Page 8 of Black Flag

“Thank you honey,”Jameson whispered his voice gravellyandsexy. “I needed that.”

I wanted to tell himthat he couldn’t speak with that voice, it distracted me but I remained silent.Now wasn’t the time for that.

Moments passed where wejust laid there watching the television; well I was watching it; I wasn’t sureif he was. I doubted Jameson could even focus on it but when I felt a strainedchuckle, I glanced up at him.

“What the fuck are youwatching?” he finally asked squinting toward the screen in the corner of theroom.

“I uh...” Reaching for the remote on the tablebeside the bed, I turned it off. “I have no clue...it was just on.” I lied.

Damn you reality TV!

Now I could see whyeveryone watched that shit.

“How are you feeling?”I snuggled against his warm body. It was hardly comfortable but at the sametime, it was.

“Sore,” I felt him tryto shift in the bed but groaned instantly when he realized that wasn’thappening. “Very sore,”

The room was silent fora while; the only sounds were the beeping of the monitors he was hooked up toand the sounds of his unsteady breathing.

He surprised me when hespoke, his voice a raspy whisper. “Are you really...pregnant?”

I smiled thinking ofthe little crazy irrational jelly bean inside me. “Yes,” I whispered back.Thoughts of little rusty haired grass green eyed baby floated around me.

“I...uh...”he cleared his throat carefully. “not that I’m upset or anything but I thoughtyou were on...birth control?”

Turning in his arms, Ilooked up at him. I thought I would see regret but I didn’t. All I saw gazingback at me was love. The love he had for meandour unborn child.

“I was. Apparentlythey’re not one hundred percent effective...soI’ve been told.” I replied sarcastically.

“Really?Fuck...they should put that on the box.”

“That’s what I said...but when I read the box, they do.” I letout a soft chuckle. “You’d think they would put it in a larger print orsomething.”

Jameson’s head leanedback against his pillow, his lips turned into a smile when his eyes closedagain. “A baby...hmmm”

“Do you want to see thepicture?”

His eyes flickered openand met mine, my favorite smile shinned. “You have a picture?”

“Yeah,” I reached inthe pocket of my hoodie and pulled out the crumpled photo. “That,” I pointed tothe bubble on the black and white photo. “Is your crazy irrational jelly bean...it’s still cooking but it’ll be readyfor racing sometime early March.”

Jameson let out a softchuckle kissing my forehead.

“Who told you I waspregnant?” I asked curiously.

“No one did. I had afeeling when I left but didn’t want to say anything.”

Intuitivebastard.Why couldn’t he have let me in on that theory before he left? At least then Iwouldn’t have been subjected to the insanity of Emma and her trying to sneak apeek at my crankcase and her inner workings.

Setting the picture onhis thigh, I looked up at him.

“I’m...sorry about Axle.”

I could see the sadnessinstantly in his tortured expression; he was still struggling with that. I knewthe events directly prior to the race were hazy but he remembered what Alleytold him.

“I know.” He murmuredwith a nod. I watched as his eyes shinned with tears though none spilled over.

Squeezing his eyestightly, he composed himself. Jameson never showed his emotions that way but hedid when it came to that brown-eyed little boy who stole a piece of his heartthat day he spent with him.A piece that would forever beheld with Axle Nathan Taylor.

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