Page 199 of Black Flag

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

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

“Mmm,”He leaned forward, resting his forehead against mine. I felt him draw in aquick breath as his eyes fell closed. “I never thought I’d bethisnervous.”

“You’ll do fine. Justthink of me naked.”

His eyes opened, hisgrin was getting wider, his lips curving up into a broad smile. “That’s notgoing to help, you know that right?” he shifted away from me. “See, clearly notgoing to help,”

I giggled. “Already,wow.”

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

Van stepped inside theroom 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 youtalking about?” Jameson asked adjusting his tie and then slipping on hisjacket. “What shit?”

“Well for one...there’s anavidfan outside thedoor that is naked...wanting you to sign her...” Van’s voice faded, his eyes motionedsouth.

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

I elbowed him in thestomach, his mouth opened as though he was going to reply but he quicklystopped himself when I glared. Instead, he ran his hand threw his hair, leavingit sticking up on one side. “I was only kidding.”

“Tommy’s out thereright now with her.” Spencer told us. I had a feeling they had a picture ontheir 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. “weshould go now though before that one fan, turns into onehundred.”

Jameson left after thatas did Spencer andme.

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

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

“I don’t know...” he muttered trying to get his cellphone to work. The buttons lit up his face as he did so. Of course, we had noreception in the metal tube.

“I’m getting reallyclaustrophobic, Spencer.” I started fanning myself with my purse. “We have toget out of here.”

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

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

On top of beingincredibly claustrophobic, I was burning up. Here I was, eight months pregnantand I swear to God I was carrying around a baby the size of a goddamn toddlerin my stomach so yeah, I was burning up.

“It’s hot in here.” Icomplained.

“Just take your dressoff.” Spencer suggested with a hint of amusement.

“No!”

“Whynot?It’s dark and we are alone in an elevator. No one will know.”

“I’m not taking myclothes off around you.” I pushed myself further back in the corner to avoidtouching him.

“Puh-lease...I’ve already seen you naked.”

“Not really the point,Spencer.”

It was quiet for acouple minutes before he chuckled. “I’ll take my pants off if it makes you feelbetter.”

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