In the soft light filtering through the heavy drapes, I felt Ciara stir beside me. I blinked, barely awake, stretching my arms out, but before I could sit up, she wrapped her arms around me and pulled me back down, pressing her face into my neck with a low, sleepy grumble.
"Where do you think you're going?" she muttered, her voice still thick with sleep.
I laughed, trying to wriggle free, but her grip tightened. "I have to go to work, Ciara," I replied, trying to sound firm, though I could feel a smile tugging at my lips. "Leora is probably expecting me any minute."
"Leora can wait," she whispered, her breath warm against my ear. "You've got way more important things to do right here."
"Oh, really?" I said, trying not to laugh as she nuzzled into my neck. "What could possibly be more important than my job?"
"Letting me keep you right here, where I know you'll be safe." She looked up, her red eyes gleaming mischievously as she pressed a kiss to my forehead. "You wouldn't want to break your poor fiancée's heart, would you?"
I rolled my eyes, though I couldn't keep the grin from spreading across my face. "So dramatic, Ciara. I'm literally just going to work. For a few hours."
"That's a few hours too many," she insisted, her hands running up my arms, pulling me close.
"Come on, just call in sick. We'll have breakfast in bed, maybe sneak off for a little walk in the gardens. Sounds better than paperwork and answering to my grandmother, doesn't it?"
"Maybe, but I can't just not show up." I nudged her lightly. "I've got responsibilities, you know. Like helping your grandmother with all the things you refuse to do."
Ciara huffed, her pouty expression making her look almost like a stubborn child. "How dare you accuse me of refusing to work. I do plenty."
"Oh, really?" I raised an eyebrow. "Name one thing you've done in the past week that could be classified as 'work'."
She thought for a moment, clearly struggling, and I couldn't help but laugh at her exaggerated expressions of concentration.
"Well, I've… sparred with some of the guards," she said finally, looking quite pleased with herself.
"Sparred? More like you used them as punching bags for stress relief," I teased.
Ciara groaned dramatically, flopping back on the bed. "Fine, fine, make fun of me. But it's not fair that my fiancée has to leave when I'm clearly in need of her presence."
"Flattery isn't going to work, Ciara," I said, though I couldn't keep the laughter out of my voice. "Besides, I've been trying to get you to start doing more official work for months. Maybe I should just let Leora know that I can't come in and leave it all to you."
Ciara's eyes widened with mock horror. "You wouldn't dare."
"Try me," I replied with a grin, moving to get out of bed. But before I could, Ciara reached out and wrapped her arms around my waist, pulling me back onto the mattress with a mischievous grin.
"Oh no, you're not going anywhere." She buried her face in my shoulder, her voice muffled. "The bed is so much warmer with you here. Besides, do you really want to leave me alone to fend for myself?"
"Fend for yourself?" I laughed, glancing down at her. "You're the last person in this entire castle who needs any help 'fending for herself.'"
"True, but I'm still not letting you go without a fight," she said, peppering my shoulder with playful kisses, each one a bit more desperate than the last, as if she were trying to convince me to stay with sheer persistence.
I laughed, trying to push her off, but she was surprisingly stubborn, refusing to let me go. "Ciara, if Leora catches me skipping work, we're both going to be in serious trouble."
She groaned, tightening her grip around me. "Fine, but if she wants you, she's going to have to come in here and get you herself. Until then, I declare that you're all mine."
I tried to suppress a laugh, imagining the look on Leora's face if she found us like this. "And what will you do if she actually shows up?"
"I'll tell her I needed my fiancée this morning," Ciara replied, her voice low and possessive as she kissed my shoulder again. "Simple as that."
The idea of telling her grandmother something so bold actually made me blush. "Oh, I'm sure that will go over so well with her," I said, voice dripping with sarcasm.
Ciara's grin grew wider. "Well, I'll just explain that since we're getting married, I deserve a little extra time with you."
"You're absolutely ridiculous," I said, though I was smiling despite myself.
Just as I managed to squirm my way out of her grip and sit up, a familiar voice rang out from somewhere nearby.
"Would you two kindly stop acting like teenagers and let my assistant get to work?" Leora's voice was thick with annoyance, yet I could hear the faintest hint of amusement hidden beneath.
We both froze, our eyes widening as Leora strode into the room, her hands on her hips and her red hair framing her face like an annoyed but amused specter.
"Honestly, Ciara," she sighed, casting her granddaughter a reproachful look, "are you really keeping my assistant from her duties?"
Ciara shot me a sheepish grin, though she clearly wasn't about to apologize. "Good morning, Grandma."
Leora sighed deeply, shaking her head. "For the love of all things holy, Ciara, let the girl work. Some of us actually have responsibilities to keep up with."
"Fine, fine," Ciara grumbled, finally loosening her hold on me. "But I just want it on record that I tried to keep her here."
"Oh, trust me, I'll make a note of it," Leora said dryly, rolling her eyes. Then she turned to me, her expression softening slightly. "I expect to see you downstairs in ten minutes, Aeliana. No more delays."
"Yes, ma'am," I replied, still fighting a smile as I threw Ciara a warning look.
As soon as Leora left the room, Ciara let out a long sigh, shaking her head. "I'll never understand how she has such perfect timing."
"That's just because you're usually the one causing trouble," I said, giving her a playful nudge.
She smirked, not looking even the slightest bit guilty. "Well, maybe if she'd let us sleep in once in a while, I wouldn't have to get so creative."
"Creative, huh?" I laughed, shaking my head. "You're incorrigible, you know that?"
She just shrugged, unrepentant. "It's part of my charm."
With a final smile, I leaned in and kissed her forehead before slipping out of bed. "Guess I'll have to leave you for now. But try not to get into any trouble while I'm gone, okay?"
"No promises," she replied, watching me with a mischievous glint in her eye.
As I gathered my things and headed toward the shower, Ciara sat back, her amused grin still firmly in place.
I tried to ignore the smirk she gave me as I stepped into the bathroom and turned on the water, feeling the warmth of the steam quickly fill the space.
The hot water was refreshing, soothing away the remnants of sleep and easing me into the day.
When I stepped out, wrapped in a towel, Ciara was lounging on the bed, arms folded behind her head. She caught my eye and then, without missing a beat, tossed me one of her shirts. "Here, wear this. It'll save you a trip back to your house."
I caught the shirt, eyeing it as I realized just how oversized it was going to be. "You just want to see me swimming in this, don't you?"
She chuckled, propping herself up on her elbows. "Maybe. But it does look better on you. Plus, it's a reminder of who you belong to." She flashed a possessive grin, her red eyes gleaming with mischief.
Rolling my eyes, I slipped the shirt over my head, feeling the fabric cascade down almost to my knees.
It was so soft and warm, and despite the teasing look Ciara was giving me, I couldn't help but smile as the shirt settled around me. Wearing something of hers felt… cozy, like carrying a piece of her with me.
Ciara sat up, clearly satisfied. "Perfect," she murmured, looking at me as if I were the best part of her morning. "You look adorable."
I gave a playful huff. "Glad to amuse you. Now if you don't mind, I need to finish getting ready."
"Take your time," she said, lounging back as though she had nowhere else to be. "I'm perfectly content to just enjoy the view."
Smiling despite myself, I brushed through my damp hair, feeling the comfort of her gaze lingering on me. Even the simplest moments felt special with her, and though I'd never admit it aloud, I liked the oversized shirt more than I expected.