Weakened
Manhattan Bound Series #1
By Juliette Braddock
Cover Design: WLK Media
Synopsis
Against the glittering backdrop of New York City, budding theatrical publicist Maxine Kirk, fresh off
the bus from a small Pennsylvania town, stumbles into the arms of her beloved teenage crush,
unleashing desires that she never imagined.
Enter Drew McKenzie, a rising star on Broadway with dashing looks and talent to match, who
masquerades behind the characters he portrays.
Instantly, Maxine finds herself lured into Drew’s high society world only to uncover a complicated man
beneath the glitz and glamour of his public persona. As soon as the curtain falls, Drew sheds his stage
costumes to reveal a daring Dominant side.
Titillated by his enigmatic life, Maxine clamors to discover a surreptitious and possibly perilous affair
with Drew, all the while questioning her own preconceived notions on romance.
Secrets surface, revealing haunting truths that test both Maxine and Drew of their own intentions. But
in this high-stakes game of trust, only the strongest survive.
Excerpt
“So where are
you from?”
“A...s-small
town—right outside Pittsburgh,” she managed. She had to gather her thoughts. She couldn't stutter her
way through an entire conversation with this man all night. Already, she could sense that he was the
type who would remind her of her jitters later, and Maxine certainly didn't want this silly evening to
haunt her at work.
“What brought
you to the big city?” he questioned her.
Purposefully,
she stopped herself before she answered him and took in a deep breath. “I’ve always been in love with
New York,” she explained, thoughtfully choosing her words. “The theater…the vibrancy…the never
ending sense that there’s always something to do or someone to see…”
“Quite a culture
shock for a small-town girl, isn’t it?” he asked, his tone softening a bit.
“I’ve been
visiting for well over a decade,” she continued and flashed him a weak smile. “I knew what I was
getting into.”
“You sure about
that?” Now his eyes were teasing. “There’s always some element of surprise living
here.”
“You grew up
here?” she asked, knowing he had. She could recite his entire Wikipedia entry, which didn't say much
about his personal life other than he was born and raised in Manhattan to an exceedingly wealthy
family of Scotch-Irish immigrants. His ancestors built their fortune as early merchants in New York
and went on to create one of the longest-standing, upscale department store chains in the United
States.
“I did,” he said
so very simply. “The city is under my skin an in my blood. And just like everyone else, I bitch and
complain…but I couldn’t live anywhere else.”
All the while, as
they carried on with an air of civility, Maxine couldn't ignore those burgeoning feelings—those
sensations—that seemed to set her senses fluttering. The intake of his breath and the gentle patter of his
voice soothed her. That fresh scent of him, bathed in Clive Christian cologne, tickled her nose,
intoxicating her with a blend of citrus and spice—even though she didn't know Clive Christian from
Christian Slater. While he stood so close, he managed to refrain from touching her—even with the
slightest of movements—and she tingled…shocked by her ache for his caress.
Maxine couldn't
even recall their conversation as it was happening. Drew had managed to send her off to some surreal
spot from which she really wasn't too keen to return. Although she attempted to remind herself that she
wasn't the only woman he'd engaged with that evening, she enjoyed this stilted repartee between
them.
As they stood
alone together against the backdrop of Manhattan's brilliance, it remained questionable whether he
would even remember her in the morning, and she knew the chances were slim to none. However, she
decided to indulge in these unexpected seconds of undivided attention in which he indulged her
fully.
Releasing his
hands from the bannister, he took a step back but then dared to reach out and stroke the backs of his
fingers to her cheek. Maxine was certain that he could feel the heat rising from her skin, but she
chuckled softly over the tickle of his touch. Again, he seemed to be surveying her, interviewing her for
the next round of she knew not what.
“You have all
the basics down,” he began. “Smart, well-rounded. Pretty…”
“Pretty?” she
nearly choked. No one—aside from her parents and Ben—ever complimented her in such a
way.
“Are you
arguing with me?” he inquired with an air of displeasure.
Hold it together here, Maxine, she coached herself. “It’s in the eye of the
beholder, I suppose.”
“We can discuss
that a little later…” he said, just as Maxine felt one huge drop of rain plunk down upon her, right in the
middle of her forehead, as she looked up into Drew’s eyes.
Just her damn
luck, the rain poured forth from the sky!
“Um…I think
it’s time to…”
Lunging forward
and surreptitiously slipping his arms around her waist, he pulled her close to him. Maxine didn't have
time to think—to react—to his quick and sleek move. All the while, she reveled in the slight knock of
his knees, the strength of his thighs, the feel of his chest pressed against hers…
“It’s time to kiss you, Maxine…”
Wrapped
Manhattan Bound Series #2
By Juliette Braddock
Cover Design: WLK Media
Synopsis
Sweeping through the glitz and glamour of New York’s
high society and the drama unfolding in the dressing rooms of Broadway, Wrapped, by Juliet Braddock, continues the journey of a young theatrical publicist’s foray into
submission under the tutelage of a dashingly dark star of the stage. Wrapped—the much anticipated sequel to Braddock’s critically acclaimed
erotic romance Weakened—is the
second book in the Manhattan
Bound series.
When Drew McKenzie presents Maxine Kirk with an ultimatum, challenging her to engage in his
wanton brand of desire, she readily embraces her awakening hunger for a lifestyle that defies her
perceptions of romance.
Entranced by Drew’s charming appeal and by his sensual assault to her senses, Maxine clamors to
discover every nuance of this new relationship, ravenous to explore verboten fantasies that seem
possible to fulfill only with Drew.
Along the way, he introduces her to his glamorous world of wealth and celebrity—where lavish galas
and luxurious gifts are the norm—and entices her into his realm of control with his tender mode of
domination.
All the while, however, they both grapple with painful emotions brought about by the extenuating
circumstances of their separate pasts.
While Drew remains both confident and conscientious in his parlay of power over Maxine, his own
tragic secret lurks in every shadow upon his path in life. Behind the façade of his stage persona and the
origin of old Manhattan society, he struggles to hide the unforgiving reality he faced as a child.
Just as Maxine finds the strength to conquer her own torment with Drew’s patience and guidance
leading her toward closure, terrifying truths begin to chip away at the surface of his composure.
As the nightmarish details of Drew’s unimaginable life emerge, he fears that this new world he’d begun
to build with Maxine will crumble around him.
As Maxine finds herself embroiled in the battle to save Drew’s tortured soul from the atrocities that
continue to stalk his every move, two lost souls struggling to find comfort and completion
converge.
However, as Drew opens his heart to Maxine’s unwavering support, he questions his own bravery,
wondering if she’ll take a bow and make her exit…or if she’ll stick around for the encore?
Excerpt
“Excuse me, Kind Sir,” Maxine's shy voice echoed softly as she
poked just her head out of the bedroom door. “Would you please help a girl out with her
dress?”
Drew had been fussing with his bowtie in the standing mirror
in the hallway and straightening his cufflinks when she called. The sweetness of her expression
resounded against his ears, as he pulled in a deep breath, anticipating this moment he'd been longing for
all afternoon. At last his little one was ready for the ball...
On the other side of the door, Maxine had been in panic mode,
carefully applying her make-up and struggling to make sure that every last hair was in place and
perfectly pinned. Drew had offered to hire someone to do her hair and make-up to alleviate some of her
stress, but Maxine insisted on handling every last brush stroke herself.
When Drew finally opened the door, he stopped—dead in his
tracks as if trapped within the frame. His lips parted; his eyes softened as they cast upon
Maxine.
Arms wrapped around her chest to hold the bodice in place
while she waited for his assistance, Maxine couldn't help but to do a bit of staring herself. He looked so
stunningly handsome in his simple black tux and tie, his hair—for once—in perfect place as if he were
on stage, she mused to herself. The last time she’d seen him in a tux was on television at the Tony
Awards. How times had changed…
Yet self-doubts began to surface. So typically Maxine, she
fretted, wondering against his scrutiny if she looked appropriate—if she could actually play the role of
date to Drew McKenzie that evening, if she truly measured up to the standards required for being there
at his side and on his arm.
However, his gaze upon her left her slightly trembling in its
wake. She'd wound her shiny locks into a French twist with tiny auburn ringlets playing so delicately
around her face. The teal silk of the gown silhouetted every last curve of her body that he knew so well.
Dangling and sparkling, the emerald earrings truly did accentuate the beauty of her honest green eyes.
She’d even gained some weight, which pleased him to no end. He was simply elated to see a
happy—healthier—Maxine standing before him, with a timid confidence that he found so
endearing.
By the time he smiled at long last, his silence had nearly killed
her.
“Little one...oh, my sweet little
one...” His stride was slow, closing
the distance between them. “What the hell does a man say to the most beautiful woman in the
world?”
Author Bio & Links
Juliet Braddock loves eighties music, wine, food, theater and all things French. When she’s not
exploring the big cities of the world—most notably Paris—she lives and writes in Manhattan, and is the
proud cat mom to a very spoiled Russian Blue rescue.
Website: http://www.julietbraddock.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JulietBraddock
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JulietBraddockAuthor
presented by WLK Book
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