CHAPTER 89: CHAPTER 88: FIRST KISS (DOUBLE-LENGTH CHAPTER)

[Volume Two: Morning Thoughts, Evening Sugar]

Simon Forrester was the first to gather his thoughts, instinctively separating his lips from Sienna Thornton’s.

In the darkness, no one spoke; only the uneven breathing and heartbeats of each other could be heard.

After a few seconds, Simon Forrester moved closer, his hand slowly covering Sienna’s back, moving his chin, and kissed her again.

She was stunned, not daring to move.

His breath was soft and fragrant.

The scent on his body was also pleasant, fresh and clean, like the smell of the sun, wrapping into a soft ball that rushed straight to her brain through her sensitive nose.

She felt as if her heart was going to leap out of her chest, her limbs trembling uncontrollably.

Time seemed to freeze at this moment, with the distant sound of waves still constant, she could hear both her and his heartbeat.

Thump, thump, thump...

It seemed as if, at this moment, he was her entire world...

He raised his right hand, gently stroking her other delicate, smooth cheek, the warmth of his fingertips rubbing against her skin.

His left hand, however, was lightly holding her waist, just resting there without any inappropriate intentions.

Yet even so, an unusual sensation climbed from Sienna’s feet straight to her heart and brain, prompting her to forcefully push Simon Forrester’s body away.

Simon Forrester was stunned, steadied himself for a few seconds, and reached up to turn on the light.

"Don’t turn on the light! I’m going to sleep!" Sienna cried softly, clutching the duvet as she lay down.

Her heart was still pounding fiercely.

In that moment, it felt as if even the air was still.

Simon Forrester licked his lips.

He retreated to his position, placing his arms behind his head, frowning as he pondered something.

After a long while, he asked, "Still watching?" His voice deep and heavy.

Sienna lay still, pretending to sleep.

Seeing her slightly trembling shoulders, Simon Forrester smiled silently and also lay down.

Each clinging to one side of the duvet, a gap between them, Simon Forrester turned over, accidentally brushing his toes against Sienna’s calf.

Smooth, soft, and cool.

His mind in turmoil, he moved a little closer to her, stretching out an arm to pull her into his embrace, whispering softly, "Did you really gain four or five pounds? Why are you still so slim? It hurts just to hold you."

She kept her eyes tightly shut, her eyelashes fluttering, trembling with tension, yet she didn’t dare make a sound, pretending to sleep the whole time, but the little fists placed on her chest were clenched tight, ready to punch his nose if he dared take advantage, knock him out, and then teach him a lesson.

In her mind, she danced a hundred and eighty moves against Simon Forrester. Until she wore herself out, Simon Forrester hadn’t moved an inch, only embracing her, and shortly after, she heard the sound of his steady breathing.

He had fallen asleep.

But Sienna couldn’t sleep anymore.

He had just kissed her, he, who was so unreachable and proud, had kissed her so cautiously.

It was like a dream, she couldn’t believe it was real, but the warm and powerful embrace behind her reminded her that what had just happened was indeed real.

But, what should she do when she faces him tomorrow morning?

What will he say?

Like those previous days when they accidentally slept together, would he wake up and immediately turn a cold shoulder, even disappearing for an entire day?

Or would he treat tonight’s kiss as just an act of comfort between two lonely people in a foreign land? Would the memory be manually erased once the sun rose?

Sienna didn’t know.

Her heart was full of annoyance.

Not because she regretted kissing Simon Forrester, but because that kiss was so beautiful that in the countless midnights of the future, she would remember that strawberry-flavored kiss he gave her...

Sienna’s mind was a chaotic mess, unable to fall asleep.

She didn’t dare move, her whole body on alert, but Simon Forrester slept soundly, perhaps because he hadn’t rested much in recent days, he slept very deeply.

Listening to his low and even breathing beside her, Sienna slowly fell asleep too.

When she awoke again, the room was pitch black.

Sienna moved her body, feeling incredibly relaxed.

The man who had held her as he slept was gone.

She reached out for her phone, squinting at the time, 11:30 in the morning.

"It’s so late..." she sat up, turned on the bedside lamp, and only then noticed that the room’s heavy blackout curtains had been drawn tightly, blocking all the outside light.

The bed beside her was cold, the pillow neatly placed back in its original position, as if no one had ever been there.

Sienna sat in a daze for a while, remembering that kiss from last night, her whole body shivered, uncertain if it was real or just a dream.

How could Simon Forrester have possibly kissed her and held her all night long?

No matter how she thought, it seemed impossible!

Almost instinctively, she lowered her head to sniff the other pillow. The moment she did, she nearly fell off the bed in embarrassment.

The pillow carried Simon Forrester’s scent!

Sienna felt her face burning, her heart beating wildly, her limbs inexplicably tingling and weightless.

She sat in confusion on the bed for a while until her stomach growled with hunger, at which point she reluctantly rolled out of bed, washed up hastily, didn’t bother with makeup, slipped into a white strappy tropical dress, tied her long hair into a loose bun, and headed downstairs.

As she descended, not a soul was in sight, except for the house’s butler on the first floor, who heated up breakfast for her.

Sienna sat at a corner of the long dining table that could accommodate over ten people, enjoying a healthy and refreshing island-style breakfast while scrolling through news on her phone.

Halfway through her meal, the sound of men and women laughing and joking suddenly drifted from the living room outside. Sienna turned her head to see Harrison Rowe leading a group of formally dressed men and women inside.

Sienna suddenly tensed, not knowing where to place her free hand.

Harrison Rowe instructed the butler to prepare the guests’ lunch, and the group moved towards the dining room.

Seeing her there, Harrison approached, glanced at her plate of food, and politely said, "Good afternoon, Lawyer Thornton. It’s time for lunch, shall I have the butler clear your breakfast?"

Sienna also stood up, awkwardly smiling, "No need, I just woke up, not very hungry."

The group of men and women trailing behind Harrison started entering, and Sienna knew they were designers from SY. As she contemplated leaving to avoid the crowd, she was suddenly stopped in her tracks by the tall figure entering last.

Simon Forrester, wearing a white shirt and a tungsten-gray tie, walked straight towards her.

His expression was cold and stern, indifferent, just as he was when she had seen him at SY in the past.

But today, there was something different about him.

His eyes.

Yes, his gaze was deep, even somewhat intense, as if wanting to devour her.

His entire appearance was as cold as ever, but his gaze was fiery.

This feeling was unfamiliar to Sienna.

She instinctively took a step back.

Her heart pounded wildly, her face burning hot. She felt like an embarrassed monkey at this moment.