Work Text:
The drawing room was filled with the usual hum of conversation, but Kate couldn’t quite focus on any of it. Her mind kept drifting to one corner of the room—where Lord Bridgerton stood. Every so often, his gaze would flicker over to her, fleeting but unmistakable, and each time, a sharp heat would bloom in her chest.
He was watching her again.
But she refused to acknowledge it. She couldn’t.
Instead, she raised her glass to her lips and turned her attention to Edwina, who was deep in conversation with a suitor, her eyes bright and full of hope. Kate’s stomach twisted. She should be happy for her sister. After all, Edwina was the diamond of the season—the one with all the prospects, the one with all the attention.
But her attention was not on Edwina at the moment.
Another glance. This time, Lord Bridgerton’s eyes lingered longer, his gaze intense enough to make her breath catch. And then, as if sensing something was amiss, he made his way over to her.
“Must you always look so serious, Miss Sharma?”
His voice cut through the tension like a knife. Kate didn’t flinch, though the words stung. She faced him, her smile sharp and knowing. “I should ask you the same, Lord Bridgerton. Are you always so intent on your duties that you forget to enjoy yourself?”
A flicker of surprise passed across his face, but it was gone before she could fully catch it. He tilted his head slightly, his lips quirking. “I was simply admiring the view, Miss Sharma. It’s rare to see such a striking expression of disdain.”
Kate raised an eyebrow, a small, defiant smile playing on her lips. “Perhaps, my lord, you mistake disdain for disinterest.”
Anthony chuckled, a low sound that sent a thrill through her. “Ah, but I’ve never been one to miss a challenge, especially one so intriguing.”
Before she could respond, the conversation shifted, and he moved away, but not without one last lingering look—one that spoke of words neither of them dared to say.
Kate let out a breath, heart racing, knowing that this was far from over.