But vows are vows for a reason, so I had to make some promises to Tammy. Luckily, that was easy too. I limited myself to just one heartfelt vow - not to disappoint Tammy again.
Tammy’s smile was a little watery throughout her own vows, but I couldn’t tell if my vows meant something to her or she was just a much better actor than me. Either way, Tammy’s words echoed my own, and we both managed to make our vows heartfelt and beautiful without tarnishing them with lies.
Then it was time to slip the ring on Tammy’s finger, and her lips moved with the tiniest littleoohwhen she saw it for the first time. We both knew the rings would have to be returned, but I doubted that would stop Tammy from fluttering her fingers around all afternoon to catch the fire in the diamonds. Then I reached into my pocket and handed Tammy my ring and her blue eyes sparkled as she slipped it on my finger.
Now, there was just one step left. “You may now kiss the bride,” Clinton proclaimed.
The wedding might be a ridiculous fake, but our kiss didn’t feel that way. Nothing felt more natural than reaching for Tammy as she stepped toward me, wrapping my arms around her waist as she stood on the toes of her delicate heels for a long and tender kiss. Her lashes fluttered against my eyelids as we shared one more kiss, blocking out the world for just one more moment before we turned to the cheers and clapping of those watching with huge and genuine smiles. My eyes sought out Mack and found him applauding as fervently as anyone.
Success.
My heart light, and my mind easy, I turned my attention to spending time with the guests and enjoying the rest of the afternoon. Once, I noticed Tammy chatting with Mack and his lovely wife, but I felt no concern. Tammy wouldn’t let anything slip - not that there was much to let slip. When it came to Tammy and her personality, I only told Mack the truth. She just had to be her usual wonderful self to uphold the falsehood.
“I saw you talking with Mack,” I mentioned a little later when we had a chance to reconvene.
“Yeah, he and Kay just wanted to congratulate me and chat,” she told me. “They seem very nice, actually. He asked if I planned to travel with you and the team? I told him, no not really, and that we were planning to make the distance work. He also promised to send me those pictures when the photographers finished editing them,” she said happily. “This will be great for my business. And this mansion is so lovely.”
“That’s the idea,” I told her, sharing her infectious smile. “Mutually beneficial.”
“Right. Kind of like this honeymoon you haven’t told me anything about,” she said pointedly, adjusting the shoulders of her dress.
“How did you get that dress, by the way?” I asked, blatantly ignoring her probe for information. “If you had to pay for it, I’ll reimburse you.”
Tammy tossed her head, raised her striking eyebrows and turned on her silver heels. “I think I’ll keep that to myself. We can both have our little secrets.”
For a moment, I worried that I had actually offended her, but she made a half-turn and shot me a cheeky wink before daintily moseying away to talk to Elena. My secret was much bigger than hers, but it was just like Tammy not to let me get one over on her.
The reception went on for another hour, and then Zeke waved me over to tell me that the limo which would take Tammy and me to the private jet had arrived. He was letting us borrow his jet again, so this would be a real proper send-off on our honeymoon.
Tammy and I got in the limo - the photographers had reappeared - and waved to our friends out the open windows until the mansion disappeared behind us.
“Yesss,” Tammy eagerly said when we mounted the steps to the jet where it sat preparing for takeoff and spotted our suitcases in the storage areas. “I know this thing looks pretty, but it’s not all that comfortable. And it’s too warm for summer.”
“It’s more than just pretty.” I took in Tammy and her wedding dress, committing the sight to memory before she took it off. “It’s stunning, especially on you.”
“Isn’t it?” Tammy did a little spin. “I guess I’ll tell you where I got it. Bridal companies don’t usually accept returns on custom-made dresses because the likelihood that they’ll find someone else to buy it is very low, but Marry Makings Bridal Boutique accepted this dress as a return due to extenuating circumstances. I’ve worked with the boutique in the past, and they were willing to let me borrow this dress. I was lucky it fit so well.”
“Well, this is actually Riker’s wedding tuxedo, so we’re even,” I laughed, shrugging the jacket off and opening the closet. You could clearly tell that the interior of this jet was designed for corporate use because the rod in this closet was high enough to allow for the wrinkle-free storage of business attire.
“Can you unzip me?” Tammy asked, pulling her blonde hair over one shoulder so I could see the zipper in the back of her dress. I had no idea what sort of hairstyle you would call this combination of braids, curls, twists and long waterfalls of golden hair, but Tammy wore it like a queen.
I helped her with her zipper, and as the dress fell down around her ankles, my fingers inched toward the back of her white lace bra, wondering if I could help with that too. She slapped my hand away, although not very convincingly. “Not right now,” she reprimanded me, pointing toward the cockpit. Her enticing ass cheeks vanished beneath a pair of plain black leggings as she tugged them on. But they didn’t hide her curves.
“Fine,” I sighed, tearing my eyes away as she slipped on a tank top. I smirked when I caught her watching me change too, and she blushed and looked away.
“So where are we going?” Tammy gazed around the jet and raising her eyebrows at the luxurious amenities. “You have to tell me at some point.”
“No,” I countered airily. “I don’t. I think I’ll just wait and let you see it for yourself.”
Tammy stared at me for a moment, then grabbed a bottle from a holder in the cabinet. I waited as she selected a wine glass from another no-slip holder and poured herself some wine.
“Aren’t you going to argue?”
“Nah. I’ll just find out when I find out. Or…” Her eyes flicked toward the cockpit as she set her glass down. “Or I’ll ask the captain.”
I intercepted her dash for the door to the cockpit. A playful moment of breathless struggling ensued, but Tammy had forgotten that she chose to clash with a quarterback and gave up promptly, giggling. Instead of letting her go right away, I couldn’t resist leaning in for a kiss… which I broke off as soon as she began to reciprocate. “Whoops, sorry,” I apologized. “I forgot we weren’t doing that right now.”
Tammy glared at me. “I hate you.”
