applyStyle and element wrapping using an inline editor

I have ckeditor inline on a span. I need to apply style (say updating the color) to the selected element. When the user selects the entire block of editable text then I run this code:

style = new CKEDITOR.style( colorStyle, { color: color } )
editor.applyStyle( style )

The contenteditable object is wrapped outside by the new span. It should wrap the contents of the editable element. This is what it does:

<span style="background-color:rgba(40, 45, 7, 0.76);">
  <span class="editable-element cke_editable cke_editable_inline cke_contents_ltr" id="the-editable-element" contenteditable="true">
    some text
  </span>
</span>

This is what it should do:

<span class="editable-element cke_editable cke_editable_inline cke_contents_ltr" id="the-editable-element" contenteditable="true">
  <span style="background-color:rgba(40, 45, 7, 0.76);">
    some text
  </span>
</span>

Is there a way I can work around this?

Is this the best place to talk to the developers? Do they look at this forum?

Ben