Chapter 18

Once Ranger shut down the laptop, he turned to Stephanie. "Are you okay staying here tonight, or do you want to go to my penthouse in the Miami headquarters?"

"You said Rangeman monitored this house and that a couple of men were coming here, right?"

"Yes, I did."

"Then I prefer to stay here. I'm exhausted and don't want to be around people. I feel like my life is imploding. My head hurts; I'm sore and horny. Someone who has sworn to protect me is trying to kill me, and another soldier is looking to assassinate his Commander in Chief. I don't understand why we have a target on us. My father was a decorated soldier, a Ranger, and from what I heard, a damn good one."

Ranger knew all about Frank Plum's reputation. During the time that he served, he was considered the best of the best, Frank's generation's "Ranger." In fact, almost all of the records Ranger broke at Fort Benning were formerly held by Frank Plum. Ranger also knew how easy it was to get a target painted on you by an enemy or a jealous soldier.

"My men should be arriving here within fifteen minutes, maybe sooner. I need to wait for them to arrive before I can retire. If you want to go to bed, go ahead. I will keep you safe. As for your other problems, I have any number of pain relievers available for your headache; let me know which one you want. For your sore body, I can give you a massage. I think we can both cure the libido issue we share," Ranger said before leaning forward to kiss Stephanie.

Ranger's kiss was soft, passionate, and all-encompassing. Stephanie felt as if she and Ranger were one whenever they kissed. It felt so right and natural. As their kiss broke, Stephanie rested her head on Ranger's shoulder, content to feel his arms around her, feeling safe and loved.

The moment didn't last long, as Ranger's alarm went off that someone was coming onto his property. Ever the trained soldier, Ranger was up with a gun in hand, looking at his phone within ten seconds. He nodded as he saw something on his phone, then helped Stephanie to her feet.

"My men are here. I can talk to them here or outside. Let me know if you want to meet them tonight."

Stephanie knew she needed to meet the men who would be there. She didn't want to panic if she saw them, thinking they were intruders. "I'd like to meet them if that's okay with you."

Ranger nodded and walked to the front door. He visually checked the cars and waited for them to leave before opening the door. Two tall, physically imposing men approached the house and gave Ranger a complicated handshake that Stephanie could never quite figure out. If they were confused about being invited into Ranger's home, they hid it well.

"Dominic and Mateo, this is Ms. Stephanie Plum, the President's daughter. Rangeman Trenton provides bodyguarding services for her. That information is confidential. No one other than Rangeman personnel is allowed on this property until I say otherwise. It doesn't matter if I am on the premises or not. When you reach your quarters and team two is in place, Hector will give you the necessary information. Santos, Hector, and Miller from Boston will join you in about two hours. Are JP and Hawk on the perimeter?"

"Yes, Sir, they have taken their places. I will head to the command center on-site and monitor the video feeds while Mateo will monitor the house until the rest arrive."

"Good. You know what to do if there is a breach. I'm fairly confident we are safe tonight but unsure going forward. Be vigilant, as I don't anticipate entry from traditional methods. These people are loose cannons with access to top secret weapons and surveillance tools."

"Understood. Have a good night. We have you covered, Sir, Ma'am," said Dominic.

The two men leave the house, and Ranger locks the door, entering a code into the alarm. "This code will shut down all interior cameras. All external cameras are up and running. Do you still need some pain relievers?"

Stephanie was in awe of the efficiency and security of Ranger's house. She was also shocked to see that Mateo and Dominic were both hot. She was wondering if being good-looking was a job requirement. "Some Advil will be great."

Ranger nodded and went into the bathroom, returning with a bottle. He then went to the kitchen and got her a small water bottle. Stephanie took out two pills and quickly swallowed them. "Thank you."

"Go wash up; I will check the house before sleeping."

Stephanie entered the large, beautiful bathroom, removed her make-up, brushed her teeth, and washed her face. She used the restroom and put her hair in a sloppy braid, hoping to contain it. She removed her bra and entered Ranger's room, placing her bra in her bag.

When he entered the room, Ranger observed Stephanie bent over her bag, her pants having been removed, standing in just the oversized shirt. He saw her panties peaking out and had to take a moment to talk his soldier down. "Babe."

Stephanie looked over her shoulder at Ranger and stood up with a jump. "Shit, you startled me. You need a bell or something."

Ranger walked over to Stephanie, wrapping his hands around her waist, "You're so beautiful."

"I'm all set, ready for bed. Um…your men can't see in here, can they?"

"No, Babe," Ranger answered, chuckling. He let go of her, walked over to the bed, and pressed a button on the wall as shades were lowered, blocking the outside. "The glass is a special glass that doesn't allow anyone to see inside, but I can see out. I only have it in this room. The rest of the house has normal glass."

Stephanie had climbed into bed. Though she was horny, she was suddenly embarrassed about being with Ranger knowing his men were wandering outside the house. She knew it was unreasonable, but no one could accuse Stephanie Plum of being reasonable all the time.

Ranger entered the bathroom and emerged in his black silk boxers and tank top a few minutes later. He placed his gun under his pillow and his knife between the mattress and the frame. He then laid down, pulling Stephanie close to him and kissing her.

"You said that you were sore and horny. Which do you want me to take care of first, mi amor?" Ranger said, his accent more apparent, voice deep and husky with arousal.

After forgetting her concern about Ranger's men, Stephanie reached down and started to stroke his soldier. "Maybe the second first." She said, kissing Ranger back. Soon, Ranger's hands had found their way between Stephanie's legs, and she felt her soreness dissipate.

"Everything with Agent Jessica Marrow's behavior and evaluations changed when she accompanied the First Family to Europe. The question is, why? From what I gather, the first week was glowing, showing her professionalism, ability to get along with Stephanie, and work ethic. Then, in Italy, everything changed." Lester stated during the daily meeting.

"Could Morelli have done something to her? Did he cross that line with her?" Cal asked.

"It doesn't seem likely. At the time, Morelli was with the President and all documentation shows he was where he was supposed to be. Stephanie and Frank each had their own suites while staying in Buckingham Palace, and when in the hotels, the agents were all sharing rooms. There are no credit card charges for another room for either Agents Marrow or Morelli, and the only other suite booked for the overflow Agents had four people sharing. There is no way that a tryst between them would have gone unnoticed." Tank informed the room.

The room was quiet while everyone seemed lost in their thoughts, reviewing the intel gathered and shared, looking for some connection or turning point.

Stephanie was the one to break the silence. "As I said before, her demeanor changed when we were in Italy. That leg of the trip was more of a vacation than a state visit. I had four or five days without any engagements where I spent time touring Italy. Morelli was granted time off, and we spent those days together since we were trying to work on our relationship. I had seen a traveler's guide about the Cinque Terre and wanted to visit them. Morelli and I decided to spend those days walking through those towns, spending almost a day in each. Since I was with Morelli, Jessica, and Agent Eric Wittman were the only agents assigned to me. For the most part, Agent Wittman kept his distance, and he enjoyed the sightseeing. There were no known threats then; honestly, it was a very relaxed trip. Jessica, though, seemed agitated."

While Stephanie was talking, Ranger looked over some of the documents before him. He looked at one piece of paper with interest, then a second. "Her evaluations from the Academy stated that she was a stickler for details and protocol. She had the best knowledge of the Code of Conduct and other guidelines. Looking at her school reports from high school, her counselor noted that she was a straight arrow, never getting in trouble, but sometimes telling on classmates."

"What does that mean, though?" Cal asked.

"We all know that Secret Service Agents are not supposed to have personal relationships with their assignments. While many agents and the person they protect become friendly and may possibly socialize with them privately, dating is a hard no. Seeing Morelli and Stephanie in a relationship would have pissed her off. She would be angry with Morelli for getting away with a clear violation of the Code of Conduct and Stephanie for engaging in the relationship.

"When you gave her a negative evaluation, her anger turned off Morelli and more onto you since your statement directly influenced her career. Finally, your father would be in the periphery of her anger since he knew that you and Morelli were involved and didn't put a stop to it."

After a brief silence, Lester says, "So this psycho then calls her daddy, General Dudley, and says, 'Daddy, Stephanie Plum was a bully and mean to me, so I want you to get rid of her,' and he agrees? What is his motivation? Nothing in our reports on General Dudley or Jessica shows they had a strong father-daughter relationship. In fact, up until Jessica became an Agent, their relationship was icy at best. Why would he do this? He must have his own motives, separate from Jessica."

"And that, men, is what we need to determine. We have a huge advantage now that we know who is behind the threats. We can discern a possible motive for Jessica. That will make her somewhat easier to contain. But the General is the loose cannon here. Stephanie, can we trust Agent Wilson?"

Stephanie thought for a few moments before answering. "Yes, we can. I think he knew what Morelli was doing, to some extent, for a while. I heard him advising my dad to remove Morelli from First Family and to fire him for quite some time, but Dad never listened. He asked me if I was okay a few times and always told me I could go to him if there were a problem. He's a good man, honorable and moral. Yes, we can trust him. Why?"

"I need him to ensure that Jessica is assigned away from you, someplace where she can't do her father's bidding."

"He will definitely help to do that. With the election coming up, there are many large events where the Secret Service provides security. She could be put on the team to plan for the events for Senator Douglas, which my father or I won't be attending. It will give her a feeling of importance and keep her occupied," Stephanie replied.

"Tank, call Agent Wilson and set things in motion. Be careful how much information you share. Make sure Hector gets you a secured line. Steph and I will be relocating to Rangeman, Miami, for the next week. We will only need Lester here with us. Good work."

Three days have passed since Ranger and Stephanie arrived in Miami. After spending the first night in Ranger's home, they relocated to the Rangeman building. More connections were being made between Stephanie and Agent Jessica Marrow. However, from Stephanie's perspective, it didn't seem like she was the direct target. It was all confusing.

Today, though, Ranger planned on introducing Stephanie to his daughter, Julie, and his Abuela Rosa. Ranger spoke to his ex-wife, Rachel, and convinced her to let him visit with Julie. It was worse than pulling teeth, but Ranger prevailed. He couldn't wait for Julie and Stephanie to meet and hoped they got along well with each other.

"I want to warn you, Rachel will not be gracious when she sees you. She hates that I am part of Julie's life and will see any other woman threatening her position as Julie's mother. I would have you stay in the car, but it is not wise or feasible in the current climate. Please don't take her icy nature personally."

"I've dealt with women like her before. I'm sure I can handle it." Stephanie replied confidently. She was wearing a cute sundress with cap sleeves and a modest V-neckline. The dress was an A-line style and a pretty pink floral print. It was perfect for a Miami day. Her hair was in a bun since she didn't have the proper combination of products to fight the frizz from the Miami humidity. With the temperature in the low 80s, she was enjoying her time in Miami.

Ranger parked his Cayenne at the curb in front of a modest, two-story home in a lovely middle-class neighborhood. The lots were bigger than the ones in Chambersburg, where Steph grew up, but not quite as large as where Ranger's house was. If she had to guess, they were each about 80 X 100. Ranger exited the car and walked to the passenger side to let Stephanie out. He held her hand as they walked to the front door. Rachel opened the door before they reached the porch and said, "Who is that skank? You didn't tell me you were bringing your whore with you."

Ranger took a deep breath and counted to ten. Rachel had a way of testing his resolve and patience like no one else. "First off, this is Stephanie Plum, the President's daughter. She is not a skank or a whore. Her father is considering using my company to help secure his two daughters since they do not have a Secret Service detail. Ms. Plum is with me this weekend to learn more about me and my company, not that it's any of your business. I think you owe her an apology."

Rachel paled a little when she was introduced to Stephanie. She admired the President and his daughter. If she wasn't so angry, she would have recognized her. "I'm sorry, Ms. Plum. Please forgive me."

"No worries, I've been called worse," Stephanie said, smiling. "I hope you don't mind if I tag along with Julie's visit with Ranger."

"No, it's okay. Give me a moment to get Julie."

Rachel walked away from the door and called out Julie's name. Ranger looked at Stephanie and smiled. He could see her warm, welcoming demeanor, but when he looked into her eyes, she was fire and righteous anger. Yeah, Rachel pissed Stephanie off. A moment later, Julie arrived at the door. She looked at Ranger, then Stephanie, then back to Ranger.

"Hi, Querida. Ready for our day together?" Ranger asked.

"Yes, I'm ready," Julie answered. She turned to Stephanie, "I'm Julie."

"I'm Stephanie. Nice to meet you. I love your shirt. Wonder Woman was always my favorite superhero. In fact, when I was about eight, I tried to fly, but I was unsuccessful."

"Really? You did? So did I. I broke my right arm in the process."

"I broke my left. We'll have to talk about our strategies. Maybe we can find a method to successfully fly."

Julie laughed, and her smile showed off her resemblance to her father. "You're so silly, Stephanie. People can't fly without machines."

"Oh, right. I forgot," Stephanie said, laughing.

"I'll have her home by five. Thank you, Rachel," Ranger said, addressing his ex-wife. She nodded her head, clearly not trying to hide her look of disgust.

Stephanie, Ranger, and Julie returned to the curb and climbed into Ranger's SUV. "Julie, do you mind if we spend the afternoon with Bisabuela? Stephanie wants to meet her, and I must leave Miami tomorrow evening."

"No, I don't mind. I enjoy spending time with Bisabuela. Thanks, Ranger."

Ranger started the car as Julie responded, and Stephanie could see the hurt in his eyes that she didn't call him "dad."

"How is school? How did you do with your science project?"

As they drove the twenty minutes from Rachel's home to Ranger's Abuela's, Julie filled them in on the happenings at her school. She explained how she got an A on her science project, loved the book she was reading in ELA, and that her new favorite color was teal. Stephanie loved her energy and saw that Julie felt comfortable with Ranger.

Ranger's car stopped outside a small, bright yellow house with orange shutters. The front lawn had flower beds filled with colorful flowers in bloom, with a lemon and orange tree in the middle. There was a small, white picket fence around the house, and Stephanie could see everything was tended with love. When Ranger opened his door, Steph saw the front door open and an older woman standing there. She was about 5'5" with gray hair streaked with dark brown hair, the same expressive eyes that Ranger had, and his same complexions. There were some fine lines and wrinkles around her face, but if Stephanie had to guess her age, she would say she was sixty. However, with Ranger her age, that was unlikely.

Julie opened her door and enthusiastically ran to the older woman, who started talking in rapid Spanish to her granddaughter. Ranger took Stephanie's hand and walked with her to the door.

"Carlos, how long have you been in Miami?"

"Only a few days. I'm on a bodyguarding assignment, so I'm not here for pleasure."

"Hmpt. That doesn't mean you can't call on your dear old Abuela to ensure she's okay. Lester came over the first evening, even though he is on the same assignment."

Ranger felt a headache forming. Abuela never understood how his work went. "Abuela, lo siento. This is Stephanie Plum, and she is the woman I am bodyguarding. Her father is the President, and we have been busy. I would have come sooner, but I am with Stephanie all day and night."

Stephanie smiled as Abuela looked at the woman standing next to Ranger. She could see that she saw their hands interlaced and felt a little self-conscious suddenly.

"Buenas dias, mi hija. Welcome. I'm Rosa, Carlos's abuela. Please call me Abuela."

"Buena dias, Abuela. Thank you for having me in your home."

"Please come in. Carlos, why didn't you tell me you were bringing your novia? I would have made something better than ropa vieja."

"Abuela, ella no es mi novia, Ella es mi amiga."

Abuela just shook her head while Stephanie tried to follow along. Her knowledge of Spanish was limited, primarily to food, but she did know 'amiga' was a 'friend' and thought that 'novia' was possibly a 'girlfriend.' She felt a little dejected that Ranger only considered her his "friend," especially since they spent the last few nights making love. But that would all stop if he didn't feel she was more than a friend.

"Have a seat on the patio. Carlos, come help me in the kitchen."

"I can help you, Abuela," Stephanie said.

"No, querida, you and Julie have a seat. Carlos will help me."

"Go on, Babe, I'll meet you outside."

Once Abuela got Carlos alone in the kitchen, she hit him upside the head. "Don't you lie to your Abuela. That woman is not just a friend. She is more than that. Tell me the truth."

Ranger winced. Only his abuela could get the drop on him. He sighed. "Abuela, I'd like her to be more than a friend, but her life is in danger, so I'm bodyguarding her. I'm unsure if the connection we feel is due to the circumstances or something else."

"Carlos, what you feel is love. I see how you look at her and how she looks at you. You love her; it's obvious to these old eyes. I know you are afraid, but she is not Rachel. You are different today. You are calm and content. It's that woman who is making you this way. Don't push her away. Don't let Ranger win. Show her Carlos. Carlos deserves happiness."

"But Abuela, my life doesn't,"

"Don't give me that 'my life doesn't lend itself to relationships' garbage. With the right woman, it will work. She is the right woman. I can feel it. Carlos, have you made love to her?"

Ranger froze; he knew better than to lie to Abuela. She had some sort of instinctual truth meter inside her. He closed his eyes before he responded, "Sí."

"Were you satisfied when you were done?"

"Yes and no. I want more; I always want more."

"Then what are you hiding from?"

Ranger knew he was defeated. He knew that Carlos had won. No matter how hard he tried not to fall for the President's daughter, he did, and hard. Being with her as her boyfriend could be difficult, but it could also give him and his company exposure. And maybe it could even get him out of his contract early.

"You're right. I won't run. I'll work on it."

"Good. Now, carry this pot to the patio while I bring the dishes, then return for the lemonade." Ranger did as his Abuela said and carried out the food.

After Julie was dropped off a few hours later, Ranger drove Stephanie to his favorite beach. It was off the beaten track, away from the hotels, resorts, and nightlife. It was a beach that locals knew and used. He wanted to talk to Stephanie to see if they were on the same page and do it someplace neutral. There was a part of him, the Ranger part, concerned that Stephanie would want to be with him for his looks and money, but the real him, the Carlos side, recognized how this woman soothed his soul.

"I hope you don't mind a walk on the beach?" Ranger said.

"No, I love the beach. It's where I go when I need to escape, think, or recenter myself. I can get lost in sand and surf for hours and always feel at peace when I leave."

"It's the same with me. I intend to return to Miami more when Trenton is up and running. Even though most of my family is in Newark, Abuela and Julie are here. While the Jersey isn't bad, it's not Miami," Ranger responded as he opened his car door.

He met Stephanie on the car's passenger side and took her hand. They walked the short distance from the street to the sand, and he let Stephanie lean on him as she took off her strappy shoes. He followed along with his loafers and socks, and soon, they walked barefoot on the sand. It was almost seven, and dusk was near.

"Stephanie, I know this isn't the right time, and the circumstances are not what they should be, but I'm afraid that things are not what they should be, that a line was crossed that we can't uncross."

Stephanie felt her heart fall into her stomach. She knew things between her and Carlos were too good to be true. There was no way a man like Carlos would want to be with a woman who looked like her. She knew he was a ladies' man; she saw how other women looked at him. In fact, Stephanie saw someone walk into a wall. He could have any woman, so why would he pick plain, boring, unsophisticated Stephanie Plum?

"I don't know when it happened, why it happened, or how it happened, but sometime during the last two weeks, I fell in love with you. You keep me calm and centered, and when you hit your head and lost consciousness, I was afraid I lost you. We hardly know each other. I don't know your favorite color, your favorite food, or even where you went to school, but I know the exact shade of your eyes when you are amused, happy, sad, angry, and aroused. I know every highlight in your hair and your unique scent that is an aphrodisiac to me. I know how you feel in my arms, and I don't want you out of them. Stephanie, I want you in my life, not just now, but forever. I can't imagine my life without you in it. I guess I'm trying to say I was to be a couple. I don't want to be only your bodyguard, but I want to be your best friend, your lover, and your mate."

Ranger was appalled at what Carlos was saying. How could he be so stupid to lay everything out like that? Ranger hoped Carlos didn't ruin things because if Stephanie didn't feel the same way, Ranger would ensure that Carlos was silenced once and for all. On the other hand, Carlos was telling Ranger to take a long walk off a short pier, that he had it covered, and that it was time for Ranger to stay where he belonged at work. The war inside his head was enough to drive an ordinary man insane.

Stephanie couldn't believe what Carlos was saying. He wanted to be with her. He loved her. The feelings that she had developed for Carlos were reciprocated. She was at a loss for words for a moment, not knowing how to respond to his declaration of love. Although he didn't say the words, it almost sounded like he was proposing to her. If Stephanie were honest with herself, she would say yes if he asked. It wasn't until Carlos turned away from Stephanie that she realized she was quiet for too long and quickly tightened her grip on his hand.

"Carlos, please, look at me," Stephanie begged. Ranger turned to face her. "I…I'm surprised and overwhelmed by what you said to me. I've never had someone say those things to me or about me. I thought you were going to say that we made a mistake. I love you too, Carlos, and I want to be with you." She shook her head. "I know nothing about dating. I've only ever had a relationship with Morelli, and I don't need to tell you how that went. But I am drawn to you. I want to be near you; I need to feel you near me. I feel safe, loved, and cherished when we are together, something I never felt before. My crazy life seems more manageable when I'm with you, and you give me the strength to face my enemies and problems. Carlos, I don't want to be only your client, but I want to be your best friend, your lover, and your mate."

The smile that graced Carlos's face at the end of Stephanie's declaration was enough to light up Times Square. He pulled Stephanie against his chest and lifted her face towards his. "There's no going back now, Babe. Are you sure you want to spend your life with a mercenary?"

"Yes, there's no one else who I'd rather be with."

Ranger put his lips against Stephanie's as they kissed. While this wasn't their first kiss, it sealed their souls together, and made a promise to love each other for eternity. When their kiss broke, they knew it was forever.

As they returned to the car, Carlos said, "I was afraid you would reject me. Since Rachel, I haven't been able to open up to a woman. In fact, I only used women to scratch an itch. I never envisioned myself settling down. Hell, my life is dangerous and always will be. Are you sure you want to be with a man who always carries two guns and a knife? Who will often have a security detail, and who, at least for another two years, can be sent away for months at a time to places unknown?"

"Yes, Carlos, I'm sure. You remember that my father was you when I was growing up. He was gone often, for months at a time. He always carried a gun, though my mother disapproved. He took me two or three times to the range, but my mother threw a fit. I think that's why I'm so opposed. Who knows. But to answer your question, security has followed me for several years, especially when traveling with my father. I hate it, but it was because I had no say. I know I will have more autonomy with you; the men with me will be my friends. As long as you promise to be faithful to me, to love me for me, and not try to change me, I will be yours. I don't share and don't want you to share either."

"You have my word."

Stephanie smiled and then laughed. "Why does it feel like we just exchanged marriage vows."

"Do you want to get married?"

"Are you asking?"

Carlos kneeled down and put his hand in his pocket. "Stephanie Plum, will you marry me?"

For the second time in less than an hour, Stephanie was dumbfounded. When the hell did he get a ring? However, her recovery was much faster. "Yes, Carlos Manoso, I will marry you."

Carlos opened the box in his hand, revealing a heart-shaped sapphire surrounded by small, pave diamonds. "This ring was my Abuela's. She gave it to me before I left this afternoon. She said the ring was meant to be yours, and when the time was right, to give it to you. She and my Abuelo were married forty years before he died, and they were always happy."

"It's beautiful," Stephanie said, tears gently falling down her face. "I'll proudly wear this ring." At that moment, her stomach decided to growl, reminding them it was past dinner time.

"Let's go get some fuel, then we'll go home and burn those calories."