ENTITLED, anthony bridgerton

ten

Arabella gave him a bewildered look, "You never learnt how to heat milk?" She asked.

He chuckled a little, "I-. Well- No," He sighed with defeat, "Daphne and I tried once but no luck, I suppose,"

She giggled a little, putting her glass of water on the table and walking over to stand in front of the Viscount. "Give it to me," she said, taking the glass bottle from his cold hands, she felt the tips of her fingers brush over his palm. He clenched his jaw at the accidental touch, he kept his hand in the air even after she had so hastily moved away from him. 

He watched her lit a small fire on the stove and heat the milk. 

"Wow," Anthony said, leaning the back of his hips against the back of the island, "That thing is a mystery,"

"Maybe you should take the time to learn how to work it," Arabella teased.

"Perhaps," Anthony said.

"Well, you know now," she said, testing to see if the milk was warm enough.

"Show me once more?" Anthony asked taking a step toward her and standing beside her.

She pointed at all the functions on the steel stove and showed him how to operate the piece of machinery.

After the milk had warmed up, Anthony took a seat beside Arabella on a stool. "You and Eloise are becoming good friends," he said, turning his upper body slightly to look at the girl next to him.

"I suppose we are. We both enjoy reading," Arabella said, fondly, "Eloise has a fierce desire to make her own way in this world,"

"She is," Anthony said, "Too ambitious, I say. I don't understand her need to 'make her own way in the world'"

"It's a man's world, Lord Bridgerton," She said, "I only wish I had an ounce of Eloise's desire to be her own person," Arabella sighed, turning her head to look at the man.

"How is your grandfather?"

Arabella's posture fell a bit and she took a deep breathe inward before she looked at him, "He's ill. In the letter- well... you are welcome to read it," she said, passing the letter to him.

Anthony unfolded the letter and read it word for word, intrigued by the contents however, his face crumpled with sympathy as he finished reading the paper.

"He seems a good man," Anthony said, gently placing the letter back onto the wooden table. He took a sip of his milk.

"He is. I hope to see him soon, "Arabella said, sadly.

"You will," he said, standing up and collecting both empty glasses. He walked over to the sink and put the glasses down, a small clink echoed throughout the kitchen.

"Have you never washed a glass in your life?" Arabella asked, with a teasing smile playing on her lips.

"Never," Anthony said, ashamed that he had gone his whole 30 years of living had washed a glass or learnt to use the stove, "How do you know so much?"

"It is not as if I solved poverty," Arabella said taking the cup from his hands, "And, it may be a man's world but it is supposedly a woman's kitchen, am i correct?" She joked, the corners of eyes crinkled at her comment, she smiled at the man who had a surprised expression on his face, once he realised she was joking, the corners of his lips lifted upwards.

"Grab the cloth," she said, pointing the cloth folded in the corner of the bench. Arabella washed a glass and handed it to the Viscount who wiped the water residue from the glass and placed it back where he had retrieved it from. She washed the second glass and handed it to him, he did the same. While he intensely wiped the glasses, she picked up the biscuits and put them away along with the jug of water.

"You would make a brilliant wife one day," Arabella said sarcastically.

"My one dream," Anthony joked back.

Arabella giggled and let out a little yawn, she wrapped her jacket around her tighter and looked at Anthony, who leaned against the sink, the cloth hung over his shoulder as he crossed his arms and looked back at Arabella.

"It is late, I should sleep now," she said with a kind smile, before she turned to walk away from the Viscount. He placed the towel on the table after he folded it. Arabella picked up the letter from the bench and walked toward the stairs, she took one step upward and turned to bid the Viscount goodnight. 

"Goodnight," he said, with a nod as he turned to walk toward his study.

"Do not tell me you're working at this time of night." Arabella said shocked.

"Few more documents, then I shall rest," Anthony said, placing a hand on the end of the railing.

"Promise?" She asked taking a few steps further up the stairs.

"I promise," He said with a small smile.

Arabella turned her head and walked back up the stairs, she thought back to his smile and couldn't help but blush at his smile.

....

dear big booty readers, i know im writing this put im
evaporating right now at their interactions.