I Stopped Loving Him When He Let Me Bleed Out novel Chapter 49

Since breaking up with Finn four years ago, she hadn't dated anyone.

More accurately, she hadn't so much as held another man's hand since Finn.

Landon's hand was incredibly warm, his fingers long, gripping hers with just the right amount of pressure.

The exact second Landon interlaced their fingers, the studio lights flared to life.

Two massive spotlights tracked directly onto them.

The romantic atmosphere skyrocketed.

The entire production crew held their breath...

Sienna looked down at their joined hands.

Suddenly, her brow furrowed.

"Why is your hand running so hot? What's your core temperature?"

Landon blinked, completely derailed.

"...Normal, I think?"

"Your palms are actively sweating," she said, dropping his hand to flip his palm over and inspecting his fingers. "You're profusely diaphoretic. Are you drinking enough fluids? Heat exhaustion causes severe electrolyte imbalance."

She reached into her deep pocket, pulled out an unopened bottle of water, and handed it to him.

"Hydrate immediately."

Landon took the water, staring at her with total exasperation.

"Sienna, how do you have an entire pharmacy in your pockets?"

"Occupational habit," she replied in a deadpan voice. "Are you experiencing any other symptoms?"

"No... I'm totally fine."

Landon stared at the plastic bottle, twisting the cap off and taking a depressing sip.

It was just plain water, but it tasted incredibly bitter.

The cameraman standing nearby was biting his lip so hard his shoulders were violently shaking.

Landon took a deep breath.

He mentally coached himself: It's fine. She didn't mean to friend-zone me. It's just her doctor instincts.

Julian ordered Sienna and Landon to stand by the wooden railing.

He told her to hug Landon from behind and rest her cheek against his back.

"More intimacy! Act like you're completely in love!"

Sienna stepped up right behind Landon.

She reached her arms around his waist.

"Stop laughing." Sienna finished sanitizing, pulled a blue medical mask from her pocket, and snapped it over her ears.

"Sienna, what are you doing...?"

"Isolating the allergen," she declared. "Pull your collar up to minimize the volatile diffusion of the lavender particles."

Julian stared at the monitor, utterly speechless.

"Sienna," his voice echoed through the megaphone. "You are shooting a romantic editorial, not an infectious disease prevention PSA. Take the mask off."

"You're way too tense. You need to let go. You need to trust him. He's not your little brother, he's your romantic lead. You guys are supposed to be a couple. Do you know what that means? It means you're passionately in love."

Sienna bit her lower lip.

"Come here, let me show you." Julian marched over, physically adjusting her posture piece by piece. "Drop the shoulders, tilt the chin up—perfect, just like that. Look at him. Don't glare at him, look at him. I need longing in your eyes. Make him believe you are obsessed with him."

Sienna stared directly at Landon.

She tried her absolute hardest to look obsessed.

"Too fake," Julian groaned, entirely unsatisfied.

"You need to pull it from the depths of your soul. Genuinely, madly, deeply in love."

Sienna felt a crushing wave of defeat.

"It's okay, Sienna. Don't stress, we'll find the rhythm," Landon reassured her.