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

went up against him, she turned and stepped up onto the heavy wooden coffee table. “Come over here so I can look down at you for a change!” she growled, and he complied, trying to hide his grin.

He’d never looked up at a woman before; it was a novel position. His mouth was just above breast level, and the way her bosom heaved with each angry breath was distracting him. “Buy what the hell you want for the wedding, Meagan. I’m not going to say it again.” His mind had definitely gone on to better, more titillating things.

“You can take your money and stick it where the sun don’t shine, Barrett Costas! I’m not marrying you for your money!”

His head jerked back, causing an uncomfortable crick. “I never thought you were. And no, you’re not being kept, either. I just bared my financial soul to you; you’re on all of my accounts.

If I thought you were going to use my money to buy swampland in Florida, I’d never have proposed. You’re smarter than that.”

“Thanks,” she said grudgingly.

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Embraced

“You’re also tighter than the bark on a tree, and you don’t need to be,” he continued. “When we marry, all that I am and all that I have is yours. No reservations. Maybe I’m anticipating things a little, but I want you to have the wedding you’ve always dreamed of, not some cheap imitation.”

Meg took a deep breath and sighed. “Don’t you see? I never thought I’d marry someone with money, Barrett. I figured I’d marry someone who makes the salary I do, and we’d build our lives together – struggle to pay bills, buy a small house, a bigger house when we had kids . . . I don’t want to use your money because it’s not mine, even when we’re married, I won’t have done anything to contribute toward it . . . “

Although he understood the gist of what she was saying, he had had enough. “This is the stupidest argument I’ve ever had with a woman. Why couldn’t you be like Mandy and spend money like water, like a normal woman?”

That was such a sexist remark she nearly hit him. “I will not spend your money, Barrett, and that’s my final word on the subject.”

He ran his hand through his hair in a deceptively casual manner then grabbed her around the waist and bent her over the edge of his big desk, whisking her elastic waisted shorts and panties down to her knees with terrifying ease. Her wrists were held against the small of her back by his thick fingers, effectively immobilizing and trapping her next to him. Before Meg had a chance to gather her wits, his big broad hand had smacked her bottom. “Meagan, you are the most –“ *smack*swat*slap* “ -

exasperating female –“ *spank*spank*spank* “ -on the face of this earth. I’m sure there’s not another man living who had to argue with his woman about not spending money,” he continued to pepper the lecture with sharp smacks to her quickly reddening

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BacksideOfLove.com

Carolyn Faulkner

bottom. “But I can assure you that it is my final word on the subject that you will abide by, and I am expressly telling you that if I hear from anyone any further that you aren’t buying or doing exactly what you want in regards to arrangements for this wedding, I will see to it that you spend our wedding dinner sitting on a pillow.” His hand slapped the rounded crest of her cheeks relentlessly through her cries of pain. “Have I made myself crystal clear on the subject?”

“Stop - spanking - me - this - minute!” she managed to half yell, half sob rebelliously, kicking her legs frantically against the desk and trying to wiggle away from the falling blows, all to no avail. He held her fast.

Barrett had no intention of stopping at her behest.

Spankings ended when he felt the punishee was repentant, and she was showing absolutely no signs of willingness to comply with his wishes.

Her order had the exact opposite of the desire effect, making him spank harder and faster. “Noooo, Bar-rett, no mooooooorre! OOWWWWWWWEEEEEE! Sssstoooop!” she cried, certain that she could not stand one more sharp stinging slap to her derriere.

“If you don’t change your tune in about five seconds, Meagan Honoria, I’m going to take off my belt.”

The threat – which he fully intended to carry out if necessary – had the desired effect. “Noooo, I’m soooorrrrrreeeeeeee! I – I’ll do what you tell meeeeeeeee,” he continued to spank and smack away for another few minutes, reddening her down to mid-thigh then back up to make one more thorough round of her wobbling bottom.

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Embraced

When he finally stopped, he did as he had before and held her in place while she sobbed her heart out, reinforcing his dominance over her. Barrett’s big hand remained over the tenderest place on her butt, a firm and strong reminder that the punishment would begin again at the least sign of argument on her part. There was a puddle of tears on his desk blotter, and he knew that he would be reminded of this scene every time he sat at his desk for the rest of the year.

“I want you to get up, get dressed, and go to bed without another word, young lady.”

“But –“ It was only five thirty in the afternoon, she was going to remind him.

Ten well aimed, full strength slaps smacked down on her already too tender nates, refreshing her tearful sobs to full volume.

He repeated himself