Falling For Her contracted Husband

Third Person POV

Ocean pushed the door open without so much as a knock, his mind elsewhere. "Sky, I—" His words froze in his throat as his eyes landed on her. Sky stood there, startled, with nothing but her skin to cover her, her arms immediately wrapping around herself. 

"Oh my god, I'm sorry!" Ocean exclaimed, his hands flying up to shield his face as he turned around so quickly he almost tripped over his own feet. "I should've knocked. I didn't think—I mean, I wasn't thinking—" 

"Clearly," Sky muttered, her tone sharp but not as venomous as it could have been. The shuffle of fabric followed as she hastily pulled on her clothes. 

"Ocean, could you have picked a worse time? Honestly." 

"I wasn't trying to! I didn't know you—" He stopped himself, sighing as he faced the door, still unwilling to turn back. "I didn't see anything, I swear." 

"Yeah, sure," she said, a hint of exasperation in her voice. "Alright, I'm done. You can turn around now." 

Ocean turned slowly, his hands still halfway raised as though afraid he'd get another glimpse by accident. "Sky, seriously, I'm really sorry. I was in a hurry and—well, this was definitely not what I intended to happen." 

She folded her arms, her expression softening as she looked at him. "Fine, just… what do you want?" 

"Amanda's birthday," he said quickly, grateful for the change in topic. "It's tonight, and we got the invite. You know how she is—she'll notice if you're not there, so you should probably get ready." 

Sky raised an eyebrow. "And this couldn't have waited until I wasn't, you know, half-naked?" 

Ocean rubbed the back of his neck, looking sheepish. "In hindsight, yeah, it probably could've. I'm sorry, Sky. I didn't mean to barge in and ruin your day." 

She let out a small laugh, shaking her head. "You're lucky I'm not Amanda. She'd have your head for something like this." 

"Yeah, but you're not, and thank god for that," Ocean replied with a grin. "I'll let you finish getting ready. And, uh, I'll knock next time. I promise." 

"You'd better," she called after him as he left, closing the door behind him.

Sky felt her throat tighten as Ocean laid out the rules for the birthday party, his voice even and unyielding. "The maids will come by soon with your outfit," he said, his tone sharp but not unkind. 

"You know how this works, Sky. Stay poised, speak only when necessary, and remember, everyone must believe this." He paused, his gaze flickering over her as though searching for a sign she understood. "No mistakes."

"I—" she stammered, clutching her hands together nervously, "I won't fail, Ocean." Her voice cracked slightly, and she forced herself to stand straighter under his critical eye. He didn't respond, just gave a curt nod before turning on his heel and leaving the room without another word. The door clicked shut behind him, leaving her in suffocating silence. 

Sky sat down heavily on the edge of the bed, her heart sinking as her thoughts spiraled. She had to pretend to be his wife—just for tonight—to make his ex-girlfriend jealous enough to come crawling back to him. A cruel irony, she thought bitterly, to play the role of someone she could never be. Her chest ached at the thought of standing by his side, smiling and pretending it didn't hurt.

The weekend came faster than she expected. The maids fluttered around her, helping her into the stunning dress he'd selected for her. The deep blue fabric hugged her figure perfectly, and for a moment, she almost forgot the role she was about to play. One of the maids offered a kind smile, adjusting the jewelry on her wrist. 

"You look beautiful," the maid said softly. Sky gave a small, grateful nod but couldn't find the words to respond. 

Finally, it was time. She stepped outside, the cool evening air brushing against her bare shoulders. The driveway was lit with soft lights, and at the end of it stood Ocean, leaning casually against the sleek limousine. He was dressed impeccably in a tailored suit, his sharp features set in an expression of calm authority. The sight of him made her stomach twist with nerves. 

She took a hesitant step forward, then stopped. She smoothed her dress, trying to steady her trembling hands. Ocean glanced up and met her eyes, his gaze unreadable. The confidence he radiated only made her feel smaller. Her legs felt like jelly as she closed the distance between them, her voice caught in her throat. 

"Let's go," he said, his tone clipped but not unkind. Without waiting for a reply, he opened the car door for her. Sky hesitated for a fraction of a second before stepping inside, her heart pounding as she realized there was no turning back now.

Ocean stood by the car, his hand resting on the roof, waiting. The chill of the evening air bit at his skin, but he didn't flinch. Sky, walking toward him, looked a little too lost in thought, her steps slowing the closer she got. 

For a second, maybe two, their eyes met, and everything around them seemed to fall silent. It was nothing intentional—just a brief pause that seemed to stretch. His gaze softened, his lips parting slightly as if words were forming but never found their way out. Sky's breath hitched, her heart thudding faster than she cared to admit, but then Ocean blinked, his brows furrowing slightly. 

"Are you just going to keep staring, or are you planning to get in the car?" His voice was teasing, but it carried an edge of impatience, snapping them both back to reality. 

Sky flushed, the heat rising to her cheeks as she stumbled over her response. "I—I was just..." Her words trailed off as she quickened her pace, her hands awkwardly brushing against her coat as if smoothing imaginary creases would help her regain her composure. But in her flustered state, she misjudged the curb, her heel catching awkwardly. 

Her balance faltered, and before she could process what was happening, she was falling forward. Ocean's reflexes kicked in immediately. He reached out, his arms catching her just as she tumbled. Her hands instinctively grabbed at his jacket, her breath coming out in a small gasp as she steadied herself against him. 

"Careful," he murmured, his tone low but steady, his grip firm around her waist. For a moment, they were too close, her face mere inches from his, and she could feel the faint warmth of his breath against her skin. 

"I'm fine," she said quickly, though her voice betrayed her embarrassment. She tried to pull back, but his hands lingered for just a second longer than necessary, as if making sure she wouldn't fall again. 

Ocean smirked, one brow arching as he released her. "You sure? Because that looked like the kind of fall that might need a full recovery plan." 

Sky glared at him, though it lacked any real malice, the flush on her cheeks deepening. "Just open the door." 

He chuckled softly but stepped aside, opening the car door for her with a small, exaggerated bow. 

"Your chariot awaits, clumsy one." 

She rolled her eyes, muttering something under her breath as she climbed in, her movements hurried, but there was no mistaking the small smile tugging at her lips. Ocean slid into the driver's seat, his grin still lingering as he started the engine, sneaking one quick glance her way. The tension was subtle but undeniable, and neither of them dared to speak of it just yet.