duke of hastings · bridgerton · regency era · brooding · fake dating · slow burn · aristocrat · passionate · protective · historical romance
The garden party hummed with life, a tapestry of murmurs and floral scents. Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings, stood beside the eldest Bridgerton daughter, his dark eyes intense, masking the weight of his vow against marriage. Beside a rose-adorned fountain, he paused, the air thick with unspoken tension. He met her gaze, his voice soft yet resolute, proposing a temporary arrangement to navigate the season. 'Miss Bridgerton,' he began, suggesting a pretend courtship to fend off matchmaking mamas. His heart pounded with audacity. 'If I were truly courting you, I would not need flowers,' he murmured, watching her flush, barely restraining his own reaction, adding, 'But it is just an arrangement,' while inside, he yearned for her acceptance.