Fear of Falling: A Steamy Modern Pride and Prejudice Variation by Aleda Zane

Author:Aleda Zane [Zane, Aleda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-11-28T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Lizzy was wearing a goofy grin again. She could feel it. A suspicious, I’ve-got-a-secret sort of goofy grin that she couldn’t wipe off her face no matter how hard she tried. It kept reappearing like she’d overdone it on Botox.

Any moment now her father was going to mention it. He was seated next to her as he always was at Jane’s dinners and every few seconds he would glance her way with a grin of his own. His was sly—amused.

She was being unusually quiet. Jane had already brought that up. Her sister was continually glancing at her as well. She wore a look of concern.

Mrs. Bennet was yammering on about . . . well, Lizzy had no idea, but her droning monologue provided Lizzy the perfect opportunity to think about Darcy.

She had left his place only a few hours ago. The scent of him was still on her skin and it was driving her to distraction.

She should have gone home last night and thought it through. But she had kissed him and that had led where it always did. And now she was scared and elated and bewildered and she just couldn’t stop grinning. It was an emotional roller coaster. Usually, she hated roller coasters, but she kept getting back in line for this one.

Nothing had changed, he had promised. They just had a better understanding of each other’s feelings. The premise of their relationship would stay the same. No rules. No expectations. No way in hell she was getting out of this with her heart.

“Where’s Darcy?” Mr. Bennet asked, intruding upon her musings.

Her mother had finally stopped talking or perhaps her father had simply interrupted. He was staring at Lizzy pointedly, smirking like a Cheshire cat, clearly proud of his cleverness.

Bingley opened his mouth to answer then quickly closed it, confused by Mr. Bennet’s focus on Lizzy.

Much to her father’s disappointment, she remained unfazed and turned an expectant look upon Bingley.

“He’s flying out on business today. Japan— I think,” Bingley answered. His eyes darted between the father and daughter wary of a trick.

“Too bad. I believe he is missed,” Mr. Bennet said. He had not stopped looking at her throughout the entire exchange.

Spell it out any clearer and Mom will catch your drift.

Lizzy made a mental note to seek revenge on her father when her mental faculties were not already deeply engaged.

Right now she needed to solve the problem that was Will Darcy.

That man was her kryptonite.

If one thing could be said for growing up with a critical mother, it was that you learned how to let insults roll off your back. Lizzy had learned to let it roll from the nation’s foremost authority on filial disparagement.

People could infuriate her. Caroline Bingley, for instance, she found rather rage inducing. But hardly anyone could hurt her. Her mother still managed it every once in a while. An insult from a stranger? That wouldn’t even twinge. Except when it had come from him.

During the brief time between when she had

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