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Belle kept herself occupied for the rest of the night. She had a film night with Lottie and Sutton, forcing her friends to watch three different movies so she could focus on anything but Layke or what he had said, or more importantly, the face that she… cared for him. She refused to say the L word. It was officially banned from her vocabulary.

She tried hard to appear normal when she went to get a drink from the kitchen, but she was pretty certain no one had bought it from the way the guys hovered around her whilst shooting scowls at Layke. But she continued with the act, even when Layke had spoken to her she spoke to him. And when he had pulled her onto his lap, Belle let him. There was desperation in is gentle touch, careful but on guard in case she was feeling flighty.

None of Layke’s touches were seductive or teasing, all soft and apologetic. But it did nothing to ease her hurt or help her relax. How could she relax under the touch of the guy she… cared for when he was nothing t