Wilde For You (The Wilde Sisters Book 3) (20 page)

Epilogue

Sage

“You know, you could save a lot of money by giving up your condo. You haven’t spent a night in the place for the past month. You’ve already taken over my closet and bathroom, might as well move in with me.” Luke hobbled on his crutches across the kitchen. “And you look sexy as hell in my kitchen wearing nothing but my shirt.”

“Back down, fireboy.” Sage swatted his hand away from her bare butt. “I’m trying to make you breakfast.”

“Mmm.” He nuzzled her neck. “Let’s eat in bed, play hooky from work, and make love all day.”

“Which would be no different than any other day for the past four weeks.” She flipped over the last pancake, turned off the stove, and elbowed Luke out of the way. “Sit. Breakfast is ready. And we need to talk.”

“About you moving in?” Luke leaned his crutches against the wall and sat, stretching his left leg out in front of him. He toyed with the leg brace, loosening the Velcro straps, and pulled his plate closer.

“Yes. And other things.”

“Seriously?” He looked up from his pancakes with a big goofy grin on his face. The man was sex on a stick. His hair needed a trim and was sticking up on the right side, probably from Sage running her fingers through it and pulling at it while Luke made love to her this morning. “I have a no clothing after nine rule, you know. You’ll have to sleep naked every night, just like you’ve been doing.”

“Yes, you’ve reminded me of your
rules
a hundred times.” Sage smiled and picked at her pancakes. “But…”

“But?”

“We said we’d be one hundred percent honest and upfront about everything. I don’t want you going into this relationship blind, or with visions of something that’s never going to happen.”

Luke turned serious. Pushing his plate away, he cupped her chin in his palm, tilting her head up so she was forced to look at him. “What has you spooked, sweetheart?” The tenderness and compassion in his voice melted her straight lines.

“I’m not spooked. But I…I need to tell you something that may have you second guessing your investment into our relationship.”

“I’ll never second guess us. But go on.”

She picked up her fork and twirled it between her fingers. Her heart fluttered and sunk, rose again, stopped beating, raced faster. All in a matter of seconds. If the no babies thing was a deal breaker…shit, she’d die. She’d literally die without Luke in her life. Honesty. She loved him enough to be honest with him. That was a deal breaker as well. She sucked up some courage and let it spill.

“I don’t want to have children. I hated being pregnant and I’m not really comfortable around babies. God knows there are plenty of them in my family right now.” Rayne delivered a healthy little girl a few weeks ago. And still Sage had no maternal instincts. She did the dutiful auntie thing by holding her niece, helped Thyme when she could by feeding the twins, but passed on the diaper duty. Babies just didn’t do it for her. She’d rather bring Maddie to the mall or spar with Lucy.

“I know you’d be an amazing father and I don’t want to take that from you, but I can’t go through pregnancy again and I don’t want to do the baby thing.”

Luke sighed and sat back in his chair. “I respect that. It’s your body, but know that I’d be a hands-on dad.”

“I don’t doubt that for a minute, but I’m not a little kid person.” Sage got up and rounded the table, sitting down on Luke’s good leg. She ran her hands through his messy hair and down his stubbly cheek. “However, I do want to have a family with you. I’m thinking we’d be pretty cool foster parents. I’ve been doing a little research. Babies are always wanted. It’s the older kids who are harder to place. I feel like I’ve had a trial run with your sister. I know she’s twenty-two, but she’s just like a pissy teenager and I’ve handled her pretty well. I don’t have the patience for wiping snot and butts and whining. Shitty attitudes I can handle. I’ve got thick skin. And with your sweet, sensitive side, I think we could balance things out. Make a difference in kids’ lives. Like your mom has.”

Sage stared into Luke’s hazel eyes, trying to read his reaction. He blinked slowly, but his mouth showed no expression. No grin, no frown, no open-mouthed unflattering gape like his sister. She thought she could read the man. He’d been an open book in the year that she’d known him. His body, though unable to keep up with the workouts he normally pushed himself through, was hard and strong under her.

Angry? No, she’d seen him pissed off. He wasn’t mad. His body hadn’t tensed, his face didn’t shut down in defeat. He let out a huff of air and shook his head, the green flecks in his eyes darkening with…wonder?

“When I woke up this morning I thought I was head over heels in love with you. I was wrong.” She attempted to shift away, unable to breathe, a ball of grief stuck in her throat, but Luke’s strong hands held her firmly in place. He lifted one hand from her waist and brought it to her cheek, brushing it softly with his scarred knuckles. “I didn’t think I could fall any deeper in love with you than I already was.” He placed his lips on her wet lashes. “You just proved me wrong. I love you even more than I did a few minutes ago.” His lips traveled down her cheek and found her mouth.

And she found heaven. It wasn’t a deal breaker. Luke wasn’t casting her aside. She sank into the tenderness of his kisses and the soft caresses to her neck and body. Their foreheads touched and he cupped her face in both of his strong hands.

“God, I love you. More than humanly possible. When we first met, you wanted sex. And I cherished every moment I could touch your body. I memorized your lips, your curves, your freckles. I relished how I could make you squirm and call out my name. When you wanted to be friends, I studied your likes, your dislikes. Your favorite music. The way you multitasked and organized and planned. The way you walked and ate and laughed. The way you gave so freely to others. And then I fell in love with you. My friend, my lover. I’ll never stop loving you. Marry me, Sage. Because you’re my best friend. The love of my life. The one I want wearing my shirt with nothing underneath. The one I want to color with, inside and outside the lines. Be with me. Forever.”

The pads of his thumbs wiped the tears she could no longer fight as he drew her face closer, capturing her lips with his. Her heart beat in a rhythm she’d never sensed before. Fast, yet steady. Busting with love. She didn’t have the step-by-step manual of how to do this thing called love and needed Luke to read it to her, to help her through every page, every chapter.

Love hadn’t been on her radar or anywhere on her mile-long to do list. Yet somehow Luke Riley managed to make love an important thing in her life, tattooing it on her heart, making it permanent and something she could never, ever live without.

No wonder Rayne was so annoyingly happy all the time. She’d obviously known what love could do to you and embraced the feeling. Thyme hadn’t had love on her radar, yet she wasn’t appalled by the idea either. Watching her sisters fall madly in love, acting goofy and ridiculous, crying tears of sorrow and tears of joy as they went through the process, had made no sense to Sage.

Until now.

While she wasn’t ready to sing from the rooftops about falling in love, something she could see Rayne doing, she didn’t fight it anymore either. Sage inhaled Luke’s scent and stroked his neck while dipping her tongue deep in his mouth, connecting with him in more ways than just sexually.

“Is that a yes?” he asked, tipping her head back so she could see into the depths of his eyes.

“There is nothing in the world that would make me happier. Let’s go seal the deal and make it official.” She stood and helped Luke to his feet, handing him his crutches and leading the way to his room and his heart.

BEFORE YOU GO…

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Coming Soon…

Marianne Rice is excited to announce her new Rocky Harbor novels featuring the Riley siblings, beginning with Graham’s story in
Staying Grounded,
coming out in the fall of 2016.

After an altercation with a passenger gets posted on social media, pilot Graham Riley must attend anger management classes to get his wings back. Wanting to escape the media frenzy near his home base in Texas, he heads to his adopted parents’ place in Rocky Harbor, Maine.

Needing steadiness in her life and in a relationship, Maggie O’Fallon only dates men with normal 9-5 jobs. But when Graham walks into her office and flashes his charming steel-blue eyes at her, she's at a loss for words. Torn between her ethics and the pull at her heart, she asks Graham to see a different therapist so they can explore the chemistry building up between them. He has everything she’s been looking for…except stability.

When a private investigator produces pictures of the two of them together and threatens to discredit not only Graham, but Maggie’s practice as well, he must decide if he’s going to fight, or take flight, as is his usual pattern. Battling a lawsuit on land, and his heart in flight, Graham realizes he could lose her forever and must decide what’s more important: the life he thought he wanted, or Maggie.

Acknowledgements

Like any project, this book couldn’t have happened without the love and support from many others. For my totally fabulous group of Maine Romance Writers, you rock. You’re inspiring, supportive, fun, energetic, and full of wisdom. Thank you for cheering me on from the get-go.

And to my new writer friends I’ve met along the way, especially Susan Behon, who is always there when I need to vent or share some exciting news. We’ll always be book sisters.

To the team at Limitless. I can’t stop bragging about you to everyone who asks how things are going. From the admin team to the marketing department to the authors, both new and tenured, you’re all rock stars.

Last, but so far from least, my family. The only reason I’ve been able to produce so many books is because I’ve spent less time with you. You’ve done a fabulous job of learning to be independent. Sports Girl, I love that you have taken up baking so Mommy doesn’t have to go without while she’s on deadline. Princess, my neglect has led you to your new love of
The Walking Dead
. You’re only allowed to watch that show because Mom needs alone time. You’re welcome. And to my super adorable Little Guy. You’ve endured so much these past few months with your hospital visits and diagnosis of type 1 diabetes and celiac disease. You’re such a brave trooper. Mom is super proud of you. I love you all with every bit of my heart.

And to Shawn. Thank you for picking up the slack and being Mr. Mom while I hide in my writing cave and scroll through Facebook, I mean write and edit. I’ll love you forever.

About the Author

Marianne Rice writes contemporary romances set in small New England towns. Her heroes are big and strong, yet value family and humor, while her heroines are smart, sexy, sometimes a little bit sassy, and are often battling a strong internal conflict. Together, they deal with real life issues and always,
always,
find everlasting love. When she’s not writing, Marianne spends her time buying shoes, eating chocolate, chauffeuring her herd of children to their varying sporting events, and when there’s time, cuddling with her husband, a drink in one hand, a romance book in the other.

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