The Family Way by Jayne Ann Krentz Read Free Book Online

the past doesn’t concern you, Pru.“
    „Maybe not, but I’m entitled to know why you’ve suddenly changed your mind about marrying me,“ she tossed back.
    He lowered his glass. „I’ve told you why I’ve changed my mind. I want you back and you’ve made it clear marriage is your price.“
    Pru shuddered, closing her eyes in pain. She sat very still. „This isn’t going to work, is it? I’m sorry, McCord. Please believe me, I never intended to set a price on myself and demand you meet it. I never wanted this kind of situation to develop between us. I wish I could make things easy for both of us.
    Unfortunately I can’t live with you. Not any longer. But now I know I can’t marry you, either. Not as long as you view the whole thing as a business transaction. I refuse to sell myself to you in exchange for a ring.“
    „Pru…“
    She ignored him, getting to her feet in a swift movement and reaching for her small purse.
    „You don’t have to worry about me, McCord. I’ll call a cab.“
    „Damn it, Pru, sit down.“ He was on his feet before she could get around her chair. His hand closed over her wrist, exerting just enough pressure to force her gently but firmly back down into her seat. His eyes blazed with masculine irritation. „You’ve already walked out on me once in front of an audience. I’m not going to let you do it a second time. You’ve shredded my ego and my pride pretty thoroughly, lady. I don’t need another dose of your feminine temperament. Isn’t it enough for you that I’m here on my hands and knees trying to offer marriage?“
    She stared at him, straining against the hold on her wrist. When she realized it wasn’t going to slacken she settled back in her chair. He released her and sprawled into his own seat, glaring at her.
    There was a measure of tense silence before Pru’s sense of humor finally surfaced. „On your hands and knees, McCord? Please excuse me, I hadn’t realized you were actually groveling. I had the distinct impression you were here to order me to marry you.“
    His mouth twisted wryly. „It would certainly make my life simpler if I could. Do you know what I’ve been through in the past week? From the moment you left, Martha and Steve have barely spoken to me.
    J.P. has delivered at least one lecture a day on how to treat a good woman. You’d think I’d had you chained to my bed, forced to live in sin for the past three months from the way everyone acts. Even if I could convince you to come back and live with me without the benefit of marriage, I’m damn sure J.P.
    Martha and Steve wouldn’t allow it. They all think I’ve had my wicked way with you long enough. Now that you’ve escaped my clutches, they hope you’ll stay out of my reach until you’ve forced me to do the right thing.“
    „I had no idea,“ Pru murmured dryly, „just how many people in this world still harbored the same sentiments as my Aunt Wilhelmina when it came to such things as living with a man versus marrying him.“
    McCord groaned. „This is the famous aunt who gave you the lectures on not sleeping with a man until you’d got him to the altar?“
    „That’s her.“ For some reason Pru was suddenly feeling more cheerful. A certain tension between herself and McCord had just been broken, she realized. A large measure of the ease they usually experienced in each other’s company had been restored. She began to relax for the first time that evening.
    „It occurs to me,“ McCord observed slowly, „that there are a few things I don’t know about you. I hadn
    ’t even met your sister until today. Is there anyone else in your family?“
    „Just Aunt Wilhelmina. She lives in Spot, Texas.“
    „Your parents?“ he prompted gently.
    „My mother is dead,“ Pru said quietly. „She was killed shortly after I was born. She was in a car with a man who was very drunk at the wheel. He might have been my father. They were on their way to Mexico.
    I like to think they were going to