Eternal Flame ~ A Pemberley Fairy Tale

Chapter Eleven

Although William’s passionate plea for her company warmed her, Liz’s thoughts immediately turned to the practical. “We talked about this yesterday. I can’t stay past Saturday morning. There’s Nat’s car to think about and my editor is expecting me back at work on Monday.”

“Resign.”

“That’s not possible. I have bills and other outgoings. My rent is due in two weeks.”

“I’ll cover your bills. You won’t need to pay rent if you live here.”

Liz had been independent too long to give it away so readily. “I can’t accept your charity, William. I’ve always paid my own way, and I’m not about to change. When I said I’d like to live at Pemberley, I didn’t mean…I wasn’t trying to suggest we should—”

He silenced her with a finger against her lips. “I know what you meant. You’ve done nothing you need reproach yourself for. I didn’t think you were angling for an invite. I’m just not sure I can let you go.”

She held her breath, waiting for him to smile and say ‘April Fool’, but then she recalled it was the middle of October and he was completely serious. Liz felt like she’d been caught up by an unyielding hurricane, being forced down a road she wasn’t quite ready to travel. As the implications of his statement sank in, her discomfort grew. “I don’t have much experience with relationships, but this all seems to be going very quickly. Don’t people usually go on dates first before they talk about moving in together?”

He sighed. “You’ve been living in my house for five days already.”

“That’s exactly my point. I’ve only been here five days, and not even as your guest.  I’ve been working.”

“You might have been, but I haven’t done much work this week.” He tapped a finger against his chin. “Mmm, dates. Well, if it makes you feel better you could call the night we had dinner together our first date. We were together all day yesterday, so that’s two. I also helped you in the office—”

“Oh no, that was work so it doesn’t count.”

“Fair point, but we’ve just spent another afternoon together, so I make that three dates. Isn’t that enough?”

Liz couldn’t help but smile at his reasoning, but it soon disappeared as she shifted her aching feet. He bent his head, his kiss light and gentle. Somehow, the tentative touch of their lips dispelled her concerns. She ran her fingers through his hair, pulling him closer, and moved her mouth across his as though his kiss was her oxygen and she was asphyxiating from needing it. For a moment they seemed fused as one, but William began to pull away. She followed him, desperate to stay with him, but he broke their contact, gasping as he did so.

“You’ll be the death of me, Lizzy. Relax.” He kissed her again, a gentle response, the light touch of his lips to the side of her mouth.

She felt the blush in her cheeks and covered them with her cool hands. “I’m sorry. You know all this is sort of new to me.”

“And I like that. I hope I don’t sound too much like a caveman when I say I’m pleased you’ve had no other suitors.”

“You mean boyfriends?”

“Whatever they’re called, I’m glad you haven’t had any.”

An odd tone in his voice made her pause. “Would you have been jealous if I had?”

He touched her shoulder before sliding his hand along her arm. “I don’t like to think of myself as a jealous person, but I feel as though I’ve missed so much of your life already.”