Pride and Papercuts (The Austens #5) - Staci Hart Page 0,52

I scolded myself once for being disappointed and a second time at the skip in my heart when I promised myself he’d be here.

I blamed the newfound equality between us, the surprising respect he’d shown me the last few weeks. All I’d had to do was stand up and demand it, and he complied. And lately, I’d found it difficult to hate him with such devotion as I had before. I’d convinced myself it was temporary, carrying my umbrella in the sunshine. Because at some point, the thunderhead would appear, tear open, and douse me.

It was only a matter of time. Surely Darcy couldn’t maintain permanent civility. It wasn’t in his nature.

I wished for a moment I did have a date, and my thoughts shifted to Wyatt. He’d only been home a few days, and we’d been too busy to get together, scheduling a date for tomorrow night. I’d been looking forward to his company all week—he made me laugh, was clever and charming, and he was so attentive, being near him felt imperative.

He was the ideal, ticking every box on the list. But something kept me from jumping in, dampening my enthusiasm to contentment. And as much as I wanted to see him, part of me wasn’t sure why.

If you have to ask yourself if you want to date him, you don’t want to, Jett had said. But he was partial.

Still, I’d been ditched by Jett, and it’d have been nice not to be alone tonight.

Putting on my game face, I headed for Cam, but I’d only made it a few steps when Collin stepped in front of me.

“You’re finally here,” he said with one of his brows arched and a smirk on his lips. “And without a date, just like I knew you’d be.”

“Hi, Collin,” was all I said, unsurprised by his blatant lack of manners.

“Glad I was right—would have been awkward if you’d had a date and I would have had to spend the night by myself. Come on, I’ll get you a drink.”

“I’m actually good—”

He grabbed my hand and dragged me toward the bar before letting me go, which thankfully was only a couple of steps. I’d have hated to get arrested for assault on such a nice night.

“What are you drinking?” He smoothed a hand down the front of his tuxedo T-shirt.

“Nothing. I’m actually—”

He smiled slyly. “You don’t have to work so hard to get my attention, Laney. I’ve got this. How about I order for you?”

I opened my mouth before realizing it was no use arguing, and I really could use a drink. While he ordered, I took a minute to look for an exit route. Georgie and Jett stood close, smiling at each other in a nook of couches. Cam was still busy dancing, and I caught sight of Cooper and his wife nearby, talking to Darcy.

The second his name hit my mind, he looked right at me.

The shock stopped my heart, and when it kicked against my sternum, it was with enough force to hitch my breath. I didn’t know what it was about him that elicited such a reaction from me. His intensity, that was for sure. Never before had I been observed with such weight, it crushed my ribs. When he looked at me, it was as a command of attention—a demand impossible to refuse. The sheer size and darkness of him contributed, every angle and every plane. The hard line of his brow. The strong shape of his nose. The stone of his jaw, the width of his lips. Square shoulders and narrow waist, his black suit cut to perfection. His body language alone charged the air around him, and everyone who ventured too close was subject to his will.

A motion in my periphery broke the connection—Georgie waved, and once she caught my eye, she motioned for me to them.

“I’ll, uh, be right back,” I said to the back of Collin’s head, though I didn’t know if he’d heard me, so entrenched in a monologue regarding the merits of the Tomb Raider game franchise, he didn’t even notice me slip away.

I hurried over to Georgie and Jett, keeping my back to the room in the hopes of dodging Collin, even though I knew it was probably pointless.

“I need you two to do me a favor,” I said when I reached them. “Please save me from Collin tonight.”

Georgie laughed. “Aww, he seems sweet.”

“Wait until he corners you and talks about obscure manga for a half an hour and tell me