A Bride for the Prizefighter - Alice Coldbreath Page 0,153

as we reconcile.”

“So, we’ll never grow bored,” Nye shrugged. “Besides.” His eyes gleamed. “The fighting’s just part of the making up. And I really like making up with you, Mina.”

“Yes,” she murmured in agreement, smiling as she tried to remember who it was that said that about them first. Then she realized it was Gus and hastily changed the subject. “We must stop referring to it as The Harlot now,” she reminded him. “For it is not The Harlot anymore.”

A new sign now swung over the courtyard, one that bore the likeness of a man hunched in a fighting stance, stripped to his waist with his fists clenched. It looked rather like Nye, and Mina admired it excessively.

He nodded. “I will probably slip up every now and again. It was The Harlot for a long time.”

“Well, now it is The Prizefighter, named in your honor.” She dropped a kiss on his jaw. He angled his head for her to kiss the other side and she obliged with a spurt of laughter. “Edna is thrilled about the change of name and so is Corin’s granny. And you must own, we seem to be gaining a good deal of new custom.”

“Mmm,” he agreed, his gaze locked to hers. She ignored the blatant message in the dark depths of his eyes and leaned an elbow onto the pillow behind his head. It thrust her lace-clad bosom practically into his face, but she pretended not to notice this or the way his gaze was riveted to it.

“The new name means I can now invite my old maid Hannah to stay with us as our guest next summer, for you must own it sounds a good deal more respectable. Even Teddy is now permitted to ride over and visit with us, so long as he brings a groom. By the way, we must remember to pick him up a present before we return to Penarth. Preferably something pugilism themed, for he is becoming almost as enthusiastic about boxing as he is horse racing.” Nye’s hands settled firmly on her hips. “Perhaps we should take the opportunity to buy an engagement gift for Corin and Herney now they are walking out together? For I’m sure it will not be long before—” Her words ended in a shriek, as he rolled her under him. “Nye!”

“Tease,” he breathed. “You do know I adore you, Mina, and that I always will?”

She caught her breath and nodded. “I know it, William Nye,” she confessed. “And I wholly reciprocate the sentiment. As for teasing you, I bought you a present this morning.” She colored faintly. “It’s in your bedside drawer.”

He frowned but reached across to open the drawer, withdrawing a slim cream cardboard box. He lifted his eyebrows and flipped up the lid. What he saw there made his gaze catch fire. “Red stockings?”

She nodded. “The store assistant seemed a good deal shocked. She could barely look me in the eye as she wrapped them.”

Nye laughed, rolling off her at once and propping himself up against the pillows. “Put them on now and do it slow.”

“Like a showgirl?” she asked, sitting up and slipping her wrapper off her shoulders. “You know, you’ll have to take me to the music hall, if I’m to learn how to do this properly.” She shook out a red stocking.

He shook his head. “None of them are the equal to you, Mina. Not in my eyes. No one is.”

She smiled at him as she drew the red silk stocking over her toes and up her calf. “I feel the same about you, Will Nye,” she assured him warmly. Then she did her best to prove it.

THE END

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