Page 5 of Married to Number 22
He didn’t have time, just walked over and started to blow.
He lifts a brow in question.
“It’s your birthday,” I whisper, heart pounding. I don’t know why this is so important to me right now—or maybe I do, but I just don’t want to look that closely at the emotions churning their way through my insides. Either way, I keep whispering, “You have to make a wish before you blow out the candles.”
Green eyes fixing mine in place.
A big body next to mine, the power in his frame coiled tightly, as though it may spring free at any moment.
Then his eyes close, he’s statue still for a heartbeat.
His lids peel back…
And he blows.
Three
Aiden
Make a wish.
Makea wish.
If she knew the thought that crossed my mind, so close to my teenage fantasies, to this gorgeous woman with curves for days who positively vibrates with brightness and energy—despite it being the middle of the night—she’d likely be hightailing it to the door.
Or maybe not, considering she was the one who showed up to my condo, a marriage contract in hand.
She shifts slightly and my eyes fly open, a curl of worry slicing through me.
Is she going to disappear just as quickly as she appeared?
Flit back out of my life like this is a bizarre dream and I’ll wake up in a couple of hours, hockey on the brain, a job to do…
Alone.
But I’m not alone now.
I can hear her, smell her,wanther.
I blow out the candles, watch her stormy gray eyes warm, as though the sun is peeking through thunderclouds, beams of light illuminating the sky.
Beautiful.
“Great!” she exclaims, startling me and I jerk myself out of my thoughts.
Before I can say anything to make this interaction make sense, she turns away, starts opening drawers, the noises of one flying open and then slamming closed then another and another making me jump.
“Um,” I begin.
Beginbecause anything I was going to say is cut off by anothercrash.
“Luna—”
Another drawer opens. Then closes.
“I—”
“Found it!” she exclaims, holding up a fork. Then her brows pull together, an adorable vee forming that I want to press my lips to, want to smooth away with my thumb. “Is there a reason your utensils are next to your cleaning supplies? That seems like an accidental poisoning waiting to happen.”
