Chapter 84

While Austin spoke, he edged closer to Brinley, their shoulders brushing faintly together.

Brinley was speechless, caught off guard by his shameless reasoning, and scooted farther away to put some distance between them.

She asked with a huff, "This bed is huge. Why do you have to squeeze in next to me?"

"I'm not squeezing you," Austin replied with mock innocence."The bed's just too small."

Brinley nearly choked. Too small? This bed was much wider than a standard hospital bed. He had to be joking, claiming it was too small.

At that moment, she finally realized he was doing it deliberately.

She inhaled deeply, deciding the best response was to ignore him. Closing her eyes, she feigned sleep,convinced that if she didn't engage, he would eventually give up.

But Austin clearly wasn't going to let her off that easily

Moments later, she felt the faint tug of fingers brushing her hair.

"Quit it," Brinley muttered without opening her eyes.

"It's not my fault," Austin replied with a quiet laugh. "It was your hair that brushed against me."

Brinley lost her patience.

Her eyes flew open, and she turned to glare at him."Austin! What exactly are you trying to do?"

In the dim light, his eyes glowed like stars against the night,bright and persistent.

He stared at her and, to her frustration, chuckled softly. "Well, I just want to be closer to you."

His voice was gentle, tinged with something honest and tender. The sound slipped into her heart like a feather on still water, stirring ripples she couldn't suppress.

Brinley's heart skidded, her cheeks turning warm at once.

His bluntness left her flustered, and she instinctively turned her head away. "You're unbelievable." She acted irritated, but inside she felt giddy and flustered.

Austin didn't press further. He simply watched her in silence.

The room grew quiet again, broken only by the whistle of the wind outside.

Yet Brinley could still feel his deep, intense eyes drilling into her.

Her chest thudded, her cheeks flushed, and her breaths grew shallow.

She didn't understand what was wrong with her. She should have been mad at him, but she couldn't seem to bring herself to. Instead, there was an undercurrent of nervous excitement she couldn't deny.

Just as her mind wrestled with conflicting emotions,Austin reached out and gently clasped her uninjured hand.

His palm was warm, his grip steady, carrying a strength that felt protective.

Brinley reacted instinctively, trying to pull away as though burned, but Austin only held tighter

"Don't move," he said softly, his voice low but firm. "Just let me hold it a while."

His fingertips brushed lightly against the back of her hand, his touch careful, reverent, as though she were something sacred.

Brinley's heartbeat instantly stumbled out of sync,and for a moment, she completely forgot to breathe.

Their closeness magnified everything-the sound of their breathing, the thrum of their heartbeats.

Brinley opened her mouth, wanting to speak, but her throat tightened, and no words came out.

In the end, she let Austin hold her hand, letting the warmth of his palm seep into her skin.

Time blurred. Her eyelids grew heavy, her thoughts hazy, until at last sleep pulled her under.

Just as she drifted away, she thought she heard Austin whisper something in her ear.

His voice was faint and dreamlike, the words indistinguishable, but it wrapped her in a sense of safety.

That night, Brinley slept better than she had in a long time. No nightmares, no sudden awakenings-just the rhythm of Austin's breathing beside her, comforting as a lullaby. When she woke the following morning, the sunlight was already pouring in.

Golden beams slipped through the curtain gaps,scattering warm patterns across the floor.

As Brinley stirred, she realized she was nestled in Austin's arms.

Her head rested squarely against his chest, where his heartbeat thumped strong and steady.

One of his arms was wrapped securely around her waist,holding her close as though guarding something precious.

Brinley's face flamed crimson when she realized this.She had actually-unbelievably-slept in his embrace the entire night.

How had she ended up tangled with him like this?

She had been angry with him last night, so how had she surrendered to this closeness in her sleep?

Her thoughts spun in a chaotic blur, and she instinctively tried to shove him off before he woke up.

But her movement stirred him awake.

Austin's eyes opened slowly, an amused look on his still-drowsy face as he found her so close. He said in a voice still rough with sleep, "Good morning."

His breath fanned across her forehead, intimate and warm,and her cheeks flared hotter still.

"Austin! Let go of me!" Brinley squirmed, trying to wriggle free.

But Austin only tightened his hold, keeping her firmly against him.

"Stay still," he muttered, his eyes glinting with playful warmth. "Just let me hold you a little longer."

Brinley sputtered, equal parts shy and furious, "No way!Let go!"

Austin shot back without hesitation, "We're married.Sleeping in each other's arms is perfectly normal."

Brinley was once again struck silent, unable to counter his logic. She shoved at him with her uninjured hand, but he didn't budge. If anything, he pulled her tighter.

"Austin!" Brinley glared at him, her face burning with exasperation. "If you don't let go, I'll pinch you hard."

"You won't." Austin smirked, leaning in closer until their noses nearly brushed.