Read Let's Pretend (Romantic Comedy, Contemporary, Second Chance, Sensual) for Free Online Page B

he was fully aware she was avoiding his question.  
    ~*~
    DINNER TURNED out to be a noisy affair.
    Belle glanced down the wide table at her mum, Vicki, who had turned up an hour before they were due to sit down to eat. She and Gran had shut themselves in Gran’s room for the better part of that hour, only venturing out when everyone was seated and waiting.
    Belle hadn’t been surprised to find herself seated next to Luc. What had amazed her, though, was how close he sat beside her. His chair was nearly touching hers, and she couldn’t seem to get away from the hard male thigh pressing against hers. The warm muscle teased her senses to an elevated height of responsiveness. Belle was aware of every breath he took. And when he laughed at something Alana said, it seemed to rumble right through her.
    Nerves stretched taut, she nearly yelped when Luc folded his arms across his chest as they waited for the main course of coq au vin and stroked his finger in a slow secret caress along her right triceps. She looked down and realised no one would notice him touching her. When she glanced at him, he produced one of his fake innocent smiles as he stroked her arm again, his eyes teasing.
    A charge of excitement zinged through Belle to settle as heat low in her belly.   She plastered on a phony smile of her own, leaned close to him in an effort to ensure they weren’t overheard.
    “I thought I told you not to overdo the touchy-feely stuff, darling ,” she whispered.
    Luc turned his head toward her, his lips suddenly very close to hers as he gave her a little smile that matched the teasing expression in his eyes.
    “Would you believe me if I said my finger slipped?” His breath carried a hint of wine as it tickled Belle’s lips, tempting her to lean in and close the hairbreadth separating them.
    “Hey you two, come on, not at the dinner table.” Julianne’s voice interrupted Belle’s mad impulse as she and Mia wheeled two silver serving trolleys up to the table.
    Grateful for her cousin’s intrusion, she pulled back, scooting her bottom along her chair until she sat perched on the edge farthest from Luc.  
    Mia lifted a serving spoon. “They’re married, Jules. They’re allowed to do stuff like kiss at the dinner table. I don’t know about you, but I envy them that great relationship.” Belle found her gaze held hostage by her little sister’s meaningful stare. Before she could protest her innocence, Mia continued. “If I ever snag a guy even halfway as decent as Luc, I swear, I’ll never let him go.”
      “Whoa, cuz , you sound a little loopy there.” Alana reached for her wine glass. “Let’s hope the poor guy doesn’t have a rabbit.”
    “ Alana . That’s gross.” Julianne served Gran while giving Alana the scolding glare she’d perfected over many years of dealing with her talk-first-think-later younger sibling.
    She then continued to serve one side of the table while Mia served the other.   
    Mia moved to their mother’s side, placing a serving of the chicken dish onto her plate while Gran and Vicki continued their hushed conversation, ignoring the banter between the girls.
    Pointing the serving spoon at Belle and Luc, Mia said, “All I’m saying is that my wonderful, talented sister and her gorgeous husband have got a beautiful marriage, and they should celebrate it.”
    Luc slid Belle a glance that told her he knew guilt gnawed at her insides. He unfolded his arms and caught one of her hands, keeping it from twisting the linen serviette on her lap. Soothing his thumb over her knuckles, he offered her a wink of solidarity to go with the quick lift to the corners of his mouth. Something in his expression struck her, made her feel as though nothing apart from the two of them existed in that moment.
    She didn’t want to feel things like that. Didn’t want to indulge in comradeship with him. Fresh nerves assailed her, and she began a rapid bobbing of her knee in a telltale sign of stress. Luc