Once again, all the characters you know and love belong to JE. All the mistakes are mine. Thank you again for your kind words and encouragement! I can't believe we're getting close to the end again!

After our argument on Sunday, I wanted Stephanie to feel more comfortable being around my family before we went to dinner at my parents. I asked Ella and Luis to have dinner with us on 7. Stephanie is already comfortable with Ella, and I know Ella thinks that she is perfect for me. We had a very nice evening. Ella told Stephanie stories about growing up with my mother, and Luis filled her in about some of the various cousins living in and around the area. After we showed them out of the apartment, she turned to me and said, "I really wish she would consider adopting me." I don't think she meant to say it out loud.

Stephanie has been spending all of her nights at my apartment. She goes home every day to get some clothes and feed Rex, but she has had space in my closet since the first time she ever showed up in my apartment, hiding from a gang. There is a dresser drawer in her apartment that contains my t shirts and a pair of boxers. It was there for me even when she was dating the cop. I take a small amount of pleasure from knowing that even when she was living with him, he did not have a drawer at her apartment. Some people would argue that it was because he had the dog, so they stayed at his place, but I know better. It strikes me now that we really have been in a relationship longer than either of us were willing to admit. I like having her here, though. She fills my apartment as well as my life.

On Wednesday, I asked her to join me for lunch. I wanted to show her that I want her here always. We arrived on 7 at the same time, and I pulled her in for a bone melting kiss. By the time we pulled apart, we were both breathing heavily. She smiled and said, "If you had told me we were having a nooner, I'd have eaten before I got here."

I gave her a playful swat on her ass. "Sandwiches are in the fridge, babe."

I could hear her tap on Rex's glass and talk to him as she gave him some food. She came out of the kitchen with a plate of sandwiches and a huge grin. "Did you know that there's a hamster in your kitchen?" She sat on my lap and wrapped her arms around my neck.

I kissed her. "He just wanted to belong where you do."

She hugged me tightly and whispered in my ear, "I Definitely think we have time for a nooner."

The plate of sandwiches lay forgotten on the dining room table as we head to the bedroom.

Halfway through dinner the next night I offered her a job at Rangeman. I could say that I did it for strictly professional reasons, after all she has skills that compliment Rangeman perfectly, but that's not entirely true. I have faith in her ability to do her job as a bounty hunter, but I want her to be close to me. She turns my offer down gently, and I'm not surprised. She has been honing her bounty hunting skills, and I am proud of her. She believes more in herself, and it shows in her work. This new confidence is sexy as hell. I smile at her and tell her that the offer is open anytime she wants it.

She runs her fingers through my hair and says, "I'm a lucky girl, Carlos." She stood and started walking towards the bedroom. Looking over her shoulder she winks at me and says, "Would you like to get lucky, too?"

By the time I make it to the bedroom, she is by her side of the bed. She has her back to me and is removing her pants. As she slowly slides them down her legs, I see the black cotton panties she is wearing. I am immediately turned on. She turns to me, and my suspicions are confirmed. She is wearing the panties that Ella bought for her and embroidered with the Rangeman logo. Seeing my name there never fails to work. It is an invitation for me to claim what is mine. As I walk to her, she takes her shirt off, and I can see that her bra also has my logo on it.

- Smut Warning -

I drop to my knees in front of her and place an open mouthed kiss just below the logo. My gaze skims up her body until I am looking at her as she is looking down at me. I slide my hands up the back of her thighs and under the elastic of her panties. I press my mouth to her again without breaking eye contact. She curls her fingers in my hair. I bring one hand to her front, rubbing her through the thin cotton of her panties. Her eyes are dilating and she is starting to breathe heavily, but we have still not broken the contact. "You're mine, babe." I tell her as I continue to rub her. She nods her head, and I slide her panties aside, kissing her smooth skin. "Mine." Her breath shudders through her, but I am only getting started. "Mine." It is a whisper now, and I have to break eye contact at last so that I can taste her, sliding my tongue through her folds as she moans above me.

I pull away from her and slide her panties back into place. I slide up her body as she clings to me. I stop to suck her already hard nipple through her bra, just underneath the other logo. "Mine." My voice is now hoarse, thick with my desire for her. I take a handful of her hair and gently tug her head back, kissing her neck. Her answered, "Yes" vibrates through her throat and into me. I quickly lay her on the bed so that I can take my clothes off as well.

I climbed onto the bed, kissing and licking my way up her legs until I was once again close to her panties. I could see from this close, that they were soaked with her juices. Once more, I pulled them to the side and licked at her core. She was writhing and moaning softly as I flicked my tongue into her, tasting her ecstasy.

As she quieted, I kissed my way along her belly and side until I was spooned around her. I kiss her neck below her ear and tell her again, "You're mine." She kissed me and said, "I have the panties to prove it." Reaching between us, she took me in her hand, and stroked my length. Her hands are soft. She begins trailing kisses across my chest and down my abs. She took me in her mouth and I was rocked by the sensations. When I tried to bring her back up to me so that I could lose myself in her heat, she looked up at me and said, "Mine." I closed my eyes and lost myself to her.

- End Smut Warning -

Our mostly eaten dinner was cold by the time we made it back to the dining room. We cleaned up the dishes, and she found the pineapple upside down cake Ella had left her.

On Friday, she went to her parents house for dinner. When she got home, I was in my office, looking over some paperwork. I assumed her evening went well, because she looked relaxed and happy when she came in. She hopped up on my desk and swung her legs back and forth until I was finished, then she told me she wanted to be just like her grandmother when she grew up. I didn't tell her, but she is well on her way. They both have a love of life that is endearing. Fortunately, Stephanie doesn't have her grandmother's desire to grab every male ass that gets close to her. I only want her hands on me.

On Sunday, she decided to go to her apartment to get ready for dinner. When I asked her why, she just told me that she had some 'Serious girl stuff' to do, and that her 'arsenal' was still at the apartment. I chuckled, and walked her to the door. I kissed her goodbye and promised to pick her up later.

She was ready by the time I got to her apartment. She had obviously taken time and care with her appearance, and she looked beautiful. I settled her into the Turbo, and we headed to Newark.

As soon as we got to my parents house, we were surrounded by children. They had been playing outside, and were curious to see the only girl I have brought here besides Julie. We made it past the kids and into the house. My father was in the living room with my the rest of the guys watching a ball game, but I led her straight back to the kitchen. The kitchen was busy as usual as people bustled back and forth between there and the dining room. I hope she can see that it is similar to her family, just with twice as many people, and probably half the guilt.

I cleared my throat, which didn't make a dent in the noise level. When I said, "Mother, grandmother, I would like you to meet Stephanie Plum.", the noise level dropped and all eyes turned to us. There was a second where I was afraid she might bolt, but she held her ground as first my mother then my grandmother welcomed her with hugs.

Once she had been greeted by the women in my family, the rest of the evening went smoothly. She fit in well with my family. She always seems to be able to capture the hearts of everyone around her, and my family is no different.

It was late when we finally left. Stephanie agreed to my mother's request that she come back with me again, and Celia walked with us back to the car. I went ahead of the girls to give them some space to talk. I regretted it as soon as I heard Stephanie's laugh. She was still laughing when she got in the car and we finally pulled away from the curb. I can't begin to imagine what Celia told her. Siblings know all your embarrassing stories, and won't hesitate to share.

I have one more stop planned for this evening, and I am nervous. Stephanie will be the only person I have ever shared this with. This for me is the moment of truth. I decided to park outside the gate so that she can get the full impact. The look in her eyes tells me that she knows where we are. She is both anxious and little bit afraid. I understand, because I feel the same way. I fob the gate open. I wonder If she realizes that I used the same key fob that I use for our apartment on 7. If she does, will she realize that she has always had the key? There is no more time to wonder. This is it. This is the Batcave.