Page 120 of I Just Want to be Yours

“Shit.” I scramble out of his reach and grab the shorts I wore last night, throwing them on with nothing underneath. “I have to get that.”

Jackson is still where I left him, watching me with bewilderment. “Really, Red?”

I grimace. “I know. I just—” Another soft knock on the door pulls my attention away. “I’ll just be a minute.”

“Who is it?” he calls over his shoulder, but I’m already running to the door.

I open the door, out of breath. “Hey.”

Braden is already a few steps away but stops and turns. He looks me up and down, before checking the time on his phone. “Did I wake you?”

I can only imagine what I look like right now. I went to bed with my hair wet, and I was on the brink of an orgasm just seconds ago. My cheeks flush. “No, I’ve been up. Just . . . had my hands full.”

He nods and grips the back of his neck as he walks toward me. “Look, I wanted to apologize for last night. I shouldn’t have said I wanted to kiss you.”

“Oh.” My cheeks flare. “Um, that’s okay. We can forget it ever happened.” I give him my best smile, but he looks disappointed by my response, and my smile falls. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what you want me to say.”

He shakes his head. “No, you’re right. We should probably do that.”

The sound of the coffee maker starts somewhere behind me, and a cabinet opens as Jackson no doubt gets out two coffee cups and sets them on the counter.

Braden looks at me with a furrowed brow before realization dawns in his features. He doesn’t look mad or upset. He looks embarrassed, and it’s somehow so much worse. “He showed.”

“He did,” I say softly. He gives me a tight-lipped smile and nods. Rocking back on his heels, he looks like he’s about to walk away, so I blurt, “I’m sorry,” because I can’t think of what else to say.

Braden frowns. “What are you sorry for?”

I flounder. “I don’t know. If I ever gave you the wrong idea or led you on.”

He smiles. “You didn’t. I just thought . . .” He shakes his head and lets out a light laugh. “I don’t know what I thought.” With a shrug, he holds out his hand. “Friends.”

A genuine smile pulls at my lips. “Friends,” I agree, shaking his hand.

Braden leans around me. “Hey, Jackson.”

In seconds, Jackson’s hand is on the small of my back, and all I can think is that I hope he put pants on. “Hey, man. It’s been a while,” he says to Braden.

“It has.” The two guys bump fists, and I finally dare to look at Jackson beside me.

Good, he’s wearing pants. No shirt, but he had the common sense to put shorts on over his briefs.

“Congrats on the headlining tour.”

Jackson nods. “Thanks. Next time we’re in town I’ll set a couple of tickets aside if you want.”

Braden’s eyebrows lift. “Yeah?”

Jackson puts an arm around my shoulder. “Sure. My manager already knows to set some aside for Matt and Rae. I’ll tell him to save a couple more.”

Braden’s gaze briefly falls to Jackson’s arm around me, but it only lasts a second. “I appreciate it, man.” Taking a step back, he nods toward the parking lot. “I’ve got to get going, but I’ll see you around.”

We wave goodbye, and Braden heads toward the parking lot, jogging down the stairs with his usual energy. My eyes linger on him, but he doesn’t look back, and I know we’ll be just fine. We’ll be friends.

Closing the door, I turn and Jackson presses me up against it.

“That was big of you,” I say as I look up at him.

Jackson kisses me gently on the lips. “I’m in a good mood.”

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