Page 42 of Secret Baby for my Off-Limits Fiancé
Her fingers curl around my forearm, a soft, instinctive touch. Not calculated. Not forced. Just… natural.
And it does something to me.
I go still, my entire body hyper-aware of that small connection. The warmth of her hand, the way her fingers tighten slightly as if she’s anchoring herself to me.
She doesn’t realize it, but I do.
She’s feeling this.
The movie. The moment. Me.
I turn my head slightly, looking down at her, but she’s still caught in the scene, her eyes locked on the screen, her expression unguarded. Vulnerable.
I don’t move.
I don’t pull away.
And neither does she.
After a few beats, I clear my throat, my voice lower than intended.
"Enjoying yourself?"
She blinks, like she’s just now realizing what she did. But instead of letting go, her fingers flex slightly against my arm.
"I mean… it's alright," She tries, and fails, to sound indifferent.
I smirk. "Just alright?"
She finally looks up at me, her eyes flickering with something undecipherable.
"Fine." She exhales. "It’s better than I expected."
I chuckle. "Told you."
She doesn’t roll her eyes this time. Doesn’t pull away either.
And for the first time since this whole arrangement started, I let myself wonder, what if this wasn’t fake?
What if this was real?
The thought lingers, dangerous and unshakable, as the credits roll and Layla finally, reluctantly, lets go.
“Well, that was... sweet."
I turn to her. “Glad I passed the Layla Gallo approval test.”
She rolls her eyes, but there’s a softness to her expression. A quiet kind of warmth that I rarely see from her. It’s unguarded, real, like for the first time, she’s letting herself be here with me, not just fulfilling an obligation.
I don’t want to break the moment.
But I do.
Instinctively, I reach for my phone, lifting it between us.
Her expression shifts instantly, like a wall slamming back into place.
The warmth? Gone.
