Kate awoke with a start. The sun was slowly setting and had made the room golden with the fading rays. But Kate didn't have time to enjoy the serene setting. She had been startled awake in Anthony Bridgerton's bed. She was NAKED. So was he she saw as she glanced over at his sleeping form.

Goddamnit, she thought to herself. What on earth had she done?!

"Anthony!" she hissed through her teeth.

He didn't stir.

Impatient by this point, Kate flicked him in the forehead.

"What the hell?!" Anthony shouted as he sputtered awake. "Kate, what the devil are you doing?"

"What are YOU doing?" she shouted. "You bedded me! You've compromised me! I shall be ruined and ruin my family in turn!"

She was practically hyperventilating at this point. Her mind spinning, she dragged the sheet off the bed, wrapping it around herself. Anthony eyed her in an amused fashion. She was acting so abashed now, but that was NOT the woman he had encountered earlier that afternoon.

Kate was desperately trying to find her clothes, all without letting the sheet drop so that Anthony couldn't see anymore than he already had.

"Kate," he said in a level voice, "It's going to be fine. It's not even suppertime, your mother and Edwina won't suspect anything untoward. We'll simply tell them you recovered here, with a chaperone present, and that afterwards we went for some tea in a public place. No one will be the wiser."

She stared at him incredulously.

"You must be mad. Someone could have seen us entering your house."

Anthony rolled his eyes. "No one did. The street was empty when we arrived. And I'll make sure no one is out there before we depart."

Kate's forehead was still crinkled with worry. She bit her lip with apprehension. But she realized she had no choice but to trust him.

"Fine," she replied with a toss of her head. "Let's get this over with."

He grinned devilishly at her. "That's not what you were saying a few hours ago."

She stared at him, opening and closing her mouth silently. She had no witty retort and he knew it.

"You are such a rake."

"I know. But you clearly don't mind too much."

She sighed heavily. "Can you please just turn your back so I may dress?"

Anthony raised an eyebrow. "Well then you shall have to do the same. Since I am also bereft of my clothing."

Kate blushed furiously. He had a point. He always did it seemed.

Once they had both made themselves presentable, Anthony motioned to Kate to follow him towards the front door. Kate nervously followed in his wake, terrified of the repercussions of her reckless actions. Those thoughts flew from her mind however, when Anthony turned to her and smoothed her wilder than usual hair. Her breath caught as she felt his strong hands graze her face.

Anthony couldn't believe that Kate could still look so beautiful even in her slightly disheveled state. In fact, she was somehow even more radiant. Her hair was curly and falling out of it's bouffant. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes still blinked off sleep. She simply took his breath away.

Even though they were in the foyer at the front door, Anthony found himself inexplicably leaning towards her. She drew him in, like a moth to a flame.

Their lips met, as they had done before. The spark ignited again, the heat between them undeniable. Kate now felt more confident, bolder, and wanted to take more control. She immediately opened her mouth to him, accepting his desire. Kissing Anthony was almost an out of body experience. She couldn't believe he wanted HER, that he viewed her with such desire.

Anthony wound his hands in her hair. He breathed deeply, never wanting her scent to leave him. He kissed her slowly, trying to convey to her just how precious she was to him. Eventually, he pulled away, his hands still on either side of her face, staring into her eyes. He tilted her face down and pressed a gentle kiss on her forehead. Kate looked up at him, her eyes shining.

"I know you can't stand me, but hopefully now you'll find me a bit more palatable moving forward."

Kate laughed quietly. "We shall see Lord Bridgerton."

And with that, they walked through the door into the fading light.

And immediately were met with the shocked faces of Portia and Penelope Featherington.

FUCK.

That was the only word reverberating in Anthony's head as he took in the two women in front of him. Lady Featherington was the most notorious gossip in town. And now she had witnessed him and Kate leaving his lodgings, both with ridiculous smiles on their faces. He had to think fast.

"Ah Lady Featherington," he purred smoothly. "How lovely to see you. Ms. Sharma and I were just headed to my mother's for supper," he lied on the spot. A society woman would never question the Viscount if she knew what was good for her. But unfortunately, Portia Featherington did not.

"That's not possible," she trilled. "I just saw your mother this afternoon and she said she hadn't spoken to you all day and certainly didn't mention you'd be having any guests over for dinner."

Anthony winced. Leave it to his mother to be friendly to everyone and never worry about divulging information. He could feel Kate beginning to tremble next to him and it made him wish he could put his arm around her to comfort her. But that would certainly not help their current situation, so he refrained from doing so.

As the silence had stretched on for an uncomfortably long time now, Anthony cleared his throat, trying to buy time while he worked out exactly how to get out of this mess.

But before he was even able to breathe a word, Mrs. Featherington's eyes grew wide. Her stare was fixed directly at Anthony's throat. Kate shot him a nervous look, and it took all her willpower not to gasp out loud.

The idiot had forgotten to put on his cravat!

Kate knew they were done for now. She knew there would be no reasonable explanation as to why an unmarried woman would be leaving a man's home at dusk and then the man not even being dressed properly! If their dinner story was suspect before, it was truly shot to hell now.

Lady Featherington fixed Anthony with a steely glare.

"You do realize you'll have to marry her now."

She said it in such a matter of fact voice that at first Anthony was unsure if his ears had deceived him.

"I obviously need to tell your mother if I am to remain any kind of friend to her. And she will expect you to do the gentlemanly thing."

"Nothing happened!" Kate burst out, finally speaking for the first time in this exchange.

Portia's eyes slide over to Kate. "Darling, it is as plain as the flush on your face. You aren't the first woman to fall under the viscount's spell, but because of your standing, you will be the last."

Kate could have fainted on the spot. Her brain was beginning to catch up with itself and she realized Lady Featherington was right. Violet Bridgerton, Anthony's mother, would have to be informed. And because Portia Featherington couldn't keep her mouth shut in between tea breaks, soon the whole ton would become aware as well. If Kate wanted to protect herself and her family, she would have to MARRY Anthony Bridgerton.

If he ever asked her properly of course. He stood next to her, his back ramrod straight. She could see behind his eyes he was running the calculations in his head. They were all silent for a few moments, before Penelope Featherington timidly opened her mouth and said "Congratulations!"

Anthony snapped back to the conversation. He plastered a smile on his face and looked at Penelope, who really was a sweet girl and well-meaning.

"Thank you very much Penelope. I would ask you not to tell anyone just yet, as Ms. Sharma and I had hoped to make the announcement at my mother's this evening. I certainly would not want anyone else hearing it before her own son told her."

Penelope nodded knowingly, and Anthony knew he could trust the girl. She may not have been the most popular girl in town (she had yet to receive a single marriage proposal) but she was kind and even-tempered and he knew she would never do anything to jeopardize the Bridgerton name. Especially because his younger sister Eloise was Penelope's very best friend.

Mrs. Featherington smiled smugly at them.

"Very well Viscount Bridgerton." I will just have to pretend to be surprised with the rest of the ton when I receive the next edition of Lady Whistledown."

And with a quick curtsy and a grab of Penelope's arm, they disappeared as quickly as they had arrived.

Anthony and Kate walked in silence the entire way to Bridgerton House. Kate desperately wished he would say something, but every time she peeked at him from the corner of her eye, he had just been staring straight ahead, eyes unblinking.

He had run back inside and made sure he was dressed properly. His family wouldn't be expecting them and he didn't want to have a more shocking entrance than necessary.

Kate couldn't believe this had happened. Because she had forgotten herself, had thrown caution to the wind, now she was trapped into marriage. To a viscount. To her mortal enemy, who only days ago had seemed to express interest in her younger sister. How had she gotten here? What could she do?

The pair slowly approached the gates of Anthony's family mansion. It was grand, made of brick, with vines climbing artfully along the sides. If she hadn't have already felt like she was going to faint, it would have taken Kate's breath away.

Anthony stopped her on the stairs. He took both her hands in his. Kate looked into his eyes and saw a pained expression there. She was terrified of what he would say next.

"Kate," he said, sounding like a man on fire. "I am so sorry for getting you into this situation. I never should have taken such liberties with you. But you must see the only way out of this is marriage."

Kate nodded silently, unable to form words.

Anthony took a deep breath. "I need you to know that while I think we are well suited and we could form a fine friendship and family, this will not be a love match."

Her heart sank straight to her toes.

"It has nothing to do with you," he found himself explaining. It is simply a choice I have made for myself. I promise I will keep you safe and protected, and I hope, even happy. The same goes for any children we might have. But I can never fall in love."

Kate felt tears beginning to prick at the corners of her eyes. She was going to marry this man, and he was already telling her that he would never feel love for her. That they would simply be companions and bedfellows and nothing else. Kate felt like the world was giving out beneath her feet.

She sucked in a breath. She wouldn't let him see how this upset her. She would be strong and accept the lot she had been given. She really didn't have a choice otherwise.

So with a simple nod of her head, she placed her hand in the crook of Anthony's arm and together they crossed the threshold.