Pride's Prejudice by Misty Dawn Pulsipher Read Free Book Online Page B

manufactured self-tanner.  Beth had barely managed to pass
her laughter off as choking when Kara informed her that she and Lucy had been
runners-up for the title of Bottle Bronze Babe the previous year. 
The prizes were full-ride scholarships to Hartford, and a year's supply of Bottle
Bronze .  Somehow, it all fit now.
    Now
the duo sat gossiping, bearing a striking resemblance to Statler and Waldorf
from The Muppet Show.   That is, Statler and Waldorf in tiny
t-shirts and Daisy Duke shorts.  Beth smiled faintly as she anticipated how
long it would take for them to freeze in those clothes.  Had they never been camping?  Wyoming had some of the coldest mountains in the country.
    Beth
was pulled from her musings by a heavy flannel blanket settling on her
shoulders.  It smelled faintly of pine needles and a vaguely familiar
scent that she couldn't place.  When she lifted her eyes, expecting to
thank Les, she met with William's stony gaze instead.
    Turning
back to the fire, she said "Thank you," as civilly as she could
manage.  Obviously, he thought she was stupid for getting into this
situation in the first place, and she could hardly blame him for feeling that
way.  But she was angry enough with herself.
    Wordlessly,
William took a seat next to Beth on the log.  He opened his mouth to speak
several times, but then snapped it shut in frustration.  "What were
you thinking?" he finally managed.
    When
Beth didn't answer right away, he turned his black eyes on her.  She felt
herself shrink back a little.  Turning her face away from him, she trained
her eyes back on the blaze.  How did he make her feel so small?  It
wasn't like she'd meant for Jenna to get hurt.  A sense of déjà vu stole
over her, and suddenly she was standing on the stage at the benefit again, the
unclaimed girl in the spotlight.  And now William Darcy had stepped in
again.  Her temper flared.
    "I
know how much you love a damsel in distress, William.  I just thought I'd
stroke your ego a bit."  She had worked to maintain her cool, but her
voice shook with the effort.
    His
head lolled forward and then he turned wary eyes on her. 
"Really?  We're back there again?"
    "We
never left," Beth exhaled in a gust of mirthless laugher.  William
needed to know that his opinion was at the bottom of her priority list. 
In fact, it hadn't even made the list.
    He
looked at her for an immeasurable moment, his dark eyes drilling into
hers.  "Whatever helps you sleep at night, sweetheart. "
    Beth
couldn't help slitting her eyes at him in anger.  Not for the first time,
she wished she could turn arrogant men to stone with a look, like Medusa. 
Her composure slipped and she shook her head, turning away so he wouldn't see
the tears gathering in her eyes.  Unfortunately, turning away from William
had brought Kara and Lucy into view.  No doubt they had witnessed the
exchange and were beyond entertained.  Beth rose abruptly to check on
Jenna.  Halfway to the tent, she remembered that she had William's
blanket.  Taking any kindness from him was unbearable, because it wasn't
really kindness.  It came with a price - one that was too high for her
wounded pride.  After disposing of condemning tears with a swipe of her
hand, she backtracked to William and dropped the blanket in his lap.  As
she stepped away, he caught her arm and drew her back, standing slowly to face
her.  He was quite a bit closer than Beth liked, and she took an
involuntary step back.
    "Do
you have any other clothes in your pack to change into?  You look
frozen."
    She
answered with a prolonged blink.  "No.  I have some clothes in
my truck, but if I could get to it, we wouldn't be having this
conversation."  She dared a glance up at him.  His eyes
softened.  Only then did Beth notice that her arm was still in his
grasp.  It was the warmth of his skin that caught her attention.  An
awkward lull passed, and then William draped the blanket over her shoulders
again.
    "Keep
it," he said