Mr. Darcy's Kiss

“You see the good in people,” he replied. “I don’t. For me, everyone wants something.”

“Everyone wants to matter,” I said. “For some, that means money, but for most people, it means they want a connection. To feel special. If you don’t give people a chance, they can’t surprise you with how good they can be.”

He finished his glass of champagne, and I wasn’t sure if he was ignoring my words or considering them. Given it was Mr. Darcy, my bet was on ignoring them. He’d already made it clear I was beneath him.

He reached for his phone and checked the screen.

“Excuse me,” he said, rising from his seat. “Business calls.”

He took his phone out and answered it, moving away from the music and toward a more quiet area of the club to talk. Given that he was friends with Charles, he was probably headed to the club’s office. It seemed silly to come to a club at all if that was what he was going to do.

“Where’s he off to?” Lydia asked, pouring herself a second glass of champagne.

“Business,” I replied. “I admit, I work a lot, but that just seems excessive.”

“I’m actually surprised he came tonight,” Charles replied. “He has a big meeting tomorrow morning. His company is merging with another. It’s rather touch-and-go at the moment.”

“He came because he wanted to help you,” Jane said. “He’s a good friend.”

“That he is,” Charles agreed, patting her arm. “Would you like to dance?”

“No!” Jane blushed. “I mean, no thank you. Can we just stay up here?”

Charles looked down at the dancers below us and back to Jane. “Of course. How about another toast, then?”

The four of us clinked our glasses together again. “To a good time,” we chorused.

“I want to dance,” Lydia announced. She grabbed my hand, knowing that Jane hated crowds.

“Have another drink,” I whispered to Jane as I stood up. “You’re doing great.”

Jane smiled meekly and gulped at her champagne. I was going to have to tell Charles not to take her to crowded places like this. It wasn’t J

ane’s style, but I knew she would say yes to anything he offered. She wanted to be with him.

Lydia and I walked down the stairs and onto the crowded dance floor. Halfway down, I looked back up at the table to see Mr. Darcy watching me.

I shrugged. He didn’t want to dance anyway. He could just stay up there and do business. I was going to have some fun.

Chapter 7

The crowd absorbed me, and the music became my world. Lydia was dancing with someone within seconds of hitting the dance floor. Knowing her, she'd either have the whole club dancing with her by the end of the night or have the entire security team throwing her out. I hoped it was the first. I could see enough bouncers that I wasn't worried about her safety. She was safe here in Charles Bingley's club.

I started dancing, letting the champagne and music loosen my hips. I wasn't anywhere near drunk, just tipsy and loose. I felt good, and I knew that in this dress, I looked good too. I was going to enjoy myself. It wasn't often that I got to dance.

Someone tapped my shoulder. Thinking I was in the way of a person trying to get by, I turned and prepared to move to the side. A short man in khakis and a polo shirt with a work logo stood unmoving in front of me.

“Can I help you?” I asked over the music when he didn't try to get past me.

“Do you want to...” The music drowned out his voice.

“I can't hear you,” I told him, shaking my head and pointing to my ears.

“DO YOU WANT TO DANCE?” He yelled, enunciating every word.

“Um, sure,” I told him, not wanting to be rude. It wasn't like I was dancing with anyone else.

He put his hands on my hips and stood at arm's length away. I didn't know what else to do with my hands except put them on his shoulders. It felt like an awkward middle school dance all over again.