Disclaimer: Janet Evanovich is one clever lady. Characters and everything you recognize are hers. I'm just playing.
A/N: Im feeling the impending pressure of 21 coming out on Tuesday and my eternal optimism that it will change the Babe dynamic, so I'm trying to bring this to a quick close. Possible epilogue tomorrow (with some MM) since I have a good chunk written. I had so much more I wanted to do for this story, so depending on 21, I'll either put it into a sequel or into a new story. I know there is much that should have been improved on this story, but I've found this whole process to be different than I imagined. I'm pretty happy with it as a first and want to leave it while I'm still eager to write more. Thanks to all who reviewed and encouraged. Special shout out to daydreamer987; I promise to do your idea better justice next time and hope you enjoy the taste of it here.
Chapter 5
"Probably we should leave the apartment sometime this week, right?" I said Friday morning.
"I don't know about that, Babe. I've been enjoying being locked in the apartment with you." Ranger replied, nibbling on my ear between words.
Here's the thing. I was enjoying being locked in the apartment, mostly naked I might add, too. But, realistically this couldn't be our permanent plan. We'd have to face the real world soon enough, so we might as well ease into it.
"I'm enjoying it as well, but I don't know, I kinda want to get out. It's Friday, unofficial date night. Why don't we go on a date?"
"Date? It's a little early for dinner, Babe."
"Yeah, but a date doesn't HAVE to be dinner. We could make a day of it!" I replied, getting excited.
Ranger grimaced, "Like what? I haven't really 'dated' much." He even put air quotes around the word "dated".
I snorted. Then tried to cover it as a cough. Ranger's lips twitched, and I could see a ghost of a smile on his lips.
"We could go bowling, or miniature golfing, or to the boardwalk on The Shore... That's a bit of a drive though..."
"Bowling? Miniature golf?" If my ESP was working, which is anyone's guess, Ranger was mentally banging his head against a wall.
"What? Batman doesn't know how to bowl?"
"No. But, if it will make you happy, maybe Steph could teach Carlos?"
My heart absolutely melted at that. "Okay, it's a deal."
And that's how we found ourselves at a bowling alley in Atlantic City a few hours later. I was teaching Carlos how to bowl. I didn't mind since it involved me pressing up against Ranger, my front to his back, while showing him the correct motion and form.
Truth be told, after a few tries, I was distracted by Ranger's body and started feeling along his abs while nibbling on his ear. I felt Ranger shudder, "Babe," he hissed out on an indrawn breath.
I remembered then that we were in a public place and probably we didn't want to get arrested on our first date. Probably.
After that, we bowled a few rounds. Surprise, surprise, the first few rounds Ranger spent clearly calibrating his shot. Then he pretty much had it down. Damn naturals!
The bowling alley we were in had a bar and some decent snacks. I even got Carlos to loosen up a little and share some nachos while drinking some beer. The body must not be a temple tonight.
"Babe, as long as it is a temple the majority of the time, I can take a break. It is date night after all."
That made me grin. "Yeah, but when you picked bowling, Carlos, I figured that I'd be winning since you'd never bowled before."
At that, Carlos just gave me a full-blown smile, a panty-melting kiss, and signaled the waitress to bring me another drink.
I rolled my eyes, "You're already winning, you don't need to get me drunk to win!"
"Steph, that's not what I want from you, but don't worry, we're just having fun."
At this point, he was reminding me of a wolf and I was Little Red Riding Hood. I chugged most of my beer and then smiled at him, "you know I love you and I'd give you anything you want."
I took a turn the stood back waiting for my ball to be returned. I felt Ranger's arms come around my waist and his breath on my ear before he took my earlobe between my teeth. I inhaled deeply and heard him whisper "anything, Steph?"
"Yessss." I groaned, feeling him harden behind me.
"Marry me."
I gasped, "what?"
"I love you with every part of my being. I need you more than anything else in the world. If you're not ready and all you want is the relationship or a long engagement for now, that's fine. But I'll marry you tonight if you'll let me."
I turned and looked him in the eye, and I'll be damned if he didn't look serious. "Are you serious because I swear to god if I answer this question me you tell me you didn't mean it, I'll find a way to castrate you, kill you, and the chop you up I'm tiny pieces and feed you to sharks."
Ranger didn't even flinch. He just held my gaze, went down on his knees saying, "I am completely serious. I was going to wait until my contract was up to ask you, but if I go tomorrow, I want to go knowing that you're my wife. Or at least they you've promised to spend the rest of your life with me."
I saw the seriousness in his eyes and felt none of the fear I thought I'd feel if this question was ever posed of me again. "Yes. I'll marry you as soon as possible. I don't think we can get married today though. I think we have to apply for a license and then wait 72 hours or something."
"Remember that huge stack of paperwork I had you sign with your paperwork, additional contract addendums, power of attorney, and all that?"
"Yes?"
"Well, I knew I wanted to marry you and I figured you wouldn't read it all, so I slipped a marriage license in and had Tank witness it. Then we took it directly to the mayor, and it has been more than 72 hours and I have everything we need with me."
"Holy cow!"
"Marry me. Tonight."
I looked deep into eyes and all I saw was love and resolve. With it, I felt a kind of peaceful silence. I knew that as long as we were together, as long as I had Carlos, everything would be okay. Better than okay. And I knew we would make it; we were meant to be together.
"Nothing would make me happier, Carlos."
With that, Carlos pulled me even closer and laid one hell of a kiss on me. Then he dragged me away from the bowling lanes, and out to the valet. We kissed while waiting for the car, then he buckled me in before getting behind the wheel himself. We drove for a while, I'm really not sure how long, time just kind of blurred along.
Before I knew it, we were on a beach. There was a small tent, and as soon as I stepped out, I heard Mary Lou squeal. She dragged me into the tent telling me I sooooooo owed her a story later. All the while, she was undressing me, handing me some truly gorgeous lingerie, and then shoving me into a wedding dress more beautiful than any I'd seen before.
I caught a look at myself in the mirror and then time slowed right down. Mary Lou headed out of the tent before me, and as I followed her, I saw Carlos in a tux, which is better than you could ever imagine. Behind him was a priest and next to him, Tank.
My eyes never left Carlos's as I walked down the aisle then exchanged promises and rings. The priest must have named us husband and wife because he leaned in for a kiss and the whole world stopped. Nothing had ever felt more right.
When our lips parted and I could see straight again, Carlos had the biggest smile I'd ever seen on his face. We kissed again a couple more times befor Tank cleared his throat. We all signed the necessary paperwork and Tank slipped it into his jacket promising to deliver it by hand on Monday and send copies to the priest and keep some for Ranger.
The priest shook our hands before leaving, and Tank gave Mary Lou his arm before leading her off to a black SUV. This left Ranger and I alone on a deserted stretch of beach. Ranger, my husband. My husband, Ranger.
As soon as the SUVs lights were completely gone from sight, we melted in to each other and consummated our marriage on the spot. After we'd caught our breaths, Ranger picked me up and started carrying me further along the beach. It was then I noticed a large house that was lit up as soon as we got within 100 yards of it.
"Is that...?"
"Yeah, Babe, forever."