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

Hayden was sitting next to her and took the hand Barrett wasn’t monopolizing. “No, marry ME. I’m richer,” he claimed, then threw out, “and much better looking.”

Meg laughed and reclaimed her hand from Hayden, then tried to do the same from Barrett, who refused to give it up, continuing to stroke his thumb down her sensitive palm.

Oooooooh, the effect that man had on her was criminal; Meagan shifted in her seat unconsciously.

The coffee and dessert arrived then, and the guys tucked into homemade brownies with hot fudge sauce, ice cream, and whipped cream on top. Barrett never let go of her, just shifted both of their hands to his knee, drawing her closer to him in the process.

Hayden and David helped Amanda clear the table and do the dishes, as if it was a long ingrained habit, which left Barrett alone with Meg in the dining room. “You cook well.”

He wasn’t a man for flowery or over-abundant compliments. “Thanks. I love to cook, unlike Mandy, who can’t boil water.”

Barrett leaned forward, pulling on her arm at the same time, lips hesitating over hers a millimeter away from completing the kiss. “I want to do some more cooking like we did in the kitchen last night.”

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BacksideOfLove.com

Embraced

Meg didn’t know quite what to say and couldn’t draw enough breath to get anything out anyway, so she said nothing.

His tongue flicked out and traced the outline of her lips.

“But I don’t want your nightgown covering you the next time. The next time I suckle, I want to take your bare nipple into my warm, wet mouth.” Before she could protest or even think, he fitted his lips to hers in a very gentle, passionate, romantic kiss. His palms held her face for him in the most delicate way, as if she would break if he weren’t exquisitely careful with her.

The heaven of their kiss ended abruptly when they heard Hayden say loudly, and with no couth at all, “We’re coming into the dining room now. Get your clothes back on.”

Meg’s face was blushing a fire engine red when everyone trooped in, but Barrett’s grin was self-satisfied and smug, and he winked boldly at her when he caught her eye.

~ ~ ~

A couple of days later, Meg was helping Mandy clean up after an impromptu lunch. Usually, it was just the two of them during the day, and they had potluck. For some strange reason, Barrett came home for lunch this afternoon looking more gorgeous than any one man ought to be allowed in a charcoal gray pinstriped suit, white dress shirt, and a maroon, gray and white pattered tie.

Meg put out fixins for everyone to make their own sliced meat sandwiches while he went to change into something more casual.

The minute her brother arrived, Mandy began acting nervous. She dropped a whole jar of pickles on the floor, and

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BacksideOfLove.com

Carolyn Faulkner

managed to make her paper napkin into her sandwich. Barrett didn’t seem to notice how his younger sister was behaving, but Meg surely did. Mandy actually jumped when Barrett ducked into the kitchen where they were cleaning up and said in a strong, deep voice, “Amanda, you and I have something to discuss in my office.” The way he emphasized “discuss” and Mandy’s obvious skittishness and reluctance in following him down the hall, Meg surmised that the discussion was going to take place between the palm of Barrett’s hand and the swell of Mandy’s butt. Apparently, the jig was up.

Meg was conflicted. Part of her wanted to run in there and rescue her friend from a humiliating, painful punishment. Part of her wanted to be a fly on the wall. Glancing toward the office every once in a while, half hoping she’d hear something, half praying she wouldn’t, Meg went about preparing tonight’s dinner –

meatloaf. When it was done, she stuck the uncooked loaf in the fridge to cook later, but she was so antsy she had to get out of the house. Grabbing her latest book – a lurid, soft-core romance novel

– she and Butchie, who had taken up residence in the kitchen as soon as he realized that’s the room the food came from, went to swing on the glider on the far end of the veranda, hoping to lose herself in the engaging plot line.

It was a while later when Barrett came through the door.

He didn’t see her as he stopped to light a cigar, but she saw plenty in the grim set of his mouth. He crunched an old, worn Stetson onto his head and stomped off, burning rubber as he roared out of the driveway. Hypocrite, Meg thought. Wasn’t that what Mandy just got her bottom blistered over? At least he hadn’t looked like he’d enjoyed it any. Good. He should feel guilty about punishing his sister that way. She was a grown adult. So what if she got the occasional ticket – it wasn’t like she’d gotten caught selling drugs, for Pete’s sake.

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BacksideOfLove.com

Embraced

Meg didn’t know if Mandy was going to want a sympathetic shoulder, but she figured she’d make the offer, anyway. Mandy could always tell her to get lost. As she neared her friend’s door, she could already hear deep, heartfelt sobs. A soft knock. “Mand? Are you ok?”

The sobbing quieted to a large extent. “Yeah - I’ll be fine if I can just have my butt surgically removed –“

“Okaaaaaaaay.” Meg was worried. “Can I come in?” She wanted to see with her own eyes that her friend was all right.