Best Wishes

By: amkp

Chapter 28-Sail Away

Disclaimer: Yeah, they'll always be hers. On the 22nd, she releases the next installment in the Plum Series. Are you buying Sizzling Sixteen?

Author's notes: My muse took an unscheduled vacation, which led to a frustrating week and a delay in the posting of this chapter! As a result, I might have been a bit (okay, a lot!) cranky the last couple days, and I'd like to thank my husband, Super-Beta Jenny and Cara for not killing me. It had to be the ultimate test of will power! Jenny and Cara actually helped me pick it apart piece by piece, which finally lifted the fog my brain had been under! I love you, babes!

Thanks to my plot-players, for their answers this week, their Birthday Wishes (pun intended) and their thoughts as this story begins to wrap up. All of you have made this a truly rewarding experience! Thanks from the bottom on my heart to: PricklySare, rangerslee, siriusyellowlab, AmandaBabe, ty93, hapshepsut25alc, Barb4psu, forever babe, LeiaB and girliegirl79.

This chapter has been edited, critiqued and 'fleshed-out' by the super human powers of Super-Beta Jenny! Thanks, Babe!

SPOV

The look on Raphael's face was priceless. He looked like he'd been, well, run over by a truck physically, but his expression was that of sheer surprise. Raphael's eyes quickly darted from her to me, and I smiled a big, shit-eating grin. I was okay with letting him think I'd set this all up, even though I'd had nothing to do with it. I had no idea why she was here.

"Oh, it's you," Isabella said dejectedly. "What in the world happened? Did you sleep with a drug lord's girl?"

Raphael slowly shook his head, and his shoulders slumped. This wasn't going so well. I needed to fix this, fast.Think of something, Stephanie!

"Umm, it was prank that went all wrong. I was there, and I was sort of involved, but it wasn't my fault!" I defended, then stuck out my hand. "Hi, I'm Stephanie. I'm engaged to Raphael's brother, Carlos."

"Isabella." She offered her hand as well. "I met Carlos the other night." She waved at Carlos and lowered her voice to tell me, "You're a lucky woman."

"Yes, I am." I smiled warmly at the beautiful woman, thinking what an attractive couple she and Raphael would make. That is, after his black eyes healed up. Slow down, sheesh! She doesn't seem at all happy to see him.

Raphael rose from his seat and walked towards us. He asked her again why she was here.

Isabella dangled a key ring with a silver anchor from her fingertips. "I returned your yacht to its slip. My brother, Marco, was running late for his date and asked me to bring it back. He didn't tell me your name; just gave me the slip number and told me how to get to your house."

"You put my 51-foot boat back in its slip? By yourself?" Raphael's tone wasn't accusatory, rather that of pure disbelief.

She tilted her chin up a fraction and looked back at him with challenge in her eyes. "What? Don't think a girl like me can handle a boat that big?"

At least he had the good sense not to get sarcastic. "No, it's not that. I'm just surprised."

"I've been boating all my life. You have an excellent yacht. Very impressive. Handles well on the open water. Marco asked me to take it out a ways and make sure it was good to go for your trip."

"You're leaving?" I asked Raphael. This was the first I'd heard of it, although it wasn't like he runs his plans by me or anything.

Raphael shook his head and didn't reply. Now I was really confused.

Carlos had come to stand beside me during their conversation. His arm tightened around my waist. "No, Babe, we are. We're borrowing Raphael's boat for our trip. In fact, now that it's back, we can leave tonight. Julie and Annie will be here anytime."

That news sounded great to me! I knew Carlos had the trip planned with us all, but I hadn't known the boat was involved. "Where are we going?"

"I'm going to keep that part a surprise. We'll be staying on the boat every night except New Year's Eve."

"Julie will be thrilled! She loves being out on the water, and because her sling is off, she'll be able to do stuff this time."

"What about you, Babe? You think you'll like it?" He seemed almost unsure of himself, and that tickled me for some reason.

"Are you going to be there?"

"Babe." That was the Carlos equivalent of an eyeroll.

"Then I know I'll love it. I've never been on the water overnight. I can't wait!"

The doorbell rang, and I decided to answer it again. Carlos walked with me. When I opened the door, there stood Julie, Annie, and Charles, Julie's grandfather.

"Dad!" Julie squealed as she launched herself into Carlos' arms.

Carlos caught her effortlessly, and welcomed Charles and Annie into the house. Charles said he couldn't stay and after a quick kiss to Julie's head, he left.

Julie chatted a mile a minute as we made our way back out to the deck, bombarding Carlos with questions about the trip at lightening speed. He tried to answer them, but couldn't keep up with her. Finally, he gave her a kiss on the forehead and told her everything would happen in due time, and that she'd just have to be patient.

Good luck with that... Julie's patience level is about as slim as mine!

Julie decided to switch tactics, and headed for her Uncle Raphael.

"Oh, Uncle Raphael! What happened to your face?"

"Make sure to stay on your dad's good side," he advised her.

Julie's voice carried her surprise. "My dad did this to you?" She turned towards Carlos, ready to unleash her fury on him, but Raphael stopped her.

"Easy, baby girl, I deserved it." Raphael laid a restraining hand on Julie's shoulder, then introduced her to Isabella.

"Isabella, this is my overly-excited niece, Julie."

"Hi, Julie. It's nice to meet you," Isabella greeted Julie, giving her a warm smile. "Believe it or not, I don't have any nieces or nephews yet. My brothers are taking their sweet time finding a wife."

"Are you dating my uncle?" Julie asked.

"No!" Isabella's adamant response came quickly.

"Why not? He's a lot of fun!" Go, Julie! She was making my job easy.

"I think he's a little too much fun for me, Julie."

"Really? Can you have too much fun?" Julie seemed puzzled.

Isabella looked to Raphael for help; his mouth tilted up slightly at the corners, and he cocked an eyebrow. Raphael let several tense minutes pass before he finally jumped in.

"She doesn't know me that well, novia. Maybe we can talk her into staying for lunch."

Nice move, Rafe! Use the niece to help your cause.

"Oh, please, join us! You'll have fun, I promise!" Julie begged.

I decided to throw my two cents in as well. "Yeah, why don't you stay?"

She looked at all of the people gathered around, and finally nodded her head.

"Great!" I said with enthusiasm. "Let's get you something to drink! Hey, Les, what's the drink special today?" I guided Isabella over to the bar, and Lester made us each a Mojito, flirting shamelessly with us and playing his bartender role to the fullest.

Isabella looked at me with a sympathetic expression. "Are they all like this?"

I laughed and nodded my head. "Some more than others."

With our drinks in hand, we sat down with the girls and began talking about one of my favorite topics…shopping! Isabella told us about a store one of her friends owned. It sounded like a place I'd enjoy, and she offered to take me sometime if I wanted. She said it was about forty minutes from downtown. I agreed to go with her, not only because I loved shopping, but because I desperately wanted to make some new friends here in Miami. I loved spending most of my time with Batman, but sometimes you just want to go hang with the girls!

Raphael shouted from the grill that lunch would be ready in about twenty minutes.

"I'll go get the rest of the stuff from inside," I volunteered, and when I stood up, Isabella and Susan went with me.

We made a couple of trips before we got everything carried out. Everyone grabbed and filled a plate, then found a seat. Carlos and I sat with Tank, Susan, Julie, and Annie. I noticed Raphael had selected a spot next to Isabella on the couch. My eyes kept straying over to them, and I was pleased to see that things seemed to be going pretty well.

"Babe, what are you up to?"

"Me? Oh, nothing," I replied vaguely.

Carlos' expression told me that he didn't believe that for a minute. I leaned over and whispered, "I think Raphael really likes her."

"You're playing matchmaker?"

"No, I think your daughter is. I might be helping a little bit."

Tank asked Susan when her flight was leaving, and that saved me from any further discussion with Carlos about his brother.

"It leaves late tonight. I wish I could have gotten an earlier flight. My shift at the hospital starts at six a.m. tomorrow."

"You could go with us. We're using the RangeMan plane, and there's plenty of room," Tank offered.

"When are you leaving?" Susan definitely looked interested.

"Right after lunch. I could take you now to go pick up your stuff, if you're ready."

"That would be great! I'm all packed."

Susan picked up their dishes and carried them into the house, Tank went and told the guys what he was doing, and then they left.

After the lunch mess was cleaned up, we all sat around visiting. I was going to miss the guys. It had been fun having them down here with us.

Raphael and Isabella were talking cars. Their discussion was animated as they compared their favorite makes, models, and years. Raphael took her into the garage to show her his collection. They were gone until Tank and Susan got back. When they returned to the deck, Raphael was guiding her with his hand resting at the small of her back.

At two, Raphael suggested it might be best to get going. He was flying the guys and Susan back to Trenton, and we were going to the boat. I hugged each of the guys, saving Tank for last.

"I'm going to miss you, Big Guy."

Tank lifted me off my feet with his hug. "You call anytime. Take care, Bomber."

"So you and Susan?" I whispered into his ear.

Tank shrugged his shoulders and planted a kiss on the top of my head. "You're in my love life again," he said with a growl.

He shot me a penetrating stare that didn't scare me for even a second. In fact, I smiled, causing him to shake his head and mutter, "That used to be so effective."

His comment made me laugh. "Sorry, Big Guy, you don't scare me anymore. I know you're a softie."

"Stephanie," he barked out in warning.

Hee, hee, these guys made it too easy sometime. "Well, anyway, I hope it works out. She's really nice," I said before he placed me back on my feet.

Raphael came up behind me, loosely draping his arms around my shoulders. "Who's nice?"

"Susan…and Isabella." I turned in the circle of his arms to face him. "She might be too good for you, Rafe."

"She probably is, but she has agreed to go out with me next Saturday night. Of course, she laid down some pretty strict ground rules."

"Did you tell her about the challenge?"

"No, not yet. We'll see how Saturday goes."

I gave Raphael a hug, and he kissed me on the cheek. "Be a gentleman! Don't blow it," I warned him, using a stern expression.

"I can be a gentleman when I want to," he said, defending himself.

"Just make sure you're on your best behavior. No funny business! She won't tolerate it from you." I paused for a moment in consideration, chewing on my bottom lip. "Actually, I can't believe she agreed to go out with you so soon."

"She fell in love with the Porsche Spider. I told her I'd pick her up in it if she'd go out to dinner with me." He gave me a big smile. "She's really into cars. I think I might already be in love with her!"

I rolled my eyes.

"Have fun sailing on my boat. There's nothing like being out on the water."

Carlos came over to us and said everyone was ready to go. Raphael planned to drop Isabella off at the club on their way to the airport. We waved good-bye as they turned towards downtown, and we turned towards the marina. Carlos had decided to drive the short distance, instead of hauling all the bags across the beach.

As soon as pulled to a stop in the small parking lot, the girls grabbed their bags and bounded out of the car, racing towards Raphael's boat.

"Think they're excited?" I asked with a smirk.

The corner of his mouth tipped up. "If my daughter chooses the military, it won't be the Army. It'll be the Navy. She loves the water."

He opened my door, and then we went to get our bags. Carlos gave me the wheeled suitcase, while he hauled the garment and duffle bags with one arm, leaving his other free. He reached for my hand and laced our fingers together. When we arrived at the boat, he asked if I could put our bags in bedroom.

I walked into the room and found a huge bouquet of fresh flowers. The arrangement was beautiful, with several blooms I'd never seen before. I pulled the card from the holder, expecting to find Carlos' name, but instead found Raphael's.

Little Bro and Sis:

Sorry for the trouble I caused this week. Enjoy your time at sea. Happy New Year!

Raphael

The sentiment touched me, and I couldn't help the smile that creased my face. I unpacked our bags, then went topside.

Carlos was calling to the marina crew from the helm to release the tie-downs. He started the boat, and the powerful engine hummed to life, causing the floor to vibrate softly under my feet.

Julie and Annie were leaning against the front railing, waving at the crew as we began to slide away from the slip. I took a seat to Carlos' left, watching with interest as he expertly moved the boat out into the open water.

The wind whipped through my hair. I took the elastic I had around my wrist and wrestled my curls into a haphazard ponytail. Carlos programmed our course into the onboard computer, then stepped from the wheel after a red light on the control panel flashed 'auto-pilot'. I looked at the blip on the screen and the path laid before it, hoping to discover where exactly we were going. The screen was plotted in a longitude and latitude grid, which told me absolutely nothing. Dang it!

"Your brother's doing a pretty good job making things up to us."

"How's that? I asked for the boat before the remote incident happened." Carlos' face wore a confused expression.

"There's a large vase of flowers in the master bedroom from him. The card has your name on it, too, but I think they're more for me." I laughed at his grimace. "It was very thoughtful of him," I added.

"Flowers crossed my mind, but decided for the more direct route to your heart."

Checking that the girls were a safe distance away before responding, I said, "The make-up sex was outstanding!"

Carlos placed his hands on either side of my chair and leaned down, brushing a kiss to my neck directly below my ear. He whispered, "That was only step one of my plan. Have you looked in the refrigerator?"

I shook my head, unable to think of anything except the feel of his upper body pressed into mine and his lips kissing down my neck. I tipped my head back to give him better access. I was floating on a wave of pleasure, until Julie's voice brought everything to an abrupt halt.

"Get used to it, Annie. They're like this all the time," she giggled, and I felt the color rise in my cheeks. Carlos dropped a quick peck to my lips before going back to the controls.

"I think I'll go get a drink. Anyone else want anything?" The girls chose lemonades, and Carlos asked for a bottled water. I went below to the small kitchen. When I opened the refrigerator, there sat a delicious looking pineapple upside down cake. I got the drinks, then made my way back topside.

Deciding to give Carlos his drink first, I climbed the steps to the platform where he stood. I placed the bottle in the cup holder and turned to him.

"I guess you're responsible for the cake in the refrigerator."

One sexy eyebrow traveled north. "I figured the cake would score more points with you than flowers."

"And there's whipped cream, too," I purred, running my tongue seductively around my lips.

Carlos' eyes darkened considerably. "Babe."

I gave him a flirty smile, then darted away, giving a little finger wave as I scurried down the stairs.

"What's up first, girls?" I asked, handing each of them a lemonade.

"I need to paint my nails!" Annie said, looking down at her bare toes.

Julie and I agreed that was an excellent idea. Since I hadn't had time to get a pedicure during the holidays, I'd brought all my stuff along. In no time, I'd set up an impromptu spa on the main deck. We did the whole works, fingers and toes, then stretched out on the benches to catch the late afternoon sun while the polish dried.

When the sun had completely left the horizon, the girls went below to watch a movie. I snuggled up on Carlos' lap in the captain's chair for the next hour, until he decided to drop the anchor. Everything became still, the motion hardly more than a slight rocking sensation. The wind blew softly, and the water sparkled like glitter where the moonbeams hit it. It was absolutely perfect. I could see a few lights from other boats off in the distance, but basically, we were all alone here in the vastness of the ocean. We'd lost sight of land hours ago.

Carlos guided me to the front deck. He positioned us on our backs, with my head cushioned on his shoulder, as we stared up at the stars. Without the lights of the city to distract from them, they appeared even brighter against the inky blackness of the sky.

"The North Star," Carlos said, pointing towards it.

"I was never any good at astronomy. Of course you would be," I teased.

Carlos gave a little laugh at my jab. "Actually, my Abuelo taught me, but the Rangers reinforced it and expanded the knowledge."

He showed me a few more stars before falling silent, each of us lost in our thoughts. I could hear his steady heartbeat from where my head rested. His strong arms wrapped around my body, made me feel protected, safe, and most of all, loved. I don't know if I'd ever felt more at peace. Carlos had noticeably relaxed, and our bodies seem to meld together.

"We should go to bed. It's close to midnight." He spoke softly, stirring me from the trance I'd fallen into.

After he secured the helm, we headed below and locked the door to the main room. The girls were asleep on the couch, and the big screen tv had faded to blue. Carlos carried each of them to the cabin they'd chosen to share, while I went to our room and got ready for bed. I put on one the silk teddies I'd packed in my suitcase. I was pulling back the bedding when Carlos walked into the room.

His dark chocolate eyes swept over my body, and he murmured, "You're beautiful, Babe."

He pulled me into his embrace. We lay down on the bed and lost ourselves in each other. It started as slow, soft kisses, our tongues gently tangling. Carlos paid special attention to every inch of my skin he unveiled as he pulled off my lingerie, growling when he finally tossed it to the floor.

He moved up until his body completely covered me. When his velvet hardness slid into me, I sighed as the feeling of perfection overwhelmed my senses. I'd never felt more complete than when Carlos was inside me. We were quiet as we made love, knowing without words we didn't want to wake Julie and Annie next door.

With his fingers trailing softly down my skin, Carlos found my bundle of nerves and began to stroke it in time with his thrusts, and when we were both hovering at the edge, he thrust hard one last time and tweaked my clit, sending me over the edge. My orgasm triggered his, and he swallowed our cries with a kiss.

Carlos stayed buried in me, even as he flipped our positions and pulled me down on top of his chest. We didn't speak a word, falling asleep wrapped in each other's arms.

I woke briefly the next morning to his kiss as he left to go workout in the small gym housed in the bow of the boat. The gentle sway of the ocean lulled me back to sleep in no time at all. When I woke again a couple of hours later, I could hear the laughs from the girls and Carlos' deep timbre. After a quick trip to the bathroom, I pulled on a swimsuit, then grabbed one of Carlos' shirts to use as a cover-up.

They were seated at the table on the back deck. Carlos rose from his chair as soon as he saw me cross the threshold of the open door.

"Good morning, Babe." He kissed me softly on the cheek. "I'll get you some coffee."

I sat in the empty seat next to where Carlos had been sitting. "Good morning, girls. What's the plan for today? Do you know, or is he still keeping everything a secret?"

Julie shook her head. "Dad still hasn't told us anything, but now that you're up, I think he's going to drop the jet skis in so we can go riding." She was nearly bouncing in her seat.

"That sounds like fun," I said as I selected a danish from the tray in the center of the table. In deference to my fiancé, I added a couple of pieces of fruit to my plate. He brought the mocha-colored coffee to me and rubbed my back gently before going down the stairs to lower the jet skis' platform.

After he instructed me on the operation of the jet ski, Annie got behind me, and Julie climbed on behind Carlos. I found driving the jet ski was similar to riding a motorcycle, only on water. We were out for a long time, racing each other, jumping wakes and just riding on the open water. When we returned to the boat, Carlos loaded them back onto their platforms. Once they were secured, he went to the helm and started the boat. I followed him up, watching as he typed in the navigational computer.

"When are you going to tell me where we're going?"

The corner of his mouth tipped up slightly as he considered me. "In about two hours, we'll be in Nassau."

"Really? The Bahamas?" I exclaimed. "Are we going ashore?"

"Yes. They have duty-free stopping downtown. I also have an appointment for us at four."

I tried to cock an eyebrow in invitation for him to elaborate, but he smiled and shook his head. Carlos was enjoying these surprises too much.

"What do I need to wear today?"

"You'll want to have your swimsuit for later. Aside from that, something comfortable. We'll be walking around quite a bit. Can you go tell the girls to get ready?"

"Umm, won't I need a passport?"

"Yeah, Babe. I've got it with us."

"When did I get one of those?"

"Glad to see you paid close attention to all the paperwork you filled out in your RangeMan employee packet," he teased.

"So sue me! I didn't read all the papers. I've always trusted you!"

He pulled me into his embrace. "Yes, you have, even when everybody told you not to and it looked like I was on the wrong side of an issue." Carlos kissed my forehead. "I love you for that, and a hundred other reasons, too."

I rested my head against his chest and hugged him tightly. "I love you, Carlos," I murmured, tilting my head back to press a kiss to his lips.

"Told you, Annie," Julie commented from behind me. "They're like this all the time!"

Turning, I shot my soon-to-be stepdaughter a motherly glare, that didn't hold much heat obviously. She laughed at my attempt. Note to self: Work on stern motherly expression.

"Guess what?" I teased the girls. "I know where we're going!"

Julie stomped her foot indigently. "No fair!"

"Let's go get dressed… maybe I'll tell you."

When everyone was ready, and they'd begged me to death to tell them what I knew, I finally relented and told them. They began jumping up and down. Their squeals had me throwing my hands over my ears to prevent hearing loss.

We decided to sit with Carlos when we got topside again. A few minutes later, Nassau came into view. The houses were painted in every color of the rainbow. The large hotel and the buzz of activity in the little town provided entertainment as Carlos guided us towards the marina, talking on the radio with the port authorities, who directed him to an available slip. Once we were tied onto the dock, he went below to change clothes and grab our paperwork.

After a brief stop at the customs office, where I received my first stamp in my passport, we were off to explore the city. It was a shopper's paradise! Carlos kept up with us, though he wasn't nearly as enthusiastic as the girls and I were. We had lunch at an outdoor café in the heart of the shopping district. When we'd visited nearly all the shops, we sat on a bench at the end of the dock while Carlos carried all our purchases back to the boat.

He grabbed my hand and Julie's as he rejoined us. Annie took hold of Julie's free hand, then we made our way back to the main street, where Carlos hailed a cab. He gave the driver an address, and we sped away. We pulled to a stop in front of a sign advertising the Blue Lagoon Dolphin Experience.

"Oh my God!" I exclaimed, squeezing Carlos' hand tightly and all but bouncing up and down in my seat. "Are we really going to get to swim with them?"

"Yeah, Babe. It's incredible."

We spent the next hour learning about dolphins and their behaviors, receiving instruction on what to do when we were in the water with them. After that, we were led to the staging area, where we met one of the dolphin trainers.

"Hi, my name is Erin. Welcome to the Dolphin Experience! Please raise your hand if you've never swum with dolphins before."

I was the only one in our small group that raised their hand. Erin walked over to me. "What's your name?"

"Steph."

"You're going to have a great time," she promised, then lowered her voice slightly. "I have to ask all the ladies, it's the policy of our company, but is there any chance that you're pregnant?"

My mind drifted for a moment as I tried to remember my last period, then the image switched to a vision of Carlos holding a son who shared his features. I smiled as he rocked the baby gently and spoke softly to him, a look of pride etched on his face as he glanced down at his son. I felt his breath before he spoke.

"Babe? Is there something you haven't told me?"

Okay, I was pretty sure I wasn't pregnant, but this was Batman's sperm we were talking about. I mentally did the math in my head, which took a minute or two, just to make absolutely sure.

When he spoke again, his voice held a hint of panic. "Stephanie?"

I turned around to look at him; his eyebrow was cocked up as far as I'd ever seen it. "Are you?" he questioned anxiously.

Too bad I didn't plan this a little better. I could have really gotten him going. I shook my head, and he gave a very 'un-Ranger-like' sigh of relief. Then he whispered, "Someday…" and caressed the back of my hand.

Erin gave me a smile, asked each of the other women the same question, then began talking to the group again.

"When you enter the water, do so slowly. Let the dolphins come to you. Don't reach out to them." She went to hand Carlos a life jacket. Before she could, he reached behind him, and in the uniquely masculine way, pulled his shirt off.

"That's why we have…um…oh my…" Erin stuttered in mid-sentence, her eyes locked on Carlos' chest. Her arms went limp, and she dropped all the life jackets she was carrying. When she bent to pick them up, she stumbled and fell into the water.

I rolled my eyes. Carlos gave a little smirk and shrugged his shoulders. I reconciled myself to the fact that this was going to be a common occurrence in my life with Batman. He had quite an effect on the female population.

Erin was relieved from our group and replaced by a guy named Kurt. He finished getting everyone suited up, then we went into the water.

We were instantly surrounded by four dolphins. They swam around us, nudging at our legs and stopping to let us pet their soft, spongy skin. We got to play with them for nearly forty-five minutes. You could hold on to their dorsal fin, and they'd pull you through the water. It was so exhilarating. I loved every single minute of the experience, and spent most of the time laughing like a schoolgirl.

RPOV

When our time with the dolphins was up, I pulled myself onto the platform in one fluid motion, then bent to lift Stephanie from the water. I hugged her tightly to me. I'd enjoyed watching her more than being with the dolphins myself. Her laughter and playful nature were like a balm to some of the numerous injuries on my soul. She'd brought light into my dark world, and seeing her like this today made me appreciate her even more.

We went back to the boat to change and clean up, then had dinner at the Atlantis Hotel. While we were walking back to the dock, I gave the girls the option of sleeping at the marina on the boat, or pulling out into open water.

The decision was easily made, and within minutes, we were backing away from the dock. Stephanie sat on the front deck, with her feet dangling and her arms draped through the railing, watching the city slowly disappear.

Julie and Annie stayed with me and asked questions as I steered us away from the city. Once we were a far enough out that we couldn't see land, I dropped the anchor, then went to sit next to Stephanie. The girls went below to sort through their purchases from earlier today.

"What are you thinking about, Babe?"

"Nothing… and it's really nice," she said with a smile. "I feel like I don't have a care in the world. Life's pretty good right now."

I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her into my body. Her head gravitated to my shoulder, where it rested comfortably. "We've both lived stressful lives the past couple of years. It does feel good to relax. We needed it, which is why I chose this for our first real vacation."

"You did good, Batman!"

"I've still got a couple more surprises, Babe."

She laughed. "Of course you do."

Stephanie fell asleep on the couch after bankrupting herself in Monopoly. My daughter nearly beat me. She'd make a heck of a businesswoman someday, if she chose that career. I couldn't be more proud of the potential I saw in her.

Around eleven, I carried Stephanie to bed and spooned my body behind hers, feeling our connection almost as much as if we were joined together intimately.

The next morning, we watched the sunrise. I knew Stephanie wasn't particularly fond of getting up early enough to watch it, and it gave me a warm feeling to know she loved me enough to sacrifice a bit of her sleep to enjoy it with me.

After the sun was completely up, Stephanie made breakfast for everyonewhile I took a long swim. We spent the day on the jet skis and snorkeling. I wanted us to be at the marina by three, so I rallied my little troops back to the boat by two.

We returned to the slip we'd used yesterday, and left the boat, each of us with an overnight bag. When I gave the taxi driver the address for the Atlantis Hotel, Stephanie's eyes widened in surprise. At the front desk, I gave my name, and after I signed the registration, we were shown to a suite that was as big as the main level of our house in Miami. The girls had a separate bedroom on the opposite side of the suite from the master.

"Wow, Dad," Julie called from the wall of windows that faced the harbor. "You can see everything from here!"

"This is really nice," Annie agreed.

"We're going to celebrate New Year's Eve in the main ballroom downstairs and be up here for the fireworks at mid-night," I informed everyone. "If you want to take a nap, that might be a good idea. It's going to be a late night. Dinner's at eight."

The girls decided they were tired and went to their bedroom. Stephanie gave me a surprised look when I began stripping off my clothes to join her in our bed for a nap.

"I plan on keeping you awake most of the night," I smirked. "Go to sleep before I decide to bump up our celebration of the New Year."

Stephanie wiggled her nice little ass against my hard-on. I clenched my teeth and groaned, which got a giggle out of her. In the next minute, she was sound asleep. My fiancée's sleeping abilities defied belief. I enjoyed the even cadence of her breathing for several minutes before I gave into sleep myself.

I woke at six, took my shower, and changed into my suit, then woke the girls and Stephanie. I left the suite, choosing to go walk around downstairs while they got ready.

Stephanie was pinning up the last few strands of Julie's hair when I returned. The sight of them together always warmed my heart. The two most important people in my life, sharing a unique friendship built from their mutual love for me. It was a powerful feeling.

If someone had told the solitary, lonely man I'd been when I first met Stephanie that I'd be standing where I was today, well, I wouldn't have believed it. I would probably have wondered what sort of shit they'd been smoking. Even now, I sometimes could hardly believe how lucky I was.

"Annie, you look beautiful," I said, and watched as she blushed.

"Thank you. Stephanie did my hair, too."

"It looks very nice."

Julie was a picture, wearing a white dress that showed off her dark complexion. She took my breath away and made me wish she was younger again. I'd do things differently with her, given the chance. "Carina, you're turning into an amazing young woman."

"Aww, Dad." She rushed towards me, throwing her arms around my waist. I held her close, then kissed the top of her head.

"I need to grab my purse from the bedroom," Stephanie told us as she left the living room area.

"I'll be right back," I whispered to Julie before walking towards the bedroom.

"There they go again," Julie teased, causing Annie to giggle.

Stephanie's short, black, cocktail dress had an open back, the material falling to a drape right above the curve of her ass. The front dipped low too, showing an adequate amount of cleavage. She wore the matching earrings and necklace I'd given her for her birthday.

She was dropping her lipstick into her purse when I stepped in behind her, pressing kisses down her exposed back. Stephanie swayed a little, and I reached out to steady her, placing my hands on her hips. I traced my tongue back up the path I'd just traveled with my lips, causing her to moan. I nipped lightly where her neck and shoulder met, she dropped her purse. When she bent to get it, her dress rode up and flashed me a peek at her tiny black thong. Fuck! I glanced at the clock. Five more hours to wait! I wisely took a step back before things got way out of control.

"I think I'll step into the bathroom for a minute." When I turned to do that, she laughed.

"Problem, Batman?"

"Nothing that can't be handled later, Babe. Be ready."

I looked over my shoulder at her, she was chewing thoughtfully on her lower lip. Her eyes held that glazed over look I knew so well. Yep, the evening ahead was going to be very enjoyable.

We had a wonderful dinner, then danced to the live band. Our table was frequently visited by several young men asking to dance with the girls. My intimidating stares only chased a couple of the smart ones away.

Stephanie patted my knee as the next one approached. "We're only here for two more hours. Nothing's going to happen. Let the girls have some fun."

My eyes tracked each of the girl's movements, even when Stephanie and I were on the dance floor. Stephanie shook her head. "What are you going to be like when she leaves on a date and you can't follow her?"

"Who says I can't follow her?"

"Carlos, you can't be serious! How would you have liked it if the girls' dads you dated followed you around when you were in high school?"

"That's exactly why I would, because I was a teenage boy with a one track mind."

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Not much has changed in that department," she teased.

"I've learned the art of multi-tasking." I cocked my eyebrow at her. "Are you complaining?"

"Nope, not me!"

When the countdown to the New Year began, I was kissing Stephanie. As the first strains of Auld Lang Syne began, I released her and scooped my daughter up into my arms, planting a firm kiss on her cheek. I turned her in a circle once before setting her back on her feet. Annie was on my cell phone with her family, wishing them a Happy New Year, when I kissed her cheek softly.

"Fireworks begin in fifteen minutes," the lead singer of the band announced. "Please join us outside!"

I gathered our group together. "We can watch from our balcony."

The girls ooh'd and ahh'd as the fireworks lit up the sky and reflected off the water. I opened a bottle of champagne for Stephanie and me, and a bottle of carbonated juice for the girls. We clanked our glasses together in a toast, and polished off both bottles before the display ended.

Cheers went up as the last embers fell from the sky. Taylor Swift was singing on the Dick Clark's New Year's Eve show, so the girls said goodnight, then raced into their room to catch the performance.

Grabbing Stephanie's hand, I lead her into our bedroom. I closed the door and clicked the lock into place. She kicked off her shoes as she walked towards the bed, pulling the zipper down on her dress as she went. Stephanie turned back towards me, letting the dress fall to the floor. She stood in nothing but her lacy, see-through thong.

My cock sprang to attention.

"You're overdressed," she observed, then crooked her finger at me to come to her. "Let me help."

I kicked off my shoes, and Stephanie pulled my tie loose, then ran her hands inside my suit coat, pealing it off my shoulders. I undid my cufflinks while she laid my coat on the couch. When she returned, she slowly undid the buttons of my shirt, dropping kisses to the exposed skin. The shirt slid to the floor, and she reached for my belt. Seconds later, the pants joined the shirt at our feet. My socks were stripped off quickly, then she asked me to sit down on the bed.

She crawled between my legs, sealing her lips around the tip of my erection. I closed my eyes, savoring the feeling as she slid most of me into her warm mouth. She sucked hard all the way back down my length, before repeating the process. I was painfully hard by this point, and wanted nothing more than to bury myself to the hilt inside her.

When she rose to her feet and crossed the room to her suitcase, I followed her movement. I felt my eyes widen in surprise as she carried two items back to the bed that I knew had to be from the black box.

"Babe, what did you bring along?"

"Just a couple of things that caught my eye." She tried for coy, but failed, as her cheeks tinted pink. "I don't know how this works." The color heightened on her face as she handed me the cock ring.

I shook my head. "You never disappoint." I grabbed the bottle of warming lotion she had in the other hand, and pulled her down on my lap.

She leaned down towards me, and I placed my hands on either side of her face and guided her mouth to mine. Our lips melded together. Tongues entwined. Teeth nipped softly for pleasure, not pain.

Twisting us around, I laid her on the bed. My lips traveled down the column of her neck to her full breasts. I opened the bottle of lotion, then applied a generous amount to each nipple, tracing a trail down her chest to her mound.

I ripped the thong off her body and tossed it to the floor. Next, I held the bottle directly above her pussy and let a long stream of lotion flow out. When I was satisfied with the amount, I used my fingertips to work it around her clit. I rubbed the lotion all along her folds, then slid two fingers inside her.

Stephanie grabbed the pillow and put it over her head to drown out her sounds of pleasure. We were back to stealth mode again because of the girls. I stroked in and out of her several times, just to make sure I'd gotten the lotion exactly where I wanted it.

"Is it getting warm?"

She lifted the pillow and nodded her head, then grabbed the bottle. Stephanie filled her palm and reached for my cock. Not a spot was missed; she even applied it to my balls.

The cock ring was a snug fit, but I pushed it all the way down until it rested at the base of my erection. I opened her folds with my fingers, then slowly slid inside her with one long stroke. She slapped her hand across her mouth and bit into the fleshy part of her palm.

I licked at her nipple, giving her time to stretch to accommodate me. Since I hadn't stimulated her much with my fingers, she was still very tight. It was an effort to fight back the urge to pound into her, but I knew that would cause her too much discomfort, both now and tomorrow. I didn't want her sore; I had lots more of this planned for these early morning hours of the New Year.

When the pressure eased some around my cock, I slowly began to move. Her legs wrapped around my waist. Once I was completely buried, I'd rock against the cock ring. The raised areas on the ring would rub at her clit. I increased the pressure every time I used the ring.

"Ummm…I think I like this toy a lot," she gasped between thrusts. "The lotion is really heating up, too!"

"I know, Babe." Her pussy was so fucking hot, I didn't know how much longer I was going to last. She'd already had at least two orgasms, and was quickly approaching number three.

Stephanie traced one of my nipples with her fingernail. It tightened into a nub from her attention. My cock began to pulse. I was so close. I sped up the tempo, determined to drive her over the edge with me. Two strokes later, she sucked in a breath and held it, then her pussy contracted. I thrust deep once more and let go.

We lay together, sweaty, sated, and tangled in the sheets. Her head rested above my heart while her breathing returned to normal. I rubbed my hand down her back, comforting her and myself at the same time.

"You know," I said, breaking the silence we'd fallen into, "they say you should start the New Year doing what you want to do for the rest of the year."

I couldn't help but agree when she sighed and murmured, "It's going to be a great year."

TBC

Author's note: I know we're all very busy with our summer plans and activities, but please take a moment to leave a review! I don't know if I've ever worked harder on a chapter. This one really took it out of me! Thanks in advance! ~Angie