Ellis flew backward and slammed down onto the floor and did not get up again. On instinct, I went over and checked his pulse. He was alive but out cold. As though on cue, the police arrived.
Chapter Sixteen
Chris
I tried to be stoic for Shae’s sake, but inside my head was whirling. The cops had been pretty good about the whole thing. Shae quickly explained what had happened and exactly who was the bad guy in the scenario.
In a lovely bit of poetic justice, Ellis had woken up just as the police were cuffing him. Fighting and yelling, he was hauled all the way out of the apartment, apparently missing the bit about remaining silent. In the end, it took four officers, one carrying him by each limb, to get him out.
Shae seemed okay for the most part. She was a bit shaky but generally composed. Quite impressive, given the circumstances. It wasn’t every day, or ideally any day, that her crazy ex broke into her apartment, and all things considered, she was really taking it in stride.
“Are you okay?” I asked again.
“Yeah, a bit shaken but okay. At least the only one to get hurt was Ellis.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, she turned pale and started to panic, running toward the bathroom, calling her cat. Jeepers came out right away and started rubbing up against her legs. He seemed to be okay despite the scary situation.
After rubbing up against Shae for a while, the kitten jumped up on the couch, curling up on my lap as Shae came and sat beside me. Pretty soon the kitty was purring and content.
“I know how he feels,” Shae said, scratching his little head.
“How’s that?”
“I’m really sorry I ran out today. Things got kind of real, and I didn’t know if I was ready to deal with it.”
“Deal with what?”
She took a deep breath. “Well, for starters, I actually am pregnant. I know I acted silly at first. Though it is true. I am carrying your baby. Wow, it is still surreal to say.”
“When —”
“When I was on top, and you didn’t have time to pull out.”
“Oh. Is that why you let me come in you at the lake house?”
“Yeah, I figured I couldn’t get pregnant twice.” She shrugged.
I looked at Shae. Her pink hair had pulled out a bit from the bun she usually kept it in for work. Her cheeks were pink. Her eyes drooped, appearing tired. But she was more beautiful than any woman I had ever seen. She was glowing. I knew part of that was the pregnancy, but there was another aspect to the glow. It was like the heavens telling me that this was the woman who was meant for me.
“I love you so much,” I said before I knew what I was saying.
“I love you, too. For real. I mean, I know we’re already dating for real, but it is more than that. I want… I want it all. Everything we talked about when we were just making things up. The house, the kids. We don’t have to get married if you don’t want to, but I do want to be with you. For the rest of my life.”
I put my arm around my love pulling her close and kissing her on the forehead. I wanted to tell her I felt the same, that I loved her with all my heart. That I wanted to be with her for the rest of my life but didn’t know if I could. I was just so overcome with emotion.
“I love you so much. And I’m happy about the baby,” I whispered in her ear.
“You are?”
“Of course. I think we’re going to be great parents. You might have to work a bit less for a while, but I think I make enough to support us all while you’re on maternity leave.”
“Where would we live?”
“Well, a house as soon as we can start looking,” I explained. “Any house you want.”
“And until then?”
“We would have to move in together. Either into one of the apartments we already have or a different, slightly bigger place.”
“I’m not sure I want to be here anymore,” Shae admitted.
“I get that, I think. So, my apartment?”
“Seems best. We’ll share rent, of course. At least until I have to take time off to have the baby.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” I admitted, hugging her close.
“Sex?” Shae asked out of nowhere.
“Yes, please!”
“No, I mean, we would still have sex, right? When I’m pregnant?”
“Sound to me like we already have.”
“Yeah, sorry for lying and all,” she mumbled, looking at the floor.
“You’re forgiven, my love.”
“Seriously, do you think you’ll still —”
“Of course. Not to be vulgar, but I can’t really think of very many scenarios in which I wouldn’t want to have sex with you.”
“Wow, you really know how to flatter a girl,” Shae said, giggling again.