Page 96 of A Certain Appeal
I purse my lips. “What about Pemberley’s current bookings?”
He tucks his chin, considering. “We have a smattering the next few months. The majority are far enough out that their relocating shouldn’t be an issue.”
He’sreallythought about this. “We’re going to have to look at that before we go any farther.”
His hands scoot to just above my rear. “I have everything in my office.”
But he doesn’t move. I don’t either. A smile makes its way across his face.
“What?” I ask.
“You saidwe.”
“If we’re doing this, thenweare doing this,” I say. His smile widens and I press a finger to the tip of his nose. “I saidif. I want everything in writing.”
“As aman of business, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
I bite my lower lip. He didn’t even balk at the suggestion. He’s committed.
My brain reels. What else should I be asking right now? I only sat in on a few negotiations at my internship; even then, most of the financial details had already been finalized by the time we got to the table. I screw my face up in thought, but I can’t hold back my grin any longer. “You want us here.”
“I do.”
“You want to use my design.”
“And I want to pay you for your work. I’ve seen quotes from several firms. I can guarantee a competitive rate.”
I press my fingertips to his lips to shush him. “One step at a time.” Having my design realized at Pemberley is already a dream coming true, and the chance to share this with my nearest and dearest has me light-headed. Talking about money would probably make me pass out.
“It was your work, Bennet.” He hooks his fingers into the front of my dress, right where, if I were wearing one, the straps of a bra would connect to cups. He uses the hold to pull me close and kisses my neck, letting his lips linger. “Youinspiredme.”
My breath shudders as his tongue flits against my jawline. “I have to run it by everyone. Package deal.” I’m rambling, trying to get out the last of my transactional concerns before I’m completely swept away by the giddiness tugging at me and the very real inclination to explore the weight-bearing properties of the table behind me.
“Funny you should mention that,” he says into the skin below my ear. “Because I suspect we’re about to be interrupted.”
As if on cue, Darcy’s phone vibrates on the bench seat. I glare down at it—
CB:Please don’t forget that we’re up here and can see everything u2r doing.
“What?” I look up, scanning the floor above. My attention settles on movement in the darkened window of Darcy’s office. A light turns on—
I gasp. Andrea, Tonic, Ming, Esteban, and Michael. Even Chloe and Gales—how did they beat us here? Everyone is up there, faces and hands pressed to the glass like they’re scouring a zoo exhibit for an evasive resident.
And there’s Jane, alternately looking between me and his phone, and Charles, who waves both arms. Is he—I squint—holding bottles of champagne?
My watch buzzes with a text. I read it aloud for Darcy, though it’s hard to make out the letters through my sudden tears. “Can we please come down? Charles is fit to burst and we’re all dying. Why were we asked to bring bubbles?Yes!” I half-blurt, half-sob. I wave with both hands, beckoning them to the ground floor. A second later, everyone’s vanished from the window, leaving handprints and lipstick smudges on the glass, then they’re crowding the railing to the right of the office.
“Lizard,” hollers Chloe. “Why are we here?”
Darcy looks at me. He cups the sides of my face, thumbing away my tears. “It’s your call.”
“I’m in,” I pronounce, and kiss him, heedless of our audience. Hisarms wrap around me, his fingers twining in my hair as his tongue dances across my upper lip. My heart feels like it’s going to explode.
“Kitten!” Ming shouts. “We popping corks or do we have to wait for Darcy to pop his?”
I break the kiss and sit up, wiping away the now-flowing tears. “Get down here!” I wrap my arms around Darcy’s neck and press my forehead to his. “We’re home.”
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