Page 123 of His Pride and His Prejudice

“There is no apology necessary.”

“I—”

“If anyone should be apologizing, it is I,” Elliot said quickly for looking at Darcy now, here in the clearing surrounded by the trees and the flowers and the most beautiful of scents, Elliot knew that he must say all that he wanted, all that he needed to say.

“Elliot—”

“Darcy, I fear I am a very selfish creature at times and, for the sake of giving relief to my own feelings, care not how much I may be wounding yours,” he began.

“I don’t understand…” Darcy said, but Elliot continued on just as quickly.

“Though I know you do not wish it, I can no longer help from thanking you for your kindness to my brothers, to Jack and to Louis, for I know the whole of it, of all that you have done, and I must acknowledge that and express my gratitude.”

“I did not plan that you would become aware of this,” Darcy said in a tone of surprise and emotion.

“Do not blame my uncle for sharing this news with me,” Elliot said. “For it was forced from him! And I am glad of it. I thank you again and again, in the name of all my family, for that generous compassion which induced you to take so much trouble, and bear so many mortifications, for the sake of a brother who is not yours and for a man who you have no love for at all.” Elliot paused and shook his head. “And for Jack and for Charles, for it was you, was it not, who intervened once more to reunite them?”

“Intervened to fix only my mistake,” Darcy said.

“I thank you regardless,” Elliot replied.

“If you will thank me,” Darcy said, and his tone was no longer surprised but still filled with emotion. “Let it be for yourself alone. For all that I did was for you, Elliot, you must know that. It was all for you.”

Elliot was overcome by those words for he had long suspected as much but to hear it said aloud was something else entirely. He opened his mouth to speak, but Darcy stepped forward and took his hands.

“You are too generous to trifle with me,” he continued. “If your feelings are still what they were, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged, but one word from you will silence me on this subject forever.”

Elliot’s lips closed. He looked up at the man that he loved, his fated mate, and said nothing at all.

“Elliot…” Darcy breathed, and only then did Elliot reply.

“My feelings now are so far from what they once were that I do not recognize the distance that existed. Indeed, I do not recognize the Elliot that once existed. He is much changed now.” A pause and then, “Changed by you, Darcy, and only for the better.”

“Then you love me?” Darcy asked and Elliot sighed.

“It is nothing so simple as love, Darcy. If that were so perhaps this could have been easy from the start. But it is much, much more than that. We are meant to be together, you and I, is that not so?”

“Indeed, it is,” Darcy said, and with that, and at long last, he gently tugged Elliot to him, and he leaned in, and he placed the softest of kisses upon the other man’s lips.

All those walks spent imagining.

All those nights spent wondering.

All these months in an agony of anticipation.

It unfolded then, and it was everything that Elliot had ever expected it to be.

Darcy’s lips were soft and warm, and the feelings that Elliot had experienced since that very first night in the Meryton assembly, that very first scent, that very first presence, they all filled him, and a deep, desperate pleasure raced through his body.

This was what he had waited for.

This.

Darcy’s love surrounding him.

Darcy’s love becoming part of him.

For their life would be filled with such moments, and Elliot would experience this love over and over for the rest of his life.

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