FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS (Ophelia Corrigan) novel Chapter 48

CHAPTER 48

AMIE

He didn’t move. “Resting.”

“Resting? In the middle of the workday?”

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“Preparing,” he corrected, voice muffled behind the paper. “I need to look fresh and charming for my mother-in-law tonight.”

I walked closer, unable to hold back a small smile. “You know everyone in the company already knows what happened yesterday. About Oliver. About the arrest.”

The paper shifted slightly. “And?”

“You don’t think that’s a bad look? The CEO getting into a fight with an employee’s ex?”

“I’m not just the CEO of this company,” he said, pulling the paper away from his face. “I’m the owner.”

“Still arrogant, huh?” I crossed my arms. “People are going to start talking. They’re going to figure out there’s something going on between us.”

“Then let them talk.” He sat up slowly, swinging his legs to the floor and fixing those sharp blue eyes on me. “Let them talk. Let them gossip. I don’t care.”

“Simon-”

He stood, closing the distance between us in three easy steps. I could smell his cologne, that familiar mix of wood and citrus that always left me a little dizzy.

“No one in this company has any right to know about our private life,” he continued, his voice dropping an octave. “Let them say whatever they want. The less we care, the faster they’ll find something else to gossip about.”

I swallowed hard. “You make it sound so easy.”

“Because it is.” He tilted his head, studying my face. “Did you get any sleep last night?”

My cheeks heated, and I looked away quickly. Images from the night before flooded my mind: his hands on my hips, our bodies pressed together, both of us fucking like the world was going to end before morning.

“Barely, I admitted.

“Looks like someone kept you up.”

“Someone did,” I murmured, more to myself than to him.

He smiled, and I knew he’d heard me.

“The acquisition papers,” I said quickly, holding up the folder. “I brought them for you to review.”

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15:29 Tue, Sep 29 ) MT.

FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS

Simon took the folder from my hands, his fingers brushing against mine in the exchange. He didn’t pull away. Instead, he just stood there, inches from me, his eyes dropping to my lips for just a fraction of a second.

“You have a smudge,” he said quietly, raising his hand to run his thumb along my jaw. “Concealer. It’s smeared.”

I stepped back quickly, my heart hammering. “Thanks. I’ll fix it.”

He didn’t say anything, just kept watching me with that unreadable expression that drove me crazy.

Then his phone buzzed on the nearby desk. I glanced down and saw the name on the screen.

Abby.

His expression shifted-just for a moment-before he picked up the phone and read the message.

“Who is it?” I asked, the question slipping out before I could stop it.

“Abby.” He scanned the screen, his lips curving into a slight smile. “She’s confirming her daughter’s birthday party. It’s this weekend.”

My stomach tightened. “This weekend?”

“Saturday afternoon.” He typed a quick response, not looking up from the screen. “Looks like we have another couple’s performance to put on.”

“Right,” I said, forcing my voice to stay neutral. “Another performance.”

He typed again, the smile widening. I watched his fingers move across the screen, and something cold coiled in my chest.

Get it together, Jamie.

“So we’re still on for dinner tonight?” I asked, trying to sound casual.

Simon finally looked up from his phone, setting it down on the desk. “Absolutely. I’ll pick you up at seven. Your mom already texted confirming the lasagna.”

“Okay.” I nodded, moving toward the door. “I’ll see you tonight, then.”

“Jamie.”

I stopped, turning back to face him.

He opened his mouth, then closed it again, like he was reconsidering what he was about to say. His eyes swept over my face, and for a moment, something unreadable flickered behind them.

“Try to get some rest,” he finally said. “You look like you need it.”

“Thanks. You really know how to make a girl feel special.”

“Special?” He smiled, that infuriating, charming smile. “I bought you a million-dollar ring, defended your honor, and gave you a night to remember. What more do you want?”

G

10

15:29 Tue Sep 29 MT.

FAKA DATING WITH BENEFITS MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS

Simon took the folder from my hands, his fingers brushing against mine in the exchange. He didn’t pull away. Instead, he just stood there, inches from me, his eyes dropping to my lips for just a fraction of a second.

“You have a smudge,” he said quietly, raising his hand to run his thumb along my jaw. “Concealer. It’s smeared.”

I stepped back quickly, my heart hammering. “Thanks. I’ll fix it.”

He didn’t say anything, just kept watching me with that unreadable expression that drove me crazy.

Then his phone buzzed on the nearby desk. I glanced down and saw the name on the screen.

Abby.

His expression shifted-just for a moment-before he picked up the phone and read the message.

“Who is it?” I asked, the question slipping out before I could stop it.

“Abby.” He scanned the screen, his lips curving into a slight smile. “She’s confirming her daughter’s birthday party. It’s this weekend.”

My stomach tightened. “This weekend?”

“Saturday afternoon.” He typed a quick response, not looking up from the screen. “Looks like we have another couple’s performance to put on.”

“Right,” I said, forcing my voice to stay neutral. “Another performance.”

He typed again, the smile widening. I watched his fingers move across the screen, and something cold coiled in my chest.

Get it together, Jamie.

“So we’re still on for dinner tonight?” I asked, trying to sound casual.

Simon finally looked up from his phone, setting it down on the desk. “Absolutely. I’ll pick you up at seven. Your mom already texted confirming the lasagna.”

“Okay.” I nodded, moving toward the door. “I’ll see you tonight, then.”

“Jamie.”

I stopped, turning back to face him.

He opened his mouth, then closed it again, like he was reconsidering what he was about to say. His eyes swept over my face, and for a moment, something unreadable flickered behind them.

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