From Pemberley to Manhattan [COMPLETED]

Chapter 9

Nat

"Do you dance to this... music?", his voice was as strong as a thunder, making the hair of my arms go up. Still, I was offended by his obvious disdain as he mentioned the music. Nobody scorned Sinatra!

Not only the music was very pleasant (excuse me, arrogant Brit), the whole setup was great. Normally, there would be about twenty tables around the bar, which was right in the middle of the restaurant. Tonight, however, the only tables left there were the ones on the back of the room. The rest of the space had been turned into a dance floor, and dozens of couples danced to "I've got you under my skin". We'd decided to go back inside when the heat had become unbearable.

Throat clearing. And there he went again, "Do you dance to this music?"

In his favor, there was no disdain in his tone this time. Maybe Sinatra was beginning to grow in him.

"I heard you before. But your question is ambiguous. Do you mean if people in general dance to this music or if I do?"

Fanny spit some of her drink as she laughed, and Bobby put a hand on Mr. Darcy's shoulder.

"She's going to make you fight for it, my friend." My brother told him. Bobby could be a smart boy when he tried.

"I beg your pardon?", Darcy asked. It was the tenth time he asked that in the last ten minutes. It was probably the only line he had in his "play".

"Do as I do, dude." Bobby turned to Fanny and offered his hand out to her. "Oh, fair maiden! Would you like to dance with your Prince Charming?"

She giggled and accepted his hand, and there they went, my brother and best friend leaving me alone with actor guy. Thanks a lot, traitors.

Darcy (was that his first or last name?) cleared his throat – yet again – and faced me, his dark blue eyes piercing mine.

Oh, my sweet little mermaid.

"I believe your brother was laughing at me." A hint of a smile appeared on his lips, and all I did was stare at his mouth. Holy crisis! All the guy did was offer me a pathetic excuse of a smile and I was already thinking about how kissable his lips were?

And the answer was very, totally, one hundred and ten percent kissable, by the way.

I internally slapped myself on the cheek and did my best to keep it cool. "Don't mind him."

"I don't. I find your brother quite amusing." I was sure Bobby thought the same of Darcy. He cleared his throat again. "So... If you are not otherwise engaged, may I be so bold as to claim the next dance?"

Darcy placed his hand right in front of me, palm up. I held back a laugh, knowing it might upset him. I could've made up an excuse; it was a bad idea to dance with a very attractive stranger who was going to sleep in my house and acted as if he were from the nineteenth century. On the other hand... Who said no to Sinatra?

My hand was enveloped by his, its warmth traveling through my body. I was shivering head to toe, and it wasn't from cold. Far from it. Rarely did I respond like that to a man. To a longtime boyfriend? Maybe. To a total stranger? It was a first.

When we reached the center of the dance floor, he moved in front of me, his eyes never leaving mine. He gazed down at the point where we were connected, then looked around, observing the other couples dance.

Slowly, he took a step closer, letting go of my hand, placing his two hands on each side of my waist, without exactly touching me. He was then paralyzed, looking at me, searching for something. Was he waiting... for an authorization? Even though it was unexpected, and kind of unnecessary, since I'd already accepted to dance with him, I thought it was a sweet gesture.

"It's okay", I assured him, gripping his wrists, guiding his hands to my back, moving even closer to him. I put my hands on his shoulders, and found them tense. Wow, that Brit could be uptight. I shouldn't have found that hot but... I did.

"So, is your acting a full time job or do you work with something else to pay the bills?" I tried to break the ice after a few moments of weird silence.

"Work?", Darcy looked confused. "Gentlemen don't work."

I couldn't hold back this time; I laughed out loud, still in his arms. Bobby wasn't exaggerating; this guy didn't leave his character. "You're great, Darcy. I'm sure your play will be fantastic."

"I thank you, Miss Brown."

"Please, call me Nat. I'll laugh every time you call me Miss Brown. It's too bizarre."

"I will try my best, Miss Nathalie." Something in his tone made me look up at him. His eyes were burning into mine. I took a misstep and he held me back in place, his grip on me tightening.

Oh, we were navigating in dangerous waters now. I had to make small talk. "So, what other tricks do you know?" That was awful, Nathalie! If the guy had a dirty mind, he could think you were flirting with him! Was I? "You know, do you play the piano?"

"My sister is the talented player in our house. She practices daily, and sings too." He smiled broadly as he spoke of her. It was the first full smile I saw on his lips. It looked good there. He should do it more often. "What about you?"

"I've always wanted to learn how to play the piano, but never had the time... I've always studied so hard... And, whenever I have time off, I prefer to take a walk, or go swimming, or read a book."

"Then you've employed your time much better. I believe nothing is more important than improving your mind by extensive reading." I was still digesting his words, when he came up with a new question, "Do you speak any of the modern languages?"

I giggled a bit, and heard someone doing the same on my left. Bobby and Fanny had been eavesdropping. "Besides English? Only French."

"I speak English and Bad English! Does that count?", Fanny cut in.

"And I speak Spanish", Bobby announced proudly. Yeah, right.

"Since when?", I asked.

"Since I watched the Terminator. Hasta la vista, baby."

By the end of the night, Anna had joined us, along with Mom and Dad, and we'd danced until our feet ached. Mom had had her concerns about letting a total stranger stay at our house too, but after conversing with Darcy for a few minutes, she was convinced he was the nicest and politest man that ever lived.

"Maybe he can teach your brother some manners. You too, baby." She told me before going upstairs. Thanks a lot, Mom.

After all guests left, Bobby, Anna, Darcy and I stayed outside for a little longer. My brother used tablecloths to cover the grass and we laid there, watching the stars and the full moon.

As the adrenaline of the party left my body, I began dozing off. I let myself take a nap while Darcy told some of his stories to my brother and his girlfriend. He was a great storyteller, we discovered. I became conscious again sometime later as strong arms carried me upstairs, into my room. Still too sleepy to open my eyes or move, I let their owner lay me gingerly in my bed.

Believing I was alone, I let sleep take control again, but before I was lost in my dreams, I heard a thunderous voice say in the sweetest tone, "Good night, Nat."

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