Are You Gonna Be My Girl // Jet

"Where are we going?" Emily asks as we slide into the back of the limo. I'm reminded of the things I imagined doing to her in the back of this ride back at Siren Song yesterday afternoon with her wicked mother spouting off in the other room. But now that I've fleshed out the details of this date, I won't be following through with my plans to ravish her.

Not here, anyway.

But once we're back to her house, all bets are off.

She's mine.

Fucking finally.

"Not telling, Princess. You'll see soon enough."

"Normally I'd try to force it out of you, but I think we've had enough blackmail for a while so I won't."

I laugh. "What would you blackmail me over?" Wrapping my arm around her shoulder, I squeeze her a little closer to me. We've spent enough time apart. Now that I have her with me, I need her as close as possible.

"Hmmm, let's see..." She taps her finger to her lips. Lips I want to claim but hold myself back from doing so. If the first three minutes of this date are any indication, I'm going to struggle to keep my hands off her. We didn't have the PDA conversation yet so I'm not sure how touchy-feely she's willing to be with me in public.

"First, I'd threaten to expose you as a mama's boy."

"Rude."

She shrugs. "Not if it's true. But anyone who meets your mom would understand why. Besides, I'm secretly jealous, so..."

"Not a secret anymore. You just told me."

Emily rests her head against my chest and all is right with the world. "True. But I can't help spilling my guts to you. You know everything. And honestly, you have much more to blackmail me over than I do for you."

"I would never." I tilt her chin up to look me in the eye. "You aren't worried I'd do something like that, are you?"

Emily holds my gaze but I read hesitation in her eyes anyway, as if the urge to look away is almost too strong to resist.

"I'm not. Not when I think through it logically. But I've been burned before so deep down I still fear someone might."

I shake my head. "Not a chance. Not on my watch. You haven't had anyone in your corner the way I am. I've got you, baby."

"I know," she whispers. "I need to tell that dark voice in my head to shut up."

"Nah, princess. I'll be the one proving to that voice I'm in the picture now."

Emily wraps her arms around my waist, squeezing me tight the way I did to her when we first got in the limo.

"How did I get so lucky?" she asks.

"That's my line."

"We can share it."

"I like sharing with you."

She smiles up at me. "So do I."

Leaning down, I give her a quick kiss as the limo pulls to a stop. Emily sits up straight to look around.

"Here? What's going on?"

"We're hanging out with a friend." I wink as Emily's brow furrows. Before I can say another word, the limo door opens and little Miranda hops in wearing purple bling and a wide smile.

"Hi!" The kid immediately engulphs Emily in a hug. For a tiny girl, she appears to dwarf Em. It must be her enthusiasm because the kid is half Emily's size.

"Hi," Emily says, still sounding confused. She glances at me for clarification but before I can say a word, Miranda takes over.

"I can't believe you're here. It's the best birthday wish-come-true, ever."

"Oh!" Emily's eyes go wide. "Happy Birthday!"

"Thank you!" Miranda beams. "Come see the decorations." The kid grabs Emily by the hand and pulls her out of the limo.

Emily looks back at me in confusion as she climbs out of the back seat. "Are you coming?"

"Yep. Just give me a second to grab the presents."

"You got presents?"

"Of course. It's a birthday party."

"That's our first date? A little girl's birthday party?"

"This is part one. Don't worry. I have more up my sleeve than a pre-teen celebration."

Emily's warm smile hits me right between the eyes. Then that warmth travels throughout my entire body. She beams as Miranda leads her by the hand around the side of her house and through the gate to the backyard. Enormous purple balloons paired with streamers blowing in the breeze can be seen peeking over the top of the white fencing. Holding the gifts wrapped in purple paper and bows–I understood the assignment–I enter the party area to a D.J., a dancefloor and about forty preteens jumping up and down to the music with Emily in the center of their circle. The scent baked goods at the treat table rivals with the soapy smell emanating from the bubble machine but ultimately the atmosphere is one of joy and excitement.

Once I ditch the presents on the gift table, I stand at the edge of the dancefloor, watching. Emily giggles with the kids, bouncing and swaying to the song in the latest social media trend. She's breathtaking. I've never seen her look as free or as at ease as she does right now.

When she sees me standing across from her, Emily's smile doubles as she hops to the beat in my direction.

"Come dance with me!"

"Uh, I don't know this trend."

"Who cares? We're having fun. Come have fun with me."

She may as well have said "Come live your best life." Or, "Come show the world what happiness looks like," because that's the spirit emanating from her. Happiness at living her best life after years of dreaming just that. This is what she'd given up hope for; a life lived on her terms.

And yeah, it's a silly 12 year olds birthday party. But no one's here waiting for her to act out, cameras pointed at her face. Studio executives aren't on hand to pass judgement. She doesn't have a handler to make sure she "behaves" according to her contract language. She's simply enjoying the moment for what it is. And she's never looked better doing it.

"You dance," I tell her. "I'll grab us some food and a table. Come hang with me when you're done bopping to the beat."

Instead of blending into the background as I usually would when with Emily, my presence is noticed by everyone at the party. Emily smiles at me, calling my name from across the backyard to show me their silly dance. She eventually finds her place next to me after working up a sweat with Miranda, where we sit with Miranda's parents and neighbors, talking about the upcoming movie and how shooting is going so far. I'm spoken to directly by the people we're with, rather than being overlooked as I stand in a corner watching everything occurring in front of me.

In some ways, this turn of events is an out of body experience, something not actually happening to me. If I take my cues from Emily, this party is simply an outing for us as a couple. Even though it was a surprise stop on our first date, she's rolled along with it. And, while I had the idea to surprise her with our attendance at the party, I'm the one shell shocked by how normal it feels to be here.

But bringing her to party with the tweens isn't the highlight of our first date. I pull Emily over to where Miranda is bouncing up and down with some friends and say our goodbyes. As we head back to the limo, Emily cuddles against me, wrapping herself around my arm.

"That was fun." She sighs.

I open the back door, ushering her into the limo before slipping in behind her.

"I'm glad you liked our first stop."

"First? There's more?"

"Of course." I smirk. "Or didn't you believe me when I told you that earlier? The birthday party was something Miranda and I worked out. The rest of the night is what Char and I planned."

"You didn't need her approval for a date night." The frown on Emily's face is adorable.

"Oh, it had nothing to do with approval. I didn't consult her in a managerial aspect."

"Oh," Emily says. Her shoulders sag but I read it as relief rather than disappointment.

My girl is tired of being managed. I have zero plans to continue that trend now that she's finally out from under her mother's thumb.

"See, I've been staying with Jacob. And of course Char is right there too. I asked her about some suggestions from a woman's perspective and she offered to help me vet some of my ideas to make sure it was something you'd like. Clinton handled the security details. But no one orchestrated any of this as PR other than making the statement that we're together."

Emily's head drops to rest against my shoulder.

"Finally. I've been waiting my entire life for a date that was simply a date."

"But princess, nothing with us is simple. Least of all this date. My goal is spectacular. Or maybe unforgettable."

"Silly. A simple date with you is already unforgettable."

"Now I feel like a king."

Emily laughs. "You can be a prince since I'm just another Hollywood princess."

"Oh, you're not another princess, Em. You're my princess. Not because you're spoiled or pampered. Not because you'll inherit the title of Hollywood Queen. But because you're the most precious woman in my life which deserves some kind of title. And princess fits pretty well if you ask me."

"I didn't. But I like that answer anyway."

"Good girl."

Emily tenses next to me.

"What?"

"I'm going to need you to call me a 'good girl' later tonight. Once we're back home alone."

Leaning into her, I cup her face and press my lips to hers, something I used to hide but now I don't have to think twice about. Emily's arms wrap around me. In the back of the limo I pull her into my lap, holding her close and reveling in the fact I can.

"Maybe we should skip the rest of the date," she whispers, breathless with what sounds like desperate need. I recognize the insatiable desire because it's coursing through my veins as we speak.

"Whatever your heart desires, baby. We can hit the town, paint it red. See what the world thinks of the Hollywood Queen and her bodyguard hard launching their relationship. Or we can turn this limo around and head right back to the scene of the crime. The place we began."

"I thought I was Hollywood's princess, not a Queen."

"You've been promoted. Elevated. You're no one's princess. You're a goddamn Queen."

Emily turns her bright eyes up toward mine, the smile on her face breathtakingly honest. Pure love shines back at me.

"Take me home, Javi."

I clutch my heart. "My name on your lips... It should be illegal how hot that sounds."

"I've got hotter words than that."

"Oh yeah? Hit me with them."

Emily smirks. "I love you."

Heat fills me. Burning need. "Yeah. So much hotter, baby."

Emily giggles as I press my lips to her neck and ravage the delicate skill under my control while knocking on the privacy shield between us and the driver.

"Head home. And make it quick."

"You got it," he calls back.

"Scandalous," Emily says with a gasp. "Has he signed an NDA? Otherwise I'm sure he'll sell it to the highest bidder that Emily Montano shagged her bodyguard in the back of a limo because they couldn't keep their hands to themselves long enough to make it home."

"That would be some mighty fine reporting."

"So...no NDA?"

"Who needs an NDA when the two people in question are madly in love? Of course we're shagging in the back of the limo."

My girl gives me an incredulous look. "You really don't care if people link us together? The crazy former child star and the quiet, brooding hunky guard?"

At her vulnerable question, the one that tells me she still doesn't believe I see the real girl behind the Hollywood mask, I pull her close.

"Nah. Fuck that. All people will see is a gorgeous actress who beat the child stardom curse and is now living her best life with the man of her dreams by her side, cheering her on the entire way."

"Man of my dreams? That's a bit of a stretch, don't you think?"

I smirk. "Nope. You talk in your sleep, babe. I've heard exactly what kind of dreams you have and I've starred in every single one."

She gasps before smacking my arm. "You listened to me talk in my sleep about you?"

"I sure did." I nuzzle her neck again, dragging the sounds I love from her. "And now I'm determined to make those dreams come true."

Emily freezes, then bangs on the privacy screen. "Drive faster!"

Then my Queen tackles me into the seat and doesn't come back up for air until we're back at her place. Where both of our dreams come true.

Gah! These two had me in my feels. And it's so appropriate because...it's finally a proper Friday Feels post! And it's the last chapter!!!!! (plus one epilogue coming shortly). I can't believe Javi and Emily's story is coming to an end. I didn't plan for Emily to have her own love story until near the end of Not Another Line when Javier was more prominent and Emily was being her over-the-top self at the premier (Line epilogue)...I'm so glad their story was told because it brought Marisol into the picture and her story is next!

Speaking of...Inevitable has a cover reveal in a week and I can't wait for you to see it! If you want exclusive updates and reveals, join my newsletter which goes out on the second Friday of the month.

It's finally time for a happy love song, but not too sappy. So we get Jet - Are You Gonna Be My Girl. It works...

https://youtu.be/tuK6n2Lkza0

PLUS INEVITABLE IS ALMOST HERE: