Compulsively Mr. Darcy by Nina Benneton Read Free Book Online Page B

when Mr. Bingley caught up with them. With an awkward smile, he apologized for his sisters’ behavior. He gave some convoluted explanation for their rudeness, ending with, “Caroline gets possessive with Darcy when there are other women about, especially beautiful ones. She can’t accept he’d never be interested in her.”
    Elizabeth smiled at him. She couldn’t blame him for having bitchy sisters. “Please don’t worry about it.”
    Mr. Bingley said, “I’m sorry Darcy left without saying good-bye. It must have been a very important call that he just then remembered. He’s in between companies and he’s anxious to hear about some new one.”
    Jane said, “I hope he gets good news with the phone call.”
    Mr. Bingley turned to her. “He can’t relax unless he’s working. He feels useless otherwise.”
    Jane nodded. “Many people feel like that.”
    â€œI had to drag him here to Vietnam, to give him a chance to regroup and relax without worrying about work and finances and all that. I told him we need him to make sure everything is fine with the adoption. He’s very responsible, you see…” He trailed off and looked self-conscious, as if he had said more than he had intended.
    Elizabeth bit her lip. Poor Mr. Darcy! Unemployed and stressed about it. And he and Mr. Bingley wanted to become parents soon too. Jane did say Mr. Darcy seemed to be the responsible one at the interview. For a proud man like him, it must be quite humiliating to act as a personal assistant for the Bingley family, making travel arrangements for shopping trips and so forth. “Please tell Mr. Darcy I’m very sorry for my unprofessional conduct that day at the hospital.”
    â€œDon’t worry about Darcy,” Mr. Bingley said. “I know he feels badly about his behavior. He usually has better manners, but it was a rough day for him, especially with my antics.”
    â€œStill, I didn’t act as a doctor should,” Elizabeth admitted.
    â€œHe gets these terrible headaches, and I keep telling him he needs to see a doctor, but he won’t. He’s been under a lot of stress and, well, he doesn’t do well with doctors and hospitals. Nothing personal.”
    â€œNone taken,” Elizabeth assured him.

CHAPTER 7
Charles Bingley Is a Lucky Whore
    â€œStop hiding in your room,” Bingley said to Darcy. “You’re coming to the club tonight. Don’t shake your head at me. When was the last time you’ve stepped out of your room?”
    Darcy said, “I’m not hiding. I don’t feel like socializing lately.”
    â€œFine, you’re not hiding, you’re hibernating. And when have you ever felt like socializing?” Bingley held up his hand when Darcy opened his mouth. “Not another word. My family is in Hong Kong shopping. You’re safe to leave your room. Jane Bennet and her sister are at Merry Bar—”
    â€œI’m not interested in talking with some girl working as an escort.”
    â€œAn escort?” Bingley’s eyes widened. “ That’s why you left abruptly yesterday. I had to make excuses for your rudeness.”
    Darcy moved away. “I was expecting an important phone call.”
    â€œYou’re such an idiot.” Bingley followed. “If you’d stayed to hear the rest of what Elizabeth had said, you’d have known she’s a doctor.”
    Darcy felt like smiling. He turned away to hide his relief from Bingley. His wood nymph, his fantasy water sprite, was not an escort.
    â€œShe was the American doctor who treated me in the hospital, you prick! The one you acted the bloody arse with.”
    Damn. Damn. Damn. Of course, the green eyes. “I only got a brief glimpse of her eyes through her protective eyewear. How could I have recognized her? We weren’t properly introduced at the time.”
    â€œOf course you weren’t