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She pursed her lip. I shall not think of any of that now. There will be time enough for such thoughts in the days to come. For now, I shall lie here and simply enjoy being adored by this man. Even if I never see him again after tonight.
But I will. I shall see him tomorrow. When we meet, I must content myself with the two of us meeting as mere strangers, indifferent acquaintances, at best, by way of our common connection with my brother, Bingley—his best friend.
Tomorrow.
She cuddled closer, careful not to disturb his slumber. The natural manner in which he accepted her into his arms gave her to know this was a man with whom she could entrust everything: her secrets, her body, and perhaps even her heart.
Chapter 7
A while later, Darcy, too, awakened and the two of them relished in the comfort of each other’s arms.
Soon enough, Darcy’s unbridled passion for this captivating woman arose again. Allowing absolutely no part of her porcelain skin to touch the bed without his hands beneath her, he adored her. Her wonderful body which spoke to him in a language he had never before heard. Oh, to spend the rest of his nights communicating only with her in such a fashion.
This feels so perfect—so natural … so right.
Let us fall in love, he wanted to say. How could he when they really did not know each other?
“Tell me this is not a dream,” he whispered, kissing her on her forehead.
“I assure you it is not.”
Whether he was bewitched or suffering the most vivid dream in his lifetime, he needed to be certain beyond a shadow of doubt of what they were sharing.
“You likely have surmised that I am Fitzwilliam Darcy, Bingley’s friend. When next we meet, you must find a way to call me William. Then and only then, I shall know tonight was not merely a dream, but rather the best night of my life.”
“The best night, sir?” Elizabeth asked.
Darcy assured her that indeed it was.
“The two of us are so very much alike,” he later said. “We both value family above all else, and as a consequence, we likely would do anything for them. As it pertains to your current circumstances, no one who truly knows you would judge you harshly for marrying a man whom you do not love for the sake of your family. I say this not to advise you on how you ought to act in light of your recent discovery. I only mean to say that honorable men and women of all stations in life marry out of obligation every day.”
“Honorable, you say. So, you think you know me, Mr. Darcy?”
“Yes—I think I know you very well, Mrs. Tilman.”
“Pray, sir, in light of all that has unfolded between us, I would have you call me anything but that.”
“What precisely shall I call you—that is to say, outside of my bed?”
“What else would you like to call me?” she asked, her spirits rising to playfulness. How good it felt to be able to show this side of her, if only for one night.
“I think I would like to call you my love,” he replied. His eyes said even more.
She could feel her heartbeat speeding its pace.
“My love? Sir, I must object to such an appellation. You cannot possibly love me. Our acquaintance is far too short a duration to warrant the sentiment.”
“On the contrary, my love, I feel as though I have known you all my life. I have loved you from the moment I first laid eyes on you. Surely you believe in destiny.”
She shook her head. “I cannot say that I do.”
“Destiny is when two people who are meant to be together find their way to each other against all odds.”
“You and I made love tonight, sir, time and time again, but I fear that is a far cry from our having found our way to each other.”
“Oh, Elizabeth, my love, the path is clear, and if you will but trust me, I will show you the way.”
The two lovers awakened at early dawn and prepared, albeit reluctantly, to part each other’s company. Having donned his shirt and breeches, Darcy began helping Elizabeth fasten her gown. He kissed the back of her neck. “I suppose I ought to leave this room as well. Your sister will expect to find you here this morning, will she not?”
