The Reluctant Fall

Nine.

Penelope accompanied him to the bar. She hadn't even noticed that they still had their hands interwoven until he let go to signal the bar staff.

Suddenly her hand felt cold.

"That dress is quite something," he said as he passed her a Martini.

A secret favourite drink of hers that she only had occasionally as it got her merry, rather quickly.

"How did you know I like Martini's?" Penelope enquired with a hint of shock.

Anthony looked right towards her, "I notice most things about you."

Penelope was gagged right there on the spot.

What the fuck does she say to that.

Her mouth simply formed an 'oh' shape and her cheeks filled with a particular shade of scarlet. They sat silently at the bar while Penelope gulped down the drink, that he had just put down in front of her.

"Thirsty?" he asked with a smug smirk.

Penelope smiled as best she could and nodded with a "mm."

Was he flirting with her?

Surely not.

They had been actively avoiding each other for a reason the past few days. No doubt because of them near enough giving into temptation on Christmas Eve. I mean, there had to be some sort of shift in the universe if Anthony Bridgerton was truly flirting with her right now. He knew this would only end in disaster.

She had to get out of here.

Penelope shook herself out of her thoughts and grabbed her now half-filled drink, "If you'll excuse me..." Anthony quickly placed a hand on her arm, "Where are you going?"

"Away."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Because why?"

Penelope looked at his hand that was gripped around her arm and then back up to his eyes pleadingly, and in almost whisper, she said what she had been holding back, "because if I stand here a moment longer Anthony. I will do something that we might both end up regretting in a room filled with a London audience."

She spun on her heels and made a sharp exit, leaving now a gagged Anthony Bridgerton.

"Well fuck," Anthony heard from a voice behind him, "didn't see that coming."

Simon Basset was slightly hidden behind a column poking his head out laughing.

Anthony was caught.

"See what coming?" Anthony cleared his throat and sat down on a bar stool.

"Come off it Bridgerton," Simon said. "I did though," another voice approached, that of his younger sister's. Daphne magically appeared behind her boyfriend (Well now fiancée as Simon proposed on Christmas morning).

Anthony just scowled at them both.

"We all see the way you look at her Anthony, it's painstakingly obvious," Daphne smiled and paused while approaching him, "The only thing I ask, what the hell are going to do about it?"

Anthony shook his head in denial.

"Well brother if you do not do anything about it. I am sure someone else will," she grabbed a drink from the bar and toasted towards him mockingly.

Thanks captain obvious he thought.

He wasn't sure what the fuck was going on in his brain. All he knew what it constantly revolved around her at the moment, there was no relief.