I wasn't planning on doing another birthday story, since I wrote 'The Perfect Gift' last year for Ranger's birthday, but I thought this would be a cute idea for a one-shot. All characters belong to Janet. The mistakes are mine. Warnings for a little smut.

"Ranger?" I said into the phone. "I need help."

I could almost feel him still at the other end of the line.

"What's wrong, Babe?"

"I'm trying to corner a guy, and so far I've had no luck," I told him. "Nothing I've done has worked. I know it's your birthday, and I hate to bother you during it, but is there anyway you can spare me an hour or two?"

Or a lifetime, I thought to myself. I know I'm taking a huge risk here, trying to trick Ranger, but I thought the end result could potentially be worth it. Ranger has kept up with the teasing, the flirting, and the kissing since Joe and I broke up, but he never pressured me for more. Nor has he offered me more, and I was ready to push the issue. Ranger has told me in the past that he very rarely does anything celebratory for his birthday. His parents call, he'll go have a beer with Tank, or he'll take over a shift for one of the guys if something came up. That's the extent of his party animal ways, and I'd hoped that this year wouldn't be any different. I had a plan. And I was freakin' nervous about it. One, because my plans have a tendency to blow up in my face. And two, I could come out looking like a lovesick idiot, mooning over a guy who doesn't want me. So to place this call and put my plan into action is, I think, a pretty brave step for me.

"What's his name?" Ranger asked me.

"R. C."

"He goes by initials?"

"Yes."

He did if you didn't want the guy who's helping you to realize that he's the one hopefully tagged and bagged at the end of the night.

"Where did you already search for him?"

"His office, his apartment," I said. "And I've checked in with all of his friends. He never stays in one place for too long."

Which is why Ranger is so good at his job and sucky at relationships. Of course, I'm sucky at relationships, too. So, really, we deserve each other.

"What does he look like?" Ranger asked me.

"He's tall, has a great body, and one of those smiles that make women trip over themselves."

"Babe."

"Sorry. He's about your height, has dark hair, and darkish skin."

"And you have no idea where he is right now?"

"I'm familiar with some of the places he hangs out, but just when I think I know where he's going to be, he drops out of sight."

If I didn't focus on the fact that Ranger might reject me today, I could actually have fun with this.

"Okay. I'll help you out, but you'll owe me."

"When don't I owe you?" I asked.

"Do you have a neighborhood, or a place you want to start looking?"

"Are you sure you can do this? You're not going to ditch your family for me or anything, are you?"

"No, Babe," Ranger said to me. "My parents are in Miami right now."

"Visiting Julie?" I asked him.

"Visiting relatives. Julie will be among them."

That made me a little sad. "You didn't want to spend your birthday with them?"

"I might have, but there's someone I had to deal with here."

"And now you're helping me. Maybe this isn't such a good idea," I said, more to myself than Ranger.

"Babe, you need to get your skip. Good idea or not."

Oh, yeah ... my 'skip'. I really hope Ranger isn't going to kill me for this.

I sighed. "You're right. I'm waiting for a call from his best friend," I told Ranger. "He promised to try to keep R.C. in the area for me so all I have to do is move in for the kill."

Did I mention that Tank knows about this, too? I wanted to make sure I wasn't going to interrupt their workload by whisking Ranger away for the day, or night, or the next month. Which meant I'd suffer double the humiliation if this backfires. I'd be pitied by both of them.

I already said that this might be a bad idea, right? But I was in too deep to back out now.

"Let me know when you get the call," Ranger told me, "and I'll come pick you up."

"Sure," I managed to get out before he hung up.

Now onto phase two. Operation Bag Batman is a go. If everything goes the way I want them to, I'll get laid and secure the hottest man in Trenton as my boyfriend all in one night.

I waited almost an hour to call Ranger back with information on my fake FTA. I thought catching a guy in a hotel bar while he was supposedly meeting a woman who isn't his wife wouldn't be something Ranger would question. Plus, I might even be able to have a drink to help with my nerves. Ranger never drank on the job, but I always thought that rule was a little too cut and dry for me. Ranger is now set to pick me up in an hour and a half. All I have to do is get myself ready without hyperventilating too badly. I can only lie convincingly when it comes to my job. Lying about my personal life is never easy. Especially when I'm trying to do it to Ranger, the human lie detector.

I showered and shaved, then moisterized every inch of skin on my body. If there is any chance that I'll be getting Ranger horizontal today, I didn't want that stupid voice in my head bugging me about anything. I slipped into the skimpy underwear I got special for today, and put on the tiny midnight blue wrap dress that I bought yesterday. It was sleeveless and had only the tie at the waist holding it shut. The silky material even reminded me of Ranger's black boxers, the ones he wore the first time we stayed at his apartment together. When I tried the dress on in the store, I couldn't help but think that I'd be fine with Ranger untying this bow and helping himself to me instead of cake. I added my sexiest pair of pumps and dabbed on a little of the perfume Ranger complimented me on a few weeks ago.

I gave myself a critical look in the mirror and was surprised when I couldn't find anything to complain about. Huh. I didn't think it was possible to ever look in a mirror and not find faults with myself. Maybe this is what Ranger experiences everyday, but I immediately dismissed the thought. Ranger had no self-image issues to start with so he had nothing to compare it to. After one last hair fluff, I abandoned the mirror and went back to the kitchen.

I cleaned Rex's cage this morning, and I had given him fresh water, food, and a little treat - the crust of the Pop-Tart I had earlier - in case I got lucky and didn't come home tonight. I figured Rex would forgive me for leaving him alone if he had been well compensated. I had managed to dawdle long enough getting ready so I only had fifteen minutes to freak out before Ranger showed up. That, of course, was fifteen minutes too long. I'd rearranged the birthday gifts I got for him three times before I heard the locks on my door tumble.

For a joke gift, I bought a keychain with two small Batman and Wonder Woman logo charms on it with a copy of my apartment key attached to it, since we both know he doesn't need a key ever. And something a little more personal that cost less than the extra key. I don't think you can have a birthday without cake, so I got Ranger one of those personal-sized ones - not my idea of personal-sized - but a tiny four-inch carrot cake, since it is a vegetable, with cream cheese frosting. Not my favorite, but I was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for Ranger's birthday and leave all the happy, rose-covered, birthday cakes at the bakery. That alone should prove to anyone how much I love Ranger. I wouldn't do that for just anyone.

Maybe I should have mailed him his gifts so he could've taken his new key for a test drive. It's a special day after all. At least now that Ranger's here, I only had to worry about the actual outcome of the night instead of the hundred imaginary ones my brain had come up with while I'd been waiting for him.

"Looking good, Babe," Ranger said, when he saw me.

"Thanks. You are, too," I told him.

Ranger in corporate attire is freakin' sexy as hell. Tight dress pants, rolled up sleeves on his button down shirt, exposing plenty of mocha-colored forearm, topped with the perfect face God blessed him with and you have the star of every sex dream I've ever had. Ranger is the only person who can wear long sleeves in August. I don't think Ranger sweats unless he's working out or making love. Damn. Now I was starting to sweat, thinking about the damp skin I'd been clutching the last time we slept together.

"You okay, Steph?" Ranger asked.

"I could be better," I said, under my breath.

Well, I was shooting for under my breath, but Ranger heard me.

"Anything I can help with?" He asked, his lips tilting up on one side.

Ranger knew I was thinking inappropriate thoughts about him ... and he liked it. A lot.

"You can help with a bunch of stuff," I told him.

"This guy you're trying to catch being the most pressing one?"

I debated telling him about my stupid plan, and just laying my cards on the table, but I wasn't quite ready to expose myself that way. Your body is one thing, emotions are much harder to share. A distraction is what I needed.

"Yes," I said, answering his question finally. "But first, I got gifts for you."

"Babe, you don't have to give me anything," he said, following me into the living room.

"I know you don't eat cake, but this one has carrots in it so I thought there'd be a slightly higher chance of you trying it."

"I appreciate you wanting to buy me a cake," he said, letting his eyes linger on the hem of my dress which, come to think of it, isn't all that far away from my doodah, "but I'm more of a pie-lover."

I had no time to change my panties, so I willed away the memory of just how much Ranger did like pie. And with the way I'm feeling right now, Ranger can have mine á la mode, with whipped cream, or with nothing on it at all, I wasn't going to be picky. Think clean underwear thoughts, I told myself. I handed Ranger the box with the key in it, hoping he didn't think I was dumb for my choice in presents or for coming up with this whole scenario. I thought it would be fun and flirty to try to trick him, but Ranger could think that I'm immature or pathetic for not just coming out and saying that I wanted him. That would be Plan B, I promised myself.

"A key, Babe?" Ranger asked, when he unwrapped it.

"Yes. To my apartment."

"I got that. Why?"

"I thought you might want to see how the other half lives by using my lock the legal way."

"And I repeat ... why? It's not like you don't want me to come in with or without a key. I'm saving pocket space this way."

He did have a point. Ranger needs all the space he can get in the front of his pants for his other 'equipment'. And the only time I remember not wanting to open the door to him is when Ranger insisted I go running at the butt-crack of dawn. Crap. Now I just made it easier for him to get to me.

He opened the other box and didn't say anything right away. It was then that it occurred to me what the two presents together would look like to a man who avoided personal entanglements. I'd given him the key to my apartment and a framed picture of Ranger, Julie, and I from the last time she visited. Rachel didn't seem to have a problem with me spending time with Julie so I agreed when Ranger invited me to have dinner with him and Julie at his apartment. We tried to avoid the subject of Scrog that night, but it was inevitable. And I do think that we can all put it behind us now.

While I'd been thinking about that dinner, Ranger had switched from staring at the picture to staring at me. And I suddenly remembered my immediate problem, which was Ranger thinking that I was trying to insert myself more fully into his life where there's a good chance he might not want me to be. Wait. Is that really what I'm trying to do? I thought about it for a beat, since Ranger still wasn't speaking, and shrugged a second later. Yep, that's exactly what I'm doing, apparently even subconsciously. If Ranger didn't like it, he'd have to tell me to butt out outright because I was through denying that I wanted to be with him.

Ranger broke his silence. "Where did you get this?" He asked.

"Lester. He told me that he was trying to get a good shot of my boobs, but the two of you wouldn't move out of his way so he ended up snapping this one."

"He's going to pay for that tomorrow."

"I'm sorry. I know you don't like yours or Julie's picture being taken, but I thought you'd like it anyway."

"I do like it, Babe," Ranger said. "What I don't like is Santos trying to take pictures of your anatomy."

Oops. I mentally apologized to Lester. I hadn't meant to tell Ranger that part. I felt extra bad because I think the picture was Lester's way of pointing out what I've only realized recently. I want Ranger, and it was clear to all of his men that Ranger wanted me right back. So why aren't we together?

"So you're okay with your gifts?" I asked.

"Yes. I like the fact that you and Julie get along, Steph. I'm going to put this on the desk in my office."

"The apartment office?"

"No. The one on five."

He's going to put it where the guys and his clients could see it? I hadn't expected that.

"Julie is a special kid, " I said to him, not knowing what else to say. "And I don't mean that in the way it has been applied to me over the years."

Ranger shut me up by bending his head to mine and kissing me. It wasn't a kiss filled with passion, but it was enough to have me worrying about my underwear again.

"Is the dress for me, too?" He asked, when he released my lips.

"In a way. If you aren't too busy, I was thinking I could buy you a drink or maybe dinner after we're done."

"I thought you might be wearing this to lure your guy out of the building."

I know I definitely thought about luring Ranger into my bedroom with it.

I smiled at him. "It crossed my mind. And I'm not above doing it if it comes to that."

Just hearing Ranger's voice on the phone is sexy enough, but getting to smell his evil shower gel while looking at him, is sending my hormones into overdrive.

"You ready?" Ranger asked me.

No, I thought to myself. I would have just tackled him like I did that other time when I woke up to find Ranger hovering over me, but I had it drilled into me since I was a teenager that proper ladies didn't do things like that. If I wasn't so scared of Ranger turning me down 'for my own good' or thinking that I'm an idiot, I wouldn't care two shits about what 'ladies' did or didn't do.

"I guess I have to be," I said to Ranger.

Before he had a chance to ask what I meant, I walked to the kitchen counter to get my little bag. It was small, but could hold a stun gun, or a real gun, in case Ranger got on me about why I wasn't packing. Ranger pocketed my apartment key and repacked the picture, keeping the box in his hand as I locked up behind us. Naturally, he left the cake for me. If I would've known that Ranger wasn't even going to take a bite, I would have bought the vanilla cake with the pink and purple flowers covering it. Oh, well. I'll count the carrot cake as a side dish for tomorrow's meatball sub.

As we took the elevator down to the parking lot, I couldn't help but think that this idea got stupider and stupider the longer I let it play out. Once I was settled in Ranger's Cayenne, though, I thought I missed the opportunity to tell him the truth.

Ranger drove us to the hotel without asking any questions about the skip, the gifts, we're we'd go after the job, or even if we were going somewhere afterwards. I didn't know if I was more relieved or nervous about that. Ranger parked and we walked into the dimly lit - and for once, relatively clean - bar. There were a couple of empty tables off to the side and I decided to sit at one of them instead of at the bar in case I had to explain that this is a fake takedown. It's bad enough to look like a moron in front of Ranger, I didn't need more of an audience.

"Do you want something to drink while we wait, Babe?" Ranger asked, studying my face.

I really had to think less and pay attention to my surroundings more.

"Oh, yeah," I said, answering him.

Ranger looked like he was amused. "I was thinking more along the lines of a club soda or something else non-alcoholic."

"Sure, you can have one of those. I want wine, though."

"Have you forgotten that you can't hold your booze, Babe?"

No. I hadn't forgotten that. The last time I was trying to figure out how far to go with Ranger, wine definitely helped. It would have helped a lot more had I stopped at a glass and a half and didn't pass out on him. I wouldn't make the same mistake tonight. I wanted to be completely conscious if we ended up doing the deed, but I wouldn't mind a little something to take the sting out of a potential heartbreak, though.

"One glass of wine," I told Ranger. "That's it. I promise."

He gave me a small smile, but Ranger went to get me a glass of wine without further comment. He came back with a bottle of water for himself and a glass of red wine for me. After one sip, I could tell that it was the good stuff, too, not the cheap crap I usually buy at the grocery store. Even when Ranger didn't think of this as an actual date, he still refused to skimp on it.

Damn. Maybe I shouldn't have ordered anything. Now if we did go for a birthday drink like I suggested earlier, Ranger would no doubt assume I'd be out cold before anything fun could happen.

"Earth to Babe."

"Sorry," I said.

"You seem distracted tonight," Ranger told me.

"I'm distracted every night."

"Is there something you're not telling me about this guy you're after?"

"Not really, except that you have to be real careful about snagging him. He doesn't like feeling trapped."

"That shouldn't bother you, Steph," Ranger said, "because neither do you."

Hmm, I hadn't thought of that. I had commitment issues with Joe, but not with Ranger. And Ranger has them with me, but he still chooses to spend all of his free time with me. That's something. There are people who claim to love each other, but would rather not be anywhere near the person they're with. Ranger and I are just the opposite. We can't stay away from each other. Maybe the novelty of me will wear off for Ranger after a couple of nights, but I had to try in case it didn't.

"You're right about that," I said to Ranger, keeping eye contact and hoping he remembers this after tonight, "but I'm finding that there's a difference between feeling trapped and feeling secure."

"There is a huge difference, Babe. It is possible to feel safe without being controlled."

For a second I thought Ranger knew about tonight, and that he was talking about the same thing ... a future for us.

"I guess it all depends on being with the right person," I said back, in case he really is thinking about a relationship with me.

Ranger didn't comment on that. He finished his water and took a look around the room, reminding me that I'm supposed to be keeping an eye out for a skip. Damn. I'd forgotten about that. My acting skills should be reserved only for drunk or high FTAs, because a normal person can see right through them. Apparently Ranger was also distracted, so he didn't question my odd behavior.

"Looks like your guy isn't going to show," Ranger said to me.

I guess this is the moment of truth.

"Umm ... actually ... he already did."

"Babe, no one has come in. I know I've been staring at your legs for the last five minutes, imagining different ways of them being wrapped around me, but I would have noticed someone else entering the bar."

I put that particular image on hold, inhaled deeply, and spit the words out on the exhale.

"You are the one I'm trying to capture, Ranger. This was a setup to get you all to myself so I could seduce you."

He took a slow, deliberate scan of my body, from my curly brown hair that I'd left down tonight - since Ranger seemed to like it that way - to my soft red lips and sexy leave nothing to the imagination dress that he could see plenty of from his seat. His lips formed a cocky grin.

I was so preoccupied by my pounding heart, and the now damp parts of my body screaming for Ranger's touch, that I almost missed what he said.

"I know."

I blinked stupidly at him. Not for the first time, either.

"What do you mean you know?" I asked.

"I know all about your fake skip, Babe. And what you were hoping to accomplish here tonight. R.C.?"

"I thought it'd be less obvious than C.M. or R.M."

"You could have used a regular name, Steph."

"Where's the fun in that? All covert ops use nicknames. I'm assuming Tank ratted me out?"

Tank swore that he'd keep this a secret. I know he's Ranger's friend and all, but I thought he was mine, too.

"Steph, Tank didn't want to tell me anything about this, but his concern about you possibly getting hurt made him finally decide to fill me in. It was an interesting idea. And Tank didn't have to worry about me hurting you."

"You're not mad that I tried to trick you?"

"No, Babe. Why do you think I'm not in Miami?"

"Because you have work to do," I told him.

"No. I stayed because I wanted to spend today with you. If Tank hadn't given me a heads up, I would have compromised your 'operation'."

"Shit. He told you about that, too?"

"Yes."

"For someone who never talks," I said. "Tank sure has a big mouth."

"I've told him that myself ... repeatedly."

"Why didn't you just tell me that you already knew?"

"I thought it was cute that you'd go through all of this just to get me into bed," Ranger said.

"Cute? I hate cute," I told him. "How about saying it was sweet or sexy instead?"

"You should have called and said that you're naked and waiting for me," Ranger informed me. "That would have been hot instead of cute."

"Don't you want a little more thought put into a display of affection?"

"Babe, I'm a guy. We listen for keywords, and naked is the biggest one."

"Would you have questioned my motives for making that particular call?" I asked him.

"Maybe after the first three times I had you," Ranger told me, "but at least this way we both know how you're feeling. Any worry or fear will be absent which leaves your mind free to think of better things."

"Like how we were together?" I asked him.

"Like how good we will be."

"So I could have saved myself the ulcer and the new charge on my already overdue credit card? Because you had plans of your own?"

"Yes. I'll reimburse you for the dress if that will make you feel better," he said to me. "Do you know how much I'd like to rip it off of you right now?"

I laughed. "There's not much of it to rip," I told him. "Two tugs and it'll be on the floor."

"Care to show me?" Ranger asked, fingering the thin material near my breast.

I was suddenly glad that this bar had such small tables so we could be within touching distance of each other.

"Not in public," I told him.

"My bedroom?"

"Now you're talking."

"Once we get back to my place, Babe, we'll be doing everything but."

"Play your cards right," I told him, moving close to brush my lips over his, "and I may even let you cuff me."

Ranger's thousand-watt smile lit up his face.

"Happy birthday to me," Ranger said, before he pulled me into his arms and covered my mouth with his, not caring who might be watching.

Ranger didn't touch me at all on the drive back to his apartment. I was telling myself that it was because he wanted to make sure I had thought this through, wouldn't be pushing him away the second the door closed behind us, and wasn't going to accuse him of trying to sway my decision by putting his hands on me. It's a well-known fact that I have a hard time resisting him, but I had in the past for a bunch of different reasons. Tonight is going to hopefully be the start of a new chapter in our relationship. I'm finally ready to admit my feelings to both of us.

Ranger parked next to his Turbo in the underground garage ten minutes later. He turned to face me before getting out.

"Do you want me to take you home? This is your last chance, Stephanie. You started this, but I always promised you that I wouldn't push you into doing something you don't want to do, and how we got here doesn't change that."

For the first time, Ranger's the one talking and I'm the one keeping my mouth shut. At least it stayed shut until I leaned across the console, grabbed Ranger's head in both of my hands, and kissed him. My mouth opened then and Ranger's did, too, so his tongue could touch mine. My fingers clenched in his hair as I tried to draw him even closer.

The need for oxygen is what made us finally pull back.

"I don't want to go home," I told him, already breathing like I do on the treadmill when Ranger's the one in charge of the controls. "And we're wasting time here."

"We have plenty of time, Steph. You're staying with me tonight."

"Yeah, but I don't think even fifteen hours is going to be enough time."

"I'm sure we can work something out," Ranger said, amused again.

He obviously wanted me in his bed, but Ranger was going to take a second to torture me, since I'm the one who always stood in the way of us doing this in the past.

"Ranger ..." I warned.

"Yeah, Babe?"

"Stop being an ass and get yours upstairs."

"Anything you say, Steph."

I paused. "Really?"

That comment came with a whole slew of naughty images.

"No."

Damn. "Now who's the tease?" I asked.

"You've never been a tease, Babe. I knew the type of woman you were before letting you know I wanted you. You're not a person who can handle a casual, no-strings relationship."

"Maybe I could if I didn't care so much about the other person involved," I said, "but some people are too important to let go of in the morning."

"I know. That's why I let you stay here even when you weren't sure about sleeping with me again. I didn't want you to leave anymore than you wanted to go."

"And you want me to stay this time, too?"

"Yes. And I'm not above stunning you if try to leave," he casually said to me, like it was perfectly normal to threaten me with a stun gun.

Oh, wait. It is. I was having flashbacks from the time of the Junkman threat.

"Since your tongue was down my throat," Ranger continued, as if I wasn't having a separate conversation in my head, "and your hand was inching towards my lap, I'm hoping the no-sex thing is finally over."

"Oh ... it is. Never to be implemented again."

"Now that we have that settled ..." he trailed off, as his mouth found mine again.

We came up for air, made it out of the car, and into the elevator. When we were finally inside his apartment and away from the cameras, I tossed my bag on the sideboard while Ranger set my present down, and then I attacked him. My hands went to Ranger's belt buckle while my lips started exploring his throat. Ranger was already hard and I really wanted to get my hands on him. He had other ideas. Ranger picked me up and carried me through the apartment to his bedroom.

Turns out Ranger didn't need cuffs. He laid me out on his bed and came down after me, straddling my thighs. He caught my hands in his left one, keeping them pressed to the mattress while he unwrapped me with his right hand. Good deal. I thought since I'm the one who wanted to seduce him, I'd have to do all of the work, but I should have known Ranger wouldn't go along with that. He liked to be the one in charge of leaving me both satisfied and wanting more.

As he pushed the dress all the way open, he stopped to appreciate my choice in underwear before he bent forward to press a kiss where my breasts were pushed together to create maximum cleavage. I couldn't stop the low moan that came out at the feel of his lips on me again. It had been too long. With just his fingertips, Ranger traced the outline of my breasts through my bra, making sure my nipples were alert, before removing it. And he did the same with my little bikini panties, thoroughly caressing me then sliding them off. Ranger was still dressed and I was now naked and getting impatient.

"This isn't the way things are going to work, Ranger," I told him. "We're supposed to be equals, which means I want you 'equally' naked right now."

The flash of Ranger's smile was almost enough to make me climax without any further prompting.

"Help yourself, Babe," he said, and bit down gently on my nipple.

Ohh ... I plan on helping myself to a lot of him. As soon as he gave me a chance to breathe, that is. When Ranger moved to my other breast, I thought there's a reason why Ranger didn't talk a lot, his mouth is clearly designed for something else entirely.

Ranger finally let my hands go, and I immediately reached down to the waistband of his pants and tugged until I felt the warm skin underneath. I yanked his shirt up his back and followed it with my fingers. Ranger feels even better than he looks.

When I got the shirt to his shoulders, Ranger separated his mouth from my breast long enough to pull it over his head without even having to unbutton it first. It went sailing across the room and I went back to his pants while Ranger resumed his exploration of my body with his lips and now his hands, too.

He didn't need any direction or guidance. Ranger remembered exactly what I like, what I need, and when I didn't want him to stop. I got his pants completely unbuttoned and unzipped and he moved away from my hands so I could see what I wanted, but couldn't touch him. Ranger is evil. This proved it.

"Ranger ..." I said on a frustrated moan.

"Is there something you want, Babe?" Ranger asked, kissing the inside of my thigh.

He was so close and yet so far from where I wanted him.

"Yes. I want you."

He took a moment to look up into my heavy-lidded eyes before dropping his heated gaze to my flushed body, which at the moment was spread out in front of him just waiting to be filled.

"You'll want more of me in a minute, Steph," Ranger promised, his voice dropping down an octave.

He draped my legs over his shoulders and stopped talking altogether. From the first flick of Ranger's tongue to the last, I knew I wanted all of him ... on me, in me, and beside me for the rest of my life. That wasn't asking a lot, was it?

When he finally ditched his pants, and the wrinkled scrap of material that used to be my dress, I was almost too relaxed to move. But when I felt Ranger between my legs again, my arms and legs acted as one as they all wrapped around Ranger's body to bring him right where I needed him the most.

He came into me with one powerful thrust, and I was calling Ranger's name in between pleas to God to make it end or let the feelings Ranger stirred in me continue indefinitely. At that point, I wasn't sure which one I wanted. When I felt Ranger stiffen, I clamped all my muscles down on him and took him over the edge with me.

A few minutes later, while we were lying in each other's arms somewhere between consciousness and sleep, I heard Ranger's deep voice.

"If I had to blow out a candle right now," he said, his voice alone making me wet for him all over again, "I'd wish for you."

"You don't have to wish for me, Ranger," I whispered, "I'm already here. I love you, and I'll stay as long as you want me to."

"Love you, too, Babe," he said, as he curled his body around mine and held me tighter.

Sleep came not long after. Ranger woke me hours later and when we came together once again, I felt like I'm the one who was given a gift tonight.

Before Ranger got up to go to work the next day, and I got up to go to the bakery, he rolled me on top of him so I could see his face while he spoke. Ranger is hard to read and he knew the only way I got insight into what he's thinking is by looking at his eyes. It sounded stupid, but in my case it's all I have to work with. Ranger gave only tiny inklings as to what he's feeling, so I usually have to piece his carefully chosen words together to get the whole picture. I think that's why he always studies me before telling me anything, judging how much of the truth I want versus what I can actually handle.

"I want you to know that you are free to do whatever you want, Steph. Wherever you want to do it," Ranger said, "but I can tell you right now that if it was up to me, you'd never leave this room without me beside you."

Before I could assure him that I wasn't planning on leaving ever, he gave me the sort of kiss I knew I'd never walk away from again.