The Prince of Broadway
Page 29
“We’re celebrating.”
“Is that so?”
“Of course. Don’t you remember what today is?”
“Yes, I do. I wasn’t certain you remembered, however.”
“One year ago you opened La Maison. How could I ever forget?” His dark eyes tracked her approach with an intensity that caused her to shiver.
She placed a hand on his massive chest. “I never could have done it without you, my love.”
The edges of his mouth turned up as his hand landed on her hip. “Yes, you certainly could have.”
“You’re right. I could have done this alone, but I am very glad you have been here by my side.”
Bending, he pressed a soft kiss to her mouth. It never failed to impress her how such a big, tough man could kiss so sweetly. “I love you,” he whispered. “And I’m proud of you.”
Her heart stuttered as her chest expanded. “Thank you.”
“Now for your surprise.” He patted her hip and then walked to the far wall, where a huge covered piece rested. Was it a portrait? Grabbing the cloth, he pulled it free, revealing a familiar erotic painting. “I bought it for you from the Hoffman House.”
Nymphs and Satyr. She covered her mouth with a hand. So many memories. The image was just as provocative as before, but with deeper meaning. “I’m your nymph.”
“And I, your satyr.” He shifted to stand behind her, where he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into the flat planes of his body. Heat enveloped her and she leaned into him. “We may now study this at our leisure. Forever.”
“It’s perfect, Clay. I love it. Thank you.”
He kissed the top of her head. “How much do you love it?”
“Enough to let you lift my skirts and bend me over the desk while we look at it.”
She felt the air leave his chest. “Jesus, Florence. I am the most fortunate of men.”
“Yes, you are.” She shifted her backside into the growing erection behind her. “And I’m never leaving you.”
“God knows I’m never leaving you,” he murmured as he pressed his hips forward. “Marriage or not, you’re stuck with me.”
“Even if I don’t want children?” Though she openly used a womb veil to prevent contraception, they hadn’t had this exact conversation. But she was more and more certain that motherhood was not for her.
“I don’t care whether we have children or not. I’ve no legacy to protect, no estate to pass down. As long as you’re with me I’ll remain content.”
She spun to see his face. “Just content?”
“Ecstatic.” He kissed her throat, leaving a trail of goose bumps on her skin. “Blissfully happy. Thrilled beyond measure.”
“Hmm. I’m not convinced.”
“Then come along, sweet nymph, to the desk where I shall begin to prove it to you.”
Acknowledgments
Gambling was illegal in New York during the Gilded Age, but it was widespread and popular. The upper classes gambled discreetly in clubs, while poolrooms and policy shops ruled downtown. I am not a gambler, so I had to learn a lot about the odds, rules and different ways to cheat, mostly from blackjackage.com. All the errors are mine.
Thank you to Diana and Michele, who read an early (and much shorter) version of this story and convinced me it wasn’t terrible. Writing would be incredibly lonely without them in my life. I’m also beyond grateful for the friendship and support of Sarah, Sophie, Julie, Sonali, Lenora, Eva and Megan. You are all amazing and such inspirations to me.
Thank you to Tessa Woodward for her enthusiasm and guidance on this story. It is such a joy to work with you on my books! Thanks to the entire team at Avon/HarperCollins, especially Elle, Pam, Kayleigh and Angela. And thanks to Laura Bradford, who always looks out for me.
A shout-out to the Gilded Lilies on Facebook! Thank you for sharing my enthusiasm for this time period and loving my crazy stories.
Thanks to all the readers, bloggers and librarians for spreading the word about romance and my books. You’re all superstars.
As always, thank you to my family for all their love and support.
Announcement
Don’t miss Jack Mulligan’s story in the next Uptown Girls romance from Joanna Shupe,
THE DEVIL OF DOWNTOWN
On Sale Summer 2020
From Avon Books
About the Author
JOANNA SHUPE has always loved history, ever since she saw her first Schoolhouse Rock cartoon. While in college, Joanna read every romance she could get her hands on and soon started crafting her own racy historical novels. In 2013, she won Romance Writers of America’s prestigious Golden Heart® Award for Best Historical. She now lives in New Jersey with her two spirited daughters and dashing husband.
Discover great authors, exclusive offers, and more at hc.com.
By Joanna Shupe
Uptown Girls
The Rogue of Fifth Avenue
The Prince of Broadway
Coming Soon
The Devil of Downtown
The Four Hundred series
A Notorious Vow
A Scandalous Deal
A Daring Arrangement
The Knickerbocker Club series
Magnate
Baron
Mogul
Tycoon
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
the prince of broadway. Copyright © 2020 by Joanna Shupe. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins Publishers. For information, address HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.
Digital Edition JANUARY 2020 ISBN: 978-0-06-290684-7
Print Edition ISBN: 978-0-06-290683-0
Cover illustration by Jon Paul Ferrara
Avon, Avon & logo, and Avon Books & logo are registered trademarks of HarperCollins Publishers in the United States of America and other countries.
HarperCollins is a registered trademark of HarperCollins Publishers in the United States of America and other countries.
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