Work Text:
Although Sophie had only been working at the Bridgerton household for a day, she had already realised that her new employers were quite different from what she had encountered so far. Araminta was, obviously, in a league of her own, but even the rest of the high society women had nothing in common with the Bridgerton family—or at least, the members she had met so far. Violet and her daughters were kind, even friendly towards her. Eloise had welcomed her with a humorous comment about her suitability as a maid, considering she'd managed to handle a sick Benedict; Francesca greeted her with a warm and sincere smile, while young Hyacinth enveloped her with a tight hug. Sophie had to make a great effort not to cry in front of the young ladies and their mother, but from the very first moment, she knew she would love working in their home. She would love it so much that it already hurt to think that her stay would be temporary.
She couldn’t work for the Bridgertons for too long—not with Benedict so close. Even the thought of seeing him wander through the house, being so near and yet so far, made her heart ache. While she appreciated his effort to help her by finding her a job so quickly, it had been foolish of her to believe, even for a moment, that this situation could work. Its outcome would only bring her pain; either she would have to disappear and forget about him forever, or she would continue seeing him while forcing herself to stay away, refusing to become his mistress.
With the Bridgertons taking tea in the garden, Sophie had a bit of time to herself. Despite Violet's surprising invitation to join them for tea, Sophie made an excuse about chores to avoid sitting with the Bridgerton women, at least for this time. The truth was, she felt overwhelmed and wasn’t ready to spend her free time with people who reminded her so much of Benedict.
She pondered what she could do to distract herself and make the time pass quickly—perhaps ironing or cleaning shoes—when the arrival of a visitor snapped her back to reality.
"Miss Baek," Benedict said cheerfully, a crooked smile grazing his features. "It's lovely to see you." He looked dashing, as he usually did. He carried himself with confidence, and that alone made him even more attractive in her eyes—and it somehow managed to annoy her at the same time.
She prayed he wouldn’t notice the tremble in her voice when she asked, "What are you doing here?"
"Visiting my family, of course."
He had managed to come close enough to her, standing just a few inches away. Thinking with her mind and not her heart, she took a small step back. They were currently in the morning room and she couldn't risk anyone seeing them like that.
"Eloise was actually complaining about you not visiting them much lately," she replied suspiciously, fully aware of the real reason for his visit.
"And that's exactly why I decided to make amends and start visiting more often," he said, raising an eyebrow as if daring her to respond.
She knew she could banter with him if she wanted, but it wouldn't be wise to prolong this interaction. It would be better if Benedict left as soon as possible, at least for her sanity.
"They're in the garden having tea. Your eldest sister is here too, along with your nephew."
"I see you've met most of my siblings," he noted, crossing his arms. She tried not to notice how this new stance made his tailcoat emphasize his biceps.
"Actually, only your sisters," she corrected him. "And they're all wonderful."
He laughed at her comment. "Wonderful? Are you sure you've met my sisters and not someone else's?"
"I’m definitely talking about your sisters," she playfully swatted his arm, immediately pulling her hand back when she realised what she’d done. "They've all been really kind to me. Hyacinth seems quite excited that I'm her new lady maid, Eloise has been nothing but lovely—"
"Eloise? Lovely? Most people say she's the most annoying of all of us," he interrupted. Despite the seemingly negative comment about his sister, Sophie could sense the affection he had for her, something she had picked up on from their interaction the previous day. She could even assume they were each other's favourites.
Following his playful tone, she decided to reply in a similar way. "If they find Eloise annoying, they probably haven’t met you."
Benedict's mouth fell open dramatically as he placed a hand over his chest in mock offense. "Sophie Baek," he said emphatically. "And here I thought I had secured my position as your favourite Bridgerton."
"A poor assessment on your part," she replied, secretly enjoying teasing him. But as much as she relished their conversation, she knew it was wrong to be this close to him. What if someone saw them talking so intimately? She was about to excuse herself, hastily saying they'd talk another time, when he suddenly took her hand gently.
"Where are you going?"
"I don't know, probably to work?" she replied sarcastically, wishing he would let her go. At the same time, she hoped he would never stop touching her.
"My mother and sisters are outside, they don't need you," he said, confused.
"I have other duties, Mr. Bridgerton," she pointed out, knowing how much it bothered him when she used his last name. "Besides, I thought you came to see your family."
He released her hand and stepped even closer. "I was hoping to change your mind about something."
Not this again. Sophie assumed he was referring to the mistress issue, unable to hide her annoyance when she asked him, "Change my mind about what?"
"About who your favourite Bridgerton is," he had come so close, leaning down to her level, that she could feel his words brush against her lips. "What do you say?"
"Someone might see us," was the only thing she could think to say, unable to find any other reason not to let him kiss her.
"I don't see anyone around."
"Mrs. Watkins was here just a moment ago—"
He placed a finger on her lips, "She's not here now."
She began to breathe faster, failing to keep the promise she'd made to herself to stay away from him. It was impossible—beyond her strength. She let herself act on a sudden impulse and rose to her toes to meet his mouth in a fiery kiss.
Benedict was quick to match her pace, kissing her eagerly in return. His arms encircled her and pulled her tightly against him. She almost yelped at the sudden contact, feeling his bulge through his breeches, but passion had almost blinded her, and she focused solely on kissing him with every emotion she possessed. Her hands found their way to his neck, which, much to her disappointment, was covered by a white cravat. Sophie tried to remove it as quickly as possible, wanting to feel his skin instead of the fabric.
She felt him chuckle against her mouth, and he immediately took it off, throwing it to the floor. When his hands returned to her body, she found herself being lifted by him and seated on a nearby desk. His lips instantly moved to her neck, sending shivers down her spine as his warm breath brushed against her skin. She tilted her head back, giving him more access, her fingers tangling in his hair as a soft gasp escaped her lips. Besides the day on the lake, this was probably the most erotic experience she had had so far.
"Ben," she moaned.
"I need you," he responded between kisses, slowly moving lower and lower. "You’re driving me crazy, Sophie."
She hummed at his statement, unable to say that she felt the same way. She wanted to kiss him too, to somehow return the favor, but the way he was pleasuring her was too overwhelming, and she couldn't think straight. Her senses were consumed by the intensity of the moment, leaving her unable to focus on anything but the pleasure he was giving her.
"Miss Baek?" a woman's voice called out, loud enough for the pair to break apart and exchange panicked glances. Benedict helped her to her feet, gently rearranging her tangled hair, and then quickly moved as far away from her as possible. He eyed his cravat laying on the floor, and since he didn't have the time to pick it up and wear it, he kicked the garment so that it went under the sofa that was in the center of the room.
The housekeeper had just entered the room, looking for Sophie, and was evidently shocked to see Benedict Bridgerton in front of her.
"Mrs. Watkins, good evening," he said cheerfully, as if nothing had happened.
"Good evening, Mr. Bridgerton," replied the older woman. "Your family is—"
"In the garden," he completed her sentence smoothly. "Miss Baek just informed me."
Mrs. Watkins turned to look at her, seeing the young maid with a feather duster in hand, dusting the desk in the corner of the room and avoiding her gaze.
"I'll bring another cup for you to join them for tea," she said kindly to Benedict, and headed towards the kitchen. Sophie prayed she hadn’t noticed her flushed face.
When he was sure the housekeeper wasn't near to hear him, Benedict walked towards Sophie.
"Well," he said with a smile. "It was good to see you."
She nodded, not knowing what to say in response.
"Let me know if my position as your favourite Bridgerton has improved," he teased. "I’m willing to try harder next time."
With that, he took his leave. Sophie quickly spotted the cravat that had been forgotten under the sofa and hurried to retrieve it before anyone noticed. With a small, satisfied smile, she tucked it into her apron and resumed her tasks. Mrs. Watkins would soon be back, and she didn't want to draw any suspicion.
Even from afar, she could hear Benedict enthusiastically greeting his family, while the memory of his lips gently caressing her skin still lingered. Sophie couldn’t shake the feeling that he would somehow be the death of her.