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When Anthony let Colin and Benedict drag him to the bar that night, he might have appeared reluctant. Grumpy. Inconvenienced. And he was, of course. Because who wanted to go to their sister’s hen night?
Colin, apparently. And Benedict.
And well - Anthony didn’t want to go for Eloise, but…
“Kate!” Colin’s loud and cheery voice echoed through the room - quite annoying, in Anthony’s opinion - as he bounded up to the large party cuddled in the back corner of the bar. While not empty, the place was also not busy, so the white balloons and gold decorations stood out. They also made up most of the noise.
“Colin!” Kate turned around in her seat, previously deep in conversation with Penelope Featherington, who’s eyes flickered in their direction before studying her almost empty drink rather attentively. Opening her arms, Kate embraced his brother. Over Colin’s shoulder, she grinned at Benedict… and her smile fell at the sight of him. Anthony tried to ignore the hurt and disappointment suddenly punching him in the gut. “What are you all doing here?” asked Kate, patting Colin on the arm and letting him slip into the booth before retaking her seat.
Somehow managing to get a seat beside one of the brides-to-be, Colin threw his arm around Edwina Sharma. “Well, since we have no stag night as an excuse to fuck around, we still wanted to celebrate someone finally taking our dear sister off our hands.” Leaning closer, just enough to lightly tug at Edwina’s hair, Colin grinned. “And to warn the poor fool who’s decided to marry her.”
Edwina rolled her eyes and patted his cheek affectionately... but not lightly, given Colin’s grimace. “Sadly for you, she’s more my type.” Edwina turned and blew a kiss in Eloise’s direction.
Despite everything, Anthony felt his heart soften at his sister’s blush. The love in her eyes, soft and eager, comfortable and content…
Penelope, practically wrapped around Eloise like a jellyfish, sighed dramatically. “If only I wasn’t tragically heterosexual… then maybe Eloise would marry me instead.”
Eloise kissed her on the hair. “Babe, you went home with that woman just last weekend - ”
“So, have you all been here all night?” interrupted Colin, leaning far onto the table, probably to regain everyone’s attention, but with the unfortunate consequence of blocking Anthony’s view of Kate. As he walked closer to the group, Kate scooted closer to Colin and there was now a spot open for him… just beside her.
“We were actually thinking of going somewhere with more dancing,” said Penelope into Eloise’s shoulder. Her finger traced one of the many empty shot glasses in front of her. As their group continued to debate the merits of migrating to a club, Anthony slipped into the empty seat.
Kate leaned closer to him, but her eyes remained on the spirited discussion in front of them. (Apparently, Mayfair had better service but Number Five played better music.) “Where did Benedict go?” she asked him.
Anthony glanced in her direction but followed her lead, pretending his attention was on Colin trying not to look down Penelope’s dress. “Probably at the bar, working up the nerve to move on from just flirting with the bartender and actually ask her out on a date.” Kate’s gaze wandered in that direction and he suspected she caught a flash of blonde hair. “I’m pretty sure she’s why he’s been visiting so often.”
“He’s cute,” said Kate, a tiny smile betraying her.
Anthony could not help but grin. “I’m cuter.”
Kate rolled her eyes - but didn’t correct him. Triumph roared in his chest.
“So we’re heading to Number Five - you coming?” Eloise and Edwina were staring at each other again, maybe minutes away from making out. A very sober Colin was directing a rather drunk Penelope as she slipped on her jacket. “Benedict is probably going to hang out here…” He trailed off, tilting his head in the direction of the brother in question.
“I think I’m going to head home,” said Kate. “I have a big bowl of pongal and thair waiting for me.” She stood up, hugging her sister, and whispered something in her ear. Edwina giggled before shoving her away.
“Gross! Have fun.” Kate kissed Eloise on the cheek as well.
Anthony frowned when Kate returned to his side. “You need a ride home?”
Kate raised an eyebrow. “Actually, I was going to take an Uber.”
“No, I’ll drive you.”
A glint appeared in her eye - and in that moment, Anthony probably should have been scared, but instead he found himself unable to look away even as the corner of her lips curled up. “How about this - we play a game of pool.” Kate appeared innocent, but her grin gave her away. She was much too close, at eye level with him, so he saw every mischievous glitter in her gaze. “I win, you pay for my Uber. You win, you can drive me home.”
“That doesn’t seem fair,” said Anthony, and if he leaned closer to her - it was only because she was magnetic.
Kate shrugged. “Given that both your brothers have abandoned you…” She nodded towards Benedict, who was laughing at the blonde bartender as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and looked up at Benedict with stars in her eyes. And then she tilted her head at Colin, who was leading the group out of the bar. “I think you win the pleasure of my company.”
Anthony raised an eyebrow. “You assume I want to spend time with you.”
Kate laughed, heading towards the pool table. Anthony followed, trying not to be hypnotized by the sway of her hips. Swiping a stick, she tossed it in his direction. “You’re the one still here,” she said, with a wicked grin.
And really, Anthony couldn’t argue with that.
According to all her past dates, Kate was too good at pool. She hadn’t been the best at math in school, but she understood enough about Geometry - about angles and force - to apply her skills to the game. So when there was only one striped ball left - to Anthony’s three - Kate made a decision.
She aimed for the eight ball.
“What are you doing?” Anthony asked, leaning onto the table. He had long past rolled up his sleeves and now his hands bracketed the pocket on the far corner. The result was his exposed forearms flexing, protruding veins and smooth skin. Kate licked her lips.
Then she forced herself to look up at his face, catching his gaze. His eyes flashed - dark and cloudy - and for once, Kate could not wait for the storm.
“I’m winning.”
“That’s not how you - ”
Kate didn’t let him finish, interrupting his protests with the perfect shot - and the black ball sunk right into the pocket in front of his crotch. Not that Kate was staring.
Anthony’s eyes narrowed. “You want me to drive you home?”
Kate straightened, ignoring the fire igniting in her chest. Lower, too, where her legs felt heavier and the pressure built between them. “Yes. I do.”
Anthony crossed around the table until he towered before her. “Are you going to invite me inside?”
Kate swallowed but did not shrink - instead, she stood taller. She could feel his breath on her face, mere inches between their heaving chests.
“Yes.” Her voice sounded more breathless than she wanted, but Anthony did not react - instead, he stared directly into her eyes, steady and unmoving… as if calculating something. Kate tapped her foot, accidentally - okay, maybe on purpose - stepping on his toe. “Well?”
“You talk too much.”
Kate rolled her eyes. “You’re thinking too much.”
“No, I’m thinking just the right amount. Now let me think, you’re distracting.”
“Oh,” said Kate, smirking devilishly, stepping even closer, if possible. Her stick tapped against his shoulder. His eyes flickered to her hands. “I can be very distracting.”
“Just - stop talking.”
“Make me.”
And Kate knew the exact moment where Anthony decided - his eyes flashed and suddenly his free hand tangled in her hair and his lips were against hers. Anthony kissed Kate like he was starving, and she kissed him back, like his breath and lungs were the air she needed. Like all she needed to survive was his tongue tracing her lips.
Anthony pulled back first. Breathing heavily, he stayed closed, pausing, evaluating. A moment, a pause: and then he gently untangled her fingers from the pool stick. Slowly, as if he wanted her to feel every movement of their fingers touching, to draw out the sparks dancing between their skin. He hung up both sticks and grabbed her hand. Lifting it to his lips, Anthony kissed her knuckles, one by one. “This what you want?” he asked, never breaking eye contact. “My lips, on you? Slowly, drawing you out, teasing, little by little?”
Kate nodded, words stuck in her throat.
“You sure?” he asked again. His grip tightened. “Our sisters are getting married.”
But Kate knew what she wanted.
She wanted him. “I’m sure.”
Anthony paused - hesitated… but then nodded.
“Okay.”
The moment Kate locked the door to her apartment, Anthony had her crowded against the door, his chest to her back. “You are so beautiful.” He kissed her ear, his tongue lingering. “What do you want?”
Kate grinned, twisting her head, her lips inches from his. “I want to kiss you. Everywhere.”
And with a low growl, Anthony let her.
Kate backed him through the hallway to the bedroom, unable to stop kissing him. His lips were a storm, lightning in each graze of his tongue or bite of his teeth. Despite her eagerness to taste his skin, she struggled to breathe as Anthony kissed down her neck, along her collar bone, tugging down the straps of her dress. When they reached her bed, Kate pushed him back onto the mattress.
Immediately, she got to work on his belt and zipper. “Take off your shirt,” she demanded and was very pleased when Anthony obeyed without question. “Do you like your blowjobs slow and deep? Or very, very wet?”
Anthony threw his shirt behind her, lifting his hips to help her strip his pants down his legs. Groaning as she started to leave wet kisses - really, eager licks, because how could she resist - Anthony tangled his hand through her hair. “Can’t it be slow and wet?”
Kate licked a long line from his abs, flicked at his nipple, and only stopped at his neck. “If you choose wet, you won’t last very long. Not with me.”
With the hand in her hair, Anthony pulled her mouth to his. “Then I better take care of you first.”
Without warning, he flipped her to her back, his hand slipping to her throat. Kate squealed, but when he started to remove his hand, she shook her head. “No, leave it.” Anthony said nothing - just squeezed, gently, dark eyes sharpening. Kate moaned, thrusting up, trying to find friction to relieve the growing ache building in her center.
Anthony remained hovering over her, his presence teasing. He left a lingering, slow kiss on her lips. “Do you want my tongue or my fingers?”
“Both. Definitely both.”
Antony smirked. “Both it is.”
And then he moved down, his hands sliding over her breasts, massaging roughly, his kisses soft and teasing in contrast. He tugged her dress down her legs, her panties quick to follow… but he left her heels on with only a grunt of approval.
Kate spread her legs wider, resting one heeled foot on his shoulder and using it to push Anthony to where he needed to be. Sadly, that meant his cock - hard and glistening - disappeared from sight, but she had an excellent view of his tousled hair, sticking up wildly. She could feel his lips leaving gentle kisses in between long licks along her thighs. Moaning, Kate thrust forward and tried to move his mouth closer.
“Patience.” His hands pushed her legs further apart, one of his thumbs running along the seam of her thighs. “God, you’re beautiful.”
Kate closed her eyes, a hand running down her face to cradle her breasts. “Anthony - ” When he stopped, she lifted her neck to see why - but it was only to see him staring up at her, dangerously turned on. “Why did you stop?”
“Say my name again.”
“Anthony,” she said, immediately, despite her dry throat and the fire burning her whole. “Please, Anthony, please - ” Kate did not beg, not in bed or out of it, but in that moment, she wanted nothing more -
Anthony lowered his mouth and sucked, hard, at her clit. Kate felt a soft scream leave her lips unasked and unanticipated. But it seemed to embolden him, because Anthony began adding his tongue, licking and swirling and flicking. His finger circled her entrance before sinking in, and then his thrusts synced with his mouth until she was vibrating with the growing pressure and pleasure.
His name was a constant mantra, along with her pleas for more. So Anthony gave more, until she squeezed his fingers so tight, exploding all over his lips.
Anthony kissed up her body. Before he could open his mouth to speak again, Kate captured his lips in a kiss, devouring him as he just had to her. Pushing him onto his back, she felt down his chest, the groves and divots, until she finally had his cock in her hands. Hot and hard, velvet between her fingers, slowly she stroked him.
“Kate - ” Anthony stopped when she squeezed, her thumb running along the head. “Fuck.”
“That is the plan, yes.”
Groaning, Anthony covered his face with his arm. “You’re a menace.”
“I try.”
And Kate lowered her mouth to his cock and sucked him deep. Anthony’s groans were the perfect soundtrack, a steady rhythm, her head quickening as he grew even larger in her mouth. He was definitely the largest she had ever been with - and Kate loved cocks, loved how they felt and tasted, but this - Anthony’s - in combination with his moans and his fingers in her hair, not pushing, but guiding, a gentle pressure that heightened her own pleasure… this was different. She slipped a hand down between her legs, circling her clit lightly, keeping most of her attention on the cock passing through her lips. Her mouth watered, spit dripping and coating his cock, now slick and moving easily between her lips.
“Are you going to come again?” Anthony grunted, his grip tightening in her hair. Moaning around his dick, Kate did not bother to nod. “Not yet.” Halting her movements, Anthony pulled her mouth back against his to swallow her moans in a scorching kiss. “I want you to come on top of me.”
Kate did not see a reason to protest. “Don’t mind if I do.” Reaching over his head, she grabbed a box of condoms from her nightstand and dropped it onto the mattress, but before she could pull one out, Anthony had her nipples in his mouth, tugging on them with his teeth. “Fuck, Anthony - ”
“Those aren’t going to work.” He pointed to his pants at the foot of the bed, only letting go of her breasts to lightly tap on her ass. “Grab my wallet.”
Kate retrieved the wallet and Anthony pulled out his own roll of condoms - and Kate may have felt her center throb at the words extra large. Confirmation of her suspicions…
“Now you’re just showing off.” Anthony glared at her as he rolled down the condom, but Kate was too distracted at the sight - his hands, stroking his large dick. “Dear god.”
“Come back here.” Kate crawled up his body, kissing any inch of skin in reach. When she finally reached his mouth, Anthony pulled her down by her neck, thumb running comfortingly along the side. He did not let her go far, resting her forehead against his own, when he finally stopped. “Ride me, Kate.”
Without breaking his gaze, Kate aligned his cock to her entrance - and sunk down, slowly. Despite how turned on she felt, he was big, and she needed to ease herself up, and down, over and over again, until finally - finally -
“Fuck, you’re so deep.” Anthony let go of her neck and face, only to hold onto her hips. Kate straightened, grinding her clit against him; she felt an extra shiver run up her spine. “Fuck, fuck - ” The curse felt like a blessing, leaving her lips in between his name, as she balanced on his chest and took him deep, over and over again.
“Oh, Kate, that’s it.” Anthony braced one hand on her hip, the other slipping down to her ass, pushing her forward. “God, you feel so good.”
Words failed her, because he kept hitting that spot within her, winding her higher and higher. She was flying, rising and rising, until finally - she fell, wind beneath her wings, Anthony’s arms tight around her. Her breasts against his hard chest, Kate could only kiss the sweaty skin of his chest, his shoulder.
“Wow.” Anthony kissed her hair, her temple. “Wow.”
“Yeah.”
She fell back onto the mattress, hair overflowing beneath her. Without thinking, she reached for his hand, tangling their fingers together. Her dark brown skin twisted with his pale white. His palm, warm and steady against her own. Her heart raced, but in that calming way: a sense of peace settled over her.
Kate turned to look at him. Anthony was already staring back. “Anthony - ” she started.
But he kissed her quiet instead. Gentle and soft, taking his time, all lips and feeling. Kate melted, squeezed his hand, her other sliding to caress his face. When he broke the kiss, he closed his eyes. There was a wrinkle just between his eyebrows; Kate reached out and smoothed away the crease with her thumb, hoping to release a bit of the tension. “Anthony,” she said again.
This time, he shook his head. “Just - let me think, okay?”
So Kate did.
And when she woke up the next morning, Anthony was gone.
Anthony knew the moment he returned home that he had made a mistake.
Not sleeping with Kate - how could connecting with her, with that level of intimacy and desire and wanting , possibly be a mistake. No, the mistake was leaving.
But - Anthony also knew it was the right thing to do.
Being with Kate was messy. Their sisters were engaged, about to be married - they would be family soon, and dating was messy and chaotic and an inevitable race to an end. It never ended amicably, and Anthony - Anthony did not want to lose Kate.
And Anthony knew he would if he stayed. He would lose her because he always lost.
So Anthony left.
His fears were confirmed a few weeks later.
Despite the imminent wedding, Anthony had managed to avoid Kate, only spending a minute alone in her presence (naturally, Colin’s fault, but quickly fixed by Benedict’s obliviousness.) But on that particular Tuesday evening, Anthony stared at his phone, sitting silently on his coffee table. Which would not be odd, if it wasn’t Tuesday evening and he knew that Daphne and Hyacinth had their standing sister date and made it a point to include him because they knew he sat alone on his couch, waiting for them to reach out.
But instead, his phone remained eerily quiet.
Anthony resisted the urge to text the family group chat to figure out what was going on. This was probably one of their many pranks, aimed just to rile him up. They knew how much it bothered Anthony to be kept out of the loop like this… clearly, they were just messing with him.
But when his phone rang - Anthony didn’t even look at the caller ID, immediately swiping his phone and answering. “Hello?”
“Anthony.” It was Benedict, voice low and graveled. He sounded… “Where the hell are you?”
“At home,” answered Anthony, frowning. He did not like how Benedict sounded, panic slowly rising in his gut. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s Kate.”
Later, Anthony would admit that the world did not actually stop, did not in fact freeze completely, so that all Anthony could fathom was the sound of his own heart-stopping, his own breathing erratic and alien. But in that moment, all Anthony could do was - stop.
Because if he moved, if he thought, if he even breathed, then he would have to…
“Is she - ” Anthony finally choked out.
“She’s fine,” said Benedict quickly, but the words did nothing to calm him. Instead, Anthony almost tripped over his own feet in an effort to find his shoes and jacket and keys. “But it’s not - it was a car accident. Her leg - ”
“I’m on my way.”
“Anthony - don’t. Don’t drive, okay?” Benedict exhaled, and Anthony imagined him running a hand through his hair, a habit all the Bridgerton men seemed to pass onto the next. “Take an Uber.”
Anthony stared at his shaking hands. “Yeah, okay,” he said, letting the keys fall back onto the table. “I’ll be there soon.”
Eloise saw him first. Her face flashed, something like disappointment flickering before she settled on relief. “You’re here. Finally.”
“Finally?” Anthony embraced her, even if he wanted to shove her out of the way to get to Kate as soon as possible. “How long have you been here?”
“Edwina called me during my lunch break.”
It was now almost five until six - no one had told him for -
“No one called me?” Anthony wanted his voice to be steady, calm. Eloise raised an eyebrow so he wasn’t sure if he succeeded. “How did no one call me?”
“Kate told me you left her.” Edwina appeared out of nowhere, her normally cheerful and open face now shuttered. “You just - left.”
Anthony felt his stone heart crack. “I - I needed to think.”
“You think too much.” Colin, of course, was slumped in a chair, flipping through a magazine. Without even looking up at them, he crossed his ankle onto his knee. “Maybe you should talk more instead.”
Anthony debated punching his brother - they were, after all, in a hospital. But the truth of his words seemed to vibrate through him: maybe he should talk more.
Turning back to Edwina, Anthony bent a little so he was at her eye level. “Edwina - will she see me?”
Her face softened. “You know that - of course she will.” She was holding Eloise’s hand and Anthony suspected his sister squeezed her fiance’s hand because Edwina sighed. “Just - don’t be stupid anymore, okay?”
Anthony could not bring himself to smile, not yet, but he did nod. “I can’t promise anything. But I’ll try.”
“I guess that’ll have to do.”
When Kate woke up, Edwina and her mother went to see her first. Anthony paced around the waiting room with his own siblings staring at him.
Colin chuckled. “I know this isn’t funny, but - ”
“Don’t.” Anthony pivoted to repeat his pacing route once more. “Just - don’t.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Anthony could see Colin covering his mouth with his hand, trying to hide his laughter. But before he could jump on it - because the emotions rolling in his stomach needed to escape somehow - the nurse returned with Edwina and Mary, and Edwina nodded to him.
“She wants to see you.”
Somehow that did not make it easier.
With her leg wrapped up and levitating above her bed, Kate still looked beautiful - broken, just a little, but still beautiful. Her hair was braided and tossed over her shoulder and her lips were puckered around a straw as she sipped some water, but she - she radiated.
Anthony sunk into the chair by her bedside. “Kate - ” He exhaled, relief and joy and disappointment in himself in each breath. “Oh, fuck, Kate, you’re okay.”
“I’m okay,” she said, eyes wide, setting aside her water. Her hand reached for his face and his gaze caught on the scratches along her palm. “What are you - why do you - are you okay?”
“No.” Anthony ran a hand through his hair, not that it wasn’t already messy. “I mean - I will be, I think, but - ” He took her hand in both of his. “When I heard you were here? And no one else told me?” Shaking his head, he scooted the chair closer, resting his forehead against her knuckles. Her touch grounded him. “Kate - I was the last to know you were - that you almost - ” His thumbs drew circles on the back of her palms.
“Anthony - ” Her lips broke out into a small smile. “Come here.”
So he carefully climbed onto the bed beside her. On his side, her hand still in both of his, Anthony inhaled. “Kate Sharma, I - ”
“Stop,” she said, squeezing his hands. Her smile felt… inevitable. “Don’t talk.”
“But - ”
“No, shh, stop. Or else you might say something stupid, like I love you.”
Anthony’s grin was slow, deep, surprised, in awe. “That would be ridiculous.”
“Unfathomable.”
“Very dumb.”
“So stupid.”
His forehead rested against hers. “Guess I’m a fool.”
“I love you too.”
Later, when Colin came by to check on them, he saw them whispering with their heads together, Anthony’s laughter only interrupted by Kate’s giggles.
So with a smile, Colin left.