A/N: Since this is the end of Dangerous Mergers, I'd like to take this moment to thank those who helped me when the going got tough: Sue, Lisa, Skye and most of all May. The biggest thanks, however, goes to all of you - the readers. Thank you very much for reading and for all the lovely reviews and private messages.
Marilyn

DANGEROUS MERGERS

Chapter 20

Stephanie struggled to breathe while she watched every muscle of Ranger's body move in absolute symmetry when he stripped off his clothes. Every angle reflected his perfection and one angle in particular reflected his desire. She failed to quell the heavy shiver that ran through her body, even when she closed her eyes and felt tears of love build behind her lowered lashes.

"Babe?" Strong hands touched her face with such a measure of tenderness that her tears broke free over the lower rims of her eyes as the last bastion of her control.

How could she explain the explosion of love she was experiencing inside? She fell back on the bed and tried to sort her thoughts. He'd expect an answer and she had none that made sense.

The tufted surface of the mattress shifted as he crawled closer. "Talk to me, Babe."

Think, Stephanie, think. You love him, so find the words.

"I love you."

"I love you, too." He brushed a kiss on her forehead.

"…and I'm scared."

She felt him go still. Damn, she'd chosen the wrong words. Now what? She tried to open her eyes, but couldn't find the courage.

"I love you so much it frightens me." She felt the rough calluses on his fingers that caressed and lifted her chin.

"Open your eyes, Babe, I need to see your eyes and I want you to see mine." He played the pad of his thumb back and forth over her lower lip. "Please, Stephanie."

Her eyelids fluttered open, her vision swimming with tears. Dark brown eyes full of love were staring back at her. "I was so afraid I'd lost you." Her words sounded worried and small.

"But you didn't." Ranger slowly undid the belt of her robe and opened it on one side, exposing one of her breasts.

"I was so afraid we'd never find each other again."

"But we did." He lowered his head and kissed the soft peak of her nipple.

"I'm so afraid that you'll change your mind about loving me…" Stephanie couldn't stop the rush of tears and turned her head away when he raised his eyes to gaze at her.

"Never," Ranger whispered and turned her head back to face him. "There is nothing life can throw at us that would cause me to stop loving you. I'm yours forever."

The love Stephanie saw coming from Ranger's eyes brought her tears to a stop and she reached up to touch his face. "And I'm yours forever."

Ranger slipped his hand underneath the other side of her robe and started to stroke her breast. "Any more fears we need to discuss?"

"Umm… no," Stephanie was finding it hard to concentrate with Ranger touching her.

"You sure?" Ranger braced himself above her, allowing his erection to play at her entrance.

"Maybe one," Stephanie's hips started to match Ranger's little teasing movements. "I'm just worried that one lifetime won't be enough for us."

The smile that erupted on Ranger's face was twice his normal smile. "Then we need to make sure we don't waste any time." With those words, he slipped inside her and drove out any remaining doubts and fears, over and over again – all night long.

oOoOo

Will walked up to the eclectic group of five who were waiting in the small airport. Tank, Leon and Lopez radiated authority while Enrique and his father, Emmanuel, radiated excitement and hope. "Ric and Stephanie just arrived," he said to Leon. "Did you get everything arranged?"

Leon flashed a shit-eating grin in Will's direction. "Oh yes… it's all arranged."

Tank's eyes moved from one man to the other. "Ah shit. Just do me a favor, don't tell me what you two have arranged, okay?"

"It's just a little wedding present," Will managed to say with a straight face. "After the honeymoon they had, we figured they deserved something special."

Tank shook his head and waved his hands. "I don't want to know."

"Okay, but we signed your name on the card." Leon had trouble getting the words out before he doubled over with laughter.

"Shit," Tank grumbled.

"What's the matter?" Stephanie asked when she and Ranger joined them.

"Oh, umm, nothing, Bombshell. You ready?" Tank stammered.

"Just need to visit the ladies room before we leave." She gave them a quick wave and started off in the direction Will was pointing.

"You're a lucky man, my friend." Will clapped Ranger on the shoulder making sure that he had his friend's full attention. "I just hope you're up to the challenge. Oh, by the way, I just received a call from one of my contacts. Seems that your uncle had a fatal car accident. Funny, no one knows what caused it." Will's face broke into a huge smile when he saw the sight over Ranger's shoulder.

"What the hell?" Tank barked and then started laughing.

Leon and Lopez were almost rolling on the floor with laughter.

Ranger turned and felt his mouth drop open. Stephanie was wearing a snorkel mask, water wings around her upper arms and a parachute strapped to her back. The long pair of flippers she wore on her feet made slapping sounds with each step.

"All ready," she said as she stood in front of him.

"You don't trust me, Babe?" Ranger couldn't help but smile.

"Oh, I trust you, just not when we're flying, especially over water." Stephanie gave him a teasing smile, opening her eyes wide behind the mask.

"I thought I was getting off too easy when you didn't bring that little matter up earlier." Ranger pulled her close and lifted the mask from her face. "Babe, you never disappoint."

"Okay, plane's waiting," Will said and pulled Stephanie from Ranger's arms. "Stephanie Manoso, you are the most amazing woman I have ever met, just too bad Ric found you first." Will bent her backwards over his arm and planted a kiss square on her mouth. When he raised her back up, he wriggled his eyebrows at the frown on Ranger's face. "Just kissing the bride, my friend."

Ranger reached out and separated Will from Stephanie. "Mine."

Will kept laughing when the small group walked out into the late night toward the plane, Stephanie's flippers slapping all the way.

oOoOo

Purple, pink and blue: the colors of predawn seeped through the small window of the airplane. The colors reflected in Enrique's dark eyes that were wide with wonderment. He hadn't moved from Stephanie's lap throughout the entire flight.

Ranger looked down at Stephanie's sleeping face that rested on his shoulder. The first rays of sunshine highlighted the uncontrollable curls splayed around her shoulders. He picked one of her curls up and began winding it around his finger. Will was right, she was the most amazing woman and he thanked the heavens for the day their paths had crossed in that diner.

"Be careful, Babe doesn't wake up in a good mood," Enrique said without turning his full gaze from the window.

Ranger chuckled at the child using his nickname and that the kid seemed to have ESP. "I'll remember that, thank you."

For the first time, Enrique turned away from the window and met Ranger's eyes full on. "I want to thank you so much for making my mother's dream of me living in America come true. I will make her and you very proud."

Ranger found himself struggling with the emotions the child's words raised in him. He had to clear his throat before he could answer. "You're welcome."

Stephanie stirred and opened her eyes. "Hi," she said to both sets of dark brown eyes.

"Look," Ranger said and pointed out the window.

"America," the child's whisper was almost too soft to be heard. He crossed himself and then bowed his head in prayer.

Stephanie could feel the light tremors traveling through his small lean body. Tears filled her eyes while she watched him pray and realized she was witnessing one of the purest forms of faith she had ever seen in her life. She bowed her head to join him.

Ranger's eyes never wavered from Stephanie's face, a soft smile playing on his mouth.

"I see what you meant about the way Ric looks at her," Leon said to Tank. "Damn, the only other time I've seen him with that look on his face was the day his daughter was born."

"Told you," Tank replied. "Scared the shit out of him when he realized how much he loved her."

"Ric? Scared?" Leon said in surprise.

Tank smiled and nodded his head. "Yeah… the fearless Ricardo Manoso… scared shitless. He kept using the excuse that his life was too dangerous. Said their lives were too different," Tank laughed. "For over two years he tried to deny how he felt."

"Damn, two years?" Leon asked disbelieving. Tank nodded. Silence settled over them, each man hoping that they too would someday find someone to love in the same way.

oOoOo

Enrique sat quietly until the doors to the plane opened; he grabbed Stephanie's hand and clutched it tight with his small one. "I cannot believe I am in America."

"It's true!" Stephanie smiled and reached over to hold Ranger's hand. The man truly was Batman. Somehow, he had arranged safe passage for Enrique and his father. He had offered to relocate Manuel and his wife, Emilia, but they had declined, saying they were too old to change their ways. She knew Ranger had secretly provided them with enough money to make them comfortable for the rest of their lives. She tugged on his hand to get his attention and mouthed 'I love you'. He returned with a silent 'I love you' and a whisper of a kiss on the top of her head.

"Let's go!" Ranger stood and held out his hand for Enrique. "Your father's waiting for you at the exit."

Enrique stood and turned to Stephanie. "I told you I would see that you got home safe."

Tears rushed to Stephanie's eyes. "Yes, you did. Thank you, my little knight in shining armor." She pulled him to her in a hug and kissed him before giving him a light shove in the direction of his father.

"We'll see him tomorrow, Babe." Ranger whispered and handed her a tissue.

How did he do that? Stephanie wondered and accepted the tissue to dry her tears and blow her nose.

"Ready?" Ranger asked and held out his hand for her.

"Ready," Stephanie answered and placed her hand in his.

oOoOo

Ranger woke her with a gentle shake when Leon pulled the SUV into the Rangeman garage. "Babe, we're here."

"Umm," was all she could manage.

"Ric, I think it's the custom for the groom to carry the bride over the threshold," Leon chuckled when he held the door of the elevator open.

"Come on Ric, you know what Babe's like when you wake her up," Tank imitated Enrique's voice. "Just carry her up."

Ranger gave Tank a snarled look and lifted Stephanie into his arms, placed a soft kiss on the top of her head and stepped inside the waiting elevator. All three men rode up to the seventh floor in silence. When the doors slid open Ranger blocked them from sliding shut and turned to speak to his brother and his friend.

"I'll see you two in the morning."

"What? You're not going to invite us up for a coffee?" Leon threw his hand up to his forehead in mock surprise.

Ranger scoffed at him. "I didn't wait two years just to be a one night stand husband." He stepped back and the doors closed.

Leon punched the button for the first floor. "I got a feeling the walls are gonna shake."

"You are a real pain, man," Tank said as the doors opened up. "Just promise me that if I ever get married, you won't be around after the wedding."

"Then I suggest you pick somewhere other than Cuba for your honeymoon." Leon clapped his hand on Tank's shoulder.

oOoOo

Stephanie found a simple little sundress lying on the bed when she came out of the shower. A small note on top read "I Love You". The man never failed to amaze her. Her stomach growled, reminding her that she needed to hurry. Everyone was going to meet at Elena's Little Restaurant for breakfast and Ranger was already downstairs in the garage waiting for her. They were to start their road trip up the coast back to Trenton after the meal, stopping along the way to sightsee and honeymoon. Lots and lots of honeymoon…

She hurried into the dress, checked her makeup and hair and headed for the elevator. When the elevator doors opened to the garage, she was surprised to find it empty of all vehicles and Ranger shaking his head and muttering in Spanish.

"What's wrong?" Stephanie asked him and placed her hand on his arm.

"I'm going to kill him!" Ranger said through clenched teeth.

"Who?" Stephanie looked around.

"Leon." Ranger reached for her hand and pulled her through the empty garage. Funny, it had been full of black SUVs last night.

The bright sunshine caused her to squint. After her eyes adjusted to the glare, her mouth fell open when she saw what was parked at the curb.

"Oh my god…" was all she could say before she started to laugh.

A shiny black Humvee was waiting for them. A large 'Just Married' sign was scribbled in white letters across the back window. Tin cans and old shoes were tied to the bumper; 'Batman loves Batbabe' was written in white letters down the passenger side. Heaven only knew what might be written on the other side.

Stephanie opened the door and found a note attached to the steering wheel.

Thought this would be the safest way to transport your new wife home.

Will, Leon and Tank.

"Relax, Ranger," Stephanie said after she stopped laughing. "At least we'll be together. No dangerous relatives, no dangerous foreign countries, no dangerous danger." She stepped close to him. "Just you and me. What could be safer?"

THE END