All familiar characters belong to Janet. Mistakes are mine alone. Warnings for a little bedroom fun.

I eased the sleeve of my stolen T-shirt slowly up until the curve of Steph's shoulder was exposed. I bent my head and pressed my lips to my wife's skin. I didn't want to disturb her sleep while she still has some time before Olivia wakes up, but Stephanie continues to be a temptation I can't resist.

She rolled lazily onto her back and smiled at me with her blue eyes still closed. "Morning," she said, her voice husky as well as sleepy. "Wait ... is it morning or still night?"

"Technically, it's morning. Though you may disagree," I answered, kissing her lips this time. "Go back to sleep. I'll keep my hands to myself."

That got her eyes opening. "What if I don't wanna go back to sleep or your hands to stay off me? It's not fair to tease and retreat."

I grinned into the still-dark room. "I never retreat ... only ensure quick surrenders."

"Oh yeah? Prove it," she teased, lifting her arms over her head and stretching in a way that couldn't be called anything except provocative.

My hands disappeared under the covers and I took advantage of her position to grab the hem of my/her shirt and drag it up and off her. I took its place and covered her with my body, not being able to stand there being even air between us.

Without hesitation, her arms and legs wound around me. I fused my mouth to hers and let the feel of my wife's curves pressing into me take over. I kissed her until we were both breathless. Only then did I allow my hands and lips to begin their seek and seduce mission.

Steph was moaning by the time I reached the base of her throat and I've just gotten started.

"Easy, Babe," I said against the rapidly beating pulse I'd licked when I felt it pounding against my lips.

"No. No easy. How about we go the quick but satisfying route this time?"

She enforced her suggestion by lifting her hips to rub herself against the full length of me. I didn't think it possible, but I got harder.

"I want this to be good for you," I informed her, taking a nipple into my mouth and sucking strongly.

She inhaled the feeling and then rode it out with a hiss. "Every time with you is beyond freakin' good," she reminded me. "We can speed up the pace without nixing any of the content."

I moved to her left breast and gave it equal attention. I can admit, to myself anyway, that I need this for me. Even while she was pregnant with our daughter, I felt Steph could bolt at any time. Part of me is still actively trying to tie her to me. We share Olivia and a marriage license, but I know I'm the only man who can give her this.

"Ranger …."

"Yeah, Babe?"

"You're playing with me," she complained.

"No ... I'm loving you. And I like to take my time doing so."

"Do I get a say in this?" She gasped, as I moved lower to trace her ribcage with the tip of my tongue.

"You said you wanted me. That's all I need to hear."

She moved her arms from around my shoulders so she could cup my face in her hands. "I'll always want you. Day or night, happy or sad, tired or excited. Don't ever doubt that."

I rested my chin below her navel and looked up her body until I locked eyes with her. "I don't. I know that when you love someone, it's set in stone ... which is why only a few of us are lucky enough to get to experience the real you."

She took advantage of her leg-hold on me in order to direct my movements. I took the hint and pushed myself up on my forearms so I could kiss her again.

"I love you even more than I physically thought I could love anyone," she whispered, when I released her lips. "Until I had Olive, I mean, though she's a different kind of all-consuming, unconditional love."

"I could say the same, Steph."

Her fingers tunneled into my hair and she used her grip to pull me back to her mouth. This time, my hands wandered during our kiss. My fingers slid low and then inside her to replicate what my tongue was doing to her mouth.

"Stop … teasing … me," she panted out.

"No."

I know I'm on limited time now, so I quickly resumed my taste test of her body … hitting every one of the spots that drive her to distraction before she took me in hand. Literally in this case. As soon as her hand closed around me, squeezing and stroking, I had to act fast. My hands moved to her breasts before focusing my energy on the promised land below them.

The wetness coating my fingers proved she was already ready for me, but that isn't good enough. I removed my hand and my mouth took over ... and also took her over the edge. While she was still gasping, I slid into her and my hips and dick wound her up all over again. When I felt the telltale internal clench bearing down on me, I thrust harder and faster so we could check out together.

It seemed like hours later that I moved from on top of her to beside her, tugging her onto me to keep our connection a little longer.

"Aren't we supposed to be bored with each other by now?" She whispered into my chest. "Mary Lou and Val didn't make me feel very optimistic about marriage adult-time."

"If we are, I never got the memo. I can barely breathe and I already want you again. To be honest, I haven't stopped wanting you since I first laid eyes on you."

She tucked her head under my jaw and kissed my sternum.

"Thank you for saying that."

My eyebrow went up even though she couldn't see it. "You think I'm just being kind?"

"No. You are a superhero after all … no rest-up time needed to get back in the game."

I could hear the smile in her voice. I lifted my torso up and spun us so she was underneath me again. Her mouth formed a surprised 'O' right before I captured it with my lips. Still being lodged deep inside her, I began moving as my fingers helped work her into another hormonal frenzy. This was the fast and satisfying round she'd been aiming for earlier and we were both struggling to come down.

"You really need to be registered as a lethal weapon," my wife informed me minutes or hours later.

"Did you really mean lethal, or were you thinking more along the lines of a sensual weapon?" I asked, my head resting beside hers on my pillow.

"Yes," she sighed.

I've never questioned being able to please her, but she has a habit of making me feel invincible every time I do. I separated our bodies and tucked her against my side.

"Annnnd that concludes the workout portion of our day," she murmured into my chest.

I kissed the tangles I'd made of her curls. "You can hope, but Olivia still has her birthday backpack and she'll want a few liftoffs throughout the day. For you, she and that game count as weightlifting. Ouch," I said, when her fingers closed around a chunk of my flesh right before she squeezed ... hard.

"As One Shot pointed out, I'm scary. You need to be careful when it comes to provoking me."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"You should. You know, if I keep you around the apartment long enough today, you can field all 'liftoff' requests."

"I can for a little while. I have a meeting scheduled and I need to go over Atlas' stats with Tank …"

"To decide whether or not he's needed here or if you can finally boot him out?"

I didn't pinch her in retaliation, instead I got my hands under the arms to lift her until she was on top of me again.

"You're getting soft," she teased, relaxing her body over mine. "This is more of a treat than a punishment, no matter how hard your muscles are compared to me."

"Keep talking and wiggling like that, and Julie will be alone dealing with the terror trio when they all wake up."

Her lips started wandering before she abruptly stopped. "Oops. Sorry. As much as I want you, I can't do that to Jules ... she'll never visit again. Our baby and fur-boys need to be worked up to."

"Speaking of that … my parents were hoping for some quality time with their granddaughters. I thought I'd take this opportunity to ask if you'd like to join me for a rooftop date? Just the two of us."

"A real date? Or one where we just hide out until your parents tell us that we can come back?"

"A full date. Dress, heels, free-flowing curls, and the necklace that's in your bedside table, for you. Suit for me. Champagne and dinner for both."

Her beautiful body went from sated and pliant, to rigid and ready for a fight. She glanced towards her side of the bed, my chest getting caressed by her curly hair as she did. When her eyes swung back my way, they were narrowed.

"I told you to stop buying me stuff."

I risked a potential bite and leaned up to steal a kiss. "And I didn't listen. You always say that you want me to be happy. Buying you things you don't want makes me happy."

"I didn't say I didn't want them. They're all gifts from you, so you know I love them, but it's you I want, not what your bank account can buy me."

"And because I know you feel that way, it makes me want to spoil you more."

She sighed, but dropped her argument. "You're impossible."

I kissed her again, lingering longer this time since I was less worried she'd attack. "I am. I'm also irresistible."

"You definitely are, which makes me want to choose more time with you over a shower, but the clock's ticking now."

I threw the covers off us and stood up with her in my arms. "We can cross off two things with one shower," I told her, carrying her into our bathroom.

I stood her under the waterfall of hot water and proceeded to thoroughly lather her up before she returned the favor. One stroke led to five others ... and she ended up so relaxed, I offered my services to bring her back to the bedroom to get dressed.

"What do you guys have planned today?" Julie asked us, as we all sat around the breakfast table.

My little ladies were still in their pajamas while Steph said she was going to be a grown-up today and get dressed after we'd finished our joint shower. Ella had whipped us up a few soufflé omelets with ham and cheese, and the girls decided to split one between the two of them while Steph eyed mine as I was eating a bowl of steel cut oatmeal and some sliced fruit first. I used my fork to push a bowl of Greek yogurt towards her, which earned me a glare.

"Your Dad's booked for an hour at ten for a meeting," Steph told Julie, "so I'm hoping you and Olive will agree to help me pick out another baby gift for Cal and Kenzie this morning and then offer moral support while I track down my skip hopefully just using Facebook. When Olive's napping, Jules, I need your expert opinion on what to wear tonight. While you and your sister are enjoying a night with the Grandparents Manoso, your Dad has asked me out for a rooftop-date ... and I want to make sure his eyes stay on me."

"I don't know if you've noticed, Steph, but Dad doesn't look away from you unless Olive and I are talking to him or doing something he needs to supervise."

My wife grinned at her. "So I can just go in my jeans and tank top?"

Our eldest sighed, barely able to contain an eyeroll. "No. We're going to dress you up. I was just pointing out that Dad loves you, and that doesn't change with what you wear. But I haven't played Barbies in years, so it'll be fun to try out a real life version and find you an outfit."

"I knew I could count on you," my wife said, raising an orange juice-salute to Julie.

"I can pikka id up," Olivia said, feeling demoralized as a second piece of her omelet fell to whoever was faster … Gunner or Ammo.

Steph reached over and adjusted our baby's hold on her fork and helped her spear another piece. This one made it into Olivia's mouth and she chewed victoriously while giving us a full smile, something her Mama no doubt also mastered at a young age.

I reluctantly left Seven and went through the motions of running an empire. I got Atlas on the payroll with a 'Firearms Instructor' title for starters, secured another high-paying account from a guy who sadly has more money than brains, and then I had some time to spend with both of my daughters before I had to leave them in my parents' care.

I opened the door to Mama and GrandPapa Manoso at five-forty-five and left the suddenly rowdy group to go get changed. I told Stephanie that this is a date, and I wasn't kidding ... so I dressed accordingly with black dress pants and silver-gray button-down shirt. Steph had locked herself inside the bathroom to get ready, so I left our bedroom to await her arrival with our girls.

Steph walked into the living room and I stopped moving as I looked my fill.

"I think Dad approves, Steph," Julie said, hiking her baby sister up on her hip like the professional kid-amuser she's become since the Martine family expanded.

"I do," I said, indicating with my index finger that Steph should turn so I could admire all sides of her.

She went with black, but chose a short, form-fitting, V-neck dress. It has a mesh-looking material covering her chest and topping her shoulders strategically adorned with small crystals that caught the light similar to how the diamond lariat-style necklace I had just given her is doing. I couldn't help but be distracted by how the thin chain dipped into the valley between her breasts. I forced my eyes upward as soon as they lowered so I wouldn't embarrass my daughter or my wife. To complete the look, her black heels stayed attached to her feet by two winding bands of equally shimmering straps.

"You look incredible, Babe," I finally managed to say.

She shrugged. "Thanks. I guess I clean up okay."

Julie tsked her. "Steph, you need to learn how to accept a compliment. Dad thinks you're beautiful, so you should've stopped at 'thanks'."

Steph gently swatted at her. "So I need to take dating advice, along with fashion advice, from you now?" She cut her eyes to me. "You'd be proud. Jules told me that everything needs to be covered and that the dress I choose can't be too short."

Our daughter grinned. "You look awesome. Clearly it wouldn't hurt to listen to me more."

Steph gave her a noogie and then pressed a kiss to the top of her head before turning her attention to Olive.

"We love you girls. And please be a good girl for Jules and your Abuelo and Abuela, Olive," she said with a kiss. "Mama and Daddy won't be gone long."

"Take as much time as you want," my mother told Steph. "We've had to stay away for too long with this pandemic still going on, we have a lot of time to make up for and in case we're told we'll need to stay away again."

"So that's permission to stay out past our curfew?" I teased.

"I'll give you fifty dollars if you do," Papa Manoso said.

"On that note, we'll be up there," my wife said, pointing towards the ceiling. "If you girls need anything just text, call, or come up and get us."

"We'll be fine," Julie and her grandmother said together.

"Let's go, Steph," I told her, taking her hand in mine, "before they forcefully kick us out."

"Love you," my father called at our backs.

"There's no question who they prefer hanging out with, is there?" Steph asked, as I got the door to the absolute top of the Rangeman building.

"They love all of us, but their grandchildren will always take priority."

As soon as I opened the second door for her that led onto the roof, it was her turn to stop and turn speechless. Her bright blue eyes took in the strings of white lights, crystal vases filled with white roses placed throughout the space, and the small cast iron table for two lit by candlelight, just waiting for us to sit down. Steph glanced once again around the section of roof I'd had decorated by Ella, Louis, and my parents before they'd rung our doorbell. Only slightly less work went into impressing my wife than we'd accomplished for Olivia's birthday, and Steph wanted to appreciate every detail before allowing me to seat her.

"Wow," my wife said on a happy sigh. "You really went all out for this."

"For you, Babe, I refuse to do anything less."