Disclaimer: All characters belong to JE; I'm just borrowing them for fun.

Decision Time

"Ranger someone's at the door." Why does someone always choose an awkward time to come to a door? It happens just about every time Ranger, and I are about to get intimate.

"Ignore it, Babe, whoever it is will go away." He goes back to kissing my neck and working his way to my chest.

God, this man is magic. I never get tired of him. "Ranger, the person is not going away."

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Cupcake, let me in it's me, Joe."

Ranger stopped what he was doing pressed his forehead to mine. "Did you invite him, Babe?"

"No, I didn't invite him." Moving him off me I go to open the door. "Joe, what are you doing here?"

"Hey Cupcake, I wanted to surprise you and come and stay with you for the next 3 days you have left on your vaca…. Why is Manoso here?" He pushes past me to come into the room.

He gets in Ranger's face.

"Why are you here Manoso?" He pokes his finger in Ranger's chest.

"Morelli, if you touch me one more time, you will not be walking out of this room in one piece. Steph asked me to come here and help her with an FTA because she does not have out-of-state clearance to capture the guy."

"So, you just took it upon yourself to come down here and make sure that you get in Cupcake's pants, isn't that, right? Joe asked crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at Ranger.

"Alright Joe, that is enough. I told you Ranger is here to help me with a skip. Now cool it." I push Joe back off Ranger and stand in between the two men.

"Joe that is enough. You need to leave NOW." I crossed my arms over my chest and gave him my best Burg glare. Yeah, didn't work.

"I'm not going anywhere Ranger is the one that is leaving." He walks over to the door and stands with it opened, waving his hands for Ranger to leave.

Ranger looked at me then at Joe and was about to walk out when I stopped him with my hand.

"I don't think so Joe if anyone is leaving it is you."

Joe walked over and stood in front of me with his hands on his hips. "Is there a reason why you don't want Ranger to leave?"

"Yes, I invited him because he is helping me with a skip, and you are not helping me, so you need to leave." I put my hands on my hips to show him I wasn't scared of him. Tried the Burg glare again didn't' work. I guess I'm losing my touch when it comes to that glare.

Joe stands there looking at me with his arms crossed and he is tapping his left foot. He starts rolling his head around on his shoulders like it's tensed and something is bothering him. He looks around the room and glances to his right at the trash can. His face then becomes blood red.

"You Bitch, now you are fucking Manoso here too. I should have known. Why am I not surprised?" He goes over to the trash can and points to the condom wrappers.

I completely forgot about the wrappers. Shit! I can't believe I didn't do something with them. Well, the maid got rid of the first 6 that we used before she cleaned the room those 4 are from after she cleaned it. Hey, we were trying to use all that was in the box. I mean we were making progress, right?

I'm not ashamed though because I know for a fact that Joe is off screwing Terry every chance he gets. I also know that he is screwing several other women as well. I quickly look at Ranger he gives me the "well are you going, to tell the truth, or lie look" then I look at Joe. Fuck it!

"Fine Joe, yes we have been fucking each other like rabbits for the last 4 days. Why are you surprised. It's okay for you to screw every woman that you see, but I can't have sex with one man besides you when we are supposed to be in an open relationship at least that is what you told me." It didn't look like it fazed him much to know that I knew about all his other conquest.

"I don't care who you fuck as long as it's not Ranger. You can have 10 other guys just not him."

"So, you feel like you get to choose who I sleep with, but I don't with you. You are such a hypocrite Joe." I moved over towards Ranger because I knew that if Joe started going crazy Ranger would protect me.

"Look, Cupcake, you need to decide right now, is it me or Manoso that you want? If you choose me, you cannot have anything else to do with Ranger again. If you choose him do not call or speak to me again."

I look over at Ranger, he has his blank face in place. "Okay, Joe before I can answer that question, I need to know something from both of you first. I want to know why I should choose you over the other one. I want both of you to answer that question"

I look back and forth between the two. "Well?"

Joe takes my hands in his, "Cupcake, I love you from the first time I saw you. I was the one that took your virginity and we have been dating for years on and off. I want to make you my wife and the mother of my children. I want to you take care of my house and bed. I love you."

I removed my hand from Joe's and turned to look at Ranger, "Your turn, Batman."

Ranger take my hands in his, "Babe, from the first time I saw you I knew you were something special. I fell in love with you, and I have always wanted you to be in my life. You've always made me feel like I'm worthy of being loved. I love you, Stephanie, you are my world my heart and the light in my life." He kissed me gently on the lips then released my hands.

Now I it was decision time. I love both men, but I knew I was only in love with one man. Now it's time to put my big girl panties on and do this.

"Okay, I want to let both of you know that I love you both, but I am only in love with one of you. Joe, we have been in an on-again/off-again relationship for years. You would always tell me you were going to buy me a ring, but you have yet to do so. You constantly belittle me and make me feel stupid. You call me stupid; you tell me I'm pathetic and you think I need to give up my job."

"Ranger, you are my best friend. You are always protecting me and saving me from the episodes that happen to me. Yet, every time you and I get close you tell me to go back to Morelli and fix things with him. I always told me your life didn't lend itself to relationships. I have never known how you truly feel about me because you have never let me know. I appreciate all the cars and the help that you have given me throughout the years. The only thing that I don't understand about you is why now? Why are you now saying to me what I have wanted you to say to me for years? What has changed?"

"Babe, since being here with you these past few days, I have realized how much I love being with you and I'm not afraid to tell you or show you how much I love you. I want you to know that if you choose Joe, that's fine I understand but I will always be here for you and I will never turn away from you if you ever need me. My heart will be broken, and I will truly not care rather I live or die."

Hearing everything that Ranger confessed threw me for a loop. I never knew he loved me as much as he does. I don't want to break either one of their hearts, but I know that I must decide I can't keep stringing both men along.

I look from one to the other. This is harder than I thought.

"Okay, guys I appreciate both of you being honest with me. I have made my choice and I expect the other person to leave graciously is that understood?"

Both men nod their heads in agreement.

"Joe, we have a long history together and have been in an on/off-again relationship for years. Regardless of what our parents think or what we think we are not compatible, I'm sorry Joe but I can't be with you. I love you but I'm not in love with you. I'm in love with Ranger."

I give Joe a hug and I walk him to the door.

"I'm not happy with your decision but I appreciate you being honest with me. Manoso you take care of her and if you hurt her you will answer to me." With that, he turned and walked out the door and walked out of my life forever.

I watched Joe go, sad for the friend that I lost but not for the loss of a doomed relationship. I turned around and Ranger took me in his arms. He gave me one of those panty-wetting kisses that will blow your mind.

"Babe, in 10 minutes the renewing of vows ceremony is taking place down on the beach. There will be 20 couples in all ourselves included. 19 couples will be renewing their vows and I hope we are the 20th couple and you will say vows with me so we can official and legally be Mr. & Mrs. Manoso. I love you, Babe, Querida, tu eres mi amor, mi vida, Para siempre. (Darling, you are my love, my life. Forever)"

"Ranger, we would really be married if we did this today on the beach with everyone else?" I wanted to make sure because if I went through with this, I was expecting to be his wife. I wasn't doing this to be acting to get the Rug and his wife.

"Si, mi amor, we would be husband and wife." He is still holding my hands in front of us as he looks into my eyes as he speaks.

Without saying anything, I turn, and we walk out the patio door to the beach. We find out where the line ends. We are the 7th couple in line. When it was our turn Ranger advised the officiant that we were getting married not renewing our vows.

We stood there before witnesses provided by the hotel, God, and everyone else and proclaimed our love for each other. when it was over, I couldn't believe I was Mrs. Ranger Manoso. I had always dreamed of marrying Ranger. I intend on living with this man until the day that I die.

No more going from Joe to Ranger and then back to Joe. He can't send me back anymore when I advised him of this he just smiled "That's okay Babe…

Decision Made."