FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS (Ophelia Corrigan) novel Chapter 167

CHAPTER 167

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– CHLOE

I watched Simon disappear down the hall toward the kitchen.

I waited.

One second.

Two.

Only then did I slip my hand into my pocket.

My fingers closed around the small vial, and a smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. I’d almost given this

one away, too.

One of Cobra’s friends had taken the other one to Jamie, along with enough instructions to turn her perfect bachelorette party into a memory she wouldn’t look back on quite so fondly.

I rolled the vial between my fingers.

“Good thing I kept you,” I murmured.

Simon’s glass was still sitting on the counter.

I uncapped the vial, emptied the powder into his whiskey, and watched the last few grains disappear into the amber liquid and ice. Then I stirred it slowly with my finger until there wasn’t a trace left.

I heard the bathroom door open.

Shit.

I licked my finger, capped the vial, and shoved it back into my pocket. I left the kitchen without rushing. climbed the stairs quietly, and stopped on the second floor, hidden behind the wall.

Simon came back.

He looked toward the stairs.

For a second, I was sure he’d seen me.

But he only picked up his glass, the bottle, and the bag of ice.

He drank.

My heart gave a delicious little leap.

He frowned, glanced at the bottle, then took another sip, like he was trying to figure out what tasted different.

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After that, he headed for the stairs leading to the rooftop terrace

I wanted until he disappeared before following at a distance. I stopped just short of the terrace entrance, hidden behind the wall Simon and Stephen were sitting beneath the dim lights, all of Manhattan glittering behind them.

Stephen was saying something.

Didn’t matter.

Simon lifted his glass.

Drank.

I smiled.

A few more minutes.

Another sip.

My fingers tightened around the edge of the doorway.

“Come on. One more,” I whispered.

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He was still talking normally, and it was starting to piss me off. I’d expected some kind of change by now Any sign at all. But Simon only leaned back in his chair, undid another button on his shirt, and rubbed the back of his neck,

Then he missed the table when he set down his glass.

The bottom clipped the edge before landing on the wood.

Stephen looked at him.

“You okay?”

Sumon stared at the glass as if the answer might be written inside it

“I’m fine

Ja voice was steady but something was different in the beat between the question and his answer

He blinked twice and rubbed his eyes

“I think this whiskey hit me faster than it should ve

Stephen laughed

“You’re getting old.”

Simon flipped him off without even looking at hum

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1 almost laughed.

Another sip.

Every time that glass touched his lips, a tiny victory exploded inside me.

Twenty minutes later, Simon stood.

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He had to brace one hand on the table for half a second, then straightened his shoulders as if his own body had personally offended him.

“I’m going to bed.”

Stephen stood, too.

“I’m getting out of here before you pass out and make me haul your giant ass upstairs.”

Simon laughed.

I was already backing away.

I hurried downstairs and slipped into the kitchen. Their footsteps were already coming down the stairs when I ducked behind the wall.

Stephen appeared first, grabbed his overcoat, and headed for the elevator. Simon followed a few steps behind, moving noticeably slower.

“Well, I guess I won’t see you again before the wedding.”

Simon nodded.

Even that seemed to take more effort than it should have. A second later, he braced a hand against the wall, fus eyes half closed, as if he were trying to make the floor stop moving.

Stephen frowned

“You’re fucking wasted”

Sumon dragged a hand over his face and muttered something unintelligible

“Go to bed”

“Okay”

Stephen pressed the elevator button

“I’m serious, Hart. Bed. Now Before you fall on your face and I have to explain to Jamie why her groom is getting married with a busted face”

“Yeah. Now get the hell out.”

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wwwataing

The elevator arrived, and Stephen stepped inside. The doors slid shut. Simon stood there for a few seconds before heading toward the kitchen.

I slipped into the laundry room before he came in.

He planted both hands on the counter and dropped his head, breathing deeply.

When he finally looked up, it took his eyes a second to focus. I shifted my foot, and a package fell behind me

Simon turned immediately.

“Jamie?”

I froze.

“You there?”

A smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. He really was out of it. He couldn’t even remember that Jamie was at her own bachelorette party and wouldn’t be back anytime soon.

So it was working.

I pulled off my shirt and pants, left them on top of the washing machine, and walked back into the kitchen naked.

Simon looked up when he saw me. He blinked and seemed to be trying to place me, but his gaze drifted over my face without ever really settling there.

“Counselor?”

A lazy half smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Counselor?

I had no idea who the hell he was talking about, and frankly, I didn’t care. He could’ve called me a saint, the devil, or his own mother. Right then, the only thing I cared about was the way Simon was looking at me.

Like he wanted me..

I walked toward him slowly.

“Hey, baby.”

I placed my hands on his chest and slid my fingers up to the open collar of his shirt Then I leaned in and kissed his neck. God, he smelled ridiculously good. Woodsy and citrusy, warm skin and that cologne that always seemed to linger in a room after he’d left.

His hand closed around my waist.

Hard.

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A shiver ran through me.

Finally

I smiled against his neck, took his hand, and guided it to my breast. Simon’s body was tense and hot, responding despite the confusion clouding his eyes.

I lifted my face.

My mouth was inches from his.

Closer.

Just a little closer.

Then his fingers suddenly closed around my arms and pushed me back.

He stared at me and blinked once.

Twice.