FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS (Ophelia Corrigan) novel Chapter 36

CHAPTER 36

MIE

I woke up to the smell of coffee and the hiss of a skillet.

F

It took me a second to remember I’d crashed on the couch with Simon. And that even though he’d stayed the whole night, he hadn’t tried a damn thing. Just held me until I passed out.

I followed the noise to the kitchen and stopped in the doorway.

Holy hell.

Simon had his back to me, shirtless, in front of the stove.

Morning light slanted through the window and hit those broad shoulders, trailing down his carved back to the waistband of his black dress pants. When he moved, I caught a flash of his stomach-hard, perfectly defined. His belt hung open at his hips, like he’d started undressing and just… forgot to finish.

I stared too long.

Definitely too long.

Simon turned, spatula in hand, and caught me red-handed.

His eyes found mine. Then dropped, slow, to exactly where I’d been looking.

A lazy smile curled across his face.

Shit.

“Morning, Counselor.” His voice was rough with sleep. “You’ve got that look like someone who just woke up and already regrets every life choice.”

I forced a smile. “I’m wondering how you managed to make coffee in my kitchen without waking me up.”

“Maybe you were exhausted.” He turned back to the stove, nudging something in the pan. “Made scrambled eggs. And toast. And coffee. Didn’t eat anything because I figured you’d want to share.”

“How do you know I’m the kind of person who eats in the morning?”

“I watched you at the holiday party.” He slid the eggs onto a plate. “You grabbed three slices of cake, two croissants, and a glass of champagne before noon.” He turned, handing me the plate. “You’re definitely a woman who eats. And enjoys it. It’s one of the things I like most about you.”

I had nothing for that.

I sat at the kitchen table, and he sat across from me, still shirtless. The tension crackled between us, but he looked completely at ease, like he was exactly where he belonged.

I didn’t know what to do with this man.

“So.” He bit into a piece of toast. “What were you doing in the laundry room yesterday? What did your

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FAK DATING WITH BENEFITS MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS

cousin want?”

ightened my grip on the fork. “She just wanted to push my buttons.”

“Push your buttons?”

“Yeah. She was worried about my life. Wanted to know if I was actually happy.” I paused. “Basically told me she’s married to Oliver but miserable.”

“That’s not a surprise to anyone.”

“How do you figure?”

“Who in their right mind would be happy next to Dr. Sad Sack?”

I choked back a laugh.

“You’re a lost cause, Hart.”

“Maybe.”

***

The office was a nightmare.

We’d arrived together, which was already a mistake, and when I stepped onto my floor, the buzz of conversation died instantly. Elizabeth was perched at my desk, grinning ear to ear, and I knew the gossip had already made its rounds.

“Jamie!” Elizabeth called out, her voice dripping with mischief. “You look radiant today. Sleep well?”

“Perfectly, Elizabeth.” I headed for my desk, trying to keep my composure. “How are you?”

“I’m great. But it looks like you’re better than me.” She tilted her head, eyes gleaming. “Heard you and Mr. Hart arrived together this morning. Second time in a row.”

Shit.

“Elizabeth, you do know gossip is against company policy, right?”

“I know. That’s why I’m not gossiping. I’m just observing.” She shrugged.

I managed to shake Elizabeth off, organized the contracts I needed to present, and spent the next twenty minutes trying to get my head back in the game. At nine sharp, I walked into the conference room with the other directors. Simon was already there, seated at the center of the long table, immaculate in his dark suit, with that serious CEO expression that had nothing to do with the shirtless man who’d made me breakfast this morning.

Our eyes met for a second. Just one. He raised an eyebrow, subtle, and I immediately looked away, opened my folder, and sat down like I didn’t know exactly what was under that shirt.

Simon turned his attention back to the documents, all business. To anyone in that room, we were just boss and lawyer.

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EARN DATING WITH BENEFITS MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS

My phone buzzed next to my folder.

lanced down careful.

Simon: Nice suit. Still doesn’t beat the Mickey Mouse tee stretched across your chest.

I snorted.

Jamie: I’m working, Hart. Focus.

I tucked my phone away, but the smile was already spreading across my face.

He kept looking at me.

Not quick glances. Not sneaky looks. Long, drawn-out stares that felt like they were undressing me while he discussed numbers and expansion strategies. The directors were confused, glancing between us, trying to figure out why the CEO was so distracted.

“Mr. Hart?” one of the directors asked, hesitant. “Are you all right?”

“I’m great.” He didn’t look away. “Continue.”

“Um. Do you and Ms. Collins have something urgent to discuss?”

Simon cleared his throat. “Ms. Collins has a very valuable opinion on the strategy we’re discussing. Don’t you, Jamie?”

All eyes turned to me.

Shit.

“I-yes.” I turned to the director, scrambling for composure. “Mr. Hart’s aggressive approach is risky, but I think it’s the smartest play. We should focus on the Asian market.”

Simon smiled.

And I shot him a look that said: I swear to God, I will kill you.

The meeting wrapped up at six. I was packing up, ready to head out, when my phone buzzed.

Simon: Urgent meeting. Records room. Now.

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