Black Flag (Racing on the Edge) (37 page)

“Good point.” She
looked down at the plastic ring. “But I don’t want to take it off.”

“Then don’t.” I shrugged
walking toward the espresso bar to get Sway’s mocha. “I don’t really care if
you tell them or not.”

“Jameson, please help
me!”

“Emma, you got married.
Big deal, you’re twenty one. Legally you’re old enough to make your own goddamn
decisions. Why do you even care?”

I honestly couldn’t
understand why this was a big deal.

“Yeah but
...
”

“But
what?”
I looked at the barista tossing some money on the counter. “Can I get a decaf
white mocha, please?”

The young girl behind
the counter smiled. “Are you Jameson Riley?”

Emma giggled knowing
where this was going.

Shooting Emma I glare,
I replied with an annoyed. “Last time I checked.”

The girl, not much
bigger than Emma, smiled again handing me an empty cup. “Can you sign this for
me and oh, can I get a picture?”

“Yeah, sure,”

The instant I said that
she practically jumped over the goddamn counter to get to me. Emma snapped a
picture with the girl’s phone while I signed her cup.

“Here you go.” I handed
her the cup.

When I turned around, people
surrounded us. I couldn’t
fucking
move and neither
could Emma. Handing Emma Sway’s coffee, I instructed her to take it upstairs
and I’d be up in minute.

Well that minute turned
into forty and I was still standing there signing autographs. Word must have
got out that I was at the Bellagio. Not that I’m as famous as let’s say Brad
Pitt, but apparently these people were NASCAR fans. It was getting out of hand
when they had me backed into a corner of the lobby. To my right, I noticed the
men’s bathroom so I ducked inside and left the crowd chanting my name. I
quickly realized I was trapped in there.

My positive attitude
joined the witness protection program after a good twenty minutes in a stall by
myself. This was a disaster. I even tried calling 911, but my cell phone didn’t
have any reception. After an hour my positive attitude returned when I heard my
savor.

“All right people.” Van
yelled. “Let the poor guy go.”

Thank fucking god!

I almost stuck my
tongue out at them as I left but I refrained and made my way to the restaurant
where we were supposed to be eating breakfast before Sway and I flew to Key
West.

When I arrived with
Van, everyone was already seated, so I sat next to Sway. “Sorry I’m late honey.
I got attacked.”

Sway giggled. “I heard
some woman screaming about Jameson Riley being in the lobby.”

“Nice of you to help,”
I rolled my eyes pulling her closer. “So fiancée,” I’d never get tired of
saying that. I couldn’t wait to say wife. “Now that today is officially your
birthday. Are you ready for dinner together tonight in Key West?”

I thought she was
paying attention but apparently she wasn’t. Instead she was looking at Emma
sitting next to her and the vending machine ring she was proudly sporting.

Sway leaned against my
shoulder. “Did they
...
?”

“Yep,” I told her.

“Oh god
...
” she whispered, eyes wide.

“Yep,”

Aiden, who was still
confused as to what
actually
happened in his Ecstasy induced stupor,
whispered in my ear, “What the hell is she talking about?”

“Dude, you got married
last night.” I held up his hand. “Congratulations.”

His eyes widened and
shifted in horror between Emma, who was staring at him, and my dad who had a
set scowl on his face, glowering at Emma.

I assumed at that
point, dad knew what had happened last night. Aiden would never do something
like this sober. I mean look at him. It takes him half an hour to decide how
his eggs will be served in the morning and then if it’s not done right, he has
a panic attack. Imagine how he felt knowing he got married on a whim in Vegas.
Enough said.

Emma, trying to place
the blame on anyone she could instead of owning up to get married, pointed
toward Charlie who was enjoying his waffles in peace, until now.

“He made me do it.”

Charlie let out a laugh
but continued to eat and drink his black coffee. “I didn’t think you’d actually
do it.” He told her.

“You knew I would!”
Emma shouted.

Charlie opened his
mouth to say something but instead chuckled with a quick shrug.

Things came to an
abrupt halt when Alley appeared at the table with an amused Spencer.

“You didn’t think to
stop me Sway?” Alley punch Sway’s arm a little too rough for my comfort.

I was on my feet in a
second standing between Alley and Sway.

“Calm down Alley.” I
growled shielding Sway.

“She let my cut my hair
last night
and
dye it!”

“It looks fine.” I
snickered. It didn’t look fine. It looked like shit.

“You would think so,”
she scorned and then stomped away toward the spa, I assumed to get her hair
fixed.

Spencer leaned over the
table. “This is awesome.” He smiled, his eyes darting around at all of us. “
Finally
she did something stupid and I didn’t!” he pumped his fist in the air in
celebration.
“Best fucking night ever!”

The rest of the morning
I couldn’t figure out what was more entertaining. Emma explaining the video of
them getting
married to my parents and the pictures that
were taken from last night.
Or Alley for trying to kill
Spencer for teasing her.

The scream he let out
when she pummeled his ass in the lobby sounded something like a cat being
gangbanged.

Sometimes being related
to Spencer and Emma, was reason enough to put
yourself
up for adoption. At least I was now on my way to Key West with Sway, finally
alone.

12.
                 
Black
Flagged – Sway

Black Flagged – This
flag is waved by the official to signal a driver that he must immediately
report to the pits for consultation related to a dangerous mechanical condition
or a driving infraction. Failure to heed the flag can result in exclusion from
the race. This flag may also be displayed in a “furled” (rolled up) manner as a
warning to drivers.

“Wake up!” I kicked
Jameson in the ass. “Wes said to be ready in fifteen minutes.”

“No, leave me alone.”

“Fine,” I told him
sending a pillow flying toward his head. “I’m never having sex with you again.”

His head shot up. “I’m
up.”

“That’s what I
thought.” I headed for the shower.

Jameson insisted we
take a little nap before we left for Key West. He kept an eye on Charlie for me
last night so I thought he deserved a
little
nap. But now, it was my
time, and more importantly, time for us to be alone for the first time in two
weeks. If I was any more excited, I would burst into a puff of fairy dust.

“Did you pack enough
panties?” Jameson asked once we were on the plane, not looking up from his
phone but the smirk was evident.

“Yes,” I voiced. “But
that doesn’t mean you can rip them off.”

“Did you at least give
me a few pairs to have my way with?” I watched as the smirk grew wider, still
not looking up from his phone.

“You’re out of
control.” Sitting across from him in the overstuffed leather Capitan’s chair, I
kicked my flip-flops off and slid my feet into his lap.

“You act as though
you’re surprised.”

I shook my head
laughing. “I’m not. I knew exactly what I was getting into when I agreed to go
steady with you
and
marry you.”

“I have to be in Loudon
at 2 p.m. tomorrow.” He finally looked up from his phone; his smirk had turned
into a frown. He blinked gauging my reaction.

“Press
conference?”
I asked.

“Yeah, winning and
fines don’t come without obligations
...
”
his voice faded as though he was hinting this wouldn’t be the end of it. I knew
this though. I knew exactly what racing in the elite levels meant and always
had. After he proposed that night he was whisked away to the Contender’s
Conference and then more pictures. Before I knew it, we were in Richmond and
with the fines and Vegas, we hadn’t celebrated.

So this,
tonight
,
was our celebration together, alone, of our engagement. I glanced down at my
ring and smiled. My fairytale was coming true.

Sliding my feet along the
insides of his thighs, I stopped when they reached inches from the camshaft.
“That means I need the woo,”

“
Mmmm
,”
tossing his phone aside, he shifted in the chair reaching for my feet, running
his strong large hands along my calves. “Woo I can do.” he grinned, dark lashes
blinked.

Once we arrived in Key
West, we checked into the hotel Jameson booked for us at the Ocean Key Resort
and Spa.

The room was beautiful
with a soft palette and airy open feel. It had breathtaking views of the ocean
on every side with wall-to-wall windows draped in sheer white silk flowing
curtains from floor to ceiling. Off to the right of the giant sleigh bed was a
Jacuzzi bathtub, surrounded by colorful candles. The windows and doors were
open creating a breezy feeling throughout. On the balcony was a pair of wooden
lounge chairs with more candles and flowing curtains.

I smiled at my
fairytale enfolding and wishing it would always be this way.

“Wow,” I gasped taking
in the room before me, my wish
was
reality, staring back at me.

“Good woo?” His lips
found my shoulder kissing his way to my lips. “Is this what you wanted?” His
finger touched lightly to the back of my neck.

“Yes,” I kissed him
once. “Good woo
...
you give good woo.”

“
Damn right
, I
give
good
woo.”

“Dinner?” he pulled back
to look at me, eyes bright.

My brow arched.

“Dinner it is,” he
snorted reaching for his bag he’d placed beside the bed. Carefully he pulled
out his black slacks and a dark gray dress shirt with a black tie.

“Wow, the wooer is
...
hot
.”

Jameson smirked; his
head remained bent forward as he searched the bag.

“So is the wooed.” He
held up a black satin dress with matching heels. “Emma,” he hesitated for a
second. “Instructed me to give this to you,”

“Oh she did, did she?”

His head tipped, his
knuckles ran over his lower lip before he set down the dress, pulling me
against his chest. “You don’t have to wear it
...
but you would look
sexy
in it,” he teased, his eyes
twinkling in the setting sun shining through the windows.

“I’ll wear it.” My eyes
shifted to my baby bump. “If it fits,”

Amazingly enough it
fit.
Surprised the hell out of me.
I didn’t even look
pregnant with it on, which made me feel better. When I finished dressing and
applying some light make-up, I walked out of the bathroom to find Jameson on
the balcony facing the ocean. I smiled admiring his attire—we were
matchy
-match tonight.

He turned when he heard
my heels clicking across the tile floor, and leaned against the railing. I had
to take a deep breath to calm my erratic heartbeat because
Christ
...
anytime the dirty heathen leaned, it
could make any woman’s heart beat erratically.

I made my way onto the
balcony, his arms wrapped around my waist when I reached him, slipping me
against him, kissing me deeply.

“You look
...
good,” He breathed, pulling away from my
lips to place his mouth against the skin just below my ear, his scruff
tickling.

“Good?” I asked him,
encouraging him to continue.

“Yes good. Good enough
to eat.” He whispered, grazing my neck with his teeth and then gently biting
the skin over my collarbone.

“
Mmmm
,”
Was all I could manage to say, wrapping my arms around his neck and sinking
into his
embrace.
This really did feel like a
fairytale.

The sun was setting,
casted a warm glow all around us. My eyes were drawn to his, the grass green
standing out against the orange horizon. His smile
...
oh that smile
...
reassured me this was real.