Embraced by Faulkner, Carolyn (books for 8th graders .TXT) 📕

their parents died unexpectedly, Barrett had gotten his GED and gone to college, majoring in business, and now had his masters in the same subject. Brawn and brain. Meg almost felt like he’d been built to her personal specifications, and it scared the bejeebers out of her. Mandy had quickly absorbed the fact that for some reason, Meg didn’t like her oldest brother, and always invited

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BacksideOfLove.com

Carolyn Faulkner

her down when he wasn’t going to be there. It had worked like clockwork – the most time she’d ever had to spend in the same house with him was less than a day, until now. He didn’t look like he was planning to go anywhere soon, damnit.

“Butch. I like that.” Well, at least he appreciated the irony.

“My next dog is going to be a Great Dane named – “

“Tiny,” he supplied, and they both laughed.

“Or FiFi, or Pooky, or something else specifically designed to give him a doggie identity crisis.” The object of their discussion had snuggled into the crook of Barrett’s arm as if he’d been surgically attached there, and Barrett held him with firm and tender confidence. He was a man aware of his own strength, comfortable with his physical abilities. He enjoyed animals – and – given half the chance – he’d love to enjoy this one’s owner, but she rarely let him within 15 feet of her for some reason. She couldn’t be afraid of large men - he’d scouted Mandy out on that and as far as she knew, there’d never been any sort of abuse in her family. Hell, Mandy confided, Meg’d never even been spanked!

Barrett had tucked that tidbit of information into his steel-trap mind for future reference. No, it couldn’t be his size; he’d heard her laughing and joking with his brothers more than once, and, though he was the largest of the three, they weren’t small by any stretch of the imagination, but she inevitably clammed up when he appeared. He’d racked his brain – trying to think if he’d insulted her somehow, and even asked Mandy, who hadn’t met his eyes, but shook her head. He wasn’t about to ask Mandy betray a confidence, so he left it at that. But it’d bothered him all the same.

He watched her from beneath hooded lids; lazily scratching an appreciative furry chin and enjoying the view of her jean clad

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Embraced

bottom. She had a big suitcase in either hand and the travel bag over her shoulder as if she thought he wasn’t gentleman enough to carry them to her room when suddenly she doubled over by a violent coughing spasm. Barrett dumped the dog and quickly got up, removing her hands from the two big bags. That cough sounded bad; a worried frown creased his forehead as he guided her to the chair he’d vacated. “Sit,” he said for the second time since she arrived, and she, like her dog, obeyed him without protest, too busy fighting for breath to argue.

Just what I need, Meg thought, is to cough a lung up in front of him. Tears streamed down her face, and she doubled over, very very close to retching. Recovering from pneumonia can be fun.

“Drink.” A cool glass of water was pressed to her lips, and she took a small sip, which seemed to soothe the raw ache in her throat and lungs. He left the glass on the table in front of her and disappeared, returning to hand her piece of hard candy. “Suck,” he commanded succinctly, but not without a grin, and despite herself, Meagan giggled, which set her off again.

“You – sadist – don’t – make – me,” breath, “laugh!”

He squatted in front of her, wearing that wonderful smile, and Meagan knew what all the romance novelists meant when they wrote “her heart skipped a beat.” His overwhelming nearness wasn’t helping her breath but the candy helped her control the urge to cough, and soon she was feeling almost human. Broad, work-roughened hands had somehow landed on her denim knees; she could feel his warmth right through the material. Giving herself a mental shake, she tried to get up, but instead found herself pressed back into the chair with little or no effort on his part. His strength amazed her. “Don’t. Stay still for a minute. I’ll take your stuff to your room.” Mandy was right. Even Barrett’s usual voice more

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BacksideOfLove.com

Carolyn Faulkner

often than not said that he expected to be obeyed; disobedience would result in dire consequences. Mandy had been subject to those exact dire consequences since their parents had died when Barrett was sixteen and Mandy was a mere four. Despite the fact that he never hesitated to tan her bottom good when she needed it, Mandy - and all the rest of the siblings - thought the sun rose and set on Barrett’s massive shoulders.

Meg couldn’t help but grin at the sight of her tiny, eager little puppy following adoringly at the booted heels of the cowboy giant. Against her better judgment, she leaned her head back against the chair, coughing slightly, trying to relax, until suddenly, she felt airborne, and realized that he’d snuck up and lifted her into his arms. Her head tucked all-too-naturally into the curve of his neck, and, realizing how easily she could completely surrender to him, Meagan began to struggle.

Her weight felt amazingly good in his arms, warm forehead pressed to the side of his neck and one smallish hand over his heart.

Until she started to wiggle. “E-nough.” One word rumbled from deep in his chest, and his arms