Ciara's attention fell to the ring Reagan twisted around her finger, curious more for the display of nerves than the oddly hushed tone that had been adopted. Making someone nervous was fun when it was the right kind of nervous. The fluttery, romantic kind of nervous that people felt in the presence of a crush was the kind of little rush Ciara thrived on, but that wasn't at play in the Palace's kitchen. At least not exactly, not when it was another bedmate entirely who was the focus of an emerging affection.
The pop of the toaster was entirely predictable and yet Ciara had to hope the other woman failed to notice the way her eyes widened with startlement at the sound. To cover for the slip in composure, Ciara turned and quickly plucked the slices and dropped them onto the waiting plate before they could burn her fingertips. Butter was slathered onto the toast, turning it from dull brown to an appetising burnished gold as a more rosy hue bloomed on Reagan's cheeks. Even a flush of discomfort looked appealing on Reagan's high cheekbones, with Ciara feeling more aware than ever that her current complexion was dull and pale in comparison. Insecurity left less room for empathy, and she smiled slightly at the question. Not cruelly so, but certainly not kindly. It was offered up with the same kind of indifference Luke had been on the receiving end of for years, though the seamstress was far from being inconsequential in Ciara's sharply watchful eyes.
"When I've been awake, yes."
Let Reagan read that anyway she liked, and if she thought Ciara had only poked her head into Luke's room when she was out of bed then so be it. Ciara wasn't going to lie and purposely imply that she and Luke were doing anything other than literally sleeping together, but she also felt no responsibility for Reagan's feelings if her mind went to the worst option.
The two steaming mugs were placed on a tray with the small stack of toast. There was no sense in making more when there was no guarantee that Luke would be able to keep it down. Ciara then picked the tray up with great care, not wanting to appear clumsy by spilling so much as a drop of tea as she eyed Reagan. "Have you come to relieve me of my duties then, or were you just in the neighbourhood and dropping by on the off chance he was fit for visitors?"