From This Day Forward
Chapter Seven
After the photographer had finished taking pictures of the bride and groom, arranging various poses along the beach front and grassy knoll, Stephanie and Ranger were driven back to the villa to change out of their wedding attire. The Plums and Manosos were scheduled to leave the island in a few hours, and Stephanie and Ranger had agreed to join them for a quiet dinner at a local restaurant before they left.
Pausing at the front door of the villa, Ranger lifted Stephanie into his arms and carried her over the threshold. The front desk staff had left a bottle of champagne chilling in an ice bucket, and a vase full of freshly cut flowers on the dining room table. Ranger carried his bride up to the bedroom and gently placed her on her feet.
The staff had obviously been busy. They had also transformed the bedroom into a lovely honeymoon suite. Rose pedals were densely scattered across the king size bed, and a line of candles softly flickered along the length of the dresser. Chocolates, wrapped in gold leaf paper, boasting a dedication to Mr. and Mrs. Manoso in elegant cursive writing, rested on each pillow. Sitting on the winsome wood nightstand were two champagne flutes etched with an identical moniker.
Stephanie and Ranger glanced around the room, drawn into the romantic ambiance.
Stephanie walked to the bed and picked up a chocolate, rubbing a finger over the inscription. "I'm your wife. I'm Mrs. Manoso."
Walking up behind Stephanie, kissing the soft skin on her neck, Ranger said, "Yes you are, babe. I'm very happy about that."
Helping Stephanie out of her gown, Ranger carefully slid the chiffon fabric down her shoulders and over her hips. Eyes scanning the lace bra and thong panties, Ranger ran a hand along Stephanie's ass as she stepped out of the material.
"We'll keep dinner short and sweet," he said, eyes dark with passion. Our parents will understand."
Stephanie unsnapped her bra and placed it over Ranger's shoulder. Then she posed in front of her husband, wearing only heels and thong panties. Without a word, Ranger swiftly scooped Stephanie off her feet and laid her down on the bed, right on top of the rose pedals.
"We're going to be late for dinner," Stephanie warned Ranger.
Ranger slid Stephanie's panties over her hips. "Dinner can to wait."
Two and a half hours later, after enjoying a four-course meal at a fancy restaurant, Stephanie and Ranger escorted their family members to a loading dock in Balfour Town. At the dock, a private boat was waiting to take them back to Turks Island.
"What time are you all leaving tomorrow?" Stephanie asked them.
"We're all on the same flight, leaving tomorrow afternoon at two o'clock," Ernesto answered for the group, a toothpick hanging from his mouth.
"We did a heck of a lot of shopping on Friday," Grandma Mazur said. "I had to buy an extra suitcase for the trip back home."
Frank mumbled something under his breath and Helen cut her eyes to him, issuing a silent warning.
"I'm glad you all had a couple of days to enjoy the island," Stephanie said, hugging each family member in turn. "Call us when you land in Trenton."
Ernesto let out a jovial laugh. "I guess that's our queue to get our asses on the boat so the newly weds can get on with their honeymoon."
Ranger smiled wide, escorting his family onto the boat. "It's a beautiful night for a boat ride."
"Make sure you try out the flavored body oils," Grandma Mazur reminded the bride and groom, waving goodbye. "That strawberry one is the best!"
Ernesto and Armena laughed out loud. They were starting to get used to Grandma Mazur's off-handed remarks. Looking at the couple remorsefully, Helen crossed her chest and rolled her eyes as she climbed onto the charter boat with Frank's support. "We should have left her in Trenton with Jerome."
Stephanie padded out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her body, running a brush through her damp curls. Ranger, wearing black, silk boxers, was pouring champagne into the flutes. He passed a glass to Stephanie and kissed her lips before taking a sip of the bubbly.
"How do you feel?"
Stephanie took a long sip of the smooth champagne and glanced at Ranger over the rim of her glass, pondering his question for a beat.
"I feel like I'm floating on a soft cloud right now," she said, setting her flute down on the night stand. "You know, the first time I walked down the aisle, there was so much doubt swirling in my mind. But when I stepped off that golf cart today, and looked into your eyes, I knew I was doing the right thing. What about you? How do you feel?"
"I feel the same way," Ranger said, pulling Stephanie into his chest. "This has been a perfect day, babe."
"It has been a perfect day. I couldn't have asked for anything more."
"So you were truly okay with my surprise?" Ranger asked Stephanie, studying her face.
"I was blown away. It was such loving, unselfish sentiment. When did you decide to surprise me?"
"A few weeks after Julie left this past spring," Ranger said through a lazy smile. "I guess I was feeling the whole family type vibe."
"That's what I love about you, Stephanie said, snuggling into Ranger. "You're good at anticipating my needs."
"I was happy to include my parents this time around," Ranger admitted. "They barely knew my first wife."
Looking at Ranger, Stephanie said, "Did you notice your mother kept talking about babies throughout dinner?"
Setting his flute down next to Stephanie's glass, Ranger nodded his head. "She has plenty of grandchildren. I'm not sure why she's pressing for more right now."
"We joke a lot about being parents," Stephanie said. "But I suppose we should start to seriously consider that possibility."
Ranger was quiet for a beat, turning the idea over in his head.
"Or maybe not," Stephanie said, studying Ranger.
Lifting the corners of his lips into a smile, Ranger said, "I'm just trying to picture us with a baby. I really want to wrap my mind around that for a while."
"Does the thought scare you as much as it scares me?"
Ranger shook his head. "Not anymore. My views on fatherhood have changed a lot over the last couple of years."
Stephanie stared at Ranger, a questioning look in her eyes. "Do you think we have what it takes to be good parents?"
"I think we'll have to live and learn, just like most parents."
Stephanie sat on the edge of the bed and looked up at Ranger. "I'd like to get my PI business up and going before I get pregnant."
Sitting down next to Stephanie, Ranger said, "Okay. But would you really want to work full-time with a baby?"
"I'm not sure anymore."
"In that case, we should probably wait a year or two before we have a baby. See how things pan out with your business."
"I agree. But what if we slip up?" Stephanie asked Ranger.
"Then we'll have a baby," Ranger said with self-assurance. "And plan accordingly."
With that resolution, Stephanie hopped off the bed, padded to her suitcase, and rummaged through the clothes, pulling a decorative, leather bag from the bottom.
"Enough with all this serious talk," she said, crawling back onto the bed, bag in hand. "Let's have some fun."
"I like chocolate," Ranger said as he inspected the assortment of sex gadgets inside the bag.
"You like what I do with chocolate," Stephanie corrected.
Pulling a six inch, pink dildo from the bag, Ranger studied the life-like toy with a smirk on his face. "Kind of small, don't you think?"
"Probably average," Stephanie said. "I'm used to above average."
Ranger threw the dildo into the far corner of the room. "Let's start with the massage oils."
Pulling three different oils out of the bag, Ranger called out the flavors.
"Strawberry, chocolate and peach."
He tossed the strawberry oil into the loser corner with the pink dildo. "I can't use a flavor that your grandmother has endorsed."
"Smart choice," Stephanie agreed. "You love peaches."
"And you really like chocolate," Ranger said.
Stephanie offered Ranger a coy smile. "Peach on me, and chocolate on you."
"Deal."
Stephanie dropped her towel to the floor and helped Ranger out of his silk boxers.
"Face down," Ranger said through a soft voice, removing the cap from the bottle of peach flavored oil.
Stephanie did as she was told, resting on her stomach, head snuggled into a pillow.
Straddling Stephanie's hips, Ranger poured oil into the palms of his hands and rubbed them together slowly, warming the silky liquid with his body heat. Starting above Stephanie's waist, he massaged the oil into her neck and shoulders, kneading the muscles with his thumbs to create a little pressure. Moving like a professional masseuse, Ranger slid his hands up and down Stephanie's spine, applying a little pressure at the small of her back.
"That feels so good," Stephanie mumbled into the pillow, eyes closed.
Ranger took his time, sliding over the dip in Stephanie's lower back, coming to rest on the curve of her ass, massaging more oil into her skin. Stephanie's loins were on fire, her center pulsing with anticipation. She pushed her hips up off the bed and pressed her ass into Ranger's erection, giving him an open invitation.
Ranger leaned forward, resting his chest against Stephanie's back, and whispered in her ear.
"Not yet. Turn over."
Obeying the command, Stephanie relocated onto her back and Ranger poured a second helping of oil into his hands. He swiftly went to work on Stephanie's breasts, sliding his thumbs over her erect nipples, pinching them gently. His mouth soon followed the same path as his hands, and Stephanie let out a soft moan as Ranger's tongue danced across her protruding nipples, devouring the sweet and fruity oil.
Kissing a path down Stephanie's body, Ranger stopped just below her navel. Grabbing the oil, he tipped the bottle, allowing the thick liquid to fall in a steady stream over Stephanie's mound. She opened her legs expectantly as Ranger massaged the oil between her thighs, using his hands to caress her gently, pushing a couple of fingers inside her wet passageway, stroking her spot. Another guttural moan escaped from Stephanie's lips, and Ranger pushed her knees in the air and bowed his head between her legs, catching every drop of oil with his tongue.
Clamping her thighs around her husband's head, Stephanie's muscles began to constrict with an approaching orgasm. All of a sudden, Ranger's tongue stopped, mid stroke. And in on swift movement, he anchored himself over Stephanie's body and pushed his erection deep inside her center. Stephanie locked her ankles at the small of Ranger's back and wrapped her arms around his strong shoulders. Then they rocked together in a slow and steady dance, building momentum until the end came in a familiar climatic explosion, leaving both of them spent and out of breath.
20 minutes later, Stephanie was returning Ranger's favor. Ranger claimed he didn't need an extended version of foreplay, choosing to forego the full body massage. So, with her hands full of chocolate flavored oil, Stephanie focused on Ranger's steel like erection, her hands moving up and down his member until it was literally throbbing. With her mouth, she milked him slowly, tasting the sweet chocolate on her tongue. And in the matter of minutes, the muscles in Ranger's legs grew rigid as an orgasm slammed his body. Letting out a deep throated growl, Ranger kept a hand tangled in Stephanie's curls as her mouth rode out his orgasm.
A half hour later, after a short cat nap, Stephanie opened her eyes to find Ranger pulling a string of anal beads from the bag of sex toys.
Examining the small, oval shaped objects with a curious eye, Ranger said, "I want to try these out."
Sitting up in bed, Stephanie said, "I think they'll be easier to maneuver if you get on your knees and bend over the foot of the bed."
Ranger gave Stephanie a raised eyebrow. "I don't' think so."
"You said you wanted to try them out."
"I want to try them on you, babe."
"You like adventure," Stephanie pointed out. "I'll be gentle."
"There's not enough adventure in the world," Ranger said, dangling the beads in front of Stephanie. "Tag, you're it."
"You are not putting those beads up my ass," Stephanie said to Ranger, shaking her head. "That's just too freaky."
Smiling wide, Ranger threw the beads across the room to join the other rejects. "Okay, the beads are out."
Grabbing the goodie bag, Ranger pulled out a purple butt plug and held it up to the dim light in the room. The jelly butt plug was huge and oddly shaped. It looked like something from a horror flick.
"I'm sensing a freaky theme here," Ranger said, turning on the vibrating plug.
"Not a chance," Stephanie said, shaking her head at Ranger. She stared at the gadget with a disgusting look on her face. "That looks painful."
Tossing the butt plug, Ranger pulled another contraption out of the bag. This one was a large, brown penis sleeve with raised nodules all over it.
"You'll enjoy this one," Ranger promised Stephanie.
"I don't know," Stephanie said, gawking at the funny looking thing.
Sheathing his erection with the penis sleeve, Ranger grabbed Stephanie, placed her on her back, and threw her legs over his shoulders.
"The ridges are for extra stimulation," Ranger said, positioning his hips between Stephanie's thighs, ready for action. "If you can't handle it, let me know."
Stephanie stretched her arms over her head and grabbed the headboard. "Go for it."
Ranger entered Stephanie slowly, sliding into her warmth, inch by inch, until he was buried deep inside of her.
"You okay, babe?"
Stephanie closed her eyes, enjoying the heightened sensation. "I'm good. This one's a keeper."
