He covered her hand, holding it against him. “And it’s not because of your name. I liked Jenny plenty, and when I found out who you really were, I didn’t care about your movie star shine because it was you, the real you, playing around with me and fighting with me and hooking up with me, even when you wore a red wig and strangely green contacts.”
She laughed. “Make love. It sounds nicer than hook up.”
He smiled and gave her a smacking kiss on the lips. “Yes. Sorry, guy talk. Short answer is, I liked Jenny, I love Claire.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, her heart soaring at the words she felt soul deep. “I love you too.”
“Good. Now that we got that out of the way. Is Frank living with us too?”
She laughed. “He stays at a guesthouse on the property. I need him. It’s not just autographs fans want from me. I found a strange man naked in my bed, reciting lines from one of my movies, trying to get me to join him. Men try to grab me—mrwmph.”
He’d pressed her tight against his chest, his hand cupping the back of her head in a protective hold. “My God, Claire, I had no idea. We’re keeping him. Maybe you should have two Franks.”
“One is plenty.” He loosened his hold, and she lifted her head. “He’s former Army Special Forces. Nothing gets past him.”
“Okay.” He dipped his head, meeting her eyes. “I don’t want to hide from the press. I want to be a normal couple.”
“Normal isn’t in my future. But, how about this, we’ll fly under the radar for a month, and then, after you’ve been briefed on the Claire Jordan protocol, you can take a baby step out there.”
“Oh, the Claire Jordan protocol, huh?”
She grinned. “Yeah. It’s not as easy as it looks to have the spotlight on you. It’s harsh, intrusive, and unforgiving.”
He shifted, pressing his lips to the side of her neck, gliding hot kisses up to her ear. “I’m tough. Screw those judgmental gossip rags. As long as I have you.”
“You do,” she said on a sigh.
He met her eyes. “So that’s what I’m promising you. Totally cool with cameras and all that shit. Here’s what I want from you. A solemn promise. Put that hand up.”
She put her hand up with a laugh. “Is this where I swear on a Bible?”
He took her hand and placed it over his heart. “You swear right here. You will remember how much I love you and never put the press and what they might say above us.”
Her eyes got hot. “Jake, I wouldn’t—”
“Swear it, Claire.”
“I swear. I know I got really worked up—”
“Really, really worked up.”
“Yes,” she said dryly. “Really, really worked up over the movie buzz. I had a good reason.”
“But…”
“But that was before I fell in love with the amazing Jake Campbell.”
He grabbed her wrist and lifted her arm in the air. “The lady wins a prize!” He kissed her and spoke against her lips. “Me.”
She laughed. “Dork.”
“You’re going to be calling me a very different name in a few short minutes.”
“Oh really?” she said, her smile big and beaming. This man. He really was amazing and confident enough to hold up under the scrutiny she knew they’d have to endure.
His arm wrapped around her waist, walking her back to the wall. “Yes, really,” he said with an unholy gleam in his dark eyes.
Her back hit the wall, and Jake pressed against her front. His fingers speared through her hair, tilting her head for his kiss. She met his deep brown eyes, felt as much as saw the love shining in them. “I missed you so much,” she whispered.
His lips grazed hers. “I missed you too much.”
They gazed at each other, lost in the wonder of it all. Then they slammed together in a furious frenzy of kissing and stripping of clothes until they were joined together as one.
Joined together in love.
Joined together for life.
Epilogue
After a passionate month of living together, they went public, dating in the spotlight. Jake still found it annoying, the intrusion into their private moments, but Claire taught him a lot about grace under pressure, about making the press feel like they got something important from her (when they got only what she chose to give), and how to keep the public separate from the private. The buzz was on them as the adorable “it” couple, nicknamed Jaire, and that was okay because he had the woman of his dreams.
His investment in Fierce Longing’s marketing campaign had paid off big time, as he fully expected it would. Blake had caught on quick the direction things were going for the big movie release and went out of his way to gush over Claire and the Fierce movies. Opening night tickets had sold out three months in advance for the December release.