Chapter 215
Chapter 215:
Brinley stirred from sleep, unsure how long she had been resting, and found herself cradled in Austin’s arms. Her face flushed scarlet at the realization.
Memories of her sleep-talking and bold behavior flooded back, making her want to vanish on the spot.
“You’re awake.” Austin’s voice carried a teasing lilt as he gently pinched her cheek. “Who was the one raving about how nice my muscles feel p>
Her blush deepened as she lunged to silence him, but he caught her wrist and pressed her hand against his chest. “Do you still want to touch them now p>
“Austin!” Shy and flustered, Brinley squirmed to escape his hold, but he tugged her closer with a playful grin.
His nose brushed against hers as he spoke, his voice rich with mischief. “You didn’t just praise my muscles. You said you wanted to steal a kiss p>
“I did not!” Mortified, Brinley buried her face against his chest, unable to meet his gaze.
His low chuckle vibrated beneath her ear, quickening her pulse. Stroking her hair tenderly, he murmured, “Brinley, you have full permission to kiss or touch me anytime p>
Her heart skipped at his words. She peeked up, caught in his warm, adoring eyes.
Gathering her courage, she brushed a quick kiss against his lips, then ducked her head and mumbled, “Are you happy now p>
Noticing her flushed earlobes, Austin’s eyes sparkled with playful delight. He leaned down and captured her lips in a kiss that lingered, deep and warm, far different from her fleeting peck.
𝖲𝗁𝖺𝗋𝗲 уо𝘶r 𝗳𝗮𝗏о𝘳𝘪𝘁е𝘴 𝗳𝗿𝗈m
Soft sunlight filled the room, wrapping them in an intimate, dreamlike glow.
When the kiss finally ended, Brinley nestled into Austin’s embrace, soothed by the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. Her eyelids grew heavy again. Yawning, she pressed closer and murmured sleepily, “I want to sleep a little more p>
Austin’s gentle laugh warmed her as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and whispered, “Then sleep. I’m right here p>
Though thoughts of the Moore Group’s morning board meeting lingered in his mind, Brinley’s peaceful expression dissolved them all.
He shifted to cradle her more comfortably, his hand gliding gently along her back, like soothing a drowsy kitten. Brinley’s breathing slowed, steady and deep, as she instinctively cuddled closer into his arms.
Austin remained still, his gaze soft as it lingered on her sleeping face, his chest brimming with affection.
A slight frown crossed her features, as if troubled by a dream, and she burrowed into his neck. Chuckling quietly, Austin tightened his hold, resting his chin atop her head. The faint, familiar scent of her hair coaxed a hint of drowsiness from him as well.
Brinley stirred again at noon, awakened by the protest of her growling stomach. Still draped across Austin’s chest, she met his amused gaze.
“You’re awake.” His voice, rough from sleep, was warm and inviting. “Starving p>
She nodded and tried to sit up, but he kept her close.
In one smooth motion, Austin rolled over, trapping her beneath him, and pressed his lips to hers with fervor. Unlike the tentative kiss they had shared at dawn, this one burned with intense, commanding passion.
As their lips met in a heated rhythm, it felt as though they were trying to melt into one another.
Gasping for air, Brinley gently nudged him back. He relented, resting his forehead against hers, his breath warm and uneven. “Have you slept enough?” he murmured.
“Yeah,” she replied, her cheeks flushed. “I’m starving p>
Austin let out a soft laugh and gave her cheek a gentle pinch. “Let’s grab some food,” he said as he stood up.
Just then, the phone on the nightstand lit up, a new message notification catching the light. Brinley’s eyes flicked toward it absentmindedly, but the missed call alert at the top of the screen made her freeze.
She bolted upright and grabbed Austin’s phone. “Sixty-two missed calls?! You ignored all of them p>
Only then did Austin remember muting his phone earlier so she could sleep undisturbed. He smiled casually and shrugged. “It’s no big deal p>
“No big deal?” Brinley scrolled through the call log, her eyes widening at the barrage of missed calls. Her hands shook as she gripped the phone. “Would Miguel blow up your phone like this over nothing? Would the directors all be hunting you down if it wasn’t important p>
She locked eyes with Austin, her brows knitted in concern. “Do you realize that silencing your phone could make the entire company think something’s wrong with you? They might have already headed to Hillcrest Villa, the Moore Estate, or even the Shaw Mansion to look for you p>
Austin found her anxious expression both endearing and amusing.
He reached for the phone, but Brinley pulled it away.
“You’re still laughing?” she snapped, throwing off the blankets and leaping out of bed. “Hurry up! Get back to the company now p>