Disclaimers: Janet's characters belong to her, any new ones that pop up are mine.
Special thanks to lulubelle09 for coming up with the prompt, to dreemseeker for pointing it out to me as well as advice on the story and name, to T for the idea of a cruise and helping with the location, and to JenRar for helping make sure everything read correctly. All errors are mine.
***OOOoooOOOoooOOO***
"Do you, Stephanie Michelle Plum, take this man, Ricardo Carlos Manoso, to be your wedded husband?"
For a split second, I froze, my mind spinning out of control as the disaster that was my first marriage to the Dick came back to haunt me. I was allergic to marriage. At least, that was my story, and I was sticking to it—at least, I thought I was. So, how did a person who's allergic to marriage wind up before a priest, about to vow to love someone for the rest of her life? Well, see, it's like this. It all started when my best friend, mentor, and sometimes lover, Ranger told me he needed a favor and suggested that a little black dress would be the thing to wear.
I'd been reluctant to do the favor at first. Sigh. Who am I kidding? Everyone knows that all Ranger has to do is look at me, and I'm his.
No matter how hard I'd tried to make things work with Morelli, my feelings for Ranger were like a third person in the bedroom, and I just couldn't do that anymore. Not to Joe, and not to myself. I'd finally plucked up the courage to tell Joe that we couldn't keep doing that to each other. We were holding each other back, and it was time we moved on.
Of course, he'd been hurt. Hell, we loved each other; it just wasn't the be all and end all that I felt for Ranger. So we'd finally thrown in the towel and decided that we'd just be friends. That had been approximately two seconds before Ranger had sent me the champagne and flowers. I could still see the words that had been written on the card. Babe I need a favor. I need you to marry me.
I dressed in a fancy little black number—the one that had Ranger looking at me like I was the last meal of a starving man—and took great pains with my hair and makeup. When the doorbell chimed, I was a bit surprised. Ranger being Ranger, I'd expected him to tumble the locks and just come right in.
I set down my mascara wand and headed to the door. When I pulled it open, my mouth nearly hit the floor. Standing before me was Corporate Ranger at his finest. I was in deep trouble here. He could ask me to do anything he wanted, and I'd be so distracted drooling—I mean, looking at him that I'd do it.
A deep chuckle had me blinking owlishly and looking up into his gorgeous face. He leaned down and whispered, "Good to know, Babe. But I promise I won't ask you to do anything too kinky until you are fully aware of what you're agreeing to."
The heat was like a lightning bolt to my doodah, and I felt myself sway as my cheeks flushed with heat.
Ranger reached out and steadied me. His eyes were smoldering with heat as they caressed my body. "You look beautiful, Babe."
I felt my cheeks heat once again at his words. "You suggested the outfit. What are we doing, by the way?"
"Let's get going, and I'll explain in the car on the way." He paused. "By the way, do you have your passport?"
My eyes widened. "Uh, no. Will I need it?"
He looked at me with his mouth crooked just a tad on the one side, and I knew I'd amused him with that last question.
I gave myself a mental head slap. He wouldn't have asked if I wasn't going to need it. I rolled my eyes and said, "Give me just a minute."
I hurried into my bedroom and fished my passport out of my dresser drawer. I quickly returned to where Ranger was waiting in my living room. I handed him the passport, knowing he'd keep better track of it than I would. He placed his hand at my waist, and I felt the heat zing through me.
My moan was barely audible, and he leaned down to me, his voice deep, yet whisper soft. "Keep that up, Babe, and we'll never make it out of the apartment."
I bit my lip as my eyes met his for several heated seconds. Just when I thought he was going to chuck whatever it was he wanted us to do, he stepped back and muttered, "Later. Definitely later." His expression became blank, and he spoke a little louder. "This is important, Stephanie."
I nodded. "Okay. Let's go."
As we left the apartment, Ranger paused only long enough to lock my door before we made our way to the elevator. He seated me in the passenger side of the Porsche Turbo before climbing behind the wheel and putting us in motion. We'd just left the outskirts of Trenton when my curiosity got the better of me, and I was ready to ask him where we were going. Before I had the chance, he turned slightly to look at me and lifted my hand in his.
"Thank you, Babe, for agreeing to help me with this one. An old buddy called and asked if I could help his sister. She and her fiancé went on a wedding cruise, where people book the cruise with the sole purpose of getting married and using the cruise as their honeymoon. They took their life savings with them, wanting to make this the best trip imaginable."
I had a hinky feeling in my stomach and had an idea of what he was going to tell me, but I waited for him to tell it his way.
"Gloria, the sister, picked out her gown, and they paid for everything with the cash they had, making sure to get receipts. They were smart about things, but there cabin was a broken into on the way back to Miami, where the cruise sailed from. All the receipts were stolen, along with any cash they had and anything of value. When they returned to their stateroom early, the burglars attacked them and nearly killed them both. They now have no proof that they paid for anything, and those in charge of the wedding are claiming they owe them fifteen thousand dollars."
His jaw clenched. "Denny asked me to help find something on these people to put them out of business. Gloria and her husband Steve have since found out that this has been happening to a lot of others as well. To top it off, they weren't legally married and had to go before a justice of the peace in order for things to be legal. They'd been planning to adopt a baby and had done all the paperwork. Because the agency found out they weren't legally married, it ruined their chances to adopt with that agency. If we can find proof and get these people charged with their crimes, Gloria and Steve might get a chance to have their baby. It's doubly important to them to be able to adopt, because Gloria had uterine cancer when she was in her late teens, and as a result, she's unable to have a baby of her own."
My eyes narrowed as I thought about the people behind so much heartbreak. I turned to Ranger and said, "Of course I'll do whatever I can to help you. These people have to learn they can't play with people's lives like that."
Ranger gently caressed my cheek. "I knew I could count on you, Babe."
I took hold of his hand and brought it to my lips, kissing it before lowering it to my lap, where his fingers curled around mine and remained there. After a moment of silence, I asked, "So, how is this going to work? I take it we're going on a cruise."
Ranger nodded. "We're going to a pre-cruise party for the couples that will be getting married on the cruise leaving in two days. Tonight, we'll talk to the wedding planner, and they'll get a feel for the kind of wedding we want to have. I think our best bet is to stick to the truth. I know how you feel about marriage, but if you were getting married, what kind of wedding would you want it to be? If you go with that, there'll be less chance of getting tripped up."
I nodded, but remained silent. I took a deep breath. Shit! On the one hand, I'd never planned to get married again, but on the other, to have Ranger would be everything I wanted. Now to just convince these people…
It turned out that I was worrying for nothing. The minute they saw the black credit card, they were all smiles and didn't question anything. The dinner went off without a hitch, and soon, Ranger and I were on our way to Miami.
To make sure I had everything I needed for the trip, Ranger took me to a couple of upscale boutiques and outfitted me for the trip. He'd given me a ring before we'd gone into the party, and now I had a few more jewels to go along with my new wardrobe. I was a bit nervous as we boarded the cruise ship, but all in all, we had a good plan for the next few days.
We were shown to our cabin, which happened to be the presidential suite on the ship. This was the crème de la crème in staterooms. For the first three days, Ranger and I only saw each other in the evening for dinner, and then we spent the evening together in our room. During the day, I was being fitted and prodded and poked, which made the nights so much sweeter that I was able to spend them with Ranger.
If I forgot about why we were truly there, I had to admit the cruise was kind of fun. The food was good, and when I was left to my own devices, I actually had a lot of fun. Of course, both Ranger and I were doing some sleuthing. I'd managed to find a couple of interesting tidbits and had run a few searches that had netted some very interesting information. We had everything in place, and now, we only needed to wait for the right moment to get our evidence.
Finally, the big day—the day that Ranger and I were slated to get married—arrived. The butterflies in my stomach had butterflies. Once the ceremony was over, Ranger and I would be going for a meal at La Trattoria-El Faro Blanco Restaurant, near the lighthouse in Aruba, before heading back to the ship.
I made sure everyone knew our plans, so if anyone was going to make a move on our cabin, that would be the time for them to do it. Just as I was putting the last touches on my makeup, there was a knock on the door. I looked over at Ranger, and he winked at me before going to answer the door.
The minute he opened it, there was a squeal, and Lula rushed into the room. "White girl, you lucky Tankie brought me along to the wedding 'cause if I found out you married and didn't invite me, I'd haunt yo skinny white ass."
I grinned. Lula was wearing a peach-colored chiffon dress with miles upon miles of orange tulle fabric. Her hair was a burnt orange color, and she was wearing five-inch orange Jimmy Spiga sandals. She wrapped her arms around me and hugged me tight to her. As she did, she whispered, "We need to make lots a noise."
My eyes widened. "Lula! When did you get here?"
She gave an ear-piercing squeal and replied, "Tankie brought me as a surprise. Girl, we need some music so we can practice our dancing moves."
"We don't have much time. The wedding starts in thirty minutes."
"Girl, since when have you knowed me to need more than a couple minutes to get my moves down?"
She went over and turned the stereo up full blast. A song by Metallica exploded out of the speakers, and I had to cover my ears to mute the sound a bit.
Tank had pushed a trunk into the room ahead of them when they'd entered, and it suddenly opened. I grinned when I saw Hector emerge from inside, along with a few gadgets that looked a bit futuristic. He worked quickly, and in no time, he was slipping back inside the trunk behind a false panel. Tank maneuvered the trunk so Hector would have an excellent view of the room, and then Lula killed the music.
"See? What did I tell you? It don't take Lula long to get her groove on."
I laughed. "I can see that. So, are you ready to be my maid of honor?"
"You bet yo skinny white ass I am."
We headed topside, where the wedding planner and the others would be meeting us so we could make our way to the lighthouse at which our wedding would take place. At first, the planner had balked at our insisting the wedding take place there, but then after the third day on the cruise, she'd come to us all smiles and said that they'd been able to find a local priest on the island that had agreed to marry us if we were okay with the switch. With the end goal of catching these people in the act, we'd agreed.
We were led to a white limousine that was big enough to hold all of us that were going to the wedding site. I was stunned by the beauty of the lighthouse, with the restaurant in the background, and the view out to sea was extraordinary. It was as if everything was working together for our perfect day. In some ways, I regretted that this wouldn't be a real wedding and that at the end of the day, Ranger and I would be no more married than Lula and Tank.
We were met by a young woman, who smiled shyly. "Madamoiselle, if you come with me, I show you where you change."
I accepted my dress bag from Ranger and followed the young woman to a room in a gorgeous little bungalow just a few steps past the lighthouse. She helped me into the dress and fixed my hair and makeup. When I turned to the mirror, I gasped in shock at the vision that met my eyes. I was stunned with the way she'd done my hair in ringlets that fell gently on my shoulders, and the way she'd made up my face actually made me look about ten years younger. The dress fit like a dream. Its strapless top fit my breasts like a glove. The dress was an antique white silk with chiffon and tulle, adding to the romantic feel to the day. Ranger had bought a pearl necklace for me to wear with the dress, along with a matching bracelet and earrings. I placed the matching hat on my head, and the young woman led me to the garden, where the wedding would take place.
As we walked, she talked nervously. "You are honored, mademoiselle. Father Jarnelle does not perform many ceremonies these days. Only occasionally, when the vision tells him it is right."
I smiled and nodded at all the right places, not really paying too close of attention. After all, I believed these two were in on the scam that the others had going on. When we reached the garden, I had to fight back the tears that burned at the backs of my eyes.
Tank was performing two tasks today. He was walking me down the aisle, and then he would take his place beside Ranger as his best man.
I stood beside Ranger, lost in the moment as I answered the questions the priest asked. In that moment, when the priest used my full name, I felt a blinding moment of panic before utter clarity descended, and I realized I wanted this with Ranger. I wanted this to be real, not some phony scam someone was playing on us. I looked up at Ranger, and there was an odd gleam in his eyes that had me wondering if he was freaking out because it seemed too real.
I closed my eyes for a millisecond before opening them again and whispering, "I do."
The priest turned to Ranger. "Do you, Ricardo Carlos Manoso, take this woman to be your wedded wife? Will you love and protect and comfort her all the days of your lives?"
Ranger looked down at me, and the look in his eyes made my heart sing with joy as it recognized the love shining there as he said, "I do."
"Then by the power vested in me by the Lord above and the government of Aruba, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride."
Ranger leaned down and covered my lips with his as he sipped at my mouth, letting his tongue caress my lips before he took my mouth with his in a kiss beyond anything we'd shared before. When he pulled back, Tank, Lula, and the others were congratulating us.
Within moments, the only ones with us were Tank and Lula. We made our way to the restaurant, where we dined on the most wonderful food. Ranger had arranged for all my favorites. When we finished, we made our way back to the ship, knowing that when we got back to the room, more than likely, Hector would have all the proof we needed.
Ranger wrapped his arm around me as we neared the ship, his voice was low so only I would hear. "Are you all right, Babe?"
I looked up at him with tears in my eyes. "Yeah. I just…"
His eyes darkened. "Yeah. Me too, Steph." His hand came up to caress my face. "When I was standing there with you today, I couldn't help but wish we were really getting married instead of being scammed by professionals. It would have been a beautiful wedding."
I smiled shakily. "I felt the same way. I was a little freaked when he asked me if I took you for my husband, and it was in that moment that I realized, that was exactly what I wanted."
He leaned down till his mouth was beside my ear. "We could always make it real. Say the word, and as soon as we have this crew in jail, we'll go back and make it real."
I looked up at him, letting the love I felt for him shine through. "Yes!"
He covered my mouth with his, and it wasn't until we heard a throat being cleared—loudly—that we broke apart.
Ranger turned to Tank. "You ready to go through this again as soon as we get those cons in the bag?"
Tank's eyes widened. "You two are getting married for real?"
I was smiling ear to ear as I fought back tears and nodded.
Ranger gave a simple almost nod of his head.
Lula shrieked, "Hot damn!
The car came to a stop. We climbed out and went to see what Hector had been able to get while we were gone. As soon as we boarded the ship, I knew something was up. Our wedding planner and several other people were in handcuffs. Hector was standing there talking with an officer with the Aruban government.
Ranger stepped forward and spoke with Hector and the other man. They spoke in Spanish, which I noticed several officials seemed to be following. Lula looked as lost as I felt, as neither of us understood what was being said.
After several minutes, Ranger started back over to where I was standing. He stopped before he reached me, and I noticed that he was looking at something over my shoulder. I turned and recognized the priest that had married us. I turned back in time to see Ranger speaking with an officer. The man shook his head and told Ranger something that had him looking surprised. His gaze flew to mine, and there was a twinkle in his eyes. He spoke with the man for a couple of minutes more and then came over to wrap his arms around me.
I leaned back so I could look up at him. "What was all that about?"
He smiled down at me, all two thousand watts. "I'll tell you as soon as we get to our room, Mrs. Manoso."
I frowned. "Not yet. But soon."
Ranger leaned down till his mouth was at my ear. "Actually, Babe, we've been married for nearly three hours now."
I looked up at him in shock. He nodded.
Before he could say anything else, the priest who'd married us, who I'd thought was a fake, stopped beside us. "It is not often that the vision tells me this one is right. When the call came, asking me to perform this union, the phone vibrated with joy as the angels sang. Such a testament I could not deny. You will live long and love completely. It is written." He placed a hand on each of us. "Here, greatness abounds." With that, he turned and walked away. The young woman that had helped me to dress took his arm and led him off the boat.
I turned to Ranger. He was still smiling that dazzling smile of his. He kissed my forehead before telling me, "Father Enrique Jarnelle is the wedding priest. He'll only marry couples he has visions about. He's a very real priest and has all the credentials to marry people anywhere within the islands here. We are well and truly married."
I bit my lip. "Are you okay with that?"
Ranger lifted me in his arms. "I am very okay with that, Stephanie Manoso. Now, let's go start the rest of our lives."
"Wait a minute! What about the scammers?"
I felt the vibrations in his chest as he chuckled. "They were caught red-handed going through cabins and stealing valuables. Plus, Hector recorded them going through our cabin, and that conversation alone will keep them in jail for a good long time."
I shuddered at the thought of them going through my things.
As if he sensed what I was thinking, Ranger kissed my forehead and said, "Not to worry, Babe. I'll replace it all. Besides, I have somewhere better for us in mind to spend our time."
It was then I noticed that he was carrying me off the ship and back onto the island. He set me inside the limo before climbing in next to me. He gave the driver directions, and we made our way back toward the restaurant where we'd eaten. Just before we got there, the driver pulled in closer to the lighthouse, next to the gorgeous little bungalow.
When the car stopped, Ranger climbed out and took my hand to help me out. Then he lifted me once more and carried me inside, where we spent the next three weeks celebrating the fact that we were Mr. and Mrs. Manoso.