Page 16 of What to do with Fitzwilliam Darcy?

Richard raised his glass higher. "To Mr and Mrs Darcy, who I have every confidence in will be sickeningly happy together and drive the rest of us quite mad with it."

There was a general chorus of agreement as glasses were lifted around the table. Darcy looked once more at his wife and decided that, on that point at least, his cousin might finally be correct.

✽✽✽

Darcy turned the key to their chamber with a click. "That's better," he sighed, turning to his new wife and smiling softly.

"I thought you did not enjoy being locked in, Mr Darcy."

"On this occasion, dearest," he said, reaching for her waist and pulling her towards him with such speed that she let out a little squeal, "I find myself quite in favour of it."

He brushed gentle kisses over her temple and the swell of her cheek before finally finding her mouth with his. Elizabeth melted into him at once, her hands resting against his chest as the kiss deepened into something slow and simmering that left them both breathless by the time he finally drew away.

He led her to the small settee at the foot of the bed and settled her there reverently before moving behind her and beginning, one by one, to release the pearl pins from her hair.

"I understand I have a new maid to assist with this sort of thing, Mr Darcy," Elizabeth said, one eyebrow raised as she glanced back at him.

"I find, my dear, that I have spent most of the day wondering what you would look like with those glorious curls all around your face, free and wild." He placed kisses along her neck as he worked, pulling her half into his lap as he released the last pin.

She bit her lip and blushed becomingly. "Are you saying, dear husband, that you enjoy my hair quite as much as I enjoy yours?"

She lifted a hand and ran her fingers slowly through the dark waves at his temple. Darcy's eyes closed for a moment and a low moan of pleasure escaped him before he could stop it.

Elizabeth's smile widened. "Oh. You do like that, don’t you?"

She repeated the motion and he closed his eyes in pleasure. "Very, very much."

"Worth the wait?" she asked, pressing a gentle kiss to the corner of his mouth.

"You are more than worth it," he said, pulling back to gaze at her. He gathered the heavy softness of her hair over one shoulder and pressed a kiss to the newly exposed curve of her neck. Elizabeth's breath caught, and the small sound made his stomach tighten in response. He kissed the same spot again, slower this time, feeling her pulse flutter beneath his mouth as his hands explored the satisfying curve of her waist.

"Fitzwilliam," she murmured.

He loved hearing his name in her voice like that, low and breathy and meant only for him. He kissed her mouth again, deeper now, his thumb brushing along her jaw while her fingers returned to his hair. When her tongue met his, Darcy felt the last of his restraint begin to unravel. He drew her closer until she was fully in his lap, one of her hands sliding from his hair to the back of his neck and then to his cravat, tugging impatiently at the material as though she needed to feel more of his skin beneath her hands.

Elizabeth's cheeks were flushed when they finally parted. She looked at him with bright eyes and a smile that made his heart ache. Darcy had spent so many months believing that he would never see her look at him this way that for several moments he could do nothing but stare at her, taking in the loosened hair around her shoulders, her lips pink from his kisses and the emerald at her throat rising and falling with each uneven breath.

"What?" she asked eventually, though the smile remained.

"I am attempting to understand what I have done to deserve you. I thought you hated me."

The playfulness left her expression then, and her fingers loosened their hold upon his cravat before smoothing the fabric where she had rumpled it. "Oh, Fitzwilliam. I never hated you. Not for one moment."

He caught her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm, then another to the inside of her wrist, feeling her pulse quicken beneath his lips. "It does not matter now. I have no wish to spend our wedding night regretting misunderstandings when I have you here with me."

"You do have me, always," she said softly, and his heart soared.

He leaned back against the cushion, pulling her down with him, earning another little sound of surprise before she pressed against him, purring like a content cat. Her loose hair fell around them both as he kissed her. Darcy buried one hand in it, revelling in its softness, while the other held her securely against him. Elizabeth met him with increasing confidence, her mouth opening beneath his as their tongues touched again, and the pleasure of it heated his blood. When the kiss finally broke, neither of them moved very far. Elizabeth rested her forehead against his and breathed out a soft laugh. "This is truly wonderful."

Darcy smiled, brushing his nose lightly against hers. "We have only been married for a few hours. I should be deeply offended if you were bored of me already."

"I am not remotely bored, you dear, dear man."

"Thank God."

She laughed and kissed him again. "Now take me to bed, husband."

"My love, are you quite certain?"