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.
***
At age 27, Cora Glass ha...
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They lay together, some time later. Limbs intertwined. Chests heaving. Cora closed her eyes, savoring the last remnants of the sensation as it faded. A small sigh slipped from her lips as he withdrew and handed her a towel.
"Jamie," she whispered. "What did you just do to me?"
His thumb brushed across her cheek.
"Say my name again," he murmured. His eyes were glued to her face. No more predator now. Looking up at her, eyes spilling over with naked adoration.
"Jamie."
"Again. Say it again." His hand curled around the back of her head to keep her from turning away. "One more time," he whispered.
She smiled at him softly. "I love you," she said instead.
Jamie gathered her against him and buried his face in the crook of her neck. She cradled his head, caressing the same hair she'd pulled a little while earlier.
He nuzzled his face against her neck, and she scratched behind his ears in the spot where she knew he liked it. He let out a contented sound.
Cora dipped her head to whisper in his ear. "You won."
He raised his face and gave her a crooked smile. "That's all right. You can have it."
"The rugelach?"
"You can have anything you want. You only have to say the magic word."
"Please?"
"No. The other one."
She gave him an arch look."The L-word?"
"Say it again."
"Ask me nicely."
He composed his face into a look she might have mistaken for a choir boy if she didn't know better. "Please?"
Cora laughed. "I love you, Jamie."
He touched her lips as she said it, tracing the shape of the words.
"Do you mean it?" he asked.
"Yes. I'll prove it." She took the rugelach and split it in two. "Here. Eat."
"I don't need food. I can live off this feeling for ages."
"Eat it, please. I need you to keep your strength up for the rematch."
He groaned and stuffed the pastry in his mouth. "That is good. Damn."
"Worth the battle?"
"I don't know yet." He eyed her thoughtfully as she consumed her half. "You're either going to bring me the most incredible happiness I've ever known, or the most incredible pain. I'm not sure which."
