Falling For Her contracted Husband

Third Person POV

Ocean's gaze darkened as he turned to face Sky, her words hanging in the air with a defiance that grated against his patience. 

"Watch your tone," he said, his voice low and sharp, carrying the weight of authority that left no room for argument. 

"Do you forget who you are speaking to? I've been more than lenient with you, but you will not cross this line again. You are not just anyone, Sky. You are mine, and you will address me with the respect that position commands. Do I make myself clear?" His tone was biting, the reprimand firm, but there was an undercurrent of frustration that he could not entirely mask.

Sky blinked, taken aback by his sudden shift in demeanor. For a moment, her lips parted, words failing her, before she shook her head and squared her shoulders. 

"I know exactly who I am to you, Ocean," she shot back, her voice steady despite the tremor in her chest. 

"But I am not some servant you can bark orders at whenever it suits you. I have done nothing to disrespect you, and you don't need to remind me of our roles. I know them better than anyone else." Her eyes narrowed as she stepped closer, her voice rising slightly, not in anger but in unyielding determination. 

"But that doesn't mean you can treat me like a caged bird. I have my own rights, my own freedom, and you can't expect me to stay locked in this house while you do whatever you want. Just as you have the right to act as you please, so do I."

Ocean's jaw clenched as her words landed, cutting through his carefully constructed authority. For a moment, he said nothing, his gaze locked on hers, a storm of unspoken emotions brewing behind his eyes. Her boldness, her challenge—it was both infuriating and, in some inexplicable way, admirable. But he could not afford to let her believe that they were equals in this. He stepped closer, his presence imposing, his voice calm but cold. 

"You have rights, yes. But those rights do not come at the cost of undermining me. I am the one who protects you, provides for you, ensures that nothing and no one can harm you. And if I say you're staying in this house, it's not because I want to keep you caged. It's because I know what's out there, and I won't risk losing you because of your stubbornness."

Sky stared at him, her chest rising and falling as she took in his words. Her defiance flickered for a moment, replaced by something softer, something unsure, before she straightened her spine again. 

"I don't need you to protect me like this, Ocean. I can take care of myself. I'm not fragile, and I'm not going to break just because you're not there to shield me. You need to trust me, or this... whatever this is between us... it's never going to work."

Ocean leaned against the wall near the kitchen, sipping from a mug of coffee, when Sky walked in from the patio. Her steps were lighter than usual, almost too careful, and he noticed the faint wobble in her stride. Her cheeks were flushed, her lips slightly parted, and she had that distant, glazed look in her eyes that made him arch an eyebrow. 

"Sky," he called out, his voice low but direct, "are you drunk?" 

She paused mid-step, her fingers brushing against the edge of the counter for support. Her eyes flicked up to meet him, and for a moment, she seemed to hesitate, as if debating whether to lie or tell the truth. Finally, she offered a small, sheepish smile. 

"I'm not drunk," she said, her voice softer than usual but steady enough. "Just tipsy. That's all." 

Ocean didn't reply immediately, instead narrowing his eyes slightly as he studied her. "Tipsy, huh? And what brought that on?" he asked, his tone lighter now, teasing even, but there was an edge of curiosity behind it. Sky felt her cheeks burn even hotter, and she waved a dismissive hand, mumbling something incoherent before taking a step back. 

"I—I need to head to my room," she stammered, avoiding his gaze as she hurried toward the stairs. The moment she was out of his line of sight, she let out a shaky breath. What was wrong with her? She never spoke like that, never let herself slip even the tiniest bit in front of him—or anyone, for that matter. 

The realization made her cringe as she closed the door to her room behind her. She pressed her back against it, her heart racing, replaying the moment in her head. Why did she talk to him? Why did she let herself be seen like that? 

The next morning, Sky woke up with a dull ache at the back of her head. It wasn't unbearable, but it was enough to make her groan quietly as she dragged herself out of bed. After a long sigh and a moment of convincing herself to move, she brushed her teeth and splashed cold water on her face. Feeling marginally more human, she threw on a sweater and padded downstairs. 

The faint sound of pages flipping greeted her as she entered the living room, and there he was—Ocean, sitting on the couch, a book in hand and that same mug of coffee from last night on the table beside him. He glanced up when he heard her footsteps, his expression unreadable at first, though a small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips when he saw her. 

"Good morning," he said simply, setting the book down. "Feeling tipsy still, or has it worn off?" 

Sky froze, the memory of their brief exchange flooding back, and she felt a fresh wave of embarrassment wash over her. She crossed her arms over her chest, her posture stiff. "I'm fine," she said curtly, her tone sharper than she intended. 

"Just a slight headache." 

Ocean chuckled, leaning back against the cushions. "Good to know. You were... entertaining last night," he said, the teasing lilt in his voice making her face heat up again. 

"I wasn't trying to be," she muttered, moving toward the kitchen to avoid his gaze. As she grabbed a glass of water, she could still feel his eyes on her, and it took every ounce of self-control not to snap at him—or worse, say something else she'd regret.

"You should avoid getting drunk next time, Sky. Anything could've happened." 

Sky blinked, startled by his remark. She wracked her brain, trying to recall the events of the previous night. Pieces were fuzzy, blurred together like an unfinished painting. 

"I'm sorry," she murmured, her hands clasping together on the table. "If I… if I did something wrong, I really didn't mean to. I'm sorry, Ocean."

He didn't respond immediately. His face remained unreadable, his gaze lingering on her for a second longer before he stood up abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor. "I need to get to work," he said, his voice curt as he pushed his phone into his pocket. Without another word, he walked out of the room, leaving Sky sitting there with a knot tightening in her stomach.

She sighed softly, her appetite dampened by the interaction, but she forced herself to finish her breakfast. After all, she had plans for the day. Once the table was cleared, she headed upstairs to take a quick bath, determined to freshen up and shake off the lingering discomfort. Her mother was waiting for her at the hospital, and Sky needed to focus on being present for her instead of dwelling on Ocean's coldness.

Later on, as Sky hurriedly parked her car outside the hospital, the chill of the late afternoon air biting at her skin, she found herself distracted by the bustle around her. The sound of her phone vibrating against the passenger seat was nearly drowned out by the blaring horns of the traffic, but her thoughts were elsewhere. 

She had just stepped out of the car, ready to head inside when, without warning, a black sedan sped past, its tires screeching on the asphalt as it narrowly missed her. The sound of it was enough to freeze her in place. Her heart slammed in her chest as she instinctively jumped back, only to feel the heat of the car's exhaust against her legs. The driver quickly slammed on the brakes, causing the car to jerk slightly to a halt just inches away from her. 

The door swung open before Sky could catch her breath, and a tall figure stepped out of the car. He was adjusting his jacket with an almost sheepish look, his eyes wide with concern. Sky's breath caught in her throat as her gaze met his, recognizing the familiar face. It had been years, but the features were unmistakable—the same mischievous glint in his eyes, the same tousled hair, the same confident but apologetic posture. 

"Shawn," Sky murmured, her voice quiet as the past hit her all at once. The memories of late-night study sessions, shared coffees, and the moments of laughter from their college days rushed back. She hadn't seen him since graduation, not because they'd drifted apart, but because life had pulled them in different directions. She hadn't expected their paths to cross again, and certainly not in such an unexpected way.

He blinked, clearly just as surprised to see her as she was to see him. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips, and he stepped closer, his hands raised in a gesture of apology. "Sky," he said her name with a hint of disbelief, as if confirming it in his own mind. "I'm so sorry. I didn't see you there. Are you okay?" 

Sky let out a breath, realizing she had been holding it, her heartbeat finally slowing. A laugh bubbled up, partially from the shock of the near miss, but also from the odd sense of familiarity and comfort in seeing Shawn again. She smiled, shaking her head. "I'm fine, just a little startled. But what are the odds?" 

Shawn chuckled, the tension between them easing as they took a moment to take in the strange coincidence of their encounter. It was as if no time had passed at all, despite everything that had changed in their lives. 

"I swear, I'm usually a better driver than that. Guess I'm getting rusty," he said with a grin, though his concern hadn't entirely faded.

Sky's smile widened, but there was a quiet wonder in her expression. "Small world," she said, her voice softer now, filled with a strange mix of nostalgia and curiosity. 

"What are you doing here?" 

Shawn shrugged casually, his eyes flickering to the hospital behind her. "I'm actually here to visit someone. A friend of mine just got out of surgery. Wasn't expecting to run into you, though." He paused for a moment, as if considering something. 

"Are you still in town?" 

Sky nodded. "Yeah, just moved back. And you? What about you?" She tilted her head slightly, wondering where life had taken him all these years. 

The air between them seemed to hum with a quiet energy, and it was almost like stepping back into a moment frozen in time. Shawn's eyes met hers, and for a moment, it felt like nothing had changed.