Page 177 of Black Flag

SWOL – This is anacronym you may hear on the in-car audio, referring to the electronic “Shiftwithout a Lift” device, which allows gearshifts without lifting off thethrottle, making the shift faster.

By the time the boys andme reached the Olympia Airport that night, we were extremely intoxicated.

We had something tocelebrate, you know.

I actually felt bad forWes having to put up with us...especiallySpencer and Tommy who we picked up in Indiana.

It still hadn’t really sunkin that I not only won the race, but the championship as well.

After the race, I hadfour hours of press interviews to do and a shit load of pictures. I hadappearances and interviews scheduled all week long, but Alley agreed to give meone day with Sway. I hadn’t seen her since I left for Texas and that was threelong weeks ago.

It was around four inthe morning when we finally made it to Elma and I was stumbling into Sway’sroom.

She was sleeping,turned on her right side with her back to me. I stood there for a few moments,watching her sleep and using the wall to hold myself upright.

Still fully clothed,minus my shoes, I slipped into bed with her—pulling the comforter over us. Swaywas only wearing a pair of white cotton boy shorts, with her Bob Marley tanktop she loved. Her perfect ass was enough to send me over the edge when Isnuggled against her back. All I wanted in that moment was to just feel heragainst me.

Sliding my hands overher swollen belly, it was the perfect end to the day.

When the sun began torising over her balcony and peeked inside her room, I gathered her into myarms. She relaxed decadently across my chest and tucked her face into the curveof my neck with a happy sigh. I hadn’t slept much but I did get a few hours.

Glancing down, I saw alazy grin spread over her face.

“What?” I asked with asmile.

“Congratulations...champion.” She replied softlysnuggling closer. I squeezed her tightly and kissed her forehead.

“Thank you, honey.”

I watched her eyelashesflutter a few times before closing them. We continued to exist in our perfectbubble—far from everything else. My mind and body were finally relaxed andsedated. And so it was here, in our bubble, that I would remain for as long astime permitted.

I glanced at her alarmclock on the nightstand beside her bed that read: 5:38 a.m. So the timepermitted, meant another two hours before I had to be up for a radio interview.

Fuck.

“I missed you.” Iwhispered against the top of her head, placing another kiss against her softhair.

She maneuvered herselfin my arms to look up at me, her belly brushed against my stomach and Ilaughed.

“You’re really showingnow.” I told her with wide excited eyes, reaching down to touch.

“Asshole,” She mutteredturning away from me.

“Hey...” I turned her face back to look at me.“What’s wrong? I think it’s beautiful...you’rebeautiful and incredibly sexy.”

“I’m huge.” Swayprotested and tried to shimmy away from me. “You don’t have to be nice.” Hervoice began to crack and I knew the emotions that would follow.

“Honey, what’s wrong?”I soothed rubbing my hands down her back as she trembled with sobs. “Are youmad your ass jiggles?” I reached down taking a firm grasp, while moaning intoher ear to emphasize my point. “And by the way,” I added with a growl. “It’sfucking hot.”

“Not helping myemotional breakdown.” She spat getting out of bed. “It’s making it worse.”

“Where are you going?”she threw a pillow toward me.

“To take myfatass to the shower,” the door slammed behind her as she stomped down the hall tothe bathroom. I heard the bathroom door slam shut and then open again. “Get thehell out of my bathroom!”

“Sorry!” Spenceryelled.

I forgot to tell herthe boys crashed in the living room.

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