Page 58 of I Just Want to be Yours

She gives me a dazzling smile before looking around at everyone. “Will I see you before I fly out tomorrow?”

Dave lets out a laugh. “I’m not sure Jackson wants to share you more than he already has.”

Margot looks back at me, the corner of her mouth teasing. “Will I?”

Getting to my feet, I shake my head. “Nope. You’re mine after this, Red.” She doesn’t fly out until tomorrow afternoon, but I have a feeling we won’t be getting out of bed early. I nod toward the guys. “Say your goodbyes.”

Margot jumps to her feet and heads straight for Dave first. She wraps her arms around his neck, and he squeezes her hard enough to lift her off her toes. After, she quickly hugs Brady with less enthusiasm, waves to Brian and Marty before stopping in front of Mya.

“Have fun tonight,” Mya says with a wiggle of her shoulders.

“We will,” Margot says with a laugh. “It was great meeting you.”

The two girls hug, and I wait patiently, itching to be alone with her again.

And determined to find a way to salvage this night.

34

margot

It might be after ten,but the streets are busy in the city that never sleeps. New York has this bustling energy, not unlike Chicago, but still unique in its own right. My body buzzes with anticipation, but I’m not sure if it has more to do with being in one of the greatest cities in the world, or if it has everything to do with finally being here withhim.

Jackson puts his arm around me as we head down the sidewalk, and I welcome the added warmth. I can’t remember the last time I’ve felt this good. Probably this summer if I had to guess. Being here with him makes me feel more like myself than I’ve felt in weeks. It’s funny how you don’t even realize you aren’t running on full until you are. Before coming here, I thought I was fine. Of course, I missed Jackson, but I was used to it. Being without him was just a part of my life as much as anything else.

But now that I’m here, my heart is full, my cheeks hurt from how much I’ve smiled tonight, and my mind is perfectly at ease. I was nervous about meeting the girl he’s on tour with, and I was nervous things between Jackson and me might feel different, but both those fears have dissolved. Mya is wonderful,and Jackson and I have picked up exactly where we left off.

“So, you bought tickets for us to watch a comedy show?” I ask as we walk.

Jackson lets out a breath of laughter. “Yeah, but it’s probably ending soon.”

Pressing my lips together, I narrow my eyes at him. “You don’t strike me as the type of person who would enjoy watching stand up.”

That bashful smile pulls at his lips as he absently scratches the side of his head. “Yeah. I honestly didn’t care about going.”

We stop at a crosswalk and wait for the cars to pass. “Why buy tickets then?”

He looks at me, still holding me close, and I swear there’s a storm brewing behind those gray-blue eyes. I just don’t know what’s causing it. “I wanted to do something for you.”

“And what about me screamscomedy show?” Jackson rolls his eyes, and I giggle. The light tells us it’s okay to cross, so we hurry to the next street. “Is it how funny I am? When you think of me, you think of stage-worthy humor?”

“Yeah, Red. That must be it,” he mutters with a laugh. Once we’re on the other side of the street, he stops, and there’s a seriousness to his features I wasn’t expecting. “Look, I just . . .” He takes a breath. “I wanted to do something a boyfriend would do. I wanted to take you out, and the comedy show was one of the only things starting at a time we could make.”

The corner of my mouth lifts.

“It’s not funny,” he says, even though his expression starts to match my own.

“I didn’t say it was funny.”

He sobers slightly, eyeing me with uncertainty. “Listen, I know I’m not a typical boyfriend. I just wanted to do something the way I’m supposed to do it for once.”

Taking a step closer to him, I grab his jacket with both hands and pull him toward me. “Want to know what I think?”

The uncertainty in his expression still lingers, but he says, “Sure.”

Seeing him vulnerable melts something inside of me, and I push up on my toes. I kiss him, and when I pull back, I whisper, “Typical boyfriends are overrated.” Jackson laughs but looks away, so I pull him closer again to bring his attention back to me. “And do you know what I really want?”

He gives a slight nod in my direction. “What do you really want?”

---