Roma’s rasp carried down the corridor before he appeared, that artificial warmth already setting Juniper’s teeth on edge. “Quite the gathering,” he said as he approached, his tall frame casting long shadows in the morning light. “Almost like a holiday party.”

Juniper felt Daniel shift beside her, his shoulder angling ever so slightly forward - an unconscious gesture of protection that sent warmth blooming beneath her. She leaned into his presence without realizing it, drawing strength from the solid wall of him even as her mind screamed about professional boundaries.

The morning light caught in the holiday decorations overhead, casting dancing patterns across the marble floor like nature’s own trial run. Somewhere in the distance, a carol drifted through the halls, its cheerful notes a stark counterpoint to the tension building in the air.