Her afternoon dragged on, but twenty minutes before five (when she was considering closing the doors early), Andrea walked in and asked to see the Judge.

"He sometimes leaves at 4:30," Lizabeth warned.

"He's expecting me. Troy has been after me for these." Andrea had papers rolled up into a tube. The Judge said to send her in when Lizabeth inquired. Because the woman had followed right at her heels, she couldn't be brave and ask why the woman was there since Andrea was only a foot behind her.

She wondered if Andrea would stay with Troy Metcalfe past five, and Lizabeth might need to wait to leave. But the Judge had keys as well. So at 4:55, she started to power everything down, and at 5:00 p.m. exactly, Lizabeth locked the recording office front doors.

She changed clothes and threw on her favorite dress, a slinky navy-blue number. Then she attempted make-up while Kitty sat in the bathroom doorway and chatted with her. The orange kitten was talkative as Dr. Robinson had asserted, and frequently scolded her (almost as much as her mother did).

William had said he would call or text when he was close, so she kept her phone near. Lizabeth wasn't finished in the bathroom when a text notification sounded. He said he was in town, and asked where she was.

Home, she responded.

Okay to come by?

Yes, she texted with eager fingers.

Kitty followed her around the house as she finished getting dressed. Lizabeth turned around quickly once and tripped over the cat, which made her change her mind about what shoes to wear (and to shed the high heels).

"Damn you," she scolded. Kitty scolded back as much as she got. When the doorbell rang, her heart leaped, and she ran to answer it. Lizabeth opened it just a crack. "Hi."

"Hi?" William was confused.

"Kitty has been trying to escape ever since I got back from Los Angeles," she explained. Lizabeth turned to see where the cat was. For all that she had been following her for the last half hour, Kitty was nowhere to be seen. She opened the door wider. "Get in!"

"Okay," he chuckled. Lizabeth clicked the door shut. They turned to each other. "Hi," he said again. This time his voice was an octave lower and sounded pleased. His hands reached for her.

"Hi." She felt shy and encouraged at the same time. Their arms slipped around each other, and they kissed.

"Ready to go?" he asked, though he didn't let go of her; he merely pulled back to look down.

"Yes. Did you have a place in mind?"

"Not particularly since I don't live here. Did you fancy something?"

"Chinese," she answered.

"Perfect." He leaned over to kiss her again. She had just brushed her teeth, so she must taste of mint, but William didn't mind. He tasted of coffee; Lizabeth thought he must have had some on the trip up. She grabbed her things, locked the door, and wondered a little about why the cat was hiding.

Lizabeth asked about his drive up. William didn't have much to say. She explained that she had done the property searches, but felt that they weren't as useful as he expected them to be. She also gave directions to her favorite Chinese restaurant, which was located near her favorite shopping center.

"I wanted to look at the Goulding property tomorrow if that's okay," he asked.

"We'll drive right past it if we take the long route," she remarked.

He turned to her, despite driving. "Do you mind stopping?"

"No. It's on the way." She directed him through some residential streets so that they came out facing the property and told William to pull over as parking wasn't allowed on the main road next to the chain-length fence. It also had 'Keep Out' and 'No Trespassing' signs posted along it at regular intervals. But there was a small padlocked gate right across from where they parked.

The cars zipping by on the road were bunched together, preventing them from getting across, but suddenly the street cleared. William grabbed her hand, and they sprinted across to the gate. The chain-link fence wasn't gray, but brown with rust. The shapes were no longer diamonds but pulled and squashed into indistinct forms, especially around the opening. A heavy chain with a padlock clipped the two ends together, but a good-sized hole had been tugged open (or cut) so that a small person might squeeze through. It provided an excellent viewing portal.

The dry, yellow grass inside the property was waist-high in some places, though there were open areas that might have been where the road went through. It was broken gravel now, but it allowed the pair to look at a structure that was still standing. A metal roof covered an area without walls and held an assortment of items underneath that were impossible to identify. Neither could figure out if the walls had caved in, or if the piles were abandoned machinery left behind when Mr. Goulding had shut down development and padlocked the property.

"It's old and ugly," Lizabeth commented. "I wonder how easy it would be to develop?"

"It's in a better location for services—sewer, electrical, and water—than my aunt's property out west. Plus, it was in the process of being developed, even if it was years ago," he said. "I think it has more appeal. It fits neatly, too, into the way the town has historically been developed. I fear my aunt has fierce competition."

They stared at the gray and brown structure that was visible despite the weeds. Lizabeth wondered if kids snuck in and played there.

"Beth!" yelled a voice that echoed around them. She twirled around and saw Edgar. He had pulled his car off of the road on the other side of the street, but quickly turned it around, and pulled to a halt in front of the gate. Ed got out, and a man in the passenger seat got out as well.

"What are you doing hanging out around an abandoned building?" Edgar asked, coming right up to her. His hand reached out as though to grab her, but he stopped himself when his eyes swung over to William. "Who are you?"

"William Darcy." He didn't hold his hand out to shake hands but merely nodded. "You're Ed Stone; Lizabeth's ex."

Edgar bristled. He dropped his arm as he looked William over closely. "Have you muscled in on my territory? She's on the rebound from me, did you know? I'm the best thing that ever happened to her. You will only ever be a paltry second. Let me give you some advice: women on the rebound are never worth it. They turn into sluts."

"I have no desire to engage with you." William's response was crisp.

Ed's friend put a hand on his arm. "Ed! Leave it be. Let's go meet the gang for dinner." He pulled him back towards the car.

"Leave off, Josef!" Edgar shook off his friend's touch and moved towards Lizabeth again. She stood her ground as he closed the gap between them.

"You grasping, unappreciative whore! I devoted myself to you, and for what? You couldn't even return the engagement ring to me in person, or mail it back to me. Do you realize how mortifying it was to my mother, who adored you and welcomed you from the first moment as a daughter, to have to sign for a package containing a returned engagement ring? How could you send it to my parents with the signature required? That was cruel! I think my mother cried for a week!" Ed moved even closer, but Lizabeth put a hand out to his chest to stop him.

"I never knew where you lived." She spoke almost through clenched teeth as she pushed against his chest. "You would never take me home, remember? I now figure it was because you feared I might find evidence that you were bringing other women home the rest of the week. So don't give me any crap about disloyalty or being unloving. There was nothing between us. You didn't treat me like a person, just a bit to add to some collection." Lizabeth stopped, though her breath came a little more forcefully than she would have liked. Edgar Stone wasn't worth being angry about.

"Ready for dinner?" William asked. He moved closer so that their arms were touching.

"Yes," she answered, though she didn't look over. She stared at Ed, worried about walking or turning away until he was gone.

"Has she opened her legs for you? I found her as cold as a corpse," Edgar sneered.

"I think you need to apologize and leave, in that order," said William.

Edgar careened over in William's direction. Lizabeth wondered if he and his friend hadn't been drinking already. "You threatening me?"

"No," Willaim answered. "I am telling you to apologize to Lizabeth. Then I want you to leave." Ed cocked a fist to take a punch, but William kicked a long leg out, hooked it behind Edgar's ankle and yanked. Ed landed on his backside.

"Ready?" William caught Lizabeth's eye.

"Yes," she nodded, glancing at Ed. "I'm hungry. Let's go." She moved to the edge of the road and took in the traffic. William came to stand next to her; she could feel his presence, though he didn't put an arm around her.

"Thank you," she said.

"You're welcome. Go!" His hand clasped her upper arm and pulled. The two of them ran back across the road. Lizabeth glanced over: Edgar was brushing off the dust as both he and Josef opened car doors.

William clicked to unlock his car; then he put a hand on the car's rooftop. "I'm sorry," he said.

"Thank you," she replied. "It isn't your fault. He's my ex."

"Don't even claim that," William asserted.

"No," Lizabeth insisted. "I want to be the type of person who learns from her mistakes. I don't want to erase him from my history or my memory. I want to save it. I can do better; I think I have done better," she said as she gazed at him.

"Thanks," William replied.

There was a brief period of silence as he pulled out onto the main street, but then they began talking as if the incident with Edgar hadn't happened, or rather, they weren't going to let it spoil their evening.


The Chinese place was in a huge shopping center that had a small department store, a multitude of specialty shops, and many restaurants. The restaurant was taking names and indicated it would be a twenty-minute wait. There wasn't a place to wait inside for their table, but it wasn't so cold that they couldn't step outside.

"Shall we walk around?" he asked.

"Might as well," she agreed.

"William! Lizabeth!" They turned to look into the parking lot and saw Ryan Fitzwilliam slamming the door on a van.

"Ryan!" William called and walked over. Lizabeth followed a step behind as he held out his hand to his cousin. "How are you doing?"

"Well." There was a pause then Ryan said. "Well enough. What are you doing in town?"

"A couple of reasons," he replied.

"How are you, Lizabeth?" Ryan asked.

"Just fine," she answered.

"Hanging out with this bum?" He pointed to his cousin.

"Having dinner." There was an awkward pause as William looked between them and as he considered and rejected inviting his cousin to join them for dinner.

"I have plans of my own," Ryan spoke up before William could say anything. "Meeting a couple of buddies from my deployment days. I always show up early to make sure I get parking." The smile on his face was a little forced.

"That's how we met. We were both early at the Metcalfe's party," Lizabeth commented.

"Yes. That was a lovely afternoon," Ryan agreed. He opened his mouth as though he was going to ask another question but then shut it. "Where are you eating?"

"Chinese place," William answered.

"Ah, well. Seafood," Ryan gestured with his head. "I better go make sure that they can accommodate the chair. You staying at Catherine's?"

William nodded. "I already dropped my stuff there. She's fit to be tied about her latest land sale."

"Good luck with advising her. Good to see you, Lizabeth," he nodded.

"Bye." They all said at once and parted.

"What a coincidence to run into your cousin," Lizabeth remarked as they turned to head back to their restaurant.

"I often don't see him when I'm up here. It's usually to deal with my aunt's issues. She and Ryan don't get along." William didn't elaborate, and Lizabeth didn't pursue the topic. They only waited two minutes to be seated once back at the restaurant and playfully argued over the merits of various dishes. Lizabeth asked if he could cook any better than the chefs in the back could.

"Probably," he quipped, looking at her over the top of his menu. His eyes twinkled in merriment, and she laughed.

"Isn't it pleasant to have someone else cook for you sometimes?" she asserted.

"Yes," he conceded. "But sometimes you want something to do at the end of the day to distract you from work."

"I get it. It's why I read at night before I go to bed or snuggle with the cat. Not that my work is so demanding that I have to decompress from a long, hard day like you do," she said.

"In the future, you may have a tougher job and find you need something to distract you from the stresses of work," William asserted.

"Right now, I only have the stresses of my mother!" Lizabeth laughed. He looked as if he wasn't sure to laugh or not.

Their meal was decent, but Lizabeth thought he didn't find it the best Chinese he'd ever eaten. What was better was their conversation. She found herself far more engaged and less in her head. She wasn't thinking about the next activity on their to-do list but was focused on helping William think of plots for a second season for Bella Montaña and, in turn, listening to advice on potential jobs she might consider in future.

"But, I have a library degree!" Lizabeth protested when William suggested she look into the film industry.

"Really! Why are you working in a city office?"

"County, not city. And it's related, libraries are bastions of information, and I work at a record office. I am keeping track of information," she explained. William made a noise that indicated he understood. "Though I have to say, I didn't have a concrete idea of the sort of library I wanted to work in when I went to school. Looking back, I might just have gotten a job at some university library, and continued to hang around college students."

"Never wanting to grow up?" he hinted.

"Maybe." Lizabeth paused. "I never thought about it that way. I think you're right. I haven't been ambitious; things just sort of fell into my lap or happened to me. But now I'm thinking more about my future and where I want to go and what I want to do, now that I'm on my own two feet." She smiled ruefully. "You know the cliché."

William nodded. "I think you'll go far."


Lizabeth felt warm and happy as he drove her home. They made elaborate plans to spend the entire day together, the next day, and William quizzed her about the possibility of picking her up for breakfast. She insisted on her right to sleep in on Saturdays, so they settled on brunch as he pulled into her apartment complex. He parked in a guest spot and got out, saying he would walk her to the door.

William's arm snaked around her waist as they strolled towards her place, and he stopped before they mounted the stairs to kiss her, holding her close as he did. "I'll see you soon."

"Come say hi to Kitty," Lizabeth grinned.

William followed her up the stairs, though he grumbled, "I don't know why I'm doing this. I'm not sure I like your cat."

"But she's so cute!" she insisted as she turned the key in the lock. The door was cracked open briefly, barely enough to let a mouse through, but the cat shot out and ran down the stairs before Lizabeth could grab her or even cry out.

Both of them turned to follow the cat, Lizabeth crying for her to come back. There wasn't really anywhere for Kitty to hide, but she shot off down a walkway and turned a corner to disappear. The cat had run towards the center of the apartment complex with Lizabeth and William in pursuit. As the couple turned the corner, they spied the wild-eyed orange cat out in the open; it was an uninteresting area of lawn. Lizabeth tried to sneak up on her, but Kitty ran off, across the grass to crash into some carefully trimmed bushes nestled up against a building.

"You go on the other side," she pointed. William crept to the end of the landscaping and peered behind them but didn't spy the cat. Lizabeth tried her end with no luck. Kitty suddenly leaped out from the middle and raced back across the lawn.

It was a game of cat and mouse as Kitty played the mouse. She sought refuge underneath bushes (which weren't densely planted, and made Lizabeth thankful that there were few places for her cat to hide). She and William were cats stalking after her, coming close to catching Kitty, but never close enough. Luckily, the cat was scared (or cautious enough) that she didn't venture into the parking lot. Mostly, she raced around the grass.

Twenty minutes later, they were still chasing the cat around, never able to corner her even though she never seemed to tire of the game. William thought that she wasn't a cat so much as part dog. Kitty finally raced around the corner of one building, then a second, and ran back up the stairs to the apartment door. The cat ran inside.

Lizabeth hadn't realized that she had left the door ajar when the cat had escaped. At least she had pulled the keys out of the lock. She and William ran up the stairs and slammed the door behind them, both out of breath. They stared at each other on the safe side of the door.

"Thank you," she said between gasps. "I'm sorry." Her hands were on her hips as she attempted to catch her breath.

William had a hand on his head, but he was also panting after that last sprint. "No problem," he responded.

She was thankful that the cat had chosen to go home. The sun had set, and the fading light had been making Lizabeth more and more panicked. Blood rushed through her veins; her heart was pumping frantically. She looked at William and stepped closer; he put out a hand. He was wearing a suit jacket, and her hands moved inside. Lizabeth ran them around his waist to the back and pulled him towards her. He obliged and took another step closer, leaning over to kiss her.

This wasn't like the farewell kiss at the bottom of the stairs. It was fueled by almost a half-hour of heat from their sprinting around. That heat was now directed between them and she clung to him, kissing him back with an equal ardor as their tongues tasted each other. Her hands ran all over him, attempting to imprint as much of him as she could. His hands were equally as busy and moved down the length of her back to her bottom, pressing her up against his body. She worked her fingers over his shoulders and pushed his jacket off, and then stepped back to shrug out of her coat. Both items landed on the couch.

"I want you to stay," Lizabeth said, clasping him around his neck and pulling him down for another kiss that didn't allow him for an answer.

When they broke off, his hands came up to stroke her hair, and then tugged at the clip she had used to keep it out of her face. One hand gathered up a handful, then doubled it over in his hand; the other traced a finger down her nose and the line of her cheekbone. "You are so beautiful," he whispered before leaning in to kiss her. His lips sucked and nipped at hers before moving to her neck.

"William," Lizabeth gasped as she clung on, urgent in her desire. She needed to see him, and her grip loosened as her eyes sought his. Shyness nudged forward, but she didn't give it too much headway. Lizabeth took a step backward and tugged, keeping her arm tightly wound around him as she pulled him down the hallway. She didn't know where the cat was and hoped that Kitty wasn't in her room as she shut the door.

Her hand paused on the knob, then she dared to run it under his shirt, which lay open at the throat. Beyond seeking the touch of his skin, she didn't know how to move forward and hoped he would take the lead. William grabbed her around the waist and maneuvered her closer to the bed. One hand moved down her thigh to the hem of her skirt and touched her skin. She gasped at the feel of his warm, broad hands there. His other hand moved to her bottom and pressed her against him. He shivered. Lizabeth was overwhelmed with the heat that emanated off him and by the pleasure of his touch.

"This is the first time I've done this." She leaned back, braving eye contact. His hands loosened their rock-hard grip as he considered her confession.

"Do you want to stop, or just, cuddle?" he asked. His voice was so deep that she almost couldn't hear him.

"No." Her head shake was minute. "I wanted you to know."

"Thank you." He sounded gruff. His hands came up to frame her cheeks as his lips closed over hers, his tongue was delicate as it swirled and danced, and as thumbs stroked her cheekbones. Suddenly William pulled back and threw his hands around Lizabeth to crush her to his chest for a hug. The heat wafting from him was intense, and the rhythm of his heartbeat against her cheek was mesmerizing, both soothing and exhilarating.

His arms fell away, but William took her hand and pulled her closer to the side of the bed where he pulled back the covers to expose the sheets. Then his hands were on her again as he worked to pull her dress zipper down. Then he turned away a little and feigned interest in his shirt cuffs and undid buttons, untucking his shirt. Lizabeth kicked off her shoes and let the dress slide down her body. While William was peeling off his shirt, she jumped into bed and pulled the sheet over her half-naked form. It allowed her to admire him wearing just his trousers.

"Light?" He pointed to the overhead light glaring down at them. Her eyes widened, and she shook her head. He walked to the wall switch and turned it off. Sheer curtains on the single window covered vertical blinds, but it provided ambient light. Her eyes were still adjusting to the change as he shed the rest of his clothing, letting it puddle on the floor before he slipped into bed.

She could feel his warmth as he slid near. One arm reached out to cradle her neck, the other pulled her close and held her without seeking her curves or attempting to divest Lizabeth of her remaining clothing. It allowed her to relax in his arms, and she braved placing a hand on his chest. He groaned. His free hand traced a path down her arm to her chest and cupped a breast. William's fingers wormed beneath the tight edge of her bra, stretching its line and rubbed against a nipple. She gasped.

He leaned towards her; his fingers circled her nipple. The tightness of her bra pressed his hand against her breast and her eyes closed as pleasure swam through her body. She could feel his sex hard and insistent against her thigh. A hand slid the bra strap off of her shoulder and freed her breast from its restraint, then he moved his head and took a nipple in his mouth. Lizabeth arched her back and moaned. Her hand came up to his head; she wasn't sure if she wanted to hold him there or push him away. When he pulled back, she was surprised how unevenly she was breathing. William pulled down the second bra strap and attacked her other breast with even more vigor, and she cried even louder.

His hands snaked down her stomach, and sent vibrations of desire all around her body before they centered in on her sex with its lacy covering, rubbing gently as she squirmed. Lizabeth was sure her cheeks were flushed with both embarrassment and pleasure. His hand then moved underneath to touch her directly, and she gave voice to feelings that were almost unbearable—but also new and surprising and extremely pleasurable.

William shifted his position and tugged her panties off. He was between her legs and ran his hands up them, sending ripples of desire across her skin as he loomed over and his hands snaked behind her to unhook her bra. He drew it away before pressing himself against her, their bare chests meeting. The sensation of his weight made her heady, almost as if she was drunk, as she ran hands over his muscular arms.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

"Yes," she whispered. He leaned out of bed and hunted through his clothes to pull a small package out of his wallet before throwing it back down on the ground. Lizabeth thought embarrassment was her overriding emotion just then as she listened to the crinkle of the package. It was too dark to see his movements as he rolled the condom on. Then he snuggled back down against her; his presence a comfort before his hands moved beneath her to tilt up her hips and spread her legs.

She had her hands on his arms; William's face was indistinct in the darkness. One of his hands let go of her hips and came up to touch her, and Lizabeth called out as his fingers stroked her sex. She could feel his fingers stroking through the wetness. Her sex was so sensitive that she squirmed and moaned at his touch, then jumped when she felt a finger slide inside her. But she was not so overpowered by the sensations in her body to not notice his own intense breathing.

His hands stopped, and then she felt his sex pressing against her, continuous and slow. Lizabeth's eyes were open and stared up at him, but his were closed. Her ears heard how ragged his breathing came. The sensations of their joining were overriding and chased everything away. She felt him inch inside of her, stretching her as he went. It was uncomfortable and she held her breath as he pushed forward until his hips were seated against hers. She was aware of parts of him: his hips and thighs and legs all pressed against each of her parts. Her hips strained as her legs were forced wider. She could tell he had one arm braced up near her shoulder; his other was tucked next to her waist, both arms holding him up off of her.

Lizabeth curved her pelvis up in response to him being inside her, and William let out a guttural cry, calling out her name. He pulled out and pushed back in. She breathed out and thought of finely tuned machinery. The feeling of him inside was still uncomfortable; she felt stretched, almost overextended as though bursting. But the more he moved, the more pleasure built inside. It swirled through her torso and limbs, and she wondered how she could bear such elation.

In and out he moved, but increasingly more swiftly with each thrust. Her hands let go of his arms and moved up to twine around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. Their chests pressed together though it was almost too hot to be that close. He moaned as their lips touched, his stride off, but she pulled even harder at him. There was something fulfilling about his weight against her body and breasts.

William's hands moved under her, half embrace, half supporting him as his thrusts became frenetic. Lizabeth felt happy and content and thrilled as the heat of his body stoked the furnace inside. His lips pulled back from hers as his hands tightened around her waist before she heard him groan loud and long and his movements stilled.

He moaned as one hand moved up her back to her neck to cradle it in his hand. She could feel his heart beating against her chest as they lay together, hot and heavy. Lizabeth could hear his breathing in her ear. She felt deliriously high and dizzy like she had ridden a roller coaster and tightened her grip around his neck. He placed a kiss underneath her ear, but then pushed himself up to disentangle their bodies before curling on his side and pulling her against him.

"Oh, Lizabeth," he said. His voice was so deep that it rumbled deep within his chest. He tightened his grip. "Lizabeth," he said again though nothing else followed as his breathing evened out and he fell asleep.

She remained awake while the passions inside of her cooled, and she listened to his breathing. Lizabeth thought she had never been happier. When William got up to use the bathroom, it woke her up, and she waited for him to return. He carefully slid back underneath the sheets, mindful of not waking her, remaining an inch or so away, but she slid over so that their bodies touched. He reached for her then, putting an arm under her neck and tilting his body to snuggle against her.


A/N: got this out later than planned, but had to go out hunting & gathering (grocery store) as we were out of almost everything with the college students home. Then I watched Cuomo's presser for some odd reason, go figure.

Stay well everyone. It feels like dark times in some ways, and I am keeping my head by focusing only on the day.

I have finally started writing, so that WWII spy thriller has been coming along, but only 500-1000 pages a day. I don't know when I will finish, so I don't know when I will post. But LOTS of twists on the P&P story. The Elizabeth here is all book, works in a government office, opinionated, efficient & clashes with Darcy who's a bit of a mystery. Bingley is an RAF pilot. Jane is a secretary and the Bennet family lives in London, not Herfordshire. I've written chapters 1 & 2 and am working on the final one, then will fill in the gaps.

Also, my beta did extraordinary things and read the entire story yesterday. So I should be able to keep posting ever 2nd day or so.