Ack, that sounded a teensy bit desperate.
“Nope.” Knox wiped at his lip with the back of his hand. “I got what I need.” There was that smug smile once more.
“What, precisely, did you get?” Irina asked, because she’d been there and neither of them had gotten anything.
Bax started to speak. “I think I know—”
She gave the screen a look and held up her index finger, hoping she got her point across. That point being that she wanted the info from Knox.
“I just understand that Tanner was correct when he gave his assessment at the club.” Knox grinned a shit-eating grin before taking a pull of his beer without any consideration for what had just gone on with her body.
“What was Tanner right about?” Mach asked. “It’s one of the first times for him.”
Tanner whacked him on the shoulder. “Uncalled for.”
“This wedding is actually going to kill me,” she muttered. Or was it the groom who would cause her death? More likely the groom than the wedding. The wedding hadn’t made her moan like that. Not once. Irina shook her head and needed an immediate, intravenous infusion of wine.
“Next time it’ll be you who kisses me,” Knox said, smoldering and proud.
“So…never?” Irina did not love that she was all kinds of turned on and frustrated at the same time.
“Wedding, baby.” Knox said this as though she were the only person present.
Tingling tickled her toes, continuing all the way up to her stomach.
“While we’re on the topic of the wedding. Can we be groomsmen?” Mach asked, gesturing between him and Tanner. “I’ve always wanted to stand up at a wedding.”
“Yeah, sure.” Irina shrugged, but kept her focus on Knox and his unwillingness to follow through with promises his body had made during those moments they’d been close to each other. She was all turned upside down over the not-a-kiss.
“Don’t I get to pick who stands up with me?” Knox asked, tilting his head to the side and totally seeing through any bullshit she was trying to peddle.
“I guess it depends on who you are going to pick?” Irina countered, breathy, way too close to him, and really wishing they weren’t having this conversation and instead tangling tongues.
Knox thought on that for a moment, then seemed to come to some sort of conclusion. “I guess you two are in.”
“I don’t want to stand up at a wedding.” Tanner sort of whined and held his hands up in a pose of surrender.
“Too bad.” Mach tossed him a beer. “Somebody’s got to be sure they go through with it. Might as well be you and me.”
Hold up.
“Why wouldn’t I go through with it?” Knox asked, even as that exact same question flitted through Irina’s brain.
“Same question, but from me.” Irina pointed to herself for clarification purposes.
“I’m not worried about Knox. He still needs you,” Mach said, taking a swig of beer. “But aside from needing someone to finish up that kiss,youdon’t needhimanymore.” Mach suddenly looked like he’d eaten a chicken bone whole. “Oh shit, you haven’t realized that yet, huh?”
What was he talking about?
“Mach? Are you trying to ruin their wedding?” Courtney asked from iPad land.
“’Cause it seems like you’re trying to ruin their wedding,” Bax continued.
“Realized what, exactly?” Knox asked, but the wheels in Irina’s head were already turning.
She had a gig, multiple opportunities for more work, was swimming in auditions, and her agent actually got to negotiate on her behalf—go her! Which meant…she didn’t really need the inconvenience of a marriage to Knox or his not-kisses to launch her career. Not when it was launching with only an engagement.
Her jaw went a little slack and she stared at Mach for a long moment. The guy was correct,shedidn’t need to marry Knox.
