Chapter 17
“Will, breathe. She’s here. She’s sleeping off a sugar coma in the living room.”
I could’ve collapsed onto the floor. Gigi was safe. I’d searched everywhere I could think of that she might go, but in the end, she’d come to Liz, and Liz had ensured Gigi had been safe.
“Thank God! I know she has friends, but she was angry and crying when she left the penthouse. My first thought was to text Richard and let him know what’d happened, but I decided to give her space. You know; treat her like an adult. When Gi didn’t come back after an hour, I called him, then Annie. I—”
“Gigi showed up in the shop. She was furious with me for not telling her my suspicions about Greg.”
“She felt we conspired,” I said.
Liz shrugged one shoulder. “I’d say she felt more betrayed. Gigi trusted me, and I went to you. For all intents and purposes, I snitched on her to her father.”
I exhaled heavily. “I suppose that’s a more accurate picture of it.”
She waved me toward the library. “Come on in. I’ll pour you a drink.”
“Can I see Gi first?” I just needed to know she was safe.
After a nod, Liz brought me into a darkened room. I could barely make out the large television mounted on the wall. She tugged the sleeve of my shirt, pulling me around an end table so I didn’t knock over the lamp, then pointed. There, snuggled up with a blanket, was Gigi. She was snoring slightly but otherwise, sound asleep.
“Will?” said Liz in a soft voice. “How about that drink?”
I nodded and followed her into the library. While she poured Scotch into a glass, my attention was snagged by some plans on a table.
“What is this? Are you expanding?”
She handed me a glass. “My uncle purchased a building in the East Village years ago. The neighboring building went up for sale and has a great corner storefront. It was a restaurant in the past. We’re renovating both buildings and putting in a smaller version of Novel Books as well as another Buttercream Beanery—also on a bit of a smaller scale. Char will run that location.” Although she held a glass in her hand as well, her free hand had gone into her jeans pocket, and she was stiff.
“I’m glad you’re expanding. I think it’s a good time for the bakery especially.”
One of her eyebrows rose. “You’re being serious?”
I couldn’t help but smile a little at the higher tone she’d used. “Why are you surprised? Since I first saw your bakery not so long ago, I’ve wondered why you didn’t open another location. The East Village is a smart place for a second location of Novel Books as well. There’s no larger scale bookstore in that part of town yet.”
She leaned against the back of the sofa. “Well, we’re renovating two floors on the building Zio purchased for the bookstore. The café will have the dining room area and outdoor seating downstairs and the main kitchen on the second floor and the kitchens for gluten-free and allergens on the third, a lot like the one here. Thankfully, there was already an elevator. It makes it so much easier for larger cakes and big orders.”
I perused the plans and nodded. “These look great. I’m happy for you.” I honestly was.
Both of her eyebrows shot up this time. “You are?”
I nodded with a small chuckle. “I am. After Gi’s party, whenever the subject of Novel Books came up at work, I had no interest in pursuing it. You loved your uncle and hope to continue what he started—to make it more than it was. I think he’d be extremely proud of you. As Richard once told me, Pemberley Books doesn’t have to occupy every part of the world.”
“Are you sure?” A light glinted in her eye. “I’m sure there’s some remote part of Greenland you haven’t occupied yet—maybe Antarctica. . .Tanzania?”
“Thank you for taking care of Gigi.”
Liz set her glass on a table. “Gigi is an adult. She can take care of herself. I just let her talk about what was bothering her, then offered to let her drown her misery in cake, macarons, and doughnuts. Mrs. Hill contributed the hot chocolate.”
I set my drink next to hers. “Well, thank you anyway.” I shoved down any reservations I had and leaned in to press a kiss to Liz’s cheek. As soon as my lips pressed against the softness of her skin, I lingered, my heart beating so hard it filled my ears and drowned out every other sound. Hints of vanilla and sugar tickled my nose. Was that her usual scent or had she not showered after work?
As I made to pull back, our eyes caught, and an invisible thread drew me back in to touch my lips to hers. When she caressed mine in return, the fine thread holding me back snapped. One hand slipped around her waist while the other dove into the messy bun on the back of her head. When my tongue dipped in to taste hers, the Scotch on her tongue combined with the sweets made for an addictive flavor I’d drown in if given the opportunity.
Her fingers wrapped around to the nape of my neck where she threaded them into my hair. A moment later, her soft breasts were crushed against my chest, and my body responded in the most basic way, my trousers becoming painfully restrictive in the front. As much as I’d hate myself for it later, I wrenched myself a step back.
Liz’s chest heaved with each breath, her messy bun was even messier and threatening to fall out completely, and her lips were blushed from tangling with my own. She was stunning. I desired her more than I’d ever wanted any woman in my life, but I needed her to want me just as much.
“Lizzy!” I took another step back before Mrs. Hill walked into the room. “Gigi woke up enough for me to take her upstairs and put her in your old bedroom. I gave her a pair of your leggings and a t-shirt to sleep in. I hope that’s okay.”
“It’s perfect, Mrs. Hill. Thank you,” said Liz.
The older woman glanced between us then lifted her eyebrows at Liz. “Do you need anything else?”
“No, I can manage. Go watch The Bachelor . I know you’re dying to know who doesn’t get a rose tonight.”
“Definitely! That Celia is a conniving one; let me tell you. I’ve been waiting for Derek to see right through her, but I think he just wants to get into her skirts first.”
I almost choked on my own spit.
“Good night, dearie. You too, Mr. Darcy.”
“Good night,” said Liz while I gave a nod.
Mrs. Hill departed and both of us stood there for at least a minute or two before I glanced through the doorway. “I think she’s gone. She watches The Bachelor ?”
“I’d say she has more of an unhealthy addiction.” She stepped forward to stand within a couple of inches of me, and my body tensed to keep from taking her into my arms. “What happened before she entered?”
I frowned. “What part do you mean? If you mean the kiss, I’d think that was obvious.”
She shook her head with a curve to her lips and that arched eyebrow that made it nearly impossible not to claim her mouth once again. “No, I didn’t expect you to pull away.”
“You made it very clear that you didn’t or don’t like me, so as much as I do want you, I need to make sure you’ve reconsidered and are interested in more than tonight—that you’re certain you won’t regret if we continued.” She dragged her teeth along her bottom lip—she was so enticing when she did that. How was I to resist when she made it so damned difficult?
“I don’t hate you. When we met at the gala, I enjoyed speaking to you until you insulted me to your friend and Jane. I’ve been compared to Jane my entire life by my mother and others. My older sister has always been considered more beautiful. She could do no wrong in my parents’ eyes. So, while you may not have compared us, insulting me stung just as much as it had every single time someone told me I didn’t measure up.”
My fingers trailed down her velvet cheek, and my palm cupped her jaw. “Those people were blind and never took the time to truly look at you. You’re so much more than your sister. You’re more intelligent. Moreover, your kindness increases your beauty while her cattiness makes her one of the most unappealing women I’ve ever met.” I closed some of the distance between us while my fingers wrapped around the back of her neck.
“From the moment I bumped into you, I was drawn to you and wanted nothing more than to spend the entire night in your company. Would you believe I cursed my aunt when she demanded I bow to her summons? Do you know she introduced me to some woman she insisted I had to take to dinner? I told the woman it was nice to meet her then told my aunt I had to return to the person I’d been speaking to before we were so rudely interrupted.
“For what I said at the gala, I can only claim shock at learning who you are, which is no excuse. I shouldn’t have said it at all.”
She pressed her hand on my chest, branding my flesh despite the barrier of my shirt. “And I’ve been awful to you since. I hardly spoke to you at Gigi’s birthday party.”
“Which I deserved.” I didn’t have any issue freely admitting my behavior had earned her cold shoulder.
“I gave you grief for doing what you thought right for your sister. I didn’t agree with how you handled the matter, but I failed to acknowledge that you were doing what you thought was best.”
I squeezed my eyes closed then reopened them. “No, you were correct. Richard has been the only person who has ever told me where I’ve been mistaken. Too often, I get told I’m right or I’m told what people think I want to hear. It took a while to understand that one of the traits I so admire in you is your honesty. You’ll tell me exactly what you think.”
“Do you know what I think right now?” That blasted eyebrow was arched again.
“Do you know what it does to me when you do that with your eyebrow?”
A wonderful laugh bubbled from her throat. “Seriously?”
I couldn’t resist another second, and I kissed her in a way that left no doubt of what her coy expression did to me. When I pressed my hand against her ass and drew her flush to my body, my erection pushing into her hip reinforced the effect of that arched eyebrow.
She pulled me backward until we tumbled onto the grey plush sofa. I deepened the kiss while my palm slid down her thigh to lift her leg so I was cradled just so in between her thighs. She still tasted incredible, the flavor of the Scotch lingering on her tongue. I couldn’t get enough.
My fingers found their way under the hem of her t-shirt and caressed along her side. She shivered and gasped into my mouth at the contact. My cock twitched at the sound while my palms itched to touch her everywhere—to savor every inch of her until she screamed my name.
Her hands found my butt and held tight while pulling me closer until I was grinding into her warm center. I groaned and wrenched my lips from hers.
“Liz, we’ve barely done anything and you’re killing me. If we’re going to stop, we need to do it now. I can’t take much more.”
Our gazes met and held before she planted both of her palms into my chest and pressed. I lifted from her quickly. Yes, I would be in pain until my erection subsided, but when we finally crossed that line, I wanted it on terms we both accepted—not because one of us wanted it and the other was unsure.
She stood, her chest rising and falling as she tried to catch her breath. She held out her hand, and I set mine in her palm.
“Come,” she said softly.
“Come?”
When she nodded, I didn’t need to be told again. I sprang from the sofa as she pulled me toward a corner of the library.
“Where are we going?”
“My uncle had an elevator installed. I thought we’d take that instead of the stairs.”
“The stairs would be healthier.”
Her laugh was husky and turned me on even more. “Yes, but you can’t continue to kiss me and touch me while we climb the stairs.”
After she opened the door, she backed inside, beckoning me with a curve of her finger. “Are you coming?”
“Not yet,” I said as I followed. “But if you continue, I will be before we even get naked.”
She whipped off her t-shirt, her sheer bra doing nothing to hide what was underneath.
“That’s not helping.” Good Lord, my palms itched to mold them in my hands and my tongue craved their flavor. What was it about Elizabeth Bennet that made me crazy? I’d never been this way with any of the women in my past; not that there’d been a lot of them. I’d always been careful of who I slept with.
“If you can’t make it, it’s not like we can’t explore each other while you recover and try again.”
Holy shit! She was going to kill me!