Gravity || Anthony Bridgerton

Fifteen - Love

As I stared longingly at Anthony, I noticed his attention shift to a figure behind me. His facial expressions contorted from a look of adoration to anger. Turning around to see who could have caused such a drastic shift in mood, I saw the Duke stood, smiling smugly at Anthony.

'Your Grace,' I curtsied.

'Don't be silly Lady Elizabeth,' he smiled at my manners. 'You need not address me so.'

'What brings you over here?' Anthony cut in. 'Did my sister finally bore of you,' his tone was sour and his words dripped with venom. I noticed his thick eyebrows slightly furrow as he glared.

I looked at Anthony dumbfounded, previously unaware of his new found hostility to his old friend.

The Duke smiled slyly with a look of spite in his eyes, 'I actually came over to ask Miss Newton if she would do me the fine honour of a dance.'

There was a long pause and I felt trapped. I knew Anthony was not on good terms with the Duke and the Duke seemed to want to antagonise him.

'I saw the Prince had taken a liking to you and decided before it was too late,' he let the last words hang for a moment before continuing, 'to ask you to dance.' The Duke stared at Antony for a moment.

'Well unfortunately, you have arrived much too late.' Anthony looked at the Duke smugly, 'For, Miss Newton was just about to accompany me in a dance.' He held out his forearm for me to hold onto. I quickly obliged. Smiling triumphantly at the Duke, he nodded his head and led us away.

As we advanced to the ballroom, I realised I had not agreed to a dance prior to the Dukes appearance. 'I am more than willing to oblige when it comes to dancing, but I never agreed to dance with you,' I whispered jokingly.

He looked at me, turning slightly as he slowed his pace. 'You would refuse me of your company?' He asked in mock hurt, holding a hand to his heart for effect.

'You know I could never refuse you,' I told quietly, looking up at him.

He stopped in his place and fully turned to me, boring his eyes into mine. He wore a faint smile on his lips - it was a genuine smile, one he did not fashion often.

-

As we danced, my body reacted with his. Craving his closeness, craving his embrace. When our hands touched, I felt a shock course through me, my heart beat increasing in pace.

I possessed no feelings of these with any other gentlemen.

Not Lord Harrington, nor the Duke, nor the Prince.

Only Anthony.

Anthony Bridgerton.

As we parted for the dance routine, his gaze dragged over my body and my skin involuntarily erupted in goosebumps. When moving back together his gaze moved to my eyes and I couldn't look away. My feet were moving on their own as my thoughts were consumed by Anthony. His eyes, his smell, his touch. I was intoxicated by him, and I was willing to spend the rest of my life in this mind haze if it meant I could spend it with him.

-

As the evening drew to a close, I was still riding the high that I felt when I danced with Anthony. He was etched into my head and heart and it mattered not what I did, because there was no erasing him.

Nor did I want to erase him.

I wanted to consume his thoughts as much as he did mine. I wanted him to want me the way I wanted him. I wanted him to crave my touch as much as I did his.

I could not describe it. I believed there to be no word in which one could pour so much meaning into.

'You are in love,' Lily stated as she brushed my hair.

'How does one know when they are in love?' I questioned, desperate for her answer.

Lily pondered for a moment, as if trying her best to put it into words.

'When you're in love it feels like your heart is glowing. You're glowing,' she explained, observing my complexion.

I stared at myself in the reflection of my vanity. My cheeks were a deep crimson.

'Have you ever been in love?' I asked Lily.

'Once, but that was a long time ago,' she paused. 'Love never fades, it will always linger, even when you don't want it to.'

I clung onto her words. 'If you don't mind me asking, who was it that you loved?'

'His name was Alexander.'

-

As I laid in my bed that night, I knew I had to unburden my heart. Confess my feelings in the hopes of them being requited.

I could bare the secret no longer.

I loved Anthony Bridgerton.

(A/N): Thank you all so so much for your patience! I've been busy recently but I am now back and going to be updating a lot more frequently.
This is only a short chapter as the next one will be in Anthony's POV and will be longer.
Hope you all enjoyed! Your support means the world to me.