Page 121 of Wisteria and Cloves

The mention of my parents sent a chill through the warm atmosphere, but Julian's touch kept me grounded. "What kind of interference?"

"Nothing that can't be handled," he assured me, though I caught the look he exchanged with Nicolaus. "We'll discuss it when Mara arrives."

Christopher cleared his throat pointedly. "Well, this is all very sweet and domestic, but some of us are trying to eat breakfast without drowning in sexual tension."

"Speak for yourself," Miles said quietly,"I'm quite enjoying the show," Miles continued, his green eyes dancing with amusement as he took another sip of coffee.

Julian raised an eyebrow but didn't move his hand from my shoulder. Instead, his thumb traced small, deliberate circles against my skin through the thin fabric of my sweater. Each touch sent ripples of awareness through me.

"When is Mara arriving?" I asked, trying to steer the conversation back to safer ground despite the pleasant warmth spreading from Julian's touch.

"One-thirty," Nicolaus answered, glancing at his watch. "Which gives you approximately an hour and forty-five minutes to finish breakfast and prepare."

I nodded, grateful for his practicality. "I should probably change into something more... professional."

"You look perfect," Julian said, his voice carrying that quiet authority that left no room for argument. "Comfortable, but put-together.”

There was something protective in his tone, as if he knew I was about to retreat into formality—the way I'd been trained to do when facing conflict. His hand squeezed my shoulder gently. "This is your home, Lilianna. You don't need to perform here."

The words settled into me, filling spaces I hadn't realized were empty. Your home. Not a temporary arrangement or a conditional stay, but home.

"Thank you," I murmured, covering his hand with mine. The simple gesture felt intimate despite being witnessed by the others.

Christopher pushed away from the counter with a dramatic sigh. "If you two are going to keep looking at each other like that, I'm going to need another cup of coffee. Strong enough to counteract all this sweetness."

Miles chuckled, the sound low and warm. "You're just jealous."

"Absolutely," Christopher agreed without hesitation, “And after the meeting with Mara I would like to steal her away for my date.” His attention went to me now, “if you are up for it?”

"I'd love that," I replied, suddenly excited at the prospect. "What are we doing?"

Christopher's eyes gleamed with mischief. "Remember, I promised you cooking lessons? Today seems perfect—we could do something fun after all this serious business."

Julian's hand tightened briefly on my shoulder before relaxing. "Just try not to make too much of a mess….and if you do, you are cleaning it up…alone.”

Christopher gasped in mock offense, pressing a hand to his chest. "Julian Ashworth, are you implying that I'm messy in the kitchen?"

"I'm stating it as fact," Julian replied dryly, though his lips twitched with amusement. "Need I remind you of the great flour explosion of last month?"

"That was an isolated incident," Christopher protested, though his grin suggested he wasn't particularly sorry about it. "Besides, Lilianna will keep me in line. Won't you, sweetheart?"

I laughed, feeling lighter than I had in days despite the looming conversation with Mara. "I make no such promises. For all you know, I might be just as messy."

"Impossible," Miles said, his voice warm. "You're far too careful for chaos."

I glanced at Miles, wondering if his words were meant as a compliment or observation. His eyes held mine for a moment too long, something unspoken passing between us.

"You'd be surprised," I said softly. "I think I might have a bit of chaos in me after all."

Something flickered in Miles's expression—interest, perhaps, or challenge. "Is that so?"

"Everyone does," Nicolaus interjected, his analytical gaze moving between us. "It's just a matter of what unlocks it."

Julian's thumb continued its gentle circles on my shoulder, the touch both comforting and distracting. "Speaking of unlocking things," he said, "I should review the documents for our meeting with Mara. Once you are done eating we can go over things.”

I nodded, I felt like today was going to be eye opening.

Chapter Forty-Four

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