I nod my agreement. “Okay.”
“Yeah?” His smile lifts higher, and then he buries his head in my neck.
“There goes my sleep schedule,” I mutter playfully.
“You didn’t seem to mind a little sleep deprivation last night when you were screaming my name.” His voice lifts an octave as he mimics me,“‘Oh, Travis! Oh, I missed you so much. You’re so deep. It feels so damn good. You’re the best husband ever.’”
I smack his chest playfully as a laugh bubbles up and slips free, but yeah…I said most of those things and thought the others.
My alarm goes off and Travis rolls to the side to let me shut it off.
He groans and I make a sad, pouty face as I get out of the bed. One of these days we’re going to be able to spend an entire weekend in it together and it’s going to be glorious. My hands fall to the hem of his jersey but before I take it off, I look to Travis.
“Is it going to break your heart to watch me take this off? Do you need to turn around?”
“Nah. Just…” He holds up a finger to indicate he needs one second, then grabs his phone and takes a photo.
I giggle as he takes, what sounds like a hundred. I turn so he can get the back too because why the hell not?
When he’s done, I finally take off the jersey and lay it nicely on the end of the bed. I have a feeling I’ll be wearing it again soon.
“What time are you done today? Do you want to go out or should I grab dinner on my way home?” he asks, getting up and going to the dresser. He pulls out clean clothes while I finger comb my hair.
“You’re on your own tonight. I have that seminar in Helena with Kinsley tomorrow so we’re driving up after practice.”
“Oh, right. Bummer.”
I hum my agreement as I get dressed. It should be fun, working with Kinsley and teaching young gymnasts some bar skills, but I would rather a repeat of last night with my sexy husband.
Travis showers while I get ready for practice and then pack for a night away. When I’m done, I find him downstairs zipping up my lunchbox.
“Baby girl.” He winks and slides it across the table to me.
Laughing, I put it in my bag. By the time I’m done, he’s already set my muffin and coffee in front of me too.
“Tomorrow, when you get back. Me and you, lazy date night at home.”
“Sounds amazing.”
He grins, and I let contentment seep into my bones. I can’t remember ever being this happy.
“You and me…” He starts, then pauses. “I want to give us a real shot outside of our fake marriage arrangement. Whatever you want that to look like. Let’s date or talk or whatever the kids are calling it these days.”
I laugh because a few months ago he was one of those kids. So was I. Though admittedly, I wasn’t doing much dating or talking.
“I want to keep seeing you too, but I’m not sure what that should look like.” Do I keep living here? Do we stay married? I don’t want him to feel like he’s obligated to me. He’s never made me feel that way, but will he in a year or five if we don’t take some time to breathe?
“If you want to get an annulment and start over, then I’m cool with that, though I can’t promise not to keep calling you wife. I like the way it sounds.”
I do too.
“The Winter Classic is in six weeks. When that’s over and I’m not mooching off you, then we can see how we both feel. I don’t want you to resent me later when you realize I’ve concocted this whole scheme to invade your home and life.”
“If either of us was scheming, it was definitely me.” He’s smiling when he kisses me, but then his expression shifts. “Do you really feel like you’re mooching off me?”
“A little,” I admit. Or a lot.
“I hate that.” He frowns.
