Brinley let out a soft, helpless sigh, though there was no real anger behind it.

She knew Austin well enough—idleness was his enemy. If he wasn’t stirring up mischief in small ways, he would feel caged. And beneath it all, he only wanted to keep her from working herself into exhaustion.

What she didn’t realize was that this was only the beginning.

That afternoon, she sat straight-backed in front of her laptop, locked in a video conference with the Westgate Project lead. The discussion was all numbers, deadlines, and collaboration details.

The man spoke with deliberate weight, his tone bordering on solemn.

Abruptly, the lounge door swung open without warning. Austin strolled in, carrying a glass of water.

Brinley’s heart gave a startled leap. She almost blurted for him to leave, but it was too late—he was already beside her, moving with quiet certainty.

He leaned down, set the glass neatly on the table, and without the faintest hesitation, slipped his arms around her waist. His chin found her shoulder, resting there as if it belonged. His voice was low, but it carried perfectly through the microphone.

“Drink some water. Don’t push yourself too hard.”

On the other end, the project lead froze.

The brisk, professional atmosphere from moments ago warped into something thick with awkwardness.

The man stared wide-eyed at the screen, his gaze flicking from Brinley to the figure draped over her, clearly unsure whether he had stepped into a work meeting or someone’s private moment.

Heat flared across Brinley’s cheeks. She wanted to melt into the floor.

Austin’s warm breath brushed her ear—deliberately teasing, as if he enjoyed her struggle.

Was he really going to keep this up?

“Austin!” she hissed in a warning undertone. “I’m in a meeting. Leave!”

“I won’t…” His reply was playful, maddening. His arms tightened, and before she could swat him away, his teeth grazed the curve of her ear. His next words came in a wicked whisper. “I’ll stay right here. Quiet as a mouse. Won’t bother you at all.”

He wouldn’t bother her? Brinley rolled her eyes.

At that point, she wasn’t sure whether Austin was truly nursing a stomach issue—or simply insane.

A polite cough crackled through the speakers. “Well… Mrs. Moore,” the project lead ventured, “would you like to take a short break?”

“No need!” Brinley shot upright, waving a hand in frantic denial. “Let’s keep going. Where were we?”

She tried to push Austin off, but he might as well have been carved from stone.

He even picked the glass back up and pressed it into her hand, murmuring, “Honey, have a sip first.”

Backed into a corner, Brinley accepted the glass. She forced a smile at the screen, her feigned composure showing in every line she spoke.

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