Nicholas, on the other hand, had just emerged from the study, where he’d spent the last hour meticulously organizing the mess of papers you had left behind. He paused in the doorway, arms crossed, taking in the scene with a raised eyebrow. Here, they were just two people, unwinding after a long day, free to indulge in the kind of intimacy that was impossible elsewhere.

“Are you planning on doing anything other than lounging around tonight?”

Nicholas asked, his voice laced with playful sass as he leaned against the back of the sofa. The question hung in the air, not needing an answer, but more an invitation to their usual banter.