Foundation of Love: The Gypsy Blessing 2 (34 page)

Her eyes widened. “You
love
me?”

He cupped her face in his hands. “Yes, I love you. I’ve tried so hard to keep it from showing.” When she didn’t say anything in response he tried to explain. “I wasn’t sure how you felt... I didn’t want to pursue you if it meant you’d lose your career.”

She shook her head in confusion.

“The agreement you signed when you started working there says that you can’t have a romantic relationship with a client.”

Elizabeth was still in shock, but after a moment, she remembered to breathe. “When I signed it, I didn’t think it would matter.”

“It would have been my fault, because I couldn’t control my feelings. I thought I could do it—just spend time working with you. If you cared about me, too, the rest could come later after the project was over. Part of it was selfish; I didn’t want to lose your talents on the project. It’s like you read my mind. You take what I want right out of my head without my ever saying a word to you, sometimes even before I know what I want myself. But every minute I’m with you, it becomes more difficult to control myself. I thought it was some corny cliché that a man could fall more deeply in love every moment, but it’s not. It’s definitely not. I tried not to hope that you cared for me that way, but after what you did for me earlier in the limo, and what you just said, I just can’t
do
that friendship thing any longer.” He leaned close to her ear and whispered, “If you’ll have me, I’ll make sure we’re never ‘just friends’ again.”

She whimpered and, without realizing what she did, she tilted her head to give him better access to her ear.

He gasped softly and stepped closer still, whispering again, “You have no idea what that sound does to me.”

“What sound?”

“The one you just made... and before, on the dance floor.” He brought his lips to her ear and whispered, “Every time I do this...”

She must have done it again, because he inhaled sharply. Elizabeth almost melted into a puddle when he moved his lips to her neck and trailed kisses along it.

She’d been right before: he
was
going to drive her insane, but maybe her sanity had already fled. This couldn’t really be happening—but it certainly felt real. If she had lost her mind, she hoped nobody would ever find it.

“Mmmm... that sound is even better.” He moved away slightly and examined her features. “Please tell me I can kiss you, Elizabeth.”

“I think you just did,” she whispered.

“That’s only
one
way I’ve been dreaming of kissing y—”

~

His words were cut off when she stood on her tiptoes and gently pressed her lips to his. He returned it just as gently, deepening with each subsequent kiss.

She tastes as good as she smells.

When he was in danger of losing himself completely, he returned his lips to her neck.

She turned her head and whispered into his ear, “I love you, too.”

He pulled back to look in her eyes. “Say it again.”

Her smile came from deep within her as she returned his gaze. “I love you, Will. I always have, since I received your picture on my phone that first day. No, even before that—the first time I heard your voice on the phone, something inside me
knew
.”

Joy filled his soul as he pulled her fully against him and closed his eyes. After a few deep breaths, inhaling her scent, he said, “Elizabeth, I’ve loved you for so long—from the moment I first laid eyes on you.”

She moved so she could see his face. “Having you remember it that way is wonderful, but I can’t let you get away with it. You hated me when we first met. That’s why I reacted the way I did—to keep from getting hurt.”

His hand rose as if by its own volition, and his fingertips traced her single upraised eyebrow, then the curve of her cheek. His thumb brushed over her full lips. “If you need proof as to how far gone I am, Elizabeth, I’ll tell you everything.

“I first fell in love with you when Anne sent me a photo that included you. I was under your spell immediately, so much that I didn’t even realize it was the middle of the night when I called Anne to find out your name. When Anne said you were seventeen, I was...” He cleared his throat. “I was very
disappointed
.”

She shook her head gently. “But on the phone, you were always horrible to me...”

He nodded. “Before you moved in, Anne was the only one who answered that phone, so when I heard your voice the first time, I was very confused. It took only a moment to realize that incredible voice belonged with this beautiful face.” He caressed every inch of her face with his gaze. “Knowing I was talking to
you
tied my tongue. Every word came out wrong. After that, I couldn’t stop from making a complete fool of myself every time I spoke to you. To be honest, I think that preparing myself to hear your voice before I called only made things worse.” William displayed his dimples. “But I was a glutton for punishment. I pretty much stopped calling Anne’s cell phone just so I could speak to you again.”

Her amazed expression encouraged him to continue.

“Every time someone spoke about you, you sounded more like the woman I’d always dreamed of being with someday. I was afraid to meet you... afraid I’d find that you didn’t live up to my expectations.” He chuckled. “The day I met you, I was a complete mess. You were even more beautiful than the photographs that Anne had sent. I was totally blown away. The power you could have held over me... it was terrifying. Fear and logic sabotaged every word that came out of my mouth and everything I did. I couldn’t believe the stupid things I was saying, so I just stopped talking.”

He closed his eyes and frowned. This was the last thing he wanted to bring up right now, but he had to get everything from the past out in the open... even the worst. He continued.

“It seemed impossible that you could be as perfect as you were, so I thought it had to be an act. When I accused you of helping Wickham, I was grasping at straws, trying to find fault with you. The moment it came out of my mouth, I knew it was wrong. When I realized you had heard it, I wanted the ground to open and swallow me up.

“I don’t know if you realize, Elizabeth, but because of my family name, I’ve been used so many times. I hate to say it this way, but since that stupid magazine article came out—”

Elizabeth held up two fingers. “You’ve been on the Top Ten Most Eligible Bachelors list for
two
years.”

William groaned. “Yes, two. Especially since those articles, but even before that, I’ve been hunted by predatory women who want to be associated with me because I’m a Darcy. It became an automatic reaction for me to come to the worst possible conclusion about people, to protect myself. Unfortunately, you’ve seen me act that way many times, so you know exactly what I’m talking about. Up until the moment I met you, most of the time that instinct was correct. It took me a while to realize—to
accept
—that, to you, I’m not just a wallet, a bank account, and a way to get your picture in the papers. I’m a man, which is all I’ve ever wanted to be. It’s taken a lot of effort to change the way I react, but I think I’m learning, because of you.

“By the time I was willing to admit to myself that you really were as wonderful as I had hoped you’d be and I was ready to risk my heart, your uncle recognized my feelings for you. He told me about the agreement you’d signed and brought up all the rumors you’d be branded with if we became involved. I didn’t want to risk your reputation, but I couldn’t let you go, either.”

Elizabeth searched his eyes. “Are you sure this is real for you, that you aren’t just reacting to
convenience
or to the many coincidences or the connections we have to each other? Are you sure it’s
me
that you love?” She shook her head. “I’m nobody, Will!”

He tried to keep the pain her statement caused in his heart from displaying in his expression. “You’re
everything
, Elizabeth.” He gently cradled her face in his hands. “I tried to tell you earlier without being too forward—those photographers took so many pictures of us because in all the years they’ve been following me, they’ve
never
seen me smile. When I’m with you, I’m happy.” He continued with more conviction than he’d ever felt before. “I do love your name, which
should
be paired with mine; it belongs with mine.” He smiled. “But I also love your mind—your intellect, wit, logic, your ability to reason even under the worst of circumstances. I love that your creativity is in sync with mine.” He pulled her into his embrace. “I love your body, which fits perfectly against mine, and I will
not
explain at this time how I’d like to worship every inch of it.” He moved away just enough that he could caress her lips with his thumb. “I love this mouth that I’m aching to kiss again right now. I love
you
, Elizabeth, and if you let me, I’ll spend the rest of my life proving it to you.”

He took a deep breath and searched his feelings. He was excited, expectant, but not even the slightest bit nervous. This was
right
—it was meant to be.

“Marry me, Elizabeth?”

Elizabeth gasped. “You want to
marry
me?”

William nodded. “I’ve never been surer of anything in my life.”

Something he couldn’t name passed over her features.

“If it’s too soon for you, you can have all the time you need to think about it—”

She cut off his words once again with a quick kiss. “Yes, I’ll marry you, Will!”

A while later, when they came up for air, William leaned his forehead against hers. “Please, Elizabeth, let’s marry right away. I doubt I could survive a long engagement.”

She pulled away slightly to look into his eyes. “I’m sure I can be persuaded.” Her gaze shifted to his lips.

He hugged her to him and almost growled into her ear, “I hope you need a
lot
of persuading.”

A few minutes later, he broke their kiss, and he moved to pay special attention to the curve where her shoulder met her neck—exactly the place he’d been dreaming of tasting since he’d first seen her in that gown. “There’s only one thing I can think of that
would
be a problem.”

“I can’t even
think
right now,” she answered breathily.

“That’s promising.” He smiled against her skin, and then made his way toward her ear again. Once he arrived at his destination, he whispered, “It
could
be a problem if you didn’t approve of what you saw in your bathroom that day...”

She made
that
sound again. Yes, it was a very good thing he hadn’t allowed himself any alcohol this evening.

He nibbled on her earlobe. “So you approve?”

“Hmmmm?” she hummed dreamily.

He pulled away to look at her. “I asked if you
liked
what you saw.”

“Will!” She blushed thoroughly.

“What? It’s an honest question.” He chuckled.

“Of course I did—you knew that right away, didn’t you? I mean, I couldn’t keep my eyes from wandering...” She looked away and then met his gaze again. “I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to look you in the eyes again.”

“But you did.” He smiled.

“Yes, well... I tried to forget all about it.”

“Did you?”

“Hmmm?” She was trying to appear very innocent, but it wasn’t working.

“Did you forget it?”

As her hands slid up his back, she snuggled up to his chest. He supposed she was trying to avoid his gaze.

“That would have been impossible,” Elizabeth whispered. “What about you?”

His heartbeat kicked up to a thundering pace. “If I live to be a hundred, I’ll never forget the way it felt when the most beautiful woman I could ever imagine looked at me like that.”

She stiffened.

Something had just gone very wrong. He replayed in his mind what he had said, and it didn’t make sense that she would be upset. He pulled away. He could see there were tears in her eyes, but she wouldn’t look at him. “What did I do?”

“What about when... when
I...
”

His mouth dropped open. “Elizabeth,
you
are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known!”

“But even tonight, you said I looked
nice.
”

He put one finger under her chin and waited until she finally met his gaze to speak. “At that moment, I was trying not to scoop you up and carry you away somewhere so I could take full advantage of you.” He ran one hand through his hair. “I don’t often examine people’s ceilings, Elizabeth. I was trying to distract myself. It’s as if you were born to tempt me in every way possible.”

“Really?” She smiled widely. “Are you serious, Will?”

“Don’t you own a mirror? Can’t you see how gorgeous you are, Elizabeth? Haven’t you noticed the way men look at you?” He paused, waiting for her to answer. She blushed scarlet red, but she didn’t say a word. He continued, “
I
certainly have seen them. In fact, there were several times tonight alone when I was ready to punch someone out.”