With my accidental husband.
My fake dating partner.
The man who doesn’t believe in partnership and runs from commitment.
What a cliché I am.
Falling for the guy I wasn’t supposed to.
I almost laugh at myself.
Jake stirs slightly, blinking awake.
His eyes find mine instantly.
“Morning,” he murmurs.
“Morning.”
He leans in and presses a soft kiss to my mouth.
Slow and unhurried.
How can he be so damn sweet?
Then he shifts, stretching slightly before sitting up. “Practice,” he mutters, running a hand through his hair.
I prop myself up on one elbow and watch him pull on a T-shirt.
He looks back at me.
Something flickers in his expression.
Warm.
Content.
He leans down one more time and kisses me again, firmer this time.
“I’ll be back later,” he says.
“Okay.”
I lie back against the pillow, staring at the ceiling.
My heart feels full and terrifyingly exposed at the same time.
I think about his birthday in two days. He hasn’t mentioned it, but I know. I saw the date on the marriage certificate.
I want to make it special for him.
Until then, I have some work to do.
I smile to myself, already looking forward to surprising him with his presents.
***
When the front door finally opens that evening, my heart jumps like it’s programmed to respond to that sound.
