Chapter 37

"Um..." Brinley gave Austin's sleeve a timid tug, her words soft as a breath. "I'll sleep in the guest room instead."

There were more than enough empty rooms on the floor-no reason for them to share.

Austin's gaze shifted toward her, a faint crease forming between his brows. "Why would you do that?"

Her lashes fluttered as she glanced away, heat creeping into her cheeks. "It just feels...inappropriate. With so many other rooms, it makes sense."

A quiet weight settled into his voice, calm but unyielding. "What's so inappropriate about it? You're my wife."

Brinley faltered, her lips parting with hesitation. "But..."

Austin leaned closer, his tone dropping low, leaving no room for retreat. "No buts. My family wants us to stay because they're curious," he said evenly, his gaze steady on her. "If we end up in separate rooms,they'll whisper that our marriage is falling apart.Once that rumor takes root, they'll only use it against you."

Brinley sighed, the realization hitting her like a splash of cold water.

The Moores had eyes everywhere, and the smallest crack would be pried wide open.

"But..." she murmured, biting her lip, the thought of sharing a room with him still making her chest tighten.

"Relax." Austin lowered his voice, his expression softening. "I'm not going to cross any lines with you."His gaze drifted to her flushed earlobes, his voice laced with quiet amusement. "Or are you worried I might be harboring improper thoughts about you?"

"L..."Brinley faltered, words catching in her throat.

The truth was, she had entertained the idea.

A man like him-handsome, powerful, and never lacking admirers-somehow treatedI her differently.Who would believe he wanted nothing from her?

The thought unsettled Brinley, making her avert her gaze.

"Fine then, we won't split rooms," she murmured at last, mindful of the tangled undercurrents within the Moore family.

Austin studied her, the curve of his smile deepening,warmth flickering in his eyes.

The door clicked shut, and an uneasy stillness settled over the room.

Brinley drifted toward the window, feigning interest in the nightscape beyond, though her chest thudded with frantic rhythm.

From the corner of her eye, she caught Austin at the desk, casually thumbing through papers. His side profile-clean lines, refined features-was almost sculptural, radiating a quiet dominance that made it hard to breathe,much less look away.

"I... I think I'll take a shower," she declared, her voice breaking the silence as she snatched up the neatly folded pajamas Caiden had set out. With hurried steps, she all but escaped into the bathroom.

The space inside was lavish, a blend of polished stone and gleaming fixtures, with a glass-walled shower beside a vast soaking bathtub.

She twisted the handle, and warm water streamed over her skin, but the comfort did nothing to still the restless pounding in her chest.

The thought nagged at her, insistent and unnerving-tonight, she was truly sharing a room with Austin.

Though she grasped his reasoning-separate rooms would only stoke gossip-an unsettled feeling still lingered in her chest. Her earlier suspicions replayed in her mind, sending an embarrassed heat crawling up her cheeks.

Fresh from her shower, Brinley stepped out dressed in modest cotton pajamas, damp strands of hair spilling over her shoulders.

Austin had already changed into a dark gray set of loungewear. He sat comfortably on the sofa, a stack of documents in hand. His eyes lifted the moment he heard her footsteps.

"Make sure you dry your hair before bed, or you'll end up with a headache," he remarked, nodding toward the hairdryer resting on the nightstand.

"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 sensation of his gaze lingering behind her-light as a brush of feathers,oddly soothing, yet stirring something restless within her. Her hair finally dry, she lingered by the bed,torn between standing and sitting, before lowering herself gingerly onto the edge of the bed.

Austin set aside the stack of documents on his desk and strolled into the bathroom, the sound of running water soon filling the quiet room.

Brinley's pulse quickened all over again as she sat stiffly, her ears tuned to every splash behind the door.

Her gaze drifted to the enormous bed, and she toyed with the idea of markinga line straight down the middle.

When Austin returned, steam still clung to him,beads of water trickling through his dark hair and sliding along the sharp angle of his jaw before vanishing into the collar of his soft loungewear. The sight carried 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 slid under the quilt and stretched out on the far edge, making a point to leave her plenty of space.The boundary was unmistakable.

Brinley exhaled a shaky breath of relief and lowered herself onto the bed, careful to turn away from him.Her posture remained taut, her shoulders locked as if she were lying on a bed of thorns rather than linen.

Austin reached over and switched off the lamp,plunging the room into a hush 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 seemed almost deafening.

Brinley's pulse drummed wildly, refusing to settle no matter how tightly she willed it.

She could sense the steady heat radiating from Austin's body, the kind of warmth that seemed to slip through the cool night air and brush against her skin.

"Still awake?" His low, husky voice cut through the darkness.

"Yes," she whispered, barely above a breath.

"Having trouble getting used to this?" he inquired softly.

"Yeah."

After a beat of quiet, Austin tilted his head and asked, his tone casual but probing, "Did you enjoy your little nap in the garden today?"

Brinley groaned under her breath, her cheeks warming. "Don't bring that up."

"I wasn't teasing," he replied with a soft chuckle."It just looked like you were fond of that swing."

Brinley ducked her gaze, muttering, "Honestly, it felt a lot cozier than sitting stiffly in the living room."

"Think of this as your home too, and drop in whenever you want."

Brinley froze at his words.

Home? She had never once imagined the grand Moore Estate could ever become her home.

Yet the tension that had been coiled tight inside her eased, her chest loosening as if a weight had lifted.

She shifted toward him, his silhouette softened by the silver wash of moonlight.