Chapter Text
"Kate look! It's a guitar!"
“Yes, Bridgerton. I have eyes, I can see that.” Kate Sharma rolls her eyes, determined not to give away the little thrill that runs through her every time Anthony peacocks around in front of her just like he is now, pretending to use the croquet mallet in his hands as though he’s a rock star performing for a crowd of thousands.
Just yesterday, she’d heckled him as he paraded around the courtyard in front of her by yelling ‘take your shirt off’. “Yeah?" He'd whipped it off in an instant. "The shorts too?" He'd asked earnestly.
She didn’t expect him to actually do it, so seeing all that tanned arm caught her off guard. “Don’t be disgusting!”
“You’re the one who asked!” He said, face full of confusion.
But today, Sophie nudges her, pointing out what the entire university already knows. "He's really into you. You should go for it."
"Ew, no. I don't like him, just his arms."
"Suuuuuure." Sophie smirks as she enjoys her own view of his brother, Ben.
“He has nice arms. That’s it. And maybe a nice smile. But he has the most rancid personality I’ve ever come across.” Kate explains, trying not to watch him or his biceps.
“Kate, I love you but you’re the exact same. You should see him with his family.”
"We are nothing alike! Oh god, he's pretending to ride the mallet like it's a horse! He's an idiot!" She gestures to the scene unfolding before her.
"An idiot you're into."
“Will you stop saying that? I am not into him.” Sophie purses her lips, clearly not believing Kate’s protests. “So you didn’t spend the entire party with him in the kitchen last week?”
“That was against my will!” She explains.
“Kate, you’ve never done anything you don’t want to.”
"He kept grabbing me when I tried to walk away." Argues Kate.
"Yeah and putting his arm around you."
"Exactly!"
"You punched Tom for putting his hand on your back like a month ago."
“Because I told him I didn’t like it and he wouldn’t stop!”
“And Anthony putting his arm around your shoulders was fine?” Sophie asks, eyebrow raised.
“No.”
“So you stayed of your own free will?”
“It’s where all the drinks were.” Mumbles Kate, clearly defeated.
“You stayed in the kitchen with his arm around you all night for the drinks?”
Kate's still thinking of a response when Anthony comes running over. "Kate! You going to Fife's party tomorrow?"
"Uh, I might. I dunno." She looks away, suddenly acting shy.
"Okay well lemme give you a ride. Pick you up at eight?"
"Yeah, I guess."
"Yes! See you at eight, Kate. Ha! It rhymes!" He runs off and Sophie just grins at her. “Don’t say a word. You will wake up with a pillow over your face.” Sophie laughs at Kate’s threat, linking their arms as they head back to their flat.
“Anthony is not the worst person in the world to like. There are way worse options.”
“Like?”
“Fife.” Kate grimaces making Sophie laugh even more.
---
"How many more times are you gonna change before you realize he's gonna think you're hot even if you wore a trash bag?"
"I'm.... I just don't like my clothes. It has nothing to do with him."
"And if I told you he likes you in purple?"
"Wait. How do you know that? Did he tell you?" Sophie rolls her eyes, tossing another option at her.
If Kate chooses to wear a purple scarf top then that has nothing to do with Anthony. It’s merely because she had already bought the top and she likes it. Ignoring Sophie’s knowing look, she shrugs on her jacket when there’s a knock at the door. Kate pulls it open and finds Anthony on the other side, grinning ear to ear as Kate walks past him to the car.
“Hope you don’t mind, Sophie’s coming with us.”
"That's great! Ben will be there." Anthony adds as he gets into the driver’s seat.
"Oh, he is?" Asks Sophie as innocently as she can.
"Y-e-p! You should ask him out 'cause he'll probably pass out from excitement." Kate giggles but tries to hide it. Sophie glares at her then grins mischievously.
"You should ask Kate out."
"Sophie!" Kate hisses.
"I thought- are we not going out already?" Anthony furrows his brow as he pulls out from the curb.
"Why would we be going out?!"
"The party the other week. We were together the whole night. You asked me to take my shirt off the other day?"
“That …doesn’t mean we’re together? I don’t think so.” Kate frowns. “You never even asked!”
“So if I asked, you’d be my girlfriend?” Sophie clears her throat from the backseat, making both of them turn to her. “Yes, she would.”
“Soph!”
“It’s the truth. Ask her.” Anthony looks to Kate who looks back at him, feeling unsure of herself for the first time in their entire acquaintance. Anthony opens his mouth to ask her but before he can say anything Kate interrupts.
"Can we talk about this later? In private?" Anthony nods so aggressively Kate thinks his head might fall off. "Yes, absolutely. One hundred percent yes."
"Now...Sophie, what was it you said about Ben the other week? You're certain he must have a huge-"
"KATE!"
“Ben likes you too.” Anthony throws over his shoulder as he takes a turn. “You’re all he talks about.”
“Is there no confidentiality between brothers?” Kate asks.
“He likes her, she likes him. Maybe this will help them.” He shrugs. Kate looks at him for a long moment. She knows he cares about his siblings but to see it done so casually as if it were second nature is something else and she softens a little. "Ben's really nice."
"Oh right! You have a couple of classes with him." Kate nods. "That's how Sophie met him. She was waiting for me after class one day."
"Oh, I know all about the first time he met Sophie. I've heard the story a bunch." Sophie sits up from her spot in the back. "Really?"
"Yeah. You'd be good together. Right, Kate?"
"You would be." Kate agrees, smiling faintly at Anthony. "He's right."
"Sophie, pinch me, Kate just agreed with me." Sophie laughs in the back seat while Kate just narrows her eyes at him. "Don't get used to it."
"I'll work on getting you to agree to more things." He promises with a pointed stare. Her stomach clenches at the knowledge of what they're going to talk about later.
"Can you two wait to do your overwhelming sexual tension-filled stare until I'm not in the car?"
"Sophie, I really am going to smoth-"
"We're here!" Declares Anthony before he hops out of the car and rushes to Kate's door to open it, offering his hand that Kate bats away. "I can get out of a car on my own." He has the audacity to roll his eyes. "I know that but I was trying to be a gentleman."
"How is treating a woman like she's an invalid-"
"I think I see Ben. Bye!" Says Sophie before she runs off. Anthony smiles almost to himself. "They're gonna be great together." Kate softens despite being annoyed that he always seems to do that to her and holds out her hand for him to take.
He walks her inside, still holding onto her hand. Kate shrugs her jacket off and Anthony swears he almost swallows his tongue when he sees what she's wearing. Her entire back is exposed in a purple halter top that ties behind her neck and on her lower back. What he wouldn't give to run his hand down the expanse of her back.
"Are you coming?" He hadn't heard anything she said. "Sorry what?"
"I said, are you coming to get a drink or not?"
"Anything you want." He grins at her. Flirting is the easiest thing to do when he feels like he's lost his footing with her.
Kate pushes through the crowd, Anthony has a strong grip on her hand as though he's afraid he'll lose her. She glances back at him curiously when someone knocks into her and she stumbles in her heels. She feels something solid and strong against her and realizes Anthony has her in his arms, looking at her with his brow furrowed in concern.
"Are you alright?" All she can do is nod when he looks at her so intensely, worry clearly written on his face. "I'm fine, really." She insists, squeezing his hand. His other hand flexes on her waist where he held onto her to prevent her from falling.
"People need to watch where they're going." He grumbles, nudging her along with a gentle push with his chest against her back. "It's a party Anthony, people aren't exactly aware of their surroundings when they're drunk."
"They should." He shoves someone who almost backs into her out of the way with such ease it shouldn't impress her, but it does.
"You gonna be my bodyguard tonight?" She jokes, trying to snap herself out of the haze that being so close to him seems to cause. "It's one of the perks that comes with me as your boyfriend but consider this a free trial." He says with a grin. Kate shakes her head but she's smiling. They finally arrive at the table with all the drinks and Kate's surprised at how naturally they work as a team. Anthony immediately grabs two cups, holding them up for her to pour into.
She knows what he drinks. She's spent enough time with him at parties to know. In fact, Kate's starting to realize just how little interest she has in these things outside of spending time with Anthony. He's temporarily distracted by one of his teammates talking about their upcoming meet and she's left to her own devices. Sophie's off somewhere, hopefully with Ben, and she's just hovering awkwardly waiting for his conversation to end.
She decides to give him space and begins to walk away when she’s tugged back into his side. “Where are you going?” He slips an arm around her shoulder.
“I thought I’d let you guys talk.” She tries to sound casual yet feels a little relieved when he shakes his head and turns to his teammate. “I’ll talk to you later, Lumley. I’m here with my girl.” Lumley gives them a cheery goodbye and Anthony squeezes her shoulder. “It’s okay if you wanna talk with your friend.”
“I wanna talk with you.”
"And what is it that you want to talk about?" She puts on the false bravado, raising a haughty brow trying to feel more like herself. Anthony has her spinning in different directions, unsure of how she's supposed to act now that he's being openly affectionate and not just flirty. She doesn't even know what to do with the my girl comment. She’d liked the sound of it.
"I think you know, Kate." He murmurs, looking at her through hooded eyes. "My free trial isn't over yet. I haven't decided."
"There's no time limit on your trial. You can have it, me, for as long as you want."
She’s almost mad at him for how easily he knocks her off balance. There’s no question about what he wants but what does she want? The guy who blatantly poses when he knows she’s around to catch her attention or thinks Basquiat is a type of champagne. But he’s also the guy who always tries to make her laugh and who seems to actually listen to her when she talks.
“Maybe we should find somewhere quiet to talk?”
He leads her up the stairs and into a quiet room, shutting the door behind him. For the first time since she’s known him, Anthony looks nervous, his hands tucked deep into the front pockets of his jeans. She sits on the bed, watching him stand in front of her waiting for her to speak. He never pushes, never goes too far or makes her feel like what she wants isn’t the most important thing in the world to him. Seeing his vulnerability spurs her on to lower her guard.
“Despite what I may or may not have said before, I like you, Anthony.”
The genuine, unguarded look of absolute joy on his face at her admission will stay with her for as long as she lives. He gestures to the spot beside her. “Can I sit?”
“Of course.” The gentleness in her voice surprises her. She’s used to fighting and struggling to get what she needs which she knows has given her a harsh edge but something instinctually soft seems to come out just for him. He takes her hand in his and she can feel them shaking. “I know I’m an idiot and you’re way cooler and way too good for me but if you’d give me a chance I’d be such a good boyfriend to you.”
“You’re not an idiot.” Kate frowns at him. “A little over the top but you’re a good friend and brother, I don’t doubt you’d make an excellent boyfriend.”
“Are you agreeing to be my girlfriend?” He asks in such a hopeful tone, her chest feels tight. “Yes.” She nods. The grin that spreads across his face barely contains happy he is.
“Can I kiss you?” He’s looking at her like he can’t believe what’s happening and something in her breaks free. She feels light and hopeful and excited for what comes next for the first time in years. She doesn’t answer but nearly launches herself at him, pressing her lips to his. He wraps his arms around her even as he lets out a surprised gasp at her kissing him.
He’s happy to let her take the lead, she notices. He moans into her mouth when she licks into his, his free hand coming up to cup the back of her head holding her there, to him. It’s not what she was expecting. It’s soft and slow as though they have all the time in the world to get to know each other and she’s never wanted anything more than she wants him at this moment.
His other hand rests on the bare skin of her back and it sends a shiver through her. Her own hands slip into his hair as their kisses grow more intense as she melts into him. Slowly, she starts to lay back on the bed, never breaking their kiss when the door swings open and they both yelp.
“Ben?” Asks Anthony as he sees his brother with someone in his arms.
“Oh my god! I knew it, Kate!” Says the woman they both realize is Sophie.
Kate feels her entire body flush hotly, not at being caught with Anthony, but rather because of whom they were caught by. Sophie will undoubtedly be insufferable about the whole thing.
“What are you doing here?” She asks staring pointedly at both of them, Anthony’s arm still around her.
“Well, I think we had the same idea.” Ben gives her that lopsided grin that makes him seem so boyish, eyes crinkling.
“Benedict!” Sophie hits him in the stomach lightly. Turning to Kate she tries valiantly to hide her embarrassment, “I see you two had your…conversation.”
Kate doesn’t miss the proud little nods the brothers give each other as she and Sophie needle at one another. Kate hops up and takes Anthony’s hand. “Come on. Let’s go dance.” Anthony enthusiastically nods, following obediently after her.
As Kate passes by Ben she looks him in the eye. “I trust you’ll see Sophie safely home?”
“Yes, ma’am.”