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

back. His free hand found its home in her long, soft hair, fingers delving close to her warm skull to arch her face to his

- 13 -

BacksideOfLove.com

Carolyn Faulkner

lips. Kisses rained gently on her eyelids, the corners of her mouth, the tips of her chin and nose. Before he melted his mouth to hers, he deliberately caught her eye. She looked stunned. Bamboozled.

Shell-shocked. Vulnerable. Her pupils were dilated, and his lips captured her small sound of surrender as he took her mouth passionately. Mmmmmmm.

Sweet, minty chocolate.

Barrett had been unsure of his reception at first, but she amazed him by pressing herself completely against him. He knew she could feel his arousal poking unabashedly against her tummy, but also that her nipples had become hard little pebbles when his tongue touched hers. A large hand cradled her breast possessively, but when she would have pulled away his arm remained a steel band across her back. Callused fingers plucked delicately at the achingly stiff nipples. Whimpers bubbled up from her throat and he drank them like the offering they were. His mouth wandered wetly across her jaw line to nibble an earlobe, her breath heavy in his own ear.Was that her moaning, or him? He wasn’t at all sure who it was. The sound was very raw and animalistic. Couldn’t be her. Barrett followed his instincts, kissing down her neck, across her collarbone. Unable to resist the temptation any longer, he deliberately placed his open mouth over the pink cotton nipple, instantly wetting the material, molding it to her as if it wasn’t there.

His lips contracted, sucking insistently and she shuddered – arching away from him violently.

Surprised, he let go. Meg was bent over, clutching her robe and nightgown tightly at the neck with an arm protectively over the breast he’d suckled. “No,” her voice was ragged, but strong.

“Don’t do that to me.”

“Meg – “

- 14 -

BacksideOfLove.com

Embraced

“I can’t stand that. Please.” When she straightened, he saw that she was dangerously close to tears, instantly taking several steps closer to her. She backed away. Lightening fast, he grasped her wrist, where she held her robe together. Fast, short breaths and a frightened look worried him.

“Are you ok? Did I hurt you?” He’d’ve sworn she’d had no pain from him. On the contrary, her pleasure in his touch had been blatant.

Red gold locks half covered her face, as she shook her head no.

He sighed. “You don’t like my mouth on your nipple?”

Meg cleared her throat and wouldn’t meet his eyes. She pulled experimentally against the hold he had on her wrist, discovering that unless he decided to let her go, she wasn’t going to go anywhere.

A thought struck him. “Or did you like it a little too much?” The husky whisper rasped along her nerve endings as if he’d touched her with his fingertips.

The truth of his words made her renew her struggle, but he simply pulled her tightly against him again. “I’m glad that you liked it.”

“I never said that,” Meagan met his eyes, chin out belligerently.

“Your body said it for you.”

“I didn’t like it,” she maintained.

- 15 -

BacksideOfLove.com

Carolyn Faulkner

“Did it hurt you?”

Meg remained silent, finding something fascinating in the collar of his shirt.

“Answer me, Sweetie,” a man of action, he gave few warnings.

With her gaze traveling further down, he found himself watching the top of her golden head bobbing back and forth.

“No? I’m glad. I didn’t want it to cause you pain. I wanted to pleasure you with my mouth.”

“Please don’t do that to me again,” A dark splotch appeared on his T-shirt, and he realized that she was crying.

He cradled her cheeks in his palms and coaxed her to look at him. “Baby, I want to do a lot more than that if you’ll let me.”

Meg’s misty hazel eyes opened wide. “No, I – I can’t stand it. It’s – it’s too –“

Suddenly, the light dawned, and he cradled her to him, rocking slowly back and forth. “Don’t cry, darlin’. Shhhhh.”

For the second time in less than a week, she found herself lifted easily in his arms. He moved the sleeping dog off her pillow and tucked her carefully into her bed after removing her robe, then sat on the edge, holding her hand as Hayden had done. She had become docile as soon as he hugged her, not even protesting a ride in his arms. Instead she had tucked her wet face against his neck and sighed. Meg stood quietly when he undid her robe and scooted her under the covers. Her smaller hand was dwarfed in his. He brushed his fingertips over the palm, and she squirmed.

- 16 -

BacksideOfLove.com

Embraced

Barrett smiled. Virgin or no, her body was one big nerve ending. It must be confusing, and frightening. “Meagan, I want you.”

Her expression was priceless.

“And I intend to have you.”

If her eyes bugged out any more, she’d be wearing them as a necklace.

“I just wanted you to know where I stand. You’re always accusing me of sneaking up on you. I’ve just laid my cards on the table. We don’t know each other very well, but that can be rectified during the next couple of weeks. I’m not going to let you ignore me or the attraction we share any more.” He watched her carefully, and she looked like she’d swallowed a frog. He patted her hand. “I don’t mean I’m going to jump your bones this