The glittering skyline of New York City provides the perfect backdrop for romance and high drama as a young woman meanders her way through the concrete maze of Manhattan in WEAKENED, the new erotic romance novel from Juliet Braddock.
Blinded by the lights of Broadway, budding theatrical publicist Maxine Kirk stumbles into the arms of her beloved teenage crush, unleashing desires that she never imagined with one soul-obliterating kiss in the rain against the dazzling backdrop of the New York skyline.
Enter Drew McKenzie, a rising star on the Great White Way with dashing looks and talent to match. Heir to a long line of luxury department store moguls, he possesses the social prominence and charisma to land him the top slot on old Manhattan Society’s most desirable bachelor list.
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 costume to reveal a daring Dominant side.
When Drew challenges her to explore his unconventional sense of passion for a week—leaving her with the option to walk away after seven nights—Maxine ponders the consequences of his proposal.
Titillated by his proposition, Maxine clamors to discover a surreptitious and possibly perilous world 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.
From the neon lights of Times Square to the lush fields of Central Park, with great attention paid to the extravagances he can afford her, Drew entices Maxine with his prowess, tempting her into a brand of romance like none other.
However, as Maxine journeys to discover her heart’s darker desires, she wonders if Drew himself will decide to pursue their affair—all the while acquiescing to his pleasures as he leaves her weakened….
“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…”
Juliet Braddock’s first efforts in creative writing came long before she learned to put crayon to paper. In fact, she began spinning stories in her head nearly as soon as she could form complete sentences. As long as she can remember, she’d always created sagas about imaginary friends, family members and pop culture icons, and kept everyone around her entertained with her witty—but often very tall—tales.
For her sixth Christmas, Juliet’s mother got her a child’s typewriter to preserve all of those creative thoughts filling her head, but she quickly switched to ball point pens and notebooks when the ribbon ran dry.
Most of Juliet’s early attempts at writing romance focused on members of Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet or young leading men on Broadway. However, as she matured as a writer, she decided that it was just as much fun to create her own romantic heroes and heroines.
At an early age, she also developed a love for big cities, and the tallest of skyscrapers were never high enough for her. Juliet’s wanderlust would eventually lure her to New York, a city she often visited during her formative years, and her love affair with Manhattan began. She’d promised herself that one day she would return for good.
Juliet’s passion for writing and for big cities converged, and after graduating with a degree in Journalism, she decided to set out on a journey to find her heart…just where she’d left it.
A week after her college graduation, Juliet made the big move from a small town to New York City, where she has made her home ever since.
In between building a career in communications and writing on the side, she’s indulged in international travel, theater and art. A wine and food buff, she’s by no means a connoisseur, but she can give a few good restaurant recommendations if you’re in the city.
“There’s something so inspiring about living in a city like New York that’s so rich in culture and so very vibrant. Every neighborhood has its own story to tell,” Juliet says. “I often do my best plotting on the subway, just observing the lives unfolding around me. New York truly has a billion stories nestled between the skyscrapers.”
A proud Manhattanite, Juliet couldn’t live anywhere else—except for Paris, perhaps—and is a gushing cat-mom to a Russian Blue mix who was rescued as a kitten from the streets of Brooklyn.
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