This story is for ShellSueD. Happy Birthday a few days early, since I'm facing a blizzard and possible power outage. This is my interpretation of U2's 'All I Want Is You'. Ranger and Steph are Janet's. The mistakes belong to me.

"Well ... that was one for the record books," she told me, referring to what we'd just done, but it would also apply to what I just said.

My mind and body went still. "Did you hear what I asked you, Stephanie?"

"It's kind of hard to forget someone matter-of-factly saying "marry me" seconds after a doomsday orgasm. I heard you loud and clear. I'm trying to let you know that you don't have to propose in order to keep me between your sheets. Now that I'm back here with you, I can truthfully say I don't want to be anywhere else with anybody else."

She admitted that while sliding her body up and over mine, presumably to keep me in the bed with her. Nothing, and I mean nothing, could have gotten me out of it right now. It's not every day I offer a proposal ... more shocking is to have it handed so neatly back to me.

My expression showed none of my confusion, which was good because she had cupped my jaw in both hands and kissed my mouth.

"I'm not turning you down at all," she said, pulling back but not very far.

I never thought I'd be preoccupied with something else when her naked body was blanketing mine, but first things first, I needed to know what she's thinking.

"But you didn't say yes either, Babe."

She let my face go to curl her arms around and under my body, resting her cheek on my chest. She was completely relaxed ... I was pretending to be.

"Do you want to know why I'm not squealing with joy, crying, or doing whatever else normal women do when the guy they're in love with - and currently in bed with - proposes?"

"Yes."

She sighed, her warm breath blowing across my nipple. I willed my body under control and focused on what she had to say versus her unintentional foreplay.

"Okay," she started. "I'm going to try to explain this so it makes sense. Are you willing to hear me out?"

"Always."

She blew out another shaky breath. "Over the course of our friendship - which morphed into something else ..."

"It's a relationship. It may not be defined, but what's between us falls under that category."

"So you are thinking like me."

"Scary."

She retaliated by lifting her head slightly and sinking her teeth into my pec before settling back down against it.

"I've always known your bite is worse than your bark," I told her, smiling despite the seriousness of what she'd been in the middle of telling me.

"You may want to remember that in the future," she warned, shifting into a more comfortable position on me.

Which made me decidedly more uncomfortable, but this needed to be hashed out before we got back to the 'doomsday' orgasms.

"So you're agreeing that we have a future?" I asked her, not at all familiar with feeling uncertain.

Making her forget Joe was easy. Seducing her was even more so, but mapping out specific relationship protocol is ... challenging. For two people who aren't good at expressing themselves, or emotion in general, learning how to be together has been a unique experience.

She picked her head up again, but only to look at me this time, not inflict injury. "Of course we do. Why would you think we don't?"

"I know you claim sex between us alters brain function, but it's not unreasonable to assume that you're thinking of us as a short term solution."

"You're finally wrong about something," she said. "I've got long term plans for you."

"Which don't include marriage?"

"Let me ask you something. What have you given me over the years?"

I sensed a mental snare, so I hung back and let her show her hand first.

"Let me help you out here," she told me, stretching again when I didn't answer right away.

Fucking Christ. This woman is constantly torturing me one way or another. I could feel the heat coming from between her legs now, and my dick was anxious to get back to it and her. Unfortunately, she wasn't as easily distracted.

"You've handed me keys to brand new sports cars. You treated me to a day of fun and sun at Point Pleasant just to make me feel better after a really shitty day. Dillon told me yesterday that you paid my rent for the month so I wouldn't get kicked out ..."

"He wasn't supposed to say anything about that," I told her, "least of all to you."

I'll have to have a word with Dillon tomorrow. For an untalkative guy, he has a big fucking mouth.

"Ranger, focus," she said, drawing my attention back to her. "You bought me jewelry for my birthday. Countless times you've dropped everything to go for a midnight ride with me when I was stressed about something and couldn't sleep. You've given me unlimited access to your company card ..."

"Which you've never used," I pointed out.

"I know. And there's a reason for that."

"And that would be what?"

"I'm getting to it. You're my bodyguard when I'm being threatened. My eyes when I'm tracking down a skip. And my safe place when I desperately need one."

"I'm not a saint, Babe. Stop trying to paint me as one."

"Considering what we just spent the last hour doing, a saint is the last thing I'd call you. My point is ... you've done everything for me, and have given me more than I could ever want ..."

"So what's the problem?" I asked her, tunneling my fingers through her tangled curls so she had no choice but to look directly at me.

"The problem is that you think I need all of that to stay with you," she told me. "Diamonds are pretty, marriage sounds good in theory, and fast cars are fun, but all I'll ever need or want is you. You love me and respect me. That's really all I require."

"And I'll continue to do both until I hit the grave," I assured her.

"So why do we have to do more than what we already are?" She asked me.

"We don't, but I wanted you to know that things have changed for me. I'm no longer opposed to any kind of relationship if it's with you."

She smiled. "I'll add that info to the future reference file. I don't have a lot to offer you back ..."

"Babe, stop. You said that the most important things to you aren't monetary. The same goes for me. You helped and defended me during a potential murder - and then kidnapping -charge ..."

"No one believed you'd kidnap your own daughter. And Ramos had a phone book size list of people who wanted him dead. The TPD was lazy in not figuring out that he hadn't even been murdered."

"That's exactly what I'm referring to. Your loyalty and belief in me has gotten me through many sleepless nights. You're the only person besides Tank that I've felt comfortable sharing the things I've done that I'm not proud of. And only you have made them easier to live with."

"Everything you've done has turned you into who and what you are now ... which is a pretty friggin' amazing guy."

"Flattery will get you everywhere," I told her.

"No, it won't. And I'm not flattering or patronizing you. I'm just stating the truth as I see it. You're a frightening man when you're pissed off, but I know the people you let get close are always safe, and you love them unconditionally."

"I love you unconditionally."

"And cue our earlier conversation. That's all I need. I'm prepared to stay ... with you, in your bed, and in your arms, for life. In case you haven't picked up on it yet, I want you; the man, the myth, and the legend. And I tend to get what I want."

I gave her the barest hint of a smile. "I remember saying something similar to you."

"Which is perfect, because in this case, we're after the same thing. Let's table the marriage talk for now and see what a honeymoon might be like. We've got a few hours left before morning and I'm getting cold. I'm sure you can get me warm again."

I could ... and quickly. I rolled over so she was on her back and kissed her long and deep.

"Let the honeymoon begin, Babe," I whispered to her. And slid home.

I gave myself a new objective. In six months time, Stephanie will be begging me to marry her. But for now, I'm content with just wanting her right back.