9. Jax

Jax

Y eah, so did I, but this wasn't the place and certainly not the time.

"Let's take a raincheck on…" I pointed down at the clear outline in my pants.

"Doctor Mitchell, don't make promises you can't keep."

Tanner turned back over to give me an eyeful of his boner. I crossed the space between us. I leaned over him and looked him dead in the eyes. "I don't make promises I intend on breaking…husband."

"Fuck," he swallowed.

"Get changed before Noah barges in."

He sighed. "Fine."

"Do you think we can call the chapel and get them to destroy the paperwork?"

"How many people get married in Vegas every day? Some must regret it as soon as they get home. I'm sure they've thought of this."

I nodded and picked up the clothes I was changing into. As I closed the bathroom door behind me, all I could think was that I didn't have a single regret about marrying Tanner. I just wished we hadn't done it to get back at my ex.

He'd done it to help me so I couldn't force him to stay married.

It was a stupid idea when we weren't even dating.

Sex? That seemed suddenly on the table, but the rest was a little more complicated.

We managed to go to our separate rooms and pack our bags before Noah came back.

"Honey?" Noah called out to the other room in the suite. "The kids are ready. We're good to go."

I rolled my eyes as we exited each of our rooms separately. "You're a dick."

"Hey, don't talk to me like that, or my husband will have something to say about it."

"Your husband will have nothing to say about anything other than you most likely deserved what's been thrown at you," Lior said, slapping Noah's ass as he walked to the front door of the suite.

Considering the marriage between those two was as fake as mine and Tanner's, they sure were good at making it look like it was as real as any other.

I'd tried calling bullshit on Noah, but he was adamant there were no feelings involved. They were helping each other out and that was that.

"They're fooling no one," Tanner whispered next to me.

"Or they're fooling everyone, including themselves." Because whether or not they would admit it, Noah and Lior had feelings for each other. That much I could tell.

When we boarded the private jet, Tanner and I took the same seats we'd sat in on the incoming flight.

It was easy to give the oblivious lovebirds space when we needed our own.

"I looked up the chapel's contact details on the way over, and we can call them tomorrow. It'll be too late by the time we get back to Cliffborough."

Tanner nodded. "This whole weekend felt like I stepped into an alternate reality. Private jets. Hotel suites. Vegas weddings."

"Any regrets?" I asked.

His eyes met mine. "None."

"Not even the wedding?"

"Not even the wedding."

He turned back to his phone, where he'd started reading a book, and I wondered if his answer was because he knew we'd annul the wedding as soon as we could or if he really had wanted it to happen.

We'd both confessed our mutual crushes, but it was one thing having sex for fun and another altogether to take a serious legal step.

My thoughts were too conflicted, so I picked up a newspaper the crew had offered and read the news until I fell asleep.

The jolt of the jet landing woke me up. I stretched my tired limbs and turned to my seat companion. "Hey."

"Hey." He smiled. "I was wondering…? Do you want to come back with me to my place?"

When I didn't answer immediately, Tanner turned toward the window. "Never mind, it's probably a bad idea."

I glanced behind us and found Lior and Noah engrossed in conversation. There were a few rows between us, so I knew we could talk at ease.

"Do you really think it's a bad idea?"

He turned back and bit his lower lip before releasing it. "No. I think it would probably be the best sex of my life, but if you're not up for it, that's fine."

"That's a high pedestal you're placing me on," I chuckled.

"That's because?—"

I stopped him with my hand on his leg. I squeezed tight and looked him square in the eyes so there was no doubt of my intentions. "Tell me when we're inside your apartment."

He leaned closer. "Just so you know, I love a good railing as much as I love giving one."

"Sweet Jesus."

"What's up?" Noah asked, walking past us out of the blue. The conversation about sex with Tanner had me so distracted that I hadn't noticed we'd taxied and the jet door was open.

"Nothing. Do you need a lift home?" I asked out of politeness because there was only one place I wanted to be, and that was not my apartment building.

I was relieved when he declined my offer, saying Lior would take him home. From the glint in his eye, I suspected it wasn't his home he was going to.

"I think we're not the only grooms getting lucky tonight," Tanner said when we got in my car.

"There's only one groom I'm concerned with."

He ran his hand up my thigh, resting it dangerously close to my growing erection. "Aren't you the romantic?"

I chuckled and held his hand before he distracted me enough to crash the car.

With his free hand, he fiddled with the radio until he settled on a station playing soft rock. There were no sounds in the car other than the music until we were almost at Tanner's place.

I'd have driven home and then walked over to the bar, but I knew he had an extra parking space, and I didn't want to delay getting him naked. As it was, I'd already waited way too long for it. Years even.

"If we get naked before midnight, we'll technically consummate our vows on our wedding night," Tanner said, breaking the silence.

I had no response for his comment. I was still reeling from the fact we were actually probably legally married. I was just short of wanting to punch myself for doing something so stupid and putting our friendship on the line. Not that it seemed to matter when we were about to do the worst thing two friends could do to ruin said friendship.

"I think I want to suck your dick by my front door. See how quiet you can be when you could be overheard by my staff if they have to go up to the storeroom."

I groaned.

"And I also want to eat your ass."

"Tanner," I warned.

"What? Think of it like a menu. I tell you what's on offer, and you pick which one you'd like more."

"All of them."

He sucked in a breath. "This is going to be an awesome night, hubby."