JE owns all characters and all the credit goes to her. I just like to try and play with them. All mistakes made are mine alone. This is not beta'd and don't have any plans for it to be.

National Hugging Day; January 21, 2015! I am posting this with only 20 minutes left of the 21st...sorry that it's a little late! Enjoy!

SPOV

I was sitting in my cubicle at RangeMan bored off my ass. A few months ago, I signed on to work full-time with the guys. I still got to go out but today was one of my days that I was supposed to be running searches. I couldn't get my mind into it today. I did have a few running in the back ground but I was surfing the internet.

I came across a website called "Bizarre and Unique Holidays." As I was looking at it, I discovered that today was National Hugging Day! I got excited and pulled up a new Word document and made a sign.

"National Hugging Day"

"January 21, 2015"

"Come in for your free hugs today ONLY"

I added a couple of pictures of people hugging and I sent it to the printer. I was giggling as I hung it up outside of my cubicle. I sat back and waited for the guys to notice it.

It didn't take long. My first 'victim' I mean hugger to show up was Cal. He was walking by and caught sight of the sign and stopped to read it. I huge smile crossed his face as he turned to me. He didn't say anything just held his arms open. I jumped up from my desk and ran and gave him a big squeeze. Well, as big as I could. When I pulled back he dropped a kiss on my head and continued on his way down the hall.

I sat back down at my desk and check how my searches were going. I printed them and started going through them. I jumped in surprised as I was grabbed from behind in a bone crushing hug. I turned my head and looked over my shoulder to see who it was. I laughed when I saw Lester there with a huge smile on his face.

"Les, the free hugs are only count if they are from the front." I told him. This caused him to raise his eyebrow and turn his smile into a lecherous smirk. I giggled as I realized how bad that really sounded.

"No problem, Beautiful. Turn around and let's do it!" What a flirt I thought as I stood up and gave him his hug. He held on tighter and longer than what should have been appropriate; but I didn't care. It has been a long eight months since Morelli and I finally called it quits. I knew who I loved but don't have a chance with him. Ranger was an enigma to us all. Maybe someday.

Anyway, on to better thoughts. Like the ones of the arms around me. I pulled back from Lester and smiled up looking at him. "Thanks, Les."

He gave me a kiss on my forehead, and said "Thanks, Beautiful. Today was just one of those days where I needed that."

As he walked away, I wondered what was going on. I knew no matter what I did, he wouldn't tell me until he was ready. I tried to put it aside and not worry about it, and went back to work.

The rest of the day flew by. I got all of my searches done and all of my favorite Merry Men stopped by to give me a hug. I was happy that they stopped by. I know that any day that they wanted a hug I would give it to them, I think that they knew that too. Only one person was missing.

I was packing up for the day, trying to not think about why Ranger never stopped by. I knew that he was here this morning but he had left for a couple hours this afternoon. He was back now, I had heard him when he came in and checked in with the control room. I looked towards his office and noticed that the door was closed but I could tell that the light was still on, so I knew that he was in there. I tried not to let it bother me but it was hard to do.

Lester came up to me and grabbed me in another hug pulling my attention towards him and not the door and whispered in my ear, "He's a fool if he can't see how much you love him. Give him some time, if he doesn't come around I am going to ask you out myself."

Damn ESP that all these guys have. I looked up at him and brushed away a tear that slid down my face. "Thanks Les. I don't know how much longer I can wait though. I think it may be time to give up and move on."

I pulled out of his arms and turned back to my cubicle and pulled down the free hugs sign. I sighed as I crumpled it up and turned to throw it in the garbage. I grabbed my purse and turned to say bye to Les.

"I am going to head out, Les. I will see you tomorrow."

"Night, Steph. Think about what I said. I was serious about asking you out. I think we would be good together."

I leaned up and kissed his cheek, and started for the elevator. Just as the elevator doors were closing Ranger came out of his office and looked at me. I took a deep breath and hurried to my latest POS car.

I left the garage and started toward my apartment. A few stray tears fell down my cheeks. I had to push this aside and try to let him go. I have been waiting for eight months, I don't think that I can wait any longer. No matter how much I love him, I would never be able to tell him.

I took a quick detour to store to pick up some more beer and ice cream. I need happy food and a few drinks to get me through the night.

I pulled up by the dumpster and parked. I didn't feel like waiting for elevator so I ran up the stairs and pulled out my key, unlocking my door.

I walked down the short hallway toward the kitchen to put the beer and ice cream away. I said hi to Rex and dug out a grape for him. I grabbed a beer and headed to the living room. I stopped dead in my tracks.

Someone had covered my table and furniture with rose petals, there was a bottle of champagne in a bucket with ice and two flutes sitting by it. There was a card was propped up in front of the bucket. I was scared to go look at the card. I didn't think that I had another stalker, I haven't done skip tracing in close to four months.

I took a deep breath and walked carefully over to the note. The outside had my name written on it. I didn't recognize the writing; I opened it and started to read.

"My dearest Babe,

I am not a man of many words, and I know I have said something's that hurt you deeply. For that I am truly sorry; I never meant to hurt you. I tried so hard to keep you at a distance, to protect my heart. I didn't want to let you in, but little by little you have wormed your way into my heart.

My life is so dangerous, I am scared of you getting hurt. I don't want someone from my past to use you in order to hurt me.

I watched you today, giving out free hugs to my men, and that's when it hit me. You are already in my heart. You treat me like a person, not as an object. You don't want me to be anyone but myself. Seeing you with my men; knowing that you care for my men as I do, go out of your way to help them, and accept them for who they are; makes me love you more than I thought was possible.

You have a beautiful heart and I hope that you will be able to forgive me for all the stupid things that I have said to you.

I love you, Babe; and I want to start our someday.

Love, Carlos.

P.S. Turn around."

I slowly stood up, wiping the tears that were falling down my face, I turned and saw Ranger standing there.

There was no blank face on right now. I could see all the emotions running through his head. He held out his hand for me to take.

I walked up to him and took his hand. I kept my eyes lowered, I couldn't bring myself to believe that this was happening. I have waited for this for a long time. He reached up with the hand that wasn't holding mine and lifted my chin to look at him. I kept my eyes closed.

"Babe. Open your eyes." I opened them and looked into his eyes.

"I love you. No qualifiers, no conditions. I love you and would love it if you would accept my apology and start our someday." He said as he brushed the tears off my face.

I knew that it took a lot for him to come here and open up to me like this. I knew that I wanted him. I loved him.

"Ranger, I..." I started to say but he put his finger over my lips. "Carlos, Babe. I want to be Carlos to you." I took a deep breath and started over.

"Carlos, earlier today I had convinced myself that there was no hope for you and I. I was ready to give up. But then I get home and find all this and I don't know what to say. I do know that I love you…that will never change. But, I am afraid if I let you into my heart, I will be hurt." I told him.

"Babe, I can understand why you would think that; and I am sorry that I made you feel that way. I promise that I will do everything in my power to never make you feel that way again."

"I am going to need you to talk more, I don't know anything about you. If you are willing to do that, then we can see where this will lead us." As soon as the words were out of my mouth he grabbed me and gave me a crushing hug.

"I love you so much Babe. I will try to open up to you but there will always be thing that I will never be able to tell you."

"I know, Ranger." He just raised his eyebrow at me. "Carlos, sorry it will take me a while to get used to calling you that." He just smiled and leaned down and gave me a melting kiss. I could get lost in his kisses. I never wanted him to stop. All too soon he pulled back, resting his forehead on mine.

"Say it again, please Babe." He whispered.

At first I was confused as to what he wanted me to say, but from the look in his eyes, I knew.

I leaned up and gave his lips a brushing kiss and whispered against them. "I love you, Carlos. Let's start our someday."

Hope that you liked it! Please leave me reviews! I will slowly…but surely get to them all!

3 to you all!

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