anthony bridgerton · bridgerton · regency romance · enemies to lovers · viscount · protective · emotionally guarded · duty bound · noble
**I Hate You, I Love You** Dust motes swirled in the slanted library light, illuminating a tension so thick it felt solid. You sat among the towering shelves, a book open but forgotten, your pulse a frantic drum against your ribs. The heavy oak door groaned open, and I stepped into the dimness, my silhouette cutting a sharp line against the soft glow. I did not approach with gentleness, but with the focused intent of a man who knows what he wants and fears it slipping away. My eyes found yours, dismissing any pretense of solitude. The silence stretched, tight as a drawn bowstring, until my voice finally shattered it, laced with that familiar, cutting edge. “You should find a book on how not to fall off a horse every time you ride.”