Betrothal or Breakaway: A Marriage-of-Convenience Hockey Romance (D.C. Eagles Hockey Book 3) by Leah Brunner

Author:Leah Brunner [Brunner, Leah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: LBP LLC
Published: 2024-04-04T00:00:00+00:00

When I get out of the shower, I lotion my entire body and braid my hair back in a French braid. I’ve slept in the same bed as Ford before, even when I came to visit him a few weeks ago. But I feel suddenly shy. Maybe it’s because we’re married…or maybe it’s this whole façade. But I’ve never slept beside a man while wearing a wedding ring. Something about sleeping next to him, in his grown-up bedroom, with his ring on my finger, feels a little more intimate than I’d like to admit. I even chose a black tank and pink pajama pants for tonight instead of my usual nightgown. Ford’s body temperature runs very hot, so I have a feeling I’ll regret the choice here in a few hours.

When I finally open the bathroom door and make to get into bed for the night, I avoid eye contact with my best friend—er, husband—until I’m completely immersed under the covers. A literal security blanket.

I can feel Ford’s stare and then hear his book close, but he stays sitting up in bed, on top of the covers.

“So, what kind of non-fiction book are you reading?” I ask, breaking the silence, but still staring at the ceiling.

“How do you know it’s non-fiction?”

Finally, I turn on my side and look up at him. “I’ve never seen you read a fiction book.”

“I’m not the same person I was in high-school and college, Ambs,” he says pointedly, then rolls his eyes. “But yes, it’s non-fiction. It’s a biography of a World War II vet.”

I snort. “Just a little light reading before bed?”

A soft laugh escapes him, something about the sound puts me at ease, makes me feel like we’re still Ford and Amber…not Mr. and Mrs. Remington.

“Yeah, I guess it’s not the most relaxing read. Maybe that’s why I’m an insomniac.”

Ford slips under the covers and lies on his side so we’re facing each other.

“You still don’t sleep well?”

“Unfortunately, that part of me hasn’t changed since I was a teen.”

I allow myself to study him for a moment, taking in those bottomless eyes that make me feel like I can see straight into his soul. A soul so pure and so selfless and so beautiful, it almost makes my heart ache.

For years, I think the camaraderie we felt toward each other, both being underdogs, made me unable to see him as anything but a friend. But now? I just see a very handsome, very wonderful man. A man who has always taken care of me and made me happy. If only I’d seen it sooner—not that I’d change anything, since all my past decisions led to a little girl I love more than I thought I ever imagined I could.

But wow, what if I could’ve been with Ford for real, all this time? I think he might’ve cherished me…as more than a friend. Or maybe I’m just dreaming. Ford is untarnished, a gentle soul, and I’ve already given away so many pieces of my heart.

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