Taking Shots (Assassins, #1)(133)

“Oh, my God,” she muttered as her hand came up over her mouth. She was wearing the dress from the shop that Grace had her try on. Her hair was done up in pin curls with pearls holding in each curl. Her makeup was done so soft that it was hard to tell she even had any one. The dress, oh, it was masterpiece, beautiful, stunning; Elli could go on for days describing the beauty of it.

She looked like Elizabeth Bennet, and Elli had a feeling that when she walked out the door, she would be stepping into the Nethierfield ball. A nervous giggle escaped her lips as she looked back the large white door.

With every step she took to the door, she got more and more excited as questions filled her head.

Would it be just like the movie?

Would everyone be there?

Where was she?

And the biggest one, would Mr. Darcy be there?

Well not the real Mr. Darcy, but Shea as Mr. Darcy.

Elli opened the door and took a step out, walking down the hall, taking in the exquisiteness of the place that she had no clue she was at. The walls were covered with beautiful gold paper that had white swirls on them. Vintage furniture was everywhere, along with large floor candle stick holders. It was beautiful.

When Elli came to the end of the hall, coming to some stairs that led down, her last question was answered.

Shea stood at the bottom of the stairs, smiling up at her, in a black waistcoat with a white under coat. The cravat that covered his neck to his chin was white, the pants that came down to below his knees were black and, bless his heart, to complete the outfit he wore sheer socks.

Elli couldn’t help but laugh when she saw he didn’t have the traditional shoes of the 19th century, but his chucks.

“My Mr. Darcy, Adler style, huh?”

“Oh, yeah, and Grace is livid about it,” he said taking her hand as she made it to the last step.

“I bet, even though I love it. It’s totally you.”

He gave her a sheepish grin, “I felt like a sissy in those princess shoes.”

Elli giggled as she pressed her lips against his. When they parted, she smiled as she looked up into his eyes, running her hand down his cheek, “Thank you, Shea.”

“Oh, you haven’t seen nothing yet, come on.”

He took her hand, leading her down the long staircase. When they reached the bottom, Elli heard people talking and laughing as Shea placed his hand on the small of her back, leading her to a pair of French doors.

“Ready?”

“Sure am,” she gushed as he pushed open the door. Everyone turned, looking back at the door, before a chorus of “Happy Birthday” rang through the filled ballroom. Elli’s face lit up, seeing all her friends, Shea’s friends, and her daddy, dressed in her favorite era. The ballroom was spectacular. It looked like Elli had step onto the set of Pride and Prejudice, with the gold drapes and candles that covered every square inch of the beautiful ballroom.

As Shea led her through the room to greet everyone, Elli took in every detail. She wanted to remember this night for the rest of her life, so she remembered the candelabras that hung on the walls, the way the gold swirls twisted so finely on the walls, and how the violists that sat in the corner by the piano looked exactly like the ones in the movie. But most of all, she took in how gorgeous Shea was.

It wasn’t any surprise that Shea would look good even in the 19th century. Some of the other guys that also had dressed up looked dorky in their dress coats, but not Shea. He looked regal, established, perfect, and he had done all this for her. He slid his hand into hers, leading her to the middle of the dance floor. He stood her on one side, as Harper, Jodi, Reese, and Piper came to join her. Then he went to the other with Jakob, Derrick, and two guys Elli didn’t know.

When “A Postcard to Henry Purcell,” started Elli’s mouth dropped. “No y’all didn’t.”

“Oh, yes we did, now go!” Harper exclaimed basically pushing Elli to go.

Of course, Elli knew the dance well. She had watched the movie so many times that she could do it in her sleep. She wouldn’t admit it to anyone, but she used to make Adler be Mr. Darcy, and carry the overweight pup through the living room as they watched the movie. What surprised Elli the most was how perfect Shea knew the dance. He moved with ease around her, taking her hand when needed, while keeping in time.

“I love this dance,” Elli said just for shit and giggles, since it was the first line that Elizabeth Bennet said in the movie, but when Shea said, “Yes, it’s most invigorating,” Elli couldn’t breathe. On they went, going back and forth the way Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy did in the movie. Shea was astonishing and surprised her every day.

“You memorized the dance and the script?” she asked with a cheeky grin as they moved around each other.

“I did.”

“Why?”

“Because I love you.”

It was that simple.





The song ended just as the words left Shea’s mouth. Everyone awed as Elli turned deep red at being caught at what should have been a private moment between them. Elli came to him, wrapping her arms around him as some soft music started again. Shea wrapped his arms around her, taking her close into his arms, nuzzling his nose into her neck. She had taken his breath away with her beauty. Of course, she was the most beautiful person on earth to him, but tonight she was picturesque. He couldn’t take his eyes off her.