I Fell for the Man Who Ruined Me, Then He Forgot He Ever Loved Me Back novel Chapter 353

"My dad said you went to Apex Manufacturing and spent the whole day there. He also said you fired a bunch of nepotism hires."

Only after Sienna brought it up directly did Jorrod give a brief, "Yeah."

Sienna almost laughed out loud.

"Why didn't you say anything? You do a good deed and don't even make a peep about it. Just keeping it all to yourself like a saint?" she teased. "You always do this. If you never open your mouth, you're going to have a really hard time getting a girl."

Jorrod furrowed his brow, looking genuinely confused.

His version of 'not opening his mouth' used to mean staying completely silent during a misunderstanding, letting the other person feel hurt and confused.

He was used to handling everything behind the scenes, ensuring the problem was eradicated before she even had to face it.

If he brought it up after the fact, it would make his motives look impure. To him, fixing things was just what he was supposed to do.

"It's already been handled. If I brought it up now, it would just look like I was bragging to you."

That had never been his intention.

"It's just..." Jorrod added, "I honestly didn't expect George to tell you about it."

Sienna knew her father all too well. She chuckled. "He definitely figured that if he told me the whole story first, I wouldn't be as touched or starry-eyed when you brought it up later."

"If he knew you had absolutely no intention of telling me, he'd probably be beating his chest in regret right now."

Jorrod smiled.

His low, deep laughter was incredibly clear in the quiet car.

He turned his head to look at her, and a second later, he leaned over. Just like yesterday, he wrapped an arm around her waist, supported her knees, and pulled her smoothly onto his lap.

Sienna's back was pressed against his warm palm, and beneath her were his firm thighs.

The movement was so sudden that she instinctively braced her hands against his shoulders. She looked down at him. "What are you doing?"

Jorrod sank back into the seat, looking up at her slightly, a lingering smile still playing on his lips.

"Seeing if you really got starry-eyed," he said.

"Did I?"

"Your eyes are very dark," Jorrod murmured. "I only see myself."

Sienna froze for a moment before blurting out, "That's because you're the only one in front of me."

The man's lips curved into a chuckle. With their bodies pressed so closely together, she could clearly feel the faint tremors of his laughter rolling through her.

Jorrod was a man of his word.

He didn't kiss her on the lips.

It was pitch black inside the car. Since the dumpling shop was right across the street, neither of them had any intention of turning on the interior lights.

In the darkness, their silhouettes were blurred. Only the sensation of touch—from cool, to warm, to scalding hot—made the moment feel real.

The words faded from the air, replaced by thick, heavy breathing. As they shared the tiny pocket of oxygen, the temperature quietly began to rise.

Sienna had rushed downstairs in just a pale pink fleece pajama set. The top was long, the pants were loose, wrapping loosely around her and making her look soft and languid. The fabric was plush and cozy, brushing against her skin with fluffy warmth.

Jorrod lowered his eyes. His long fingers hooked the hem of the pajama top that was pooled in his lap.

The darkness amplified her senses. For the first time, she noticed just how silky the fabric felt as the rough pads of his fingers slid up along her waist.

He paused halfway, his raspy voice murmuring right next to her ear, "Are you cold?"

Sienna shook her head.

She wasn't cold. It was just a slight chill.

But in the stifling, heated air of the car, their pressed bodies burned so fiercely that the fleeting chill felt like rare water in a desert—something she desperately wanted to feel and hold onto.