This is my first attempt at fan fiction. Let me know what you think. One of my fan fiction pet peaves are unfinished stories. I hate when I really get into a story and then it is never completed. So this story will be lengthy and will definitely be completed. I am going to post at least one chapter a week, at times maybe more, but one promised. Feedback and suggestions are appreciated. Constructive criticism is also accepted.

CHAPTER 1

The Proposal

My name is Stephanie Plum. A few years ago I started working as a bounty hunter for my cousin Vinnie who runs Plum Bail Bonds in Trenton, New Jersey. Actually I bribed him into hiring me because I lost my job, was on the verge of losing my apartment and defaulting on all of my credit cards. Despite the danger involved in the job I actually enjoyed it most of the time; it made me feel like I was making a difference, at least in this city. Through my adventures as a bounty hunter I have come back into contact with people from my past, made many new friends and have inherited a various collection of stalkers who love to torment me on a regular basis. I have moved on from working for Vinnie and now work for Rangeman full time doing the same type of work in addition to other tasks.

Joe Morelli has been my on again off again boyfriend for the last couple of years. We haven't really been talking much in the last month, even though we didn't officially break up. A month ago was when we had another big argument about my job, marriage and kids. After which I grabbed my things and stormed out in my regular 'Plum' fashion. Don't get me wrong I do love Joe but am not in love with him. He is a great guy and will make some woman a wonderful husband someday, just not me. Our relationship mostly consists of watching sports, fighting and having make-up sex. Great make-up sex. All though while it is very satisfying at the moment, it does not make for a very healthy relationship. He sees a future with a wife who will sit home happily taking care of him, their house and their children. Me, I really have no freakin' clue what I want most of the time. I just know that right now I don't want marriage or kids. I want to spread my wings and fly. Where I want to fly to or how wide I want to spread my wings is still a mystery to me, I just haven't figured it out yet. On top of all of that I have feelings for another man.

I shouldn't have walked out on Joe after our fight; I should have been honest with him. It's the least he deserves; I am holding him back from finding. I should have told him he needs to let me go because there was no chance of us getting married. Not only do I not want to get married but I should tell him that I am in love with someone else. Instead I just left him hanging and hopeful for a possible future for us together.

I had spent the last month pretty much avoiding him. It has helped that he's been in between here and DC working on a top secret job. He is a cop with the Trenton PD and mostly does undercover work. We actually haven't seen each other at all. Our only contact has been over the phone. This morning when the phone rang I was in the middle of enjoying a Boston crème donut from the Tasty Pastry and didn't look at the caller ID before answering.

"Cupcake! About time you answered the phone."

"Sorry Joe, I've been really busy at work."

"Yeah, I heard Ranger's back, I'm sure he's been keeping you real busy." I could hear the innuendo in his voice. Ranger would be the other man.

"Was there a reason you called Joe?" That's right Steph, change the subject.

"Can you meet me for lunch at Pino's? Noon?"

"Yeah, sure." We said our goodbyes and hung up. I don't know why I was being short with him; none of this was really his fault.

I sat at Pino's waiting for Joe to arrive. OK Stephanie, this is it I told myself. Time to tell Joe there is no future for us as a couple. You are not going to marry him, you are in love with another man. He is going to be hurt. God, I don't want to hurt him. But better to be honest instead of leading him around anymore. I rested my head on my hands trying to figure out the best way to tell Joe. Gosh, I am such a chicken! Maybe I could just make a mad dash for the door before he gets here.

"Cupcake, how are you?" I looked up to see Joe walking towards the table. Too late.

"Good, and you?"

"Hungry, have you ordered yet?"

"Yeah, the subs should be here soon." Pino's has the best meatball subs. They are part of my regular diet.

I noticed Ranger a.k.a. Ricardo Carlos Manoso, had walked in just after Joe did. That would be the man I am in love with. He is standing at the end of the counter, looking good enough to eat. Wonder what he is doing here? Of all the times for him to show up at Pino's. Not only is he the man I am in love with, he is also one of my best friends, my mentor and my boss. We had one night of mind-blowing sex about a year ago during one of Joe's and my off times. It was part of a deal Ranger and I made. I needed help and Ranger wanted...well you can figure it out. I was actually surprised when he showed up to collect. Some part of me wanted to believe he was joking. After our night together he told me he didn't do relationships, no emotions, and that I should go patch things up with Joe. At that time I felt hurt and used. Since I'm not the casual sex type that was the last time we had sex.

Unfortunately I couldn't control my emotions and somewhere along the way I fell in love with him. It didn't really help that Ranger couldn't keep his hands and lips to himself. He is always touching me and kissing me when we're around each other. I thought I knew what love was before, but what I have felt before is nothing like what I feel for Ranger. It totally consumes me. At times I think he feels more than just friendship towards me, but the next minute he is telling me he doesn't do relationships and his kind of love comes with condoms not rings. I can never get him to open up and let me into his personal life. Everything has always been business he would never share Carlos with me. I have opened up my personal life to him. He knows almost more about me than my best friend Mary Lou. It's embarrassing to say but I think I kept going back to Joe because he made me feel wanted and he loved me and I wasn't getting that from Ranger. You know what the say: If you can't love the one you want, then love the one you're with.

However when he came back two weeks ago from his latest three months of being ' in the wind' Ranger was acting totally unlike his usual impersonal self. In case you weren't aware he is a former Army Ranger and still does special jobs for the government along with owning and running his own security business.

Anyway, when he came back he started coming over a lot, spending time with me and opening up a bit more about his personal life. It's what I have been wanting from him; I finally was feeling a personal connection to him from his side. Come to find out he had a close call on this last mission and almost didn't make it out. He said that put a lot of things into perspective for him. We also talked about what was going on between Joe and me. I explained the situation and that I was planning on making my break up official with Joe next time I saw him. I didn't feel it was something that should be done over the phone. Ranger had made some comment under his breath about wondering how long it would last this time. I ignored his mumblings because I knew in my heart that the only relationship Joe and I would have in the future was one of friendship. One thing he hasn't shared though is his feelings towards me. Then again I haven't told him I was in love with him either. Guess I've been afraid he will reject me and pull away. I am enjoying getting to know the more personal Ranger and am terrified to lose that. Last night he brought me home after dinner and things started to get a little heated between us in my living room. It gave me hot flashes just thinking about it. He pulled away from me reluctantly, telling me I needed to resolve things with Joe and then we would see where things went from there. For the first time I felt there was hope for a real relationship between Ranger and me.

Joe looks like he hasn't noticed Ranger yet. I'm positive Ranger has noticed the both of us, he is always very aware of his surroundings. I can feel him watching me. When he is near my body goes on sensory overload. The tingly feeling lets me know he is near and the hairs standing up on the back of my neck let me know he is watching me. The two of them get along on a professional level but not on a personal one, especially when it comes to me. Ranger supports and encourages me, while Joe tries to change me.

"Cupcake, I wanted to ask you something before the food gets here." I looked up at him trying to get my thoughts off of Ranger.

"Sure Joe, what is it?"

Next thing I know he pulls a ring box out opening it and is showing it to me. OH MY GOD! No. this can't be happening. I put one hand to my mouth to hide my shock and with the other hand I reached out to towards the box.

"Cupcake, will you marry me?"