A/N: All recognizable characters belong to Janet Evanovich. I use them for fun and not profit.
Chapter 15
Slow steps interspersed by kisses brought me to the edge of my bed. The scarf I'd tossed around my neck was missing and Ranger tenderly kissed each mark Joyce had made. The soft sounds of his kisses echoed in the silence of the room.
His hands slid around my shoulders and found the zipper at the back of my dress. I moved closer to him to make the job easier. I lifted my leg and ran it along the side of his thigh trying to press my body even more closely against him. There was a soft pop and a small tickle ran down my inner thigh. I pulled back and looked down at the now laddered panty hose worn to defray the New Jersey winter and suddenly I pulled away.
"Ranger," I moaned. "Wait, we have to talk. I'm divorcing you. We can't do this." I wanted to do 'this' so bad I was almost crying.
His hand stilled on the back of my dress. He didn't let go of me or let me pull any further away.
"Why?" he asked softly, the breath of his voice as soft on the skin of my neck as velvet. "Why are you divorcing me?"
"You left me," I said. "I was at the lowest point of my life and I was alone. What resulted from that is simple. I need to make changes in my life. I want, I ache for another child. I know our baby was a mistake…"
He put his hand to my lips. "It was not a mistake. It was a surprise, and I don't handle surprises very well, even ones I'm responsible for."
"It doesn't matter," I said. "I know why you did what you did. I know you left to keep me safe and, as much as I want you right now, I have to do what's best for me, for my life."
"What's best for you, Babe?"
"What's best is to make the changes I have to make, so I can have what I want."
"Is that what this rash of dating is all about?" Ranger asked. I nodded even as I raised my head to allow his lips access to my neck. What was wrong with me? I couldn't back away.
"What changes, Stephanie?" His tongue traced a path over the sensitive cords of my throat and followed my collar-bone to the neck of my dress. I moaned. "How are you going to change your life, Babe?"
"I'm going to find someone normal, someone to be a father to my child."
Ranger laughed harshly. "Someone normal like a male stripper or an aging stalker?" he asked softly.
My growing passion took a nose dive, and anger started to sizzle. "Yes," I said. "I obviously haven't found the right person, but I will."
"Morelli?" he questioned. "He's with Terry Gilman, but that may not last through this stalker mess. He still cares about you."
"I care about Morelli. I love Morelli, in a way, but there will never be anything between us again. I don't want a Morelli baby."
"But you do want the child of a mob-related stalker? Or the child of an excessively hung male dancer?"
"Yes," I said. "No…I don't know. I want a normal life."
"No, Babe, you don't. You like your life just as it is now. You need to be honest with yourself. You had months to change your life and you changed nothing, except, maybe, to take your job more seriously. You seem to have improved at bond enforcement."
My anger erupted quickly and I pulled myself completely away from him. "Don't you taunt me," I shouted. "You haven't done such a good job of working toward what you want."
"What do you think I want, Stephanie?"
"You wanted me out of your life so you left, but you couldn't stay away. Now you're back and you want me, but only for the sex and I can't work that way. You want to take care of your responsibilities. You wanted to take care of me and my baby like you took care of Rachel and Julie, and now, Ranger, I think you want me naked. I think you have an itch and you want to scratch it!"
He came at me so quickly I couldn't get away. He backed me against the wall trapping me with his body, which was in contact with mine from knees to chest. His arms were against the wall on either side of me immobilizing me completely.
"You're right," he said. "I do want you, but I never wanted you out of my life. I went away to keep you safe. But I've thought about it and going away was not the answer. I can't stay away from you. I've had a change of plans. You like your life, Stephanie, and you shouldn't have to change it to have what you want." He ground his pelvis suggestively into mine. I felt him hard against me. The slow burn started again in my belly. He was so close I could feel his heart beat.
"I want you more than I've ever wanted anything else in my life. I wanted you for the sex and I had you for the sex. And then I realized I wanted you for every part of you. I need you in my life. Babe, I love you and I make you this vow. I won't give you a normal life. If necessary, I will lay down my life, to keep you safe."
He pulled his face back from mine. His eyes scanned my face, moving up from my lips and meeting my gaze directly. "And most importantly…I will give you babies."
My heart caught in my throat as he pulled me from the wall, lowered the zipper and let my dress puddle at my feet.
He cradled my face in his hands and his eyes darkened with passion. And then there was the hint of a smile. "Babe, are we done talking?"
I nodded and brought his mouth down to mine.
My shoes had been lost in the living room so he went straight to work on my bra and pantyhose. I was naked and trembling with desire as I watched him peel his clothes from his body. We came together, skin against skin, and fell to the bed and within moments all thoughts of divorce were gone.
I awoke hours later to hear the soft sound of Ranger's breathing. Our bodies were entangled in each other and the covers. The bedroom was cold and I snuggled closer to him for warmth. Physically, I was satiated. Emotionally, I was in shock. For months I had lived with the pain of losing Ranger. I reached out to stroke my hand along the velvety smooth contours of his back, reassuring myself he was still with me.
"I'm not leaving you ever, Babe," he whispered, as his arms once again came around me.
The next time I awoke it was daylight. I looked up to see Ranger, half dressed and standing at the foot of my bed.
"Rise and shine, Stephanie," he said. "We have a busy day."
"Mmmph," I said, and rolled over, pulling the covers up over my shoulders. I was still naked and not used to waking up that way. Much to my surprise, I felt self-conscious having Ranger, my husband, my lover, staring at me with unreadable eyes.
"Come on, Babe," he said, as he sat on the edge of the bed. "I have a surprise for you, but it's waiting at RangeMan."
I opened one eye and rolled over on my back leaving the covers pulled up under my chin. "A surprise?" I asked.
I got the full on smile and opened the other eye to better appreciate it. He ruffled my massively out of control curls. "Get up, and get showered and dressed. You'll like my surprise."
"What if I just got dressed and then showered at your apartment?" I asked thinking he had more hot water and Bulgari.
"Our apartment." I sat up and threw my arms around him, forgetting to be self-conscious about my nakedness. His arms came around me and in the end we showered together in my small and outdated bathroom.
I dressed for the day in my usual outfit of jeans, pairing them with a high-necked sweater to hide the worst of Joyce's marks. Before we left the apartment Ranger turned and asked, "Where's your wedding ring?"
I opened the top drawer of my dresser. I reached in the back and pulled out a small folded envelope and handed it to him. He opened it and the thin platinum band slid out onto his palm. Taking my hand in his, he slipped it on the fourth finger of my left hand. "Forever, Babe."
We arrived at Haywood and went straight to seven without seeing or speaking to anyone. Ranger led me into the bedroom and I waited not wanting to show any curiosity. He disappeared into his closet for a few minutes and came out wearing a fresh RangeMan uniform of black cargos and t-shirt. He had a small black box in his hand.
"It was still at the jewelers the day we were married," he said as he flipped the lid of the box open. Inside was a large square cut diamond solitaire flanked by sapphires set low into a platinum band. He removed it from the box and slipped it on my finger where it nestled perfectly against the wedding band.
There was a second platinum band remaining in the box. I took it out and solemnly slipped it on his finger, and tears slid from my eyes, gathering momentum as they rolled down my cheeks. A streak of mascara marked the back of my hand where I wiped them away. I flung myself against his chest with such force we fell backwards on the bed where we stayed, holding one another enjoying the closeness, until we were interrupted by the loud growl of my stomach.
"We need fuel," Ranger said. "We have a busy day and you need to be prepared for every part of it." He pulled me up and we went to the kitchen to forage for breakfast. As we sat at the bar eating bagels with cream cheese and fresh fruit, Ranger asked casually, "Do you want a wedding, Stephanie?"
I thought for a moment. "We had one," I said. "What I want is you, and as long as I have you I don't need any more ceremonies."
"In that case," he said, "we'd better go visit your brother-in-law."
Albert's office was the first stop of the day. He was surprised to see us when we came in, Ranger's hand loosely clasping mine. He didn't say anything at first, just opened his desk drawer and handed me an envelope.
"It's the check you wrote me, Stephanie," he explained. "It was way too much money and you're family. I would never charge you anyway. I guess congratulations are in order," he said extending his hand to Ranger. They shook hands and Albert's cheeks flushed. "Is it still a secret?"
"Only for a short while longer," Ranger said. "You can understand we want to tell our families ourselves. We appreciate your professionalism, Albert. We're family as you said, and I was wondering if you'd be open to the possibilities of doing some legal work for RangeMan."
"Well, yes, but," Albert hesitated. "I'm more of a personal attorney and I don't really specialize in corporate law."
"I'm looking for someone to keep on retainer for the employees to use when they need legal help. Would you be interested in something of that nature?" Albert beamed, nodding vigorously.
"I'll send Tank over in the next few days to get something set up." They shook hands again and I let myself be led out of Albert's office and into the sunny, cold winter morning.
"That was very generous of you," I said. "I know he could use the business and I think he's competent."
"Just starting as I mean to continue. I'm serious about forever. He stopped on the sidewalk and drew me into his arms for a short impassioned kiss.
"I knew this was too good to be true," I mumbled.
"Babe?"
"Telling our families," I said. "I don't want to spoil this day."
"We're not spoiling anything. We'll tell your parents today and I'll phone my family. I'll give you a little time to get used to the idea of them before I foist them on you."
"Will they be happy?" I asked.
"They will be very happy," he said. "My mother and grandmother have been praying rosaries for my salvation for years, and when they meet you they will know you are my salvation." He leaned across the console of the Porsche and gave me a kiss that made me positive we should head straight back to seven. Instead, we turned toward the Burg.
"Ranger, I don't want to do this." I said in a rush. He looked over at me as I continued, "I've been given the best gift of my life. You and I are together. That's enough. I don't want to share you with anyone. Let's go back to seven."
"Babe," he pulled the car to the curb and looked over at me. "We have to do this. It will be hanging over us until it's done. Let's tell your family and get it over with. You can tell Morelli, or not. That's entirely up to you. Then we are going to talk to Fenoglio. I'm trying to clear our slate so we can have some real time alone."
I sighed. He was right. It was better to get it over with. "Drive on," I said in a resigned voice.
My grandmother was waiting at the door. I didn't know if it was lack of anything better to do or an awareness I was near that drew her there. She was visibly excited to see Ranger and me exit the car. She opened the door and waved her hand at us.
"Your mother's been trying to call you all morning," she exclaimed. I guiltily remembered my phone on my kitchen counter.
"What's wrong?" I asked. Grandma's hand continued a frenzied wave and a sudden flash of light exploding in a rainbow of colors gave me my first hint of the answer. I took off running toward the door. Sparkling wildly on the fourth finger of Grandma's left hand was one big ass diamond solitaire.
"Grandma!" I exclaimed. "Osbaldo?"
"Yeah," she grinned. "And it ain't no cubic zirconium either." As I held her hand examining her ring she suddenly turned my hand over. She looked at my ring and threw her arms around me.
"You and Ranger?" she asked. I nodded. "Well, ain't that a pip!"
"I'll tell you the details later," I said, "after I hear all your news."
Ranger stood behind us looking totally perplexed. I turned to him. "Grandma is engaged to Osbaldo!"
My mother appeared at the door. "Come in, Stephanie. Hello, Carlos. It's nice to see you." She pulled my grandmother out of the way and ushered us into the living room. My father was sitting in his favorite chair with a huge smile on his face. The TV was off. He was obviously taking the news well.
"We got a wedding date and everything," Grandma said. "We got the PNA hall reserved and your mother is going to be my matron-of-honor. You and Valerie are going to be my junior bridesmaids!" I began to realize what a gift I'd been given. In light of this news, Ranger's and my announcement would fly right under the radar…I thought.
Grandma couldn't be contained. "Helen, look!" she said. She lifted my hand for my mother's inspection.
"Oh!" my mom said as she held her own hand to her breast. Ranger, who'd been silently watching the scene unfold, stepped forward.
"Stephanie and I came here to share our happy news with you and it seems we are only part of the story of the day." Poor Ranger. He was trying to approach this from a logical perspective and I knew it wouldn't work.
"Ranger and I got married almost eight months ago," I blurted out. "He had to leave right after the wedding so we decided to keep everything a secret until he was back." I turned to Grandma. "I'm sorry, Grandma, I didn't mean to upstage your news."
"You didn't upstage anything Stephanie," she said. "This is a day for a big celebration. Osbaldo is on his way over. We're gonna party like it's 1999!" There was silence as no one really knew how to respond.
My mom was trying to regain control of the situation. "You've been married for eight months?"
"Yes," I said.
"Who knows about this?" she asked. "Does Joseph know?"
"Joe knows we're together, but he doesn't know we're married. We came here to tell you first."
"Where were you married? Are you going to have a reception?" My mom continued her questioning.
"We were married at the courthouse by a friend of Ranger's who is a judge. We will be telling Ranger's family later this week, and no, we won't have a reception."
"We would, however," Ranger said, "like to help with Edna and Osbaldo's wedding and reception." Instantly my mother felt better. The chaos continued with my father getting up from his chair to shake Ranger's hand and give me a hug. His day was getting better and better. Ranger's offer to help with the wedding was understood clearly by everyone. We wouldn't be hanging Japanese lanterns and decorating the PNA hall. Ranger would be writing a check and that was okay with my mom and dad.
As we left the house a long half hour later, I turned to Ranger and said, "Welcome to the Plum family." He didn't answer. He just helped me into the Turbo and headed off in a direction that was familiar to me.
"You're taking me to the Tasty Pastry?" I asked.
"Babe, I need a donut."