Party Of Two

[Anthony Bridgerton]

Tag: Kathani Bridgerton
Note: Better layout coming soon!

i will

ALWAYS PROTECT YOU

Finding out that Benedict was at a party that . . . sounded rather scandalous was bad enough. But the moment he found out Kate was there too, made it impossible for the Viscount to simply let it slide. He had heard from a source that Benedict was attending a party at Henry Granville's and upon further inquiry, discovered that Kate was there too. And, Anthony intended to retrieve them both. He would have words with Benedict, most certainly . . . but with Kate . . . well, things were rather uncertain between them. And even still, the protective nature that Anthony felt towards his family was seeping into his relationship with the noblewoman . . . whether he realized it or not.

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The moment he opened the door, he just stared. What kind of party was this?! Certainly not one that they were used to attending. And one that no Bridgerton should ever be near! Holding back an expression of disapproval and annoyance, he began to weave his way through the crowd. There was a great deal happening and Anthony was simply trying to process it all, remaining focused on the task at hand. He couldn't even call out their names as he did not wish to draw attention. The sooner they all escaped this place, the better. With any luck, he would find the host, Mr. Granville, and ask direction from him as to where he would be able to find his brother and . . . Kate.

[Kathani Bridgerton]

Kate knew that she was walking wide eyed though the darken halls of the house. She hadn't meant to get separated from Mr. Bridgerton, but she had and now she was slowly 'exploring' the party. From the first room she found two naked woman posing while others painted and drew their bodies as if it were flowers. To the room with the naked men being painted--to which she didn't dare enter, and thus only had seen their backsides. To the kissing going on. The awful lot of kissing. And touching. So much touching.

Pausing she watched two women begin kissing one man. So very much touching and so very much kissing. Needing to find a place to hide for a moment, and splash some cool water on her face to remove her blush--Kate began to slowly, one step at a time, move up the steps. Once she was on the top landing, she could hear the sounds coming from the rooms. Kate wasn't a fool. She knew that was more then touching there. Looking back down the steps she almost retreated--but then her eyes connected with his.

his--his. Anthony Bridgerton. He would be the type to enjoy these parties. She felt jealous and angry that he was here. She wanted to throw something at him. She could tell he didn't look pleased to see her here. As he begin to move toward the steps, Kate turned and hurried down the hall and deeper into the building. Finding a door that was quite, she pushed it open and stepped in to attempt to avoid him. Not that she wanted too. She had come to enjoy their bickering but wasn't quite sure what that meant. Or how he felt.

^{Anthony Bridgerton}

[Anthony Bridgerton]

Tag: Kathani Bridgerton
Note: Better layout coming soon!

i will

ALWAYS PROTECT YOU

The more time Anthony spent here, the less time he wanted to. This entire party was scandalous enough to fill Lady Whistledown's columns for months! And Anthony would not have his brother, nor Kate, discovered in such a place. So he was eagerly trying to find either of them . . . and it just so happened, that his gaze fell on Kate first. Unaware that she saw him, he managed to catch her rushing down the hall, and he was not about to delve into how he recognized her from behind. Perhaps, having paid too close attention to her this past little while. Never the less, he started weaving his way through the crowd, making sure not to lose sight of her or where she went in this confounded place.

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He also did not want to call her name as to avoid drawing more attention to the two of them. Most everyone was clearly preoccupied with something -- or someone -- else here. He managed to catch a glimpse of the door closing, and recognizing that she had no where else to go here, he assumed she was inside. But . . . he also wondered if she was meeting someone here. No. Surely not! The thought was not enough to cease him from entering or even from just barging in. In fact, it gave him more reason to. Pushing the door open, he immediately glanced around the room to see if there was anyone else. It was only her. Closing the door behind him he then turned all attention on her, his expression clearly holding disapproval. "What are you doing here?!" He demanded, expecting answers from her. Should he soon find his brother, he would demand the same . . . perhaps even more harshly.

[Kathani Bridgerton]

Be brave, be brave. Anthony bragged in as if he owened the place--the arrogance! And demanded to know why she was here! A question she too wondered, as this was no where near what she expected. However as her choice was to 'let him save her' or 'hold her ground, she knew which one she WANTED to do and which one she NEEDED to so. . . . and, sadly, which one came naturally when faced with a angry Anthony.

Lifting her hands to her hips, she rested her palms there--feeling a bit more like herself in the room with no one here to watch her or see her. "I am a guest! Are you such, or did you ignore the needed invite to crash?" She knew which one it was, but nor was she going to admit to knowing that this was not a place Anthony went for his . . . visiting. "Are you seeking a woman here?" The words came out without warning and she wanted to take them back in the instant! She had not meant to let it out. Had not meant to hint that she might care.

^{Anthony Bridgerton}

[Anthony Bridgerton]

Tag: Kathani Bridgerton
Note: Better layout coming soon!

i will

ALWAYS PROTECT YOU

Anthony was most certainly going to into his need . . . of what brought him here. His idiot of a brother, and the infuriating woman before him! He wanted to demand who the hell she knew here -- other than Benedict -- and how the hell she could even find herself here and what would happen if anyone saw her and -- "Are you seeking a woman here?" All other questions froze in his mind when she asked this. Though his anger did not subside, it certainly silenced his tongue from explaining what he was doing here because . . . was she jealous? The thought of it was oddly exhilarating.

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Of course, it could perhaps be perceived as Edwina merely asking because of his supposed intentions with her sister. But no. It was the way she had asked him; the unguarded tone. Her demeanour. He liked to think he knew her well enough and . . . so Anthony decided to put all other questions and remarks to rest, and solely focus on this one thing. "And what if I were?" Because he wanted to hear her say it. Of course he had not come here for that.

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Although . . . he supposed that wasn't entirely true. Technically, he had come to meet a woman: he had come to see her, and get her out of here. The irony was somewhat amusing, but he was not about to reveal as much right now. Where would the fun in that be? So whether it was arrogance, or the need to 'punish' her a little . . . he could not help it. His tone still held that anger, but internally . . . he was rather enjoying himself at the very notion that he could make Katherine Sharma, jealous.

[Kathani Bridgerton]

What. If, He. Were.

Kate felt her belly open, and sink. It made her heart beat feel like each beat hurt, and her whole body went warm, . . . or hot--with rage! "You are such a rake, Lord Bridgerton!" She snapped, drawing her shoulders tighter. Normally she would have snapped something more witty and meant to strike harder but the only thing she could think of right now was that he was here to . . . to some of the things she had seen with a woman he didn't know and then go and at arrogant and smug around her and her sister!

Marching toward him she stopped near and and bit out her words that sounded angry to hide her hurt. "How do you live these two lives? The gentlemen and the rake?" She wanted to leave now! This party had been shocking to her, but now she didn't want to stay here. Didn't want to see HIM finding someone and doing something like they were doing down there. To see him prove Lady Whistledown right. "Go then! Do let my presence stop you!" These words were the last she wanted to say, but nor did she want to stand here and look at him.

^{Anthony Bridgerton}

[Anthony Bridgerton]

Tag: Kathani Bridgerton
Note: Better layout coming soon!

i will

ALWAYS PROTECT YOU

Oh she was jealous. And while Anthony knew he should not derive so much pleasure from that . . . he did. He could not help it. Of course he knew it should not matter what she thought, not even for the sake of seeking to court her sister. He knew that it should be of no consequence for he would never marry Kate. He knew that he should not continue to push her seeing that she was already so angry.

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But Kate Sharma . . . caused him to lose all clarity and sense of rationality. All that he knew -- somewhere in his mind -- was irrelevant. There was such a strong pull he felt toward the woman, that made moments like these ones that he was both enraged by and . . . lived for. "You dare insult me, when I find you here as well?" He was continuing this rouse of not having come here for her . . . but knew it would not last long. Especially with their heated exchange. His voice held equal anger, yet was unraised. He knew better than to loudly yell at a woman.

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"Tell me, what did you come here for then? If not to find a rake of your own." Accusatory words he knew. Perhaps hypocritical ones. But he demanded to know why she was at such a scandalous party such as this one. Once again, something else that he knew was that he had no right to question it, or her. But he did. And he remained stubborn in his intention to find out. As if his tone was not indication enough of that, he had also found himself having moved closer towards her, not even fully aware of just how close he was getting.

[Kathani Bridgerton]

Kate did not even realize he had moved closer. She only saw him leaving her side to find a woman and end up naked and hugging! "I am NOT---" She begin to tell him she was not a woman of loos morals and here to entrained herself, but then she stopped. While she could not imagine ever letting a strange man do that--her pride was hurt that he didn't think she COULD be here for that. Or well, maybe he was thinking she could and thinking it silly.

"I was unaware of the type of party I was invited too, but now that I am here I might indulge!" She countered, stepping closer to him to dare him to call her out of it. If he thought her a hypocrite then if he dare say anything toward her choice then he too would become one. "Maybe I will find out what the brings men sniffing around so often that they cannot control themselves. I had not made plans toward it, but why waste the chance to see why men take pride in being rakes?"

Stepping one last step closer, Kate leaned forward to finish off her words. "Perhaps you'd like to make recommendations?"

^{Anthony Bridgerton}

[Anthony Bridgerton]

Tag: Kathani Bridgerton
Note: Better layout coming soon!

i will

ALWAYS PROTECT YOU

She was turning the tables, and Anthony did not like it one bit. The mere suggestion of her going to find a man in an environment like this . . . he knew he should not care. But he did. He knew he should not be bothered about the image of her coupled with another man, kissing and touching another . . . but he was. Immensely so. Which did nothing to sate his anger. If anything, it intensified. "You wouldn't dare," he said bluntly. Surely she was bluffing.

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Surely, she would not test nor push him to such limits to see what he would do if she should open herself up to the company of a man at a place like this. His eyes were fixed on her as she took that last step towards him, aware that they were so close despite their talks of going off to find another. "I would recommend--" He began to say, using the same word that she had just thrown at him. "That you gain some sense." Because she was talking nonsense right now. Because she should not push him about such matters. Perhaps somewhere in his mind he knew that it was unreasonable of him for they had no intimate ties to one another.

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He had no claim to her. And yet, she said it for surely, she must know it would get a reaction. Much in the same way he had said it to her for the same reason. "And stop acting so damn, foolish!" Little did he even realize, that he had grabbed her arm. For reasons, unknown. To shake sense into her? To keep her from leaving? To ground her here? To push her out? He hadn't the faintest notion. All he knew was that he was holding her forearm in his grip -- not too tight -- but firm enough to know that he was serious in his words.

[Kathani Bridgerton]

Unlikely Anthony, Kate did realize his hand was on her, as the heat from just that touch was hot against her skin. His reaction almost made her think that he too felt some form of dislike for the idea of her with another--but how dare he hold that dislike while planning to be with another! If it was a dislike for her seeking the same type of relationship he had with his loose women then he could not stand in judgment over her! While she would not have ever done so--as she'd be ruined--her anger didn't let her think of the repercussions. Only the moment.

When his hand came on her arm to hold her in place, her hands too lifted to rest on his chest as if to hold him back. It was her first touch of him like this, and had she not been hurt by his intentions, she would have relished it--instead they balled with anger and hurt and jealousy in his shirt. "Foolish? I was invited here. By your brother no less. A man who is without wife, and enjoys painting as I do. Perhaps this is the way I am to find a husband since dancing dies not work."

"You strut around with your title of rake with pride. Perhaps I shall find a rake here." Like he sought out his women. In truth, she knew that once he let her go she'd run away. Hurt knowing he was here and holding another close. Hurt that he was kissing someone that was not her--and knowing that it never would. Anthony didn't plan to marry her but her sister. He had made his choice in bride and made his choice in the women he wanted--and none of them were her.

^{Anthony Bridgerton}

[Anthony Bridgerton]

Tag: Kathani Bridgerton
Note: Better layout coming soon!

i will

ALWAYS PROTECT YOU

Anthony was far more aware of her hands on him, than his on hers. Feeling the way she gripped his shirt, strongly felt even under the layers of fabric of his coat, vest, shirt . . . he could feel it on his skin somehow. Apparently, her touch was strong enough to burn through all these layers . . . these barriers.

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"I will deal with my brother accordingly--" He was going to kill Benedict. "But do not compare yourself to him." Anthony was far more focused on her than-- his brother painted? Than him. He would have that conversation with the man at a later time. Right now, his entire attention was on this infuriating, maddening woman before him. Anthony scoffed at the very idea of her finding a husband here, and made no attempt to hide the mockery in his voice. "You wish to find a husband in a place like this?" He asked sarcastically. He did not need to spend long here to know that this was not the kind of place one came to in order to find a husband.

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"You would marry a Rake then after all?" He continued to challenge, having been so opposed to it when it came to him -- their first conversation clear in his mind. "Go on then," he dared. "Go find yourself a Rake." Yet he was still not letting her go. "Go find yourself a husband." There was clear challenge in his voice, practically daring her to do it, the intensity of his words matched with his expression and stance as he moved even closer to her, eyes burning into hers.

[Kathani Bridgerton]

He stepped closer, and Kate had to look up into his face in order to keep contact with his eyes. He was so close now that her chest brushed his with each deep breath she took, and she was breathing deeper and longer in both anger, jealously and something that she didn't know how to name. Something that made her warm all over, like a fervor but it felt good rather then sickly.

"It seems to get you what you want, why would it not work for me?" She bit out, and somehow leaned into him just enough that her body became flush with his, his heat seeping into her and the firmness of him standing there so close. She used on hand to hit his chest, but as it did not hurt her then she knew it didn't hurt him. "I knew you were a rake, and you come here to prove it!"

"And to think I started to think better of you! If you can come here looking for a . . . . . " She couldn't finish, because the thought hurt. So instead she hit him again, though no harder then before. Because sadly, she didn't want to hurt him.

^{Anthony Bridgerton}

[Anthony Bridgerton]

Tag: Kathani Bridgerton
Note: Better layout coming soon!

i will

ALWAYS PROTECT YOU

"A what?" He demanded almost immediately after her sentence went unfinished. Practically daring her to finish that sentence. Her hands where they once gripped him, were now hitting him and by the second time she did it, he quickly caught them, his fingers curled around her wrists in tight enough hold not to mark her skin . . . but certainly ceasing her from pounding on his chest -- as dramatic as such a description was.

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He looked at her -- glared at her as the insults she shot at him flew around in his mind. And yet, he was more focused on her lastly spoken incomplete sentence. He wanted to hear it -- demand that she say it. And yet, it seemed to be quite irrelevant at this moment. "You are infuriating!" He insulted, not even bothering to take care in his words. She was. Maddening. Making an anger surge within him so great that he could just, positively . . . absolutely . . . kiss her. With no thought, no reason, no sense at all, his lips captured her in a kiss that allowed this burning, angry passion to channel into something other than words.

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He kissed her with such heated fervor that he could have sworn the intensity of it was enough to leave him winded. And though he would never admit it, caused him to almost loose feeling in his legs from the sheer magnitude of it. Fortunately, there was just enough movement in them for him to take a few steps forward, prompting her backwards, until her back was pressed against the wall, and his body, pressed against hers. His hands still held her wrists . . . but whether to keep her from hitting him, prevent her from leaving, or merely just to hold her in place . . . he was uncertain. He pressed her hands against the wall, practically pinning her as his mouth moved against her lips. He hated her . . . and he needed her.

[Kathani Bridgerton]

She knew his words were daring her to finish, and she didn't know what was going to come out of her mouth next! She was so angry--at him, at herself, at the woman he might have chosen over her--and jealous, and hurt that she didn't know which words would have came out next----had he not kissed her.

Had he not just then given her first kiss. For a second her breath caught and froze from the kiss but before her mind could think of more, she was kissing him back. Her first kiss. Her hands tried to move to touch him to balance herself, as she felt almost dizzy from the power of the kiss. He stepped closer, and their bodies pressed tighter. He stepped again, using his body to force her's back until the firmness of the wall and the firmness of his chest encased her. The cool wall at her back and burn of his chest at her front.

Moaning she pulled at her hands, but he held frim. Kate didn't know what to do in this moment. While escape was no where on her mind, she didn't know if she was supposed to tilt her head, or press him to him. Her toes were curled, but should she press up on to them to get closer to his lips? The idea of being closer caused her to do just that. Pushing up to the tips of her toes she deepened the kiss without even knowing there was a deeper.

All she knew was that this was the best she had ever felt, and she finally had a realize to the anger inside her.

^{Anthony Bridgerton}

[Anthony Bridgerton]

Tag: Kathani Bridgerton
Note: Better layout coming soon!

i will

ALWAYS PROTECT YOU

He hated to admit -- even to himself -- how much he longed for this moment. How often he had dreamed of it, and burned for it. There was still something in his mind that was almost . . . afraid that Kate would pull away. That she would push him off or worse, open her mouth to say something that would spoil this moment. And right now, he didn't want to hear it. He didn't want to hear anything save for the heavy breaths that came between them. His tongue demanded entrance, slipping through her lips to part them and grant him access to her mouth.

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To which, he took full advantage of. Taking her, drinking her in. Everything about her as intoxicating as he could have imagined -- even more so. He could feel her struggle against his hold and it was perhaps the first indication that he should release her. That he would need to suffer the consequences of his actions and deal with what he presumed would be a very angry Kate. For he would never force himself on a woman. But then, he heard -- and felt -- her moan. He felt her body press closer to him, pushing their lips closer together. Raising herself to ease the access of their bodies. That, was all the indication he needed. He moaned against her mouth, quickly letting go over her hands and proceeding to pull off his coat, letting it fall to the floor.

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He wanted better mobility, wanted to be able to move more easily -- move her more easily. His hands then went to her dress, fisting the fabric into his hand as he bunched it up enough so that his hands could slip under it, and take hold of her legs. The softness of her thigh was further driving him with need as his grip went under her and lifted her up a little so that their heads were better aligned. So that she could wrap her legs around him. His hands remained under her, deciding that this was perhaps worth relinquishing his hold of her hands against the wall, his mouth pressing harder against her, his body pressing harder against her.