Underneath the Star

Chapter 7

After Lukas dropped Melanie off in front of her car, she drove straight home and changed into a pair of pajamas. She did want to see Christopher but without an invitation, she refused to show up unannounced, despite having his keycard in her possession. With a bowl of popcorn in one arm and a poor quality Netflix horror film playing, she absentmindedly watched the screen. She wasn't sure what the storyline was, and she didn't care. It was background noise as she drowned out the movie with her own thoughts.

The banging at the door snapped her back, however. She wasn't expecting visitors, and part of her feared that it was Eddy coming back to claim what was once his. Cautiously, she approached the door and then looked through the peephole. When she saw it was Christopher on the other side, she opened the door and blocked the entrance.

"Are you going to let me in?" he asked her, peeking over her shoulder. He wasn't sure what he was looking for, but he was relieved to know she was alone.

"So, you know where I live now."

"You're my girl," he said all too bitterly. "Why the fuck haven't you picked up any of my calls or answered any of my texts?"

"First of all, I am not your girl."

He stepped forward, forcing her back into her apartment and then kicking the door shut behind him. "Look, I'd be mad too if you didn't text me for a few days, but you gotta understand that I was busy."

"You were filming," she whispered. She looked at his lips and bit into her own. "But complete silence?"

"I know, baby." He pressed his lips to hers and inhaled deeply through his nose. He hadn't realized how much he had been missing her touch. "I should have done better, but every time I got the chance to call you, something else came up. Then by the time I could get to my phone, it was already late."

"You could just text me and let me know how you are. It doesn't take up that much time to pick up your phone and try."

He nodded to agree with her. "I'm so sorry," he whispered, pressing kisses over her face. "I'll make it up to you. Let me take you out tonight."

"I just want to stay in," she told him. "And I want you to stay with me."

"I can do that. Anything for you, princess." He tried to kiss her again, but she placed a finger on his lips and shook her head. "Come on, Mel."

"You said you'd make it up to me, so you get a kiss when you earn my forgiveness." She turned to the couch and sat down.

"Melanie—"

"If I'm your girl then prove it," she said to him. "Show me you want me for me and not because you want to recreate the night we met."

His brows furrowed. Leaning against the island table in her kitchen, he crossed his arms over his chest and looked right into her dark eyes. "If all I wanted was sex I wouldn't have tried to look for you. I wouldn't be here after a long day of filming. I could be in bed instead, but I chose to come here. Now, can I please kiss you?"

Melanie didn't have time to respond because he was storming over to her, capturing her lips in a deep and passionate kiss. His hands were in her hair, gently tugging at the strands to pull her as close as he possibly could as they both collapsed on the couch. "Chris," she murmured, breaking away from him.

"I didn't even come here for sex," he told her, looking down at her bruised lips. "I just wanted to see you."

"Do you want to stay the night?"

He nodded. "What are we watching?"

"If you're tired, you can sleep."

"No," he quickly said, "I want to spend this time with you."