She only has one rule...
[WATTYS SHORTLIST 2022]
A buttoned up bookworm agrees to a fake relationship with a surprisingly literate male model in order to save his career. She only has one condition: No kissing allowed.
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At age 27, Cora Glass ha...
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Cora lay facedown on the beach lounger, soaking in the sensation of strong hands massaging sunscreen into her skin. She couldn't complain. Jamie certainly knew how to lay it on thick. He had been, ever since last night, whispering to her in the darkness.
Stay...
If it were up to me, I'd choose you in a heartbeat...
Blue eyes are beautiful, but hazel eyes are too...
Stay another night...
Exhaustion had settled over her by that point, a thick fog obscuring her thoughts. Too tired to argue, she'd promised to answer him in the morning, even though she knew in her gut that her decision wouldn't change.
She wanted to go home. Period. Final. Only one little problem with that plan...
They'd both overslept.
Cora's eyes had opened to the golden rays of morning light filtering through the curtains and the sound of the crew's all-terrain vehicles crunching on the sand outside the bungalow. The rumbling engines had shuddered into silence, and the silhouette of Mel's 4'11" frame loomed in the front doorway before Cora had time to remember where she was—or make a break for her own bedroom.
"Rise and shine, my lovelies! Are you decent?"
How could anyone have a voice that sunny at such an hour? A morning person. Ugh. "Go away," Cora had croaked in Mel's direction. But that hadn't stopped the producer from barging into the bungalow's main bedroom, streaming sunshine in her wake.
So there Cora had found herself. Caught in Jamie's bed with half a dress around her waist, a backward tuxedo jacket for a top, and a nearly-naked underwear model cloaking her from behind. Not exactly a picture of innocence. It certainly looked like something other than sleeping had happened in that bed last night, and trusty Cameron with his camera had captured all the damning evidence for the eyes of the viewing public.
All this had dawned on Cora's whirling mind in the moments before Jamie stirred beside her and un-snaked the arm curled around her waist.
To his credit, Jamie had made a scene, demanding they show some decency and get the camera out of the room until Cora had a chance to scramble for the bathroom. Mel and Robbie had granted them five minutes' grace to get dressed. Cora took four-and-a-half to change into a swimsuit and rope her hair into a messy bun, with 30 seconds remaining to hiss a few hasty words in Jamie's direction.
"Don't you dare send me home now. Do you hear me? Don't you dare."
It wasn't prudishness so much as pride that led to this abrupt alteration to her travel plans. Cora saw no shame in two consenting adults enjoying any sleeping arrangements they liked. No, the real humiliation would be if it looked like Jamie had slept with her and immediately regretted it.
