Story disclaimers are all in Chapter 1.


Chapter 6: Merry Christmas, Darling

While Julie pointed out her school, and the houses where some of her friends lived, they drove down several quiet, orderly streets until they got to the Martine's. It was a quiet neighborhood of modest single-story houses on equally modest lots. Twinkly holiday lights outlined roofs and bedazzled assorted unsuspecting semi tropical trees, and electric luminaria dotted sidewalks.

There were also yards with elaborate creches featuring the Holy Family within illuminated mangers, occasional wise men, and even more occasional illuminated camels, sheep, and other admiring animals. Beyond that, Stephanie was pleased to see that at least one yard per block featured an invasion of Santas, herds of flying reindeer scattering from the roof, or bobbles of inflatable snowmen interspersed with livesized elves and giant illuminated candy canes. Some people really knew how to celebrate their holiday with pizazz.

With an expertise borne from one of many guided tours her friend Laurie had encouraged her to take over the past few weeks, she spotted that this was a postwar neighborhood that slightly pre-dated cookie-cutter subdivisions. Well established with mature trees, it had a variety of the housing styles that were built to be comfortable in Miami's heat before everything was air conditioned.

Huh, she sat back in her seat. She had been paying attention, after all.

The car slowed, then pulled into a driveway. And, speaking of paying attention, she scrambled to put together the words Ranger had just directed her way.

"Babe," he said, lip quirked in a knowing smile. Okay, so maybe he'd figured out that she'd been distracted. Julie's snort from the backseat seconded that opinion.

Well, no point in trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the Wizard and his daughter. So, she turned toward Ranger and said, "Okay, I'm paying attention now."

"Are you okay with staying in the car for a few minutes? I'm going to walk Julie to the door and figure it's best if you stay out here in the DMZ," he looked her way. "We're cutting it close to curfew and it may keep the friendly fire down."

"Yeah, Mom can be prickly," Julie muttered.

"Sure, I'm fine waiting out here," she nodded at Ranger. Then turning even further toward Ranger's daughter, she added, "It makes sense, Julie. She's just starting to trust your father. Letting you visit with his family over a holiday is a really big deal, so introducing another person tonight spook her. There's no point in pushing her too far until she's more comfortable." She didn't add that it was a toss-up whether recognizing Stephanie from this summer would reassure Julie's mother or traumatically remind her of a bad situation.

"Hmm," Julie's lips pulled thoughtfully as she started to gather her belongings.

Meanwhile, Ranger paused after opening his door. "Good advice, Steph," he said, looking at her with a hint of curiosity, as though seeing her anew.

"Hey, I know all about handling prickly mothers."

"That you do," he reached over to tuck a coil of hair behind her ear. "One of your many talents," he added in a quiet rumble. Then, while Stephanie was deciding whether the evening temperature had risen unexpectedly, he angled himself out of the car and turned to open Julie's door. Bustling out of the car, she turned to follow her father toward the front sidewalk. Then, she quickly doubled back to Stephanie's side of the car.

Stephanie first tried to open the window. Quickly deciding that she'd been "childproofed" she simply opened the car door. "Did you forget something?"

"Yup," Julie nodded primly, then leaned down with her gift bag dangling from one arm and her sweater from the other. "I forgot to say goodbye to you," she murmured with an approximation of a hug. Then, her voice quiet in Stephanie's ear, she said, "And to say that I hope you come back soon. I can tell it makes Ranger happy, and I'd like to see you, too."

Standing, she breathlessly added, "Tell Ranger to let you have one of the tickets I gave him for my play in February. It's The Little Mermaid and I get to play Ariel the mermaid's sister. It's way better than last year when I played a stupid teapot in Beauty and the Beast. Which is a totally weird musical, if you ask me."

"Jules," Ranger's voice interrupted his daughter, "we need to get going. Your mother is waiting."

"Coming," she replied, turning to trot back to Ranger, and then up the walkway to the front door.

Peering through Ranger's side window, Stephanie followed their passage up the walkway. At the same time, she could see Rachel Martine's vigilant silhouette in the window by the front door. She was the same whip-thin, nervous woman who'd rushed forward to enfold her daughter this summer after arriving at the hospital where Ranger was in surgery. Stephanie remembered the momentary hurt in the woman's eyes when she'd realized that Julie didn't want to leave the waiting room while Ranger's fate was uncertain.

She also remembered how Rachel had then lifted her chin, conferred with her husband, and then sat alongside her daughter for hours. Visibly uncomfortable in a room full of her ex-husband's looming, black clad employees, she hadn't said much. But, she'd stayed, resolutely holding her daughter's hand, peering protectively like a Doberman. She'd offered Ranger's father's comfort as he'd sat beside her for a while. And she'd guardedly yet politely greeted Stephanie after Julie had pointed her out.

And now the same woman was apparently trying to overcome her misgivings— trying to trust Ranger again— all to help her daughter adjust.

Stephanie nodded in recognition. It was that weird maternal mix of overprotectiveness, nerves, and situational bravery that she saw sometimes in her own mother. Helen Plum certainly sampled the dinner sherry a bit too much and tried too hard to push her daughters to marry. But, she was also the 'Burg housewife who'd broken about four traffic laws and aimed her car at a human-sized rabbit when she'd seen her daughter threatened.

As Stephanie mused, she watched Julie hug Ranger goodbye. It was too far away to hear words, though she'd left her car door just in case. She did see, though, the brief, almost formal interplay between Rachel, Ranger, and Julie. Then, as Julie followed her mother into the house, she saw Ranger step back, straightening as he kept his eyes on the closing front door. She wasn't sure, but his posture and his expression in profile actually looked sad. Which made sense, given the moment, though it was something she'd never seen before from Ranger.

Worrying her lower lip with her teeth, Stephanie knew she was seeing a private moment. Of course, 'Burg etiquette was to get as close as possible to snoop on such moments, as long as you could do it without being obvious. Or, at least, without having an excuse, like studying up on styles of entryways and porch lights in post-war Miami architecture as a follow up to a recent tour, which could then be described long enough to provide a great distraction.

Yet, she balked. This was Ranger.

Now, certainly he'd spied on her in the past. Heck, he'd attached tracking devices to her belongings, had her car followed, and even broken into her apartment more than once. Oh, and don't think she hadn't noticed the times that the CEO of Rangeman, namely Ranger, just happened to drop into Vinnie's to collect a minor check while she was there. A check that Lester, Hal, or even Binky could've picked up on their regular rounds.

She was positive, though, that it was because he valued her. And because he was trying to keep her safe. In other words, he was doing morally gray, and sometimes sketchy things for the right reason.

Whereas spying on the intimate stoicism of Ranger's private emotions because she was curious didn't feel like a "right reason" as she'd come to understand Ranger's morality.

So, she looked away. Reaching down to the car mat for her purse, she pulled out her phone. Spotting a text message from the airline, she confirmed the time of her flight tomorrow. Spotting a voice message from her sister, she played it, and was just at the end of the message when Ranger opened his car door.

"Important news?" he asked, taking his seat.

"Just my sister telling me that Rex misses me."

"Ah," he replied while starting the car and then pulling out into the street.

That "ah" said about everything that needed to be said, Stephanie thought. What was it with people in her life assuring her that animals missed her? Joe and Bob the dog… Valerie and Rex. At least Valerie had the advantage that Stephanie also missed Rex. On the other hand, she'd never once missed Bob. And lately, not Joe either.

Huh. Well, time in her thinking position on the beach had gotten her somewhere new. New Year's resolution number two: Use what she'd learned the past several weeks to improve her day-to-day life. In other words, avoid falling back on old habits unless they were good ones. For example, the habit of buying donuts and sheet cakes after they were discounted at 4pm was good, so should be continued. Unlike the habit of moving in with Joe because… well… because it was convenient?

Maybe she could puzzle that out during some deep thought time tomorrow, on the airplane.

While she'd been pondering her new insights on life, Ranger had quietly reached for the car's console and turned on the car stereo. A jazzy version of Sleigh Ride lilted in the air, making the ride feel festive and elegant. Stephanie sat back and savored the sights as they left Julie's neighborhood and emerged into the brighter lights of urban Miami. She had a feeling that Ranger was taking a scenic route back to Key Biscayne, giving her a chance to say goodbye to the sprawling, lively city.

"You held up well, tonight" Ranger said from behind the steering wheel, his lip lifted in amusement. "Proud of you, Babe."

She snorted. "Thanks Ranger. But seriously, you've met my family. After them, everything is normal up to, and maybe including, spending Christmas dangling from a helicopter with The Rock while the earth cracks open under us."

Ranger laughed out loud. "I'm not sure whether I'm pleased that you think of all contingencies. Or if I'm worried that you've assumed that scenario actually might be one of them. But, either way, I hope tonight was nowhere near that level of apocalyptic holiday."

Stephanie reached over the console to wrap her hand around his arm, which even under his windbreaker felt solid and comforting. "Your family was very welcoming. It was one of the nicest holiday dinners I've ever attended." She hoped her sincerity came through, because it was absolutely true. She spared a moment to wonder how Ranger had ended up so taciturn, so solitary, coming from a family like his.

But no matter; that was something she could find out over time. What was important was the man he was at this moment. Her one-time mentor, her friend; a man who seemed to be changing, but how?

"It must be nice being able to finally spend time with Julie, again," she murmured into the quiet music caressing the air with Christmas spirit.

"It is. But it's also very confusing," he replied, his gaze focused on the road ahead of him. "Most parents get to know their children over time. But here she is, a complete person, somewhere between a child and an adult."

"Your mom said she reminds her of you, at her age."

He huffed a laugh. "Not sure that's a good thing. Sounds like what parents wish on a child during difficult moments. But, it's not too different from what Rachel says, so probably true." His lips pulled. "I'm just not sure if it's better for her to be around me, or if it messes her up."

"Ranger," she squeezed his arm. "Julie really wants you in her life, and I think getting to be with your family is a good thing, too. I think she's afraid you'll abandon her." She swallowed. "She just went through being abducted. Then seeing her father, who she barely knows, was willing to die for her. She mattered that much to you. Now you matter that much to her."

He nodded, lips still pursed, though now in thought. They drove through another couple of lights before he murmured, "I've told Tank and the team to take me off the roster for foreign mission." His shoulders stretched under his shirt; the rolling movement told her it wasn't a casual shrug, but more like he was trying to fit into his body. "No domestic hazard jobs, either, unless absolutely necessary. Like the married men."

"That makes sense," she replied after a pause, pulling back her hand after a final squeeze. "It's a big change, though, isn't it?" She watched his profile in silhouette as they started on the first bridge across Biscayne Bay.

He nodded. "It is. I guess I've realized that I'm not invincible," his lip tipped in something like humor. "It's time I took care of my responsibilities," he said.

"Ranger, they're not responsibilities; they're your family." she fought the urge to roll her eyes.

Now he smiled in humor. "It's my Army mindset tripping me up, as usual." He glanced her way. "Good thing I have you to remind me."

She returned his smile as he slowed for a roadway merge, followed by a light. A song started up by a female singer that her sister Valerie liked. She could barely make out the lyrics until the words "Wrapped in Red" repeated in chorus. And now she remembered hearing the song at the Quaker Bridge mall when shopping with Val several weeks ago, because nothing said Thanksgiving is around the corner better than piped-in Christmas songs. Sighing, she recalled that the lyrics about loving from afar had reminded her of how she was missing Ranger.

Of course, right now he was sitting next to her, relaxed behind the wheel in black slacks and a blue windbreaker. She blinked, as the song weighed her down with the thought that this might be the last time she'd see Ranger, perhaps for a long while. How would she be able to remind him of the good things in his life from far away?

"Are you thinking of staying down here?" She took care to breathe evenly as she spoke. "To maybe be with Julie, more often?"

"I've been giving it some thought," he finally answered as the causeway re-entered a thin strip of land, then giving way to another bridge. "Of course, there are some important tradeoffs to consider," his eyes briefly glanced her way. "How about you?" he asked. "You mentioned your fantasy of staying down here instead of returning to Trenton."

Stephanie squinted at his apparent redirection. Then she snorted, visualizing Ellie's condo by the pool in contrast to her own apartment with a view of the dumpster. "Well, I admit the idea of living in genteel poverty in the sunshine instead of buried under snow with crappy heating has something to say for it," she said as they exited the final bridge. As the car looped toward the south, through the preserve covering the north half of the Key, she watched the sway of leafy trees along the sparsely lit causeway.

"Steph, why not just come down here for awhile and see what you think? You like it here, know the lay of the land, and have friends now. And you'll figure out how to make money; you always do," his lips softened in amusement. "Remember, you're the one who was ballsy enough to convince me to get you started with bounty hunting." He darted a glance her way. "Not a high likelihood scenario if I'd drawn it out. But yet you managed. And you brought in a high value skip on your first try."

She chuckled at hearing how he remembered their first meeting. She mostly remembered being sweaty, out of sorts, and out of other options. Oh, and being impatient with the surly but acceptably hunky gang-banger dude that Connie had insisted she meet.

And, yes, obviously she'd said that aloud as Ranger launched into an actual laugh.

"Babe, you never disappoint," he said. "Think about it, though. If you're worried about money, there's always a job waiting for you at Rangeman, with a full salary. And it's not a pity job," he reassured, probably reading her mind as he so often did. "With your skills, we'd be glad to have you. You already know Silvio," he slowed, turning off his high beams as a car entered the road in front of them. "And you know me," he added yet again, his voice lower.

"Yeah" she replied, glancing at him from the corners of her eyes. It was tempting; she wouldn't lie. But, another thing she'd been able to clarify during recent, heat-assisted deep thought sessions was that working for Ranger had always felt "off." She wasn't at nearly the same physical or experience level as his employees. She believed he was being honest and trying to help her, but it still didn't feel right. It was why she never stayed.

Perhaps understanding her remaining hesitation, he added, "As an alternative, you could work with Ariana. She was serious and you really would be good at it. I helped her set up her books, so I know she does bring in a respectable amount of money and pays decently. More than Vinnie, and without the pay gaps between his skips of the week." He slowed the car again, this time to cross from the causeway into the town, leaving the preserve behind. "You could try it, and find something else later."

Stephanie blinked. "Ranger, why are you trying to move me down here and find me a job?"

"I thought that was obvious," he turned to look at her, brows gathered into a straight line over his nose. "I'd like it if you were down here," he continued while returning his attention to traffic. Turning onto a side road, they were minutes away from Ellie's condo.

"Why?" She could only manage to say, even as she realized the irony of being the monosyllabic person in the conversation. In contrast, Ranger had probably said more tonight than she'd ever heard him say at one time. Unless, maybe, it was a briefing to his team, with everyone in bulletproof vests and well-stocked tactical belts.

She heard a quiet exhale of amusement. He shrugged. "I told you that I'm trying out a few different things. Casual clothes. Time with family. Talking." He darted a glance her way, lips pulled with the shadow of a self-aware smile. "It's obviously still a work in progress."

He slowed for a stop sign. "As to why… when I came down here for Julie, you were with Morelli again. And being away from it all, I saw that I kept disrupting that relationship. So, spending more time down here for Julie was right for her. And also right for you."

He turned toward her, face impassive but eyes betraying deeper emotions. "Though I did miss you. And then I saw you the other night." He paused. "I almost let you be. But, as I've mentioned before, I'm an opportunist."

A car's lights approached from behind them, ribboning the inside of the car briefly with light. Ranger's gaze returned to traffic as he pulled through the intersection, starting down the dark dappled road, with Ellie's condo complex in sight.

"I'm glad you did," Stephanie said. "Come find me, that is. I missed you, too."

She saw something flicker across his face; probably just an effect of the meager streetlights peeking between the fluttering palms on this part of the road. "Me too," he said as he turned into the building's parking lot. Driving slowly over the crunch of shells and sand in the lot, he pulled into a spot near her building. Of course, this was Ranger, so it was a highly convenient spot that was never, ever available to anyone else.

He turned off the ignition but left the key in, allowing the stereo's music to lilt through the compartment. Given the plush leather of his car seats, it was almost like being in his living room at the top of Rangeman.

But, with seatbelts.

Which he quickly unlatched, both his and hers, leaning over to manage her belt as it retracted so it didn't hit her. He then straightened, picking up her hand before she could lean forward for her purse. It was warm, secure, encompassing, and yet such a rare gesture from him. Unsure in the moment, she looked at him as he squared his shoulders.

"Stephanie, what I'm trying to say is that, now that you've decided to let Morelli be in your past, I'd like to spend time with you. I'd like to show you the Miami that I know, take you out to dinner, try doing some things you'd like to do." He paused. "Which would all be easier if you were here, too."

Stephanie paused to poke herself in the leg to make sure she hadn't drifted off to la-la land while they'd been driving. Because….

"Ranger, that sounds like dating," she blurted, while images of two guns and a knife danced a sugarplum ballet in her head.

The corner of his mouth quirked up. "Yes, it does."

"But… you've told me several times that you're not relationship material because of your lifestyle." She could feel herself squint as she remembered Ranger strolling with another woman a couple nights ago. "Or, maybe it's that I'm only friendship material but nothing more, or maybe…."

Ranger raised his free hand and placed a warm index finger across her lips. And, darn, even the feel of his quieting finger felt so much better than it should.

"Like I said, I'm adjusting my lifestyle, Babe." He brushed his finger along her cheek, through a curl of her hair, resting it on her shoulder as he searched in her eyes. "Remember I told you that 'someday' we might be ready for each other. You're not with Morelli and I'm more settled than I've been." He tipped his head to the side, lips pursed as a precursor to a smile. "I even have a Batcave, of sorts, in North Beach."

She snorted quietly and swore she almost saw a twinkle in his attentive, dark eyes, though it might just be the reflection of the flashing holiday lights strung from the tree above their parking spot.

And then she remembered. "But you have a girlfriend." She frowned. "I saw you the other night, too, leaving the Three Palms Restaurant with her."

It was Ranger's turn to squint. Then his expression cleared. "Ah, Neomi." With something that looked remarkably like chagrin, he explained, "My sister Carmen, who you haven't met yet, has lately been setting me up with dates. Trying to help me with that lifestyle change I'm working on. That was one of her sorority sisters. Let's just say that we didn't click. And that Ariana, who apparently also knows Neomi, gave me an earful yesterday when she found out."

He actually smiled. "I think the fact you were with me, tonight, is the only reason she didn't smack me on the back of the head when I arrived."

"Your family smacks each other a lot," she murmured, distracted by the thought that Ranger had been dating while down here. Had he been quietly dating in Trenton, too? No... well probably not. She'd never probed into who Jeanne Ellen Barrows really was, but that was a while ago.

Then something else occurred to her, jarred loose by the thought of Ranger's sister arranging dates for him. "Ranger, your family thinks I'm a lot closer to you than I think I am. Or that I have been, at least recently."

"They know what I tell them," he shrugged, his fingers idly twisting in her hair. "Also, they know you were at the hospital when I was there. And that Julie knows you, but hasn't met any other women of my acquaintance. You may not have realized how significant all of that makes you."

"Oh," she nodded. That did make sense. She pulled her lower lip gently between her teeth as she reviewed her interactions with his family, tonight. Which made her think of something else.

"Ranger," she tilted her head. "What did your Abuelita say to you in the kitchen, earlier? I heard her say my name, and Julie's, too."

He inhaled with a rueful expression and released the lock of hair he'd been languidly twirling against her neck, moving to adjust the collar of her jacket. "Among other things, she basically read me the riot act for waiting so long to introduce you to the family. And for not pushing harder to have a role in Julie's life, until now." He shrugged, releasing her collar as he focused somewhere in the distance. "And, in retrospect, I agree with her. Old habits die hard, though."

She squeezed the warm, calloused hand that still held hers. "You always have good reasons for what you do." Her thumb began to move along the back of his hand. "I need to learn Spanish so I can defend you," she murmured.

"Nothing to defend, Babe," his eyes returned to hers, warm and dark. "Though I've always thought you'd make an excellent bodyguard with the right incentives," he rumbled into the quiet of the car. Stephanie felt the depth of his voice resonate through her entire body, speeding her pulse and flushing her face.

An older couple from the second floor strolled by, no doubt peering with interest into the tinted car windows. As they passed, Ranger gently pulled back his hands. "Let me walk you to your door, Steph."

"Okay," she exhaled, reaching down for her purse while Ranger grabbed the keys and exited from his side of the car. By the time she made sure she had everything, he'd opened her door and extended his hand to help her out. In the brisk air, his hand was warm, a solid and safe transition into the night. She kept her hand in his as they strolled toward her apartment, both seeming to walk slower than they ever did in Trenton.

The crunch of their steps from the parking lot blended with the lazy, muted sound of surf in the distance. A group of resident frogs harrumphed back and forth between patches of plantings, while crickets creaked to each other in the distance. She spotted the elderly man who liked to sit at night on the bench near the cluster of mailboxes after walking his pair of Jack Russell Terriers. "Hi Mr. Spooner," she waved at him as they went by. She couldn't help smiling as he replied with his own wave that his dogs seemed to echo with their flappy, small ears.

A half dozen yards later, they entered the shared courtyard for her building. The swimming pool lay placid as its cleaning robot plashed gently on its intake tube. Lights showed through drapes and blinds in about half of the units, with muffled sound from TVs and stereos providing a human contribution to the night. Songs from the Chipmunks Christmas album squawked from behind the door of one unit. A few doors down, they walked past her friend Larissa's condo just as her neighbor's voice joined her stereo in singing "Merry Christmas, Darling."

She saw Ranger's lips tilt with amusement. "I don't know how you managed it, but you fit right in, here."

She giggled, "I know. The only thing missing is Mrs. Bestler and the elevator. Oh, and Mr. Wolesky's newspaper delivery."

"You probably don't need an elevator since you're on the first floor, but I could arrange to get newspapers delivered."

She paused, pulling back on his hand to stop him also. "You know, my friend Ellie is coming back in a week. And then selling her condo, so I'll lose my groovy free vacation pad soon. Besides, I really do have a flight back north tomorrow."

"I know," he replied, then proceeded to reel off the flight number, terminal, departure time, and ETA for arrival at Philadelphia International Airport. Plus arrival gate. Then, without a beat, he added, "But we can get you a replacement flight if you decided to stay a little longer."

After a moment, he reached out and pushed her chin up with his fingers. "Earth to Steph."

She blinked. "Okay, first off, how did you find out my flight info?"

"Babe," he replied, and yeah that did say it all.

"Yeah, okay, silly question. You know because you're Ranger. But really, tomorrow is Christmas. If at all possible, I want to spend it with my family." She tugged on his hand to resume moving toward her front door. She debated also informing him of her Grandma Mazur's promise that, if Stephanie didn't return for the holiday, she'd instead fly down and stay with her through Valentine's day. But, before she had the chance, they reached the archway over the condo's front door.

"Well, here we are," she said, suddenly unsure of what she wanted to happen next. Well, no, that was a major fib. She knew exactly what she wanted to happen next. Because, here she was with Ranger with one night left in a tropical paradise. A man who had been more talkative and hands-on than ever before. And, even more drop-dead handsome as he filled out his new Miami attire.

Feeling herself flush from her core outward, she was already visualizing some of what she really wanted, and it involved getting the man in front of her out of that new Miami attire. With glorious, breathless glimpses of his naked and sweat sheened muscles, proving yet again why she privately referred to him as The Wizard. Her lips on him, his mouth on her….

Confusingly, while she was gazing at his tempting lips, imagining what they could do, Ranger let go of her palm. Reaching inside his windbreaker, he fished something out of an inner pocket. "As I promised, I have a Christmas gift for you," he said, handing over a foil-and-tissue wrapped packet with an economical flourish of his hands. "Merry Christmas, Babe."

Calming down her breathing, her eyes widened as she unwrapped his gift and found another small, wrapped sachet-sized package inside, along with two corporate air vouchers for travel between Miami and Trenton-Mercer airport, in her name. She glanced at Ranger, then back down to the tickets. "There's no date," she said.

"You can use them when you want," his baritone voice explained, brushing his hand along her shoulder. "I'm a realist, Steph, and I figured you still would go back north tomorrow. So, these make it easy to come back down and return when you want." His full lips smiled, an intimate gesture. "There's another gift inside," he added, his free hand indicating the smaller wrapped bundle.

Ranger had made that one easy to open by not using any tape. When she pulled the filigreed paper open, she saw two silver charms. One was a miniature set of palm trees, the other was a tiny, delicate flamingo. "They're beautiful," she breathed. "Thank you," she looked back into Ranger's attentive, dark eyes.

"You're welcome. I'm glad you like them," he said, his hand brushing through her hair along her shoulder. "One of my neighbors is a silversmith and I remembered you had a charm bracelet that you sometimes wear outside of work. I thought they'd remind you of your time here."

"They're perfect," she said as he leaned closer, his other hand coming up to her face. Tickets and wrapping paper in one hand, charms in the other, she brought them up to his shoulders, feeling his lips so kissably close.

And then, without feeling that she'd moved at all, she redeemed the promise of his lips. Soft and firm at the same time, they were as generous as she remembered. Her eyes drifted closed as she felt him close the remaining distance between them, his hand moving from her shoulder to her back, his lips parting so tauntingly to tease the seam of her lips with his tongue.

As his other hand brushed along the outside of her ear, sending sparks through her body, her lips parted. And she moaned her appreciation into his slow, sensuous efforts.

"Mmm," his breath warmed her ear. "Steph, perhaps we should take this inside." He finished his words with butterfly kisses from the top of her ear down to the lobe and she felt a melting sensation begin in her legs.

But then, remembering other nights when he'd overwhelmed her with his body, with his lips, and then left her lonely in the next morning's light, her arms firmed. "Ranger," she paused, breathless, tilting her head to gaze into his questioning eyes. "Am I just another Nomi?"

As his brows pulled together in puzzlement, she added, "Your date from the other night. I just want to know what this is." She tamped down her urge to just say "never mind" and pull him back for another, even deeper kiss, knowing that this urge had been her undoing so many times before. With Joe, she'd kissed regardless of whether she'd wanted to claim all of him for herself. With Ranger, she'd kissed regardless of whether he'd wanted to claim her. She'd finally realized that neither had worked particularly well.

"Ah," his expression cleared. "Neomi," he corrected gently. "And no, Steph. You're not another casual date," he pulled a lock of her hair. "Think of Neomi as an attempted substitute for you. After all, until last night I thought you were probably planning to marry another man." Then his eyebrow twitched a bit wickedly. "And, I thought you were in Trenton."

"Where I'll be, again, tomorrow," she murmured.

"But you're here tonight," he leaned back toward her, this time landing a closed-mouth kiss on her forehead, then gestured toward her door with his chin. "Let's get you inside," he half whispered, and she imagined there was a double-entendre there, somewhere, though her mind was a bit too preoccupied to figure out for sure.

Leaning back, she fumbled her keys out of her purse and relinquished them to Ranger's offered hand by habit. He trailed his remaining hand down her arm and then he stepped forward, unlocked the door, and opened it. He stepped into the entryway muttering "Good dead-bolt door, but no security system" the way someone else might comment "nice potpourri." Looking around, he scanned as he always did in Trenton, though it felt decidedly out of place here in quiet, tropical paradise.

Following the path of his eyes, she spotted the remains of this morning's donuts and coffee, a stack of microwave meal boxes still to be recycled, and strewn bags from today's quick holiday shopping. Well, he was used to her distinctive interior design theme of "casual feminine disarray." She leaned against the doorframe by habit, fanning herself, as he finished sweeping the living room and kitchen, padded back to the bedroom, and checked the bathroom.

"Coast is clear, Babe" he said, returning to where she stood, which she knew was code for you can come in now, put down your purse, and do the other totally mysterious stuff that you do before I kiss you again.

Putting down her purse and her presents before removing Ellie's coat, she smiled. "No crazy, gun-toting geckos in the closet, or frogs with teeny, tiny rocket launchers?" she asked.

"None that I saw." His eyes, almost black in the entryway lighting, seemed to drink in her features as he pulled her to him. "But I might need to stay the night, just to make sure." His eyes, languid and deep, gazed into hers as though there was nothing else in his world to see. "What do you think?"

"I think we should close the front door," she replied, toeing it shut while she spoke.

"Good idea," he said, reaching behind her to twist the deadbolt. "What other ideas do you have? Because I have a few as well," he rumbled as his lips reached to kiss her yet again. He pressed her against the door, his entire body enwrapping hers.

Her body sang as she felt him, warm and solid, against her, his hands cradling her face, his manhood already straining through his trousers. She reached up, running her fingers through his hair, knowing that he found that particularly sensuous. Her hips moved forward of their own accord, further greeting his body, while her free hand roved down toward his muscular rear, grinding him into her.

"Mmm," he growled softly. "Sure you don't want to accidentally miss your flight tomorrow?" his lips bussed against her ear.

"No. Must go," she whispered as his lips returned to hers. "Christmas."

He reached his hands down, holding her while turning them in place. He then began slowly walking her backward toward the bedroom. "Then let's do what we can to ensure you return soon," he replied, voice low with desire.

"Okay," she agreed, feeling his fingers tease under her top, heated against her skin. Inspired, she reached up to push off his windbreaker. And then down to tease his polo out from his pants. He inhaled and she felt the frame of his ribs expand with his breath, rippling the muscles under her fingers. She continued pushing up his shirt, smoothing her hands over his abs and up to the pleasure of his masculine nipples.

Then, he raised his arms so she could finish the job. "I'm all yours, Babe," he voiced low in her ear as he brought his arms back down, reaching for the hem of her shirt.

Oh boy, she thought. What she could do with a Ranger who was all hers for the whole night. She smiled against his lightly stubbled cheek, inhaling his distinctive scent. Then he turned them, now pulling them toward the bed, and she heard herself moan as she landed on top of him, skin against skin.

Good thing her flight wasn't until close to noon tomorrow, she mused, and then all thoughts escaped from her head as she joined wholeheartedly in Ranger's talented and dedicated efforts to give her a reason to return to Miami.

To be continued…


Notes: Merry Christmas, Darling is actually by the Carpenters. Their usual pop genre isn't my favorite, but I love how Karen's voice made that particular song elegant, wishful, and caressingly sweet at the same time. The version of Sleigh Ride I imagined for this chapter is by Diana Krall. Wrapped in Red is sung by Kelly Clarkson.