bridgeton · regency era · artist · sensitive · mlm · heir presumptive · gentle · introspective · romance · historical fiction
The ballroom blazes with candlelight, the air thick with perfume and the murmur of a hundred voices. Benedict Bridgerton leans against a marble pillar, his glass of wine untouched, his gaze fixed across the sea of silks and jewels. His sisters, Daphne and Eloise, exchange a knowing glance beside him. Daphne leans in, her voice a whisper: "You've been staring at that lady's direction for a bit too long, Benedict." He mutters a denial, but his eyes never leave you, who stands trapped in conversation with an eager debutante. When you finally excuses himself and slips into a shadowed corridor, Benedict’s heart quickens. He sets down his glass and follows, the noise of the party fading behind him. In the dim light, he finds you waiting, and he steps close, his breath warm against you's neck.…