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“You can close your mouth now.”
“I didn’t do anything!”
“Every time he was on screen; you opened your mouth. The first time you even giggled.”
“Sorry, Anthony, that I found him a tad attractive. I mean come on, Josh Hartnett was everyone’s sweetheart.”
“Don’t remind me… Daphne had shitload of posters of him.”
“See,” laughed Kate. “I still find you very attractive, Bridgerton.”
“What if you have to choose between him and I?” wondered Anthony.
“Don’t ask stupid questions, Anthony. Him of course.”
“We watched a movie yesterday; sorry I couldn’t go out.”
“Oh, don’t worry, Daphne also made me watch TV.”
“40 days and 40 nights?”
“Yup,” laughed Simon.
“I don’t understand their crush on that dude.”
“Come on, mate,” smiled Simon. “I remember you crying in front of Pearl Harbor.”
“That kid lost his dad before even being born, Simon.”
“That movie got me thinking, though.”
“Pearl Harbor?”
“No. Yesterday’s movie.”
“Hundred pounds, you lose it after ten days.”
“Make it two hundred on you losing after two weeks.”
“Deal,” smiled Anthony.
“And if one of us wins?”
“Thousand pounds,” winked Anthony, ordering another drink.
“What do you mean abstinence?” asked Kate, looking lost.
“No sex, nothing for 40 days.”
“Wait. So, yesterday you complained that I had a harmless crush on the guy and now, he’s your inspiration.”
“I bet a thousand pounds, Kate. So, you better move in with Mary for a few weeks.”
“And why?” laughed Kate.
“Because the bet starts tomorrow, and I love morning sex.”
“Have you heard about the bet?”
“Yes.”
“I bet you the black dress you wanted that you could make Anthony lose after a week.”
“Deal. The Louboutin heels that you make Simon after ten days.”
“We’re diabolical,” laughed Daphne.
“We’re going to have so much fun,” smiled Kate, taking a sip of her gin.
“Anthony!”
“In the kitchen!”
“Hey, babe. I bought some clothes today. Want to see them?”
“No.”
“Come on,” laughed Kate. “No lingerie, I promise.”
“I hate you so much. Okay…”
Kate went into their bedroom and changed into a dress she had bought.
“As promised, no lingerie!” smiled Kate, coming back into the kitchen.
“Oh, fuck off.”
Kate laughed as she twirled around, wearing a black mesh dress, without her underwear underneath it.
“Don’t you think it’s cute?” she asked, letting her hands roam her body, before cupping her breasts.
“I need a shower.”
“I need one too!”
“Stay away, Kate.”
Ten days later, Anthony was still avoiding her, and any sexual encounter. He had even stopped watching television after watching an enthusiastic Nigella. Kate couldn’t admit it to him, but Anthony’s abstinence was getting on her nerves. She missed being looked at and touched by the man she loved.
Her and Anthony would do a lot of things together, that didn’t involve sex. But now, everything seemed too much for Anthony, who was seeing temptation everywhere.
She joined Daphne, who was downing her drink, ordering another one already. Kate ordered herself a drink as she looked at a tired Daphne.
“You’re taking the challenge badly, I see.”
“If Simon doesn’t fuck me, I’ll die, Kate.”
“You should really study the dramatics of your family. You’re a bunch of extravagant bitches.”
“Kate, I love my husband, but I need sex.”
“Have you told him?”
“No. I feel like dying. My hormones are all over the place. Last time, I went to bed naked. When he thought that I was asleep, he covered me, Kate. And rolled over. I cried, Kate. I fucking cried.”
“Have you – and this is just an idea – but thought about a pregnancy test?”
“Oh, so instead of nausea, I just crave my husband’s co-“
“Waiter!” yelled Kate, drowning Daphne’s voice.
“Simon caved in.”
“Fuck…” whined Kate. “Why did they fuck for fuck’s sake?”
“I don’t know… But we’re having family brunch on Sunday.”
“Oh… Oooooh,” smiled Kate.
“What?” asked Anthony, frowning.
“Nothing. What about you? No desire for sex?”
“I’ll win this bet, Kathani.”
“Technically, you already won since Simon lost…”
“I’ll win.”
Kate looked at Anthony as he worked on a puzzle. He was focused on the thing, ignoring any distractions. Yet, his features screamed joy and peace, when he had been stressed out the past week.
She wondered if something had switched in him, to make him go from feral to this new man.
New Anthony seemed ready to spend his life without sex.
Kate sighed and looked for toys on the internet.
“You look tense,” said Edwina, taking a sip of her coffee.
“Shut up. I know that you know.”
“It’s been how many days?”
“28.”
“Fuck. And at the same time, it’s not that long? I went for more than a month without sex.”
“Yeah, with that knobhead of an ex. It was easy to feel no sexual attraction to that knob Lord.”
“What I’m saying is that it is possible. You just have to masturbate and that’s it.”
“I did yesterday.”
“And?”
“Anthony told me to shut up and stop moaning.”
Kate rolled her eyes as Edwina roared with laughter.
“Don’t laugh, fuck. Simon lost because Daphne is pregnant, and she has her hormones all over the place. But yeah, Anthony is dead set on finishing the challenge.”
“Well, you just have to be patient. I’ll send you the link for a good toy.”
“Kate, you can’t be crying because you’re horny! That is ludicrous!”
“Shut up, Bridgerton. Shut up!”
“Kathani, let’s talk!”
“No, Anthony! I’m tired of you and this shitty bet!”
“Oh my God, Kate, you cannot be mad at me because I’m not having sex with you! Why are you so mad?”
“I want you, Anthony! Sorry that I want to fuck my boyfriend!”
“Kate, I… Can we sit?”
“Sure…”
“God, I feel so embarrassed, Kathani. I… After Dad died, and I got with Sienna, I used sex as a coping mechanism. A way to forget about everything and escape my pain.”
“What’s the link with us, Anthony?”
“I don’t want our relationship to be based on sex. I know this is not the case, but I just needed to be sure, I suppose. And fuck, I love you so much. I love all the shit that we do, other than sex. Don’t get me wrong, the sex is mind-blowing. But I like seeing your smile lightened by the screen in a dark cinema, I like holding your hand when we go to the Farmer’s market, and I fucking love when you teach me how to cook dishes that you love.”
“Fuck… Ten days to wait then, I think… The things I do for the man I love…”
Anthony laughed and kissed her brow, before taking his phone.
“Let’s order in and watch Bake Off reruns.”
“40 days!’
“I can’t believe you pulled it off, mate. Cheers to you. You deserve the money,” laughed Simon.
“Thanks, man. Now, you’ll excuse me, I have something to do. Don’t contact me for 72 hours.”
“Let’s pray for Kate,” laughed Simon.