FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS (Ophelia Corrigan) novel Chapter 19

11:40 Fri, Sep 25

FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS: MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS

CHAPTER 19

– JAMIE

The elevator doors slid open, and I forgot how to breathe.

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His penthouse wasn’t just a penthouse. It was a museum, a gallery, a statement written in glass and steel and carefully curated chaos. Manhattan sprawled beneath us through floor-to-ceiling windows, the city lights beginning to flicker on as twilight settled over the skyline. The ceilings soared to some impossible height, and the open floor plan stretched so far I couldn’t tell where the living room ended and the dining room began.

“Not bad, right?” Simon’s voice came from behind me, casual, almost bored.

I stepped inside, my heels sinking into the plush carpet beneath my feet. “It’s breathtaking.”

My eyes landed on the wall to my left, and I froze. An immense canvas dominated the space-a swirl of blues and golds, abstract but visceral, the kind of painting that made you feel like you were falling into it.

“Is that…?”

“A Rothko,” he said, moving to stand beside me. His shoulder brushed mine. “Original”

I turned to face him. “You have an original Rothko hanging in your living room.”

“Should I put it in the bathroom?”

“Shouldn’t that be in a museum?”

“It was. It isn’t anymore.”

We stood there for a moment, the Rothko glowing between us. Then he cleared his throat and gestured toward a hallway to the right.

“The guest room is down there. You can change.”

I followed him down the hall, past more art-photographs, sculptures, pieces that probably cost more than I’d make in a decade as an attorney. He stopped in front of a door and pushed it open, revealing a room dominated by an enormous bed. He stepped inside and set the box with the dress on the center of the

mattress.

“Bathroom’s through there.” He pointed to a door on the left. “Towels, toiletries, whatever you need. Take your time.”

He stepped back. “I’m going to grab a shower in my room while you get ready.”

The door clicked shut behind him, and I was alone.

I tossed my bag onto the bed–it landed with a soft thump against the pristine white duvet-and grabbed my toiletry case. The bathroom was ridiculously gorgeous: marble countertops, a shower big enough for four people, a soaking tub that overlooked the city through frosted glass. Everything was stocked-shampoo,

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11:40 Fri, Sep 25

FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS: MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS

conditioner, body wash, even a hair dryer.

I dried my hair, did my makeup, and finally, pulled the dress from the box.

Red.

A deep, elegant wine red. Valentino. Of course it was Valentino.

It was the kind of dress made to follow every curve.

Just imagining how it would look on my body sent a shiver of anticipation across my skin.

I stepped into it.

The fabric slid over my skin like a second layer, settling into place as if it had been made for me.

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But when I reached behind my back for the zipper, my fingers didn’t quite reach. I twisted, strained, managed to get it halfway up before the fabric caught and refused to budge.

“Shit,” I muttered, trying again.

Another twist. Another fail.

A knock at the door.

“Jamie? You okay in there?”

I looked at the door, then at my reflection-dress half-open, hair slightly tousled, makeup done but nerves raw beneath. “I need… can you…

The door opened.

He was gorgeous.

I’d seen Simon Hart in suits a hundred times. I’d seen him in casual clothes, in workout clothes, in that ridiculous robe at the company retreat two years ago. But tonight, he was something else-white shirt unbuttoned at the collar, a hint of stubble along that sharp jaw. His hair was artfully tousled, like he’d just run his fingers through it, and his eyes-those blue eyes-were locked on me like I was the only thing in the

room.

He didn’t say anything.

He just… looked.

“I can’t get the zipper,” I said, my voice coming out breathier than I intended.

He blinked. Once. Twice. Like I’d just spoken in a language he’d forgotten. Then he moved, setting a small black box on the dresser, and came toward me.

“Turn around.”

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11:40 Fri, Sep 25

FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS: MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS

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I turned, presenting my back to him, and his fingers found the zipper. The touch was light, almost reverent, and when he pulled it up, a shiver raced down my spine.

“There,” he said, his voice rougher than usual. “Perfect.”

I looked at the mirror in front of me-at the two of us, framed together, his reflection just behind mine. The dress fell like a dream, hugging my waist and flaring slightly at the hips. I even looked… prettier.

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