The Sweetest Ruin

Chapter One

It surprised nobody, least of all Georgiana Blake, when Virginia's telephone call finally came. That, however, did not soften the blow any as Georgiana listened to her older brother's personal assistant quietly inform her that William had been rushed to the hospital with a possible heart attack.

Georgiana had calmly called her husband, Jeremy, and her Aunt Cate then drove to the hospital where she was directed to a lavish private room. Nothing but the best for William Darcy. She grit her teeth as she put her hand on the door and pushed. She hated hospitals and she hated the fact that her brother was just beyond this door. She had been telling him to slow down for years, knowing that something like this would happen. So angry she could hit him, Georgiana took a deep breath before she entered.

He was in his bed, his skin a pasty shade of white, with a tube in his nose and an IV in his arm. Virginia had already brought fine silk pajamas because God forbid William Darcy be reduced to wearing a paper hospital gown.

"Damn you," she growled.

"I'm not asleep, Gee."

"I know."

William opened his eyes, smiling tenderly at the worry lines around his sister's eyes. She only scowled harder.

"Don't do that, you plank."

"Do what?" He asked dryly.

"Oh, hell. I don't know. How about almost dying?"

"They aren't even sure what is wrong yet, Georgiana."

"Don't patronize me, William! What if it's something bad? You're thirty-two bloody years old! I'd like to keep you around for a few more years."

William closed his eyes against her unending tirade. He had heard it all before but she proceeded to scold him about the hours he worked and the vacations he didn't take. She accused him of not having a life outside of D&B, but what Georgiana had never understood was that Darcy & Bingley Investments was his life. She moved onto the 'gaining a hobby, making friends and doing something out side of work' part of the speech. Occasionally, to avoid her nagging, William had tried, but it never lasted. Social niceties had never appealed to him and he wasn't about to just sit around and relax. No, William Darcy didn't sit on the sidelines. William Darcy played the game.

There was a soft knock on the door and, after Georgiana bade admittance, Caroline poked her head in.

"Look, Will, Carrie brought you flowers."

Caroline blushed slightly, embarrassed at being noticed it seemed and set them on the dresser in the corner of the room. She put her purse next to it and, with a deep breath, faced William. Gingerly, she took his hand, calming only when he proved corporeal.

"You have officially scared the hell out of me," she whispered, her green eyes full of worry.

"I'm sorry," he responded gently as he squeezed her hand. He leveled his gaze at both of them and said: "It wasn't as if I had this on my calendar today."

Huffing, Caroline scowled at him. "This isn't funny."

He squeezed her hand again, let go, and stared at the television remote that was built into the bed. He wanted to watch the evening financial reports, but was slapped sharply on the hand for his efforts. With a glare at his sister, he rubbed the back of his wounded paw.

"What?"

"No."

"What?" He asked again.

"No work. That's what got you in here in the first goddamn place. Carrie, help me out here."

Caroline's wide bright green eyes stared at him intently, invoking the guilt that Georgiana had failed to inspire. His hand fell to his stomach as he glared at her. She had always had the innate ability of bending William to her will with a mere glance. He groaned.

"Using those big eyes of yours is unfair, Caroline."

She leaned forward, brushing a soft kiss across his cheek. "But if it keeps you alive I consider it a fair trade."

Suddenly tired, William sighed. And, it was at that moment, that Jane bustled in. Her blonde hair was in a severe bun, no doubt accomplishing its mission of restricting the oxygen flow to her small, socially aware brain. What Charles had seen in Jane William was sure to never know. There seemed to be no two people more mismatched on the planet than Jane and Charles Bingley.

He had to stifle the chuckle that bubbled up when he saw Georgiana and Caroline's matching scowls. Neither of them cared much for Jane. The blonde in Burberry swooped down on him like a hawk on a field mouse. Her fingers glided over his cheek like she was checking for fever and her eyes full of feigned concern. William was half her meal ticket after all.

"Hello, Jane," he mumbled.

"William, William, William!" She cried. "What were you thinking? Do you know how utterly terrified we all are? Why Charles is flying back from St. Petersburg this very moment!"

"I'm sorry to have put a crimp in anybody's plans, Jane."

"Oh, darling, nevermind that. You just get better."

"Jane dear, why don't we leave Will and Gee alone?" Caroline asked, her eyes flicking toward Georgiana to inform her of her heavy debt. "Will is probably very tired and he doesn't need us bothering him so."

Quickly, Caroline ushered her sister-in-law out of the room, leaving the Darcy siblings to themselves. William cocked his eyebrow, expecting Georgiana to resume her lecture, but she didn't. Instead, she pulled a chair close to his bed and took his hand.

"I don't want to lose you. If you leave me alone and I have to deal with Jane, I will resurrect your ass faster than you can say 'Lazarus.'"

"You won't lose me."

"You can't say that, especially not after today. There are no guarantees in this life, Will." She looked down at their joined hands and braced herself. He wasn't going to like what she had to say next. "I called Catherine."

"Dammit, Georgiana! Didn't the doctors inform you that I was to avoid stress?"

"Yes, and Aunt Cate is going to help me."

William snorted incredulously. "How the bloody hell is she going to do that? The old bat takes delight in telling us what is wrong in our lives."

"No, William, she delights in telling you what is wrong. She approves of my lifestyle because I have a life outside the walls of my company."

He sighed heavily, realizing he was trapped in a no-win situation. It was an unusual feeling for him. William Darcy did not like losing, but as he took in his sister's truly worried face, he understood a little what his episode had cost her. Besides Catherine, he and Richard were the only family she had left. Tenderly, he reached for her cheek and wrapped his fingers around, holding her by the neck, bringing her face down a little.

"I am sorry that this happened, sweetheart. Don't be scared, okay? I'll get better and everything shall be fine." He pulled her down, his lips skimming her smooth cheek.

"Hey, I thought when I married you that we'd agreed not kiss other people."

They looked up to find a tall, handsome fellow with perpetually messy brown hair. Whether he was in a suit, like now, or a soccer uniform, Jeremy Blake's hair could not be tamed regardless of the products used on it.

"I didn't think my brother counted," Georgiana replied, her perfect brow curving as her lips followed suit. She approached her husband and pressed her lips to his. "Hello."

"Hello." Jeremy smiled that smile that only appeared when Georgiana was near. He glanced at his brother-in-law and shook his head. "I had a game tonight. You always know how to get more attention, you arse."

"I could still fire you, you know. I'm not dead yet."

"Don't say that!" Georgiana cried. "Don't even think it!"

His dry humor besting his sense of decorum, William leveled a gaze at her then Jeremy. "Could you please become a rotten husband so she'll stop nagging me?"

"You're incorrigible!"

He merely smiled.

Finally, after more banter and a lecture given after Georgiana found Jeremy discussing work while she'd been in the restroom, Virginia arrived, followed by Caroline, who had managed to convince Jane to wait for Charles at home.

"Hell, hell, the gang's all here and bossy as ever," William moaned miserably after another attempt at checking the stock reports failed.

"I have cancelled all your appointments for the next week," his assistant began, relishing the look of abject horror on his face. She could barely contain her laughter at Georgiana's triumphant grin. "You'll be in for tests all week, sir. You won't have time to tend to business. Mr. Bingley can handle what needs to be taken care of. The rest can wait."

"Virginia, I beg your pardon, but Mr. Harrison will only deal with me and I had a meeting with him first thing tomorrow."

"And now I have a meeting with him," Jeremy said. "D&B will go on and we'll do fine until you get back. Till then, Will, you might as well quit fighting us. You should save your strength for when Aunt Cate arrives."

A nurse slipped into the room to inform them that visiting hours would soon be over.

"Miss Wyler," said Georgiana, looking at the nurse's nameplate, "My brother desperately needs his rest. Is there anyway to disconnect his remote control to remove the temptation of watching cartoons all night?"

William's face grew red, but nobody could tell if it was embarrassment or anger and the nurse paid no attention.

"Yes, Mrs. Blake. I can take care of that."

"What about what I want?" William whined.

"Shut up," came from a chorus of voices.

The nurse chuckled and unplugged the wall-mounted television then left before the rich man could fire her.

"I'm taking you out of my will," William grumbled.

"Okay," Georgiana replied. "As long as you're eighty or so before I find out you disowned me."

She bent and kissed his forehead, waited for Jeremy as he shook William's hand, and they left, Jeremy's arm wrapped around his wife's small waist.

"Virginia, now that my sister is gone, would you please plug the television in?"

"No."

"I'll fire you."

"With all due respect, sir, Mr. Bingley would only hire me back."

"Gin-" he warned.

With a deep breath that might have been interpreted as acquiescence, she stood, but a moment later she was gathering her coat and briefcase. She smiled sweetly at him. "Goodnight, sir."

"You're fired," he grumbled.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"No, you won't because you're fired."

"I'll see you tomorrow."

William looked at Caroline helplessly as Virginia walked out of the room. She shook her head, smiling sadly.

"Carrie, what's wrong?"

Gently, she touched his chest, willing his heart to be better.

"All my life you've been there. Do you have any idea how scary it is for me to think of a world without you in it? You're more than my brother's best friend, Will. You're family. I depend on you as much I depend on Charles. You can't leave me."

The desperation in her voice was not lost on him. Between Georgiana's worry and Caroline's utter fear he was forced to submit. He couldn't ignore the feelings of the two women most important to him, so he would let them have their way. For now.

"I don't suppose-" he began, glancing at the television.

"Not on your life, you horrible man."

"I love you, Carrie, you know that right? I will always take care of you."

"I know, Will, but first you need to take care of yourself." She leaned down, kissed him briefly, and went home, shaken and unbearably frightened.

* * *

"So, I'm fine?"

"Well, I wouldn't go so far as to say that," Dr. Jensen said, looking at William over the top of her tortoise shell glasses. "This anxiety attack was severe. You still need treatment."

"But my heart is alright?"

"For now," she replied cryptically.

"It's either fine or it isn't, Eve."

"Who's the doctor here, Will? I said 'for now' and I meant it. You keep up these stress levels and you could do some serious damage. I'm prescribing bedrest, complete bedrest, and an antianxiety medication. And because I know you, I've already spoken to Gee about your treatment. There will be no getting around me this time, William."

With a glare, William sank back into his pillows and crossed his arms over his chest like a petulant child. His sister had become his keeper. He wondered if she had already moved back into the townhouse.

"As it stands you may go home. Gee is waiting outside, ready to see that you follow my advice."

"For how long?"

"I want to see you back here for tests in six weeks."

"Eve!"

"William, fight me on this and I'll make it eight."

"Do you know what will happen to my company if I'm not there for six weeks?"

"It will go on. Charles is very capable of running things and Jeremy is no slouch." Eve leaned down, touching the tip of her finger to William's nose. "You didn't any arguments with me when we dated. You aren't going to win them with me now."

"You see now why we didn't last," he hissed as she straightened.

"No, I think we didn't last because I met my husband."

As if on cue, her husband appeared, followed by Georgiana. Laying a kiss on her cheek, Richard Fitzwilliam threw a glance at his cousin then looked back at Eve.

"This bloke giving my beautiful wife fits? I'll gladly pummel him for you."

"No need. I think he's going to be beaten down enough in the next few weeks. We are here to break his spirit after all."

William grumbled something unintelligible except for the words 'horrid' and 'family.'

They gathered his things as he disappeared into the bathroom to dress. Eve gave Georgiana her instructions and told her what time her shift ended in case she was needed.

"I'm not on tonight, but I want you to call me if he causes you any trouble. I have no problem getting elephant tranquilizers."

Georgiana smiled appreciatively. She dreaded getting William home, knowing that he was going to be anything but happy upon seeing that Catherine was going to be his caretaker. There had been nothing else she could do. She had a new shop opening in Los Angeles and Jeremy's workload increased with William's absence. Caroline was in school and her term wasn't close to being up. She couldn't inflict Jane on him. Catherine was the only choice they had.

"Want to go really fast?" Richard asked as William settled into the wheelchair that he'd insisted on. There was a glimmer in his eyes that soon turned to disappointment when William adamantly responded in the negative. "You have no sense of adventure."

"Last time you and I shared an adventure I ended up with a tattoo and a broken rib," William replied dryly. "And I don't believe I received them in that precise order."

"Didn't you also get a raging case of herpes?"

"Eve, tell your husband to leave me alone."

"Richard, be nice to William. He's very sick after all."

"I am not," he whined.

"Shut up," replied the party in unison.

* * *

"Is that my nephew?" Catherine's voice echoed through the halls of the old townhouse. "William? Georgiana?"

"What about me?" Richard muttered. "That old bat has always thought I was chopped liver."

"I heard that, Richard," Catherine said, coming around the corner. She was dressed in pale pink jogging pants and a loud yellow rainslicker. She was carrying Macintoshes in her hand.

"Aunt Cate, it isn't raining outside," William pointed out.

"I know that. Do you think I'm a fool? I was just giving Reggie his bath."

William sighed, rolled his head and shoulders to release tension, and delivered an angry glare at his sister. Not only was Catherine in his house, but she had brought Reginald, her outrageously stupid and hyper Yorkshire terrier, whom William couldn't stand.

"Wait a minute. If Reggie is here, where is Wellington?"

"Oh, that beast? He's in the yard. He scared poor Reggie to pieces."

"Aunt Cate, my dog is not going to be kicked out of his own house by your tiny mutt," he growled. He stomped past the party, intent on letting his Boxer eat his aunt's terrier if he so desired.

"Well, being ill certainly hasn't made him any more agreeable," Catherine muttered. "Are you sure this is the right thing to do?"

"We have no choice, Aunt Cate," Georgiana replied. "He won't take care of himself if left to his own devices and nobody else can stay with him."

"Well, I could," said Richard. "I am a useless layabout, but I'm busy doing that."

Catherine tapped Richard's shoulder gently as she admonished him. He, in turn, bent and kissed her cheek.

"I shall be by as often as I can to keep him occupied, Aunt Cate," he told her. "Though I may have to occupy you occasionally too. William can be a bastard when he's cranky."

"You don't say," she muttered wryly.

A moment later William and Wellington appeared, glared at his relatives, and went upstairs.

Richard smirked. "Oh, yes, a bastard indeed”.

Chapter Two

Catherine set her teacup down and looked at William sternly. He was watching the television with Wellington curled up on the couch at his master's feet snoring loudly. William was listlessly flipping through channels and more than once Catherine had just started to get interested in something when he changed stations.

"Would you make that dog stop that racket?"

"No."

She sighed. "We have four more weeks to spend together, William. Could you at least try to make an effort?"

"Aunt Cate, I feel perfectly healthy and yet I have been exiled from my office for no good reason. Also, I'm a grown man who doesn't need a babysitter, yet nobody feels comfortable enough to leave me alone. Frankly, I'm shocked that you haven't started sleeping on a rollaway in my room."

"Don't be vulgar. We're trying to do what is best for you. You may feel fine, but it's the stress of your job that brought all this about in the first place. Do you not understand that?"

"I thrive on the stress," he muttered, his lip sticking out in a pout without his realizing it.

"Nobody thrives on that much stress, William," she pointed out.

William shifted uncomfortably. For two weeks solid, he'd barely been in his house without every person he knew, including Jane, buzzing around like he was about to die. It was grating on his already thin nerves and Catherine's presence, while possibly not really as irritating as he made it out to be, just exacerbated his frustration. He looked down at Wellington, who had laid his head across William's calves, and counted backwards from ten, trying to keep his anger in check.

For as long as he could remember, William had been in charge of his own destiny and to be told, to be ordered into passivity was unacceptable. Suddenly, something flashed through his mind and the corner of his lip involuntarily curled minutely. It was perfect.

"You know, Aunt Cate, you're right. Stress isn't good for anybody. I'm going to be a better patient from now on."
Catherine eyed him suspiciously. "Why the sudden change of heart?"

"I shouldn't take it out on you. It isn't your fault that you were the only one available to nurse me."

Her lips pressed together, not quite believing that he was sincere, but, after two weeks of fighting with him to eat properly, relax, and enjoy life a little, Catherine was more than a little tired and decided that her nephew was worth taking at his word.

"We love you, William. You know that, right?"

Even with his aunt's rare utterance of those words, William refused to give into guilt about the newborn plan that took root in his mind. Instead he smiled at her and leaned over to pat her hand. Wellington stirred at his feet.

"Aunt Cate, there's nothing in this world that means more to me." Except my freedom. He stood, Wellington instantly awake and at his side, and dropped a kiss on the old dowager's forehead. "I think I'm going to go take a nap."

Catherine nodded and patted the hand he placed on her shoulder momentarily. She was snoring soundly when he slipped out the front door.

* * *

Elizabeth moaned and threw her head back. Her frustration was evident as she rolled her shoulders, tossed the napkin onto her plate, and pushed it across the table.

"I hate financial aid," she grumbled. "I hate it with the fire of a thousand suns, Thad. Couldn't you just blow it up for me?"

Thad Harmon smiled and covered her cheek with his long fingers. His smile was brilliant, his eyes full of sympathy.

"No, my darling girl, I cannot. It would simply ruin my new Prada shoes."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "You might want to work on that. You don't sound gay enough."

"Well, the fact that I sleep with men covers that so I'm good. They won't kick me out of the gay mafia just yet. Anyway, back to the task at hand. How much are you getting next semester?"

"My financial aid is about $800 and that doesn't even cover my stupid tuition let alone my books. I would have been fine had I not gotten that damn raise. Who would have ever thought I'd complain about making too much money?"

"You could always just marry me and be my fag hag for life. I'm loaded."

"You're a whore," Elizabeth muttered.

Thad leaned back in his seat. "You know I love to see you bitchy. It gets me all hot and bothered, but there's no need to take your anger out on me, love. We'll get through this, just like everything else. Now, be nice."

"I'm sorry. You aren't a whore, though Damien keeps you rolling in it." Elizabeth smirked and Thad leaned in to kiss her cheek.

"Doesn't he though? I think I might keep him."

Elizabeth's eyes lit up. "Are you serious? Are you going to ask Damien to marry you? Oh, Thad!" She threw her arms around her friend, excited beyond words.

"Whoa! Slow your roll, junior! One step at a time. Not marriage, not yet. I do, however, think I want him to move in with me."

Thad had been her best friend for almost five years. He'd been a TA teaching one of her freshman courses and they had just clicked instantly as some people tend to do. She thought about this as she sat back and chewed her lip while she studied him thoughtfully. He had just gotten out of a bad long-term relationship when they'd met and had only started dating again a couple of years ago.

"Damien really loves you. Don't you know that? I can see it in the way he looks at you. If a man looked at me like that I think I'd melt on the spot."

"I look at you with love all the time," Thad replied, winking.

She wrinkled her nose. "Not quite the same thing, my darling boy."

"I suppose you're right. You won't be happy until some schmuck off the street makes a grand entrance and sweeps you off your feet."

"You think you know me so well," she muttered, sipping her iced tea.

"Lizzy, when was the last time you went out on a date with a man who actually yearns for the touch of a woman?"

A guilty look passed over her face as she sat the drink down. "Hey, you try finding a guy in a town full of queens and male dancers. Anyway, I've been busy."

"Too busy, Elizabeth. I'm going to find you a nice straight male and you're going to go out on a date."

"No. Thad, the last time you set me up with a 'nice straight male' we shopped for shoes all night."

"How was that a bad thing?"

"Thad! The stilettos were for him!"

"Okay," Thad replied, his voice laced with resignation, "He was a cross dresser, but he was straight."

She sighed. "No dates, Thad. I mean it. I have too much on my plate right now anyway."

Thad picked a tiny puff of lint from his linen trousers and frowned. Despite his best efforts, he could never convince Elizabeth that she needed somebody. In his opinion, his dearest friend was entirely too dependent and focused. She needed somebody who would give her everything she deserved; somebody who would reawaken the passion that had gone dormant inside.

"Fine, but next time your horny do not ask to borrow my vibrator."

Elizabeth just hung her head and laughed.

* * *

It was an airport like a thousand other airports in the world: full of tired, cranky people who just wanted to get where they were going. What struck him though were the few garishly dressed people that seemed to float through the crowd like polyester pantsuits on an haute couture runway. Honestly, after all his travels he knew that bad taste was universal, but these people went beyond poor taste and right into fashion accident.

There was the man in the pale blue leisure suit with the black and silver satin shirt glaring beneath it and the woman with the pleather clothing that was at least three sizes too small. He shook his head, helpless to say or do anything, at the tall, lanky young woman who nearly toppled on her five inches stilettos while walking in her ankle length mermaid skirt.

After seeing the clothing tragedies around him, he became satisfied that he'd definitely picked the right place on which to exact his revenge. William moved over to the baggage claim and waited on his luggage, relieved when it showed up. He would have hated having to buy clothes here in this town.

For a moment a twinge of guilt nibbled at his conscience, but he quickly pushed it away. He was a grown man, after all, simply taking the vacation that his family had urged him to take. Of course, he was taking it in the vilest place he could think of: Las Vegas. His stodgy British sensibilities told him that to come to a place this tacky and obnoxious would teach his family to wish he'd take more vacations.

After claiming his bags, William went to the rental car counter where he smoothly talked the chatty girl behind it into giving him a Jag for the price of a Volkswagon then he drove around the city, unable to help being slightly awed by all the bright lights in the middle of the desert.

http://www.venetian.com/accommodations/piazza_opt.cfm
Finally, William found his hotel, a large, luxurious sprawl that was as elegant as anything he had ever seen. He had heard rumors of the palace-like Venetian hotel, but he had not expected something so mammoth. Of course, he thought, it would be mammoth. The bloody thing had an actual Venetian-style canal in it.

http://www.venetian.com/accommodations/piazza_opt.cfm

He checked in and was taken to his suite, where, upon seeing the huge, thick mattress on the bed, jetlag immediately set in and William Darcy, his escape finally getting the better of him, gave in and took a nap.

* * *

The one good thing about being a server in the high-roller rooms was that you didn't have disgusting drunks pawing you like you did down in the slots. The disadvantage was that most of the time the rich guys didn't paw, they just assumed. Over the years, Elizabeth had had few incidents with richies that couldn't take no for an answer, but they had been few and far between. Most of them usually ignored her after she rebuffed them firmly, but some of them just couldn't let a sleeping dog lie.

Like this guy who was currently standing in her way.

"Come on, sweetness. You ought to let me buy you a drink. If I like you enough, I could take you away from all this," the heavyset man with the comb-over and onion breath crooned. He ran a finger down Elizabeth's arm.

Glancing around for Lewis or Phil, the room's security guards, and not seeing them, Elizabeth scowled. What the hell good was security if they were never around? She rolled her eyes, making a note to taunt Phil about liking Superman over Batman later.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Dooley, but it's against hotel policy for me to accept gifts from patrons. You understand, right?"

"Quit your job, honey. You're too good for a joint like this."

Elizabeth bit her lip. Her job paid well and she didn't have to wear a skimpy outfit like those poor shlubs down at the slots. It wasn't as if she planned on being a cocktail waitress for the rest of her life anyway.

"Mr. Dooley, please let me by. I think Mr. Victor is ready for another gin and tonic." Elizabeth craned her neck, pretending to look at Hugo Victor, her favorite patron. He was kind and tipped well and he reminded her of her grandfather.

"Oh, Victor can wait for his damn drink. I won't let you go until you say you'll come out with me tonight."

She sighed heavily then felt a hand on the small of her back. Looking to her right she met a broad expanse of chest in a dapper navy blue suit. Gazing upward she saw a devastatingly handsome gentleman with dark brown hair and warm cocoa-colored eyes. He was smiling gently at her, both hands now at his sides.

"Miss, would you mind showing me to Tony Vito's regular table? I can't seem to find him."

"Certainly, sir. Mr. Dooley, if you'll excuse me," Elizabeth said politely. She stepped away from him, leading the handsome man into another of the private rooms off the main area where she'd been trapped.

"Thank you for that," Elizabeth said, smiling.

"You're welcome, but you have to promise me something, miss."

Her eyes narrowed. "What?"

"Don't let him trap you again. If I have to keep rescuing you I'm going to have to come up with more creative excuses and I'm afraid I lack imagination."

His British accent lilted musically into her ears. She nodded.

"Thank you again, Mr.-"

"Darcy, miss, but, please, call me William."

"Would you like a drink, William?"

"Scotch neat."

"Right away."

She immediately went to the bar where Charlotte was mixing drinks for the high-rollers. Her thick black hair fell down her back in a braid and her ears glittered with enough metal hoops to set off an airport metal detector. She gave Elizabeth a smile as she approached.

"Don't you start or I'm telling Tricia."

"Hey, the old lady likes you, sugar. We could have a ménage a tois."

"And they say the sin's gone out of Vegas," Elizabeth replied dryly, crooking an eyebrow at her friend. "I really need more straight people in my life. If I ever get a boyfriend, I may not remember what to do."

Charlotte chuckled, leaning on the bar with both hands. She licked her lips seductively then smirked. "What do those boys have that I don't?"

With a pointed glance, Elizabeth remained silent.

"Hey," the bartender replied shrugging, "It ain't like I can't buy one in a store."

"Scotch neat, please."

"Oh, fine. Bring business into this."

As Elizabeth waited for the drink, she noticed Phil emerge from one of the rooms. She motioned him over and scowled as he approached.

"What?" He asked.

"Dooley cornered me. He smells like cocktail onions. I think you'd better keep an eye on him the rest of the night because if he traps me again, I'm nailing his nuts."

Phil flinched with a sympathy pain at the mere suggestion of abuse to male genitalia. He glanced around the room, spotted Lewis, and signaled him. He turned back to Elizabeth.

"We'll take care of him. I'm sorry."

She watched him walk away, feeling a little guilty. Phil had a crush on her, but she wasn't interested in him that way. For all her complaints about being single, she was quite content. Her last relationship, with a man named Derrick, had ended badly. Like Thad, it had taken her a long time to get over it, but unlike her friend, she was perfectly happy being Elizabeth On Her Own. She liked living alone. It was the first time in her life she didn't have a roommate and she enjoyed the freedom of not having to pick up her underwear off the kitchen floor. Not that she did that, but she could if she wanted and Elizabeth liked that freedom.

"Here's your Scotch, sugar."

"Thank you, Char. And, by the way, I'm perfectly content in my situation."

She put the drink on her tray and expertly carried it back to Tony Vito's room. William was standing where she'd left him, watching the game intently. Tony looked up as she came in and smiled.

"Gentlemen, do any of you need your drinks freshened?" She asked as she handed William his glass.

"Lizzy, when you gonna give up this life and come be my girl?" Tony asked. He drew off his cigar and puffed out a fragrant cloud of smoke.

"What? And give up all this glamour? You're crazy, doll!" She grinned at him. Tony, unlike Dooley, was joking. Elizabeth knew Tony Vito was a happily married man with four kids. He was in four times a year, two weeks each time, and every time he'd been in town he and Melinda took Elizabeth out to dinner. Melinda even sent her Christmas cards with pictures of the children and consistently asked about Elizabeth's schooling.

Tony chuckled and looked around the table. "Fellas, this is the best server in all of Vegas and don't you dare give her any guff. Now, Lizzy, I'll take a gin and tonic."

She took their orders, but paused at the door when Tony seemed to notice William for the first time.

"Darcy? What the hell are you doing here?"

"I've finally decided to take that vacation, Tony."

"I'll be damned. I never thought I'd live to see the day when William Darcy wasn't behind his desk playing with millions like little boys play with trucks. Get your ass in this game and let's see if I can win back what you stole."

"Bought, Tony. That deal was fair."

"Like hell," Tony muttered.

"You made fifteen million dollars by selling that division off. I can't help that it made more after I bought it and took it public."

Tony chuckled and Elizabeth, shaking her head at the obscene amounts of money they had discussed, went to get their drinks.

* * *

The evening continued on. It was a Friday night, so Elizabeth was busy, but with every free moment she had, she was back in Tony's room, checking on her patrons, one in particular, and engaging in witty banter with the room's occupants. She noticed that William watched her carefully while she was in the room, especially when she was talking to the other players. It made her a bit giddy to think that the handsome devil might be interested in her, but, she reminded herself, it wasn't a good idea to entertain those thoughts.

There was a fine line between being a working girl and being a working girl in Vegas. She had known girls, especially downstairs in the not so cushy jobs where the pay was lousy and the tips not much better, that had crossed that line, but Elizabeth had never even considered it. She had never needed to and, despite her current situation with financial aid, simply never would.

She was on her way to take a break when William called her name.

"Elizabeth!"

She turned, her stomach rolling at the way it sounded rolling off his tongue. With a smile, she looked at him expectantly.

"Yes? Did you need something? I'm going on break, but I can get it before I go."

"I do need something, but it isn't a drink," he replied, smiling down at her. She blushed and his stomach knotted. He couldn't remember ever meeting a more adorable creature in his life. When she hadn't been in the room, he'd asked Tony about her, gathering as much information as he could. It was silly, he knew. She was a cocktail waitress in a casino in Las Vegas. After tonight he would probably never see her again, but the more she sashayed around the room, the more distracted he became. He'd lost fifteen thousand dollars tonight and it was because the poker face that served him so well in business had dissipated whenever Elizabeth walked in.

"Food?" She asked, her voice soft. "I could have the kitchen whip something up for you."

He shook his head. "What I'd like is to know what time you get off work."

Her head jerked and she looked at him, her creamy brow furrowed as though she hadn't heard him correctly. "Excuse me?"

"I'd like to spend some time with you. What better time than after work?"

"I don't do that, Mr. Darcy. What kind of woman do you take me for?"

"What?" He asked, confused. It didn't take him long to understand what she meant when he felt her anger ripple just beneath her calm. "Oh, no. I just thought we could get something to eat. See, I'm here alone and I hate eating by myself. Tony's throwing in the towel soon and I know Melinda won't appreciate my keeping him out."

"Oh," she said sheepishly. "I'm sorry. It's just that-"

"I understand."

"I don't normally go out with patrons, but since you saved me from Dooley, I suppose I owe you one. I get off at three."

"Three a.m.? I haven't stayed up that late in years."

"I'll be hungry when I get off, I promise."

"Then you'll come and get me out of the game when you're ready?"

She nodded, smiling. Her mind was screaming that she was being impulsive and insane, but her stomach was adamantly telling it to shut the fuck up. He grinned, sending said stomach into another raging flip-flop and turned. Elizabeth watched him go, appreciating the departure almost as much as his arrival.

* * *

Three a.m. finally arrived and Elizabeth's tired feet screamed for relief. After promising William that she would eat with him, a crowd of Japanese businessmen had flowed in and kept her so busy that she barely had time to slip back into Tony's room to tell him good-bye.

In the employee locker room, Elizabeth touched up her make-up and took her golden-brown hair out of its bun. She changed into her jeans and UNLV sweatshirt and made her way back to the room. There were only four players now and William was sitting the hand out. He looked up as she entered and stood.

"Thank you for divesting me of my cash, gentlemen. It's been a pleasure."

They answered him with a series of absently tossed off 'good-nights' and he led Elizabeth out of the room and through the long hallway, passing Charlotte's bar on the way. She was counting down her drawer, spotting Elizabeth out of the corner of her eye.

"Hey, sugar," she yelled. "I thought you were content."

Elizabeth shook her head and dismissed the obnoxious woman with a flip of her middle finger and joined an amused-looking William in the elevator. She licked her lips and shrugged, nerves suddenly making her self-conscious.

"Where do you recommend?" He asked. He leaned back, feeling the Scotch all of a sudden.

"Are you okay?" She asked, putting her hand on his arm. They were both startled as the touch crackled between them.

"I think I had a bit too much Scotch."

Elizabeth's mouth twisted. Impulsively, she said: "That hardly seems fair. You've been drinking all night and I haven't had a drop."

"Are you wanting to play catch-up?" He asked, smiling slightly.

"I think I am," she said defiantly. "Let's go to Solomon's. They have the best damn burgers on the planet and brew their own beer."

In the employee parking area, they got into Elizabeth's battered Jeep and made their way across town. Their conversation was light and easy and unlike any either of them had ever had. William, a cynical businessman to the core, had an inherent distrust of people and a natural dislike for their company while Elizabeth was somewhat shy until she got to know somebody.

When they reached the lounge, they were led to a booth and Elizabeth ordered their meals without even looking at the menu. Then she asked for a longneck.

"How do you know I'll eat what you ordered?"

"You're English. You'll eat anything as long as it has a weird-ass name."

"Point taken," he conceded. "So, what is UNLV?"

"University of Nevada at Las Vegas. I'm a student."

"Studying?"

"English. I want to be a writer when I grow up," she giggled. "Of course, I wanted to be a journalist when I was younger. Print not television, but then I found out that it pays squat so I figured that I might as well take my chances."

"Sounds brave."

"Nah, just an excuse to stay in school for the rest of my life. If I go for the Ph.D., I can teach plus I'll have those killer initials after my name."

He was still laughing when their food arrived along with Elizabeth's gigantic thirty-two ounce beer. His eyes grew large.

"As tiny as you are, you can't possibly drink that much beer."

"Is that a challenge?" She took one huge gulp, downing nearly a fourth of it. "Hal, bring us another. My friend wants to try it."

Four beers later, Hal was ordered by Elizabeth to call a cab. The Englishman was standing very close to her as she folded the keys of her Jeep into Hal's hand and told him to take her car home. He looked at her skeptically.

"Please," she said. "I don't want to drink—I mean ride—all the way back over here tomorrow. And Joe Cabby will take forever to get me home. Come on, Hal. For me?" She batted her eyelashes at him and leaned back against William who nuzzled her neck.

"Lizzy, do you want me to call Thad?"

"No! He and Damien are probably making sweet love. Do you want to interrupt something that beautiful?" She sighed and bit her lip, her eyes liquor-heavy.

"Fine. I'll take your car home. You owe me one, Elizabeth Bennet."

She poked her finger into his chest, punctuating each word as she spoke. "I owe you one, Hal Foster."

Hal piled them into the cab and waited until the cab had turned the corner. With a glance at his watch, he decided that it probably was too late to call Thad then drafted Bob the busboy to follow him to Elizabeth's apartment.

* * *

The dollar bill was poking her in the cheek. Elizabeth opened her eyes to find George Washington staring up at her from her ring finger. She blinked but George did not go away and then he shifted beside her. There was no need to look over to see who was in her bed, but she did anyway, humiliation weighing down upon her like a stone. After all she had said last night about not being easy! She must be the world's most hormonal hypocrite.

But she looked over anyway and he took her breath away. There was a day's growth on his chin making him look a little wild, but his beauty was well beyond that. Even now, with regret nipping at her heels, Elizabeth's body seemed to crave him. She couldn't remember what had happened between them, but she smelled his scent all over her skin and it wrenched something inside her, something primal and foreign.
His eyes opened slowly and he took a deep breath. A moment later, he sat up, startled, and looked around. His gaze settled on her and he calmed and smiled.

"Good morning," he said.

She turned over and stared up at the ceiling. "I'm glad one of us thinks so."

His brow furrowed and he reached to touch her cheek. She shied away, pulling the covers further up to cover her body.

"What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? How can you ask me that? I just threw my principles out the door. I have never done this before. There's no reason for you to believe me, but I haven't and I'm sorely disappointed in myself."

"I'm sorry to hear that. I suppose this means there's no chance of you having dinner with me tonight."

"Do you really think it would be a good idea?"

"I do, but it's obvious that you don't."

He tossed off the covers and got out of the bed. Walking without shame into the hallway, she heard the bathroom door close. She huffed out an angry breath, frustration thick in her gut. What did she really know about William? How could she have been so stupid as to let him into her home, her bed after only a few hours? Perhaps he wasn't a serial killer, but she wouldn't know that until he left and she was still alive, now would she?

"Um, Elizabeth?"

"What?"

"Come here."

She sighed and got out of bed. To prove to him that she was not ashamed of the way she looked, but her error in judgment, she stalked into the bathroom as naked as he was.

"What?" She asked again.

"You thought it was bad before?" He pointed at the wall. "It just got a whole lot worse."

And it was worse because there, on the wall, in a gaudy gold frame, was a marriage certificate bearing the names of Elizabeth Bennet and William Darcy.

Chapter Three

Taking the garish gold frame from the wall, Elizabeth slid through the air, her bare bum making a slight smacking sound as it settled on the edge of the bathtub. William stared down at her, his tongue feeling slightly thick.

"Jesus Christ, I guess I was a little more impulsive than I thought last night," she said softly. Her hand ran over the glass of the frame, tracing their names with her fingers. Mouth twisted, she looked up at him. "So, this was obviously consummated."

"Obviously."

The silence stretched between them until it became uncomfortable. Finally, she stood and handed the certificate to him.

"I don't want you to think I'm the kind of woman who pathologically marries every man she has a meal with. If you'd known how long it's been since I even had a date, you'd have an idea, but-" She let the sentence hang in the air.

"But what?"

"Nothing." She shook her head. "I guess I was going to say that you wouldn't know how long it's been because you don't know me. I can't believe I did this!"

"Hey, you didn't do this alone. I obviously uttered some vows last night too." He tentatively laid his hand on her shoulder and squeezed, hoping to comfort her. Instead he felt the same jolt he'd experienced the night before when she'd touched him. Boldly, he met her eyes, hoping that she'd felt it too. He set the marriage certificate down on the back of the stool and slowly pulled Elizabeth into his arms. "Of course, when I imagined saying my vows, I always thought I'd remember them the next day."

Despite herself, she giggled, feeling safe in his embrace. Briefly she wondered if victims of serial killers felt safe, but pushed the ludicrous thought out of her head. Suddenly, she realized they were pressed skin to skin. He was so warm, so comforting, but he was also the source of her discomfort. As if he knew of her apprehension he ran his hands along her back, sensing somehow that it turned her insides to jelly.

"This is not a good idea," she whispered, her cheek pressed against his bare chest.

"Probably not, but I'm one of those people that believe everything happens for a reason so if I'm here it's because something saw fit to put us together. Whether it be short-lived or more permanent, I suppose that's for us to decide."

She tilted her face to look up at him, her body warming as he gazed down at her. His fingers spread across her back, holding her tightly against him as he cautiously pressed his lips to hers. To their mutual surprise, the kiss deepened, their tongues sliding into one another while their bodies caught fire. Each of them was shaking when the kiss broke and it took a moment before they could meet each other's eyes.

"I suppose it would be silly for me to deny an attraction to you," she whispered, looking down timidly at his erection.

"And equally silly for me to do the same," he replied, brushing his lips across her forehead. "I kind of always thought that when I said my wedding vows they would bind me forever."

"Me too," Elizabeth admitted.

"Give me a chance?"

She nodded silently and met his lips again. Her fingers curled around the curve of his neck, tightening as his hand traveled over her skin to catch her breast and give it a gentle squeeze. A squeal opened her mouth and once again his tongue slipped inside, tasting the sweetness of her. With a little effort, he pulled away and smiled at the way her lips had swollen.

"I'm damn lucky I have such a gorgeous wife," he said, his mouth still touching hers.

"You're no slouch yourself," she replied. "I have an idea."

"What's that?"

"Let's go back to bed and try to do this so that we remember this time."

William could not argue with that so he scooped her up, lifting an eyebrow as she chuckled. He carefully maneuvered through the small doorway with his precious cargo, not bothering to look at her again until they were back in the bedroom. She was now fighting a case of all-out giggles.

"What?"

"That was sort of corny, don't you think? I mean I could have walked to back here. It's barely twelve feet."

"I just swept you off your feet and you're complaining?"

She bent her head and drew her tongue along his collarbone before meeting his eyes. "Not so much."

Trying to maintain his composure, William unceremoniously dumped his surprised wife into bed. She smiled again, clearly not offended, and grabbed his hand, pulling him down to join her. They lay on their sides face to face and stared at each other for a long time as if it were necessary to commit the other's features to memory. It was like they were in a dream, a fuzzy, unrealistic dream that neither wanted to wake up from. Finally, Elizabeth reached out and pulled her index finger along his jaw. She traced his brow, the straight, regal line of his nose, the fine cheekbones, and his incredible sculpted mouth.

Her finger lingered there, allowing him to suck it in and nibble on the tip of it. Her breath caught when he dragged his lips up her finger and moved them to the palm of her hand and the delicate skin of her wrist.

"What's your favorite color?" He asked before drawing little circles on her arm with his tongue.

"My favorite color?"

"Yes."

"Yellow."

"Nice."

"What's yours?"

"I don't have one."

"You don't have a favorite color?"

William paused, letting his fingers twist in her hair, wallowing in the sensation of her silken honey-colored curls. "I don't have a favorite color. I find that choosing one color above all colors vulgar. I am not a colorist."

Elizabeth closed her eyes and shook her head. "That was a very lame joke."

"I also lack a sense of humor. Georgie's been saying that for years. Personally, I just think the jokes are over her head."

"She's your sister, right?"

"Right."

He rolled away from her and sat up, his back against the headboard, and looked at Elizabeth expectantly.

"What?" She asked.

"I can't make love to you if we're going to talk about my sister. That's just odd."

"You're right. I'm sorry. Want to talk a little?"

"Shouldn't have asked about your favorite color," he muttered, but held open his arm.

Immediately, she was snuggled against him, her hair tickling his chest in the most delightful way. He found that he enjoyed the scent of her. It was clean and rich like ginger. It felt right to tighten his grip on her, to keep her close and safe and warm. In an instant, he found that he quite liked having her for a wife and put aside all the impracticalities that his impulsive move had created. He would worry about those later, when he didn't feel so blissfully content.

"When do you graduate?" William asked, curious about his new bride.

"I have another semester after this one. I was going to take some summer classes, but I don't think I can swing it financially."

"Does that make you twenty-one or twenty-two?"

He felt her lips on his chest. She met his eyes with mock adoration.

"Oh, that is it. I am keeping you!"

"What?"

"I wish I were twenty-one! I didn't know what to do with myself after I graduated high school so I got in my car and drove for a year and a half. I ended up here in Vegas with a drunken roommate and very little money. After getting a decent job, I applied to UNLV and got in. But, to answer your question, I'm twenty-five."

"You drove around?"

"Yeah. Got tired of being at home so one day I loaded up my Jeep with a couple of duffle bags and a few keepsakes and just started driving. I spent a lot of time out East and in the South. I would have stayed in New Orleans, but I hate zydeco music."

He snorted in disbelief. "I've never not had a plan. What you did is amazing to me."

She reached up and pulled his mouth down to hers. "Then maybe that's the reason we were thrown together. You show me how to have a plan and I'll show you how not to live by one." Elizabeth pressed her mouth to William's, drawing his bottom lip into her mouth and sucking gently.

She straddled his waist instead of his hips and dragged him up. Slowly, she leaned into him, her breast within tantalizing reach of his mouth. He seized the opportunity she presented and took hold of her nipple as he cupped her bottom. Her taste filled him, soothed him, undid him. It was as if she were a balm to wounds he wasn't even aware he'd had.

She surrounded William and he felt moments of his life that he'd thought had been important lose their meaning. Suddenly, the only thing that mattered was pleasing Elizabeth, keeping her happy, making her smile. He felt his goals shift and change in a matter of moments and it shook him.

Frozen by the sudden dramatic change, William stopped moving and she watched the fear seep into his eyes. She recognized it, having had demands wrought by fear placed on her most of her life; her mother afraid of not making ends meet after her father's death and her sister's terrifying descent after that. It was the fear of not being able to stay afloat. It had been the fuel that gave Elizabeth the strength to leave after high school. Sometimes she felt like a coward, but she knew that it had taken guts to live her own life when other people had expected her to sacrifice it.

She cupped his face and looked at him squarely. "I want you to know something. It's obvious that you have money, but I want nothing to do with that. I want nothing from you at all. If you choose to leave today or tomorrow, I'll chalk this up to experience and keep plugging through. If you leave next week, I'll still survive."

"What if I can't leave?" He whispered, the question feeling more like a confession than a query.

"Oddly, I don't think I'd mind that either."

With that, she shimmied down his body and slid onto him slowly. He watched her eyes close as he filled her.

"Elizabeth, I'm not wearing a condom," he pointed out, his voice strained.

"Well, we are married. Your STD's are my STD's." She winked wickedly at him, a little smirk playing over her lips.

"I have no STD's."

"Says you. What about all the skanks before me?"

"There were no-" He paused as she ground into him. "-skanks, as you put it. I was actually-" Another pause. "-Is this how you plan to win-" Pause. "-every argument?"

"Probably. Consider yourself warned."

"Birth control," he managed.

"On the pill. Can you relax and enjoy yourself now?"

"Oh, yes," he growled and flipped her over, rolling them both while he was still inside her. He grabbed her by the hips and drove in hard.

"One little prescription and the man's an animal."

"Shut up," he mumbled, kissing her fiercely as his body smashed into hers. His mind was gone and pure animal lust had taken over. He was operating on a simple plan of want and have. His hands found her breasts and he teased her nipples to hardness as he continued his assault. Her body tightened and just before she came, he pinched each tiny bud hard enough to amplify the sensations he'd created within her and she screamed as he spilled into her.

His body crashed down beside hers and they lay panting, the heavy odors of sweat and sex permeating the room. Her arm snaked around his waist, just needing to maintain contact with him. She sighed when he pushed soaked curls off her cheeks.

"Just out of curiosity who's been the great love of your life?" She asked, her thumb caressing his back as she spoke softly.

"Well, to be honest, the only great love has been my job. I've been married to my career for a very long time, which has bothered the hell out of my family for years."

"You didn't become the lover you are today by being married to your job."

"No, I didn't, but I was always under the impression that previous lovers aren't a thing a man discusses with his wife."
She shook her head. "You're incorrigible."

"You're adorable." He leaned forward and kissed the tip of her nose.

"I shall not be distracted," she said firmly.

"I read a lot," came his cheeky reply.

Her eyes narrowed, unwilling to accept that the man before her was as stubborn as she. She leaned over, sinking her small white teeth into his neck and nibbled slowly and thoroughly until tiny moans whooshed out of his body then she settled back into her pillow and grinned innocently.

"I believe you were about to tell me something," she said.

"Do you want me to ask you where your prowess came from?" He growled, slipping his hand between her thighs.

"I was a child prostitute," she said seriously.

He paused for a moment, struck by what she said. "That borders on poor taste."

"Oh, no! It surpasses poor taste."

"I've married a bawdy vixen," he muttered, helping himself to her earlobe. His hand slid up, dipping into the swollen, wet folds of her core. A tiny moan floated up from her and, letting his hand fall back to her thigh, he pulled her roughly to him by the smooth flesh he held, and pushed her onto her back.

He thrust two fingers into her, stroking the slick, velvety skin slowly, touching, it seemed, each and every molecule inside. His thumb floated up, brushing the most sensitive part of her and her whole body flared to life. William watched the pleasure flicker over her face like flames in a hearth. He stroked her slowly, bringing her just to the edge then burying his fingers once again only to tease her to the height of satisfaction before removing himself entirely.

He leaned back on his elbows as she laid panting and shivering simultaneously. When she was able she leveled a glare at him.

"That was cruel."

"Promise you won't ask me about them anymore."

"Why not?"

He started to get up, but she grabbed his arm desperately. Her insides were throbbing and he was the only thing that could make it go away. His body was still and there was an expectant look on his face.

"I promise."

He returned to her side immediately, his lips pressed against hers. "I don't kiss and tell. I have respected each of my former girlfriends and I will continue to respect them as I will respect you. Of course, if we're serious about trying to make this work, I'll have no other woman ask me the question you just asked, so I think I'm safe."

"A gentleman!" She exclaimed. "I married a gentleman!"

He grinned wickedly then kissed his way down her body, his mouth lingering at her throat, on her breasts, and around her belly. With his strong hands he parted her legs again and tasted her slowly, lapping at the wetness he found between her thighs. When Elizabeth's hands snaked through his hair and pressed his face against the swollen, sweet flesh, his breath hitched. In that moment, he realized that this woman had been a gift.

William didn't believe in a god. He had always just believed in himself. He set goals, he accomplished those goals, and he drank his coffee, paid his taxes, and made fun of the aristocratic bluebloods—even while being one--that floated in and out of his life. It had always been assumed that he would marry the daughter of one of those bluebloods simply because that was what was done.

He had never found, mostly because he hadn't bothered to look, any passion in the social climbers that had preyed upon him like lionesses. Of course, the women he'd dated had had some substance and were wonderful bedmates, but they lacked passion. For beneath the gruff, cranky exterior there lie a man of immense, sweeping passion, which had gone ignored, or, more to the point, reined in, for the vast majority of his life.

He'd only ever loved one woman in his life and had lost her to his cousin. Eve's choice still smarted occasionally, but William had managed and handled it as he did everything else: with practicality and gumption. But, now the woman writhing beneath him and crying out his name was threatening to unleash that creature he'd kept in check all these years.

"More," she moaned and in that single word William felt the wall that kept the basest part of him at bay crumble and lay in ruins. Fire and ice, dark and light, fear and courage bubbled into a molten amalgamation of desire and need.

He wasted no time and delved into the wet flesh of her core.
It was different than before. Elizabeth sensed a change in him, saw the look in his eyes as they clouded over and went animalistic. His body was tense and relaxed all at once, on the verge of finding a rhythm that would bring the most pleasure to the both of them.

She grabbed his bicep and arched her back, pulling him deeper inside. With a moan, her leg came up and suddenly he was holding it firmly right behind her knee and with a jerk of his hips, he collided with a space inside that had never been found before. She yelped and gasped, her nails gaining a bloody purchase on his upper arm.

He drove her until she was dazed and her eyelids were heavy and she could no longer speak. Her body was convulsing when he finally flooded her, his own release just an added bonus in the pleasure he had taken from watching her reactions to the things he'd done to her. William gently gathered his wife into his arms, stroking her smooth skin as she caught her breath.

At last, she gazed up, her blue eyes still dark from desire.

"Did I do that to you?" She asked, her voice surprisingly innocent.

"You did, my darling," he whispered, his lips buried in her hair.
Elizabeth sighed. Her handsome husband's eyes were full of warmth and even affection. She wrapped her arms about him, relishing the scent of his sex as it hung in the air, and, pretending that it was true love, she fell asleep.

* * *

The sound of the door woke her much later; it's irritating buzz so obnoxious that Elizabeth could hardly think of it as a doorbell. The buzzing was interspersed with frantic rapping and, sighing, she looked over at her sleeping William and gently untangled her body from his greedy grasp. She grabbed her blue silk robe, the one Thad had brought her from China because it matched her eyes exactly, and was still tying it when she looked through the peephole.

There stood an impatient Thad, his hands on his hips, glaring at the door. He reached for the buzzer again and to stop him, Elizabeth opened the door just a little.

"Who died?" She asked.

He huffed. "Nobody. Did you forget?"

"Forget what?"

Rolling, his eyes, Thad tried to open the door, but Elizabeth remained firmly behind it. He gave her a quizzical look, having never been barred from his best friend's apartment before. When it was clear she had no memory, Thad straightened up and pursed his lips.

"The three of us were supposed to go to Helen and Tommy's wedding, but now we'll barely make the reception."

"I didn't want to go to that anyway," Elizabeth muttered petulantly. "I don't even like Helen."

"That isn't the point. One of the best places to meet guys is at a wedding."

Elizabeth bit her lip and Thad's eyes narrowed. He inhaled deeply then suddenly barreled into Elizabeth's apartment, nearly knocking her to the floor. His finger came up and he shook it at his friend.

"You've had sex!"

She looked away. "Um, no I haven't."

"Don't try to deny it! You absolutely reek of it!" Thad started toward her bedroom, but Elizabeth grabbed his arm. Grinning, he tried to shake her off. "Prince Hot Fuck in there?"

"No! Thad, I think you need to leave now. He's asleep and I don't want you to wake him."

Thad turned on her. "Oh, he must be sizzling. Afraid I'll turn him to the dark side?"

Elizabeth crossed her arms over her chest, feeling irritation roll over into anger. Sometimes Thad went too far in his teasing, forgetting that Elizabeth was often sensitive about weird things. She glared at him and then noticed William standing in the hall doorway, his broad chest bare. Her eyes flicked downward and she was relieved to see that he'd put his boxers on.

"Is there a problem, darling?"

Thad froze, his eyes growing wide. "You banged an Englishman last night? How hot is that? He's got a voice like Alan Rickman!" Thad, obviously enjoying the game in his head, was imagining William's looks and denied himself the chance to turn around.

"Thad, could we maybe talk about this later?"

"Oh, hells naw, honey! We're talking about this now!"

William came out of the hallway and slipped around Thad's lithe form. He stopped next to Elizabeth and caught her hand in his. Elizabeth could feel him bristle as he looked at Thad and she fought a giggle.

"The lady said she'd talk about it later, so, please respect that."

Thad looked from William to Elizabeth and then back to the other man. He heard the disguised threat in William's words and he felt his territoriality set in. Elizabeth was his after all. Where did this one night stand get off? Thad took a step closer to William, but Elizabeth intercepted him, pulling her hand out of her husband's tightening grip.

She shoved her best friend toward the kitchen and spun around to look at William. "You, stay."

Chapter Three, Part Two

In the kitchen she blocked the doorway for a moment as she glared at Thad. "What the hell was that all about?"

"Who the fuck is that? And where does he get off threatening me?"

"He didn't threaten you!"

"Like hell."

She rolled her eyes. "I really would like to talk about this later."

"No. You're being far too evasive for me to just let this go now."

"Fine. Last night, William saved me from a patron who was pawing at me and after work we went out for a meal. We got a bit drunk and when I woke up this morning--" She paused and took a deep breath. "We were in my bed."

"Elizabeth! That is utterly irresponsible! Do you know anything about this guy? Please tell me you used protection!" Her silence was all the answer he needed. "Christ Almighty, Elizabeth Bennet! Kick this guy out! We'll wait a week and go to the doctor-"

"No."

"What do you mean 'no'? You can't just blow this off?"

"I married him," she spat.

Thad took a few steps back until he was sagging against the counter. He stared at her, shock and worry etching his face like frost on glass. Silently, he pled with her to say it wasn't true and felt his insides to chill when she looked away.

"You can get it annulled," he suggested.

"We've consummated the marriage."

"Lizzy!"

"Thad, this is my choice, okay? We're going to play it by ear and see what happens."

He shook his head, the tears in his eyes stubbornly clinging to his lower lashes. His sweet, lovely Elizabeth had just made a huge mistake and he had failed her by not preventing it. A part of Thad had always known it was his job to take care of her and he hadn't. His stomach rolled and, shaking his head, he walked past her blindly.

William was sitting on the couch when Thad came back. Thad was determined to walk on, but his need to atone for his failure to his friend got the better of him. He paused before the half-naked man then turned slowly to face him.

"If you hurt her, so help me god, I will make your life miserable. I love her like I love nobody else in this world and I would move heaven and hell to protect her. You don't want to cross me, British."

"I don't plan on hurting her, Vegas. She's my wife and that means something to me."

"It had better," Thad replied and stormed out.

Elizabeth came out fifteen seconds after the door slammed shut. She stared at William, tears welling in her blue eyes and he was before her immediately, gathering her into his strong arms. His hands ran over the soft silk covering her back.

"This is a lovely robe," he whispered. "Matches your eye color precisely."

"That's why Thad bought it. It was my Christmas present last year."

"What is he to you?"

She stared up at him. "Most men would think he's my lover."

"Sweetheart, I'm not most men."

"He's my best friend, something akin to my guardian angel. He's watched over me for years. He and Damien, his boyfriend, are like two mother hens. We were supposed to go to a wedding today to boyfriend shop."

"Forgive me if I'm less than thrilled by the prospect of my wife looking for a boyfriend," William replied dryly then gave her a gentle grin, holding her eyes with his own. "Will he be okay?"

"I don't know. I've never run off and married an utter stranger before."

"Fitzwilliam Darcy of London, born on the ninth of May to Noel and Anne Darcy. I have a sister called Georgiana, who is irritating beyond belief, a cousin called Richard who married my college sweetheart, Eve, and a frighteningly batty old aunt whose name is Catherine but is called Cate, spelled with a 'c.' I have a boxer named Wellington. Now, you call me a stranger again and I will divorce you."

She smiled, eyes still full of tears. His heart broke at the sight and he pressed his lips to her forehead and preceded to cover her eyes, cheeks, and lips with light, sweet kisses. Just as his blood started to ignite with yet more passion for his lovely new bride, she pulled away from him and slipped back into the kitchen. Smiling a little at his pout, she opened the refrigerator and pulled out a carton of eggs.

"Hey, buddy, I felt exactly what you were about to do to me, but it's been almost twelve hours since we've last eaten and if you want to keep doing those delicious things, then we need a source of energy. As yummy as you are, you're hardly nutritious."

He crossed his arms over his chest. "I happen to think I make one hell of a meal."

She popped onto her tiptoes, darting her tongue along his bottom lip. "Darling, I didn't say you weren't filling."

A short while later, they were sitting at the small table in her dining room, eating their meal of eggs, toast and jam, and small bowls of cold cereal.

"That was wonderful," William said, licking his lips as if he'd missed a crumb. His plates were nearly clean enough to put directly back in the cupboard. "Wherever did you learn to cook like that?"

She snorted. "Are you serious? Scrambled eggs aren't all that difficult. And the cereal, well, it doesn't take a genius to pour milk over it."

"Maybe I was just hungry," he said thoughtfully. He stood and moved behind her, leaning down and sliding his hands inside the front of her robe. "Though, I'm feeling almost famished now." His beautifully shaped mouth skimmed its way across the back of her neck, sending shivers down her spine even as his hand kneaded the soft mounds of flesh beneath her robe.

"William," she whispered. "Do you plan on molesting me all weekend?"

"I'd considered it," he responded, his voice husky and thick as his breath caressed her ear. His hands appeared and untied the robe, letting it fall open to her waist. As if she were a doll, he lifted her, took her seat on the chair and deposited her on the edge of the table.

She pushed her plate back to avoid greasy stains on the delicate silk then watched as he opened the robe a little more to expose her completely. Her body grew warm as he examined her. He pointed to a tiny little scar on her belly.

"What's this?"

"My sister stabbed me when we were kids. It was with a butter knife and she didn't penetrate anything important. I just needed a few stitches."

His lips fell over the small, waxy looking line and Elizabeth flushed. One of his warm, strong hands surrounded a breast and he massaged the pliant mound of flesh, his eyes still taking inventory of her thoughtfully. He slipped the robe off of her shoulders, pulled her up from the table, and removed the thin, exquisite fabric altogether. He tossed in on a nearby stool and turned her around.

"Curiouser and curiouser," he said. "What inspired this?"

His finger traced the light blue-grey circlet drawn on the small of her back. Inside the two rings were the words Vous et aucun autre with a figure eight on either side of the text.

"I'm sort of a fan of fairy tales. 'Beauty and the Beast' inspired it. Are you familiar with it?"

"Yes, but I don't recall a ring."

"In some versions the Beast gives Beauty a ring to set on her nightstand if she ever wants to return to him. I always thought it was a lovely idea, having a ring to take you back to the one you love."

"'You and no other'."

"You speak French?"

"Rather poorly, but I manage."

He stood then, stripped his boxers away, moved close, and pressed his body between her legs. He traced the circlet again and she whimpered almost so softly he had to strain to hear it. Understanding the potential of the spot before him, he let his fingers feather over it then moved to press his lips against it. She moaned loudly, the sounds of her pleasure only growing louder when he traced the tattoo with his tongue.

Sliding back up her body, William took her earlobe into his mouth and sucked gently as he bent her over the table. Threading his fingers through hers, he pushed into her body, amazed at how much she felt like his already. Her slippery core welcomed him, warming him as it folded around him.

They remained bent over the table, fingers joined and bodies connected in excruciating pleasure for a few long minutes. Then he let go of her, held her hips fast, and began his maddening assault on her senses.

The men she'd slept with previously were nothing compared to the man inside her now. He was pure lust and, unlike those men before him, the lust was, she knew absolutely, born out of desire for her, not just a simple need to fuck. The moment he had placed her over the table and pushed into her, Elizabeth knew that it was over. She was very likely going to fall in love with her husband.

It wasn't the sex, the desire, or his damning good looks, but the tenderness with which he looked at her and the gentle way he'd held her. In the few hours she'd known him, he had shown her more affection, more kindness than any guy she'd ever dated. Her heart, against the advice of her brain, was ready to plunge right into this, to burst forth with declarations and flowers and candy, but she stopped it. She couldn't risk making a fool of herself.

They had agreed to try to make this work, but if he didn't fall in love with her, Elizabeth wasn't about to lose face.

She gripped the sides of the table as his speed increased, rocking her body into a lust-fueled madness. Her eyes closed against the spinning and she heard her own voice begging for him and wondered how he had melted her exteriors in only a day when it took most people years to get in. Her body gave in and she soared and crashed as her orgasm flashed through her.

And then she was being gathered once again into William's arms and carried over to the couch. He sat down, pulling his legs up, then arranged her body, made heavy by weakness, on top of his. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead.

"I've never been with anybody like you," she said sounding awestruck and exhausted.

"Hush, darling."

She propped her chin on her hands after she folded them on his bare chest and looked him squarely in the eye. Never in her life had she ever suspected she would end up with somebody so beautiful, so male. All her previous lovers were young, green, and out to get laid.

"You're the first," she whispered, "Who has ever made me feel beautiful and wanted."

"You are beautiful and wanted. Last night when I saw you, I imagined what it would be like to come into your life and stay. Little did I know, huh? You're a star and I'm a sailor looking for homeport in your light."

"That's corny," she giggled.

"But it's the truth. I feel that with you in my arms I'll find my way home much easier than before."

"Thank you."

He smoothed her hair.

"Is Fitzwilliam really your first name? Did you piss your parents off somehow?" She asked suddenly.

He chuckled. "I often thought the same thing when I was a child. It's actually a family name, my mother's maiden name to be precise."

"Oh. What kind of middle name goes with that?"

"I don't have a middle name. What's yours?"

"Elizabeth Grace Bennet at your service."

He raised an eyebrow. "You're ready to service me again so soon? Woman, you're insatiable!"

"Pervert," she muttered, pulling gently at the light smattering of hair on his chest.

"You have a sister too?"

"Yes. Mary sort of lost it after our dad died. My mother had to institutionalize her."

"Bugger, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ask about something painful."

She smiled sadly. "You couldn't have known."

"So, you're alone?" He asked cautiously.

"I've built my own family as people without one tend to do. I have Thad and Damien. And there's Kelly, my one straight friend. It's small, but it serves its purpose."

"You forgot somebody."

"I didn't want to presume."

"If we're going to make this work we're going to have to start acting married."

"Isn't that what we've been doing all day?" She asked cheekily.

He gave her bottom a light slap. "That isn't what I meant. I want to be a part of your life whether this works out or not."

"If it doesn't work out, we can't be friends. You've seen me naked. You can't ever be friends with somebody you've seen naked. That's breaking the rules."

"You're very odd."

"I'm going to be a novelist or a Ph.D. Odd is part of the job description."

"So, in essence, you're telling me that you'll want nothing to do with me if we don't work out."

"Pretty much." Her heart ached at the thought of him not being there.

"Then I suppose I'll have to make sure this works. Eighteen hours and I already don't remember not having you in my life."

"God, you're a keeper."

He chuckled and it rumbled through her body.

"So, Elizabeth Grace Bennet, tell me about yourself."

"I was born in Ohio to Franny and Thom Bennet. Thom died when I was nine, my sister was eleven and she went bonkers. I took care of my mother until I graduated and then, like I said earlier, I got in my car and drove away. My birthday is October twelfth. I hate green beans and long to be on 'Jeopardy' and beg Alex Trebek to grow the mustache back. He's so drab without it."

"What kind of novels do you write?"

"Technically, I don't have a genre."

"Why?"

"Because I haven't written anything. I have notebooks full of ideas and scraps of scenes, but no actual stories with plots or character development."

He looked confused.

"Hello? Full-time student with job. I have no time. In fact, come Monday, you'll be lucky to see me for more than two hours."

She watched his face as he absorbed that information, digested it, and immediately disliked it. His mouth set in thought as his fingers stroked her back absently.

"You don't have to work."

"What?"

"You don't have to work. You could quit and focus on school."

"How am I supposed to pay my bills?"

"I'll take care of them."

"Oh, no. We're not going to start this. I already told you that I didn't want anything from you."

"You aren't taking anything that I'm not offering, Elizabeth. You're my wife. Isn't it my prerogative to take care of you?"

"Only if I let you. What will your family say? They're going to flip out when they've found out what you've done anyway. I won't add to that by you footing the bill. If you want to help out, you split rent with me, but that's it."

"How much is rent?"

"Five hundred a month, plus utilities."

"Done."

She was silent for a moment. "Thank you."

"There's no need to thank me. We're in this together. And it's cheaper than the hotel room that I obviously won't be spending any further time in."

"That isn't why I'm thanking you."

His silent question was a simple kiss in the palm of her hand.

"With the extra money you've just freed up I can pay off my tuition and buy my books."

"You wouldn't have accepted me just offering the money to you, would you?"

She shook her head, acutely aware of the tension building in her body. He felt it too and smoothed his hands over the soft skin of her back. It was that moment that William realized that his money made her uncomfortable. Never before had he met a woman--or a man for that matter--who hadn't been concerned with his fortune. People wanted him because of his money, whether it because it was an old, vast fortune or because of the prestige that an old, vast fortune could bring.

"You honestly don't like the fact that I'm wealthy, do you?"

"It's your money," she said quietly. "It has nothing to do with me until people accuse me of marrying you because of it, which will happen."

"You have no faith in people."

"You're right, but that's because of the life I've lived. I've seen poor and I've seen rich and the only difference between them are the tags that scratch the backs of their necks. Money only determines the level of your misery."

"I'm hardly miserable, Elizabeth."

"Are you happier now than you were yesterday?" She leveled those clear blue eyes at him with such intensity that he was momentarily stunned.

"I am happier, but it has nothing to do with my money and everything to do with the lovely creature in my arms."

"And yet I cost very little."

"Two-fifty a month plus utilities seems like a fair trade thus far."

She moved her hands to lay her cheek flat against his chest, his heart a steady rhythm inside him. Unable to react anymore, Elizabeth felt herself dozing as she wondered if she would end up becoming a part of that strong heart, if her place was truly inside it and, suddenly, she found that she longed for that. She pressed her lips against his flesh then let sleep take her as William watched her in utter fascination.
Her eyes were closed, even as she kissed him and then she drifted into a peaceful sleep. Unconsciously, his arms tightened around her, scarcely able to believe his good luck at having found her and he knew he was losing the fight to remain logical in this illogical situation. He was losing his heart to her. It had been a given the moment she had fallen into his arms after Thad had left.

Yes, he had wanted her when he saw her, he couldn't deny that anymore than he could deny that Aunt Cate had poor fashion sense or that Richard's sense of humor was hopelessly banal, but now he wanted more from her than just her company or her body. He realized that he wanted to infiltrate her soul and he wanted her in his. His family would, as she said, flip out regarding his rash decision, but after their conversation about money knew there was nothing to fear. Not that he wouldn't have handed over his checkbook and every credit card to her anyway if she asked for them, but it wasn't about goods or acquisition. It was about respect.

William was a good judge of character. He couldn't have achieved so much professionally if he hadn't been. His father had always told him that deal-making was all in the eyes. If a man looked away even once, the deal was no good. It was a rule that William followed to this day.

And in Elizabeth's eyes, William saw the truth. He saw her admiration for not only his physical form, but also his mind and his wit and her openness when she spoke of a painful past and her slow movement toward her future. Mostly, though, William saw her warmth and her heart. It shone in her eyes brighter than any fire he had ever seen.

Tracing the lines on her palm with his thumb, he kissed the smooth skin again.

"Careful, Mrs. Darcy," he whispered. "I think your husband just fell in love with you."

Chapter Four

Once again, Elizabeth awoke in her bed, tangled in her husband's limbs. She sighed, part of her already becoming used to it and loving it while the other half found it slightly annoying to have to fight its way out of bed. She was trying to escape the clasp of his legs when she noticed his eyes were open and he was staring at her.

"I don't think I gave you permission to get out of bed, Mrs. Darcy." Oh, how he liked the sound of that.

"I have to pee," she muttered, continuing her quest for freedom. Finally, she extracted her body from his and disappeared. When she returned, she was carrying the ugly frame that held their certificate. She leaned against the headboard and studied it. "I was wondering how you managed to hang this on the wall and then I realized something."

"What's that?"

"You took down my 'Welcome to the Can' sign."

"Elizabeth, that was tacky. It was a picture of a soup can with that silly saying on it."

"I think it's cute. Anyway, you must have picked out this frame. My taste is much better than that."

He took the frame from her and let it drop to the carpet below. She raised an eyebrow. "Great. First we stick it above the toilet and now it's on the floor. Does our marriage mean nothing to you?"

"I'm pretty sure it was your idea to stick the bloody thing in the loo in the first place."

"I don't recall that."

"I seem to have a vague memory of you thinking it would be a good joke."

She stuck her tongue out at him and he wasted no time drawing it into his own mouth as his hands made a grab for her hips, yanking her closer. Blood pounded through his veins as she yielded to his demands and soon he was pressing into her body with delicious friction, unable to believe for a moment that this was really his wife. Their mouths met as they found their release and then they lay panting in the bed.

"Well," she said after she'd caught her breath, "I can see that getting up will hardly be a problem for you." She kissed his cheek and moved to get out of bed.

"Where are you going?"

"I need to take a shower. If I'm not mistaken I am supposed
to have lunch with Kelly today and you need to go back to the hotel and get your things."

William sighed and let go of the hand he had captured. She smiled down at him, which sent his heart galloping, before she left. A few moments later he heard the shower start. He stared up at the ceiling for a bit before realizing that he'd been gone for two days and had not called home. Groaning, he got out of bed and wrapped the sheet around his waist. He wasn't sure he could put those boxers on again as he suddenly realized that he hadn't any fresh clothes.

He took a deep breath and caught Elizabeth's scent on his skin. It was musky and heavy. Briefly, he considered joining her in the shower, but he knew they wouldn't get any bathing done. Going into the living room, he found the telephone, punched in Georgiana's number, and waited with baited breath.

"Hello?" His sister's voice was full of apprehension and he felt guilt seep in at not letting her know where he was sooner.

"Gee? It's me."

"William! Jesus Christ! Where the hell are you? I'm going to skin you alive!"

"Lovely to hear your voice too, little sister."

"Don't take that tone with me, you vicious prat. Do you know how worried I've been? I haven't gone to work in two days. I've called every hospital in London. I've sent your photo to the police. You have had me worried out of my mind, you selfish pig."

"Are you done calling me names?"

"Not even remotely, you arse."

William sat down, letting Georgiana rattle on until she had vented her fear and worry. He deserved everything she could throw at him and he even gave her a little extra time when she finally took a breath. When her silence stretched beyond ten seconds, William knew that she was waiting.

"I'm in Las Vegas."

"Las Vegas? As in America? What the bloody hell are you doing in Las Vegas?"

"Well, mostly it was to spite you and Aunt Cate. I tried to think of the worst place I could take a vacation."

Georgiana rolled her eyes. "Well, you certainly know how to pick them."

"I've actually had fun here, Gee. You're right: vacations can be a good thing."

Elizabeth appeared at that moment, her long, damp waves spilling over nearly bare shoulders. She was wearing an army green tank top and a pair of denim shorts. Her feet were still bare and he noticed the light blue nail polish and the silver ring winking from her third toe for the first time. She gave him a smile and went into the kitchen.

"So you're alright?"

"I'm more than alright, Gee. In fact, I don't think I've ever been better."

"Are you going to come home soon?"

"I don't think so. I have a month of bedrest yet. I think I'm going to spend it here, maybe a little longer."

"Where are you staying?"

"I was at the Venetian, but I think I'm going to change to someplace a little smaller. I'll let you know."

"Well, call me at least twice a week, okay?"

"I will."

"And don't do anything stupid like a quickie marriage to a tarty showgirl."

William heard Georgiana's attempt at humor and stifled a telling laugh. Elizabeth was leaning against the doorway, a coffee mug in her hand, her mouth screwed up into a snarky little smirk. She chuckled and shook her head.

"Well, if she's tarty enough, maybe I will marry her," he muttered.

"You're insufferable."

"Good-bye, Georgiana."

"Good-bye, you vile fiend."

He broke the connection as his wife reappeared with a coffee mug for him. She took a seat on his lap, her eyebrow raised.

"Was I tarty enough to marry?"

"Well, of course. Your feminine wiles proved too strong for my weak male brain."

She shook her head. "Was that your sister warning you off the perils of Las Vegas, Nevada?"

"Precisely." He took a sip of his coffee. "How did you know I took it with only cream?"

"I'm a cocktail waitress. I pay attention. You had a cup of coffee the other night before we left the restaurant."

"And yet you don't remember marrying me."

"Odd, isn't it?"

"Do you feel better now that you've showered?"

Sheepishly, she looked away for a moment. She took a drink before meeting his eyes again.

"Yes, but now I smell like me again."

He wrapped a hand around her waist. "I know the feeling."

* * *

"Thad is livid, by the by," Kelly said, stabbing a baby carrot. She lifted the vegetable to her mouth and it snapped with a resounding crunch as she bit it in two.

"One of these days, he's going to have to realize that I'm an adult," Elizabeth muttered.

"So, what possessed you to marry a total stranger?"

"If you'd seen him, that would be motive enough alone. William is absolutely gorgeous."

Kelly considered it for a moment. "Okay."

"You aren't going to yell at me?"

"Nope."

"You aren't going to raise a big stink?"

"Nope."

"Why not? I would have thought Thad had fanned the flames well past boiling at this point."

"Oh, I was miffed at first, but I got over it. Unlike our dear Thad, I do realize that you're an adult. There is nothing I can do about the situation without upsetting you or harming our friendship, which I'm not prepared to do. I think your decision was rash and that you made an ill-informed choice, but I can't hold it against you."

"Thank you."

"No problem." Kelly pushed a lock of black hair out her face and devoured the other end of the carrot. "So, he's yummy?"

"So very."

"Figures. I go through men like most women go through pints of ice cream and you, who hasn't dated anybody in months ends up with a hot English guy. Have I told you lately that you suck?"

Elizabeth glanced at her watch. "It's been at least twenty minutes."

Kelly grinned. "It was big of your new hubby to insist that you eat lunch in this fancy joint."

Frowning, Elizabeth looked down into her salad. On the way back to the hotel, William had demanded that she call Kelly and change their lunch date location. He had told her that it would go on his room charge and he might as well spend some money since his stay in Vegas was going to be cheaper than planned. She had fought him, but he had kissed away her arguments, much to her chagrin.

"Oh, no."

"What?" Elizabeth asked.

"Are you having issues with your loaded new spouse?"

"Not so much issues as, well, okay, yeah, issues."

"Lizzy, he insisted on this, right?"

Elizabeth nodded.

"Then let him do something nice for his wife. And his wife's devoted best friend who has never had such a damn good salad in her life."

She chuckled as Kelly over-exaggerated her enjoyment of a cucumber slice. Suddenly, Kelly's fork stopped mid-air and she was staring behind her friend. Elizabeth felt a hand on her shoulder. There stood William, dressed in a fresh suit, his locks slightly tamed, and his eyes bright.

"I know I said I wouldn't interrupt your lunch with your friend, but I wanted you to know that I've checked out. Tony and Melinda called so I'm going to meet them for lunch. I'll see you at the canals?"

Elizabeth nodded. William smiled, kissed the crown of her head, letting his lips linger just a moment too long, and left.

"Remember what I said about you making an ill-formed choice?" Kelly asked, her eyes glued to William's retreating backside.

"Yes?"

"I was wrong. I was completely wrong. I take it back. In fact, I don't think I would have waited as long as you did to marry him."

Elizabeth laughed. "You are judging a book by its cover, Kell."

"Oh, and what a cover, Lizzy. What a cover indeed!"

* * *

Elizabeth met her husband at the platform where the indoor canal began. He smiled as he took her hand, but it was immediately replaced by a frown.

"Why do you still have this on your finger?" He asked, examining the dollar-bill that was still wrapped around the digit.

"It's my wedding ring!" She exclaimed, snatching her hand back.

"Remind me to buy you a huge diamond," he muttered.

"I don't want a huge diamond. I want the dollar bill that you put on my hand when you married me." She cast a glance down, catching sight of his bare ring finger. "And no husband of mine is going to go without a ring. When we get home I'm making you a dollar bill ring too."

"I'll buy my ring today, thank you."

"No, I'll buy your ring. You shouldn't have to buy your own wedding ring. Just give me time and I'll brand you with a band all your own."

Unable to stop himself, William wrapped his arms around his lovely wife and kissed her thoroughly, garnering many stares from curious and slightly disdainful passers-by. There were very few odd sights in Las Vegas, Nevada, but seeing a well-dressed business-man making out in public with a plainly dressed beauty was odd, even for the most jaded of the public.

Breathless when the kiss broke, it took Elizabeth a moment to realize the attention they were getting. She pulled the squidgy out of her hair, letting it fall around her face so she could hide in plain sight. William noticed and pushed her hair back.

"What's wrong?"

"People are looking at us," she said softly.

"And I should be ashamed of kissing my wife in public?"

"I hardly look like your wife, William. You're all dressed up and I look like a common prostitute."

"You do not! You look charming."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes.

"Would you like to go shopping? I'll dress you up in Chanel and Gucci and turn you into my little designer doll?"

Her eyebrow cocked doubtfully as her arms snaked around his neck. "I have a feeling that any designer duds you buy me would still pile just the same on the floor."

"Indeed they would."

"Let's get the hell out of here," she whispered, her lips grazing his ear.

He nodded, but was surprised a few minutes later when the keys to the Jaguar were missing from his pocket. He patted his other pockets and looked up to find Elizabeth grinning at him. The key winked in the flashing lights outside the parking garage.

"I may not be materialistic, but I'm not passing up the chance to drive this sweet bit of machinery."

"I see I've found your weak spot."

"Mr. Darcy, I'd say you've found several of my weak spots."

"You keep talking like that, Mrs. Darcy, and I'm afraid we'll never make it out of this garage."

She grinned again and slid into the car. Once on the open road, Elizabeth let William take her hand. He traced the lines in her palm and kissed her fingertips. They were within the parking lot of their destination when he finally noticed that they had not headed home.

"Where are we?"

"The great American retail behemoth known as Wal-Mart. I need to buy groceries and you are in serious need of some jeans and tee shirts. If you're very good, I'll take you to the mall and let you buy some Polo stuff."

"Polo? I hate polo, despite being very good at it."

"Not polo the game, you goober. Polo the brand. Ralph Lauren."

He thought about it for a moment, but she was already out of the car. Quickly, he joined her, shocked by how bright the store was. The light was white and harsh and the noise was unbelievable. There were screeching children and dinging cash registers. There were squeaking carts and irritated patrons. And there were people everywhere.

William had enough power to close shops at home, shops that were exclusive, homey little places that catered to its' clientele like a good mistress to her master. The shops were always lit with lamps and usually had lovely classical pieces playing the background. Children were never seen and carts were unheard of.

"Close your mouth. You'll catch flies," said Elizabeth, elbowing him in the ribs.

He walked along as she got the groceries she needed. She calculated every penny in her head and he was in awe. It struck him that he had never calculated anything below six figures and then he realized that he couldn't remember the last time he'd been in a grocery store. Mrs. Reynolds, his housekeeper, went to the store for him and left him prepared meals so he hadn't any need to shop.

"I want some ice cream, but I'll get it after we get your clothes."

She led him to the men's clothing section where she handed him several pairs of jeans.

"They aren't the greatest quality, but they'll do for now."

His face was blank.

"Go try them on."

Blank.

She pushed him toward the dressing room, where an older lady with garish pink lipstick leaned against the counter folding ugly orange negligees. The woman, nametag screaming Earlene, looked up at William and Elizabeth, screwed up her thin lips and flicked the keys clinging to the coil around her wrist.

"How many?"

"Four," Elizabeth Darcy replied, smirking at her husband. "Come out after you put on each pair. I need to see what they look like."

"Why?"

"They're different cuts."

Earlene led a wary-looking William away toward a hall of enclosed doors. Dutifully, between each new pair, he returned to model the jeans. After the first pair, Elizabeth had commandeered his jacket and tie, rolled up the sleeves of her tailored oxford shirt and admired the way he looked in casual gear. She noticed that women were slowing down as they passed by, some even stopped to gawk. When he emerged in the last pair, Elizabeth was positively beaming with pride.

"Those. Those are perfect," she said of the faded relaxed fit jeans. There was a tiny murmur through the crowd as they agreed with her. The jeans hugged and hung exactly where they were supposed to leaving many of the women in the crowd nearly panting with need.

With a glance at Earlene, Elizabeth approached her husband. She ripped the tags from the garment and handed the discarded pants to the bored clerk, who appraised William once before folding the denim wads before her. He darted back into the changing room, grabbed his trousers, and handed them off to Elizabeth. He tried not to notice when the gaggle of women pretended to look for clothing for their significant others when he followed her into the racks of tee shirts.

"Grey. Every man needs a well-fitting grey tee shirt," she told him and a few of the nearby women nodded.

Smirking, William, not used to such blatant attention, suddenly leaned into his wife. Boldly, he caught the lobe of her ear with his teeth. His hands locked around her waist, catching her up in a warm embrace.

"William," she said, her voice carrying a warning.

"Don't pretend you aren't loving showing me off, you little minx. You've got every woman's knickers in a twist and you are enjoying the hell out of it."

"I am," she admitted. "But that is just an added bonus. I've always wanted a gorgeous man at my beckon call."

"And I am, most ardently, at your beckon call."

"Put me down. We need to pay for this stuff and get home. Now."

After securing Elizabeth's ice cream and paying for their purchases, they loaded the car as quickly as they could. A thrill ran through his body as he watched Elizabeth focus on getting home. She'd hit the steering wheel when she was forced to stop or she'd grit her teeth when the car in front of her didn't signal. Finally, they were home and Elizabeth hastily threw the vehicle into park, grabbed the cold items out of the trunk, and raced toward the apartment.

He followed behind at a slightly more subdued pace, but was standing in the kitchen door when she shoved the entire bag into the fridge. The look on her face was plain as she turned on him, rushing him and knocking him down with such force it stole his breath.

"Tart," he whispered as she bypassed opening his shirt for the fly of his jeans.

"Shut up." She crushed her lips against his, straddling his body and sighing as his hands traveled up her sides taking her tank top with it.

She spent a few moments fumbling with the buttons of his shirt, before giving up and just pulling it open. Quickly, she discarded her shorts and soon their naked bodies were crashing into one another as they fought for control of the other's passion. Elizabeth, the victor, though it could be said that William hadn't really fought that hard, lowered her body onto his and let the feel of him pulse through her.

The bliss on his face charged through her like a bull on a Pamplona street, knowing that she owned this feeling of his made her body tingle and throb. She grinded her hips, her skin growing hot where his hands grasped her. The skin on her knees began to burn as she rode him, the skin rubbing raw as her speed grew, but she ignored it, the need for William overriding anything else.

She bit her lip and William thrust his body up, slicing her with a reverberating ecstasy. Their bodies shook and convulsed together until they exploded and Elizabeth lay on top of him, gasping for air.

"Well," she said finally, once she'd regained her breath. "I'd say I've convinced you to go get the rest of the groceries."

Incensed, he pushed her off and pulled on his jeans. "Are you just using me for my brawn?"

Taking in the broad, hard naked chest, bare feet, and jeans, Elizabeth felt her blood stir again. Unable to form a coherent sentence, she simply stuck her tongue out. He laughed and she watched that delicious back disappear into the Vegas sunshine.

* * *

Sunday nights used to be routine. Elizabeth would come home from a short shift and have a glass of wine while she soaked in the tub. Then she would settle on the couch to watch a movie from her vast collection. Movies were the one luxury item she allowed herself.

It was obvious, though, that William wasn't about to let her continue on with this tradition. He had been none too happy about letting Elizabeth leave for work and she had had to placate him with promises of copious kisses to come.

She unlocked the apartment door, stunned as the scent of lilies and roses wafted toward her. The living room was dark but for the millions of white candles scattered about. The dining room table was set and there was a soft classical piano piece tinkling out of the speakers.

He was lounging against the doorframe of the hallway, clad in nothing but flannel pajama bottoms. It had not taken him long at all to discover the effect his partially nude body had on his wife. A lazy grin was spread over his beautiful mouth and his arms were crossed over his chest.

"What's this?"

"Motivation," he replied simply.

"Motivation for?"

"Those million kisses you promised me."

"Did I specify a number?"

"Yes." His voice was firm, his business voice and it offered no chance for argument.

She undid her slacks, flinching a little when the cloth scraped over her raw knees. Wearing a skirt had been out of the question, though a skirt meant better tips. With an absent kick, the trousers were in a pile against the wall and she was wrapped in William's arms.

"Would it sound silly to admit that I missed you and couldn't wait to get home to give you your kisses?"

He simply shook his head. How he wanted to tell her that he was falling for her! Correction: had fallen for her. His hands found her face and he pressed his lips against hers, the feel of them now familiar and warm but still so very exciting, and his tongue slipped in to caress her gently.

"Wait a minute. Aren't I supposed to be the one kissing you?"

"Then go to it."

She grasped the back of his neck, her fingers playfully dipping into his dark waves, and pulled him down to meet her mouth. His kiss was worth telling Thad she'd married William a hundred times over. There was no surprise when he began to undo the buttons of her white work oxford.

"How will I deliver a million kisses when you have other intentions, Mr. Darcy?"

"Hang the million kisses, Mrs. Darcy."

Elizabeth took his mouth once again, letting him lift her into his arms. He carried her into their bedroom and this time she didn't laugh, just whimpered when he seemed to far away.

"How is it that I want you so badly?" She asked.

"I can't explain it, love. I can only understand it because it's what I feel too."

Moved almost to the point of admitting her feelings for him, Elizabeth gathered William to her and feathered the rest of his body with the rest of the kisses she owed him.

Chapter Five

Monday morning proved to be a harsh wake-up call to one of the newlyweds as an overly cheery DJ encouraged him to be awake around seven. William groaned, rolling over to capture his wife about the waist, and was heartily disappointed to find that she was already gone. The shower was running. He slammed his fist against the irritating machine and settled on his back to stare up at the ceiling.

What the hell was he going to do while Elizabeth was in class? He wondered again if there was anyway he could convince her to quit her job. The thought of tying her to the bed crossed his mind, though he ruled it out as a tool of persuasion. He'd save that for a little later in their relationship.

The water shut off, but she didn't return to the bedroom. Finally, unable to rip his mind from the thought of her bound to the brass bars of the headboard, William forced his body from the bed and carefully made his way to the dining room where she sat reading the paper, one knee pulled up to her chest and her leg tucked under her. She was absently sipping at a cup of coffee.

"It's early," he said. He ran a hand through his hair, teasing waves into a standing position.

"I have class at nine. If I don't get out of bed early, I won't make it."

"What I am to do without you today?"

"Go to the mall and buy more civilian clothes for me to wrestle you out of?"

His face was sour.

"You'll survive, Will."

Looking doubtful, he slipped behind her chair and leaned close. He pushed aside a lock of damp hair, running his lips along the curve of her ear. The knowledge that she was his once again flashed through him like a bolt of lightning causing his heart to swell.

"You don't want to be married to a college dropout, do you?" She murmured.

"For shame."

"Then quit distracting me, dear husband. My current events class is this afternoon and I'd wager anything that Professor Hoyt is going to give a pop quiz."

"Anything?"

She rolled her eyes at her insatiable spouse though she was inclined to proceed with the wager. There were any number of things she'd like to see him do as a result of a loss, but she kept her head—just barely—and managed to not respond to his delicious offer.

"You could call Kelly. She's home today and she could show you all the not so touristy places Vegas has to offer."

"She's your friend. I'd feel odd ringing her."

"You have my permission. And she knows better than to fuck with any man of mine."

He chuckled. "Alright. Leave me her number."

Elizabeth scrawled the number down then went back to her paper as William made a bowl of cereal. They passed the rest of their morning pleasantly. After she'd finished the paper—he managed to get the financial section from her—she explained the classes she was taking and why she had chosen English as her major. She asked him about his business, fascinated by the logistics of it all.

With a groan, Elizabeth looked at the clock. "It's time to go."

He nodded sadly.

"I go to work right after my last class. I won't be home until about ten."

"Still no way I can persuade you to quit you job and let me pamper you?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "But I have been thinking, maybe now that I'll have a little extra money with you paying for half I can cut my hours. I hate the thought of you sitting here with nothing to do and not being from here makes it worse."

"You'd do that?"

"You're my husband. I have to give a little bit, don't I?"

He wrapped his arms around her, kissing her sweet mouth thoroughly before releasing her. Gently, he pushed a stray lock away from her cheek. It was so easy to belong to her.

"I mean I don't want you to think I'm lazy. I'm just trying to be fair."

"My dearest Elizabeth, you aren't being lazy. You're being wonderful and selfless and tonight, when you are tired and achy as hell, I will massage every bit of your body until you can't move."

"That sounds like heaven."

"Then it's a date. Heaven. Ten o'clock. I'll bring the oil. You bring the beautiful body."

She kissed him again and quickly left, knowing that if she didn't get in her car now, she'd never leave him at all.

* * *

His sister wasn't expecting a call today, but he didn't feel quite right about the evening he'd planned for his bride without telling Georgiana the truth first. She deserved to know more than anybody and, he prayed, she might even be happy for him.

"Georgia Designs. May I help you?"

"George?"

"Will?"

"Yes."

"I didn't think I'd hear from you today."

"I know. There's something I need to tell you."

"What? Did you fly to Hong Kong and get arrested?"

"Touché. No, I'm still in Vegas."

"Did you gamble away your fortune and need airfare home?"

"No. George, dammit, listen to me."

Finally, she was silent.

"It is very important that you don't interrupt me until I'm finished speaking. Are we clear?"

"Yes."

William paused, thinking of his news like a bandage. Would it be better to go slow and ease her into it or just let it rip and hear the telephone thud to the floor? Fast it was.

"So, here I am in Vegas, right? And there are a lot of things to do here: gamble, shop, get married. What's the Vegas experience without doing those things?"

"Will-"

"I said no interrupting, didn't I? Anyway, I got married and I lost quite a bit of quid at the poker table the other night. I don't think I'll be going back there anytime soon."

There was no sound coming from England. No breath, no thudding telephone. It was the quietest he'd ever heard his sister.

"Are you mad about the money?" He asked lightly.

"No."

"Georgie?"

"William, did you just tell me that you got married?"

"I did."

"Who is the trollop?"

"She isn't a trollop, George, she's my wife and I'll thank you not call her that again."

"How could I call her anything but, Will? You're married to a stranger! I assume she's a stranger and that you haven't been carrying on an illicit affair with some tart behind my back."

"Even if I were, it would be none of your business. I am a grown man, if you'll recall."

"Then perhaps you should act like it!"

"I don't want to fight with you about this. I want you to be happy for me. This woman is everything I need right now."

"Right now? Everything you need? You need your head checked. Do you realize how foolish you've been? Even without the firm you were worth millions of pounds! You didn't even think about a prenuptial contract, did you?"

William had known that his sister would take it badly. He had known, but he had never expected her to be so utterly abrasive. Georgiana was pushy and demanding, but she was rarely mean.

"You haven't met Elizabeth and if I sound foolish for saying this then so be it, but she's different. She has no interest in my money."

"So you say. You've been gone four days, William. She isn't going to play her hand so soon."

"How does Jeremy make you feel when he walks into the room?"

"What has that to do with anything?"

"Don't dodge the question, George. How does your husband make you feel?"

"Excited, wanted, needed."

"Elizabeth does that for me."

"My husband also makes me feel loved."

"So does my wife."

"It's your life. You are obviously trying to reiterate that point again and again with stupid, rash decisions."

"It's always so pleasant talking with you."

"Fuck off, Will." The phone slammed down.

Unhappy but relieved that his task was over, William cradled the handset and let his mind drift to his wife. He knew that he couldn't tell Elizabeth about his sister's violent reaction, so he would downplay the argument and simply tell her that he'd given Georgiana the news. It was the only thing he could think to do.

* * *

"Hey, Lyle, may I speak with you?" Elizabeth asked her boss later that evening. She was already exhausted; the pop quiz she'd suspected had turned out to be a surprise exam. Her body ached for William and her mind wasn't far behind. Briefly, she wondered how it was possible to be so lovestruck so quickly, but there seemed to be nothing that could be done since she was so very happy with it.

"What's up, Bennet?" Lyle looked up from his desk. He was her manager and liked her more than some of his other staff but wasn't the kind to play favorites.

"I know I've been asking for more hours lately, and really, I've appreciated everything you've done to help me out, but is there anybody else who needs them? Something has come up and I find that all the extra hours aren't necessary any longer."

"You pregnant?"

"No! God, Lyle."

"Well, that's how Tina told me she was going on maternity leave."

"Tina can't ask for less hours, Lyle. She's your wife."

"Like being married isn't a job. Kid, you have no idea. Anyway, Tina told me she was going to cut her hours at work and now look where I am: a wife and two kids."

Elizabeth took a breath, willing her patience to remain. Lyle was a nice guy, but he had a very short attention span. It surprised her that he still remembered what she'd come in to ask.

"Well, Vicky's been down on her luck lately. Frank took off with Carla, you know, and Vic's got his boy to take care of."

"Uh-huh," Elizabeth responded. She never saw Vicky, who worked the morning swing shift and she didn't know who Frank or Carla were. In fact, the less she knew of her coworkers the better as far as she was concerned. There were a few—Charlotte and Phil—that she made friends with, but most of them she could do without.

"I can see if she wants your hours. How many you want total?"

"If you could knock me down to thirty or twenty-five that'd be great."

"Are you still taking classes?"

"Yes."

"Alright." Lyle waved his hand, going back to his paperwork.

Feeling a lot better about the prospect of spending more time with William, Elizabeth finished out her shift walking on air.

* * *

Kelly peered into the jewelry case, staring at the diamonds that twinkled in the shop's ambient lighting. William's mouth twisted and his brow furrowed as he studied the selection before him. He glanced up at her and timidly pointed to an outlandish marquis cut diamond in an ornate gold band.

"You have just chosen everything your wife hates about jewelry," Kelly informed him. While she loved diamonds and gold and men who were willing to pay for it all, Kelly knew her best friend well enough to know that they weren't even in the right store. "And Liz is weird. She also hates Tiffany's."

"We're in Tiffany's."

"I know. Had I known where you planned on dragging me and why I would have stopped you. That's why you should be more forthcoming, Mr. Darcy."

"Forgive me, Miss Prescott. In the future I will let you know how I plan on surprising my wife, though I'm quite sure that my surprises would not remain surprises for very long."

Kelly laughed. "I'm that transparent, am I?"

"I'm afraid so. I could tell just by looking at you that you couldn't keep a secret to save your life."

Shrugging, Kelly slipped away, leaving William to follow her. She'd been a little surprised when he'd called her, but was willing to help him out. He sounded terribly depressed when he asked if she'd go shopping with him; there was no way she could refuse.

It didn't hurt that he was utterly easy to look at either.

"So," William said, opening the car door for her, "how did you meet Elizabeth?"

She slid in and answered his question as he started the car.

"We met in a chemistry class, which she failed miserably," Kelly smiled at the memory of the minor explosion her friend had had in the lab. "My family is from here and we sort of adopted Lizzy. She and Thad have spent the holidays at my house for years. I have a brother, but always wanted a sister and Lizzy is that girl."

"Lovely. Do you think Thad will forgive her?"

"Are you kidding me? Lizzy is like air to Thad. I'm surprised he hasn't called her already."

"He hasn't."

"He'll get over it."

"I don't want to cause her any kind of pain, but I'm not willing to just give her up for Thad's sake."

Kelly glanced at him and saw the set of his jaw. That her friend was born under a lucky star to have snagged such a man was certain. She motioned for him to make a right then a left.

"Is it even legal for you to be driving in the States?"

"I have a British license. I'm unsure of your laws."

"Do you have trouble driving on the right side of the road?"

"Not really. It takes a bit to readjust, but it isn't like the first time I drove. That was horrible."

Kelly nodded and stared ahead before taking the plunge. "You realize I have to say this. It has no bearing on how hot I think you are or how much I want to like you, but it needs to be said.

"If you hurt her you'll have to leave the planet to hide."

"Thad's already threatened me, but somehow I'm a little more frightened of you."

"Wise man. Turn right."

She directed him into a massive parking lot across the street from a huge tent.

"What's this?"

"The Las Vegas Flea Market. Lizzy loves this joint. Don't look so scared. We won't be here that long. I promise."

She led him through a maze of the broken, the old, the musty, and the vaguely charming to a booth full of old jewelry. She crossed her arms over her chest, a huge grin spreading over her lips.

"This is Lizzy's style."

He poured over the cases, examining the contents carefully. Suddenly, he sucked in a breath and pointed.

"That one!"

She leaned in to look. "It's perfect."

The old man behind the counter came forward, liking it the best when he didn't have to work for a sale. He took the ring out of the case and handed it to William as he glanced at Kelly.

"Your girl here likes the ring?"

"No, it's for my wife," replied William absently. "Kelly is helping me pick it out."

He handed it to Kelly, who immediately looked at the tag. She eyed the old man.

"This ring is not worth five grand."

"That's a platinum band, miss."

"How many carats is the ruby?"

"Two and a half."

"Real diamonds?"

"Of course."

"Let's see some certification."

Grumbling, the old man got shuffled through a stack of papers for the work on the ruby. William looked at Kelly, who just shook her head. She pulled him down to whisper in his ear.

"If you didn't haggle for this ring, my best friend would be sorely disappointed and we can't have that."

William nodded and settled back to watch Kelly talk. Twenty-five hundred dollars later, William had an antique ring in his pocket for his wife.

"That was impressive."

"Thank you. Lizzy and I used to come down here all the time before she started working. Now I'm lucky if I see her once every couple of weeks." Kelly grinned, but immediately wiped it from her face when she saw the look on William's face. "Oh, my god."

"What?"

"You've already fallen in love with her, haven't you?"

For a moment he didn't acknowledge her, but then he snorted and met Kelly's eyes.

"Yeah. I've already fallen for her."

"God, what a lucky fucking bitch."

William chuckled, feeling comfortable enough to sling his arm around Kelly's shoulders. He gave her slight squeeze.

"Come on. I'll buy you a Coke as a consolation prize."

"Couldn't you just get me a male whore?"

"I think a Coke will do, Kell."

She grunted and led him to the food court.
To see Lizzy's ring, click here.

* * *

It was a little after ten pm when Elizabeth let herself into the darkened apartment. There were no signs of life and she admitted that she was sorely disappointed that William had not stayed up to greet her. Briefly it occurred to her that he might have realized his error and just left, figuring it would be easier to divorce from a distance.

It gave her an empty, aching feeling to think that he might be gone so she pushed the thought away and wandered into the bedroom. He was already in bed and she could hear his steady breathing through the stillness. She undressed, only slightly upset about not getting her promised massage, and slipped into the already warmed sheets beside him. His bare skin was smooth beneath her lips as she kissed his shoulder. Her arm went around his waist.

Immediately, his hand covered hers, slipping his fingers between her smooth digits.

"I missed you," he said. "I don't think I like your job."

"I asked Lyle to cut my hours. He said he would."

He squeezed her hand affectionately and deftly slipped the dollar bill off her finger.

"What are you doing?" She cried.

"This." He pushed the ruby ring on and let go. He turned on the lamp and the ruby glittered in the dim light as Elizabeth sat up. Carefully, he watched her face, trying to discern what she was thinking.

"What is this?"

"Your ring. I promised you I'd get you something to wear other than that dollar bill so I did."

"But I wasn't expecting something so lavish."

"You're worth more to me than a thousand of those rings."

Her head swung up from the ring, her eyes bright with tears. "What?"

"It's silly to pretend that any of this is logical, so I'm just going to go with it. I don't know what you've done to me, Elizabeth, but I have fallen completely in love with my wife. I would have bought you an obnoxious diamond today, but Kelly insisted that I make you happy."

"She's like that," Elizabeth replied quietly. "You love me?"

"I do." There was uncertainty in his voice and Elizabeth knew that while he was in no doubt of his feelings for her, he wasn't sure of her emotions.

"I love you," she replied, her heart in her throat. "I love that I missed you so desperately today. I love that coming home is such a pleasure. I love that waking up in your arms seems like the only way I have ever woken up. I agree that it's crazy, but I have fallen madly in love with my husband."

He leaned into her gently, taking her mouth as though he'd never kissed her before and he slipped his hands up to cup her face. She was simply the sweetest, most beautiful gift he'd ever received and, now that he knew she loved him, now that he'd told her the same he would find a way to make this work. They would be together. Always.

"I had a moment when I walked in tonight. I thought you might have gone. You don't know what that did to me."

"I won't leave you," he whispered, his lips brushing hers with every gentle syllable. "Not ever."

His hands snaked up to pull her bun loose and her kurls tumbled down her back. For a moment, William just looked at her, touching locks of her hair as though they were worth all the gold in the world. He didn't wonder anymore how this woman had become the most precious thing in his life so quickly. The speed of his tumble wasn't the point. The point was he was sitting with his downfall: the one person in the entire world whom he was certain he couldn't live without. He was positive she didn't even know what kind of power she had.

He kissed her again, their lips meeting in a crush of elation and need, the relief their confessions had brought evident in the hunger rolling over and through them. His mouth traveled down her jaw, alighting at the pulse in her throat. She tasted like the sweetest water in his dry mouth.

"I feel like I'm in a dream," she said, pulling his mouth to hers again. Her tongue slid in, distracting him only a little as she pulled her body into his lap and pressed her cheek against his shoulder. "I sound so corny."

William's arms locked around Elizabeth's waist, his fingers drawing little patterns absently along her skin. He placed a gentle kiss between her breasts then stared up at her.

"You don't sound corny. Okay, maybe a little." He laughed as she playfully punched his shoulder. "You sound like a wife sweet-talking her husband."

"I am," she replied, trailing her tongue along his collarbone, wallowing in the salty taste of his skin. "Is it working?"

"Oh, yes."

"Good."

Fingers trailed up her ribcage lightly, tickling and provoking her all at the same time. His palm slid over the curve of her breast before he took a firm hold and began to squeeze, his thumb making quick, hard passes over the hardening nipple. A guttural, heavy groan rumbled up through her small frame as he squeezed the sensitive flesh between his fingers. Happy with the response he received, William bent and took her into his mouth, sucking hard even as his fingers dipped into her.

At the sudden invasion, Elizabeth's body arched, pressing against his strong, nimble hand. She toyed with his kurls mindlessly, bearing down on him to manipulate the swollen flesh in his mouth by whatever means necessary. She gave herself over to the sensation, allowing the pleasure of him and his love for her to wash over her. "William," she cried, as if his name alone invoked a long-dormant magic.

Gently, reverently, he pushed her into the soft sheets and covered her body with his. She shivered as he parted her thighs with his knee. He pushed a lock of hair from her cheek, his lips catching hers when he slid home.

He paused inside her, meeting her eyes and holding them for a long, heavy moment.

"I love you, Elizabeth."

"I love you, William."

He poured all his love into each thrust in an attempt to prove what she meant to him. His body was a tool in the job of loving Elizabeth and he found that his own release paled in comparison to achieving her pleasure. She clawed at his skin, urging him on and he happily obliged her.

All these years, surrounded by luxury and privilege, power and wealth, and William Darcy had finally found his happiness in a tiny apartment in the middle of the desert. With a last, powerful jerk of his hips, Elizabeth tumbled into mindlessness. He spilled into her and, after collapsing beside her, gathered her bliss-numbed body into his arms. His hand traveled down the length of her arm, fingers wrapping around his bride's left hand. The ruby caught fire in the light once again and Elizabeth sighed dreamily.

"That was way better than a message."

"I agree," he replied with a kiss to the nape of her neck. "Do you like your wedding ring?"

"I love my wedding ring. It's perfect. Thank you."

"You're welcome."

He hugged her body to his knowing, despite his sister's vehement remarks regarding Elizabeth's character, the woman in his arms would be the woman he would love for the rest of his life. It was as simple as the act of breathing.

Chapter Six

Three weeks after the wedding, Thad finally gave in and left a message on the Darcys' answering machine. The shock was evident in his voice as he recovered from hearing: "Hi. You've reached Elizabeth and William Darcy. We can't take your call. Leave a message at the beep."

In his estimation, answering machines said everything about a person. Gone was her former witty message of 'do it at the beep' only to be replaced by something so very yuppie. It was disturbing.

"Hi, Lizzy. It's Thad. Call me."

Elizabeth stared at the machine, tapped the button again, and bit her lip. She was home alone. William had discovered some business venture and had spent days tinkering around with the prospect of buying or investing, she wasn't sure which. So she picked up the phone and punched in her best friend's number.

"I wasn't sure you'd call me back," he said instead of 'hello.' Thad was addicted to his caller ID.

"Why wouldn't I? I've been waiting."

"So this guy looks like a permanent addition to your life. I heard that lame-ass message on your machine."

"He's a businessman, Thad. Right now he's working from here."
"Yeah, well, I didn't call to talk about this guy."

"He has a name. Thad, please, try to understand that he makes me very happy. Kelly likes him."

"I know."

"Could you maybe make an effort?" Elizabeth asked, her voice tight.

"That's why I'm calling. Damien and I want to invite you both out to dinner tonight."

"Tonight? It's awful short notice."

"Tomorrow maybe?"

"That would be better."

"Okay. The usual."

"Okay," she agreed. "Thad? I love you and I miss you. Please stop being mad at me."

He coughed to cover up his strangled sob.

"I know you're crying over the phone, you jerk," she muttered.

"So what if I am?"

"I'm going to tell all your friends you're a sissy."

"I'm a fag, Lizzy. They already know that."

She laughed. "Now you're just buying into the stereotype."

"Funny thing about stereotypes, my darling, is that there's an essence of truth in them all. I'll see you tomorrow."

Thad hung up and Elizabeth let out a breath.

* * *

"Is William there?"

"No, he's working."

"Working? Why the hell is he working?" Georgiana demanded.

"Because he found something he's interested in?"

"He isn't supposed to be working! He's supposed to be on bedrest."

"Why?" Elizabeth asked. This was the first time she had talked to William's sister and she was certain there was a reason for it. William had deftly fielded all calls from England, but she knew she'd get to talk to the sister eventually.

"Are you really going to play dumb with me?"

"Excuse me?"

"You're an American. You're obsessed with celebrity culture, aren't you? It made People magazine."

"I only read People at the dentist office twice a year, Miss Darcy. Now, if you would kindly explain your catty remark, I'll be glad to offer a snarky comeback in exchange."

"The name is Mrs. Blake."

"And mine is Mrs. Darcy."

There was an irritated sigh that spanned half the globe. "I can see I am going to get nowhere with you."

"That is no fault of mine. You're the one with the giant chip on her shoulder. I'm merely trying to determine why my husband is supposed to be on bedrest."

"He had some health problems a few weeks ago. He was instructed to take six weeks of bedrest, which, granted, are nearly over and not to work."

"I'm sorry. If I had known I would have made him follow the doctor's orders, but he didn't tell me and was obviously uncomfortable letting me talk to you. I can't imagine why."

"Just tell him to call me when he gets back to your flat."

"I'll be sure to do that after we've had our first marital spat."

The connection broke. Elizabeth disappeared into the kitchen to fix dinner. She was setting the table when he strolled in. Immediately, he crossed the room and gathered her in his arms. With a raised eyebrow, she put a finger to his eager lips.

"Slow your roll there, junior."

"What?"

"First, we are going to dinner tomorrow night with Damien and Thad. Secondly, what's this I hear about bedrest and not working?"

His arms dropped to his sides and his mouth screwed up.

"Spill, bucko."

"I had a severe anxiety attack almost six weeks ago and was ordered by my doctor to stay out of my office. I was supposed to be trapped in my house with my dodgy old Aunt Cate for the duration of my bedrest, but two weeks in, I fled here, met you, and have never felt better in the whole of my life."

"Nice try. Your sister thought I knew about it. Thank you for allowing me to make a wonderful first impression."

"She wasn't supposed to call until later."

"Right. So, let me get this straight. You had some problems that were severe enough that your doctor booted you out of work for six weeks, you had a temper tantrum and ran away from home, and I'm not only not important enough to be informed of your potential health risks, but I'm also not good enough to talk to your sister?"

"I didn't say that!" He spat indignantly. "I didn't tell you about the anxiety attack because I've felt fine since I was released from the hospital. I didn't have a temper tantrum. And my sister can be an awful harpy at times."

"William, it was important for me to know about your health. I'm your wife! What if something had happened? I couldn't have told the doctors anything because I wouldn't have known."

"I don't know your health history," came his snide reply.

"I had chicken pox when I was four."

"And?"

"Two. On my hip."

"That's it?"

"That's it."

"Oh."

"Way to go there, comeback boy." She turned to go to the kitchen. He followed and watched as she stirred something in a large pot. "You know, I wouldn't be so irritated with you if you had told me your sister hated my living guts. That might have been a nice bit of information to have."

"She doesn't hate you."

Elizabeth just stared at her husband as though he had a hand growing out of his nose.

"She's a little upset with me jumping into marriage. She thinks I made an unwise decision."

"She thinks I want your money."

He smacked his lips. "That too."

"Christ, Will, she thought I was stalking you from magazines. I got very snotty with her. She's going to tear you a new one when she talks to you."

"She's not going to be happy anyway. My exile is supposed to end early next week. They were expecting me to come back to work. Her husband has been working with some of my clients so I'm sure she's not seen too much of him lately."

She chewed on her lip thoughtfully. "So what does this mean?"

"I'm not going home until you can go with me."

"Will, I have four more months left in the semester!"

"Which is why I've been working on this new project. I need something to do while I'm here."

"Yeah, about this project. What the hell is it exactly?"

"You'll see."

Elizabeth sighed, turning the stovetop off. He grinned at her in a pathetic gesture of peace.

"Is our first fight over?" He asked.

"We can't even fight properly," she muttered. "I was so hoping to smash something against the wall."

"You can smash me against the wall. As long as you're nude of course," he suggested helpfully.

"Get your bowl," she commanded dryly. "We're having stew."

* * *

Elizabeth's haggard, coughing Plymouth Colt rumbled into a parking space at Solomon's and gasped as she keyed off the ignition. William looked at the car next to him then back to her, his face dour.

"Hey, I've never seen a Jag in the parking lot before tonight. I swear. I was certain your car was too ritzy."

He shook his head. "I don't care how much you fight me on this. I am getting you a new car. I won't have you driving this deathtrap."

"Hey! Ophelia's very sensitive."

"She should be. She's named after a dead girl."

She wrinkled her nose at him and exited the car. He met her in front of the hood, the cooling engine still whimpering. With a hand she silenced him and headed for the door. Hal greeted Elizabeth in the foyer, giving her a knowing grin and chuckle as his eyes flicked toward William. Irritated that Thad found it necessary to tell everybody in Las Vegas, Nevada her business, she simply raised her eyebrow and Hal's smirk was gone.
"Where is he?"

"Table fifteen."

"You liar. You would never give us that lousy table."

"The terrace."

"Thank you." Elizabeth took William's hand.

"Which one is fifteen and why do you know that?"

She pointed to a table that was framed by the doors of the restrooms. "When it rains, Hal's septic system goes wacky and the smell is vile. I used to only sit really obnoxious customers there."

"You worked here?"

"Yup, Thad and I both. I think Kell may have worked here for a couple of days too, but I'm not sure. That girl has had as many jobs as she's had boyfriends."

Pulling him through the restaurant, William noticed the ambience of the place. It felt old, unlike most of the places he'd been in the city. It was all dark wood and scarred, mismatched tables with old ads shellacked to them. The pungent smell of beer hung in the air like a Christmas ornament. There were a few plants and a lot of candles in Ball jars sitting in the middle of every table. It wasn't packed, but it certainly wasn't empty. They arrived at a set of French doors and she opened them.

The smell of barbecue hit him full force and he immediately saw why. Beyond the large terrace was a huge steel pit grill and a young man, splattered with sauce and wearing an apron that read "BBQ. It's easier to spell than 'gourmet.'" The man waved at Elizabeth, who grinned wide and waved back, giving William a tiny stab of jealousy.

"Who's that?"

"That's Voodoo."

"Real name please?"

They had finally reached their table, Thad hugging Elizabeth and then offering his hand slowly to William. He introduced Damien, a tall man with dark, spiky hair that was tipped nearly white.

"Glad to finally meet you, William. I would love to say that Thad's told me all about you, but his stubborn ass refused to call his best friend for three weeks and failed to get the scoop. May I say, though, that as long as you make our little Lizzy happy, you have my total support?"

"Thank you," William replied, smiling at his wife and immediately liking Damien.

"Thad? Do you know Voodoo's real name?"

"I thought that was his real name!" He leaned forward, gesturing Elizabeth in. Damien and William followed suit reflexively. "I heard that Jefferson caught Voodoo and Skanky Sheila in the wine cellar and she was partaking of a little more than port, if you catch my drift. Skanky Sheila was, apparently, on all fours."

"You're kidding! Christy told me last week that Skanky Sheila and Courtney were having a little one on one time upstairs in the shop. According to long time rumor, Court's been exclusively girl/girl for awhile and had a hankering to try out that old iron bed up there."

"No!"

"Yes!"

"Well, it is certainly good to see things back to normal," Damien muttered, leaning back in his chair. He looked at William as Elizabeth and Thad glared at him. "These two are like the phone company, the Internet, and a hairstylist all rolled into one. They live to gossip and gossip to live. You'd think Elizabeth would be more sensible, having been the subject of so many rumors herself of late."

"What? I haven't heard anything!" She exclaimed.

"Darling, you wouldn't. They're rumors about you!" Damien laughed.

"What are people saying?"

"That you got married to help some guy get his green card. The other version was that you married some rich prick to get your tuition money."

"Oh, my god!" Elizabeth yelped.

William took her hand, grinning. "So the truth is finally out."

"Whatever," she muttered, leaning closer to Thad. "Does anybody believe it?"

"Of course they do. It's prime gossip. A month and a half ago you were a dyke because you were seen dancing with Char Lucas at Boingo's, now you're an old married hag."

She growled. "Well, at least it's juicy. I'm so boring that if the truth ever got out I would be banned from the Tidbit Club permanently."

Voodoo appeared at the table and Elizabeth grinned at him again.

"You slothing dick! It took you long enough to get over here to see me."

"I heard you got married. Broke my heart."

"No, it didn't," she said. She held up William's hand. "This is my husband, William Darcy. Will, this is Voodoo. Hey, Voo, what the fuck is your real name? Thad and I have no idea."

"And it'll stay that way until my dying day, sweetheart. Ain't nobody else gonna suffer with the knowledge of this horrendous first name." He looked at William and offered his hand. "Pleased to meet you. I'm working out here tonight. What can I get ya'll to drink?"

They ordered a round of beer and Elizabeth demanded breadsticks. The conversation progressed, Thad finally warming to William by the time dinner was served.

"So, what about your life back in England?" Thad asked as Voodoo cleared away the dinner plates.

William noticed Voodoo lingering in hopes of catching some juicy gossip and gave him a pointed glare. In retaliation, the cook/waiter/busser intentionally looked down Elizabeth's low-cut top. Angry, William stood, moving toe-to-toe with the blond man.

"You make one more gesture toward my wife and I will personally see to it that pieces of you are scattered randomly all over the desert."

To William's shock Voodoo just laughed and was eventually joined by Thad. The waiter stepped back and nodded his approval at Elizabeth.

"He skipped bodily harm altogether. That makes him okay in our book," Thad said, grinning.

She grabbed William's hand and pulled him back to his seat. "It was a set-up. It wasn't very nice of them and I can't believe I didn't realize what they were doing. You've just been ambushed by Vegas' Gay Mafia."

"I never did manage to get past playing high school games, Will. I'm sorry, but I needed to see if you were good enough for my Lizzy."

"I didn't know anything about this," Damien said, giving Thad a withering glance.

The victim chuckled and slipped his arm around his wife's shoulders. Tenderly, he looked at her then kissed her cheek.
"What is it about you that inspires such devotion? Even in men who aren't sleeping with you?"

She shrugged, embarrassed by his affectionate display in front of her friends. A little irritated by Thad and Voodoo's ruse, Elizabeth glared at them before excusing herself to go the ladies' room.

"Temper, temper," Thad muttered clucking his teeth and giving Voodoo's retreating form a lecherous once-over. Damien rolled his eyes. "You're going to have to loosen that girl up."

"Temper? I haven't seen a temper."

Thad was shocked. It wasn't that Elizabeth was a loose cannon, it was that the weirdest things set her off. If William didn't have a problem with being set-up, why should Elizabeth? He sighed, knowing that she was probably in the bathroom counting until she was calm enough not to kick him hard in the shin.

"Then you're missing out. There's nothing quite as riotous as seeing Lizzy pissed off. She's not very good at it, you see. She usually sticks out that adorable bottom lip, clenches her fists a few times, and sometimes she yells. It's a treat."

"We've had one disagreement, but she was perfectly amiable."

"How veddy British of you!" Thad exclaimed, grinning. "You know, I can see why she's attracted to you. That accent is maddening."

Damien cleared his throat.

"Oh!" Thad rolled his eyes. "Like you weren't thinking it."

Finally, Elizabeth reappeared and sat down, her eyes smiling. Thad's knowing smile went unacknowledged as she twined her fingers with William's.

"We'll be going to England this summer," Elizabeth informed her friends. "Maybe you'll be able to visit me while I'm on that cold little island."

"You can count on it. It'll give me an excuse to finally get Mr. I-love-my-job-more-than-my-boyfriend to take a vacation."
"My job bought you those Versace jeans you're wearing," Damien muttered.

"No, you bought them because you love the way my ass looks in them."

"That too."

Elizabeth smiled as she watched them bicker. She realized suddenly how desperately she had missed Thad the last few weeks and was glad to know that he and Damien wouldn't abandon her when she left for a world she was more than a little wary of. She felt William lean in close and his lips skimmed her cheek.

"I would never take you away from him," he whispered. "He's welcome to stay with us when they come."

"Really?"

"Did I just hear you offer your place?"

William grinned. "Of course. I couldn't turn Elizabeth's family out on the streets, could I?"

Thad ordered another round of drinks and the conversation rambled on pleasantly until all parties were exhausted. They paid their bill—William's treat—and went their separate ways with promises of getting together soon.

William insisted upon driving and soon he and Elizabeth had returned home. She had nodded off a couple of times in the car so, instead of waking her, William parked, left the car, and proceeded to gently lift his wife from the vehicle. He toed the door closed, figuring that leaving it unlocked, and therefore unprotected, might be a blessing before heading for the apartment. At the threshold, William realized he couldn't unlock the door with Elizabeth in his arms.

"Sweetheart, I have to unlock the door."

She remained silent, but dug in her pocket, producing her house keys and sliding them into the lock. The door drifted open.

"You never carried me over the threshold," she said.

"Well, at least, we aren't sure if I did. Better let than never."

They slipped inside and William carefully made his way to the bedroom. He undressed her, kisses falling against her skin on every new patch he exposed, and tucked her in. For a long moment, he simply sat there, watching the soft rise and fall of her chest and listening to the quiet sighs that escaped her lips. Never in his life had he been so happy or felt so wanted or needed.

He leaned over and kissed her mouth then quickly undressed so he could join her in her slumber.

Chapter Seven

"May I speak with William, please?"

Elizabeth groaned inwardly. Another British accent, another pissed off Darcy. She wanted to pretend to be a maid or that she didn't speak a lick of English, but her desire to try to rectify her mistake with Georgiana forced her voice.

"He's in the shower. If you'd care to talk to me for a few minutes, he should be done soon."

There was a pause. She was sure the caller was just going to hang up and was surprised when there was a chuckle on the other end of the line.

"So, you're the trollop! I have simply been aching to talk to you about how you managed to rope my stalwart, fun-impaired cousin into holy matrimony."

"Cousin Richard?"

"Is that what he calls me?" The voice seemed wholly disappointed at the appalling lack of creativity on William's part.

"Does he refer to me as a trollop?"

"Hardly. He moons and sighs. It's impossible to get him to focus on anything when he calls. I finally managed to wrench the phone number from George. She's the one who calls you a trollop."

"I can't say I'm surprised. She is aware that I know what the word means, right?"

"I'd say she's praying for it!"

Elizabeth groaned, wondering how in the world she was going to prove herself to his family. Since the conversation with Georgiana, she had begun to heartily dread going to England with her husband. She wasn't the kind of person who thrived on stress and, while she normally didn't bother with what people thought of her, she wanted William's family to like her.

"Aren't you the one who got my husband drunk and tattooed?" She asked suddenly and Richard's hearty laughter rang in her ear.

"I am the very one. Gives him an edge, doesn't it? Makes him seem a little more dangerous?"

"It's a bull. It hardly makes him seem dangerous."

"Then you've obviously never seen him make twenty million pounds in seventeen minutes."

"I cannot say that I've had that pleasure."

"It's remarkable. That man can make money simply by drawing breath."

"That's-" Her voice trailed off, unsure of what she thought about it.

"Incredible? Sexy? Uncomfortable?"

"I think I'm going to have to go with the last one," she muttered, hating that she sounded so unsophisticated.

"I knew I had your number!"

"What?"

"Georgie has been moaning about how William has gone off and done this stupid thing. She seems to have forgotten that he's been an adult much longer than she and that he has more common sense than most people on the planet. One doesn't become as vastly successful as William Darcy without having an acute talent to understand people.

"You, Mrs. Darcy, have won the heart of a very capable, logical, and level-headed man."

"Thank you," Elizabeth said after a pause. She swallowed the lump in her throat and brushed at her tears. She'd expected to have to fight hard for his family's acceptance. It never occurred to her that they all wouldn't hate her.

"We're not all spoiled younger sisters, Mrs. Darcy. Some of us are happy for you both."

"Please, call me Elizabeth."

"Very well, Elizabeth. May I make a request?"

"Certainly."

"Make him stop calling me Cousin Richard."

* * *

William's hair was still damp as he ended the conversation with Elizabeth's new favorite family member. He grinned as he sat beside her on the sofa, slipping his arm about her shoulders and pulling her close. She snuggled against his shoulder and sighed happily.

"What did you think of my cousin Richard?"

She giggled.

"He has that effect on a lot of women, most especially his wife."

"No, I'm not laughing at that. You called him Cousin Richard. He asked me to tell you to stop."

"I don't call him Cousin Richard, but he is my cousin and his name is Richard, so what's the problem?"

"It's ridiculous?"

William rolled his eyes. "I can see straight away that I'll need to separate the two of you. You'll prove to be bad influences on each other. I think Richard is a bad influence on everybody except Eve."

"That's his wife, right? She's a doctor?"

"Yes. They married a year after we finished uni."

"What does Richard do?"

"Theoretically, Richard is a writer."

"Theoretically?"

"Yes, because he's never sold a single story and I suspect that he may not even really write. I think it's just an excuse to play online video games."

"I'll bet his wife loves that."

"It wouldn't matter what Richard did, Eve would adore him regardless. She dumped me for him, you know."

Elizabeth stared up at him, shocked and grateful that he'd been dumped. He smiled and kissed the tip of her nose and stroked her cheek.

"Is Eve pretty?" She asked and bit her lip, embarrassed that she was so transparent.

"Gorgeous."

"You could at least lie," she muttered.

"Eve is tall and thin. She was a dancer at university. Her mother was an Italian opera singer and her father was an African diplomat. She's got the most unusual skin tone I've ever seen and these amazing dark green eyes."

"Ahem."

He pressed his lips against hers, kissing her soundly. "Eve does have one major flaw, though."

"She's got a split personality? She's a minion of the Dark Beast?"

"Funny you should say that. I was just going to say she's Richard's wife."

* * *

Elizabeth dropped her bag on the floor, puffing hot air out of her lungs. The short hike from the comfort of her new air conditioned BMW Mini Cooper to the cool, dark apartment had been brutal. It was one of those dry, blistering days in Las Vegas. The sad part was that it was barely the end of April.

She had a few more weeks of school, but she and William were already planning their trip and she was beginning to feel her anxiety slip away. Richard had made it a point to call them often and get to know Elizabeth by telephone and email. She had even talked to William's business partner and best friend, Charles Bingley.

"Oh? Don't, under any circumstances, let him put Jane on the phone!" Richard had warned her when she'd told him about Charles. "As soon as she found out Will had gotten married, she planted herself on Georgie's side of the fence. You took away her second husband, you know. She chased William for years before settling for Charles."

There was a note on the coffee table, William's straight, neat writing jumping out in bright neon blue, the color of one of Elizabeth's school pens.

Dearest:
Had a few errands. May be a bit late.
Love you always,
Will

The silly schoolgirl smile spread over her mouth. She couldn't help it. It was so sweet and plain, his little note, that her heart filled and spilled over onto her lips. She loved that she still learned new things about him and that she longed for his company. She was safe, happy, and utterly content with her situation in life. Only a few months ago she was shocked at finding herself married to a stranger and now, she couldn't imagine her path winding any other way.

Still grinning, she disappeared to take a quick shower. A few minutes later, dressed in boxers and a tank top, she settled in at the dining room table, surrounded by a tiny fortress of text. She grabbed her favorite pen and began underlining bits from Graham Greene's "Brighton Rock," the book she was doing a research paper on.

She was flipping through the pages of a Greene biography when William walked in. Hardly looking up, she did a double take when he came further into the dining room. He was dressed in a well-cut suit that probably cost more money than her rent for the year.

"What are you doing?" He asked, dropping a kiss on the top of her head.

"Working on my Greene paper. This biographer suspects Greene of murder.* It's fascinating stuff really. Did you have a date this afternoon?" Her brow arched as she drank in his form once again.

He rolled his eyes, not even bothering with a reply. She returned to her books, her still-damp hair falling in front of her shoulders and skimming the tabletop as she read. It was endearing when she pushed her glasses up her small nose so he thought nothing of taking a seat to indulge himself in the luxury of staring at his wife.

"What?" She demanded after a few minutes.

"Nothing."

She simply stared at him expectantly over the top of her glasses.

"You're adorable, alright?"

It was Elizabeth's turn to roll her eyes. Removing her glasses, she dog-eared the page in the novel and slipped a note-filled index card into the thick hardcover to mark her place, resigned to the fact that she was likely to get very little studying done now that her husband was home. Pushing her book across the table, she slid over to his lap, loving how he automatically accepted her when his arms locked about her waist.

"So, what's with this expensive suit that I'm getting all wrinkly?" She wiggled a little as William shuddered.

"I had lunch with my sister today."

For a moment, Elizabeth was confused. After a moment, she pulled open his jacket, glanced in his breast pocket, and pursed her lips.

"Okay, I give. Where is she?"

He shook his head. "I flew up to LA to see her. We had lunch in Beverly Hills."

"She couldn't stop here?"

"No. She was only in town today. She was catching a flight in the morning to meet Jeremy in Hong Kong."

"Oh."

He couldn't ignore the hurt in her voice. Needing to soothe her, he brushed his lips across her cheek and ran his fingers through her silky curls.

"She's relieved that I haven't been overworking. She was amazed when she saw me today."

"As opposed to how you look in the dreary greyness of English light?"

"No," he said dryly. "She said I looked relaxed. I don't look like that at home."

"Oh."

"Things will get better once you meet," he said. There was no mistaking the hopeful tone of his words.

She kissed his forehead and stood.

"What are you doing?" He asked, his bottom lip sticking out in a pout as she headed toward the kitchen. He had a fondness for taking her on the table, reminiscent, perhaps, of their first day together.

"I'm going to cook some dinner. Are you hungry or still full from your five-star meal?"

He considered it, his eyes raking over Elizabeth's curvy form. "Hungry."

She pretended not to notice. "Good. You can make the mac and cheese."

"Mac and cheese?"

"It's that orange, creamy pasta that you've become so enamored of."

"Oh. How do you make it?"

"You've never made macaroni and cheese? Have you lived under a rock? Were you never a college student?"

He snorted. "You know I was a student."

"You were never a poor college student. Go change your clothes. I won't have you cooking in a three piece suit."

She went into the kitchen and removed the hamburger she'd been thawing from the fridge then gathered the rest of their meal: cauliflower and cheesecake from the freezer and a loaf of fresh bread that Damien had sent home with her. A short while later, her fingers numb from mixing the seasoning and eggs into the meat, she managed to shape the mass into a loaf shape and put it in the oven. She had just finished washing her hands when she turned to find her husband watching her from the doorway.

The man looked yummy in a three piece suit, but he was delectable now. Fighting the urge to rip the grey tee shirt and jeans from his body, Elizabeth found the scissors and cut open the bag of cauliflower. Unceremoniously, she dumped part of the bag into a pot, covered it, and placed it on a back burner.

"Okay, chief, your turn," she said, tossing the box of macaroni at him. "I'll clear my books from the table and get it set," she informed him, carrying a few dishes and a couple of glasses with her.

She was gone for a few minutes and when she returned he was still staring at the box as though he were trying to comprehend the meaning of life.

"Will, are you having trouble?"

"No," he replied firmly. He pulled out a skillet and set it on the stove.

"Sweetheart, six cups of water are not going to fit in that skillet. It's too shallow."

He looked at her doubtfully as she nodded that she was indeed telling the truth. Grumbling, he dug in the cabinet for the biggest pot he could find, an old Dutch oven that Elizabeth's mother had given her. He thumped it onto the stovetop, daring Elizabeth to criticize his choice. From the cupboard he retrieved a coffee mug.

Elizabeth cleared her throat.

"What?"

"A measuring cup, not a coffee cup."

He considered playing it off, but she would have known better. After returning the mug to its cupboard home, he took a dry measuring cup from the drawer. Elizabeth thought it better not to tell him it was a dry measuring cup. Carefully, he measured out the water precisely, pouring it into the pot without spilling a drop. Triumphant, he opened the box and dumped the contents, including the cheese packet, into the water.

"Honey, that packet is for later."

Sticking his arm in the water, William grumbled once again as he fished it out, tossing it in the sink in a huff. Frustration clear on his rugged, handsome face, he stood tapping his bare foot on the linoleum as he eyed his new nemesis.

"Turn the burner on to seven," was Elizabeth's whispered hint as she grinned from the door.

"You're enjoying this entirely too much," he muttered as he flicked the burner on.

At that, Elizabeth entered the kitchen and wrapped her arms around William's neck. Instantly, she was secure in his embrace so she delivered a kiss to the tip of his nose as he gazed down at her.

"Just think of all the energy I'll have once you serve me a hearty meal."

He sucked her bottom lip into his mouth, his teeth grazing her sweet flesh before he pushed his tongue into her, kissing her slow and deep. When he pulled away, her mouth was swollen and her eyes were heavy.

"Check your water," she said softly, licking at the taste of him as she became aware that she was suddenly hungering for something else entirely.

He reluctantly released his wife to find that the water had started to boil furiously. She put a colander in the sink.

"Dump the pasta in here and turn the heat to low."

He followed her instructions and threw the rest of the ingredients into the pot. With care, he mixed it together until the macaroni was bright orange.

"William?"

Elizabeth stood next to him, holding the lid to the pot. He took it and covered the food, barely looking at the stovetop. His eyes were glued to Elizabeth and the look in her eye.

"What about dinner?"

"The meatloaf isn't quite done yet," she replied, grabbing a belt loop and yanking his body towards hers. "And your lovely macaroni will keep." She reached behind him and clicked the burner off.

"What's with you?" He asked, amused by her need.

Her tank top was suddenly in the sink. "There's just something about watching a man cook."

He cornered her, his arms securing her body against the counter, effectively trapping her there so that he could help himself to her luscious mouth, but she pulled away and hopped up onto the counter. It was then that they kissed, a hot, needy thrashing of tongues, a rough clashing of teeth and when it ended, she leaned her forehead against his, struggling to breathe.

"Who knew that a colander and some cheesy pasta would make you so randy?"

"I think it had very little to do with the mac and cheese, love." She pulled at the fabric of his grey tee shirt and had it over his head and tossed to the floor in a matter of moments. "You have no idea of the power of the grey tee shirt."

He chuckled and dragged his teeth along the delicate skin of her throat and was just bending to her breast when she stopped him. She pushed him back, biting back her amusement at the look of disappointment on his face. Locking her legs around his waist, she brought him closer and wrapped her long fingers around his bicep.

For the first time, she really looked at his tattoo and appreciated the art of it. The bull was in a charging position, steam venting from its nostrils in vivid, smoky tendrils. The coloring was remarkable, rich coppers and browns that blended spectacularly with his recent tan. The bull's eyes were a vibrant, angry red that made her shiver just a little.

"Tell me about it."

"There's nothing to it."

"Yes, there is. I want to know," she replied firmly.

"We got drunk. We got into a bar fight. Without realizing I had a broken rib, we ended up in a tattoo shop and I got this."

"Why this? Why a bull?"

"It was a joke, but I didn't realize at the time it was only funny to investment bankers, nor did I realize none of my fellow investment bankers would ever have seen my hilarious joke."

Her eyebrow rose quizzically.

"The bull is for a bull market."

Fingers playing over the angry animal, Elizabeth smiled and nodded thoughtfully. "What about Richard? What did he get?"

"He was seriously considering a pair of lips on his arse, but I talked him out of it. He got his version of skull and crossbones."

"His version?"

"A skull with a sword and quill beneath."

He reached behind her, touching the circlet at the small of her back gently, eliciting a heavy sigh.

"Then we are both members of the Pin and Pen Society."

"So it would seem." Her nails scraped his nipple, an action that, she had only recently discovered, nearly brought him to his knees. He leaned into the counter heavily, a thick, tortured moan rumbling through him.

Gracing William with a wicked little grin, Elizabeth bent to his chest, trailing her tongue along the solid planes of it before drawing warm, wet circles around the flesh of his nipples. Between her legs, smashed against him as she was, she felt the denim strain and knew that his grip on the countertop was the only thing keeping him upright.

Gingerly, she freed him, letting the tip of him press against the thin cotton of her boxer shorts.

"Do you know what happens the moment before you enter me?" She asked, her voice a husky, thick whisper that slipped along the skin of his throat. "I forget to breathe. I think of you inside me and the world melts away.

"Do you have any idea how beautiful you are? I have to make myself forget because I want you so badly when I remember. In class. At work. The grocery store. It doesn't matter. When I think of you, I want you. Can you feel it?" She asked.

The cloth was damp against him and he sighed, the need for her so great that he struggled to listen to her words, which, in the end, did very little to divert his attention from wanting to be buried within her.

"I'm never more alive than when you are fucking me," she said, this time as she teased his nipples with her teeth. "I used to be afraid of passion, but now that I've had a taste of it, a taste of you, I know I could never give it up. I've become an addict and you, my dear husband, are my drug of choice."

She slipped her arms around his neck, lifting her hips from the counter and the shorts disappeared in a breath. He drove home, nearly splitting her apart in his desire to mate, filling her once and again, each time a little harder until her teeth rattled and her lungs were hot with pain.

In his life, William had never had a woman who could reduce him to such a state with a few words. It was that moment he realized he too had been afraid of passion. He had perfected his technique and had left his former lovers satisfied, but he had never left them fulfilled because he had had never been fulfilled. It was different now. His wife, his beautiful, amazing wife, had found his heart and ignited a spark within him that set his blood ablaze.

"My Elizabeth," was all he could manage in the midst of his discovery.

"Take me to bed," she whispered, catching his ear in her teeth. "Finish me there."

Lifting her, he stumbled toward the bedroom, their bodies reacting to every step that was taken. It was a torturous journey, but they fell to the bed still locked around one another. He pushed damp hair away from her face, kissing her lips gently as his rhythm returned, albeit a little more gently.

It was time to repay her for her earlier attentions and, as her eyes closed in pleasure, William seized his opportunity and rolled her nipple between his thumb and forefinger, delivering a sharp, quick pinch that elicited a tight yelp from her small body. Her eyes flew open and she stared, shocked. He grinned.

"Turnabout is fair play."

She snorted, threw her legs around his waist and slowed his increasing speed considerably. Inside her body, muscles went taut and her hips stopped suddenly only to jerk when he least expected it. He was a prisoner within her and suddenly found himself beneath his wife's delicious body.

Knowing the poor man could stand no further interruptions lest she damage him for life, Elizabeth lowered herself onto him, sliding down until she was filled. He held her steady, his hands grasping her hips firmly, as she rose and fell. Fascinated, he watched her eyes close, her body flush to a glowing pink, and sweat bead and trickle in the valley between her breasts to her smooth belly while she took her pleasure from him.

Sensing her nearness to climax, William held her firmly and thrust skyward, colliding with some secret space inside her. They both felt the change, the fine, minute modification that signaled colors to melt and bodies to flare and sizzle until there was nothing left but shuddering and panting.

She fell forward, his arms wrapping around her automatically, pressing their slick, sweaty bodies together. He kissed her forehead, delighting in the salty taste her skin took on after he had fucked her to exhaustion. His hands drifted along the curves of her back absently, looking for an occupation while he recovered.

For a moment, she stared up at him then pecked his cheek. "I love you."

"I love you, too," he said. "If this is the kind of reaction I'm going to get from macaroni and cheese would you mind too terribly if I became a gourmet chef?"

"A gourmet chef? You'd have me get fat?"

"Oh, if a man who cooks is a turn on, I doubt you'd lack for an intense workout regimen."

She laughed. "I suppose you're right, though I told you it had less to do with the mac and cheese and more to do with that grey tee shirt. You look so damn delicious in that thing."

He looked thoughtful.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing. Just making a mental note to throw out all my business suits in favor of tight grey tee shirts."

"You'll do nothing of the sort. I'd never get anything done!"

With one last kiss, Elizabeth removed her body from her husband's and grabbed her robe.

"Where are you going?"

"To finish cooking dinner. I'm now officially famished."

William waited for a few moments, catching her scent on his skin and relishing it, before he grabbed his own robe and joined her, wondering if there was anything else he might cook.


Chapter Eight

"Where are we going?" Elizabeth asked.

"Shut up," Thad told her. He and Damien had come and practically forced her into the car. Now they were headed downtown and she still had no idea why.

"William will worry if I'm not there," she pouted.

"God, since you got married you have turned into No Fun Lizzy."

"I have not! I'm still fun."

Thad looked sidelong at Damien. "Look at what regular, mind-blowing sex has done to our girl. I just don't know how you heteros do it."

"Well, I thought they explained that to you in junior high, but if you need a diagram—"

"No!" Thad yelped. "God, that's just gross."

"Oh, you big baby. You know, your mom had sex with your dad."

Thad shuddered while Damien chuckled. A few minutes later, Damien stopped the car in front of what had, until now apparently, been an empty store front. The neon sign that sprawled atop the building said Kelly's Kitsch is her friend's own hand.

"No way," Elizabeth breathed. "No fucking way."

She entered the store, a bright, buzzing place that seemed very much like a circus and found her husband and Kelly grinning from ear to ear.

"You like?" Kelly asked.

"It's so you! Oh, my god!" Elizabeth ran towards Kelly and hugged her then stared at her husband. "Is this your super-secret project?"

He nodded. "Kelly and I had lunch the day I bought your ring and we got to talking business. This seemed like a really good idea. Kelly put up half the capital and we put up the other half."

"We?"

"We: Darben, Inc. You're incorporated, my love."

"Wow. Um, okay. I don't know anything about running a business."

"You're a silent partner. Just sit back and make money."

Elizabeth looked at her friends and her husband. "You guys totally suck. I love you all, but you still suck. I can't believe you guys did this."

"I told you she'd be thrilled," Thad said, beaming.

Elizabeth wrapped her hands around her husband's waist. "I am. I absolutely am."

* * *

The moment Elizabeth's grades arrived William presented her with the date of their flight.

"That eager to get home, are you?"

He looked down at her, pushing a stray lock of hair from her forehead and letting his fingers drift down her cheek. "Wherever you are, that's my home, but I do need to get back to England. We'll figure out our next step once we're there."

"Marriage by the seat of our pants, huh?"

"Something like that." He bent and kissed her tenderly. "Though, I'm thinking I'd really love to get your seat out of those pants."

"Perv."

"Absobloodylutely."

* * *

She stood on the tarmac, staring at her friends. Thad's eyes were red and Kelly was pouting. Damien stood to the side, staring at his shoes.

"These long faces aren't making it any easier," Elizabeth mumbled.

"Because it shouldn't be easy! It should be hard! It should be impossible!" Thad wailed.

She threw her arms around him and whispered in his ear. "It damn well is."
Kelly stepped forward and joined in the fray, embracing them. Finally, quiet, collected Damien inserted himself into the pile and there was much sobbing and sniffling.

William watched all this and felt slightly guilty. He knew his wife was happy to be going with him. She had said time and again that she'd always wanted to travel and had long since invested in a passport, but he knew that Kelly, Thad, and Damien weren't simply her friends; they were her family. But so was he. He pushed the guilt away and walked to the group.

"Hey, it's time," he said quietly.

A hush fell over the friends and slowly the huddle dissolved. They stepped away from Elizabeth and let William slip his arm around her shoulders.

"Just so you know, I don't plan on spiriting her away and keeping her from you forever. You all are very welcome to come visit us in London once we've settled in."

Thad's eyes lit up. "Really? You wouldn't mind?"

"Of course not."

Thad looked at Elizabeth. "You call me the moment land and then we'll discuss how long it'll be before you're ready for us to come."

She smiled and kissed Thad's cheek. "I will. You guys had better go. I love you all."

A few "We love you, Lizzy's" floated through the hangar and then the small group slowly disbanded. Elizabeth turned in her husband's arms and stared up at him.
"You really are the most wonderful man ever, you know. It isn't everyday that a straight man invites the Queen Don of Vegas into his London townhouse."

"Well, I'm secure enough to not be phased by his presence. Plus, I have a really hot wife."

She smiled. "Well, shall we go?"

He nodded. "Darling, let's get the hell outta Sin City."

* * *

There had only been two other instances in her life where Elizabeth had flown on a plane. She had been very young the first time, three or so, and she didn't remember much of the flight at all. The second time was when she'd flown home from Vegas for Mary's funeral so the last thing on her mind was the scenery.

Now, with her devastatingly handsome husband beside her, scenery again was the last thing on her mind. Or, maybe, just a different kind of scenery.

"You a member of the club?" She asked, pressing kisses along his jaw line.

"What club?" He asked with feigned innocence.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. We're on a chartered flight with only two pilots. I do believe you might have requested no attendants on purpose."

"Well, what else are we going to do on a thirteen hour flight?"

"Thirteen hours? Do you expect me to be able to walk off the plane?" Elizabeth asked, letting her hand fall between his legs.

He blushed.

"Oh, Mr. Darcy, I don't believe you're embarrassed by my remark. After some of the things you've done in our bedroom even."

He kissed her then, partly to shut her up and partly because he couldn't help himself. Of course, he'd had ulterior motives for not hiring on wait staff. There was a layover in New York and the pilots were instructed to let them be. Granted, it wasn't your normal initiation into the Mile High Club, but Elizabeth deserved better than being cramped into a dirty jet's bathroom.

She undid his fly, her mouth never leaving his, and drew him out. Her fingers left trails of fire along his flesh and, once again, he wondered how he ever caged the animal that she had long since released. She settled on his lap, her skirt billowing around her in a puff of air and fabric. He reached beneath and was surprised to find she wore no panties. He drew away from her, his eyes questioning.

"Would you be disappointed if I admitted I eavesdropped when you made the reservations?"

He grinned. "I love you."

"I know," she said, pushing her body down on his. Slowly, she undid the buttons of his shirt, letting her fingers brush his skin as she popped each one open.

She rested her forearms on his shoulders, her fingers occasionally caressing his earlobe or playing with a bit of hair. Her body, well-acquainted with his, knew exactly what needed to be done so it held him within as her mouth met with sensitive spots on his neck and chest; behind his ear and along his arms. Her tongue trailed slowly along the line of his lips then darted inside for a quick taste of him.

"There's a moment," she said, leaning into him, "when I know I've lost the man I married completely even while he still belongs solely to me. It's the moment when his control is completely gone and he's buried inside me and he can do nothing but react. I love that moment."

He pushed his hips up and she smiled her wicked, crooked little smile that he'd come to realize was meant only for these moments. Her hands cupped his face so that she could crush her mouth to his while her body moved fluidly along his member, frenzied friction taking over their bodies completely. Holding her hips firmly William stopped her just before they found release.

Her eyes flashed. "What the hell?" She panted.

"As you pointed out, darling, it's a thirteen hour flight. Do you really want to exhaust me already?"

She squeezed him tightly within her. "What do you think?" She asked when he moaned. "I have faith that you'll be able to keep me entertained."

His hips gave a thrust and they landed on the floor with a thump. Elizabeth pushed the waist of his jeans down to allow him more movement. He pounded at her, driving deeper and harder than before, determined to show her that he could indeed maintain her amusement.

The wicked little grin reappeared. She purred. "There he is."

A few moments later, they were tangled on the floor of the plane, happily sated.

"Darling, you are officially a member of the Mile High Club," he said, brushing a kiss over the tip of her nose.

"Yay! Do I get a card? A tee shirt?"

"No, but you do get excellent benefits nonetheless."

She bit her lip and shivered. "Oh, I can hardly wait."

* * *

It was late when the plane landed and the Darcys were exhausted. Elizabeth, her arm around William's waist, wanted nothing more than to take a shower and go to sleep in a bed. There had been a moment somewhere over the Atlantic that she was certain she was going to die. Turbulence had gotten very bad and after it was over all she could do was cling to William.

She had suspected that the trip to England might kill her, but she was certain it would be after she had landed and was safely ensconced in her husband's home with his vicious sister standing over her lifeless corpse. There was no reason to think she might have pissed god off too.

"Mr. Darcy, it is good to have you home, sir," an older man in a black uniform said.

"Eamon, it's good to be home. I'd like to introduce you to my wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Darcy."

She smiled and offered her hand. They shook briefly.

"Ma'am, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Now, my instructions were followed precisely, correct? None of my family of friends has been told we've returned, right?"

"There is not a single soul at the townhouse, sir. Deborah did prepare dinner however and is expecting you."

"I love your wife, Eamon."

"She loves you too, sir."

Eamon loaded the bags in the back of the car while William handed Elizabeth in. Resting her head against his shoulder, she slipped her fingers through his.

"Eamon and Deborah have been with you for how long?"

Eamon's father worked for my father and Eamon never saw any reason to quit the family business. He married Deborah about fifteen years ago. They've been with me ever since."

"It's just weird that you have servants."

"I don't look at them like that. They're employees. I take good care of them and them of me. I pay them well; they have benefits and days off, just like any other job. They also live on the grounds. They're like family really."

"Why didn't they take care of you when you were ill?"

"Georgie felt better having an actual blood relative there, but Deborah did her best to help. You have to keep in mind that I didn't want help and was also incredibly cranky."

She traced his lips with a finger and he kissed the tip softly. "I can't imagine you cranky."

"Well, you've met a side of me that didn't really exist before I came to Vegas. It'll be interesting to see what my family thinks of the new William Darcy."

"Yes, interesting," she said quietly.

He held her closer. "Don't worry, Lizzy. Things will be fine. I promise."

Smiling up at him, she squeezed his hand. "I believe you."

* * *

The English have a peculiar way of housebuilding, was Elizabeth's first thought upon entering her husband's—and now her—home. The entry hall was really nothing more than a hall with stairs at the end. There was a coat closet set to the side and the floor was marble inlay, but there was really not much to it. They climbed the short flight of steps which opened into a much wider foyer with an archway on one side that led to the parlor. Another short hallway led deeper into the house to the kitchen and formal dining areas.

"Let me guess, our bedroom is on the third floor," Elizabeth muttered. Her whole body ached from previous activities and then the tension after. She did not look forward to climbing yet another set of stairs.

"Do you want me to carry you? Like the first night we were married?"

"Second technically." She smiled.

He scooped her up and deftly headed up more stairs. At the top, he sat her down, kissed her forehead, and led her to the first door.

"Welcome home, Mrs. Darcy."

The bedroom was large enough to be luxurious and decorated well enough to be considered cozy. There was a fireplace on one wall and a windowseat across the way that looked out over the courtyard behind the house. The walls were a very pale green that nearly passed for white and the carpet was a thick, springy cream-colored weave. It didn't fit with the rest of the house, which was a very stately, very British bit of stuff. No, this room was light and airy and felt exactly like William.

"I love this," she said. "This room is you. The rest of the house isn't, but this room is."

"The whole of the house is me, my love. The businessman who entertains in his home brought about the rest of the environs. The man who probably should get outside more brought about this room."

She ran her hands up his chest and cradled his face.

"I love both those men." Elizabeth kissed him. "Now, I need to shower."

"I'll see if Deborah will bring our supper to us. We can eat in here and then go straight to bed."

"Bed. Ah, god, that sounds like heaven."

She showered and they ate a dinner of cold sandwiches and soup then both fell into bed, exhausted from the long day.

When morning finally rolled around, Elizabeth's eyes opened slowly and she started, unfamiliar with the room she was now in. The memory of the day before drifted in and she realized she was in her new bed in her new home with her old husband, whose arms were firm about her waist.

She slid around to face him, no longer concerned about morning breath or bed head. They were well past the honeymoon stage at this point, she mused. It had taken a bit, but William's few bad habits had surfaced: soda made him belch like mad and he gnawed at hangnails. His hair never failed to stand on end after he slept, though, inevitably, the side he slept on was as flat as a board. It was nice to know that, despite his god-like appearance, he was indeed a poor schlub like the rest of the human race.

Unable to resist, Elizabeth kissed the tip of his nose. "I love you."

"I'd love you a lot more if you just gave me fifteen more minutes," he grumbled.

"You know, we're going to have horrible jet lag."

"Which is why I'm not calling my family for the next week. We're going to ease into London life. Very slowly, like dipping your big toe in a pool of acid."

"It can't be that bad."

"Darling, before I ran away, they were counting the days until a heart attack killed me. Granted, none of them wanted that to happen, but they were convinced of its inevitability. I love my sister, but she's the worst. No, actually, Jane's the worst, but Georgie is a very close second. They nag, they backbite. It's vile behavior and, frankly, I'm not ready to deal with it."

"Okay," she whispered. She had wanted to meet the sister and the whatever Jane was quickly. She didn't expect to win them over in a day, but she at least wanted the chance.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"No. That's your something face."

"It's just, well, it'll be agony just waiting around for a week to meet everybody. I know Georgie hates me and she's going to blame it on me if she finds out you've been home for a week and didn't call her."

He sighed and sat up. "You're right. I wish you weren't, but you are."

"Should we call them today?"

William winced. "I think we should. Rip it off like a bandage, I guess, eh?"

"I guess."

* * *

Elizabeth looked in the mirror one more time. She usually didn't care about her appearance, but she knew that she was going to be graded today and, after William's telephone call to his sister the previous evening, she knew that her grade had to be an A+.

"Georgie, I'm just calling round to let you know we've come home," William had said brightly. There was a brief silence and then: "Yes, Elizabeth came with me. She's my wife. What in the world did you think I meant by 'we've'?"

By the time he'd hung up, his face was red and his temper was flaring.

She had piled her hair into a neat up 'do; her waves secured by a few plain bobby pins. She wore her grandmother's simple pearl stud earrings and dressed in a plain grey slacks and a soft pink sweater. It was a respectable, conservative outfit, but, more importantly, the clothes were pieces she'd bought and worn for ages.

"Why don't you wear that Chanel suit I bought you?" William asked when she'd started dressing.

"Because I want to show your family that I am quite capable of taking care of myself. If I wear an expensive suit that you bought, it really does look like I'm just in this for your money."

When she stepped from the dressing room, her make-up and hair perfect, she twirled for him.

"What do you think? Am I veddy British?"

"You're gorgeous." He stood, wrapped his arms around her waist, and lifted her so that their noses met. "I've never regretted marrying you and I never will."

"You might after a night of Mexican or Indian food."

"Okay, keep remarks like that to yourself today," he grinned.

"Yes, sir."

"You ready?"

"No," she pouted.

"Me neither. Let's go."

* * *

It was like facing a firing squad.

William had decided that neutral ground was necessary so he had arranged the first family meeting to be at Richard and Eve's home. Though they had left their house in plenty of time and even managed to arrive fifteen minutes early, they were the last ones to walk into the room.

Immediately, Elizabeth, with a nervous smile plastered across her face, felt like she was going to be sick.

A man stood up, rushed across the room and nearly tackled her to deliver a bone-crushing bear hug.

"Hello, Mrs. Cousin," he said brightly.

Suddenly relaxed, her smile loosened and she grinned warmly at him.

"Cousin Richard!" She exclaimed and they both laughed. "It's a pleasure to put a face to the rumbling voice."

Richard gave William a sidelong glance. "She is a looker, man! I'll trade you birds."
"You'll do nothing of the sort. Eve dumped me for you. She's already shown she has poor taste."

"I'm in the room," the tall doctor muttered, joining her husband at her side. She bent and kissed Elizabeth's cheek. "I'm glad to finally meet you."

Elizabeth nodded eagerly and was beginning to think things might not be so terrible. Then Eve stepped aside to introduce her to the rest of the party. Their faces were all hard and unwelcoming and the sick feeling returned to her stomach.

She stepped forward as Eve made the introductions. Georgiana and Jeremy Blake were on one sofa while Jane and Charles Bingley sat on the other. Another girl, a small blonde, was sitting demurely in a wingback chair, looking for the entire world as if she would rather be anyplace else.

Elizabeth held her hand out to Georgiana. "It's nice to finally meet you. William has told me so much about you."

"More than he's told me about you, I'm sure."

"Georgie!" William said sharply.

Elizabeth put a calming hand on his forearm and gave him a gentle look. She shook her head and silently begged him to calm down with a simple look. He took a deep breath and kissed her forehead.

"And now you won't let him talk!" Georgiana stood, her white face growing pink. Jeremy tried to speak, but she ignored him. "You have gotten your way, haven't you?"

"Mrs. Blake, I want this to be as civil as possible. I'm aware that you do not like me and that you think I'm some tart that married your brother for money. Nothing could be further from the truth. When we were in Vegas, I did not ask him for a dime. I did not insist upon moving to some mansion nor did I go out on extravagant shopping sprees."

"What about the car? My brother bought you a brand new car."

"My brand new car probably costs a great deal less than the four cars you and Mr. Blake have between you," Elizabeth pointed out. "My old Jeep died a dignified death and my husband was kind enough to replace my vehicle. If you must know, William's rental car cost more than mine."

"Georgie, it's obvious she didn't spend any of the money on clothes."

Elizabeth glanced over, shocked at the blatant insult, at Jane Bingley. "I beg your pardon."

"I'm simply saying that you aren't wearing major labels. It's nothing to be ashamed of." Jane looked squarely at Georgiana. "She's probably gotten a Swiss bank account or something."

Taking a moment to pick her jaw up off the floor, Elizabeth took another step forward. "Hi. I'm in the fucking room."

Jane and Georgiana both met her furious gaze.

"I can't say it any plainer. We got drunk, we got married, and then we fell in love. Is it the way either of us planned to do it? No. Are we concerned with what you all think? That's a very obvious no. However, we're family, except you Bingley people, I don't know how you fit in other than business partners, but we're going to have to accept each other. Capice?"

From behind her, Richard applauded.

Georgiana stepped closer so that she was toe to toe with Elizabeth.

"I don't have to accept a goddamn thing. I will not play nice with you because I think you are bad for my brother."

"Georgiana, that's enough," William said, his voice deep and rife with anger. "You are my sister and I love you, but you will not talk to my wife like that. Elizabeth has not asked for anything from me, but she never needs to. She was not brought up in the manner to which you and I are accustomed and she enjoys the simplicity of that. That, however, doesn't mean I don't enjoy spoiling my wife every now and again."

"You're a fool," Georgiana muttered.

"Why can't you simply be happy for me? Six months ago you were complaining because I didn't have a life outside my office. Now I have a whole new reason to live and you're unhappy! What the hell is wrong with you?"

She simply shook her head.

The blonde girl at the end of the room stood. She moved toward the angry siblings and then pushed them apart to stand before Elizabeth.

"I'm Carrie Bingley, Charles' younger sister. To answer your earlier question about why my family is here: it's because we are family, even if it isn't by blood. I have known William all my life and have never known him to make a poor decision, so I'm going to trust that his faith in you is justified."

"Thank you," said Elizabeth, fighting the tears welling in her eyes. "I remember Will mentioning you now. He said he considered you like another sister."

"Yes," Caroline said, glancing up at him warmly. "So forgive me for saying this, but if you hurt him, I'll make sure to return the favor."

Elizabeth grinned. "You're alright, sister."

"Excuse me," Caroline said, "I have to get back to class. Elizabeth, I will call you and we can set up a lunch date."

"I'd like that."

The girl left as quietly as she sat. Her presence had calmed the room once she'd made herself visible, but now tension began to waft again. Before it could settle, Eve stepped forward.

"I think we've all done enough damage for today. Shall we continue this some other time?"

Without another word, Georgiana left the room.

"It's nice to have you home, Will," Jeremy said, patting his brother-in-law's shoulder. His voice dropped to a whisper: "Nice to meet you." He hurried out.
Jane followed suit, snickering as she strode by. Charles Bingley, looking miserable, followed silently.

Richard flopped down on the couch. "Anybody for a whiskey? How about a homicide?"

Elizabeth sighed and William only raised his hand.

Chapter Nine

Elizabeth sat in the restaurant, not entirely certain that she was in the right place, even though the maitre d seemed to be falling all over her last name. In the two weeks since they'd arrived in England, she had to become accustomed to not only the fact that her husband did have a job—a rather demanding one at that—but she also was shocked to realize that he was famous.

What was even tougher to deal with, though, was that now, by extension so was she. And, since their marriage happened to be utterly scandalous in the eyes of the nation, she had become regular fodder for the tabloids. It was difficult having photographers watch her every public move and her patience was beginning to wear quite thin.

“I'm sorry I'm late,” Carrie Bingley said breathlessly. She rolled her eyes as she sat down and sighed. “There are shitterbugs all over outside. I assume they are awaiting your exit.”

“The photographers? Yes, I assume they are,” Elizabeth replied quietly.

“Don't worry. Interest in you will wane soon enough. Posh & Becks will have some scandal or Camilla will wear a bad hat.”

“Let's hope it's soon. I hate this.”

Carrie leaned across the table and put her hand over Elizabeth's. She smiled softly. “I'm sorry we couldn't schedule our lunch sooner. My courses are keeping me so busy!

“Right. Well, we shall simply forget about them for the time being and we'll concentrate on becoming friends. That's what I want, you know. Georgiana is being unreasonable and Jane is simply parroting Gigi in order to gain favor. Like I told you before, I trust William's judgment.”

“Thank you, Carrie. That means a lot.”

“How have you been?”

Elizabeth sighed and looked at her water glass. “Okay.”

“Be honest. It's nothing like you expected, is it?”

“No,” she admitted, nearly choking on the word. “I knew William was a busy man, but at home I had him to myself. I didn't have to share him with his job and I had no idea how much time it actually consumed.”

“Believe it or not, it used to be worse. You've seen the apartment he has in his office. He used to spend most of his time there. The man would be doing business in different time zones while London slept.”

“I'm going to become a work widow, aren't I, Carrie?”

“No. He comes home to you.”

“He was gone for a long time. I get that, I really do, but I'm feeling a bit lost without him. God, I've turned into one of those girls I hate!”

“What you need, darling, is something to occupy your time while he's toiling away. You know, there are charities that are funded by D/B, LTD. You could see about getting involved in something like that.”

“That's a good idea.” Elizabeth sipped her wine. “By the way, I'm sorry for snapping at you when we first met.”

“Look, you were on the defensive because of George and Jane. I don't blame you for being short.”

“Well, I hope it works out that we become friends. It's been a long time since I didn't have somebody to hang out with.”

Suddenly, a flashbulb popped in front of her face and a waiter appeared out of nowhere, grabbing the offending photographer and dragging him away. Elizabeth's heart was racing and now everybody in the restaurant was staring.

She looked at Carrie, took a deep breath, and scanned the room with a smile on her face that didn't touch her eyes. People who had been politely ignoring her presence before began to openly stare and comment. With her stomach rolling, she excused herself and headed for the restroom. A few minutes later, Carrie appeared.

“I've talked to the manager and he's got a car waiting out back for us.”

“I've never even had my name in the paper before two weeks ago. This is madness.”

Carrie remained silent and wrapped her arm around Elizabeth's shoulder. Exhausted, she accepted the gesture gratefully and put her head down as the young Miss Bingley led her through the kitchen to the back door. They climbed into the car and made their escape with little incident.

When they got back to the townhouse, Carrie settled Elizabeth in the parlor and went off to ask Deborah to make tea. While she was alone, Elizabeth stared at the ring on her hand; the ruby glinted amongst the bed of tiny diamonds. In the small amount of time she'd worn the ring, it had come to mean more to her than anything else she owned. It had come to represent passion and lust but also love and safety. Her heart was intrinsically bound to the tiny piece of platinum and she could never imagine being parted with it, but she could not deny that her mind was beginning to question whether she could fit into William's world as well as he fit into hers.

She was Elizabeth Bennet, small-town girl, who loved the flashy lights and dinging bells of Sin City; a woman whose best friends were two gay men and a promiscuous rich bitch. She was the girl who was trying to make something of herself despite being alone. She was Mr. William Darcy's wife and that role more than any other, especially now, scared the hell out of her.

Carrie appeared and handed her a cup of tea.

“You look so sad,” Carrie said. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Elizabeth bit her lip. “I love him, Carrie, but I never expected that he led this sort of life. I mean, I knew on some level that he was different than me. I had to teach him how to make macaroni for god's sake, but it didn't click, you know?”

“You'll adjust, Lizzy. It'll just take some time.”

“Are you sure?” She asked, her eyes searching Carrie's for the answers she needed to see.

“He loves you. Talk to him about your fears. He'll calm them.” Carrie looked at her watch. “Are you going to be okay? I'm meeting Charles. He has to shop for Jane's anniversary gift and I've been roped into helping. I'm not sure why. All he has to do is buy something outrageous and leave the price tag on.”

Elizabeth laughed. “Thank you.”

“I'll call you tomorrow. Maybe we can go shopping and put your husband's bank account to use.”

“But….”

“No! You're a Darcy now. People are going to expect you to spend money like it.”

“Alright,” Mrs. Darcy said, laughing. “I'll talk to you tomorrow.”

* * *

It was late when William slipped into the house. He noticed photographers at the end of the street trying to act nonchalant, but he knew they were there for his wife. He could scarce open up a paper these days without seeing a headline about the so-called “Vegas Vixen” than had landed him.

“Sir,” Deborah said, “Mrs. Darcy has already gone to bed. Miss Bingley brought her home after she had a run-in with the paparazzi and she has been inside ever since. You might want to wake her and talk about it.”

“Thank you, Deborah,” William said grimly.

He was used to the horrors of the British tabloid machine, having been raised in the spotlight. When Georgiana and Jeremy were courting, there were numerous reports that he'd been unhappy with Jeremy and had tried to buy him off. Of course, none of it was true and he'd sued one or two of the papers.

The headlines regarding his wife lately had been just as bad. He could tell that, having found nothing incriminating in Elizabeth's background, the media was beginning to speculate and make up their own stories regarding his wife. To that end, he already had his lawyers working on the suit.

She was curled around his pillow, the dim light from her bedside table falling over her and making her appear soft and fuzzy. The book she'd been reading was hanging over her hip, waiting to slide to the floor with her next movement.

Some vixen, he thought. She looks like a child.

Gently, he removed the book, dog-eared the page, and set it on her nightstand. He quietly changed into his pajama pants and slipped into the bed next to her. Placing his fingertips on her shoulder, he pushed her lightly and whispered her name.

“Will?”

“I should hope so. Or were you expecting somebody else?”

“My boyfriend, but I'll call him and tell him not to come.”

“Very funny. I heard you had a bad day.”

In the pale light, he saw her eyes open. The corners of her mouth tugged down into a tiny frown.

“It wasn't the greatest.”

“Tell me.”

“I was just trying to have lunch with Carrie Bingley and this photographer comes up out of nowhere. I can't go anywhere without them and it's too much.”

“The country is curious about you and I fear it may get worse before it gets better.”

She groaned. William stroked her cheek.

“I have my lawyers watching for the moment we can get them for defamation of character. Until then there's not much more we can do. Unless you're willing to do an interview on the telly.”

She lifted her head. “What?”

“A television interview. People of interest do those occasionally.”

She sat up and pulled her knees to her chest, resting her chin in the dip between. Quiet for a long time, William started when she finally spoke.

“I didn't think I would be a person of interest. My life used to be simple and I liked it. Your world is so terribly complicated.”

He joined her and drew her close, pressing a soft kiss to her temple. Until that moment, he knew neither of them had even remotely considered the changes that would happen in their life once they reached England. He had always been a public figure and hadn't thought to warn her about her becoming one as well.
Still curled in a ball, she settled her head in his lap and he stroked her hair.

“Carrie said that I should do something to occupy my time, like head up one of D/B's charities or something.”

“That's a very good idea.”

She sighed. “I suppose I could put up with the press until I've studied the workings of the foundation and then give an interview.”

“Would you?”

“We're married. You put up with my bitchy gay friends, went into business with my slutty one, and learned to make macaroni and cheese in my world. The least I could do is attempt to amalgamate myself to yours.

“I would like to work with a mental health charity. I could honor my sister's memory that way.”

“Of course.” He drew her up to him, brushed his lips tenderly over hers, and cupped her face in his hands. “You are the most amazing person I've ever had the honor of knowing, Elizabeth Darcy. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

He wrapped his arms around her and they settled into the bed, but he only fell asleep after he heard her soft snores.

* * *

Elizabeth was more nervous than she ever had ever been in her life. She smoothed the skirt of her newest Stella McCartney suit—which was bought with Carrie's help—and looked at her husband. He smiled his encouragement and kissed her cheek. She strode up on set at her cue.

“Welcome back. I, Kitty Gardner, have a treat for you. With me today is Britain's newest “It” girl, Elizabeth Darcy, wife of real estate mogul William Darcy. No doubt you've seen the pictures and heard the stories, but Mrs. Darcy has graciously agreed to sit down with us today and speak candidly about herself, her surprise marriage, and her work with the D/B Foundation for Mental Health. Mrs. Darcy, welcome.”

“Thank you,” said Elizabeth. She took a deep breath and smiled. “Please call me Elizabeth.”

“And call me Kitty,” the petite blonde insisted. “Now, Elizabeth, let's get the trivial stuff out of the way. You did indeed meet your husband in Las Vegas, correct?”

Elizabeth smiled again, recalling the night she'd met William. “Yes. He came into the hotel where I worked. I suppose you could say it was love at first sight.”

“You did marry rather quickly,” Kitty remarked.

“We did. It was impetuous, but when it's right who are we to question it?”

“How is married life?”

She was getting into the groove of this now. Elizabeth let a giggle escape. “Well, I have more dirty socks to pick up off the floor now! Seriously, it's wonderful. My husband is a kind, generous, and loving man. I'm very lucky to have found him.”

“The press has dubbed you the Vegas Vixen. Any truth to that?”

“Well, I'm not sure what constitutes a vixen these days, but before I met my husband I hadn't had a date in almost a year. My friends were quite worried about me.”

“Have you adjusted well to your husband's homeland?”

“Any move is difficult, but we've been here almost two months now and I am getting the hang of the differences. I think it helps that I've always been fascinated with British history and literature. I hope to be able to continue my studies while I'm here.”

“What were you studying in the States?”

“I was hoping to teach. My focus was in literature and creative writing. I may not have time for that now, but perhaps I can do that in the future. I would love to teach at the college level.”

“That's impressive. Now, Elizabeth, why this foundation?”

“My sister, Mary, was manic depressive all her life and it worsened after our father died so this is an issue that's close to me. I want to do what I can to bring attention to this issue and help in any way that I can.”

“That's very noble. Now, one silly question, if you don't mind.”

“Oh, I suppose not!”

“Your husband has been on the eligible bachelor list for ages and has been voted as one of the sexiest British men alive several times. Tell the truth now. Does he really leave his socks lying about?”

Elizabeth grinned. “Absolutely.”

Kitty wrapped up the interview and thanked Elizabeth, who left the set and headed directly for William.

“Did I do okay?” She asked.

William slipped his arm around her waist and kissed her cheek. “Darling, you were perfect.”

* * *

The headlines the next morning sang her praises. Overnight, she had gone from Vegas Vixen to Sin City Saint. Numbers suggested that her interview was viewed by at least half the country and most everybody approved of her wearing a British designer for her public debut and there was even speculation of what designers she might choose to wear to Ascot.

William was proud of her and she was proud of herself and feeling like she could relax for the first time in months. She stood in her office, going over plans for her first big public affair, a black and white ball she was hosting for the foundation. Her assistant was adding and deleting names from a guest list while she was considered decorations.

The telephone rang.

“Elizabeth Darcy.”

“Is this my fabulously wealthy best friend who has taken to neglecting me?”

“Thad? Oh, sweetie! It's so wonderful to hear your voice!”

“Sweetie? Wonderful? Are you going faux like Gwynnie and Madge?”

“You know I met them both at the Stella McCartney show,” Elizabeth remarked, her lip curling into a grin. “Madonna invited me for tea.”

“Shut up!”

“Totally. And I get to call her Esther.”

“Oh, you're such a fucking liar.”

“Well, yeah, but I did see Gwyneth at a play a couple of weeks ago. I didn't get to meet her though. My husband required my, um, attention.”

“I so hate you.”

“Yeah, I know. Are you and Damien ready to come see me? I'm throwing a fabulous ball and previously mentioned celebrities will be invited among others. I'm so going to need your support.”

“Just say the words and we'll be there.”

“How about I send you an engraved invitation? I won't even make you pay for your meal.”

“Gee, you're all heart.”

“I'll arrange everything and you can stay with William and me. Oh, I can't wait to see you! And see if Kelly can come too! I miss you guys so much and I have so much to tell you!”

“I can't wait to hear it. I'll expect an email soon, okay?”

“Okay. Love you, sweetie-darling.”

“Love you more, princess.”

She hung up.

Life was grand.

Chapter Ten

“Oh my fucking god!” Thad howled when he saw Elizabeth at the gate. “I can't believe I just rode on a private jet! I can't believe you're standing there in front of me carrying a Kate Spade bag and wearing designer duds! And I can't believe you insisted on all this because the paparazzi follows your every move!”

“Yeah, my life is so glamorous,” she muttered.

Thad, Damien, and Kelly all surrounded her, engulfing her in a massive group hug. Finally, they released her, and Kelly, looking around the tarmac, huffed in disappointment.

“Where's that gorgeous chunk of husband?” She asked.

“Where he is every single day,” Elizabeth replied. “In his office. I liked him better when he considered me his main occupation.”

Damien crooked an eyebrow. “Trouble in paradise?”

“Look around, Damien. England is hardly paradise!”

Damien glanced at Thad. “The plane's right there. We could all just get back on and go home to the desert.”

Elizabeth shook her head. “Unfortunately, I adore my husband, even when I don't like him. And it isn't even him that I don't like. It's his stupid job.”

“Stupid job,” Thad echoed, sticking out his bottom lip.

“Thanks, my darling boy. I've missed your unyielding support.” Elizabeth laughed and pushed his shoulder.

Eamon and Damien piled the luggage into the car and the group settled in. Gossip was delivered to an eager, deprived Elizabeth and Kelly reported that the store was doing even better than she and William had projected. They were so busy chatting that none of them realized they had arrived at William and Elizabeth's home.

Wellington greeted them at the door and Thad screamed.

“That thing is huge!” He yelped.

“Don't hear William hear you talk about his dog like that. And Welly's just a big puppy, very sweet once you get past his size.”

“Do you have a stable for it? Where does it sleep? It might eat us in the middle of the night.”

Elizabeth shook her head. “Oh, shut up, you queen.”

Thad stuck his tongue out at her.

“Just like old times,” Damien said to Kelly.

Deborah appeared and led Wellington to the kitchen, leaving Thad to attempt breathing normally. When the dog was gone, Thad took a moment to look around the place then gave a low whistle.

“You're living like the queen of England,” he paused. “Oh, wait. Um, have you met the queen of England?”

“No. Her Majesty hasn't called on me just yet.”

He let out a sigh of relief.

“Oh, come on. You never used to be impressed by famous people. Remember that time one of those gay tiger magician guys showed up at the casino when you were hanging out with Char. You barely batted an eyelash.”

“That was different. Those guys chase cats around a stage and make them disappear. The queen of England is all like royal and stuff.”

“Oh. I see the clarification now,” Elizabeth replied dryly.

Kelly choked on her laugh and Damien put his arm around Thad, pulling him into tow as Elizabeth led them through the house. She got them settled into their rooms and checked with Deborah about dinner. She was stirring a pot of some cranberry concoction when the telephone rang. She grabbed it and continued stirring while Deborah rubbed an herb blend over whole pheasants.

“Darcy residence. This is Mrs. Darcy.”

“Mrs. Darcy, this is your husband.”

“Hi there, handsome. What can I do you for?”

“I wanted to call and let you know that I don't think I'll be able to make dinner tonight.”

A lump pushed into her throat, but she forced it down with a swallow and a slow, deep breath. “Oh? Why?”

“This client won't back off on a change and all the paperwork on this deal has to be redone.”

She wanted to point out that he had lawyers and secretaries just for that purpose, but she held her tongue. This was who her husband was and she wouldn't change him. He had been addicted to his job long before she came into the picture. Anyway, what was one missed meal? With her friends? From another country?

“Alright. We'll make a plate for you and put in the refrigerator.”

“Thanks. I love you.”

“I love you.”

The phone fell silent and Elizabeth struck the off button with her thumb. She looked at Deborah with a weak smile.

“Mr. Darcy won't be able to attend tonight's dinner. Will you prepare a plate for him?”

“Of course, Mrs. Darcy.”

“Thanks, Deborah.”

Sighing, Elizabeth abandoned the sauce and retreated to her bedroom.

* * *

Dinner began quietly, the guests sensing Elizabeth's sadness.

“If I don't see you actually eat some of this exquisite pheasant, you're going to be wearing it,” said Kelly. “Now, eat and tell us what's going on? Is everything really okay between you and Will?”

Elizabeth put her fork down and smiled at her friends. It have been so long since she'd had somebody besides William to talk to that she'd nearly forgotten that there were people on the planet that she could be real with.

“Things are okay when he's here which isn't often. It's part of the reason I got involved in the foundation and began organizing this event. I needed something to do. I mean, his sister still hates me and that doesn't look as though it's ever going to change so that's hard because Will loves her so and she's put him smack in the middle and his business partner's wife is the most shallow, vile creature you could ever hope to meet and….”

“Elizabeth Bennet just had the world's longest run-on sentence,” said Damien. “Darling, you are absolutely not okay.”

With that, she burst into tears and was immediately surrounded. They led her from the table and mumbled to each other while she sobbed. Kelly took her to her room and got her pajamas. Then she left.

Elizabeth was just starting to snuggle beneath her comforter when Kelly returned.

“What are you doing?” Kelly asked.

“Sleeping.”

“Nope. You are going to have a night of old-fashioned fag-hag therapy.”

“No facials.”

“I didn't say slumber party.”

They went back downstairs to the home theatre and found Thad and Damien already in comfortable clothes. There were two chocolate cakes and a huge bowl of cookies.

“That's not enough,” said Kelly.

“We told Deborah of our situation. She's called in an order to the grocer. It will be here within the hour,” Damien informed them.

“Okay, I knew there was a reason I packed this.” Thad pulled out a DVD and Elizabeth began to laugh.

“Other than the fact that it's your gay passport?”

“Shut up. You know nothing,” he hissed as he popped “Beaches” into the player.

Two hours and a cake and a half later, William Darcy arrived to find four sobbing souls ensconced in his home.

“Oh, Will!” His wife sobbed, lunging at him. “Don't ever die!”

“Okay,” he said. “Hi, guys. What did you do to my wife?”

Through sniffles, Kelly, Thad, and Damien all greeted him. After kissing Damien on the cheek, Thad stood and hugged Elizabeth while she hugged William. Then Kelly joined in. Damien stood and looked at William helplessly over their heads. William sighed and jerked his head and Damien joined in.

“It's good to see you all. Apparently, you missed me at dinner, huh?”

At that the group slowly began to break up, but Elizabeth stayed a little longer in her husband's embrace. Finally, she looked up at him, her eyes serious and dark.

“We need to talk.”

“Sure.” His eyebrows knit together in confusion.

She turned to their guests. “Thank you so much. It was a great therapy session. I'll see you all in the morning. Good night.”

When they were up in their bedroom, Elizabeth climbed into bed and waited until William joined her.

“What's going on? You look like you've been crying for hours.”

“I have. I hate your job.”

He looked as though he'd been slapped. “Come again.”

“I hate your job. Or, I suppose, more precisely, I'm jealous of your job. See, at home, I had you all to myself and I liked it that way. Logically, I know that running an empire like yours is going to be demanding, but part of me also thinks that since you're the boss you can delegate and not miss dinner with your wife and her best friends.”

“So you're angry because I missed dinner tonight?”

“I'm angry because you missed dinner tonight, but I'm also angry because I miss you. Don't you miss me?”

He stood up and began to pace, a sure sign that his brain was whirling. He did it every time he talked to Georgiana.

“I hadn't thought about it, honestly, but yeah, I do.”

“You hadn't thought about whether or not you missed me?”

“Well, in my defense, I am incredibly single-minded.”

“I recall when I was the only thing on your mind,” she mused.

“Seems that I've lost my focus, huh?”

“Seems that way. Are you regretting marrying me?”

He spun around, horrified. “God, no! Where on earth—oh.”

“I don't doubt your love for me. Please don't think I do. I just wonder if there's room for me in your life.”

“There is. If I have to sell my stock in D/B, I'll make room. Just promise me one thing.”

“Anything,” she whispered as he joined her in bed.

“That you'll always keep me in my place and redirect me should I lose focus again.”

“I promise.”

He kissed her and pulled her close.

“So, did you piglets leave any cake for me?”

Elizabeth giggled. “Why? What are your intentions?”

“Wouldn't you just love to know?” He asked wickedly and he turned out the light.

* * *

“So are Madge and Gwynnie really coming to this ball?” Thad asked while Damien tried on his tux. They were at William's tailor's shop to get brand new tuxes for the Mary's Trust Gala. William had offered to buy their tuxes for them, but Damien had refused, graciously explaining that he could afford high-end tuxes for both himself and Thad.

“Well, they were on the guest list and my celebrity is new enough that they might be curious about me. I haven't gone over the latest RSVP list, but it's possible.”
She sipped her tea. “Sweetie, you look gorgeous. Doesn't he look gorgeous, Dami?”

Damien licked his lips and whistled. Elizabeth laughed.

“I think your hubby here should be sent down to the pub to cool off,” she said and ducked when he swatted at her.

“I apologize. I can't take them anywhere,” Thad said to Mr. Finnigan, the tailor.

“Don't worry, lad. My mate's abovestairs and he's never once seen me in a waiter's uniform and he never will. The old bastard just sits on his arse all day.”

In unison the three young people said: “Typical.” They burst into laughter, which only worsened when the mate actually appeared and told them to quiet down.

* * *

Kelly handed the book to William with a grin.

“It's unbelievable. We're well past expectations this year and if we maintain at this rate, we will triple our initial investment at the end of our first year.”

“I knew it was a good idea,” he said.

Kelly had accompanied him to the office partially to pitch expansion of the kitsch chain and partially to represent her father in a deal that William had brokered with him.

“You do have an eye for business.”

William heard the tone of her voice and looked up from the book. “But?”

“But I'm wondering how long she was miserable before we got here. You told me you'd take care of her.”

“I am. We talked last night and promised each other to not bottle things up anymore and to remind each other where our focus lies now.”

“I got off the plane and could see she was unhappy, Will. How could you not see it?”

He shook his head. “I have no good excuse.”

“Look, I know that you aren't a mind reader and Lizzy's very good at hiding sometimes, but you gotta promise me that you're going to try harder. I don't want to see her heart broken.”

“I know, Kelly. I don't want to break her heart. I love her so much that it frightens me. Last night I almost wretched when I saw the look on her face. That woman is, quite simply, where the world ends for me. There is nothing beyond her. She's just everything.”

Kelly sighed her relief. “Good, because I hate thinking I might have to kick that beautiful ass of yours.”

* * *

At dinner, Elizabeth felt like she was having a holiday meal. Her family, the one she'd spent years assembling, had been gathered to partake. William had even invited Richard and Eve, who seemed to love her friends within moments of meeting them. There was loud, rambunctious conversation, lots of red wine, and some grave discussion of politics that dissolved into riotous ramblings regarding soccer. She sat back and watched it all happily.

During dessert, William raised his wine glass and called for a toast.

“I would like to toast my beautiful wife, who will never actually be able to comprehend how desperately in love with her I truly am. Elizabeth, my sweet, brilliant wife, I only hope that you never realize that you have left me devastated and completely, utterly, sweetly ruined.”

“Aw, shucks,” she managed, even as her eyes brimmed with tears.

Glasses were clinked and wine was sipped, but the Darcys' eyes never left one another.

Chapter Eleven

Elizabeth had not gone to either of her proms and Kelly, of course, knew this. The girls had discussed it in depth on several occasions, usually after margaritas and a Molly Ringwald film festival. Elizabeth had lived vicariously through Molly's prom experience for far too long so Kelly had decided to amend the situation with the ball.

She had, with help from Elizabeth's secretary, made arrangements for hair and make-up at a top salon and discussed after-party plans with Elizabeth's date. And, after sweet talking Eamon, Kelly had managed to hide a ridiculously cheap bottle of liquor in William's ridiculously expensive Rolle-Royce. Like any good prom night, Kelly figured Elizabeth's evening would end in sex, albeit scorching lovemaking and not drunken clumsiness, but not everything could be perfect.

“I think you should wear that silver beaded gown we found,” Kelly said, perched from the edge of Elizabeth's bed. She was munching on a Dairy Milk bar as Elizabeth sat at her desk, pouring over last minute details.

“I did like that gown,” Elizabeth added absently. “What are you wearing?”

“Something low cut and a little trashy,” Kelly promptly replied, causing Elizabeth to look up at her with a raised eyebrow. “I knew that'd get your attention.”

“You're awful, you know that? Simply awful.”

Kelly grinned.

“So, do you think you'll sleep with Will? I think you should. He's totally hot.”

“This event is not a John Hughes movie. You realize that, don't you?”

The sultry brunette shrugged and popped the last bit of chocolate between her bee stung lips. She pulled her long body off the bed and glided over to where Elizabeth sat. She peered over her friend's shoulder and scanned all the paperwork. Then she wrapped her arms around Elizabeth's shoulders.

“I realize that. It's a hugely important night for you and you deserve for it to go off without a hitch. I'm trying to remind you that it's also supposed to be fun.”

Elizabeth smiled and squeezed Kelly's hand.

“You know, you're right. It is supposed to be fun. And come to think of it, I do believe I'm going to sleep with Will Darcy. He's totally yummy.”

“Oh, sister, you can say that again!”

The girls looked toward the door to find Thad standing there, his new best friend, Wellington, at his side. The two had bonded over a shared fear of mice. William had hung his head in shame when a mouse had scampered across the floor and both Thad and the massive mutt squealed. Thad had discovered Welly's weakness and Welly had discovered there was another human to supply him with cookies. All was right with the world.

“Did you decide what you're wearing to the big dance?”

Elizabeth looked from Thad to Kelly and shook her head.

See Elizabeth's dress here.

* * *

William awoke to find his wife's side of the bed cold and barely rumpled. With a sigh, he threw the covers off and pushed his feet into a pair of running shoes. He slipped through the quiet house, disturbing only Wellington, who was curled up outside Thad and Damien's bedroom door.

“Traitor,” William muttered as he passed. Wellington sighed and put his head back down.

The streets of London were quiet too. Some street vendors were setting up here and there and a few cars rolled along. William stopped at the guardhouse of Buckfield Palace.

“Is she in there?” He asked a sleepy-looking watchman.

With a yawn, the young man nodded and glanced at the clock. “For about an hour, sir.”

William chuckled and drove through the gates. He parked and made his way into the massive, elegant ballroom of Buckfield Palace. She was a lonely figure at the head table and even from here he could feel the worry wafting from her. He cleared his throat to attract her attention and when she spied him, he smiled.

“Dearest, loveliest Elizabeth, it's 5:30 in the morning. Please tell me you have a very good excuse for dragging me out of bed this early to retrieve you.”

“I suddenly thought that the place might flood or catch fire and I should check to make sure it was still here.”

“So you thought it would be a good idea to drown or melt? Darling, this is silly. Come, let's go home and get back in bed.”

She frowned.

“What?” He asked, folding his arms over his chest.

“How can you be so calm? Why are you so damn calm?” She demanded.

He held out his hand and pulled her into his arms.

“I'm calm because Buckfield Palace has stood nearly unchanged but for the odd loo for nigh eight-hundred years. I'm calm because somebody needs to be.”

She stared up at him, her bottom lip protruding in a most delicious way. He cupped her face to kiss it away. She pulled back, searching his face.

“This is your night and you are worried and you have every right to be, but everything will be fine. I promise.”

“I just want to make you proud of me,” she whispered, pushing a curl off his forehead.

He kissed the tip of her nose lightly. “You make me proud just by being in my life. I have a smart, sweet, sexy wife that never fails to amaze me. I know you won't fail.”

“God, I love you,” she sighed, resting her head on his shoulder. “You always know just the right thing to say.”

“And I love you. Now, can we please go home and go back to bed?”

* * *

William turned out to be right, as usual. The immense ballroom was perfectly arranged by the time they arrived to see to the last minute details. Of course, the five of them were slightly inebriated, but a few breath mints hid the consumption that had occurred.

Large arrangements of red and white roses, Mary's favorite flowers, were placed impeccably on pedestals that surrounded the dance floor. Smaller, more delicate arrangements were centerpieces for the tables. The full orchestra was happily situated above the action in the balcony. Maroon candles were also placed all around the room to give it an old-fashioned feel.

Thad came rushing up to Elizabeth, Kelly and Damien strolling casually behind.

“She is coming!”

“Who?” Elizabeth asked, looking over her welcome address once more.

“Madge! Madge is totally going to be here!”

She glanced at him. “Your gay journey is complete, my flaming son. You may die happy now.”

“You betcha!”

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and went back to her speech as William greeted Georgiana and Jeremy. He had insisted that the family present a united front as he did not want to see any gossip in the papers the next morning.

“Georgie,” William said warmly, opening his arms to her. She kissed his cheek and then he and Jeremy shook hands.

“Oh, my god!” Thad exclaimed, drawing their attention. When he noticed they were staring at him, he gave Georgiana a dirty look and resumed talking to Damien and Kelly.

“What was that?” Georgiana asked.

“Elizabeth's best friend. Apparently, you aren't terribly popular with him. I'll have a word with him about appearances, but if he makes fun of your wardrobe later, I won't stop him.”

Surprisingly, she remained silent, simply nodding and walking away. An assistant appeared to inform them that guests were beginning to arrive. Kelly, Thad, Damien, and the Blakes were seated at the head table while the Darcys moved to a secluded room so they could be introduced.

It was a long time before they were given any kind of time warning and Elizabeth's nerves grew tighter with each waning second.

“Ow,” her husband muttered, pulling his now-injured hand away. “You've got quite the grip there, doll.”

“Sorry,” she said sheepishly. “I just need to remember to look at the teleprompter and be natural and forget there are seven hundred or so people watching me and that I'm not in over my head.”

“And that run-on sentences are bad,” he supplied dryly.

“Oh, shut up.”

He grinned.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Kitty Gardner said from the podium at the front of the room. “Will you please welcome Mr. William Darcy.”

There was applause as William took the stage to introduce Elizabeth. He kissed Kitty's cheeks and stepped up to the microphone.

“I would like to thank all of you for attending this evening. As most of you might have heard, I recently married.”

A polite chuckled rippled through the room.

“Well, my wife is here this evening and she has a few things she would like to say. Please welcome my lovely bride, Mrs. Elizabeth Bennet Darcy.”

“Thank you,” she said, smiling radiantly at him. He kissed her forehead, setting the guests to titter like children spying their parents' making out.

“I, too, would like to extend my heartfelt thanks for your attendance tonight. My late sister, Mary, loved parties and she would have simply been beside herself at an affair like this.

“Mary was a happy child. I remember one time, when I was about seven and she was four, she had heard about mud pies. Our parents worked long hours and our sitter was an elderly woman who, admittedly, didn't take such good care of us. I was reading a book and only became aware that Mom was home by the sound of her yelling.

“My investigation began and concluded in the kitchen where Mary had removed all four of Mom's already baked pie crusts from the freezer and had filled them with dirt and water.”

The crowd laughed.

“It was a charming story we clung to when it became clear that something was dreadfully wrong with my sister.”

Elizabeth glossed over the more terrifying aspects of Mary's illness and the devastating effects it had upon her family. She concluded with a show of gratitude that left the audience in no doubt of her sincerity.

When she and William arrived at their table, she exchanged a warm greeting with Georgiana. Thad raised his eyebrow and Elizabeth gave a warning shake of her head. After dessert, the Bingleys appeared. Jane, severely, pristinely gorgeous as usual, gave Elizabeth a cool smile and approached an uncomfortable looking Georgiana.

Elizabeth ignored her and grabbed Carrie's hand.

“Carrie Bingley, this is my family.”

“Oh! Your friends from home!” Carrie turned to them and doled out hugs as she spoke. “Lizzy's told me so much about you all. I'm so happy to finally be able to meet you.”

“She's adorable,” Thad said. He was a head and a half taller than her. “Pocket-sized really. What do you think, darling? Should we keep her?”

Damien examined her. “She won't fit in any of my bags, but she will in yours, clotheshorse.”

Carrie laughed. “What's truly unfortunate about it is that the Fitzwilliams have already claimed me to save me from my wretched sister-in-law. Otherwise, I'd let you take me!”

“Where is Cousin Richard?” Elizabeth asked.

“He called and said Eve was held up at hospital. Personally, I think he's trying to be fashionably late.”

The family broke up as they began to mingle with the guests. Elizabeth managed to get one dance in with her husband before she was spirited away again. She had not realized how tiring it was to be the belle of the ball. Still, the night passed quickly. It was well after midnight before she knew it. She was looking to steal Thad away from his new best friends, Madge and Gwynnie, when she overheard Jane's haughty voice.

“Oh, I don't care how you dress her up! She's still a tramp from the States. In fact I'm positive she's already heard those three precious little words from Will: paid in full.”

Elizabeth gasped involuntarily and Jane looked up. She didn't even have the grace to look embarrassed. Instead, she smirked.

“And, apparently, she doesn't even have the good manners not to eavesdrop.”

Her blood was like ice water in her veins and a lump of stone lodged itself in her throat. Fighting tears, Elizabeth spun around and tried to keep a steady gait. Once, however, she was sure that Jane could no longer see her, she ran.
She wasn't even sure where she was going. It simply had to be away.

Suddenly, somebody grabbed her.

“What's wrong?” Kelly demanded.

“I have to get out of here. Now!”

“What about—?”

“Now!”

She dragged Kelly behind her, clasping her hand so hard that both ached. She was holding Kelly's hand harder than she had held William's.

William.

God, she loved him. She loved him so much she could barely breathe, but this was so hard. This was the kind of life she had never imagined and certainly had never wanted. She was a fake, a silly little girl playing pretend princess.

And, now, playtime was over.

The real world, the cruel, heartless reality of what people actually thought about Mrs. William Darcy settled into her very marrow and she was devastated.

They grabbed a waiting taxi and they were gone.

* * *

“Will?”

William paused in his conversation with Richard and looked at his sister. Her face was very pale and it seemed as though she might be ill.

“What's wrong?”

“It's Elizabeth,” Georgiana said softly. “Let's go somewhere private.” She smiled weakly at Richard and Eve and led William to a vestibule off the ballroom.

Georgiana gulped and opened her mouth to speak, but William was already talking.

“You know, she was so worried something was going to go wrong this evening. She certainly didn't do this to impress you, but even you have to admit she's done a terrific job.”

“She has. It was a beautiful party and the way she spoke of her sister was lovely. She talked about Mary and I knew she understood how I feel about you. I realize now that we have something in common after all.”

William sighed impatiently. “Then what is the problem?”

“Jane. Or, more specifically, what Jane said and what your wife heard.”

His eyes narrowed.

“Jane was babbling to a group of hangers-on just so she could hear herself speak. I was passing by in the opposite direction just as Elizabeth was and Jane said something remarkably rude, implying that you had bought her off. Then Jane insulted her directly to her face. Elizabeth left. I'm not sure where she went.”

For a moment it seemed that William was quite unsure about what to do. Georgiana nodded briefly and turned to go.

“Why are you so concerned?”

“Two things: the way you kissed her tonight when you introduced her and the look of despair on her face. That kiss was incredibly tender and it showed me that you really do love her, but, more importantly, was her despair. If she didn't love you what Jane said wouldn't have affected her so. But I saw the heartache in her eyes. She loves you so much, Will, that she's willing to change what isn't broken to fit into your world.

“That change, though, might destroy the woman you married.”

“Jesus,” he whispered.

“For what it's worth, I was wrong and I'm deeply sorry.”

“Yes, you were,” William replied bitterly. Then his face changed. “Thank you, Georgie.”

* * *

My darling William:

We tried, didn't we? I mean, we really gave it a go, but it couldn't work. It just couldn't.

We come from two entirely separate worlds. I'm poor and, honestly, I think I'm happier that way. Sure, not having to worry is nice, but money creates problems I never imagined. I wish those problems were only imaginary.

Please don't think for one moment that I don't love you. God, I do and that's what makes this so damn hard. I love you so much but I can't be a part of this life. I don't want to die inside like Jane Bingley. You deserve better than that.

I'm not taking any of the jewels you gave me and I'm only taking enough money to get Kelly and I home. Please send Thad and Dami home for me.

I'm keeping my wedding ring. I can't bear to part with it.

My lawyer will be in touch.

Yours,
Elizabeth

She left the letter on his bureau and stared at it until Kelly came in and pulled her ruined friend away.

Chapter Twelve

William was breathless by the time he caught up with Thad and Damien in the main hall. He'd looked everywhere for Elizabeth, but to no avail. He could see by the concerned expressions on the faces of her friends they had had similar bad luck.

“We couldn't find Kelly either,” Damien informed him.

“They must be together.” William started for the door and an unfortunate Jane Bingley made the mistake of crossing his path.

She stopped and smiled sweetly at William, blatantly pushing her shoulders back and puffing her chest up, showing her breasts off to their full advantage. Of course, the fact that her décolletage plunged boldly toward the floor only helped matters.

“Will darling, this is simply a smashing soiree your wife has pulled off. I must say I'm impressed. I didn't think she'd be able to, I mean, with her background, you know.”

Forgetting altogether about society, about the tabloids, about decorum, William grabbed her by the arm and jerked her toward him roughly. His face was only inches above hers; a place Jane had clearly always wanted him, if the predatory look in her eye could be believed.

“I knew you'd come to your senses one day. It was only a matter of time. The only reason I ever married Charles was to keep a close eye on you.”

William opened his mouth to respond, but stopped. A slow, triumphant smile spread over his mouth as he released her and pushed her away. “Perhaps, dear Jane, you should mind all your surroundings a bit closer.”

She looked confused for a moment and when William tipped his head toward her, her eyes became large. Slowly, Jane turned to find her husband before her, his normally placid expression red with rage. Then, with every ounce of the blue blood that coursed through her veins, Jane Bingley drew herself to her full height and ignored her husband, simply walking away from any potential scandal.

“Charles, I'm sorry.”

“Never mind, Will. She's a wretched bitch anyway.”

William gave him a sympathetic smile. “I wish I could console you, but it seems my own wife has disappeared as a direct result of something Jane said.”

“Good luck in finding her, mate. And when you get that resolved, send me along the name of a good divorce barrister. I won't stay married to that vile cunt a moment longer.”

William nodded and started toward the door, meeting the waiting Thad and Damien.

“What happened?”

“Jane Bingley just got her comeuppance.”

* * *

Kelly had insisted they fly first class.

Elizabeth didn't want to, but Kelly had persuaded her. Now that Elizabeth was finally asleep in one of the large chairs, she approached a flight attendant and requested to use the telephone. The ring had not even finished when she heard his voice on the line.

“Elizabeth?”

“No, Will, it's Kelly. She's asleep.”

“Where are you?”

“We're on a flight home. She's unreasonable and I couldn't let her travel alone. For chrissakes, she's still wearing her evening gown. I assume that you've seen her note by now.”

“I have.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Follow her. I'll live in that apartment for the rest of my life if I have to.”

“Good man, but may I suggest something?”

There was a pause. “I can't stay away.”

“I know. I actually figured you'd be on a plane already.”

“How do you know I'm not? You called my mobile.”

A smile spread over Kelly's lips. “Even better man, but you have to give her a day or two. Just to miss you. To realize she's trying to make the biggest mistake of her life.”

“Do you think she is?”

“Yes, I do. And I'll do everything I can to help you, but give her that time.”

“Fine,” he muttered with resignation.

“Are the boys with you?”

“Grudgingly.”

“Had a tough time tearing Thad away from Madge, huh?”

“She may have to hire him as a back-up dancer.”

“That's truly tragic. Thad's the one gay man in the universe who can't dance a lick.”

* * *

She couldn't go back to her apartment so Kelly hired a cab and they went to her house. As the old, yellow car rolled through the streets of Vegas, Elizabeth felt a cold comfort settle over her. She was home, yet it seemed so wrong. It was because William wasn't there. She knew that. She was simply going to have to teach herself to accept life without him. It was as simple as that.

The bright colors of the strip were familiar. Familiar was good. She could settle back into her old routine. She could get her old job back and resume classes. She would do her very best to forget that she had ever loved William Darcy so much that she couldn't breathe.

Sadly, she was perfectly aware that her very best wasn't nearly good enough.

The cab pulled into Kelly's driveway and they hauled their bags out. Once they were standing in Kelly's living room, Elizabeth started weeping again. Kelly handed her a fistful of tissues, corralling her toward the guest room.

“You need a nice, hot bath and a good, long nap.”

“I'll never be able to get to sleep,” Elizabeth wailed, sounding as though she feared she would never again experience R.E.M.

“You will if I dose the hot brandy I'm going to pour down your gullet. Now, take off that gown. I'm sick of looking at it.”

A small moue appeared over Elizabeth's mouth. “You could be nicer, you know. I just left my husband.”

“That was your choice. I love you and you have my sympathy regarding Jane Bitchley's horrible remark, but I think you've made a terrible mistake.”

“Kelly,” Elizabeth began but paused when her friend held up her hand.

“I am here for you and I will see you through this, until you either fix it, accept it, or I'm bored with watching you down pints of ice cream and cans of Pringles. I just thought you should know where I stand.”

Elizabeth nodded, hugged her friend, and whirled around. “Unzip this fucking dress, please.”

“That's my girl,” Kelly said, grinning as she pulled the zipper. She went into the huge, airy guest bathroom and ran a lavender bubble bath. Carefully avoiding her own reflection in the mirror, she retrieved towels and a robe for Elizabeth and left her to her bath.

Once she had gotten Elizabeth squared away, Kelly slipped down to the kitchen, put on a kettle for tea, and pulled a frozen cheesecake out of the freezer. While she was nibbling on a celery stalk, her cell phone rang.

“Hi,” she said.

“Hi. We've just landed. Thad and Dami are going home and I'm going to the apartment. Is she with you?”

“Yes. She's going to stay here a couple of days. When she's on her way home, I'll call you.”

“Thank you, Kelly.”

“Hey, no problem. I'm just trying to keep my business partner happy so we can continue to make ass-loads of money.”

William chuckled and disconnected.

* * *

She felt a little better after her bath and large piece of blueberry cheesecake, but she sat on Kelly's guest bed, staring at the shadows on the wall, wondering what William was doing. She glanced down at his side of the bed and realized she'd forgotten how to sleep without him. Even when he had worked late, Elizabeth had always known he was coming home. Now she would never see him again.

The tears pressed against her eyes and she fought to keep them from spilling onto her cheeks. She had made the right decision, dammit. Kelly might not agree with it, but then Kelly didn't have to live with the insults and the accusations. Kelly didn't have to worry about paparazzi and what, no who, to wear to Ascot. It was too much.

Wasn't it?

Wasn't his smile worth every rotten headline? Wasn't the way his eyes crinkled in concentration worth every, single catty remark aimed her way? After all, she'd won him. He was hers. Hers. Even if she didn't deserve him.

She was stronger than this. She was better than Jane Bingley. Elizabeth knew this and she was disgusted by her first-class, half-a-globe sized temper tantrum. With an irritated growl, she nearly leapt out of bed.
A glance at the clock told her it was 4:45am. Of course, her internal clock was completely off-kilter anyway. She rummaged through her duffle bag, jammed her legs into a pair of velour track pants and shrugged into a shirt. Silently, she crept through the house to the kitchen where she found Kelly's car keys.

“I promise, I'll return it in the morning,” she whispered, looking at the ceiling in the direction of Kelly's bedroom.

She drove to her apartment, not really knowing why, except perhaps she might be able to sleep in a bed they had shared, on sheets that might still hold his scent, in a room where they had loved each other. There were some different cars parked here now, a reminder that apartment life was temporary for most.

“I'm a lifer,” she declared to no one proudly then giggled at the ridiculousness of the statement.

There was a moment of panic when she thought she wouldn't be able to get in, but recalled that Kelly's keychain possessed a copy of her house key. She slid the lock home and stepped inside. The indescribable smells of home filled her lungs, instantly giving comfort to her aching heart.

A moment later, though, a lump formed in her throat as she spied a duffle bag lying on the floor next to the coffee table. An expensive duffle bag. With the initials F.D. embroidered on the side. Her bottom lip quivered.

“Please let him be here,” she prayed to any listening deity. “I won't fuck up this second chance.”

She headed for the bedroom and there he was, curled around her pillow. He'd stolen her idea. He'd come home to be close to her. Her heart swelled so much she was certain it would burst. Unable to contain herself, she leapt for the bed and kissed his mouth.

“Mrs. Darcy, I presume,” he said when he could catch a breath.

“Hell yes!”

He roughly grabbed a fistful of her hair and pulled her back just enough to meet her eyes. Her breath caught at the pain in them, pain she was responsible for.

“I'm so, so sorry. I'm so stupid!”

“You're not stupid,” he said firmly. “You were hurt and you didn't come to me. Why?”

“I don't know,” she admitted. “I was so angry and tired and ashamed. I just didn't want to have the same conversation again. I thought you might get tired of my whining.”

“The only thing I find tiresome is flying across an ocean and most of a continent to retrieve my wife.”

“As temper-tantrums go, though, you must admit it was spectacular.”

He rolled his eyes and brought her mouth back down to his, his fingers still fisted in her hair so that the kiss seemed to last nothing short of forever. When it broke, they were both panting.

Elizabeth was delighted to find he wore only pajama bottoms beneath the sheets. She moved over, positioning herself astride his body, eyes raking over him like a cat with a bird. Before she could become too predatory, however, William's hands grabbed her ass and effectively flipped her over.

“Now who's the prey, Mrs. Darcy?”

He grabbed the waistband of her sweats and gave them a hearty yank. A slow, hungry grin split his mouth wide.

“Since when do you go commando?” He asked.

“Well, you forget to pack some of the necessary pieces when you're throwing a spectacular tantrum.”

He trailed kisses over her belly, lighting the fire in her veins. His kisses slipped lower then his tongue was lapping at her thighs while he absently inched her shirt up.

“A front-loader. How thoughtful.”

She laughed.

He opened her bra, pulling one nipple between his teeth. While he suckled, his errant hand once again went in the opposite direction, seeking out the warm, wet folds of her sex. He dipped into her as his teeth gave her a quick, light nip and she groaned.

“You didn't come back simply because I make you feel like this?” He asked, emphasizing his point by pushing another finger deep inside.

“No,” she replied breathily. “I came back because I had to.” She looked at him then and his fingers stilled within her. “You're mine. Regardless of what those snobby bitches say, I'm not in it for the money or the sex. I'm in it because I can't breathe unless I'm breathing in your scent. I can't live with my heart beating half a world away.”

“God, Elizabeth.” His mouth met hers and his fingers collided mercilessly with the hot ache between her thighs. Moments later, he was inside her fully, driving them both hard enough to rattle her teeth and wake the neighbors on each side.

Their frustration, anger, fear, and need all collided in this single moment of lust and reparation. Whatever happened after this would be faced together. Elizabeth tore the sheet with her fingernails as they met each other in that white haze of release, barely aware of anything but the feel of her husband's warmth flooding her.

Exhausted, he fell down beside her, gathering her small body to his. They were both slick with sweat. Tendrils of matted hair stuck to the sides of their faces while they fought to catch their breath.

“Good lord,” she whispered. “I should freak you out more often.”

“I would rather you didn't,” he replied, his lips skimming her forehead.

She stared up at him. “Where you go, I go. It took me too long to realize that home isn't this apartment and it isn't the townhouse. Where you are is where I belong.”

“Me too,” he choked out.

They were silent for awhile, each just feeling the other there, knowing that this was going to work and differences be damned.

“Charles is probably going to divorce Jane,” William told her.

“Really? I can't say I blame him. It was obvious all she ever wanted was you.”

“You're perceptive enough to notice that but…”

“Don't finish that sentence,” she whispered. “A woman always knows what other women want her man. That's the way of the world. Be aware of your enemies.”

“I think you're safe, darling Elizabeth.”

She smiled up at him, her heart welling with love and not a little lust.

Safe? Indeed.

Epilogue

The Sweetest Ruin: A Love Story by Kitty Gardiner, delivered at the Marriage Renewal of The Darcys

For ten years, William and Elizabeth Darcy have been citizens of the world, traveling the globe doing good works and, for many, proving that love does indeed conquer all.

I have been involved in this story since the very beginning when Mr. Darcy came home with a bride from Las Vegas and shocked the whole of Britain. Had the sexy bachelor lost his mind or had he been bamboozled by a beautiful American gold digger? The world wanted to know and Mrs. Darcy was kind enough to allow me the chance to give the world that answer.

And it was no.

In all my years covering the Darcys, I never fail to be amazed by the commitment and passion these two people have for one another. When they are together, the world melts away and it is truly like watching one person; they are that in synch.

And because of that synchronicity, the world has been struck with admiration for these lovers, Prince Charming and his very own, real-life Cinderella, who have worked tirelessly to spread some of that love to those who need it most.

It began with Mrs. Darcy's mental health charity and expanded from there. Soon the Darcys were giving aid to refugees in Africa, assisting child victims of terrorist attacks in the Middle East, and donating needed supplies to orphanages in Russia and Eastern Europe. Since the beginning of their marriage, it is estimated that the Darcys have donated nearly a billion dollars in relief to various charities. The amount of time lent to those causes cannot be calculated.

William Darcy said for years that his wife was his downfall, that she was simply the sweetest ruin a man could bear to experience. His tune changed only slightly when she gave birth to their only biological child, Noel, after three years of marriage. Within a few years of that, they adopted Margaret, Grace, and Thomas and William Darcy amended his previous thought to include their children.

Now, a decade into the greatest love story of our time, I would like to raise a toast to my dear friends, William and Elizabeth Darcy, who may have ruined each other, but who have only bettered everybody else.

Finis

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