Ranger's POV

"Rosa, are you sure you don't mind keeping Julie this weekend?"

"No, I don't mind. Julie's an angel, and besides, Rosa and Isa love Julie and miss her. You and Steph go have some alone time. You need to give me another niece or nephew already."

"Don't let Steph hear you say that. She's still sensitive about the miscarriage."

"She shouldn't be. It wasn't her fault. She didn't do anything wrong. I know, it stems back to that pendejo, but she shouldn't be so hard on herself. Are you still under contract?"

"Yes. I have one more mission to go before I can terminate my contract. There are only eight months left, so I know the call will be coming soon. I highly doubt they will let it expire without sending me out one more time."

"What about Les?"

"He's the same as me, though I think he's considering signing up for one more term. Bobby is done in a year, and Tank retired last year."

"Well, we'll just have to talk some sense into Lester. Don't you get enough of your adrenaline rushes doing what you do?"

"We did when we first opened, but things have settled down here in Miami. Our reputation precedes us, so we don't need to go all ghetto as much. Maybe Trenton is the change we need."

"Trenton? You're opening in Trenton? When did this happen?"

I cringed at my slip of the tongue. Rosa will never let me get away without filling her in. All my sisters are very concerned about Stephanie, and none of them want to see her hurt. They know Trenton will not be easy on her.

"Yesterday. Before you start in, it was Stephanie's idea. Senator Juniak called her, and she decided that if the rest of us were on board, we'd go to Trenton. She feels she's finally ready to face her demons. Don't worry, Rosa, I don't intend to live in the Burg. I intend to avoid the Burg as much as possible, not just for Stephanie, but for Julie as well."

"As long as it was Stephanie's idea, I guess it's okay."

"Look, Rosa, please don't tell Mama or the rest of family yet. There still is a lot of legwork we need to do before we head up to New Jersey. I'll tell the rest of the family once we have a more definitive date set. I also want to talk to Abuela."

"Fine. I won't say anything. Where are you taking, Stephanie?"

"To the Keys. Marco has a house on the beach. It's secluded, private, and secure."

"She'll enjoy it. Don't worry about Julie. She'll be fine."

"Carlos, I'm all set finally. Julie's taking a nap. The puppies must be tiring her out. I told her we'd be back tomorrow for dinner. Thank you, Rosa, for watching her."

"As I was telling my little brother, it's no problem. Julie is a sweetheart. I have the instructions for the puppies and Julie. We'll be fine. Go enjoy yourself. You need some alone time."

We hug and kiss my sister goodbye before heading out. We get into my Porsche Turbo. "Where are we going?"

"The Keys. Marco's house."

"That's perfect. I'm glad we'll be alone for a night. I miss you."

"I know, Babe. It isn't the same when we are constantly worried about Julie coming into our room."

"Yeah, it's harder to have some of our more inventive sessions."

I look over at my wife and feel the blood start to move south. She's wearing a black tank top and jean shorts. Nothing fancy, nothing overtly sexy, but to me, she's a sex goddess. She wears her hair longer now then we were we younger, and since Julie, it seems to be less frizzy, and her curls are looser. Right now, though, her hair is in her signature ponytail. She's leaning back in the seat, looking at the scenery, and I can tell she's going to fall asleep. She was always good for falling asleep in the car.

I remember when my father and Uncle Paul drove us back down after Valerie's wedding. We left Newark on a Thursday morning, after breakfast. Uncle Paul sat in the front with my father driving the first leg. Abuela Rosa and Lester sat in the middle row of the minivan in the captain seats. Stephanie and I were in the back, in the third row. We buckled in and started driving south on I95. Before we even hit the outskirts of Trenton, less than an hour away, Stephanie was passed out, her head in my lap. I sat there, running my hands through her curls, putting the blanket we always kept in the back around her. It made me feel so special, so manly that she felt comfortable enough to sleep on me.

Then, two weeks before we left for West Point, a bunch of our friends got together for a weekend to celebrate our graduation. We rented a six-bedroom house for eight couples. Steph and I secured our own room. That first night there was the first night we ever shared a bed together for an entire night, that is. I knew that I wanted to make love to Steph, but she was embarrassed. Somehow, being in a house with everyone else, knowing that they knew we were having sex made her feel cheap, insecure. As much as I wanted her that night, I would never force myself on her. Instead, she put on my t-shirt and a pair of panties, climbed into bed, and basically slept on top of me. That morning, though, I was rewarded for my gallantry when Stephanie woke me up with the most intense blow job I ever had, well at least at that time. Needless to say, I made love to her after, and the second night, she had no reservations about being with me.

Over the years, many have thought that we would break up, that there would be no way that we would stay together. The guys all said that I would lose interest in Steph, that she was pretty and sexy, but there were far better specimens out there. Women tended to throw themselves at my feet, to openly invite me into their beds, but I never wanted any of them. Even the few times I went to strip clubs with my friends, I never wanted any of the dancers. Yes, some of the dancers were beautiful, some had large, fabulous breasts, but they weren't my Babe. They weren't Stephanie. Yes, I appreciated them for their assets. I am a warm-blooded American male. I could enjoy looking at them, but I never desired to be with them. The only woman who can make me hard with a touch, a look, or word is my Babe. I still can't believe how much I still want her and need her. I can never get enough.

I adjust the air so that it's not too cold. Steph's body temperature drops when she sleeps. I'd prefer that she stays sleeping so she'll have more energy tonight. I don't expect her to get much sleep. Steph's sister Valerie has two daughters. One who is a few months younger than Julie named Angie, and another girl, called Mary Alice, who is four. From what Grandma Mazur says, Mary Alice is a lot like Steph. Val remains living in California and her husband are trying to get into politics, but Joe Juniak is still blacklisting him.

Shortly after Mary Alice was born, Stephanie tried to contact Val. She wanted to develop a relationship with her nieces, and between her nieces and Julie, but Val shut her out. She told Steph that she wanted nothing to do with her or her brat, that Steph was a disgrace because she married me. Steph was upset but has abided by Val's wishes. That was the last time they spoke.

As we get closer to the house, I can't help but wonder how going back to Trenton is going to affect Steph's well-being, her mental stability. I know it will be tough for her, but I will be by her side. I will make sure that no one mistreats my Babe. I will protect her in any way that I can. If I see that it's too much, I'll leave Trenton in Bobby, Tank, and Lester's capable hands and return here to Miami, to the only place where Stephanie has felt truly at home. Where she knows she belongs. As the car starts to slow as I approach Marco's house, Steph starts to wake.

"Sorry, Carlos. I didn't mean to fall asleep on you."

"It's okay, Babe. I'm used to it. Besides, now you'll have more energy for what I have planned for us for tonight. Do you want to go swimming?"

"Yeah. That sounds good. Ocean or pool?"

"I suggest the pool. The water here is a little rough, and we are approaching high tide. Considering what I have planned, the pool is a safer option."

I watch as her eyes glaze over, and I know that she is anticipating our coupling. We still make love almost every day, but it's become tame and predictable. We can't go crazy as we did before Julie, and before Julie was old enough to walk in on us. Then, there was no off-limits place. We'd make love on any surface, in almost any position. I miss those days, those days of losing control and taking what's mine. We'll be able to capture some of that lust and passion back tonight.

"We're safe here?"

I know she's asking out of necessity. Since we joined the Army, especially since the whole fiasco with Carter, we always have to be secure. Even though we don't walk around with our guns and knives on our person in our house, we have weapons placed strategically around the house. We are also monitored by Rangeman. I have a very sophisticated and sensitive system that will recognize any outside threat. Even when we are out in the yard, we will know if someone steps foot on the property who isn't cleared. Since Marco lets the Core team use this house regularly, we have the same security set up here. Cameras are only on the exterior, and the cameras for the yard and private outdoor areas only go on when we set the household alarm for the night.

"Yes, Babe. Same as our home."

"Okay, then."

I pull up to the gate and enter my code. There is a fingerprint scanner as well. Once we are cleared, the gates open, and I drive onto the property. I follow the driveway up to the house, where I go around to the garage on the side. I key in the code for the garage and wait as the door opens. Once it's open, I drive the Porsche in. I park the car, and both Steph and I exit the vehicle. I grab our overnight bag from the backseat, and we head into the main house. We enter the kitchen, where Steph immediately goes to the fridge for a drink. When she opens it, I see it's been stocked as per my request. Steph grabs seltzer water, then opens it and gulps it down. I shake my head. I don't get what she loves about the carbonation.

"I think I'm going to head outside for my swim," Steph says as she pulls off her tank top, then her shorts. She's wearing a tiny string bikini, and I'm rooted to my spot. She looks at me over her shoulder, gazing down to my waist, before she walks outside, putting extra sway in her hips. Dios. I quickly snap out of my stupor and rip off my shirt, shoes, and socks, waiting to take off my shorts outside. I was going to get board shorts, but they won't be on long. Might as well skip that step.

I follow her outside, to see her already in the pool, swimming strong laps. I pull off my shorts and dive in, meeting her in the middle. I wrap my arms around her waist, crushing my mouth down on hers. I undo the top of her bikini, letting it float away as I lift her so I can attack her breasts. Steph's breath is already uneven, coming in short spurts. I feel her hips grinding against me. I put her down, to remove her bottoms, and lift her once again, only this time I impale myself inside her. I feel her muscles clench around me, and we both moan in ecstasy.

Our movement is steady, with hands exploring and mouths nipping. We aren't rushed, we're savoring the moment. Steph is kissing my neck when she bites down on my shoulder. The pain is enough to bring me to the brink of explosion. I bring her nipple to my mouth, then I gently nip, causing Steph to fall over the cliff, and I follow her. I slowly make my way over to the edge of the pool, with Stephanie wrapped around me. I place her on the patio, then pull myself out. I help her up before we walk over to the lounge chair. I sit, and Steph straddles me. We kiss again, and I find myself hardening once more. I can never get enough. As our bodies rub against each other, I gently guide Steph onto me. She does most of the work, lifting herself almost entirely off me. I relish the feeling, knowing that this is what being home feels like, Stephanie is my home. While we kiss, moving together slowly, we push ourselves to another climax, moaning each other's names. Steph rests her head on my shoulder, and I hold her, gently running my hand along her spine.

"Go to sleep, Babe, we have plenty of time."

"I love you, Carlos."

Once I feel Steph's breathing even out, I slowly stand, bringing her inside, to the bedroom, where I tuck her in bed before I climb in next to her. A nap sounds like a good idea. Then, we'll both have more energy for later.


A/N: I have posted this today because I need to see something in my feed that is not COVID-19 related, from my students, or from my children's teacher. Please comment or review on this chapter for me because I would like some positivity! Thanks to Susan for being my fabulous beta, and if you haven't read it yet, go check out Warrior by HermioneIncarnate. The story is almost complete (2 chapters left) for those of you who don't like read WIPs (though since you're are reading this, that is probably not a problem). I'm personally beyond stressed and need some happiness. Thank you, Babes.