Taming Mr. Darcy (The Taming Series Book 4)

by Nia Arthurs

  “Me too!” We scrambled off the bed and raced toward the small hut with the other girls. We stopped on the safe plane of the verandah, the porch light bathing us in an orange glow. I got a good look at Lindsey. Her pale skin was smudged with makeup that aged her so that she seemed older than fifteen. Her long hair was mussed and her eyes were way too wise to the world.

  She was just a kid.

  I breathed hard since I hadn’t yet gotten to the healthy resolution that I’d made after my pathetic performance on the Blue Jaguar trip.

  “Lexi,” Lindsey said quietly so as not to wake the other girls sleeping just inside. “Thanks.”

  “For what.” I said between gulps of the sweet, refreshing air.

  “For listening. I think Brett and I will just be friends from now on.”

  “That sounds good.” I gave the girl a hug and then ushered her into the cabin.

  I spent the night sleeping with one eye open. Despite Lindsey’s apparent change of heart, I remembered my teenage years well. I wasn’t taking any chances.

  The next morning, we woke up after seven thirty. The camp had communal showers with plastic curtains in cubicle squares. Thank God the teachers had their own bathroom. No way was I subjecting myself to such lack of privacy. After a quick shower, I herded the kids toward the cafeteria where the workers offered cartons of scrambled eggs, chicken sausage, beans, and Happy Cow cheese.

  I saw Lindsey sitting with some girlfriends in the busy room. She caught my eye and waved. I waved back.

  That girl was something else.

  “Hey,” Drew’s voice rumbled near my ear. I turned and gave him a little once over. He was pretty hot in khakis, a blue T-shirt with the Fantastic Four insignia emblazoned on the front and of course, his Vans. He smelled like soap.

  I liked it.

  “Hi.”

  He gestured with his head for me to follow him outside of the cafeteria and I did so quietly. We walked a ways from the main hall. The sun was hot as usual. With this lighting, I could see the grounds quite well. The cabins, scattered atop the green grass, looked even more derelict in the light. The lake was a few yards away from the rec hall and shined a murky green under the sun’s reflection.

  “So,” Drew said firmly, “I wanted to talk about last night.”

  “I know.” I sighed, “It was pretty bad.”

  “That was my first time, you know, and with you there-”

  “Okay!” I heard a female voice and whirled around to observe Susan and Archie emerging from the foliage.

  What the heck?

  “What happened last night?” Susan stood before Drew with her fists on her hip.

  Archie, looking red-faced and sheepishly waved lightly at us.

  Drew explained, “Each of our cabin mates decided to sneak out.”

  “What were you guys doing back there?” I questioned.

  Susan looked a little embarrassed. “Not making out. That’s for sure.”

  I rolled my eyes at them. Thanks to Melody and Spencer, I was pretty much immune to gross marital displays of PDA.

  Drew and I glanced awkwardly away.

  Archie brushed his shirt down. “Now what was this about the kids sneaking out.”

  We explained al that happened last night.

  “I didn’t want punish Brett by driving him home, but I came to see what Lexi thought. If she wants to turn them in, then I’m okay with that too.” Drew said.

  Aww. Co-parenting.

  “I actually came to an agreement with Lindsey. She’s agreed to drop Brett like a hot potato.”

  “That’s good.” Drew nodded, “He didn’t seem interested in anything that I had to say to him last night.”

  “Are you two sure that you don’t want to kick them out?” Archie stepped forward, his expression serious.

  “Nope.” I nodded. “I’ve got Lindsey.”

  Drew shrugged. “I guess, I’ve got Brett.”

  “Okay.” Archie agreed with our decision. “We’ll keep quiet too.”

  “Great.” Susan shooed us away with her hands, “I have to talk to Archie about something.”

  Drew and I exchanged knowing glances but obeyed the dynamic little woman and walked back up the trail toward the rec hall.

  “Can you imagine being that crazily in love.” I laughed.

  “They’re not fun to room with, I’ll tell you that.” Drew grinned uncomfortably.

  “I’d get my own apartment one lick.” I told Drew.

  “That’s a good idea.” He mused. “But I won’t be here that long anyway.”

  Before we could continue our conversation, we were once again emerged into the chaos of a teenage filled breakfast room. It was unbelievable to me that fifty little kids could make this much noise. It was incredible.

  “Wanna sit with me?” Drew offered.

  I narrowed my eyes. “You’re just offering because you want the little girls to leave you alone.”

  He sighed. “You got me. Please say you’ll help.”

  “Sure.” I grinned. Since Susan’s admission last night that Drew had broken things off with Catherine, I felt a little lighter about our friendship. Even if a completely platonic relationship was all I’d ever have with Drew, at least I didn’t have the added guilt of pining after a man who was completely with another woman.

  We lined up in the short line of teenage boys and girls dressed in T-shirts and knee length pants standing up for their second plate of the delicious meal and slid our plates down the counter spooning fluffy eggs, perfectly fried sausages and warm beans into our plates.

  “I’ll get the orange juice.” I handed Drew my plate and headed off to stand in line for the glasses of tart liquid. He stayed with me while I waited.

  After getting our drinks, we moved to a table, laughing and joking about Archie and Susan’s complete lack of social grace when ‘it’ began. I call it “the herding”. It’s hard to describe how inappropriate some of the teenage girls were. Since I was sitting in his circle for the first time this weekend, I had a front row seat to the show some of the bolder girls put on to gain Drew’s attention.

  Yeesh, these girls are more aggressive than I am.

  It was a curse of the more facially blessed people to always be surrounded by admirers. I got that. But these were teenage girls. And Drew was at a church camp.

  Geez, was nothing sacred anymore?

  Feeling sorry for him, I scooted forward and shot him a quick wink.

  “Eliza,” I spoke to a particularly chatty girl who didn’t get Drew’s subtle backshifts and persistent withdrawals from her touch, “hi.”

  She smiled back at me. “Hi.” And then immediately returned to Drew, “So like I was saying…”

  “Eliza?” I persisted, ignoring her potent dismissal. “You’re the girl with the rash last summer on Family Day?”

  The young lady stood abruptly, “We don’t speak about that anymore.”

  “Really?” I feigned surprise, “The way you’ve been hanging on to Mr. Darcy, I assumed that you wanted him to know all about you.”

  “That’s not necessary.” She insisted, her face turning the color of a ripe tomato. “I’ll see you around Drew.”

  She got up and fled.

  I turned to the five other girls around the table.

  “Anyone else wanna chat?”

  Heads shook with frightened eyes and everyone of the chicks hanging onto Drew hopped away. I was sure I hadn’t cured them of their crush but at least I’d saved him from tons of uncomfortable conversations.

  “What happened during Family Day?” Drew asked.

  “Don’t worry about it.” I patted his hand consolingly. “But its embarrassing enough that she won’t be bothering you again.”

  Drew leaned back and grinned, his smile warming my heart more than this hefty breakfast did.

  “I should have asked for your help long ago.”

  I bit into my sausage. “See, not long ago, I used to be one of those girls.”

  Dr
ew arched an eyebrow.

  “Oh no.” I waved my weiner and clarified, “I wasn’t nearly so aggressive. Still, I feel kind of sad. A lot of these girls don’t have daddies like mine to guide them through the years of insecurity that comes with being a woman.”

  Drew inhaled. “I feel sorry for them too.”

  I shot him a glance. “I used to be a teenage boy. I know exactly what we think about when we think of women.”

  I nodded sorrowfully, but the world and its problems grew a little further away the more that I ate of my amazing meal.

  Someday, when all these calories finally caught up to me, I’d realize that I could have made better food choices. For right now, however, I just enjoyed my fat free thighs.

  Drew and I finished up our meal and then moved the kids to the rec hall where Archie and Jermaine sang a few songs before listing the day’s activities. I looked forward to the football game and the tug of war contest. I wasn’t as tall or as thick as the other girls but I was a beast at tug and war. Drew noticed my brightened expression when Jermaine called out that particular activity.

  “You’re into tug of war?”

  “I’m the Queen.” I popped my collar confidently.

  Drew grinned. “You’re sure you can handle a game that…”

  “Don’t you say it.” I warned.

  “Manly?”

  He said.

  Drew knew he was egging me on and though I tried to keep him from getting under my skin, he succeeded.

  “You and me buddy.” I promised. “When the games are done, I want you on the opposite end of that rope.” I pointed to the thick behemoth of a rope that was wound on the ground near the front doors.

  “You’re on, Reyes.”

  I laughed manically. Drew had no idea what he was in for.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  “Go! Go!” I yelled for the girls from my cabin as they dug their feet into the sandy earth and tugged the coarse brown rope with all of their might. Young men clapped and whooped and roared and the other girls not participating in the competitions screamed their advice in loud shrieks. Gray clouds hovered up above and the wind turned ominously cold, but the girls fought hard.

  “Come on, Lindsey!” I yelled encouragement to the feisty camper.

  My girls tried with all of their might but unfortunately, the huge woman-teenager on the other team was just too much for our anchor and my girls toppled into the mud. The onlookers laughed and cheered as the females, spotted with mud from the pit, shook their hair and wiped off their clothes as best as they could.

  At that moment, a drop of wetness hit my nose.

  Mia put her hand on my shoulder as she predicted. “Looks like it’s going to rain.”

  I glanced up at the sky.

  Angry clouds moved in a threatening swirl.

  “I guess so.” I moved over to Drew.

  “Hey, Darcy.” I nodded to the group of young men surrounding their tall, handsome cabin director.

  “You going to let a little rain scare you off from our duel?”

  Drew grinned, “It’s a duel now?”

  I spread my arms wide. “Just calling it like I see it.”

  He shook his head. “I’m not afraid of a little water.”

  As if in defiance, the clouds broke open and showers of rain drops assaulted our assembly. The girls screamed and ran for their cabins, rushing to protect their straightened manes. Even the boys gave up on standing outside in the shivering cold and withdrew to the rec center to play pool and foosball.

  My clothes stuck to my skin with rain and my hair fell in thin ringlets around my face, but I stood my ground.

  “I’m game if you are.” I yelled above the noise of the raindrops on the cabins’ zinc rooftops.

  Drew pushed his T-shirt up with his palms. “Bring it on.”

  We positioned ourselves on either side of the mud pit. The scent of damp earth filled my sense with the breath of new beginnings. I shifted my tennis shoes deeper into the mud and grabbed for the rope, feeling its rough texture against the softness of my hand. I should have thought to bring gloves. This was gonna hurt.

  Drew tested the rope and seemed to think the same thing.

  “Reyes,” He called, “I’m not so sure about this.”

  “I can handle.”

  “Lexi,” Drew stepped toward me but I lifted a hand to stay any further movements.

  “I got it.” I assured him, “And don’t go easy on me because I’m a girl either.”

  He shook his head, his hair dispensing rain drops as he did so.

  “Okay. Let’s do this.” He finally agreed when he realized that I wasn’t about to wimp out on him.

  He picked up the rope and I twirled my hand comfortably around it before shouting, “Go!”

  I felt the first surge of Drew’s strength as he managed to pull me forward. I held firm and tugged back. The rain fell into my ears, my eyes, my chest, but I persisted, putting all of my effort into keeping away from the mud pit. Drew didn’t budge when I went on the offense, but I kept on, holding the burning rope in my hands. The object felt heavier now that it was soaking up the rain.

  Some of the guys were watching us from the safety of the rec center.

  “Come on, Lexi!” Some cheered.

  “Get her, Drew!” Others screamed.

  I focused on my footing and my balance, but the ground all around us was turning to a mud pit and I kept slipping down. On the bright side so did Drew. We kept on fighting but after two minutes both Drew and I were covered in mud.

  “I surrender!” Drew called, but the wind tore his words from my hearing.

  “What!” I continued to struggle and pull.

  “I surrender!” He yelled again.

  I nodded my head and gave one last tug. Unfortunately, that was the moment Drew decided to let go of the rope. I flew backward and landed flat on my back in the muddy field. Drew rushed over to my reclining figure.

  “Lexi, are you okay?”

  I covered my muddy face with my muddy hands and laughed.

  Drew’s look of concern was soon replaced by his own amusement.

  I started laughing harding and he chuckled along with me.

  “Lexi Elizabeth…” He shook his head.

  The fact that he knew my middle name was overshadowed by how hilarious this entire situation was.

  I laughed so hard I cried, my tears mingling with the weeping of the sky.

  “Come on,” He stood and offered me a hand up. I glanced at his muddy face and snorted again. Drew was like a walking chocolate covered vanilla icicle. I could see his pale skin but most his body was covered in brown.

  He was so adorable.

  “You look fantastic.” Drew barked out a laughter. I held out my arm. I could imagine the picture I made. I struck a pose.

  “You like?”

  He shook his head. “I guess.”

  Mia rushed toward us waving an umbrella over her head and holding one in her arms. “Go dry off before you die of pneumonia.” She instructed us.

  Drew accepted the umbrella. I rolled my eyes but we obediently struck out for the teacher’s bathroom on the other side of the campground. The magic of this rainy day deeply affected me. I felt washed clean and all the problems that I’d been worrying about faded away with the beauty of the drops on green leaves or the way the rain pitter pattered on the lake’s surface.

  We arrived at the bathrooms and Drew looked uncertainly at the dripping wet towels that Mia had not two minutes ago handed dry and safe to us. I offered mine. Since I’d had two hands available, I’d been able to protect my towel.

  “No thanks,” Drew offered kindly.

  “Go ahead.” I pushed the towel toward him. “Let’s at least get the mud from our nose. You can take that side of the towel and I’ll take this one.”

  Drew agreed. We closed the umbrella once we arrived beneath the awning of the bathroom’s shade and we sat on a rough hewn bench sitting upright thanks to the help of a cement block.<
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  “Here.” Drew offered me my side of the towel and I accepted it with a smile, enthusiastically wiping my face and nostrils to get the mud out. It was far from a romantic moment. We were doing the towel equivalent of digging for gold in the “cave”, but somehow… it felt very intimate. While my face was buried in the towel, Drew’s was right next to mine. Somehow our gazes locked with the towel in front of us like shield from the rest of the world. The rain pounded the zinc awning but it did not touch us. My breathing slowed as his blue eyes fixed on my lips.

  I really, really wanted Drew to kiss me.

  He leaned closer and I closed my eyes expectantly.

  But he didn’t.

  I let out a breath of frustration and stood, pacing forward into the rain and getting sopping wet all over again.

  “What are you doing?” I accused.

  He slowly stood as well and rubbed the towel through his hair making it stand on end. He carefully avoided my gaze.

  “I’m drying off.”

  I slapped the hair falling into my eyes away from my face and shook my head. The rain soaked my skin and this time I could feel the chill.

  “With me. What are you doing with me?”

  “Lexi,” He stepped forward into the rain.

  I stepped back.

  “No. No more dancing around. No more silent tension and uncertainty and awkwardness. What are we doing, Drew?” I demanded.

  He ran a hand through his hair. “Does it have to have a label?”

  “I’m not asking for a label.” I groaned in frustration. “I’m tired of this dance.” I pointed between us.

  “I don’t know what to tell you.”

  I nodded. I felt all mixed up inside like someone had taken the usual, reserved, anti-social Lexi and replaced her with the Lexi who couldn’t keep her mouth shut or her emotions locked away. I felt like throwing up and raging at the sky and dropping to my knees in tears.

  Lord have mercy, I’m going crazy.

  I needed to get away.

  Nodding once, I turned on my heels and moved to step away.

  Drew growled and ate the distance between us. In one fluid motion, he grasped my hand and pulled me to him, pressing his lips against mine in an ardent caress. I kissed him back even as my heart pummeled my chest, even as my limbs shook from the cold, even as the rain tickled my nose.