assist her in regaining her balance , pulling her toward him .
Elizabeth’s hands naturally moved to his chest to steady her self , her right han d rest ing above his racing heart — and their eyes met again. They stood in this position for some time, their breath lessness continuing on too long for it to be a result only of their physical exertions, each completely captivated by the feel of the other pressed against them . William’s eyes moved briefly to her lips as h is tongue moistened his own , breaking the spell that had been cast upon her.
“ I should not have... ” she whispered .
A t the same moment , he huskily declared , “ I apologize . ”
Elizabeth slid her hands down his chest as she stepped away from him, leaving him aching for her touch .
A s he released her shoulders — the last point of contact between them —she gasped and shivered. N ever having felt a s hollow as she did at that moment , she wrapped her arms around herself .
“ Elizabeth ! Are you injured? ”
She shivered again at the way his voice caressed her name. The tenderness and concern in his look was so intense that she had to tear her eyes away in order to speak. “ I am well. ”
“ Then I am relieved. If you had been harmed because of my inability , I never would have forgiven myself . ”
Hearing the pain in his voice, Elizabeth furrowed her brow and reached out to lay her hand upon his arm. “ It was my error, Mr. Darcy. I – I should not have increased the speed of the task so soon. ”
He took her hand from his arm and held it between both of his. “ Please , call me William? ”
T he emotions expressed in his eyes produced a pleasant ache within her; she could not prevent herself from step ping closer .
William took a chance; his hand guided hers to the place it had been before , and he pressed it against his heart .
Elizabeth could feel his heart beat ing frantically against her palm , a s his chest r ose and f e ll even more rapidly now than it had during their activity — matching her own. His warm, spicy scent beckoned her closer , and she took another step toward him. Without thought, her left hand joined the other , lightly tracing the firm muscles beneath the thin cloth .
He made a sound, half-way between a moan and a gasp, sending a thrill through her entire body, causin g the ache to deepen within her. S he leaned into him, her eyes drawn to his lips as they whispered her name .
William leaned toward her, so close that she could feel his breath upon her face . Realizing what he was about, he caught himself and was about to move away, but then Elizabeth lifted her chin and closed her eyes in anticipation of what she was sure to come .
H e could not resist her invitation .
His lips gently brushed against hers — again and again . William pulled back slightly to gauge her reaction , and she watched a s an expression of joy slowly spread across his face at what he saw in her eyes . Elizabeth could not help but return it . Her left hand seemed to move of its own accord to the back of his neck, fingers lac ing through his hair, and she leaned more firmly against him, bringing her lips to his .
Encouraged, his free hand made its way to her waist, then slowly moved to caress her back. It took a great deal of effort to stop himself from deepening th e kiss that she had initiated or from pulling her closer against him , but something within told him that he would frighten her if he gave in to these almost overwhelming desires .
Elizabeth barely breathed his name for the first time , and his heart soared . H e could not stop himself from smiling against her lips.
As s he pressed her lips against his once again , t he Bennet family’s imminent arrival was announced by the sound of Lydia and Kitty ’s distant laughter echoing through the trees , returning the couple to reality .
Suddenly, Elizabeth ’s eyes flew open wide , and she pu lled completely away from him quickly , a deep blush spreading
Elizabeth’s hands naturally moved to his chest to steady her self , her right han d rest ing above his racing heart — and their eyes met again. They stood in this position for some time, their breath lessness continuing on too long for it to be a result only of their physical exertions, each completely captivated by the feel of the other pressed against them . William’s eyes moved briefly to her lips as h is tongue moistened his own , breaking the spell that had been cast upon her.
“ I should not have... ” she whispered .
A t the same moment , he huskily declared , “ I apologize . ”
Elizabeth slid her hands down his chest as she stepped away from him, leaving him aching for her touch .
A s he released her shoulders — the last point of contact between them —she gasped and shivered. N ever having felt a s hollow as she did at that moment , she wrapped her arms around herself .
“ Elizabeth ! Are you injured? ”
She shivered again at the way his voice caressed her name. The tenderness and concern in his look was so intense that she had to tear her eyes away in order to speak. “ I am well. ”
“ Then I am relieved. If you had been harmed because of my inability , I never would have forgiven myself . ”
Hearing the pain in his voice, Elizabeth furrowed her brow and reached out to lay her hand upon his arm. “ It was my error, Mr. Darcy. I – I should not have increased the speed of the task so soon. ”
He took her hand from his arm and held it between both of his. “ Please , call me William? ”
T he emotions expressed in his eyes produced a pleasant ache within her; she could not prevent herself from step ping closer .
William took a chance; his hand guided hers to the place it had been before , and he pressed it against his heart .
Elizabeth could feel his heart beat ing frantically against her palm , a s his chest r ose and f e ll even more rapidly now than it had during their activity — matching her own. His warm, spicy scent beckoned her closer , and she took another step toward him. Without thought, her left hand joined the other , lightly tracing the firm muscles beneath the thin cloth .
He made a sound, half-way between a moan and a gasp, sending a thrill through her entire body, causin g the ache to deepen within her. S he leaned into him, her eyes drawn to his lips as they whispered her name .
William leaned toward her, so close that she could feel his breath upon her face . Realizing what he was about, he caught himself and was about to move away, but then Elizabeth lifted her chin and closed her eyes in anticipation of what she was sure to come .
H e could not resist her invitation .
His lips gently brushed against hers — again and again . William pulled back slightly to gauge her reaction , and she watched a s an expression of joy slowly spread across his face at what he saw in her eyes . Elizabeth could not help but return it . Her left hand seemed to move of its own accord to the back of his neck, fingers lac ing through his hair, and she leaned more firmly against him, bringing her lips to his .
Encouraged, his free hand made its way to her waist, then slowly moved to caress her back. It took a great deal of effort to stop himself from deepening th e kiss that she had initiated or from pulling her closer against him , but something within told him that he would frighten her if he gave in to these almost overwhelming desires .
Elizabeth barely breathed his name for the first time , and his heart soared . H e could not stop himself from smiling against her lips.
As s he pressed her lips against his once again , t he Bennet family’s imminent arrival was announced by the sound of Lydia and Kitty ’s distant laughter echoing through the trees , returning the couple to reality .
Suddenly, Elizabeth ’s eyes flew open wide , and she pu lled completely away from him quickly , a deep blush spreading
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