Because the final piece of our Sexified journey became such a monstrous one (the previous upload was over 3500 words and this one is over 7500 words, so over 11k words for our finale), I decided to break it up into two updates. So, if you missed the previous update (based on reviews, there might have been a few of you following along this journey that may have missed last week's update) make sure to read Boundaries-Part I because one always comes before two.
I planned to upload this last Thursday, but unfortunately my worst fear happened. I'm an arachnophobic (put anything else in front of me, and I got you! But not spiders! Nope! I've even joked with MMBabefanmmm that I would not survive in Australia. Those suckers are huge there!) Anyway, I got bitten by a spider last Tuesday and apparently I was allergic to the sucker. Pain, redness and swelling radiated from the bite site and moved down my leg from knee to ankle. So, that's what I was dealing with this past week: my worst nightmare.
Please let me know your thoughts on the ending to this wild ride.
Disclaimer: The Plum universe belongs to JE. Typos are mine (Sorry if a few more than usual slipped through. It's such a massive chap and I can only look at it so much before I stop seeing errors).
Boundaries-Part II
Ranger's POV
I let us in, re-locking the front door behind me for obvious security reasons, before moving away from the entrance.
Our bags hit the carpeted living room floor just as Julie bumped against the back of the large couch. She muttered something low under her breath while she tried to adjust to the darkness and the unfamiliar layout.
I felt more than heard footsteps approaching from behind, coming from the back of the apartment where the bedroom is.
Despite knowing what was coming, because I could feel the whoosh of air as something swung my way, I didn't put up much resistance. I wanted to have firsthand knowledge of how much her self defense levels have improved.
Something metal hit my abdomen, the blow of the cylindrical weapon minimized greatly when I sidestepped at the last moment. The rush of movement was unexpected, filling me with pride even as two powerful kicks took out my footing by striking me just below the backs of my knees. To ensure I went down, and more importantly that I stayed down, Babe used gravity to her advantage. She climbed on top of my back, using her added weight to slam me against the carpeted living room floor. Capitalizing on my downward momentum left me in awe. They were an efficient combination of movements.
"Who are you and what do you want?" Babe gritted out as she pressed my head down onto the carpet with her hands only to seconds later grab a fistful of my hair to pull my face back off the floor. Her tone was authoritative. Babe wasn't playing.
Damn. She was fierce, making my heart swell with pride and my dick with arousal. Kick ass Stephanie is a huge turn on.
The lights flicked on before I had a chance to respond or before Babe could slam my face back onto the carpeted floor.
"Uh… maybe we should have called first." Julie said into the living room, hoping that her humor could help ease us all back off of survival mode.
"Ju-Julie?" I couldn't see Babe's beautiful face, but her tone told me that she was confused. I smiled as I pictured that adorable scrunched up look she gets whenever she's trying to decipher something. Her soft curls tickled the back of my neck as they swiped against my skin with her jerked movement.
"Hi, Steph." Julie's cheerful voice held Babe's attention, to the point that she remained straddling my upper back. "Uhm, maybe you can let my Rangedad go? I swear in Miami it sounded like a good idea to surprise you. Maybe not."
Babe released her solid hold, lifting herself off of me to cross the short distance to Julie. I turned my head in time to see Babe wrapping her arms around my daughter. As expected, Julie gave her the typical teenage scowl at being the recipient of a hug. But in true Babe fashion, she had my daughter accepting her hug. Julie's arms wrapped around Stephanie's waist as she declared that she's been missed.
"I've missed you too, kiddo." Babe laughed at Julie's outraged gasp at being called a kid. She doesn't get it now, but she'll always be a kid to us.
"Babe…" I was in the process of righting myself, only to have Babe cross the short distance back towards me.
"I could have really hurt you!" She hissed, narrowing her dark blue eyes as she smacked my right shoulder.
Julie snickered, finding it funny that Babe was reprimanding me about possibly hurting me yet she was also striking me some more. Only Babe.
"I'm fine." I assured, adding that I'd managed to suck in my gut before her swing met my body.
Babe snorted, like I knew she would, and rolled her eyes. "You don't have a gut to suck in."
"I'm okay, Babe." I promised even as she yanked my T-shirt, untucking it from the waistband of my cargo pants. My abs involuntarily flexed, sucking in of their own volition, when Babe's cold fingers applied a featherlight touch over my heated skin. It's been a while that simply having her hands anywhere near my dick is a trigger. If we were alone, Babe would have already been bent over the armrest of the nearest couch. Since we have company, I behaved. For now.
"You sure?" Worried filled blues scanned my face as she continued her inspection of my abdomen with her careful touch.
"Yes." I nodded so that she knew I was being truthful. And to help shift the focus away from my uncovered abs, I waved her weapon of choice near our heads. "A bat, Babe?" I arched an eyebrow, wondering why she didn't use her gun but also thankful that she didn't. This is maybe the only instance where I preferred her dislike of guns.
Sensing my silent question, Stephanie flicked her gaze towards the kitchen. "That was the closest weapon to me." She shrugged, releasing my T-shirt and taking the bat away from my hands to lean it up against the wall next to the TV.
"Julie wanted our impromptu visit to be a surprise." Cupping her face in my hands, I used my thumbs to caress her cheeks. "It wasn't our intention to startle you."
"Yeah, we were supposed to be here earlier but…" Julie trailed off, earning a nod from Babe in understanding.
"I've missed you so much." Babe confessed, gripping the waistband of my cargo pants as a way to help ground herself. "And I am very happy to see you both…" Babe made sure to include Julie, telling us that she's happy we're here. "It's been a while since you've broken into my place in the middle of the night, so you can see why I came out here already swinging." She whispered so only I could hear this. There's no need for little miss teen over there to know that I broke into Steph's place constantly just to watch her sleep.
"Proud of you, Babe." I said sincerely, because Stephanie taking her safety seriously is something I've wanted her to do for years. She's gotten so good at it, that now she even helps others stay safe. Couldn't be more honored to witness her growth through the years, going from a woman that was way in over her head in that diner to the strong and remarkable woman she transformed into.
"But a bat, Babe?" I arched an eyebrow, silently asking why she didn't use her gun if she thought there was an intruder. Soon after moving to Oregon, Babe saved a coworker by being aware of her surroundings, which was a reminder that no place is free of people with bad intentions. The fact that it was a young woman, reminding Stephanie of her nieces and Julie, prompted her to act on pure instinct.
Stephanie shrugged. "I don't really need it here." Her observant blue gaze traveled back to the baseball bat. "And it was closer." Another shrug.
My smile wasn't something I could contain. Nor did I want to. "Very proud of you, Babe." That earned me another smile just before she leaned closer.
Babe's lips met mine in what was supposed to be a chaste kiss but quickly turned heated. "I've really missed you." She whispered breathlessly as we worked on catching our breaths.
"Cool place, Steph." Julie added, hoping to get us to stop kissing in front of her. She wants us together, together like she likes to call it, permanently but Julie could do without witnessing our kissing sessions.
"Thanks." Babe gave me a quick peck on the mouth in silent promise before she turned around to face my daughter.
We migrated over to the kitchen, using the island in the small space as our gathering spot. Stephanie offered to make hot chocolate, the instant packet kind, and my two girls happily sipped their drinks while we caught up with each other.
"I'm really happy you both came." The mischievous smile that graced Babe's beautiful features made me wary of what was crossing that unique mind of hers. "Even if you did scare the crap out of me!" The chuckle that tumbled past her plump lips said she didn't mind because it meant we got to spend some time together.
Julie giggled, which turned into an unexpected yawn as she placed her empty cup in the sink. "Sorry." Another yawn. "It was a long day." Julie hugged us both and asked if it was okay for her to call it a day.
"Yeah." Babe nodded, causing her curls to move across her cheeks, as she noted it was past midnight. Blue eyes gave me a questioning glance. "We could let Julie have the bed." Stephanie offered without hesitation, always the altruistic one.
"No need." Julie replied, shaking her head vigorously as she went back to the living room with us following close behind.
"She brought an air mattress used on their camping outings by the Martines." I explained as I helped my daughter prep her temporary sleeping quarters. Julie wanted to position the air mattress between the two small couches pushed together to make an L shape so that she could press her back against the couch. Her bed at home is against a wall because she wants to have her six covered at all times during her sleep. She claims it's a comfortable position to sleep in, yet I know it's a defense mechanism after Scrog.
"Okay. Let me get you some sheets then." Babe offered, helping us tackle the job.
With our combined efforts, Julie's sleeping arrangement was completed in minutes after she took a turn in the bathroom.
"Goodnight." She gave me a side hug, mindful of my abdomen, and a kiss on my left cheek. Babe didn't miss the action even as Julie moved to hug and kiss her too.
"Hope you don't have any plans, because this weekend you're all ours, Steph." Julie beamed as she slipped under the covers, her long straight strands spilling over the pillow.
Stephanie returned the grin. "I'm looking forward to it." With another round of goodnight wishes, I watched Julie plug in her cell phone for it to charge as she wound down to finally end the day.
"Where should I sleep?" I teased, keeping my blank face in place to see Stephanie's reaction as we moved away from the living room.
Babe narrowed her eyes as I closed and locked her bedroom door. "The balcony?" She teased right back before pointing behind me towards her bed.
"Babe." The corner of my mouth tipped up at her humor.
"Up." She ordered as she positioned me to have better lighting to look at my 'injury'.
I complied, lifting my arms up so that she could remove my T-shirt off my frame. "I'm fine, Babe." I really was. A little soreness wasn't going to slow me down. Bullets and stabbings haven't either.
"Let me be the judge of that." Stephanie huffed, using her fingers to inspect my lower abs. I flinched when she poked a particularly sensitive area, but it wasn't because of the hit of her bat. No, it was for completely other reasons. "See?" She chastised, guiding me back towards the bed.
I watched her in silence, tracking her every move as she knelt before me in order to untie and removed my boots and socks. Meticulously, Stephanie went through the pockets in my cargo pants to empty every last one. Her hands slipping under a pant leg to remove my knife and its strap sent another jolt of desire through me.
"Lie back." She ordered once all I had on me were just my cargo pants. Mindful of my nature, she left my weapons on the nightstand closest to me. I appreciated that gesture more than she could ever know. That fact that Babe knows me, really knows me, is quite telling of our long history together.
"I'm okay, Stephanie. Really." I assured as I crooked a finger her way as an invitation for her to join me. She was too far away.
"I'm sorry." She breathed out as she climbed onto the foot of the bed, crawling over my spread legs so that she could settle herself against my right side.
The possibility of her making a definite decision, choosing the other man in the process, always hung in the air between us. It was the elephant in the room that we ignored when it was convenient to both of us. The probability of one of my enemies getting to her has always lingered. Hell, she's made her fair share of enemies all by herself. And I guess I've always been aware that the odds of losing her are much greater than those of not losing her. But in every scenario that I've pictured in painstakingly great detail in my head, it never occurred to me that I could lose her to something other than crazies, enemies or an asshole ex-boyfriend. What occurred to me as soon as I found out that she was going to leave Trenton is that I'm not willing to let her go. Not this time. Hell, I knew that it was selfish of me considering I always thought that I couldn't promise her anything long term. A conventional relationship wasn't, nor could it ever be, on the table. The fear that she could get hurt for simply knowing me or the notion that she could one day realize that what I can give her is nowhere near what someone else could give her clouded my judgment where she was concerned more than once.
That day several months ago in her apartment, we talked. Finally, we had an honest conversation. We knowingly and unknowingly hurt each other through the years. I hurt her every time I pushed her back to Morelli and pushed her away from me. I was hurt to know that after she stormed out of my penthouse that night, that she was willingly going to go home with a stranger. In her mind, she wanted to forget about me, about us, so that it would hurt less to leave and move on. It hurt to have that knowledge, but it also gave us a different perspective than our own. I told her I was enjoying the view and that my hesitation to reach out for her that night wasn't because I didn't want her. It was the exact opposite. I wanted her so much that I needed to save everything in my memory. Babe told me, through tears, that she's never asked me for a traditional relationship. 'I've only ever wanted you and whatever time you could give me.' Her raw confession led to another round of lovemaking. That day that I've thought about constantly these last several months, we fell into a cycle of sorts. We talked, made love, talked some more, made love again, ate, made love, talked and made love some more. By the time the sun rose the next morning, we'd put everything on the table.
Realizing that we were finally on the same page and that we wanted the same things was a glorious time for us. Yet, Babe still wanted to take her new job opportunity seriously. Finally becoming a couple and her moving across the country meant that we were going to have to tackle our first obstacle as a couple. The main difference this time though was the fact that we were going to do it together.
'A long distance relationship will be difficult, Babe.' I remember very vividly the look she gave me as she scooted closer to me. The sheet had ridden down, exposing her breasts but she didn't make a move to cover herself. I kept my focus on her beautiful face, happy to know that she trusted me enough to finally, and fully, let her guard down. In the past, she was always very conscientious about covering her body unless we were already in the throes of passion. Just having us share our fears about having a more defined romantic relationship gave Babe the necessary confidence to bare herself to me in more than just the physical sense. 'A newly formed relationship is already going to require a lot of effort on both of our parts to keep us from sabotaging it.' She'd smirked at me, because I knew what her biggest fear was. 'It's not normally the sort of relationship that works out in the end.' Stephanie being Stephanie, had leaned over with a bright smile on her face. 'What's so great about normal?' Babe's playful kiss sealed our new and final deal. We were together, just like that. It's something that we could have had a long time before that moment, but we needed to be ready first. Despite the unconventional situation, we set out to make our new us work. Whether our relationship as a couple was predestined to last one day or sixty years, we didn't care. We were going to put everything into being successful.
In full support of her choice, I flew out West with Babe. I helped her settle into her new place and even explored the town with her before I had to head back to Rangeman and the East Coast. We talk constantly and to keep our new us from feeling like a booty call, which it is not, we usually see each other at least twice a month. I was supposed to come last weekend, but Rangeman Miami needed me. Babe understood, so we made plans for her to come see me in two weeks. A beachy getaway will always be a great Babe lure.
Babe's hand carefully massaging my lower abdomen returned my full attention to the present.
"You have nothing to be sorry for, Babe." I said as I wrapped an arm around her waist and used my other one to reposition her, draping her upper body over mine. With a small wiggle of her tempting little body, Babe was fully atop mine. Her head rested on my shoulder as her torso stretched diagonally on top of my torso. Her hip pressed against mine as one of her bare legs slipped between mine. She threw her other leg over my left thigh to keep me in place, effectively tangling our legs.
"It really doesn't hurt?" Her inquiry was answered by a kiss. I buried my hand in her hair, my palm pressing against the underside of her jaw as my fingers caressed her cheek. "Okay." Babe nodded in understanding, her sparkly eyes holding my dark ones as she leaned closer to press another kiss against my parted lips.
Our lips pressed against each other repeatedly as we continued to hold each other's gazes.
"God, I've missed you so much." Babe confessed in between every brush of her lips against mine.
"Babe." I told her that I've missed her too as I reciprocated every delicious kiss.
"I really wasn't expecting to see you tonight." Her playful smile was wide just before she kissed me again. "I figured Miami was really in some deep shit since you've barely had any free time to reach out this week." She confessed, nipping my lower lip before swiping her tongue to soothe the light sting.
"I didn't think it would be possible either, but was able to make it happen last minute." I flashed her my best grin before I leaned closer to press my mouth against hers. Our kisses morphed from little playful nipping ones to full blown heated ones. Our tongues tangled as our hands began roaming in sexy exploration. It's true what they say: distance does make the heart grow fonder.
Babe moaned into our kiss when my hand closed over her left breast. Feeling the Rangeman logo against the cotton, along with the familiar Bulgari scent imprinted on her skin… Oh, it was a huge turn on. I finally understand why Babe goes crazy for the scent on me. It seems to morph, changing to fit the person's specific chemistry. It's a slightly different scent on her, which makes it quite enticing.
"Ranger!" She hissed when she felt my other hand slip under the hem of the T-shirt she long ago commandeered from my closet, brushing my fingers over the embroidered letters I knew I'd find on the front of her tiny panties.
"What?" I questioned, skimming my fingers over the waistband of her panties as I moved my hand to her ass. Slipping it under the band to splay my hand over her luscious cheeks caused her to skirm over me. "Babe?" I asked as I fingered the scar there.
"Julie!?" I grinned at her obvious concern.
"Is asleep." Kissing the frown off her mouth got me a heated glare. We've been necking for a good half hour. She's asleep. "Julie had a long day at school, followed by an even longer flight from coast to coast. She's out like a light right now." I promised after deliberately keeping out the extra activities in prep for our secret mission that my daughter helped me with before we flew out here.
"She's going to hear. We're not exactly the quiet type." Babe shook her head, squirming out of my hold.
"Stephanie." I was in the process of getting out of bed to follow her, but Babe raised her hand to ask me to hold on for a moment. "Fine." I nodded, letting her know that I'd give her the time she requested as she exited the bedroom.
Moments later, Stephanie returned sporting a seductive grin. "You were right. She's snoring." She shared as she closed and locked the bedroom door behind her. "We gotta be quiet." Babe breathed out as she shimmied out of her underwear and yanked the oversized T-shirt over her head. Once she was fully in the nude, Babe crawled back onto the bed and towards me.
"Babe." I grinned as she settled over my aroused body, retaking her previous position.
"Where were we?" She asked before her lips closed over my surprised ones. Her smiling lips pressed against mine again, tongues tangling as soon as my mouth opened to her insistent tongue.
We continued to kiss and caress each other until Babe wrenched her lips away from mine, gasping for breath and letting out a strangled moan as my fingers plunged into her from behind.
Her face buried against the side of my neck as I stroked her. I could feel the hot puffs of air against my skin and heard the muffled moans as she got wetter. And of course Babe was going to give me as good as she got. The hand that has been caressing my abdomen since we fell in bed moved lower, closing over my covered erection.
"Stephanie." I moaned, pressing my face against her shoulder to keep from letting out a guttural groan of relief as she squeezed and stroked me over my cargo pants.
Babe is definitely calling the shots and I'm not about to stop her, was my last coherent thought as my lips captured hers in another desperate kiss.
"Babe." I praised when I realized she not only unbuttoned and unzipped my pants, but had also expertely removed them from me. "How did you do that?" I arched an eyebrow in question, knowing that there was no way she could get my pants off without my knowledge or help. There's just no way.
I let out a bark of laughter, that Babe quickly swallowed with a kiss to keep the noise from reverberating across the bedroom walls, as she shared how she succeeded in getting me as naked as she was. Grinning at her sneakiness, I couldn't help but kiss her again as I moved onto my back once again. Apparently, Babe tilted back to make me follow her as we kissed passionately. That gave her the opportunity to push my open pants past my hips while she distracted me with her tongue. "Then I just used my feet to push them off the rest of the way." She shared as if it were obvious.
"Only you, Babe." I grinned as I used my hand on her nape to bring her head back down for another kiss. We have a lot of missed moments to catch up on.
Stephanie straddled my lap a moment later, looking extremely sexy in her take charge/commanding role. It was a bit laughable how fast she turned the tables on me. Mere minutes ago I was the one driving her crazy with my ministrations. Now, she's the one calling the shots and I'm all for her driving me crazy.
Our moans mixed in the otherwise silent bedroom as she sank down my thick, hard cock tantalizingly slow. She drives me crazy. Always has and always will. My control has definitely snapped and I'm not even sure how we'll survive this new phase for us if we continue to generate this unrestrained need between us. It will definitely be hard, very hard to keep our hands off of each other during this weekend together. How I managed to keep myself in check most of the time in the past, I'll never know. And I am sure as hell I'll never accept going back to that point in our relationship ever again. Being unable to touch or kiss her will never be a time I want to return to. No. I'm not losing this unique connection we share. I'm not losing us. I'm not losing her.
Babe had straddled my lap, sank on my throbbing erection and set the pace. It was beyond erotic watching her move above me with her head thrown back and her palms pressing against my lower abdomen. Unwilling to have so much space between us, I sat up. Her hands trailed up my torso, a playful smile stretching her lips wide as she snaked her hands under my armpits. The move elicited a new round of strangled moans as Stephanie plastered herself to me. Slim hands closed over my clavicle from behind as we continued to move. I wrapped an arm around her waist to hold her against me, while I used my legs and free arm to move us to the edge of the bed. With my legs swinging over the edge of the mattress, my feet firmly planted on the carpet, I gave myself more leverage. Combining our movements not only meant extra pleasure, but also allowed us to work towards our common goal.
When Babe crushed her lips to mine, kissing me deeply and almost desperately, it was one of her cues that the promised finish line was near. Her fingers combed through my hair as her hands held my head to keep me in place during our heated kiss. It took us so long to be together, that sometimes we still forget that we have the right to give and take whatever we need and want from the other.
My hands joined the mix with my fingers tangling in the stubborn curls that were whipping every which way during this enthusiastic session, eliciting a grin from Babe. That cute grin changed as a silent moan slipped Stephanie's tempting lips as my arms wrapped around her lower back, keeping her in place while I thrust up. Pounding her from below was going to get us closer to the end.
When she buried her face against the crook of my neck, it was her silent indication that she was about to crack. And she did, biting my shoulder to keep from screaming as she rode out the intense waves of her pleasure.
The thread of my control finally snapped amid the feel of her ragged breathing against my skin, the muffled sounds of her release and the addictive fluttering around my cock. "Babe." I found myself murmuring Spanish endearments against the heated, slick skin of her chest. She couldn't understand much, but she still held onto me tighter. I felt her nod as my lips pressed over heart, much in the same way as she does whenever our positions are reversed.
"Mmmm…" I heard and felt her satisfied sigh as she slumped against me after I tumbled back, my body stretched out on her bed and hers splayed on top of mine, as we worked on normalizing our labored breaths.
"Babe." My arms wrapped around her waist and squeezed her tightly against me. As our bodies cooled, we shared an unhurried kiss before confessing how much we love each other.
S&R
The next morning I awoke early, smiling to myself as soon as I opened my eyes and was greeted with a mass of wild curls spread over my chest. The alabaster skin and soft snores were a big contrast. On the one hand, Stephanie can seduce me without even trying and on the other her innocence despite the horrors she's endoured still blows me away.
"Buenos dias, Babe." I murmured, skimming my lips across her parted ones as I wished her a good morning.
"No, no. No dia. It's noche still." Babe whined, turning her head to face away from mine. I chuckled softly, knowing that Stephanie isn't a morning person, much less after a night of active lovemaking. It also seems she's been practicing her Spanish, to the point that she'll let a word or two slip out in her sleep. For Babe, it's still the middle of the night and she made sure to remind me of that Plum fact.
Careful not to further disturb her sleep, I slipped out from underneath her nude body. Babe's light snoring told me that she was not going to wake up anytime soon despite engaging in a bit of chatter.
I went for a run, allowing exercise and nature to help clear my mind. Today was the day that I was going to complete Operation Babe. Although we were in a good place, there was always the possibility of a negative outcome. I didn't want to mess this up, so I went over the details as I ran faster and harder.
My gals were still asleep when I returned two hours later. I got to think and get in a good workout while I was out, as well as gather supplies for our stay. After a solo shower, I got to work on a special breakfast for us.
"Good morning, Dad." Julie murmured through a yawn as she rounded the kitchen island to give me a quick hug. "Need any help?"
"Sure." I welcomed any help she could provide.
"Give me five." Julie said, quickly dashing out of the kitchen for a bathroom break. When she returned, her hair was pulled back in a low ponytail and her eyes seemed more alert.
About fifteen minutes later we were joined by a slow moving Babe.
"Good morning, Juuls." Stephanie was obviously still very sleepy. Despite that, she gave Julie a loving hug. "Morning, Ranger." I got a side hug and kiss on the underside of my jaw on her way to serve herself a much needed cup of coffee.
As soon as she was sufficiently caffeinated, Stephanie asked if we needed any help.
"Ranger Dad's making his famous banana pancakes and I'm prepping our sandwiches for our hike." Julie beamed at Stephanie, reminding her about our plans for the day.
"Alright, seems like your dad has the whole cooking thing down so I'll help you with our lunch." Babe also took a quick bathroom break, returning with her curls tamed into a high ponytail a short while later.
We ate while listening to Julie share how things are going for her at school and at home. Julie asked Stephanie what she had been up to, which Babe was happy to share.
"That sounds really cool." Pride spread through my chest at my daughter's compassion. "Helping people who don't normally have a voice is a great thing, Steph." Julie praised, nuding Stephanie with her shoulder as they ate.
"Thanks." Not one to like the spotlight, Babe was quick to switch the topic. "These Ranger pancakes, though sneakily healthy, were so good…" She trailed off after seeing the corner of my mouth twitch into a small grin. "...but I am so full that I'm actually looking forward to that hike." Babe's teasing tone let us know that she was joking. I know she walks to and from work everyday. She's become a more active person, because she enjoys it.
"It's an easy to moderate trail, Steph. We'll be fine." Julie pointed out that in the event of an emergency, they had me tagging alone. "We'll be fully covered."
"No, no emergencies will occur while we're out." Babe shook her head vehemently. "We're going to have a nice walk and enjoy the natural scenery."
"Let's go then." Julie urged us to get a move on it, too exited to wait for us to head out.
Within thirty minutes everyone was dressed appropriately for our outing. Our lunch was already inside of the insulated bag and inside of a military style backpack that I would carry. Extra water was added by me just to be safe. Both Julie and Stephanie had a filled reusable water bottle in their hands as we moved to exit the apartment, but I wanted to make sure we indeed did have all of our bases covered.
"It's really very beautiful out here." Julie awed an hour into our hike, stoping for a moment to take a few pictures on her cell.
"Yes, very beautiful." Stephanie agreed, her eyes locked with mine.
"Very." I added, bringing up the rear as they continued to move. I didn't want this outing to turn into anything other than what it was supposed to be. Keeping an eye on the two most important people in my life is an ingrained safety mechanism for me. True, the dangers out here are very different than those back in the city, yet I'm not willing to lower my safety standards.
We continued for another hour until we reached the area Julie virtually scoped out and designated to be our resting spot. Julie did her research, diligently planning each of our stops. How she found this magnificient location to overlook a secluded waterfall, I'll never know. This isn't a hike that many tourists know to take. It's more of a local spot, which makes it extremely private. Julie suggested this be the place where we launched Operation Babe. I agreed.
Julie and Stephanie sat on a pair of big boulders while we ate. The conversation flowed naturally between us as we continued to enjoy the nature around us while eating. The sound of falling water was great background noise.
When we were done eating, I made sure to collect all of our trash into a plastic bag. I put it in my backpack to dispose of once we were back in civilization so that we could leave this place exactly how we found it.
Before we could move on to head back, Julie gave me a pointed look followed by a nod. This was it.
"Hey, Steph." Julie easily captured Stepahnie's attention before Babe could wonder away.
"Yeah?" Babe stopped in her tracks at Julie's call, turning to look back at us.
"Dad and I have something to ask you." My daughter said, barely hiding her snicker at Stephanie's confused look.
"Ookay." Babe looked to me for any clues before returning her gaze to Julie. "Shoot."
With a bright grin directed at me, Julie nodded for us to reveal our surprise.
Those expressive blue eyes followed our every move as my daughter and I reached for the zipper on our jackets. The weather has been on our side thus far, but rain can be unpredictable at this time of year.
"You have to read our message out loud and tell us your response, Steph." Julie instructed after discretely setting up her phone to record our declaration, to which Stephanie nodded her understanding.
"Stephanie, will you always be our Babe?" She read, tilting her head to the side and causing her high ponytail to swing violently with the movement.
Stephanie was quiet for so long that I feared that our mission had been a bust. Failing a mission is never optimal. My heart beat wildly in my chest as we waited...
"So…" Julie was just in the process of coaxing a response out of Stephanie, when crunching sounds reached our ears as Babe sprinted the short distance.
Babe slammed against us, wrapping an arm around each of our shoulders. I wrapped my arms around my gals, effectively steading us so we wouldn't topple over.
We stayed locked in this rare three person hug while Babe nodded vigorously. When we finally pulled back, it was Julie who broke the silence and redirected Babe's attention to our proposal.
"Can we take that as a yes?" My teenage daughter grinned wide as she noted my movement over Stephanie's left shoulder.
With her back to me, Stephanie was too busy looking at Julie to see that I was currently down on one knee. It was my turn to ask Babe for her undivided attention as I knelt behind her.
"Babe…" I called out as I opened the small velvet box I kept in the backpack until this morning. By the time Stephanie turned to face me, she was greeted by a sight she may have fantasized about but probably thought would never be a reality. "... te quieres casar conmigo?" I flashed her what she calls my thousand watt smile, using every last weapon in my arsenal to be successful.
Shocked silence. The sound of the falling waterfall felt amplified as I waited for her response.
"That's Spanish for 'will you marry me?'." Julie translated helpfully, nudging Stephanie when several moments passed without an answer.
"I know." Babe choked out, fanning her face to hold back the tears that had welled in her deep blue eyes.
"Stephanie?" I asked as I watched her drop to her knees before me. It's very unlike Babe to be speechless. Her arms wrapped around my neck, placing a wet kiss against my cheek and then one on my lips as she nodded.
"Yes." Babe finally replied, her voice filled with emotion.
"Yes!" Julie hollered, unable to hide her excitement for our victory. Mission accomplished.
I would have never asked Stephanie to marry me if I didn't think that we were ready for this next step. Because we learned to talk, really talk, to each other as we became an official couple we've shared what we considered to be our end game: being together for as long as our time on earth allows.
"You two are really sneaky." Babe accused without any heat as she wiped away the unshed tears from her eyes. I brought us back to our feet, slipping the ring on the appropriate finger at the first opportunity I had. Hey, I am and always will be an opportunist.
"We prefer stealthy." My daughter and I said in unison. That got a chuckle out of Babe, which caused me to kiss her tempting lips yet again. "This is real, Babe." I said to which Stephanie nodded in understanding.
"You're not the only one that can have covert plans, Batman." Babe added, wiping the remaining moisture from her eyes.
That got a frown from me as I waited for Babe to take a sip of water before she could continue.
"Yeah, Steph can be very secretive too." Julie added, making me wonder if perhaps my daughter has been a double agent all along. "Sorry, Ranger Dad." Julie shrugged at my miniscule narrowing of the eyes. "I don't know what Steph's surprise is, but it's clear that she has one up her sleeve."
"Guess it's my turn, huh?" Babe smirked conspiratorially, causing a clench low in my abdomen. What ace could she have that would top my marriage proposal?
"Report." I mock ordered, earning an exaggerated eye roll from my fiancée and a snicker from my teen daughter.
"Well, I recently worked out a deal." The heated flash that crossed her blue eyes must have matched my own as we remembered a certain deal we once made. It wasn't one of my finest moments, yet I wouldn't change anything for fear that it would alter where we currently are. I don't want anything different than what we do have now. Nope.
"This was never supposed to be a long term gig." Babe continued, explaining that she now has the option of working remotely if she chooses to. "I'll have to come back at least once a month for a day or two, but…" Babe shrugged, saying her proposal for her modified role had endless possibilities moving forward.
"What are your plans?" I asked eagerly, wanting to know where Babe would like to relocate.
She was pensive for long moments before sharing another look with Julie. "I hear Miami is nice and sunny at this time of year." Babe beamed up at me, making me instantly picture her lounging on the beach in her favorite bikini. Oh yeah. That's a nice visual and I completely approve.
"Oh, is that what you heard?" I roused, wondering if Julie also shared the downsides of the non-beachy areas of Florida. Giving Babe a full picture to make an informed decision is important when it comes to relocation. Although, I would love to show Babe a lot more of Florida than what Magic Kindgom has to offer. Without having to track down a skip, we'll get to really enjoy our more permanent stay in Florida.
"Uh huh." Babe nodded, slinging her arm over Julie's shoulders at the same time as she leaned forward to plant a jubilant kiss on my mouth.
"Let's get moving." Julie had a proposal of her own, most likely to get us to stop 'smooching' like just muttered under her breath.
"Who's on board for a private beach wedding?" Stephanie surprised by throwing yet another proposal into the mix as we made our way back to her apartment.
"I." Julie was instantly on board.
"Babe." I smiled, nodding. Stephanie knows I take challenges very seriously. She wants a wedding in Miami before the weekend's over? Then that's exactly what she's getting.
"Then what are we waiting for, Mr. Manoso?" Stephanie smiled, placing a quick peck on my lips before darting off on ahead of us on a flat out run.
"You're going to let Steph stand you up, Dad?" Julie snickered, sprinting right behind Stephanie.
Oh, Babe. I'll always be right behind you. I grinned to myself, letting them have a small lead before I joined their side.
As I easily caught up to my girls, an idea formed.
"Dad!" Julie shrieked, even as she slipped the backpack on herself so that she could hold onto me for the impromptu piggyback style ride. She loved them when she was a little girl. Her small arms would struggle to loop around my neck, so she would resort to gripping my T-shirt viciously. To punctuate how much she's grown, her arms looped around my neck without issue.
Babe thought she would make it back to the main trail before I could catch up. Wrong.
"Ranger!" The sounds of pure happiness engulfed us as I easily scooped up her squirming body in a bride carry.
"Put us down. We're going to fall." Babe argued several steps later, fisting the neck of my T-shirt with a death grip.
"I got you." I promised them both. "Always." I emphasized, continuing our trek down the mountain.
"We know." Babe replied seriously, touching my cheek with her left hand. The feel of her ring pressing against my skin and our lips meeting halfway for a kiss solidified that we were in this for the long haul.
"Ugh, you two are so gross." Julie mocked as she hopped off my back, her little snicker telling us she was mostly joking.
"I think Julie needs us to show her some love too." Babe suggested seriously.
"Sounds like a plan, Babe." I winked as I set her on her feet.
"No!" Julie whinned, trying to dart away from us. Unluckily for her, we're both extremely good at tracking and catching our targets.
Julie stood no chance, because we always get our man... or woman.