The Ungodly Hour~Anthony Bridgerton

part XVI: lost in the garden

Songs:
FUBT- HAIM
Fantasmas- Ambar Lucid
I Will- Sky Ferreira
iT- Christine and the Queens
Life's Too Short- Tinashe
Peace-Taylor Swift

Caroline wouldn't meet his eyes at first still angry at him and quite furious at herself for giving into Anthony. Anthony's confident smile had fallen by now as he stared at her face sullen with sadness in her eyes realizing once again in a brash and blind expression of love he'd hurt her even more.

"I'm not going to marry you," she said finally breaking the silence as they began to dance.

"I know," Anthony said tightly containing his reaction as the words stung the tips of his teeth. 

"Then why are you still harassing me? Can't you bother the Princess instead?"

"Harassing you?" Anthony asked shocked trying to awkwardly laugh it off. Her accusation made him even more upset as he continued to question himself despite only continuing poor behavior. "You are far more entertaining in how you react. I mean do you really think me stupid enough to behave in such a way to a princess? And then there's, of course, the other reason..." He leaned in slightly as he spoke successfully gaining her undivided attention.

Caroline glanced away crinkling her nose and swallowing as she avoided his gaze, trying to hide the mild flush she felt overcoming her cheeks. Then looked up at him with a confused but annoyed shake of her head that could only remind him how stupid she thought he was. 

"That I love you," Anthony finished trying to charm the expression off her face with a smile.

Caroline scoffed shocked before quickly looking around anxiously to see if any of the surrounding dancing couples had heard them. Luckily it was rather noisy drowning out most conversation. She returned her gaze briefly to Anthony, with a petulant laugh, "Love me? You haven't known me for six years!"

Her incessant worst assumptions of him continued to chip at both his patience and self-esteem,  "I've known you practically my whole life," he whispered obviously hurt at the accusation. 

"Well, I'm a very different person since then." Caroline adverted her gaze from Anthony. "Since you." She stepped forward with him their hands hovering a centimeter apart. Forcing their chests together, breathing in anxious harmony as the space between them quickly dissipated. "Because of you," the word creaked out timidly as she finally met his eyes just before they separated again to dance the next motion. 

She spun away so that he couldn't see her face until once again she was in his arms their brief embraced wrapped along either side of her waist in unneeded support as she twirled into him slowly. She snapped her head to face Anthony with wide eyes. Even she knew that was not the customary hold and scolded him with her quiet but surprised gasp. 

Just as quickly they came his hands left her waist, Anthony took another deep breath composing himself as they brought themselves close to each other. Once more repeating the in and out motion of pulling their bodies just barely close enough to touch. Anthony forced himself to gaze down at her face and only her face, despite his gaze tempting him to droop his eyes a half-centimeter lower, to watch each bewildered inhale raise her already accentuated breasts in harmony. Caroline met his gaze fully this time staring at him with a suspicious yet seductive look in her eyes that made Anthony nervously run his tongue behind his upper teeth behind closed lips. Suddenly incredibly worried at how sweaty his hands were becoming with each moment spent closer together, praying she couldn't tell through her gloves. His eyes glinting down nervously to check before returning back to Caroline, unfortunately getting lost where he swore not to gawk. 

She turned away weaving in and out of other couples to complete the next portion, Anthony quickened his pace attempting to catch up where he had fallen behind. However, still incredibly distracted as he watched his eyes transfixed on Caroline watching her as she moved. His heartbeat overtaking his entire body, his knees becoming weaker his every step back to her until finally buckling once they met again, facing each other.