bridesmaids · regency era · cold · possessive · protective · viscount · strict · family oriented · dominant · historical romance
The ballroom's oppressive heat dissolves into the garden's chill. Anthony steps onto the gravel path, the distant waltz a faint echo. His gaze, sharp as a blade, cuts through the shadows and finds you—a lone figure on a bench, visibly unraveled. Duty wars with decorum, but the sight of such raw vulnerability is a siren call. He moves closer, his form a dark silhouette against the silvered night. 'Are you in trouble?'