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...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The thunder grew more distant. Cora stepped back inside off the balcony, soaked to the skin and shivering from the cold. The effects of the whiskey still lingered in her blood, and she staggered as she headed toward the bathroom in search of a clean towel. Half-way there, she froze, interrupted by the sound of someone knocking at her door.
Cora's eyebrows drew together. At this hour? It must be Penny or Lauren. One of her friends must have forgotten something. Or perhaps the subways had stopped running and they couldn't find a rideshare home in the storm. She wondered how long they'd been out there pounding, drowned out by the thunder. Cora left a trail of water droplets as she crossed to the front door and peered out into the hallway through the peephole.
Her heart stopped beating at the view that greeted her. For a moment, she accused her own eyes of playing tricks. It couldn't be. It couldn't possibly be...
Cora pulled the door open and stared.
Jamie stood in the threshold with his hair dripping wet and a sodden raincoat folded over his arm. "Hi. Did I wake you?"
No, just the opposite, Cora thought. She must have fallen asleep at last. It had to be a dream. She closed her eyes to see if he would vanish by the time she reopened them.
"I'm sorry," she heard his voice say in the dark space beyond her lids. "I know I shouldn't be here. I had to..."
A wave of dizziness took hold, and she flung her arm out to grab the doorframe as she swayed.
"Cora!" Jamie caught her around the waist with his arm, strong and solid. Her eyes flashed open with surprise.
This was no phantom holding her. The real Jamie stepped across the threshold into her apartment to catch her before she fell. For a brief instant, his arm tightened as if to pull her against him, but it slackened and released her. His hand hovered an inch from her elbow, as if waiting for permission to make contact.
"Cora? Are you all right?"
"No." She wrapped her arms around herself to still the violent trembling of her shoulders. Only then did she realize how little clothing she had on. The thin white t-shirt had turned nearly transparent, clinging to her breasts and hips. A small puddle of rainwater had formed around her feet.
Jamie shook his head at her, bewildered. "Why are you so wet?" He unfolded his raincoat and draped it around her shoulders. She clutched the collar closed at her throat.
The urge to laugh bubbled up inside her. Cora had never considered herself the swooning type. She remembered how she used to be, not so long ago, dripping with nothing but self-assurance as she stood in front of the first camera of them all.
What are you looking for in a man?
A faceless producer had posed that question, and she'd flipped her hair as she answered. An average temperature of 98.6 degrees. Bonus points if he's enough of a gentleman to loan me his jacket when I dress inappropriately for the weather...
