Chapter 6: PNC

Elizabeth could feel the tips of her ears burning, and slowed her stride in order to get her racing heart, fisted hands and rapid breathing in check. Indignation clawed at her mind as she regretted the lustful feelings he had ignited right before he opened his mouth. "Just another suit," she muttered to herself, as a fleeting thought of the movie You've Got Mail crossed her mind before she reached her sister at the buffet.

"Lizzy, what happened?" Jane exclaimed. "Your eyes are shooting looks that could kill."

Lizzy shook her head and rubbed a finger along her eyebrow, almost in an effort to physically smooth away her anger. "Jane, if I could only convince you how many people there are in this world who do not deserve to be considered fellow human beings."

Jane looked concernedly at her sister before being distracted by a sight over Lizzy's right shoulder. She jumped, and quickly started to ask if she had any food caught in her teeth. Lizzy looked back to find Charlie approaching their tête-à-tête.

"Jane," he grasped her hand lightly, directing her attention fully towards him. "I have it on good information that the DJ is about to get a party going in here that could rival any celebrity event. I was wondering if you would be willing to join me for the first dance."

"Of course," she smiled as warmly as possible without opening her mouth, making sure not to show her teeth since her sister had been unable to complete the requested check.

"Great." He passed his fingers through his hair again but managed a relaxed smile. "I'll be back in a few. Good to see you again Elizabeth."

"At least he seems nice," Lizzy muttered as he walked away.

"You really have to tell me what happened," Jane countered.

Before she could reply, Mr. Lucas drew up Elizabeth's arm in a grand sweeping gesture. "My darling Elizabeth. I must introduce you to Mr. Darcy before too much more time passes. I have it straight from his own lips that he is incredibly impatient to meet you."

Elizabeth sighed, but knew that this introduction would perhaps be a good distraction for the time being. "I'll tell you about it when we get home, Jane. That's probably a better place for the story anyway."

Jane nodded and gently pinched her arm. "Good Luck, Liz Biz," she said, referencing a childhood nickname that had long gone unused.

Lizzy perked her face and raised her eyebrows, allowing Mr. Lucas to guide her out of the penthouse and onto the balcony. The rush of fresh air allowed her to take a deep, cleansing breath. She hadn't realized how hot and stuffy it had felt in the main area. Maybe after her dance with Charlie I'll bring Jane out here for a while, she reflected.

Mr. Lucas turned their bodies to walk the length of the balcony. A look of horror briefly swept across her face as she realized that, looking out at the night sky and completely disengaged from all around him, was Prince not at all Charming. A tiny thought introduced itself that he might be the elusive Mr. Darcy. There is no way that fate would be that cruel, she mused.

As they drew nearer, suit boy turned, and his eyes acknowledged Mr. Lucas. Oh good lord, he IS Mr. Darcy! Panic-induced heartbeat skip number three ensued, and Elizabeth briefly wondered if maybe she should have that looked into. Elizabeth wanted to sink into the floor, duck under a coffee table, vanish into thin air: anything except actually have to meet him. Her eyes lowered to the side to determine if any of the aforementioned options were even possible. Exasperatedly deciding that they weren't, Elizabeth's willful resolve took over. Composing her features, Elizabeth's courage rose under the face of the potential intimidation. What do you have to be afraid of? Simply by existing you have proven yourself to be a better person than he is. Besides, he selected your submission – appreciate having the upper hand and make this go as quickly as possible.

Once the introduction had been made, Elizabeth lost no time in noticing the grimace that briefly passed over his face before reverting to a stony and professional visage. He must have just realized that the 'ugly stepsister' is his new work buddy, she laughed inwardly. What mortified her, however, was what immediately came after - Mr. Darcy quickly went about complimenting her! First I am an ugly stepsister and then, sloppy seconds. Now that he is forced into an acquaintance with me, he feels the need to give me grandiose praise first thing? What an insincere and manipulative…ugh! I wonder what else he over-compensates for? If my boss weren't standing right there…

Having no other option, Lizzy did what she could do best: deflect. His opening line only further demonstrated how inconsiderate and 'above the little guy' he perceived himself to be when he felt no need to give her team their due credit. After correcting his misapprehension, she quickly took her leave of the conversation. Making eye contact with him had become unbearable; the tension in her petite frame rising with every word spoken by him. Maybe this is what her mother meant about her nerves always being in a flutter. Her minds' eye could still trace the strong jaw line that seemed set in indifference, and his ice grey eyes - seriously, who has grey eyes? - had burned into her memory when they wouldn't release her own.

She laughed at the irony; here was a man who in any other circumstance she would have been begging fate to simply glance her way, but instead, she was completely miserable at the prospect of a further acquaintance. Hopefully, he let his subordinates handle the important work and their paths wouldn't cross too often in the future; she certainly couldn't take much more of Mr. Darcy.

Re-entering the penthouse, Elizabeth caught Charlie and Jane in an unrelenting staring contest, her arms draped loosely on his neck, his hands lightly gripping her waist. Swaying to a song that would normally require a slightly faster style of dancing, they distinctly looked caught between the knowledge that they had a very new acquaintance and the desire for it to already be much more than that. This conflict had manifested itself through caution; both seemed scared to rush things along for fear of frightening the other person away, although it was obvious to a third party like Lizzy that both would welcome an even greater level of flirtation.

Thankfully for Lizzy, Jane noticed her entrance out of the corner of her eye and beckoned her over to join her and Alex; …it's Charlie, Lizzy, she corrected herself.

"How did it go?" Jane asked.

"It went," Lizzy replied, cautious not to give Charles a clue regarding the details of her evening. "I think I'm ready to head home, I'm afraid to admit."

Elizabeth would have found the looks on Jane and Charlie's faces hilarious had she been in a better humor: both looked like they had been told their favorite television show had been cancelled directly following a cliffhanger episode.

Charlie recovered first. "Well, that's OK. Listen, I go to a happy hour at Ella Lounge in the East Village on most Fridays. Would you both like to meet me there after work one week?"

Lizzy directed her attention to Jane, knowing that the invite was much more for her sister than for herself.

Jane glanced back at Lizzy with a smile in her eyes. "Of course, we would like that a lot."

Charlie's relieved smiles were quickly becoming Lizzy's only positive part of the evening. "Great," he replied. "Let me get your number so we can coordinate meeting."

Once the numbers were happily exchanged, in addition to a few furtive parting glances, Lizzy and her sister were finally on the street with hands raised to hail a cab.