back into the car. “Well, that wasn’t exactly what I had in mind for tonight,” I told Chris. “But, I’m so excited! I hope everything goes okay for her.”
He reached over and patted my thigh. “I’m sure it will be fine. Now, where to?”
He held my hand and rubbed his thumb against my palm as he drove to Lauren’s house. She didn’t live far, and I found her bag right where she said it would be. I grabbed it and tossed it in the backseat.
“Back to the hospital?” Chris asked.
“If you don’t mind, let’s swing by Target first. Antonio said they don’t have a car seat yet, and if they plan on bringing the baby home tomorrow, they’ll need one.”
“Target it is,” he said, shifting the car into reverse.
We got to the store and browsed through the selection, and I had narrowed the options down to two. “What do you think?” I asked. “This green one has cute little carousel horses, but that one is pink.”
“She’s having a girl?”
I nodded. “That’s what the doctor said.”
“Definitely the pink.”
I nodded my approval. “I was hoping you’d say that.”
“Would it have mattered if I’d picked the other one?”
I thought about it and laughed. “Not really, no.”
After checking out, we stood in the empty parking lot next to Lauren’s car. Chris ripped open the box as I cleared a spot in the backseat. “Okay, ready,” I said, reaching in from the other side. He handed the car seat to me, but I pushed it back to him. “It has to go the other way.”
“What other way?”
“It has to face backwards. It’s safer,” I explained when he gave me a look. “And it has to be strapped down with the seatbelt tight enough so it doesn’t wiggle.” I climbed in and dug a knee into the car seat as I tugged on the belt.
Chris stood back and watched while I fought with the straps. “Need some help?”
“No, I think I got it,” I said, giving the strap one more pull. By the time I climbed out of the car, I was winded.
He tried to wiggle the seat, but it held firm. “Nice job. You’ve done this before.”
I stretched my fingers.
They were sore from all the tugging. “Why? You don’t think I could figure it out otherwise?”
He cocked an eyebrow, but I knew he was teasing.
“I helped install Molly’s,” I admitted. “Shall we go? I’m just dying to see if she’s had the baby yet.”
Lauren was still in labor when we got to the hospital. Her parents were in the lobby.
“They’re waiting for the epidural to kick in,” her mom informed me. “It could still be awhile.”
I turned to Chris. “You can go, if you want. I’m going to stay.”
He wrapped his arms around my waist and rested his forehead against mine. “I’m not going anywhere.”
I closed my eyes and smiled as a rush of warmth flowed through my body.
We found a spot in a dark corner on the lobby floor. He leaned against the wall, and I sat between his legs and leaned against him, my back to his chest.
“Thanks for being here,” I said, turning my head back to look at him. “I really appreciate it.”
He pulled the rubberband out from my hair. It fell down past my shoulders, and he ran his fingers through it. “Who knew dinner could be so exciting?” His cool lips pressed against my temple.
I laughed. “That’s for sure.”
“I don’t know about the food, though,” he said.
“What do you mean? You said you loved it.”
“I did. I’m just concerned about the fact that it sent Lauren into premature labor. That can’t be a good side effect. You might need to work on your recipe a little.” He gathered my hair at the base of my neck and tugged.
“Shut up!” I said, laughing. “You’re such an ass!”
He wrapped his arms around me and rested his chin on my shoulder. “You like it,” he said. His breath tickled in my ear.
I did like it. A lot. “Too bad we didn’t get to dessert.”
He lifted his head and looked around. “There’s got to be an empty bed somewhere in this place. There’s still time.”
I elbowed him in the belly. “I made chocolate mousse.”
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