(Protect me? Protect me from what?) Belle questioned internally, sparking an immediate response from Ceres, who was more than ready to tease her host.
[Protect you from the eyes of other men, perhaps.]
(Men won't like a woman looking like a total mess with swollen eyes.)
[Who knows? Eli is a man, and he probably knows that some men have a soft spot for a woman in tears.]
(That's absurd!)
Ceres laughed out loud inside her head, causing Belle to pout externally. Unfortunately, because she kept her head lowered, Eli missed the adorable expression entirely.
The moment they got inside the privacy of his car, Eli gently removed the baseball cap. Taken aback by the sudden action, Belle instantly shielded her face with her right hand.
"Don't look at me!"
Eli chuckled softly, gently prying her hand away from her face. "I've seen your messy face a lot of times. What's there to be ashamed of?"
"Still, I—"
