“Elaborate,” he said, when he broke the kiss and she was finally able to catch her breath again.
“I’m not sure it’s a good idea to feed your ego.” She smiled up into the eyes of the man who owned her—body and soul.
“Too late. You already said it. I heard you.” He kissed her again, gently dragging her bottom lip between his teeth before pulling back to meet her gaze. “Tell me what you mean, Claire.” His voice turned serious.
“I was so caught up in trying to figure out how to do everything by myself, I forgot I didn’t have to. That I shouldn’t.” She cupped his face, loving the sandpaper-rough feeling of his jaw against her hand. Luke turned his head and pressed a kiss to the center of her palm, but he waited, not speaking, clearly intending her to say more. “I still don’t know how any of this is going to work. I… we,” she caught herself, “both want Bella to have the best we can give her. I’m not sure how to balance her needs with two careers, but I know I’m not the only one trying to figure it out any more.”
“I have some ideas,” he said, turning his laptop to face them.
She settled deeper in his arms, looked at the image on the screen and laughed.
“Colin is going to have a fit.” She searched his gaze to see whether he was serious. It was a big change, but if they did it, it could benefit more than just their family.
“It’ll be good for him.” His assistant could use a push every now and then.
Claire wrapped her arms around Luke’s neck and pulled him down for a kiss. “I like the way you think, Masters,” she said, her lips a breath away from his. “And I love you.”
Epilogue
Six months later…
LUKE CROUCHED ON THE FLOOR, waiting for his daughter to take a tentative step toward him. She’d been working her way up to it for almost a week, letting go of the furniture she used to help her cruise around but not quite ready to step out on her own.
“Come on, beautiful girl. Come to Daddy.”
Hailey had buzzed him a couple of minutes ago to let him know she’d taken a step, and he’d excused himself from a conference call to walk the short distance from his office to the child care center he and Claire had set up together. Colin cringed every time the door opened and the children’s voices carried through the office, but he was getting used to it. And the idea Luke had come up with in Hawaii worked beautifully for his family as well as his employees.
“Did she do it yet?” Claire’s hands rested on his shoulder and Bella’s grin split from ear to ear.
Instead of trying to work from home, his wife moved her offices next to Luke’s. It had required adjustments all around but it meant they could both be there for Bella and it gave them a flexibility that suited their family. He couldn’t believe it had taken him so long to come up with the idea.
“Not yet,” he said, glancing over his shoulder to meet his beautiful wife’s eyes. “But she’s going to, aren’t you, baby?” He held his hands out toward his daughter, trying to encourage her to walk to him.
She screwed up her little face almost as if she was weighing the risk versus benefit, and then she let go of the chair she was holding onto and took a step. Once she got going, the momentum carried her forward and she squealed in triumph as she fell into Luke’s arms. He scooped up his daughter and turned to face Claire.
“Look what you did! You big girl,” said his wife, unshed tears shining in her eyes.
Shifting the toddler to his hip, Luke pulled his wife into his arms and held them both—the women who owned him. He pressed a kiss to both of their heads, breathing in the familiar scent of home and holding everything he’d ever wanted.
THE END
Afterword
Dear Reader,
I hope you enjoyed WANTED. Luke and Claire are one of my all-time favorite couples to write. I loved having a chance to revisit their story and find out what happens after the Happily Ever After.
If you want to read the beginning of their story from their passionate crashing into each other through the struggles threatening to pull them apart, you can find the complete story HERE in WIRED, WANTON, and WON. WIRED is available for free on most major retailers, and you can get the complete collection at a reduced price.