I Fell for the Man Who Ruined Me, Then He Forgot He Ever Loved Me Back novel Chapter 296

"Are you trying to seduce me?"

Seduction was a delicate art, built on unspoken tension and reading between the lines. Dragging it into the harsh light of day ruined the mood, stripping away the mystery and replacing it with a sharp, undeniable hostility.

They were still standing intimately close.

Jorrod didn't respond immediately, nor did he look away. He just held her gaze with unwavering intensity.

After a long moment, the corner of his mouth twitched in a faint admission.

"I am."

Sienna looked at him. "I thought I made myself perfectly clear on the day of my blind date. Are you still confused about something?"

She continued, "My father was the one who recklessly caused your injuries to begin with. I'm also grateful that you ignored your own severe wounds to jump into the water when you thought I was drowning..."

"Because of that, I've tried my best to accommodate whatever you asked of me that day, including letting you crash at my place for the night."

"But if any of that gave you the wrong idea, then that's my mistake." Sienna's voice was firm. "Let me be completely transparent: what I feel for you is gratitude and guilt. Nothing else."

"Gratitude and guilt, nothing else," Jorrod chuckled softly, rolling the words over his tongue.

"I told you before, I don't get back together with exes. I never have, and I never will," Sienna reiterated to make sure he understood.

"Is it true that you never have?" Jorrod lowered his eyelashes, his gaze so magnetic it felt predatory. "Why don't you think about that a little harder."

The man's voice was low and commanding. His loaded tone made it impossible not to follow the breadcrumbs he was leaving.

Sienna had only been in two real relationships in her life, and the first had been incredibly innocent. When had she ever gotten back together with an ex?

But Jorrod's gaze didn't waver. The veins on the back of his hand bulged slightly as he gripped her shoulder. He used just enough force to keep her from pulling away without causing her any pain. He clearly wasn't going to let her go until she figured it out. Caught in his trap, Sienna's memory finally clicked.

Sienna didn't want to hear his apologies. Seizing the moment while he was intensely focused, she shoved him hard and turned to leave.

A muffled groan of pain sounded behind her.

The sudden movement must have aggravated the severe burn on his back.

Sienna knew Jorrod wasn't someone who shied away from physical pain. He was the type to get injured and comfort her, telling her not to worry. For him to break into a cold sweat and let out a sound, the agony must have been excruciating.

Sienna froze for a fraction of a second.

In that barely perceptible pause, he surged forward, snatching her wrist and pinning her back against the seat.

His long legs, clad in tailored trousers, pressed in close, his knee crowding her space to lock her firmly in place. It was an even more intimate position than before. From a distance, they looked like two passionate lovers who couldn't keep their hands off each other, sneaking a kiss in a secluded corner.

"Jorrod, I hate you," Sienna enunciated every single word clearly.