Pride's Prejudice Read Online Free PDF

the freezer and set the whipped cream in the
door of the fridge, a knock sounded at the door.  Just before opening it,
she had one of those uncanny insights into the future that whisper across the
mind now and again.  Like when you hear the opening strains of a song in
your head, and the next second the radio plays the tune.  Only, it wasn't
quite so pleasantly surprising.  The name Colton blinked in her head, and
the next instant he stood in her doorway - freakishly tall, leaning casually
against the frame in his Wranglers and boots.  He'd even decked out in a
cowboy hat and bolo necktie.  His western-style shirt had an embroidered
design of a rodeo king roping a girl in a miniskirt.  Beth cocked her head
to the side, scowling.  Surely not.
    "Miss
Pride," Colton drawled.  "Fancy seein' you here."
    "Wonder
of wonders, considering I live here," Beth answered dryly.
    Colton
just chuckled.  "I like you, Beth.  You're humorous."
    Beth
smiled placidly.  "So, Colton.  How can I help you?" 
The sooner he got to the point of his visit, the better.  Beth had
hormonal binging to attend to.
    "Well,
I'm visitin' my Aunt and Uncle Cartwright for the weekend."
    "I
figured."  'Aunt and Uncle Cartwright' were Longbourn's RAs. 
Every visit was exactly the same.  The Cartwrights would invite the most
tempting array of Longbourn residents to their apartment for dessert, and
Colton would pick his favorite.
    "Auntie
Cartwright mentioned some to-do you got goin' on tomorrow night."
    Oh,
no.  No.
    "I
was hoping you'd give me the first turn at the dance."
    Beth
closed her eyes, wishing she could make him disappear.  All the dorms held
a stomp in their commons area each semester.  It was just a casual
get-together with dancing and food, and dorm residents were allowed to invite
one guest.  How untimely that Colton's bi-annual visit happened to
coincide with the occasion.  Beth supposed she should be grateful he
didn't have any horse goo on his boots this time.  Apparently his
dessert-du-jour was Beth.
    "Um,"
she began, clearing her throat, "I think I'm coming down with something,
actually."  Colton didn't need to know that her malady was womanhood.
    Colton
peeked over Beth's head into the apartment, his eyes zeroing in on the junk
food littering the counter.
    "Now
don't you go ruinin' that pretty little figure.  Your hips are just
perfect for birthing."
    Beth
couldn't contain a shocked burst of laughter.  Then she pinched the bridge
of her nose.  Was it too early to play the lesbian card?  Or the
highly contagious and suspicious rash excuse?  Colton was nothing if not
determined.  She had seen it countless times.  The only thing that
rescued a Longbourn girl from Colton's affection was graduation.
    Beth
thought for a moment.  One dance wouldn't kill her.  The only way to
avoid him completely was to stay home, and she really didn't want to skip the
stomp altogether.
    "We'll
see how I'm feeling, okay?"
    "'Atta
girl, Beth."  He made a noise that he probably used often to get a horse
going, tipped his hat, and strutted off down the hall.
    Why
me? Beth thought desperately, seizing the cheesy balls from the counter.
    One
junk food fest, a sappy romantic movie, and Tylenol PM-induced sleep later, and
Beth awoke to face her Friday.  Classes were over by one-thirty, and so
she spent the rest of the afternoon sharing her MSG-riddled plunder with Jenna,
practicing her guitar, and listening to Jenna gush about Les Bradford.  He
had called her at least once a day since the movie date, and Jenna had invited
him to the stomp.
    Beth's
lazy strumming cut off abruptly as she pinned Jenna with her eyes. 
"Tell me he's not bringing him ."
    "Not
that I know of," Jenna qualified.  "I invited his sister,
though."
    "But
you're only allowed one guest, Jenna."
    "Yes,
but I know you haven't asked anyone, so I'm making up for you."
    Beth
glared at Jenna.  She had considered asking Brandon, but she was fairly
certain he would read too much