The Cutthroat by Clive Cussler (audio ebook reader .TXT) 📕

her every week. That and the fact that her car seemed to have developed some sort of special regenerative powers – the gas tank was always full. Apparently, the gas fairy was visiting her nightly, and she figured she could give the police a pretty good description of him. Hard to believe that she was only going to be here another three weeks before she had to head back. It was going to be extremely hard to leave – she felt more at home here than she had anywhere in a very long time. Barrett had seen to that. Some of the townspeople had known her from her previous visits, but now, since she had been seen with him, it seemed that everyone in the county new her by name or in association with Barrett Costas.

She’d accomplished everything she’d wanted to do this summer, and then some, mainly because of him. Riding was a joy that she couldn’t wait to begin doing again next summer. They’d visited all sorts of museums and gone to the amusement parks in the area; Mandy had confided one night that Barrett had a terrible weakness for them, probably because he hadn’t gotten to many as a

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Embraced

child. Barb had come over with her new baby girl, and Meg had caught him watching her intently as she held the infant. The baby had fussed after a while of being passed around, but Barrett scooped her up into the crook of his arm and she quieted immediately as he jiggled his forearm beneath her butt and pressed his lips to her warm little head.

“Barrett, you’re so good with babies, you need to get yourself one,” Barb agitated, with a wide grin, knowing like rest of the population of Texas, it seemed, that he was seeing Meg.

As he handed little Sarah back to her mother, he stared straight at Meagan. “Eventually, I’d like to have several, Barb.”

Meg had looked away, blushing a furious red.

When she was finished with the bills, Meg took to the glider on the front porch, which was one of her favorite haunts, with a Diet Coke in one hand and a vampire novel in the other, she was close to heaven. The only thing better would be if Barrett were there, but then she’d never get any reading done, she mused wryly.

He had to be somewhere in the house or barn, his car was still in the driveway. Mandy had taken off into town for something; her excuse had sounded rather vague to Meg’s ears, but then, whatever.

She was well into the involving plot of the book when she heard Barrett’s deep voice at the screen door. “Put down your book and close your eyes,” he commanded through the door.

Meg eyed him dubiously. “Not likely, Buddy.”

“I have a surprise for you, Meg. Do as I ask.”

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Carolyn Faulkner

Her tone was extremely skeptical. “I can well imagine what your surprise might involve, Barrett, and I don’t trust you as far as I could throw you.”

“Meg,” he growled in warning. “Just do as I ask. I promise it’s nothing vulgar or painful.”

She had to consider this carefully for a moment. “Oh, all right,” Meg agreed, ungraciously, putting her book down to fold her arms over her chest, and closing her eyes.

Meagan could hear his booted feet as he walked across the veranda, then she felt a warm weight being put into her lap, and was treated to a big, wet tongue kiss over her lips – and it wasn’t Barrett’s tongue!!

She opened her eyes and on her lap was a gorgeous black Great Dane puppy, with a big red bow around his neck. “Oh, Barrett!!” It was truly love at first sight as she threw her arms around the dog and was rewarded by more and more enthusiastic licks.

He sank down on one knee next to the swing to pat the pup himself. “Do you like him?”

“He’s beautiful! But there’s not room enough in my condo for him, Bear,” she looked crestfallen. “I can’t take him home with me.”

Barrett said, “Look at the card that’s around his neck with the bow.”

Meg searched the squiggling puppy for the card, which was hidden behind the bow. It read:

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My name is Tiny.

I

am

your

engagement

puppy.

Ring

to

follow.

Love,

Barrett

Every nerve she owned was on red-alert. Engagement puppy? He was proposing to her?

“I love you, Meagan. Will you marry me?” he asked softly, taking her hand in his.

She sat up suddenly, dumping the puppy abruptly onto the floor, tears filling her eyes. “I – I, uh, don’t know what to say.”

Barrett hated the wait for her response, and growled, “Say

‘yes, Barrett, I’d love to become your wife’, like a good little girl so I can sweep you into my arms and kiss the breath out of you.”

“At least you’re not promising me you’ll be a patient husband . . .” Meg lifted her arms up to him and said, “Yes, yes, yes.” He did exactly as he said he would and swung her around several times while kissing her passionately.

When Mandy came back, she arrived with the rest of the clan and they celebrated the engagement with an impromptu party.

Barrett raided the wine cellar, which was kept stocked but rarely used, to find some champagne, which then flowed liberally all evening. Neither Mandy nor Meg had any head for spirits, and they quickly became mildly tipsy. As Meg was holding up her glass to Hayden for the forth time, Barrett stepped in and took it from her hand. “That’s enough for you, Meggie.”

“Oh, cripes, I