The magnificence of the mansion and the grandiosity of the staircase disappeared when his stunning bride-to-be elegantly descended, wearing a coy smile and theperfectdress for her. From the delicate white floral pins sweeping up her chestnut locks, down her graceful neck to the illusion neckline, sheer lace long sleeves, the crystal and lace-fitted bodice, to the soft, flowing skirt accented with lace, draped her beautifully. She looked like an angel floating toward him.
His breath caught, heart arrested, his grin wider than it had ever been. Spellbound, he was rendered speechless, swallowing hard as he was caught up in the whirlwind of overwhelming emotion. The sappy romantic in him fought back tears.
“Well? What do you think?” she asked from the second-to-last step.
He offered her his hand for the last step into his arms. “I ... God, Lizzy,” he choked back. Damn, if his eyes didn’t well with tears at the feeling of his heart bursting. Those perfect lips. He’d kiss her if they weren’t so flawlessly painted pink. A tear escaped from the corner of his left eye, and her lace-gloved finger brushed it.
“I know. I feel the same way.” Her eyes glistened. “You look so handsome.”
A word finally escaped his lips when he bent to kiss her hand. “Breathtaking.”
“Let’s go get married, Mr. Darcy,” she said.
From the box on the entrance table, he withdrew her bouquet. “For you.”
“Oh, wow, William. It’s beautiful—all my favorites. How did you find peonies this time of the year?”
He simply smiled, glad for his connections in Canada.
Lizzy dug her nose into the bouquet. “The roses are stunning.” Examining it, she said. “This is ... the bouquet your mother painted in ‘With Love.’ ”
“Yes, it is. She’s with us today.”
“She’s with us every day.”
“Are you ready?”
“Yeah.” Tenderly smiling, she held his gaze for a second. “Thank you.”
“No. Thank you.” He gingerly kissed her on the lips.
“Guys, we’re ready,” he called out, not taking any chances today that Wickham might emerge from the hole he’d crawled back into after the article.
“Look at you two!” Pete said. “Elizabeth, you stop my heart.”
“Yeah. Makes me want to get married,” Sean added, then laughed. “For, like, two minutes.”
“The resolute bachelor,” William joked. “You just haven’t met your Lizzy, yet, but when you do—look out!” He squeezed her hand.
“True. I’m honored to be your official security detail, Elizabeth.”
“Thank you, Sean. I feel safe already. So, are we all going in the limo together?”
“Nope. He rides with us. Taylor will drive Pete in the limo.”
“Hey! Lucky me!”
“Don’t get used to it,” he joked.
Opening the front door, Sean stepped aside for Lizzy to exit first. Pete would reset the alarms behind them.
“Oh. My. God!” Lizzy declared, the smile on her face as joyful as the leap to his heart. “You didn’t?”
“I did.”
“You are the most romantic man in the world,” she stated, clearly pleased by the white with red interior and canopy, horse-drawn carriage waiting for them at the curb.
He helped her into the carriage, then settled beside her. Sean took his seat beside the driver for an eagle-eye view of traffic and pedestrians, eyes sharp for their slimy nemesis.
