As the dressmaker scuttled out of the room, clutching her notes like a lifeline, the silence left behind was thick. The air still felt charged from where their hands had been—Caelum's lingering heat on my back and Julian's shadow still looming over my front.
I pulled my robe back up, cinching the silk belt slowly, relishing the way their eyes followed the movement.
"Now," I said, spinning around to face them both. "Since you've been such... helpful assistants, I suppose I should reward you. But the Duke is expecting me for a walk in the gardens, and we wouldn't want to keep the Master of the House waiting, would we?"
Julian's jaw tightened. "A walk? Just the two of you?"
They both went still, their eyes searching mine as if they were searching for a lie. But eventually, they both let out a small, jagged breath—at least relieved that I craved fun in everything I did. As long as I was looking for entertainment, they both still had a chance to provide it.
