Free Married for Christmas (Willow Park) by Noelle Adams Page A

think she was first in his heart, but she was never going to have that
role. It was okay. She’d known what she was getting into, and she wasn’t going
to create tension between them when none had to exist.
    “I know you’d never try to hurt me.” In her earnestness, she
walked into the study and toward his desk. She reached over to retrieve the
framed picture and set it up on the desk. “I know you care about me, Daniel,
but I care about you too. And I know you still miss her. I know she’s still
important to you. You can keep her picture out. We both know this isn’t a
regular marriage.”
    “It is a marriage.” He gazed up at her, and for just
a moment she thought she saw something like yearning in his eyes. Then it
disappeared, so she decided she must have been wrong.
    There was no reason for Daniel to yearn for her. If he
wanted her, he could have her. He only had to reach out.
     “I know it’s a marriage, but it’s only going to work if
we’re honest with each other. So keep her picture out, for as long as you need
to. Seriously.”
    He swallowed hard and nodded, his eyes returning to his
opened Bible. She could see now that he’d been reading in Psalms.
    “So, if we’re being honest with each other,” she added, “I
really want you to come back to bed. Please?” she added, a slight plea in her
tone.
    He let out another breath—this one different than before—and
his face softened in a way she recognized, that reflected how much he liked
her, how much he wanted her to be happy. “Okay.”
    He got up from his desk, turned out the lights in the study,
and went back to bed with her. He even held her for a few minutes before he
rolled away to go to sleep.
    Jessica felt better as she closed her eyes again. Their
marriage wasn’t normal. It wasn’t perfect. But maybe they could still make this
work.

Four
     
    It was just after six when Jessica
woke up and headed to the kitchen to look for coffee with Bear at her heels.
    Daniel was leaning against a counter, chugging down water.
He’d obviously just gotten back from his regular morning run because he was
dripping with sweat.
    “You’re up early,” he said, lowering the bottle and moving
out of the way so she could reach the coffee pot.
    “Not as early as you.” She’d known he usually woke up early
to run, but she didn’t know it was that early.
    “Did you sleep all right?” she asked. She’d woken up once at
around four, and he’d been sound asleep then, so she hoped he slept well for
the hours he was actually in bed.
    “Yeah.” He wiped his damp face with the bottom of his
t-shirt. Then he gave Bear a quick pat on the head, since the dog had come over
to greet him eagerly. It seemed more like a gesture than a genuine greeting on
his part, but it was better than nothing. “Do you feel okay?”
    She drew her brows together in confusion until she realized
he was asking about how she felt after sex the night before. She felt a shudder
of self-conscious pleasure at the memory of how she’d let go the night before
and at how Daniel had let go too. “Yeah. I feel pretty good.”
    “Good.” He gave her a little smile. “I’ve got to shower.”
    Something about him seemed a little strange this morning. He
was as kind as always, but also a little distant. Not like the Daniel she was
used to. “Okay. I’m going to take Bear for a walk.”
    When she got back to the house forty-five minutes later,
Daniel was dressed for Sunday, doing his devotions, and eating a protein bar
with his coffee in the study, so she didn’t disturb him.
    She turned on the oven and wished she could bake. Lila had
always been a wonderful cook. She’d also sewn her own pillows and curtains, and
she’d been an amazing hostess, even for casual get-togethers. Her home was
always beautifully cleaned and welcoming—the perfect pastor’s wife.
    Jessica knew she couldn’t equal Lila’s domestic prowess. She
was anything but amazing in the kitchen, and her cleaning