Real: A Pride and Prejudice Variation
Page 16
"Smart?"
"Yes — who cares if you think I decided to marry you when you first proposed?"
It takes a few seconds.
"Are you saying you were not entirely sure after our engagement, Lizzie? Much as I would love for us to marry soon, I would not consider imposing —"
"No! You silly, silly man!" She shoves him playfully. He looks at her, wide-eyed. She snuggles against his chest with a smile. "You're almost as ridiculously gentlemanly as your Regency self."
"Regency?"
Was this a brand — a place — an era?
"In England," she mumbles against his chest.
"England."
"Yeah." Her voice is beginning to trail off.
He kisses her brow.
"Is this another one of your dreams?"
"Yeah?" She sits back up straight. The way she bites her lower lip is beyond distracting. "It's not like I have them that often anymore."
"You had a dream then — that decided your willingness to marry me?" He's trying very hard not to frown.
"Maybe?" She draws out the word before she grins — utterly adorable.
"A dream about me?"
"Kinda."
"For a communications major, Lizzie, you seem positively tongue-tied."
"I am not — I do not — I don't —"
He just raises a brow.
"I just — I — ugh!"
She lifts her hands in what he now realizes is probably exasperation — and then leans back on him with a sigh.
"I kinda, sorta, maybe had a dream about you the day before my birthday." Sometimes, sensitive hearing is a good thing.
"I see."
"And we were, well, you know — kinda, sorta, maybe married."
"In Regency England."
"Yup."
He smiles against her hair.
She keeps talking, "You were — dashing."
"And I'm sure you were beautiful."
"You liked to say so."
His smile grows.
"So, uhm, yeah — that's the answer."
It was a moment of wonderful epiphany, however quiet, when he realized that Lizzie Bennet has been in love with him for at least the last eighteen months — almost as long as he's loved her.
He kisses her brow again, nose pressed against her hairline. "Thank you for saying yes."
She giggles and snuggles. "Thank you for asking."
I hope you enjoyed this book. If you have a moment, please leave a review!
Other works by Iris Lim:
– Mothers Know Best
– Oh Brother
– Switched
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