The Kiss Rule: 3

One kiss to prove she's over her ex. One problem: it stopped being fake.Sloane Bennett has a plan for surviving the breakup that blindsided her - color-coded, scheduled, and absolutely on track. The plan does not include kissing Jace Wilder in the middle of a crowded bar to wipe the smug look off her ex's face.It definitely doesn't include doing it convincingly.Jace is Lakeview State's charming, infuriating, never-serious forward - the last person Sloane should trust with anything, let alone a fake relationship designed to control the story before campus gossip does it for her. The rules are simple: keep it public, keep it useful, and absolutely no feelings.But Jace isn't who everyone thinks he is. Beneath the easy smile is a guy carrying a past he's never told anyone - and as the performance starts blurring into something real, Sloane realizes the most dangerous thing isn't getting caught.It's being seen.Falling for him was never part of the plan. Neither was becoming the person he finally tells the truth to.Some rules protect you. Some are just fear wearing a disguise.The Kiss Rule is an emotional, slow-burn fake-dating romance about consent, control, and choosing honesty over the easy lie - the third standalone in the Lakeview State Hockey Romance series. Sharp banter, a himbo-with-hidden-depths hero, a heroine who plans for everything except him, and a happily-ever-after that's earned the hard way.Lower heat, deep feelings, and a love story worth every risk.