FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS (Ophelia Corrigan) novel Chapter 67

CHAPTER 67

MIE

“Simon-” He pulled me into his lap before I could finish.

My breath caught as his hands found my hips, settling me against him with an ease that made my stomach flip. Now we were face-to-face, close enough that I could read every shade of blue in his eyes.

I turned my face away, trying to break the spell, but his fingers found my chin and guided me back.

“Look at me.”

I met his eyes again, and something in my chest cracked open.

“What are you afraid of?” he asked, his voice low and steady.

I stared at him for a long moment, the question settling into my bones. Then I said it-the truth that had been eating at me for days.

“I’m afraid that what we’re building is going to leave too much damage when it’s over.”

He exhaled slowly, his thumb tracing my jaw. “Bad news, Counselor. There’s no avoiding damage in any situation. Everyone gets hurt eventually, even if you play it safe and miss out on the best parts of life.”

I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came.

Because he was right. And that terrified me more than anything.

“Miss Jamie-”

A creak on the stairs froze us both. I turned my head and found Lily standing at the top of the staircase, clutching her teddy bear against her chest and rubbing her eyes.

“Lily.” I slid off Simon’s lap so fast my knee nearly buckled. “What are you doing awake, sweetheart?”

She shuffled down the steps, her voice small and sleepy. “Heard voices. Couldn’t sleep.”

I grabbed my bag from the floor and slung it over my shoulder. “I was just leaving, sweetheart. Simon’s going to tuck you back in.”

“Don’t go.” Her bottom lip jutted out. “Please. Stay. I like you.”

I shook my head. “I can’t stay, sweetheart. But I’ll be back tomorrow. Promise.”

“Pinky promise?”

I pinky promised and crossed my heart. “Promise. Now back to bed, okay?”

She nodded sleepily and shuffled back up the stairs. Simon watched her go, then turned to me.

“I thought you were staying,” he said.

15:32 Tue, Sep 291 MT.

FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS. MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS

“No,” he said, his voice firm. “I’m asking if you are. I brought a problem home without consulting you first And the last thing I want is for you to go cold on me again.”

The air seemed to solidify around me. I wanted to answer, wanted to say something smart, but the words wouldn’t come. Because the truth was, I didn’t know what I wanted.

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12:32 Tue Sep 29 JIM T

FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS: MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS

vo

I gripped my bag tighter. “I said I’d help with the kids tonight. But I can’t sleep here with you. Not now. Not with everything going on.”

“Everything going on,” he repeated, testing the words. “You mean Abby. The kids.”

“Exactly. And I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with that. I just think things have gotten more complicated.”

“It’s temporary,” he said. “Abby’s going to wake up. The doctors are confident. Her mother called me on my cell this morning.”

“And if she doesn’t wake up soon?”

His jaw tightened.

“Jamie…”

He went quiet.

“If that happens, honestly? I have no idea what I’m going to do about any of it.”

I nodded slowly.

“I know. And I think we both need some time to figure out what all of this means.” I picked up my bag. “I

should head home.”

I walked to the elevator and pressed the button. Simon followed, stopping close enough that it was hard to ignore his presence.

The doors slid open, and I stepped inside.

“So… tomorrow?”

I looked at him.

“Tomorrow.”

“Goodnight, Jamie.”

“Goodnight, Simon.”

The doors started to close, but our eyes stayed locked on each other until the very last second.

The next morning, I walked into the office determined to focus on work.

Simon had hired a nanny, I learned from Kelly. A real professional who’d taken over childcare so he could come in and salvage whatever was left of his schedule.

I should have felt relieved.

Instead, I felt restless.

15:32 Tue Sep 29 1 MT

FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS: MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS

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By noon, I was so buried in contract reviews I barely noticed the time passing. I’d been sitting so long my back ached and my eyes burned. I pushed my chair back and headed for the bathroom, desperate to setch my legs

The women’s restroom on our floor was sleek and modern, all marble countertops and soft lighting.

I stepped into one of the stalls and locked the door. When I finished and stood up to zip my pants, it just wouldn’t budge.

“Shit,” I muttered, trying again.

Nothing.

I stepped out of the stall still wrestling with the stupid zipper.

That’s when I realized.

The zipper on my pants was stuck.

I tugged once. Nothing. Tugged again, harder-still nothing. The metal had caught on the fabric, twisted in a way that made it impossible to slide.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I hissed through my teeth. “Of all times for there to be no women around-”

I yanked again, but the zipper refused to give. I twisted, contorted, even tried to bend over to get a better look, but the stubborn thing wouldn’t move.

I was trapped. Half-dressed in a bathroom, like an idiot.

I cracked the door open and peeked out.

No one.

I stepped out and moved to the counter, trying to use the mirror to see what was going on behind my back. No luck. The angle was all wrong.

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