This was a personal challenge to write using an acrostic format, where typically the first letter of each line spells out a word or a message reading down vertically. Usually it is done in a poem format. But I thought it would work in this context. I did initially begin with one line for each letter. Hahaha. But Ranger demanded more say. So, a single line grew to a couple, and then as it is below, a paragraph for each letter. Some of the paragraphs could be split but that defeats the purpose of the acrostic framework. So each paragraph has the first letter of the acrostic.

I will post Making Moves Chapter 8 on Wednesday. I couldn't wait to post this one. Enjoy. ; )

RANGER AND STEPHANIE FOREVER

"Ranger? What are you doing there? It's still dark o'clock." No response from the man in black sitting, hidden in the shadows. But she knew he was watching her, his elbows on the arm rests, his fingers steepled in his customary Zen like pose. Stephanie yawned and groaned lightly as she stretched languidly, trying to consider her next move.

"Are you going to sit there all night? You must be tired." She knew this was not the first time, waking to find him sitting in that chair. She had woken to find him there before. If she didn't awaken, then in the morning she would recognise that lingering scent of the man, his Bulgari, to indicate another night time visit. Was it a vigil?

"Not tired, Babe. I could sit here quite easily, all night. You have no idea how this, just watching you, makes me feel calmer and centred again, even as you sleep," he admitted. Stephanie's eyebrow shot up with that confession. So many words from her man in black. What went unsaid, watching and listening to her breathe, for him, was better than any meditation or the decompressing process once he was stateside.

"Get in," she quietly commanded, "then we can both be calm and centred at the same time." Without another word he complied. In the dark she heard his Rangeman t-shirt coming off and dropped to the floor followed by boots and socks. Weapons, more than a few, and his phone were placed on the bedside table and the utility belt was flung over the chair. Uh oh … there go the cargoes.

Every hormonal nerve was on alert and tantalisingly wide awake now. What had she done? She knew that Ranger went commando and why would tonight be any different? But his warm body beside her felt so comfortable and warm. Is it hot in here? Did I say it was warm? Who am I kidding? The man is H-O-T, hot. "Go to sleep, Babe," he murmured, smiling contentedly into her curls as he spooned her, snuggling into her sleepy body warmth, pulling the comforter over them.

"Ranger?" No response. She felt his breathing slow and relax as sleep engulfed him. "Sweet dreams, Batman." In his sleep, just before he tumbled over the final threshold to Dreamland, he mumbled, "Te amo, querida." He had called her querida before and she knew it was a term of endearment. And, nobody needed to translate the first part. He loved her, even in his sleep. She smiled and feeling brave, she whispered, "Te amo, Carlos." With that, she relaxed as sleep came with the peace in her heart, knowing that he had come back to her. "Sweet dreams, Carlos."

And no truer words were spoken. His dreams were sweet and peaceful. His journey back to her had been fraught with delays. Whilst in the jungles of somewhere just north of the equator, and, as he had looked up through the dense canopy to a clear patch of starlit sky, he had resolutely made his decision. This was his last mission as he waited for their extraction, signalling to the incoming chopper. He smiled at himself using Bazza's favourite Aussie slang word for the helicopter, the only the Australian on the team. It was time, he had decided, time to move forward and hope his dreams of a life and a future with Stephanie were now more than a possibility. He had fulfilled his contract beyond their expectations and now it was time for the new young guns to step up. It was time for him to step aside and reclaim his life. Once he was stateside he set his plan into action. They had tried to negotiate new terms, offering lucrative incentives and enticements, but he stood his ground and was adamant. His only enticement was one Stephanie Michelle Plum, his Babe. He slept restfully, the best sleep for over the past six months since he'd been in the wind.

Next morning, Stephanie awoke to find Ranger still there, and still fast asleep. Yes, he did look tired but oh so gorgeous with his hair all mussed up and a sexy short beard along his jawline. He had been in the wind for almost six months and she had missed him terribly, more so than ever before. Each evening, sitting on the fire escape, she had looked up at the moon or the stars, well, on the nights when they were visible without the Jersey haze or smog or just through the clouds, and sent telepathic thoughts to him. Thoughts of love and devotion, wanting him to come back to her safely, sending protective and healing vibes. She felt a strong connection and there were some nights she wondered if he had done the same.

Daylight had streamed into her sitting room window but luckily, she kept her bedroom dark. He obviously needed his sleep since she was awake before him for once. The bathroom beckoned and she gently disentangled herself from his hold, whispering, "I need to go to the bathroom. I will be back. Sh." He released her compliantly, kissing her neck first, and she quickly did her morning routine and brushed her teeth as well. Brushing her hair so it wasn't that crazy morning bed hair made her feel more relaxed. After washing her hands, she quietly snuggled back into his warm beautiful body having decided that today was a no schedule day. She chuckled thinking she could call Tank and say she was offline for the rest of the week. Nah. Need to know basis. He'll find out when he needs to know unless he already knows Ranger is back. Smiling to herself, she was just going to go with the flow and then succumbed to sleep once again as Ranger drew her into his warm body.

Sometime later, Stephanie became aware that something was different. She opened her eyes slowly, blinking, only to be met by the most lusciously warm, chocolaty brown eyes and wonderful smile. "Ranger," she breathed. "You're real. I mean, you're really here. I thought it was a dream." He leaned down and gave her a chaste kiss and another. His deep rumbling bedroom voice had all her hormones tingling with delight and anticipation. "Babe. Thank you for letting me sleep. It must be afternoon by now." He stroked her hair reverently and let a finger trail along her jawline and traced her lips. Stephanie noticed a new expression on his beautiful face, one she had only occasionally glimpsed, but oh so briefly. She was fascinated. His expression was devoid of his usual blank face and that smile was out in full wattage. "Welcome home, Ranger. I missed you." Blinding was more accurate as he leaned down and kissed her deeply. And once they caught their breath, he kissed her again, his tongue teasing hers, stroking and dancing lightly but erotically. "I'm so glad to be home, Stephanie. Home. Yes, it feels good to be home. You didn't get too crazy?" She shook her head, and confessed, "Only a little. Sometimes I get impatient when I have to wait." He chuckled at the truth of that, kissing her nose. "And you? You didn't get shot?" she asked as her hands ran over his torso and down his abs checking for any new scars or holes or bandages perhaps. Thankfully no new scars or holes or bandages after she checked his sides, his back, arms, head and legs. Ranger smiled and crooned with her warm wandering hands, growling when they caressed his scalp. "Hm, yeah, Babe." He flipped her over so he was on top, his hardness caressing her thin boy shorts deliberately.

"Take them off." Her hands went to push them down and as she half sat up his lips pounced on hers in a deep searing kiss. "Let me," he said huskily after catching his breath. Stephanie was already so aroused she had begun to squirm in anticipation. First, he grabbed her hands and lifted her tiny white tank top revealing the raspberry-like nipples standing to attention. He smiled and hummed. "Now, that's a nice welcome home Carlos, for sure, Babe." While one hand slowly removed the tank top, carelessly tossing it away, his mouth was busy teasing her nipples one by one. "Beautiful, so ripe and ready for me." His warm hands headed southward and gently tugged the boy shorts and the little lacy thong down her legs sending them off into orbit, landing somewhere on the floor. He teased and played her body, reacquainting himself with all her luscious curves, playing particular attention to her erogenous zones and other favourite spots where he loved to lick and linger.

Entering her warm, tight heat had them both moaning with a relishing sigh. Holding their breaths, brown eyes intent on blue ones, Ranger began to move slowly and deliberately. "Faster, Ranger, please?" She was sounding whiny but for goodness sake, she too had been waiting a long time for this moment. He hummed, "Hmm, I'm savouring every bit of you inside and out. I have been visualising this for a long time, especially once I was stateside." What went unsaid, of course, was that he couldn't afford the risk of being distracted while on this final mission. He was determined to come home, alive, to her. And this was the perfect homecoming. Stephanie grabbed his ass and met his slow thrusts trying to encourage him to increase his pace, even though she was enjoying it. "Look at me, Babe." He smiled, again with that look, the look she was loving more and more and it made her catch her breath. He stopped, took her lips in a passionate and scorching kiss. He looked into her eyes as if reading her soul. "I want you Stephanie." She caught her breath again, still writhing beneath him. "All of you." He couldn't take his eyes of those captivating blue ones. "I need you. I want you in my life. Not just in my bed." She smiled. Her eyes widened with each remark. Her widening smile blew him away as her eyes glistened. "This is forever, Babe. Esto es para siempre. Forever."

Punctuating each statement with a powerful thrust, harder and deeper, faster each time, watching her intently, growling the last words as he felt her warm pussy clenching him tightly and pushing them over the edge together in a powerful orgasm. He soothed her and allowed her to recover as the aftershocks came. His hands were all over her, gently caressing her flushed body setting off goose bumps with pleasurable moans between gasps. He beamed at her then slowly and so reluctantly extricated himself from her warmth. Snuggling together, her head resting on his chest when he rolled to her side, they relaxed in the afterglow of their lovemaking, their hands slowly caressing one another.

Her wandering hands once again inspected his body for any new evidence of battle scars, inhaling his Bulgari goodness when she nuzzled into his neck. She bit it gently and grinned looking at him mischievously. "What was that for?" He eyed her curiously. "Just making sure you were real. I still can't believe it." He flipped her over onto her side, lifting her thigh to slip in deeply from behind and growled at her readiness. "Obviously I need to remind you again, Babe," as he bit her on her neck, soothing it with his tongue. But as he began thrusting into her from this delicious angle he took her neck in a mouthful and sucked hard leaving a sizable hickey. She moaned breathily and threw her head back into him as she spasmed with another orgasm. He repeated his actions closer to her collarbone and her body shuddered again in ecstasy. His hands wandered to her breasts and then one down to her nub and began rubbing and squeezing as his thrusts became more powerful changing the angle even more, pounding into her with a new pace until she screamed his name and pulled him over the edge with her. They were both gasping for air in ragged breaths. She grabbed him by the hair and pulled him into a searing kiss and nibbled along his jawline before she bit and sucked hard on his neck. It caught him off guard. He slowly and reluctantly withdrew from his nirvana and rolled to face beautiful glistening blue eyes. Kissing and touching each other reverently with eyes locked, she whispered, "I missed you so much. I'm so glad you're home at last."

A little teardrop threatened to fall, and he touched it gently with his thumb sweeping it away slowly. His thumb caressed her bottom lip and he nibbled at that pouty, kiss-swollen delicacy. This felt different for them both, like there had been a shift in the universe. He grabbed her face on both sides, kissing her all over with gentle, sweet little kisses. "You're it for me, Stephanie Michelle Plum?" She smiled. "Same here, Ranger, same here," she whispered.

Napping briefly in each other's arms to restore their energy, Ranger began to explore her body with his tongue, his lips and wandering, caressing warm hands. She awoke with a heavenly moan as he worshipped at her temple. He couldn't keep his hands off her. His lips were hungry for her and his tongue wanted to taste every delicious part of her body inside and out. His cock was finding all the warm spots and crevices. Her mouth took advantage as his wanderings took him south and he growled in satisfaction when she took him into her mouth and he dived into his nirvana with a new fervour. Making slow, hot loving was so wonderful and salivating until they both became frenzied and voracious. He reversed their positions and thrust deeply to the hilt, pushing himself deeper, lifting her knees up and rolling her back for even better penetration. With animalistic noises and screams they climaxed into euphoria to collapse in a sweaty satiated heap of tangled limbs. Neither could form words as the need for huge gulping breaths of air took precedence.

In the bathroom a couple of hours later, they emerged from their long yet stimulating shower. No doubt about it, Ranger was good in the shower. Truth in his actions was proof personified. Definitely ruined but what a way to be ruined. Whoa! He chuckled knowing that her brain to mouth function failed again. Wrapping a towel low on his hips, he gently towelled her dry, making sure every bit of her glowing skin was dry and gentled with his touch. He suckled her breasts leaving another hickey on the underside. Her responsive moans were causing his towel to tent once more. Her legs buckled, and he carried her to the bedroom.

Ecstasy. Euphoria. Rapture. Elation. Exhaustion. Bliss. Jelly legs. "Are you going to let me out of this bed, anytime soon, Ranger?" Her voice was quite husky from all her vocalisations. "Love that sexy voice, Babe." He wolf-grinned at her and pretended to contemplate the options. "Let's get dressed and go to my place. The hot water lasts longer. Bring your rodent. Besides, we need to refuel before we do any more cardio in the bedroom." She rolled her eyes at him and he swatted her on the ass and then kissed it and nibbled a bit. "Oh no you don't! I see what you are doing. Put that, that thing away," she squealed pointing at my happy reaction to her moans lying there naked, goofy grinned and totally fucked. And to sweeten the deal he remarked casually, "My bathroom also has a lovely, large tub for soaking …" He knew exactly what he was doing. They both needed to take it easy on their well-loved bodies and allow for some recovery time. "And, … I have Ella." She capitulated happily, laughing at his playful bartering. While she quickly packed a duffel bag with clothes and some essentials, Ranger grabbed Rex and his duffel, and they were ready to go. Her stomach rumbled its hollow complaint making them both laugh.

For the following weeks, Ranger and Stephanie spent a lot of time together. After the first week being offline, they were back on the fifth floor. Tank was very pleased to see him, and not just because of the paperwork. Stephanie had office management and senior research officer added to her list of accreditations, so part of the paperwork was Steph's domain. The Rangeman family reflected the changes in the atmosphere. There was more light and laughter and cheeky banter, but business as always, was efficient and well-organised. By the end of the second month Stephanie had all but moved in with Ranger. They had christened every room and every flat surface in the apartment. He had wined and dined her and taken her dancing. Dating became an entirely new experience for Stephanie. They had spent time at the beach and a safe house for some alone time. There was a celebration in lieu of Ranger's completion and non-renewal of his government contract and it was loud and joyous in the function room at Pino's.

Over in the Burg, word got out that Ranger was back in town and whispers of Stephanie being seen regularly in his company. They made no secret of their togetherness nor did they flaunt it. There was no gossip or rumour-mongering about the Bombshell Bounty Hunter either. Nothing to report since her cars stayed intact. Her apartment was a non-issue since she had long vacated it and new tenants had moved in. Dinner at the Plum household was a little strained since Helen incredulously still had a Morelli-Plum wedding in her sights. "What will Joseph say? Have you told him? Does he know? He's not from the Burg. How do I know you will be safe?" Ranger squeezed Stephanie's hand under the table then lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles lovingly. "Oh for, Pete's sake Helen. Sit down and shut up. Can't you see how happy my Baby Granddaughter is? He is the one who has always kept her safe so don't you dare question that. He dived into the Delaware to rescue her, from that bridge! I didn't hear of Morelli doing anything as heroic and brave as that, ever!" Frank nodded. "It's about time you let our daughter be happy with her own choices. There is no doubt in my mind that Ranger will look after my Pumpkin better than any man I know." Helen looked at Ranger and her daughter and then she saw it. This man, this brave and honourable man, loved her daughter. She smiled politely, and dinner was pleasant and civil for the rest of their visit.

Ranger's family was more receptive and celebrated both his return to civilian life and their blooming relationship. Stephanie was warmly welcomed with wide open arms. She survived the inquisition from his sisters with assurance and humour. They had never forgotten how she helped rescue Julie, their granddaughter and niece. Mama Mañoso was convinced that this woman was the one for her Carlos. Watching her son as he talked with his father and brother, his eyes constantly following Stephanie, smiling, winking, teasing and she recognised the look of love, just like his father with her. She walked up to him clasped his face in her hands and kissed him on both cheeks, her eyes glistening with joy. "You love her, Carlito." "Si, Mama. With all my heart. She's the one." He couldn't hold back the grin. His father and brother embraced him warmly with firm back pats and a teasing punch to the shoulder.

Evenings at the beach house on the weekend were pleasant and peaceful. After a busy day at the beach with all the guys swimming, playing volleyball, which was a wondrous sight to behold, and just hanging around with a bonfire on the beach, they sat around drinking and eating. Happy banter prevailed and the Rangeman family was lively and companionable. They moved to the poolside and sat on the deck as the last fiery colours of the sunset faded over the western horizon behind them. "You know, I'd love to see the sunset over the ocean one day, Ranger." "I can arrange for that, Babe," he replied confidently. The animated discussion that followed on where the best ocean sunsets would be, was fun to listen to.

Very close to midnight Ranger called Ram. Everyone went quiet when he appeared with a crossbow of all things. Stephanie sat there in Ranger's lap wide-eyed as he dipped his arrow in some oil and touching the firepit flames, lit the arrow. Hector set three spotlights onto three targets, on the beach below, each one smaller. Ram grinned at the guys, as money quickly exchanged hands, but they were clueless what his game was. Hell. Who cares? Shooting targets is always fun in their world. Then Cal called out, "Fire one!" Ram's bow was sharp and true for the first target. "Fire two!" The second one as well. A huge cheer erupted with each direct hit and the money was swiftly re-delegated. The sniper grinned confidently and waggled his eyebrows. Once again money was exchanged but this time into a bigger pot on the table. "Fire three!"

Everyone held their collective breaths as Ram dipped the arrow deliberately and slowly into the oil and then the flame lit the tip. "Drum roll!" called Lester. Everyone made the drumroll on any surface that made a noise and then, "Cut!" When it was quiet, the arrow was launched to its tiny target. Stephanie held her breath gripping Ranger's hand firmly. Everyone stood to see. It hit the target and there was an almighty cheer but then it set off a fiery lead, like you see on a gunpowder trail in old movies. Curiosity had them all spellbound. The fiery trail reached a flashpoint and suddenly the screams and whirls of fireworks lit up the sky. She loved fireworks. But the flashpoint did more than that. Stephanie stood still, almost forgetting to breathe, her mouth agape in awe. A frame of firecrackers was ignited and like a dazzling display of sparklers, a message was revealed: Marry me Babe. Stephanie turned to see Ranger, but he was already down on one knee with a ring box open in his hand, smiling a thousand watter at his Babe. Nothing else mattered. Her ears heard nothing, her eyes saw only him. She smiled down at Ranger with glistening eyes and quietly said, "Yes." The crescendo of noise that erupted made her jump as Ranger took her left hand, placed the ring in place and grabbed her to give her one helluva toe curling kiss. Catcalls and whistles and congratulatory pats and hugs abounded.

Ranger laughed along with their reactions and grinned at his Babe. He kissed her again and again, amid more whistles and catcalls and "Get a room", when he suddenly stopped. His wicked feral grin gave the game away. He stalked towards Stephanie as she walked backwards in slight trepidation. She knew that look. He grabbed her and threw her over his shoulder and rushed inside and up the stairs amid riotous cheering from the guys on the deck. Nothing else mattered. She shrieked playfully and grabbed his fine ass in front of her. She chuckled when he growled. "Playing with fire, Babe." In the bedroom they consummated their engagement many times. Since he was a child he loved it when they were camping by the beach and were up early to watch the sunrise. He smiled at that memory. All through the night Stephanie and Ranger made glorious new memories. Resting entwined in each other's arms, in between sessions and sleeping in hourly bursts they found themselves awake as dawn approached. He scooped her up and carried her onto the balcony and they sat together on the chaise longue with a blanket wrapped around them. "I bet you have never seen the sunrise over the ocean, Babe." It was spectacular like fire in the sky. Ranger took her left hand and kissed the ring finger with the sparkling cushion set diamond. He kissed her pouty lips and whispered reverently, "Te amo, querida. Siempre."

The End