That Last Little Spark

“Alright, last chance for all of you to make your sex jokes.” Jess managed to cram everything in her bag that she had left in the room. Still wearing her dress and jewelry, she walked back into the main room where the rest of the girls were waiting.

“Just make sure he uses protection. I don’t think the world is ready for another Bam.” Kelsey teased.

“Yeah, I mean, what else is that bed going to be used for? Certainly not sleeping.” Ashleigh winked.

“And all she’s going to be wearing is the garter she’s still got on.” Chloe added with a smirk.

“Of course. She would’ve changed into her pajamas already if she was going right to bed. But no, she’s still wearing her dress. Gonna give Bam Bam a little show?” Kelsey asked.

“Okay, that’s one for all of you, including Erica.” Jess held up her hand.

“Notice how she’s not denying anything.” Chloe pointed out.

“Because even if I do say anything, you’ll all say I’m lying. So it’s easier to say nothing at all.” Jess snorted and picked up the extra room key as her phone began to ring with ‘Wait for Me’: Bam’s ringtone.

“Hey.” she grinned.

“Hey, we’re on the 18th floor. Room 13C.” Bam announced.

“Okay, I’ll be right up. I’m just about to leave the room.” she replied before hanging up.

“Looks like you’re taking the keys down. We’re up two floors.” Jess told the small group as they waited by the elevators.

“See you tomorrow then...if you’re able to get out of bed.” Chloe winked as she, Kelsey, and Ashleigh stepped into the open elevator going down to the lobby. And before Jess could respond, the doors slid shut.

Shaking her head, Jess pressed the up button and the other set of doors slid open, revealing an empty elevator.

She had gone up one floor when the elevator stopped and the doors opened again. A man stepped on, smiling at her briefly before pressing the ‘18’ button like she had done. Jess looked down at her shoes, but she noticed from the corners of her eyes that he was looking her up and down, nodding slightly to himself.

Thankfully, however, all he did was look at her, and when the doors opened on the 18th floor, Bam was waiting with a smile on his face. She heaved a sigh of relief and walked over to him. Glancing backwards as they walked down towards their room, Bam suddenly scowled, and wrapped his arm around Jess’ waist protectively.

“Is there a reason that guy’s checking you out?” he asked, digging in his pocket for the room key. By the time Jess looked back towards the elevators, the man was gone.

“He was in the elevators, too. But that’s all he did, I swear.” Jess said as the door swung open into the dark room, illuminated only by the large picture window on the opposite wall.

“Oh my God.” she breathed, dropping her bag on the floor by a couch and her phone on the bed as she crossed to the window. The sky, from up here, was sprayed with stars that she couldn’t even see from her own apartment.

“You’re acting like you’ve never seen the city before.” Bam commented, joining her at the window without bothering to turn on a light.

“Never like this.” Jess admitted. They were looking down on the city streets, lined with cars and people. Lights from the buildings below shone through the night and stretched on into the distance. “It’s beautiful. You’re right: my apartment doesn’t offer anything like this.” she agreed, then yawned.

“We should probably go to bed. I have a surprise for you tomorrow.

“I’m not tired.” she laughed sleepily.

“Bullshit.” he rolled his eyes with a gentle laugh.

“I’m gonna shower first.” Jess turned and walked into the bathroom as Bam dropped down on the bed in the dark, thinking about tomorrow. He hoped she would be surprised.

Bam was so lost in thought that he didn’t even hear the water turn off. But he looked up when the door opened and Jess emerged, wrapped in one of the fluffy hotel towels.

“Oh! I thought you were sleeping.” Jess admitted when he sat up and turned on a light next to the bed.

“Nah. Too awake.” he shrugged. She knelt down in front of the bed and started to dig through her bag, her wet hair dropping down in front of her face, which Bam could see was bright red. Clutching her clothes to her chest, she nearly ran back into the bathroom. Shaking his head with a smile, Bam dropped back down.

“Sleeping yet?” Jess giggled, opening the door to the bathroom as she shut the light off. She was wearing a black tank top, black shorts...and the garter.

“You’re still wearing that thing?” he laughed.

“I figured it’s for good luck for Erica and Aaron tonight.” she shrugged and draped her dress over a chair.

“You sleeping in those?” she nodded to the clothes he was wearing while she pulled a brush through her hair.

“Maybe. Too fucking lazy to take them off.” Bam laughed again. Jess set down the brush and laid down beside him. They laid in silence for a few minutes before Jess suddenly started laughing.

“What?” Bam looked over at her.

“I just remembered Chloe making fun of me, saying I would probably wear this to bed.” she explained through her laughter.

“Oh God. What did the others say?” he asked, rolling his eyes.

“I don’t think you want to know.” Jess shook her head with a contented sigh.

“Come on, give me one more.” Bam begged.

“Alright. Ashleigh said that we would end up using this bed, but not for sleeping, and that they would see me tomorrow, if we ever got out of the bed.” she rolled her eyes as Bam shut off the light.

“I can only imagine what Kelsey said.” Bam shook his head with a snort and closed his eyes.

“I honestly can’t remember.” Jess lied, not wanting him to know what she had said about using protection and a little Bam hitting the world. She picked her phone up off the bed and tried to reach over Bam to put it on the only night table, her arm just falling short.

“Ugh, movement.” she groaned and sat up, leaning over Bam to set her phone down on the only night table in the room. But instead of lying down again, she stayed sitting up, looking toward the other side of the room with her knees drawn up to her chest, hunched over instead of leaning against the headboard. Bam opened his eyes again and watched her, framed by the lights from the city coming in from the window. Her skin took on a pearly glow and each strand of her dark hair stood out against the light. Just as he was about to open his mouth, she spoke first.

“Bam.” her voice was soft, almost like a whisper.

“Yeah?” he asked just as quietly.

“I lied to you...yesterday...about where I was. There wasn’t any dress fitting.” she sighed.

“I know.” he nodded in the darkness. “Kelsey told me.”

“I know.” she replied. They fell into silence again.

“Well?” she asked.

“‘Well’ what?” he looked up at her.

“Don’t you want to know where I was?” she asked him.

“Kelsey told me that, too: the police station to fill out a report.” he said.

“Are you mad?” her voice sounded small, like she was a child who was about to get in trouble.

“Mad? Jess, why would I be mad?” he sat up and leaned against the headboard.

“Because first I lied to you about where I was going and then even when I know that you know where I was, I don’t even tell you what happened.” she turned to face him.

“I don’t want to push you into anything, Jess. When and if you want to tell me what you said to the police officer, it’s your call.” he reached out and started rubbing her back. She slowly relaxed under his soothing touch and leaned back against him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and she put her head on his shoulder.

“I filed a restraining order...something I should’ve done a long time ago.” she sighed. “They’re going to call me when one can be written up, since the evidence is still being processed. Meanwhile, Ch-” she stopped before saying his name. “He’s being held without bail until trial, which they think is going to be sometime in October. He broke his parole by crossing the state line without permission, so they have to get him for that before they can charge him on the assualt or whatever the hell it’s considered that he did.” she explained calmly, just like the other day when she was explaining the details to Kelsey.

“At least you don’t have to worry about seeing him.” Bam offered. Jess smirked, remembering Kelsey saying that exact sentence.

“Funny, Kelsey told me the same thing.” Jess voiced her thought. “To which I replied, ‘Unless he’s found not guilty or gets bailed out, or gets out for good behavior. It wouldn’t be the first time.” she shook her head.

“If he gets out, he’s going through me first. I’ll either put him back in jail, put him in the hospital, or put him in the West Chester County funeral home.” he scowled, remembering the look on Chase’s face as the cop was escorting him from the building, smirking at him.

“He’s not worth it, Bam.” Jess had turned around in his arms and put one of her hands on his cheek.

“But you are. And I said I would do anything to keep that slime away from you.” he kissed the top of her head. Then he laid back down, pulling her down with him. She put her head on his chest and sighed. He wrapped his arms around her again as she looked up at him and kissed him.

“I love you.” she said for the second time that night as she pulled away slowly.

“I love you too.” he smiled as she laid down in the same position. Soon only the silence remained as they drifted off to sleep together.