Our eyes meet, and we both break into giddy, nervous smiles. As finally, after all this time, after everything that"s happened, he reaches out and wrapping his arms around me, pulls me towards him.
Desire, that"s what I felt on his roof terrace, I suddenly realise, feeling him next to me. That sensation I couldn"t put my finger on. It was desire.
"There"s just one more thing," I say, and he pauses. "From now on we have to be totally honest with each other."
"OK, well in that case I have something you should know," he says, suddenly serious.
"You do?" I feel a p.r.i.c.kle of panic.
"I"m in love with you, Tess Connelly."
I feel a rush of happiness. "Well, it"s funny you should say that. I"m in love with you too."
Then, with him holding me tightly, we fall back against the door. And as it closes behind us he bends down and, with his warm mouth on mine, kisses me like I"m his leading lady.
Believe me, this is something I"m never going to want to forget.
Acknowledgements.
As always, huge thanks to my agent Stephanie Cabot, my editor Isobel Akenhead, and everyone at Hodder for all their hard work, enthusiasm and commitment. Behind every new book is a team of people working hard behind the scenes and I am forever grateful to have the best team there is.
Sadly, during the course of writing this book, I lost my dad and I want to thank all my wonderful friends whose outpouring of love and support got me through the darkest of times: Sara, Rachel, Beatrice, Rhian, Dana, Chris, Bev, Katie, Kate, Mishky, Pete, Matt, Saar, Charlie . . . to name but just a few. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, I am so lucky to have you guys.
And finally, to my amazing mum and my sister Kelly I couldn"t have done this without you. Thank you for being there every step (or should that be "word") of the way. For your strength, your unconditional love and your unwavering belief in me as a writer.
We make a good team. Dad would be proud.
About the author.
Alexandra Potter is an award-winning author who previously worked as a features writer and sub-editor for women"s glossies in both the UK and Australia. In 2007 she won the prize for Best New Fiction at the Jane Austen Regency World Awards for her bestselling novel, Me and Mr Darcy. Her novels have been translated into seventeen languages and her latest novel, You"re the One That I Don"t Want, is being adapted into a film. She now lives between London and Los Angeles and writes full-time.
Also by Alexandra Potter.
You"re the One That I Don"t Want.
Who"s That Girl?
Me and Mr Darcy Be Careful What You Wish For.
Do You Come Here Often?
Calling Romeo.
What"s New, p.u.s.s.ycat?
Going La La.
First published in Great Britain in 2012 by.
Hodder & Stoughton.
An Hachette UK company.
Copyright Alexandra Potter 2012.
The right of Alexandra Potter to be identified as the Author of the Work has been a.s.serted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
All characters in this publication are fict.i.tious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
A CIP catalogue record for this t.i.tle is available from the British Library.
ISBN 978 1 444 71212 4.
Hodder & Stoughton Ltd 338 Euston Road London NW1 3BH www.hodder.co.uk ALEXANDRA POTTER.
Me and Mr Darcy He"s every woman"s fantasy . . .
After a string of nightmare relationships, Emily Albright has decided she"s had it with modern-day men. She"d rather pour herself a gla.s.s of wine, curl up with Pride and Prejudice and step into a time where men were dashing, devoted and honourable, strode across fields in breeches, their damp shirts clinging to their chests, and weren"t into internet p.o.r.n.
So when her best friend invites her to Mexico for a week of margaritas and men, Emily decides to book a guided tour of Jane Austen country instead.
She quickly realises she won"t find her dream man here. The coach tour is full of pensioners, apart from one Mr Spike Hargreaves, a foul-tempered journalist sent to write a piece on why Mr Darcy"s been voted the man most women would love to date.
Until she walks into a room and finds herself face-to-face with Darcy himself. And every woman"s fantasy suddenly becomes one woman"s reality.
ALEXANDRA POTTER.
You"re the One That I Don"t Want How do you know he"s The One?
Are you getting b.u.t.terflies just thinking about him?
Have you dreamt of marrying him?
Do you just know?
When Lucy meets Nate in Venice, aged 18, she knows instantly he"s The One. And, caught up in the whirlwind of first love, they kiss under the Bridge of Sighs at sunset. Which according to legend will tie them together forever.
But ten years later, they"ve completely lost contact. That is, until Lucy moves to New York and the legend brings them back together. Again. And again. And again.
But what if Nate isn"t The One? How is she going to get rid of him? Because forever could be a very long time . . .
A funny, magical romantic comedy about how finding The One doesn"t always have to mean happily ever after.
ALEXANDRA POTTER.
Who"s That Girl?
If only you knew then what you know now . . .
Imagine you could go back ten years and meet your younger self would you recognise her? And what advice would you give?
* Wear sunscreen.
* Back away from those PVC trousers.
* DON"T give that idiot your phone number * Lemon juice won"t bleach your hair it just attracts wasps.
* He"s The One don"t let him get away.
For Charlotte Merryweather, there"s no need to imagine. She"s about to find out for real. With some surprising consequences . . .
Alexandra Potter"s deliciously funny and enchanting romantic comedy looks at life, love and what might happen if you could turn back time . . .
ALEXANDRA POTTER.
Be Careful What You Wish For.
"I wish I could get a seat on the tube . . . I hadn"t eaten that entire bag of Maltesers . . . I could meet a man whose hobbies include washing up and monogamy . . ."
Heather Hamilton is always wishing for things. Not just big stuff like world peace or for a date with Brad Pitt but little, everyday wishes, made without thinking.With her luck, she knows they"ll never come true . . .
Until one day she buys some lucky heather from a gypsy. Suddenly the bad hair days stop; a handsome American answers her ad for a housemate; and she starts seeing James The Perfect Man who sends her flowers, excels in the bedroom, and isn"t afraid to say "I love you" . . .
But are these wishes-come-true a blessing or a curse? And is there such a thing as too much foreplay ALEXANDRA POTTER.
What"s New, p.u.s.s.ycat?
What would you do if your boyfriend proposed?
Say yes and throw your arms around him.
Text everyone with your good news Take out a subscription to Brides magazine.
Delilah does none of the above. Instead she packs her bags and heads to London in search of a new life, and a new man. Only she meets two. Charlie, the s.e.xy media mogul and Sam, best friend and confidante.
Everything seems perfect.Thrown into a whirlwind of glamorous parties, five-star restaurants and designer penthouses, Delilah couldn"t be happier. After all, it"s a million miles away from her old life.And her old self.Which is exactly what she wanted.
Isn"t it?
end.