Chapter 267
Night had fully settled over the city by the time the nurse arrived with dinner. Austin’s earlier energy had dwindled, leaving him pale and heavy-eyed.
Brinley coaxed him through half a bowl of warm porridge before clearing the tray away. When she noticed his eyelids starting to sag, she tucked the blanket around him and eased him back against the pillows.
“Close your eyes if you’re tired,” she murmured, brushing his hair back from his forehead. “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be by your side.”
With a faint murmur of acknowledgment, Austin’s breathing slowed until sleep claimed him.
Brinley lingered by his bedside a moment longer, making sure he was deeply asleep, then rose quietly and carried her laptop into the small adjoining lounge.
A stack of urgent paperwork waited on the desk—documents that had piled up over the past two days.
Massaging the tension from her temples, Brinley powered up her laptop and dove into the work.
The glow of the screen lit her face, throwing her focused expression into sharp relief.
By the time she had worked through every file, the clock had slipped deep into the night.
Brinley shut the laptop with a weary click, rubbing the stiffness from her neck before returning quietly to the ward. Austin still slept, his breathing even, the soft moonlight outlining his profile and lending him a rare gentleness.Moving with care, she pulled a thin blanket from the cabinet and stretched out on the sofa.
Though not cramped, it was hardly the comfort of a bed. She shifted until she found a position that eased her back enough, then let her eyes drift shut.
The strain of wrangling with the Palmers earlier that day, combined with several sleepless nights, quickly dragged her under.
But her rest was shallow, and somewhere along that hazy edge of sleep, she felt as though unseen eyes were fixed on her.
Suddenly, her body felt weightless—as if someone had scooped her up.
On instinct, she curled into familiar warmth, catching the faint cedar scent that always clung to Austin. Murmuring his name, she surrendered completely and sank into deep, dreamless sleep.
Austin lowered his head, letting his gaze linger on Brinley, who slept soundly, completely unguarded in his arms. Quiet tenderness softened his expression.
He carefully laid her on the hospital bed, tucking the blanket around her shoulders until she looked completely at ease.
The bed was wide enough for both of them, but after a brief moment taking in her gentle, unguarded beauty, he pulled his gaze away and returned to the sofa.
Outside, the world sank deeper into night. Brinley seemed completely drained; she didn’t stir once, her breathing steady and even.
Her dreams, however, seemed long and vivid—filled with a banquet of mouthwatering food, Austin standing in sunlight in a sharp suit, and, much to her irritation, even Colin’s smirking face.
In the still hospital room, soft fragments of sleep talk drifted out, breaking the silence.
“Mmm… this tastes so good…” she mumbled with a smile, as if savoring a feast in her dreams.
From the sofa, Austin let out a soft, indulgent chuckle. In the pale glow of moonlight, he could just make out the faint curve of her lips, like a child savoring candy.
Moments later, another dreamy murmur slipped through the quiet, this one soaked in admiration. “Austin… in that suit, you looked so damn good… far better than any of those magazine models…”
He couldn’t help finding her sleep talk amusing, but the next line caught him off guard.
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