Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears. “I guess my self-confidence has taken a beating.”
Darcy didn’t want her to move to the East Coast, not when they’d finally found their way to each other. But it would be crazy to object. I can’t ask her to stay here for the sake of a relationship so new that it’s not really a relationship. “You should go.”
“It would mean that this year wouldn’t be wasted. I’d be doing research and preparation. It would probably help me get into even better medical schools.”
“That would be great.” Darcy put as much enthusiasm into his voice as he could summon. He didn’t want her to change her life for him; he wasn’t planning to change his life for her sake—not when everything was so new. “You’re going to be a kickass doctor.”
“Okay, I’ll get a ticket for tomorrow. The sooner I visit the school, the sooner I can make plans.” She rested her head against his chest. “It does mean I won’t see you for two days…”
He leaned over to kiss her. “Then I’d better make tonight particularly memorable.”
***
The next morning, Will took Elizabeth to the airport in his chauffeured limousine. They had stopped by her apartment the night before so she could pack some clothes. She had been just as happy that Jane wasn’t home and simply sent her sister a text about her plans.
Elizabeth had never experienced such a pleasant and stress-free trip to the airport. Raoul drove while Elizabeth and Will sat side by side in the back, their hands intertwined and resting on Darcy’s knee. It was stupid, but after spending the weekend joined at the hip, the prospect of being without Will for two days left her with a hollow ache in her chest.
When she recalled her initial reaction to Will and his arrogance, the irony was glaring. The arrogance hadn’t disappeared completely, but he had far more depth than she’d first realized and was capable of far more compassion.
“I have to say that I would never have seen this coming the first time I met you,” she said.
Will laughed. “Me either, although I found you very attractive. Opinionated, but attractive.”
They were silent for a minute, snuggled against each other. Then Elizabeth spoke again, using a fond tone of voice. “You know, you pretend to be this jaded Hollywood actor, but you’re an old softy underneath.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Just look at what you did for Garrett.”
“He was a good worker.”
“And your sister.”
“I had to; she’s my sister!”
“And you took good care of me this weekend when I was falling apart. Or are you going to say it’s so you could get laid? Because I don’t think William Darcy needs to go to such trouble for some booty.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “Helping out a couple of people close to me doesn’t mean that I’m ready to foster some kids or go save the rainforest.”
“Aren’t you the one with the idea to keep the mentoring program going?”
“That’s true, but don’t idealize me. I drink. I’ve had one-night stands. I’m the one who was arrested for drug possession. I can be arrogant and unforgiving.”
She regarded him with a twinkle in her eye. “Are you trying to talk me out of dating you?”
“Ha. No.”
“I don’t understand why you hide the best of yourself from the rest of the world.”
He shifted uncomfortably. “I don’t want you to expect too much from me. I’m trying to be a better person, but I don’t know if I can.”
A shiver went down her spine. She had managed to shove the doubts about his character out of her mind, and now he was deliberately raising them again. “So is this some subtle way of saying you’re planning to run wild while I’m gone?”
“No.” He chuckled. “Just the opposite. This is my way of telling you that I haven’t done this before because I haven’t felt this way about any other woman. I want, rather desperately, to date you and to see how far this can go.”
The limo was on the ramp to the airport; they were running out of time. She leaned in for a kiss. It was small at first, a mere brushing of the lips. But that wasn’t enough for Elizabeth. She pulled him into her arms, thrust a hand into his hair, and swept into his mouth with her tongue. God, the man knew how to kiss!
When they had disentangled themselves, he rested his forehead against hers. “I don’t want to let you go. You make me want to be a better person.”