Black Flag (Racing on the Edge) (73 page)

For the majority of our
lives together we’d constantly been surrounded by people. We were rarely ever
alone and I was relieved to know that no one had a fucking clue as to where we
were staying.

The overwhelming
sensations, the pleasures, the new closeness that I felt toward her in these
moments, all of it was so much more than I had ever imagined or ever hoped for.

What I had thought was
impossible had become our reality. I didn’t feel like a NASCAR race car driver
that could barely go anywhere without being noticed anymore. I only felt like
this beautiful woman’s husband in these moments.

I smiled down at Sway
now sleeping soundly after this morning’s activities and her pancakes. Her hair
messy and her cheeks flushed slightly. She was perfect.

“Where are you going?”

“To
get the door.
Room service is here,” I told her glancing over my shoulder and noticed
something I didn’t approve of. “Hey what are you doing there?”

“Nothing
...
Mmm
...
”

“Stop that.”

“No.”

“
Sway
,”

“
Mmm
...
so
good
...
”

“Sway,” I turned on my
heel and headed back toward her. “Isn’t this my job?” I motioned toward her
hand that was currently between her legs, but the sight was something I’d
imagined in my dreams countless times. I couldn’t draw my eyes away from it.

A loud rap sounded
against the door. “Fuck
...
” I groaned. “I’ll be
right back
...
stop that until I get
back.”

“
Mmm
...
” she moaned again, arching her back as
I rushed toward the door.

Cracking the door open
as little as possible, “What’s up?” My gaze still focused behind me on Sway.

When I turned toward
the kid, he was looking at me weird. I probably did look weird.

He cleared his throat
before speaking. “Your food, sir,”

“Right
...
just leave it outside
...
here.” I handed him a hundred dollar
bill for something I’m sure was only about thirty.

He glanced down at the
bill and then back up at me. “I can bring it inside.” He told me. “It’s my job,
you know.”

“I know what your job
is.” I snapped as I heard Sway moan again, my fists clenched beside me,
gripping the doorframe.

The kid smirked and
tried to look over my shoulder—there was no hiding what those noises were. I
stepped outside the door, slamming it shut behind me.

“I said
leave
the goddamn food outside.” I moved toward him, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Yes sir.” He stammered
backing away.

I waited until he was
down the hall before I opened the door, pushing the tray inside. By that time,
Sway’s eyes were closed, writhing around in pleasure
...
pleasure I wasn’t causing and that
infuriated me.

I was by the bed in an
instant, removing her hand to replace it with my mouth. I started out slow,
bringing her to the brink and then drawing back.

After the fourth time
of doing this, she fisted her hands in my hair, pulling my face to look up at
her. “You do that again and I will kill you.” The murderous expression she wore
frightened me slightly so this time I didn’t stop until she was violently
shaking against me, screaming out my name.

I always wondered how
loud she could scream that
...
now I know.

Pleased with myself, I
crawled up her body, trailing feather soft kisses across her swollen abdomen.
Once I reached her neck, I nipped against the soft flesh lightly. “Don’t ever
tease me like that again.”

“You just don’t like
the fact I was getting myself off.” She blinked slowly when I looked over at
her, pushing her legs apart, the corners of her mouth twisted into a triumphant
smile.

I moved my hands to
rest against the pillow behind her head shaking my head, “No
...
I don’t.” Despite my domineering tone, I
smiled and winked, my hips flexing forward to enter her. Sway let out a noise
somewhere between a gasp and a moan that goaded me on.

Another hour later, we
were eating our cold dinner in front the fireplace.

Tonight was our last
night here before we had to leave for Vegas for the championship banquet.

We had chosen a small
bed and breakfast on the water in Cannon Beach Oregon but we hadn’t left the
room since we arrived. Currently in a battle of names for our flailing spaz, I
took a moment to watch Sway. Naturally, she was beautiful but it was more than
that. She seemed different now, her smile exuded contentedness.

“Harley?”

I laughed. “You’re
joking, right?”

“Clearly,” she murmured
taking a sip of her hot chocolate, her finger dipped inside the cup to scoop
some whip cream into her mouth.

It’d just
began
to snow again, Sway and I had moved from the bed to
the chase lounge situated in front of the large windows overlooking the beach that
was coated with a light powder. We hadn’t bothered to put clothes on, just
wrapped ourselves together inside a warm blanket.

“I love the snow.” Sway
whispered playing with my fingers.

I turned my head,
inhaling a deep breath as I kissed her hair. “I know you do.”

A few moments of
silence passed and I suggested another name.
“Stone?”

“What are you?” she
turned in my arms to look up at me incredulously but giggled. “Who names their
child that?”

“Some people do.” I
shrugged with a chuckle of my own.

“Not us.”

Eventually our
conversation drifted and we simply laid there listening to the crackling of the
fire and watching the snow. I knew we’d decide on a name eventually but for
right now we agreed to disagree. To me, just being there with her was enough. I
could forget about everything around me, the past, the present and the future
and just live right here in this moment with my wife.

“Did you ever think
we’d finally get here?” she asked softly.

I brought our hands
together over her belly. “I always knew we would, honey.”

24.
           
Pace
Car - Sway

Pace Car – The car
which leads the field to set the pace before starts and restarts after
cautions.

It was adorable
watching Jameson during the championship week in Las Vegas. His usual arrogant
demeanor had vanished as he tried to down play everything. Whenever confronted
with the media, the quiet hesitant way he took everything told me he was
nervous.

Jameson stayed back in
the shadows, or at least he tried. Everyone was quick to praise Jameson Riley the
dominant beleaguered rookie but what about Jameson Riley the man behind the
wheel?

Had they forgot he even
existed at all?

Maybe.
I was actually
positive some had. They wanted to believe he was that mythical creature that
dominated and raced the flawless season. If only they understood the struggles,
the tragedies, the overwhelming weight he carried to do so they wouldn’t think
he was so mythical. They would see he was just as much of a human as anyone
else.

But I saw the man I
always saw.
My husband.

He was humble, alluring
and it was charming. I couldn’t get enough of him. I stayed close by his side
the entire time like the proud wizard I was, my arm tucked inside of his. I
felt like Pricilla Presley and Jameson was Elvis at the attention we were receiving.
The only difference being my hair wasn’t pined up in that ridiculous beehive
and Jameson wasn’t sporting side burns that resembled handle bars, but the
attention was the same.

The crowning of the
champion started on Wednesday and began with the NASCAR Street Tour followed by
a Pit Stop Tour. The next was a charity event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. They
do tours of the speedway and a family feud-style game show, which was hilarious
watching Tate, Bobby and Jameson joking around with each other in front of
hundreds of fans. They all seemed to have formed a bond over the last few
months and it showed.

Thursday was the awards
luncheon. This was an industry/media event that included presentations to the
champion crew chief, champion sponsor,
Raybestos
Rookie
of the Year and the most popular driver. For the third year in a row, Tate was
chosen as the most popular driver, for good reason. I had a feeling he’d always
be a fan favorite.

The drivers in the top ten
then do a lap down the Vegas Strip in their race cars which included a pit stop
along the route and two burn-out sections for the drivers. Jameson enjoyed this
part the best, as did his wife. The guys messed around bumping and banging
against each other for entertainment value.

After the lap was a fan
event the featured question-and-answer session with the drivers.

Friday was the day of
the ceremony and the crowning of the Winston Cup Series Champion driver
...
my husband
.

Van was kept busy that
week. He really couldn’t leave Jameson’s side these days but Jameson was modest
about the sudden fame and insisted Van stay close to me. I was amazed to see
how many fans wanted pictures with me as well.

The night of the
ceremony Jameson was leaving earlier than the rest of us. Before he left, he
wrapped me in his arms as he said goodbye. “I’ll see you down there.” He said
quietly, his voice laced with uneasiness.

Closing the distance
between us, I asked, “You’re nervous?” I reached up to cup his cheek, tracing the
curve of his lips with my thumb.

“
Mmm
,”
He leaned forward, resting his forehead against mine. I felt him draw in a
quick breath as his eyes fell closed. “I never thought I’d be
this
nervous.”

“You’ll do fine. Just
think of me naked.”

His eyes opened, his
grin was getting wider, his lips curving up into a broad smile. “That’s not
going to help, you know that right?” he shifted away from me. “See, clearly not
going to help,”

I giggled. “Already,
wow.”

“You have no idea
honey.” He whispered breathlessly and turned toward the door. “Van?” he called
out. “Can you walk Sway down in a few minutes?”

Van stepped inside the
room with Spencer. They both wore the same smile. “I don’t think that’s wise
...
shit’s really hit the fan out there.”
Van and Spencer exchanged a chuckle.

 “What are you
talking about?” Jameson asked adjusting his tie and then slipping on his
jacket. “What shit?”

“Well for one
...
there’s an
avid
fan outside the
door that is naked
...
wanting you to sign her
...
” Van’s voice faded, his eyes motioned
south.

“Really?”
Jameson asked nodding
his head arrogantly. “Is she hot?”

I elbowed him in the
stomach, his mouth opened as though he was going to reply but he quickly
stopped himself when I glared. Instead, he ran his hand threw his hair, leaving
it sticking up on one side. “I was only kidding.”

“Tommy’s out there
right now with her.” Spencer told us. I had a feeling they had a picture on
their phone at the way they both kept glancing at it.

Van laughed again.
“Spencer can walk Sway down in a few minutes,” he looked at Jameson. “
we
should go now though before that one fan, turns into one
hundred.”

Jameson left after that
as did Spencer and
me
.

“Wait
...
why did the elevator stop?” I was in
instant panic mode when the lights flickered and then went out.

Spencer pounded on the
doors and pushed every button, albeit I couldn’t see this, but I assumed that’s
what he was doing by all the pounding and clicking.

“I don’t know
...
” he muttered trying to get his cell
phone to work. The buttons lit up his face as he did so. Of course, we had no
reception in the metal tube.

“I’m getting really
claustrophobic, Spencer.” I started fanning myself with my purse. “We have to
get out of here.”

“I know
...
but the emergency button isn’t working
and neither is my cell phone.”

“We are in a metal
tube. It’s not going to work.”