5.

Despite the steep incline, I ran up the path as fast as I could, unable to wait a moment longer. Only when I reached the crest of the hill did I slow down as a horrible thought occurred to me. What if she wasn’t alone? Unzipping my jacket, I stood silently listening for voices, but heard nothing. Remembering Jane’s comment about Elizabeth’s favourite spot, I walked around the bushes and trees that crowned the top of the mount.

For a moment I looked out across the landscape of fields and woods, spread out below me like a colourful patchwork. Hertfordshire wasn’t known for its breathtaking scenery in quite the same way as Derbyshire was, but the sight stretching out below me went to prove that there were little pockets of beauty everywhere … if you only paused long enough to look at them.

Turning my back on the view, I found a treasure eclipsing any scenery. She was lying on a blanket, fast asleep, a discarded book lying by her side. Elizabeth’s helmet had rolled off her jacket into the grass and her long hair, unbound, lay in disarray around her shoulders. The jeans and jumper she wore made a pleasant change from those smart but soulless business suits.

In repose, she looked … stunning.

I felt my heart beating rapidly in my chest. Any other man might have blamed the climb for their breathless state, but I knew that only Elizabeth could affect me in this way. Crouching down two feet away, I whispered her name. She didn’t wake. I repeated it a little louder, but there was no response. Finally, reaching out I touched her shoulder, causing her to startle.

“Wh ... what? William?” She sat up, scanning the top of the mount before her attention returned to me. “What are you doing here?”

Removing my gloves, I dropped them into my helmet and put it down on the soft grass. “Looking for you, of course.”

She shuffled backwards to the edge of the blanket, her eyes wary. The sight of it almost broke my heart. “You can’t stay here, William,” she whispered, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth.

“Would you like me to leave?”

Elizabeth’s hand twitched involuntarily towards me, while her face seemed frozen in a moment of agonised indecision. I could see now what Jane had already guessed. Whatever feelings Elizabeth might have for me were at war with the respect and love she had for her father. The thought of choosing between the two of us had clearly been painful for her and, after speaking to her father, I understood why, but it was wholly unnecessary.

It wasn’t a matter of making a choice between me or her father. She could have both.

Dropping my voice, hoping that I sounded calmer than I felt, I said, “Jane told me where to find you. Your father knows I’m here. Don’t worry ... he’s okay with it. There’s no need to hide any more.” I fell to my knees, reaching out towards her, praying that she wouldn’t push me away. Instead, she closed her eyes, a soft smile on her face as I cupped her cool cheek with my warm hand.

“Why are you here?” she whispered.

“You didn’t really think I’d want to take those test drives on my own?”

“But my father was—”

I silenced her, laying the tip of my finger on her lips. “As much as I appreciate Mr. Bennet’s experience, this is one decision he can’t help me with.” Taking her hands in mine, I memorised every feature of her face; from those fine eyes to her soft pink lips. “Elizabeth, I can’t choose a car without you. I’ll take whichever one you want me to, as long as you’ll come with it.”

I leaned towards her, but it was Elizabeth who closed the final distance, lifting her face to brush her lips lightly against mine. I took back the initiative, pressing soft kisses across her mouth. Sighing, she relaxed into my arms, responding just as I’d remembered. I deepened the kiss, pushing my hands though her silky locks, revelling in the softness of her hair as it flowed freely around my fingers. Elizabeth ran her hands inside my jacket, clutching at my shoulders; holding onto me as though her life depended on it.

Little did she know that nothing less than a direct nuclear strike would move me from her side now.

Having her in my arms felt so perfect. She’d filled a place in my soul that I hadn’t even realised was empty until I’d met her. I felt a kind of euphoric happiness that drug addicts spend thousands trying to achieve and yet I hadn’t broken one single law.

Love has to be the most addictive legal stimulant known to man.

Pulling away slightly, Elizabeth smiled nervously. We were still kneeling on the ground, so she sat down on the blanket—pulling me down with her—before settling closer and leaning her head against my shoulder. I could feel the beat of her heart thumping through her body and she was breathing heavily; clearly I wasn’t the only one affected. “I can’t believe you’re really here,” she whispered. “I never dreamed ... after I left so suddenly on Friday afternoon. I should have explained. I’m sorry.”

“My own behaviour was hardly beyond reproach. You know, I’ve never felt so compelled to kiss anyone like that before, but I find that I can’t regret it.”

“I didn’t think you’d want anything to do with me.”

“I think you’ll find I’m a little more difficult to get rid of than that.” My eyes wandered to the view from the top of the mount as my fingers trailed through the silken strands that curled loosely around her shoulders. I loved the idea that this was the place she escaped to when she needed some thinking time. Elizabeth was a country girl at heart. She’d fit in well at Pemberley.

Her fingers traced a pattern on the back of my hand. “Does my father really know you’re here?”

“Of course he does. He wouldn’t have divulged your hideout if he wasn’t happy with me being here. I think your sister told him a few home truths and seeing as the idea of clients mixing with his daughters seemed to be an issue for him, I said that if it was that important then I would forget about the new car. I wasn’t as though I needed one for myself.” I took her hand in mine, our fingers twining together. “He said that he didn’t want you hurt again.” While I was curious to know what had happened, I was reluctant to ask.

Fortunately, Elizabeth seemed to sense my need for reassurance. “It was years ago; my first serious relationship. Well, serious for me, but no more than a game to him.” Feeling the tension building within me, she squeezed my hand reassuringly. “It was a long time ago, and I think dad forgets that I’m not nineteen any more. It made me a stronger person. I can look after myself now.”

I smiled at the determination in her voice. I didn’t doubt in the slightest that she could look after herself, but she wouldn’t need to. That would be my job.

Elizabeth was looking pensive again. “Was my dad very unhappy when you left him?”

“More surprised, I think, to learn that you didn’t need his protection any more.”

She laughed. “Oh, I don’t know. If I find out that you’re nothing but a sex-starved psycho-maniac, I might still need this help.”

“My secret’s out I see,” I replied dryly.

She laughed. “Aren’t all bikers the same?”

“It must be all the leather.” I kissed the grin from her face. “I promised your father that I‘d look after you, and that’s just what I’m going to do.” Our lips met again in a long, slow exploration. There were still things I wanted to know about Elizabeth, but this was as good a starting point as anywhere.

Pulling her closer, I felt something hard poking into my ribs; a little investigation led to a set of keys in Elizabeth’s pocket and she tucked them away, apologetically. I turned to look at my very own biker babe. “Why didn’t you tell me you had a bike?”

I felt her body stiffen, and I rubbed my hand up and down her back to reassure her. Relaxing slightly, she said, “I don’t really know. It never seemed like the right time. I wanted to say something but I didn’t want you to think I was only trying to impress you.”

“I would never have thought that, but I am impressed. My sister will sometimes ride pillion, if she needs a lift down to the local shops or something, but she wouldn’t dream of riding by herself.”

“It’s something I’d always wanted, right from leaving school. At the beginning, my Mum wouldn’t hear of me having a bike. It was not the thing for a young woman of good family, like me, to be seen on a motorbike. She was convinced it would ruin my reputation, and I’d never find a decent man. She believes that all bikers are your typical Hell’s Angel types and was sure I’d start keeping unsocial hours and come home with my arms covered in tattoos.”

“And did you?”

“What? Keep unsocial hours or get the tattoos?”

I grinned. “Either ... both.”

“No, of course not.”

“Shame. I would have had to insist on inspecting any body art.”

I felt Elizabeth chuckle. “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.”

“That sounds like fun. I’ve never felt an overwhelming desire to have ink forced into my skin by means of sharp implements, but you’re making me regret my fear of needles.” Hugging her a little tighter, I asked what had caused Mrs Bennet to finally relent.

“I wore her down eventually. You can’t live with Lydia for many years without picking up a few tricks. I wasn’t allowed more than a 125cc to begin with, but after I’d dropped it a few times, gained some experience and I could afford it, I treated myself to the Ninja.” She spoke fondly of some of her favourite rides, when she’d leave the house early in the morning just to guarantee an empty road. The freedom to go when and where; the bond between man and machine—or woman, in this case. She spoke of her Kawi with the same fondness that I usually reserved for the Duke.

“So, all those times I wanted to know what you drove, but you don’t actually have a car, do you?”

She smiled, looking slightly sheepish. “No, I don’t. But I have to drive quite a lot with work. Why buy a car of my own when I have my pick of the demonstrators? One day I can drive an Aston Martin, the next day it might be a Pagani; last week I drove three different Ferraris. I have the best job in the world. Besides, unless I am working, I’d choose my bike over four wheels any day.”

Hearing those words I knew that Elizabeth was a woman after my heart. Actually, she wasn’t just after my heart ... she had it already.

I couldn’t believe my good fortune; I’d found my ideal woman. Instead of having to curtail one of my favourite pastimes, I’d have someone to share it with. I couldn’t wait to take Elizabeth on my favourite ride through the High Peak and the roads around Pemberley. If she told me she liked rugby as well, my life would be complete. I pulled her closer, dropping a kiss on the top of her head. She nuzzled her face into my chest like a little kitten, which sent my protective cave-man instincts into over-drive.

Tipping up her chin with my finger, I looked down at her lips, feeling an irresistible tug towards them. Laying her back on the blanket, I cradled her head in the crook of my arm and holding her close; pouring all my desire and longing into a languorous kiss that left flames licking around my soul.

Sometime later, when the sun began to touch the tops of the distant trees, I climbed the stile at the bottom of the hill. Jumping to the ground I turned around in time to catch Elizabeth in my arms. She smiled when she saw my Ducati parked so protectively next to her own bike. This was one occasion where the Duke mirrored its owner, because I hadn’t felt such an overwhelming desire to protect another human life since Georgie had been born.

I moved to inspect the Kawasaki more closely. It was a neat little sports bike.

Elizabeth hovered nervously around me. “It’s a 500R. The half-litre engine can reach 60 mph in 3.76 seconds, although I can’t say I’ve tried it myself, and tops out at 118, which again I’ve not reached, although I did get up to a hundred on the M11 last year. But it’s not really about speed for me. It’s the freedom ... being one with the bike.”

Throwing my leg over the Kawi’s seat, I grimaced as my feet touched the floor a lot sooner than I’d normally expect them to, causing her to laugh out loud.

“Remember, my legs are shorter than yours. That’s one of the reasons I went for the Ninja in the first place. I tried nearly every bike in the shop looking for something that I could sit on and still touch the floor.”

I noticed that she wore a good pair of practical boots. “You could always try boots with a bigger heel. That’s what Georgie wears when she rides with me.”

“I tried them. They might be okay for passengers, but I had the devil of a job when I tried to shift gear.”

My mind wandered briefly to other places and the not to distant future. “I can help you change gear,” I offered innocently.

She dealt me a playful tap on the nose, but the kiss that followed it showed me that she wasn’t in the least offended. Laughing, I moved back to my own bike, settling comfortably into the Duke’s higher seat. “Are you ready to get back then?”

“I suppose we should really,” she replied with a reluctance that I completely understood.

I watched as Elizabeth caught her hair back into a simple low ponytail before pulling on her helmet. Surprisingly, rather than hiding her features the open visor only seemed to accentuate her eyes. “You go first and I’ll follow,” I suggested, getting a thumbs up from her to show she understood.

We pulled off slowly, weaving carefully between those annoying pot holes and humps before reaching the main road again. Once on tarmac, Elizabeth showed me just what she was made of; accelerating away and leaving me floundering as I struggled to keep up through the twists and turns. All the power in the world can’t compete on unfamiliar roads, where Elizabeth knew what to expect around the next corner far better than I did.

Besides, I had little incentive to overtake when I already had the best view.

The ride back to Longbourn seemed much quicker than it had been on the way out. Probably because I was less concerned about my welcome than I had been when I’d ridden out to the Mount earlier. I knew that Elizabeth’s feelings for me were as strong as I could hope for, and I felt confident that if Mr. Bennet cared for his daughter as much as I thought he did, then he would soon learn to accept the situation.

In no time at all we were riding together down the drive towards the showrooms of Bennet Vehicle Sourcing. Elizabeth parked her bike in front of the garages, kicking down the centre stand before climbing off. It was lucky for me that I’d put my feet down before she removed her helmet, because the satisfaction radiating from her was dazzling. I would have dropped the Duke for certain.

And that would have been a tad embarrassing.

As I stood there looking at Elizabeth, I suddenly understood just how my father might have felt all those years ago when he and my mother met for that second date. There was a sense of rightness about Elizabeth Bennet; something that just clicked. I wasn’t going to do anything as stupid as proposing—not just yet anyway—but like spring following winter, or day coming after night, the inexorable idea of us being together forever had taken root in my brain and wasn’t about to let go.

However corny it might sound, I knew I’d found the one ... the only woman who could ever hope to understand me.

Like taking the perfect line through a corner, it just felt right.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

As we rode into the courtyard, I felt a little tense, knowing that my dad would be waiting for me. Regardless of William’s comforting words, I couldn’t begin to believe this fairytale had come true until I’d spoken to him and reassured myself that he was okay with it.

I climbed off my bike and removed my helmet, smiling at William as he came to a stop nearby. I’d caught a glimpse of Will and his Duke in my mirrors as we’d ridden home, but it couldn’t compete with the sight of him astride the bike, in a pose that could only described as noble.

I took a couple of steps forward, gasping as he caught hold of my arm, urging me towards him. “Don’t! Dad might see you.”

Will lifted his visor. “Let him. He’s going to have to get used to seeing us together anyway.”

Pulling off his own helmet left his hair wonderfully dishevelled. Reaching up I pushed back the locks that had fallen onto his forehead, and brushed my fingers through his curls; recalling a time when I’d first felt the urge to do that. It felt good to be able to give in.

He was now holding me so close that the heat coming from the Duke’s engine penetrated my jeans, but for William it still wasn’t close enough. His left hand held his helmet steady on the tank, but his right maintained the pressure on my back as he lowered his lips for another lingering kiss. I could see myself up on the tank if I wasn’t careful.

Conscious of our location, and Lydia’s almost perfect eyesight, I reluctantly stepped back. “The cars you were interested in are over there. I should fetch the keys.”

Climbing off his bike, he pulled at the fingers of his glove until it came free and started working on the second one. “I suppose so,” he said with a sigh, barely glancing at the Audi, Ferrari and Porsche sitting on the tarmac.

“You don’t seem quite so keen now.”

Wrapping his arms around my shoulders he kissed the tip of my ear. “Not really. My whole reason for buying seems, well redundant now. You might not have noticed, but I’m no longer looking to impress anyone but you.”

I had noticed; it was hard not to. If actions spoke louder than words, he’d written his feelings in letters fifty feet high.

“Unless there’s a car you would like. Perhaps something with a comfortable back seat?” he added hopefully.

“No, but there is one thing you can do for me ... something I’d like more than a car,” I whispered.

He spun me around, his eyes alight with curiosity. “Anything your heart desires, Elizabeth. Just say the word.”

“Anything? Are you sure?” I struck a pose with my hand on my chin, reminiscent of Rodin’s Thinker.

“Oh, yes.” The half-smile reappeared on his lips. “You have my heart already; everything else seems insignificant in comparison.”

I paused a moment, unsure how he’d react if I asked him for the thing I’d really like. Finally, I just blurted it out. “How about a ride on the back of the Duke?”

“Are you serious? Of course!” Eager to comply, he was back astride the large black beast within seconds. “What about your father? Don’t you want to speak to him first?”

I looked across to the showroom. My dad was standing behind the glass, watching my every move. I knew we would have to talk about this sometime, but now wasn’t a good time for me. “I think it can wait.”

“Have you ridden pillion before?”

“Only once,” I admitted,” but I trust you. After all, you did say you were experienced.”

He laughed as he grabbed the lapel of my jacket, pulling me back to his side; his kisses sending me so light-headed that I might have floated away if I hadn’t been held securely in his arms. “Just you wait, Miss Bennet. I’ll show you how experienced I am.”

Grinning at his threat, I replaced my helmet and gloves before throwing my leg over the high pillion seat. Shuffling close, I moulded myself to Will’s back, snaking both hands around his waist. He squeezed my hands once, before hitting the starter button. The engine roared into life and I felt the vibrations from the twin exhaust beneath my seat.

With some trepidation I squeezed my arms once and then relaxed as William revved the throttle and let out the clutch, and I held on tight as he accelerated down the rapidly diminishing driveway. The sun had completely set now, but there was still a glow coming from below the horizon, bathing the familiar countryside in deep coral glow.

I’d worried that I might feel less connected to the Duke if I wasn’t riding it myself, but I hadn’t taken into account my affinity with Will. By the time I’d relaxed through the first corner, I trusted him implicitly. This was more fulfilling than I could ever have imagined. I was in heaven and looking forward to every minute.

It was first time we’d ridden together, but I knew it wouldn’t be the last.

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