Disclaimer: The characters belonging to Janet Evanovich are used strictly for entertainment purposes.

A/N: Well, I can't believe it's here, but this is the final chapter. So sad to see it end, but I'm excited to continue working on another piece I've been writing since October!

I want to thank all of my readers, and especially my reviewers, for your support. I was pleasantly surprised at the reception this story received. You've made this story a joy to write.

To M, who has pushed me when I got fed up and wasn't afraid to smack sense into me, thanks for your partnership with this piece and for your friendship. Thanks for making me want to be better than I am.

To Alf, you've inspired me to seek, you've helped change the way I think, and brought in ideas I hadn't considered. I'm grateful to you for your guidance and pushing me to go beyond just the words.

Finally, I know it isn't Wednesday, but my mother-in-law is here from England and I'm afraid I may miss the boat on posting this chapter tomorrow, so I'm putting it up tonight. I think you all deserve to get it early since you've been so faithful to me. Much love and hugs all around!

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The ride up to seven seemed to take forever. Stephanie and Ranger stood side by side in the elevator facing the doors, close, but not touching. She could feel the heat of him radiating toward her, tingling on her hand, her arm, seeping into her.

Her thoughts flew at light speed, working overtime to form the words she wanted to say. Questions scrolled through her mind, but all her effort was concentrated on breathing evenly. Not only was she standing next to the man she loved, but they were headed toward the scene of the crime where he'd slashed her open, where part of her had bled to death.

The elevator stopped. The doors opened. Neither moved. The doors closed. Stephanie blinked a few times. Ranger took in slow, even breaths through his nose.

Stephanie realized he was waiting for her. It was her show and she didn't know if she had the guts to push the damn 'door open' button. Finally, she said, "Guess we should go in." She felt, rather than saw, his nod. She nodded and reached her hand up to press the button. His hand closed over hers and his heat torched a path up her arm and straight to her heart and the twisted center of her emotions licked up every ounce of that heat.

Her head turned toward his gravitational pull and their eyes locked. The intensity of his stare stole her breath. All pretense of fight left her and she met his gaze with her own passionate stare. Breaths held and hearts beat wildly. Then he pressed their hands forward and her finger connected with the button. The doors opened and he led her out into the hallway.

He never let go of her hand through the process of unlocking and opening his front door. His hand clung to hers like a lifeline and she felt his nervousness. She knew he was reluctant to break the connection and her heart softened toward him even more.

When they reached the living room, he released her hand slowly, fingers lingering. His hands rested at his sides, but his muscles were active, body tense and tight as a bowstring. "Want to sit?"

Shaking her head, she rested her hip against the breakfast bar and looked into his eyes. The emotion smoldering within swept through her soul and she knew she could never walk away from him again. It was time to fight for what they both needed, even if she had to fight her own instincts.

"Heard your song," Ranger said in a quiet voice. He reached out and brushed a wayward curl from her forehead then let his fingertips trace softly down her jaw line.

She nodded and swallowed against the lump in her throat, forcing herself to ignore the way her pulse jumped at his touch.

"It's beautiful, it's you."

"Thanks." Stephanie flicked her glance to the floor and then slowly raised them to his once more. "I forgive you," she said simply.

"Babe," he began, but she shook her head.

"Just tell me if you've changed your mind."

He grabbed her hand and squeezed it almost painfully. A long, slow breath left him and he turned to face her. "No."

Pain, hot and violent, tore through her heart. She'd thought his response would be different this time.

"Babe," he repeated. She held up her hands for him to back off, but he ignored her signal. His hands gently closed around her upper arms and he held her immobile in front of him. "Let me finish. I've wanted a relationship with you for a long time, I just never felt like I had a right to ask you for one."

"What?" she asked, biting the insides of her cheeks to keep her mouth from trembling. "I don't understand."

"When you came and told me you loved me, I wanted to take you in my arms and tell you how much I loved you, but I couldn't. I was leaving on a year-long mission and I couldn't ask you to put your life on hold not knowing if I'd make it back or not."

"That should have been my decision to make, not yours." She narrowed her eyes at him, anger overriding her sadness, and stepped back out of his embrace. "I think there's more to it and if you want me to stay here longer than the next five seconds, I expect the whole truth."

He opened his mouth and then closed it.

"Five," she said.

"Babe."

"Four."

"Stephanie."

This time, because her throat was aching from holding back her tears, she held up three fingers.

"Please."

Two fingers.

"Shit."

One finger.

Ranger growled in frustration and fought down the panic that she would leave him when he'd finally found her, finally gotten her to really talk to him.

She turned toward the front door.

"I was scared," he said forcefully, angry with himself for pushing her so far. Quieter this time, he said, "Afraid." He sank down to the couch.

She stopped and turned her head slightly, listening.

"I built my life around my military career. Set it up so the only person I had to worry about was me. Pulled away from my family. Made friends only with guys like me who understood my life choices." Adrenaline pumping now, he folded his arms over his chest to keep from reaching out to grab her.

"I know," she murmured. "You've mentioned this before."

"You weren't supposed to happen. I wasn't supposed to walk into a goddamned diner and meet my future." His nostrils flared as he drew in a deep breath. "But I did. It scared me."

She remained silent, but her heart had begun to beat again, her shoulders relaxed. The tears she'd fought now fell freely down her cheeks.

"Falling in love with you changed everything for me." When her shoulders relaxed further, he moved toward her. "You're my strength." He was right behind her now and he could see her body shaking with her silent tears. "You're my soul. I found life when I found you."

The relief was almost painful as it swept through her body. Drawing in a ragged breath, she turned around and gave him a small smile. "You," she pressed her lips together and struggled to keep her face from contorting as emotion overtook her ability to speak. "You made me alive," her voice trembled with emotion as she spoke.

"Babe," his voice was barely above a whisper as his arms wrapped around her. He held her tight in his arms, one arm around her waist and one hand pressed to the back of her head. Trembling arms encircled his neck and wild curls cascaded over his hand as he pressed her close. "God, I'm so, so sorry for what I did to you. I was such a jackass," he said quietly.

She nodded against him and he closed his eyes in remorse for the hurt he caused the one and only women he'd ever truly loved. He soaked in her warmth and gave in to the pain he'd held back for so long. Pain he'd caused himself, pain she'd caused. Pain only she could take away.

At long last, she raised her head and looked at him. Their heartbeats sped up and breathing became labored as he lowered his head and brushed his lips across hers once, twice, three times, before pulling back.

"I missed you. So much," she said in a husky voice.

Ranger slid his hands into her hair and stroked her cheeks with his thumbs. "Can we start over?"

"Start over?" she asked in a daze.

"Yeah. The night you left town." When she made a move to step back, his hands held her in place. "Or do you want me to let go of you like you said in your song?"

Stephanie stared at him and felt the tension in his body as he waited for her answer. His eyes filled with worry. "No. I tried, but you wouldn't leave my heart."

In an instant, she was molded against his body, vice-like bands of steel driving the breath from her lungs. He clung to her in silence with his long, muscular fingers digging into the flesh of her shoulder and waist.

"I need to know one thing," she said after a few moments.

She felt his slight nod and his hands began to move slowly up and down her back, spreading heat and assurance throughout her body.

"Why are you willing to open your heart to me now? What will happen the next time you're called away on a long mission?"

He pressed his forehead against hers and caressed her face. "There won't be a next time. That was my last mission. They offered me another contract and I turned it down."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "You turned them down?"

Ranger smiled at her, his face so full of love it stole her breath away. "I'm yours, and I'll never deny you anything again," he murmured.

She smiled and traced the outline of his lips with a fingertip. "Anything at all?"

His lips quirked in a small smile. "Babe." That one word reserved for only him, which spoke so much and so little all at once, filled her with warmth and pleasure.

She gave him a wide smile and asked, "What if I don't want to be locked up when you feel my safety is threatened?"

He leaned down and kissed the corner of her brow. "We'll find a way to compromise."

"What if I want your undivided attention and your cell phone rings?"

He unclipped his phone from his belt and held it up? "This?" She nodded. He tossed it over his shoulder and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Out of the equation."

She slowly breathed in through her nose and then laughed as emotion bubbled up within her. "What if I want to continue to tour with my band and I don't want to move back to Trenton?"

"I have a private jet."

His last answer stilled her. "You have a private jet," she said. "Really? I never knew that." Ranger smiled slightly and she asked, "Wait, you're really okay with the tour?"

He smiled and drew her tighter against his chest. "You've found something you're fantastic at and you love it. Why would I ask you to stop?"

She swallowed several times and felt a tear leak out the side of her eye. She loved him and she loved her career and felt relieved that he didn't expect her to choose between the two. He smiled tenderly and leaned down to capture her mouth in a kiss full of promise. His lips rubbed intimately against hers and his tongue sought hers out, touching and caressing, until she gave a small moan.

He broke the kiss and trailed small kisses along her jaw line, flicking his tongue out to taste her skin.

She smoothed her hands over his chest and smiled up at him. "Okay," she whispered. "Let's try this again."

"Babe?"

"I'm in love with you and I don't want to live without you in my life." Her hands bunched in his t-shirt and she gave a small tug on the last word.

A dazzling smile spread across his face for a moment before his expression turned serious, passionate. "Never again. You're the reason I understand what it means to love. You are my love."

He kissed her again, slow and easy at first, and then hot and needy. For the first time in their entire relationship, Stephanie let herself feel all she wanted to feel in his arms. No fear, no others, no holding back. She opened herself up and showed him just how much she loved him.

They kissed and caressed hands, cheeks, and bodies against one another amid whispers of love and desire. Hands tugged at clothing, lips nipped, and tongues tasted.

Stephanie's heart hammered against her rib cage, her body on fire. The experience of being with Ranger after he confessed his love for her nearly made her pass out. She knew he made love with passion from their previous experience, but mixing his passion with his love amped the experience up to supernatural proportions in her mind.

By the time they reached his bed, both were panting and frantically pressing against each other. Ranger lifted her onto his bed and slipped off her bra and panties, then kicked off his cargos and pulled her into his arms. She explored his body, re-familiarizing herself with his physique.

His hands stoked up an inferno within her and soothed her flesh until she screamed for release. He complied with her request and pressed her deep into his mattress, locking eyes with her as he slowly eased inside, drawing out whimpers from her. He moved slowly, loving her, filling and stroking, until she was hoarse calling out his name and shouting her love for him.

Afterward, she lay with her head on his chest, her hair fanned out over its chiseled perfection. Her finger traced a lazy circle around his nipple and his hand slowly caressed a path up and down her back.

"That was worth the wait," he said, his voice a low buzz rumbling against her cheek.

She smiled against his hot, damp skin and he reached up and tugged on her curls softly. "Mmm, definitely."

They were silent for a long time, simply pressed together and enjoying one another. He sighed softely and squeezed her close. "Looks like Santos forgave you for running off." She nodded and his hand slid up to gently cup the back of her neck. "He was pissed when he found out what I'd done," he said quietly. She pressed a tender kiss over his heart. "Thought he'd never forgive me."

Stephanie nodded and trailed her hand down over his abdomen to circle around his belly button. "Well, he wasn't happy with me, either. I had to make some promises to get back on his good side. Including, but not limited to, calling him every other day, at least." She leaned down and pressed a kiss to the sculpted curve of his pectoral muscle.

Ranger gently lifted her off his chest and turned her over onto her back, then propped himself up on his elbow to stare into her eyes and lightly graze her cheeks with his knuckles. "Are there any promises I can make you tonight?"

She sent him a wicked smile. "I'm sure I could think of a few things."

*\/*\/* Epilogue *\/*\/*

One Year Later

Ranger burst through the door with his cell attached to his ear and a smile on his face. "It's a boy."

"That's great news!"

"We'll stop and see Lula and Tank at the hospital before we head back to New York City. We are going to be the Godparents, after all." He wrapped his free arm around Stephanie's waist and pulled her against his side.

Stephanie and the band had relocated to New York City because there were more opportunities to play and to be near Devin's studio. After six months of touring with Creed, they'd finally gained popularity and had three top ten hits on the charts. They were due to start their own tour in three months' time and were ready to move up to the next level with their tour. She and Ranger had ventured back to Trenton, so she could fulfill her promise to play at Joe and Connie's wedding. The band was to join them later in the evening to play at the reception.

Stephanie snuggled into Ranger's chest. "I can't wait to meet him. What's his name?"

He smiled down into her lovely face and said, "Stephen Carlos Marquette."

Stephanie blinked back a few tears at the mention of the name that honored both she and Ranger. "Wow, I love those two."

Ranger kissed her temple. "Yeah, me too. Tank is over the moon. He said Lula did great." He tipped her chin up with his index finger and looked deep into her eyes for several heartbeats. "You sure you don't want one?"

"No baby." Stephanie shook her head. "I think we'll just stick with what we know. How about you?"

"Anything you want, as long as I get to keep you."

Stephanie smiled up at him. "I love you."

"And I love you." He leaned down and kissed her. "Ready for Joe and Connie's wedding?"

Excitement skittered through Stephanie's gut. "Yes. Will you listen to the song one more time before we leave?"

Ranger sat on the coffee table in front of their couch. His eyes took in the ice blue satin gown she wore. The hem ended mid-calf and covered her delectable legs when she sat on her stool with them crossed, which had been his one request. "Always. I love your singing."

Stephanie grabbed her guitar and sat on the couch. "I'm nervous. It's really important."

He smiled. "I know, Babe."

She plucked the strings softly and then lifted her voice to sing a touching love ballad worthy of Connie's walk down the aisle. The lyrics were well suited to the special couple and their day, as well as the love she celebrated within her own heart.

As she sang, she held his eyes and told him over and over again, with every note and word of her song, how much she loved him. When she finished, he took her guitar from her hands and laid it aside on the couch and stood, tugging her to her feet.

"It's perfect," he said and kissed her once. "I love you." He kissed her again, pulling away before she could attempt to deepen the kiss. "We're five minutes late now."

"Oh no!" She turned to grab her guitar, but he beat her to it and already had it halfway into the sturdy black case lying across the arms of the chair beside the sofa. "I'm so bad with time! I'll be late to our wedding!"

He stopped and stood still for a beat. "Our wedding? You want there to be a wedding to be late to?"

She reached out a hand and linked her fingers with his. Then, with a smile, she said, "Someday."

They left the apartment smiling at the final word she'd spoken. Someday was all they'd ever need as long as they were together.