Chapter 153
Chapter 153:
As Austin spoke, he edged closer to Brinley until their shoulders brushed lightly.
Brinley was momentarily speechless, caught off guard by his shameless logic. She scooted farther away, putting distance between them.
With a huff, she demanded, “This bed is huge. Why do you have to squeeze in next to me p>
“I’m not squeezing you,” Austin replied with mock innocence. “The bed’s just too small p>
Brinley almost choked. Too small? This bed was far wider than a standard hospital bed. He had to be joking—claiming it was too small. In that moment, she finally realized he was doing it on purpose.
She drew a slow breath, deciding the best response was to ignore him. Closing her eyes, she pretended to be asleep, convinced that if she didn’t engage, he would eventually give up.
But Austin clearly wasn’t going to let her off that easily.
A moment later, she felt the faint brush of fingers grazing her hair.
“Quit it,” Brinley muttered without opening her eyes.
𝖡e 𝗽𝖺rt 𝘰𝗳 𝗈u𝘳 𝘤𝗈mm𝗎ո𝘪𝘁𝘆 o𝗻 ѕ.𝖼𝘰𝗺
“It’s not my fault,” Austin replied with a quiet laugh. “It was your hair that brushed against me p>
Brinley’s patience snapped.
Her eyes flew open, and she turned to glare at him. “Austin! What exactly are you trying to do p>
In the dim light, his eyes shone like stars against the night—bright, unwavering.
He met her glare and, to her frustration, chuckled softly. “I just want to be closer to you p>
His voice was gentle, tinged with something honest and tender. The sound slipped into her heart like a feather touching still water, stirring ripples she couldn’t suppress.
Brinley’s heart skidded, and warmth rushed to her cheeks.
His bluntness left her flustered, and she instinctively turned her head away.
“You’re unbelievable p>
She sounded irritated, but inside she felt giddy and undone.
Austin didn’t press further. He simply watched her in silence.
The room settled into quiet again, broken only by the wind whistling outside.
Yet Brinley could still feel his deep, intense gaze fixed on her.
Her chest thudded, her cheeks warmed, and her breaths turned shallow.
She didn’t understand what was wrong with her. She should have been angry at him, but she couldn’t bring herself to be. Instead, an undercurrent of nervous excitement stirred beneath her unease—something she couldn’t deny.
As her mind wrestled with the tangle of emotions, Austin reached out and gently clasped her uninjured hand.
His palm was warm, his grip steady, carrying a quiet strength that felt protective.
Brinley reacted on instinct, trying to pull away as if burned, but Austin only held on tighter.