Chapter 1 - Prologue

Elizabeth has an MA in literature from NYU and works at the Harper publishing company in NYC as Assistant Editor. Darcy is an investment banker and runs his family's investment firm. Elizabeth and Darcy meet during Jane and Bingley's courtship. His pride and her prejudice clash as expected and they have maddening arguments every time they are thrown together at family events. They think they dislike each other but cannot suppress the sparks that seem to fly when they are around each other. She thinks he is a rich, snob but with a gorgeously dimpled smile that he rarely flashes. He thinks she is an impractical idealist but with beautiful eyes that he dreams about all the time. Once in a semi-inebriated state Darcy euphemistically suggests they go get a room so they can quell what he thinks is their unfathomable lust for one another. He is attracted to her wildly and thinks some mindless sex should satisfy him and get her out of his system. She slaps him for his miscalculated suggestion and boots him out. Months go by. Jane and Bingley are happily married and Elizabeth and Darcy cannot avoid being thrown together every now and then. Georgie also gets to meet Elizabeth and they become great friends. Georgie goes off to study in Europe but she still keeps in touch with Elizabeth over the internet and in person whenever she visits New York. That is another reason why Elizabeth and Darcy learn to tolerate each other to the best extent possible in social situations. They are still attracted to each other but do not want to admit it to themselves or each other.

One night Elizabeth unavoidably meets Darcy at his penthouse to drop off Georgie's books that she had borrowed. Lizzy is standing awkwardly in his living room in her well-fitting pair of skinny jeans and dark green t-shirt that says "money - diamonds - chocolate" with money and diamonds struck out and a check next to chocolate. Darcy thinks she looks adorable. He goes out on a limb and asks if she wants to stay for dinner.

"No thanks, I need to get back," Lizzy replies

"To what? I thought you just dumped your boyfriend," he says

"So I dumped that cheating asshole. Doesn't mean I don't have a life," she replies angrily.

He teases her about her constantly changing boy friends.

She retaliates accusing him of having a kinky sex life with none other than Caroline Bingley. He ignores her incorrect assumptions about Caroline and him. He wouldn't touch Caroline with a barge pole but he cannot resist teasing and riling Lizzy up.

"Are you envious of turning me down once, Lizzy?" He teases cockily, openly referring to the time he had suggested they go get a room.

"Why should I be envious? I can have you anytime I want," she challenges.

"You think so?" He asks with one raised eyebrow and a grin on his face.

Not that grin she thinks. It does things to her like giving her goosebumps all over. She is mad that he can so easily get a reaction out of her and wants to make him pay. Without thinking she walks up to him and jabs a finger to his chest.

"Yes, I think so," she breathes and without missing a beat pulls her shirt over her head in a flash. She really is bent on messing with his head today.

William is shocked to say the least. He is doing his best to not look at her breasts, her glorious breasts, the very same things he has fantasized about endlessly. He knows he should resist but she is right there kissing him with her hands in his hair. She is wearing a dark green lacy bra and he really wants to know if she is wearing matching panties too. His hands grab her butt as she wraps her legs around his waist. They kiss wildly as he walks them backwards into his bedroom. And even before they know what they are doing they are tumbling on to his bed, peeling off their clothes in a mad rush to an end that would have been unthinkable to either of them even a half hour before.