Chapter 69
Chapter 69:
“Alright.” She nodded, taking it up quickly before turning her back to him.
Warm air fluttered through her hair, but what unsettled her more was the feeling of his gaze lingering behind her—light as a brush of feathers, oddly soothing, yet stirring something restless within her.
When her hair was finally dry, she lingered by the bed, torn between standing and sitting, before lowering herself gingerly onto the edge of the mattress.
Austin set the stack of documents aside and strolled into the bathroom. Moments later, the sound of running water filled the quiet room.
Brinley’s pulse quickened again as she sat stiffly, her ears catching every splash behind the door.
Her gaze drifted to the enormous bed, and she briefly toyed with the idea of drawing an invisible line straight down the middle.
When Austin returned, steam still clung to him. Beads of water trickled through his dark hair and slid along the sharp angle of his jaw before disappearing into the collar of his soft loungewear. The sight held a subtle, dangerous charm.
Brinley’s eyes flicked over him before she could stop herself, her face heating instantly. She snapped her gaze upward, feigning fascination with the ceiling.
Austin caught the tension in her stiff shoulders and let out a low chuckle. “Time to turn in,” he said lightly.
He slipped under the quilt and stretched out on the far edge, deliberately leaving her plenty of space. The boundary was unmistakable.
Brinley let out a shaky breath of relief and eased onto the bed, careful to turn away from him. Her posture stayed taut, her shoulders locked as if she were lying on thorns instead of linen.
𝘛𝗵𝘰𝘶𝘀𝘢𝗇𝖽ѕ 𝘰𝘧 re𝖺𝖽𝘦𝘳𝗌 𝘰ո ѕ.𝘤𝗈𝗺
Austin reached over and switched off the lamp, plunging the room into darkness lit only by pale moonlight spilling across the floor.
The quiet magnified every sound—the rustle of fabric, the faint rhythm of their breathing—until it felt almost deafening.
Brinley’s pulse drummed wildly, refusing to settle no matter how hard she willed it.
She could feel the steady heat radiating from Austin’s body, warmth that seemed to slip through the cool night air and brush her skin.
“Still awake?” His low, husky voice cut through the darkness.
“Yes,” she whispered, barely louder than a breath.
“Having trouble getting used to this?” he asked softly.
“Yeah p>
After a brief pause, Austin tilted his head and asked, his tone casual but faintly probing, “Did you enjoy your little nap in the garden today p>
Brinley groaned under her breath, her cheeks warming. “Don’t bring that up p>
“I wasn’t teasing,” he replied, a soft chuckle in his voice. “It just looked like you were fond of that swing p>
Brinley lowered her gaze and muttered, “Honestly, it felt a lot cozier than sitting stiffly in the living room p>
“Think of this as your home too, and come here whenever you want p>
Brinley froze at his words.
Home?
She had never once imagined the grand Moore Estate could ever become her home.
Yet the tension coiled tight inside her eased, her chest loosening as if a weight had been lifted.
She shifted slightly toward him, his silhouette softened by the moonlight’s silver wash.