Disclaimer: All characters that you recognize belong solely to Janet Evanovich. Unfortunately so does all the money. Everyone that you don't recognized, including characters to be named at a later date, are completely made up by me, myself, and I.

A/N: This is just a little one-shot about Ranger helping Stephanie decorate her Christmas tree and the reasons behind the ornaments. And yes. . . . Ranger's alive in this one (sticks out tongue)

I hope you like it :)

As Always, Thanks For Reading.
~Sky

Christmas Ornaments

Christmas is only a couple weeks away and I still don't have a tree up yet. Every time I tried to head up to the tree lot something would happen. I'd get a call about a new skip, my car would die, or Ranger needed help with a distraction and I'd need to shop for the right clothes. Whatever the reason, I just couldn't seem to get to the tree lot.

Today though. I had a game plan. I was going to get my tree if it was the last thing I do.

I mentally rolled my eyes at myself.

It's just a tree Steph, I told myself.

No it's not just a tree. It's a Christmas tree.

Anyways I shut my phone off as soon as I parked at the office. I came in early hoping to get here before Ranger. Since my sad excuse for a car can barely drive me around, I doubt it could hold up a Christmas tree on the roof. That's where Ranger comes in. He's been driving his truck around since the roads where still slicked with snow from the day before yesterday. Hopefully he'll be in a Christmas-y mood and lend me his truck for a couple hours.

Only Connie was in the office when I walked in. It was still too early for Lula to be in, and since it was Vinnie's birthday he decided not to come in.

"Hey Connie. Any new files?"

"Nope. None today, Steph. Guess everyone decided they wanted to try and make the Nice List now." She winked at me and took a bite out of one of the Boston Creams I brought in.

"Good. Now I won't hear it from Vinnie for getting my tree today. All I need now is –"My voice trailed off when my neck started to tingle. I turned around to see Ranger. "You," I told him with a grin.

He raised his eyebrow at me before turning towards Connie. He handed her two folders. "Richards and Del Monico."

While Connie was writing out his checks, I caught Rangers eye and motioned that I'll be waiting outside. "See you tomorrow Connie," I called out before heading out the door.

I walked to the alley and leaned against the wall to wait for him.

Only a few seconds later Ranger walked up to me and put his hands on either side of my head, keeping me trapped with his dark eyes that focused on my own.

My heart started pounding a little faster and I struggled to remember to breath.

He leaned his head closer so that our lips where only a centimeter apart. When he spoke that moved against each other and I had to bite the inside of my lip to keep from moaning out loud.

He didn't even kiss me and I'm already in frenzy.

"Need something Babe?"

I blinked when my thoughts moved us fully clothed from the alley to naked and tangled in my sheets.

Dammit. I rolled my eyes at myself and tried to focus.

I opened my mouth to ask about the truck, but the second my lips parted his pressed against mine harder. His tongue found my own and I couldn't stop the deep moan from escaping. Ranger pressed his hard body against mine, pushing me against the wall. Before I even knew what was happening, my legs wrapped around his waist and my body started rocking my center against him.

I groaned when Ranger broke apart from me and untangled my legs from him.

It took me a moment to get my breathing under control and to finally look in his eyes. They were dark pools of lust that sent a bolt in between my legs.

I saw his lips moving and I tried to focus.

"- I can help you with, Babe?"

Right. Help. Tree. Truck. Borrow.

I cleared my throat. "Umm, yea. I was wondering if I could borrow your truck for a couple hours. I still need to get a Christmas tree and I don't think my car could make it with a tree strapped to it."

When I mentioned my car his lips curved a little and he eyes darted to the POS in question.

He found my eyes again. "How are you gonna get the tree up to your apartment?"

"Well . . . I . . . uh. . ."

I didn't even think about that. How was I going to get the damned thing in my apartment?

Ranger grinned at me and wrapped his arm around my neck pulling me towards his truck. "I'll drive," Is all he said.

"You don't have to go through all this trouble. I could get Dillon to help." If he was home, I added in my head. "You have a business to run and all."

"I need a break. And if I'm with you I might get to see something explode." He winked and helped me into the truck.

"Asshole," I mumbled when he climbed into the driver's seat.

Ranger just ignored me and started driving towards the tree lot on Franklin.

I could stop the smile on my face when we arrived and I saw all the trees.

I was out of the truck and walking towards the trees before Ranger even opened the door.

"Good morning Miss. How are you today?" A voice asked behind me.

I turned around to see a sweet looking old man with a Santa's hat on. "I'm good, how are you?"

"Great, thanks for asking. Looking for a tree today?"

"Yeah." I said with a smile.

"Well you go and have a look-see and see if you can find my grandson Ben or just give ole Bubba a holler if you find something you like. I'm too old to be walking around the lot with everyone like I used to."

"I will. Thank you."

Then I went on the hunt when Ranger finally caught up to me.

I felt like Goldilocks while I searched. Some were too big. Others were too small. Too skinny. Too fat. Didn't look right. Didn't smell right. On and on we searched. Ranger just stayed at my side and shook his head every time I commented on a tree.

Then 20 minutes later, I found it. It was perfect. Just the right height, chubby enough to look good but not enough to put up a fight through the door.

I grinned at Ranger and he smiled back.

"See something you like Miss?" I turned to see. . . . Damn.

He was hot. A couple inches taller than me. Light blue-green eyes that sparkled. Lips curved into a smile. Dimples. Strong chin. He had a black windbreaker. His hands were in his pockets in the front of his jeans, which were slightly tight on him emphasizing his. . . . package. He was hot and he knew it.

I was brought back to reality when I felt Rangers hand on the back of my neck.

"Oh . . . umm. . . Yea. . . .I want this tree." I pointed the one I picked.

His smile was bright. "No problem." He looked the tree over and checked the price. "Normally this would cost $75, but since we're nearing the end how does $50 work for you Miss . . . . . ?"

"Stephanie. Steph please."

"Steph it is. I'm Ben." When he winked Ranger tightened his grip slightly on my neck. "How about I get this beauty all tied up for you and meet you at your car?"

Before I could say anything Ranger spoke up. "Black truck." Then he pulled me away.

I grinned up at Ranger. "What's got you in such a hurry Batman?"

He glanced at me for a moment but didn't say anything.

I had to bite my lips from laughing. I don't think Ranger liked Ben all that much. Serves him right though. Everywhere we go girls practically throw themselves at him. I've been thinking about buying him a bat to keep them away.

"You should see the way the guys look at you Babe."

Ranger's voice startled me. Crap. "I said that out loud?" He just grinned at me and I rolled my eyes. "You have a hundred times as many girls after you, than I have guys interested in me."

"You're wrong."

I didn't want to argue since he was as stubborn as me. We waited at the truck for a few minutes before Ben came into view with my tree. They loaded it on the truck bed and strapped it down.

"Thanks Ben." I handed him the money as he gave me the receipt. I looked at him questioningly when his smile got even bigger.

"Have fun decorating your tree Steph. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas. Bye Ben."

"Later." He winked at me and walked away.

Ranger took the receipt out of my hand. He looked at it for a minute before ripping it into a bunch of pieces and threw them in the snow. "He put his number on it."

"What did you do that for? What if I wanted to call him?" I couldn't help it. It just came out of my mouth without thought.

Ranger looked at me like a tiger ready to pounce on its prey. He slowly moved towards me as I moved back towards the truck door. Only seconds later my back was pressed against the truck. Ranger took both my hands in one of his, pinning them above my head, before pressing his body against mine. He hooked my left leg around his waist and I felt him pressed against my center. I moaned when he pushed his hips harder against mine.

I arched my back when I felt his other hand skim up my side to rest against the outline of my breast. I felt his lips glide over my ear, down my jaw to my chin and finally across my lips. I whimpered when he started to back away. I held my leg tighter against him, trying to keep him in place. I brought my head closer to his and captured his lips in mine. He forced my head back and deepened the kiss.

It seemed like days before we finally broke apart, struggling for breath.

"Still want Ben's number, Babe?"

"Who's Ben?"

Ranger smirked and lightly ran his lips over mine before opening the door and lifting me in.

Forty minutes later I was pulling out my tub of lights and ornaments with a grin as Ranger struggled to get the tree straight in the stand.

"Anytime you need help Batman, I'm here." I rolled my eyes when he said the same thing again.

"I got it Babe."

If you say so, I thought to myself.

Another 30 minutes later Ranger gave up and asked me for help.

Five minutes after that, the tree was ready for decorating.

"Thanks for the help Ranger."

He nodded and walked into the kitchen to get a couple bottles of water. He handed me one before taking off his jacket and shaking all the needles off of it.

I looked at him and couldn't help but laugh a little. His hair was sticking up in places. Pine needles were all buried in his hair. Some of the tree sap was covering his cheek.

"Why don't you go clean up and I'll order lunch?"

I placed a call into Pinos before starting to untangle a string of lights.

Ranger walked back in looking perfect. He walked over and picked up the other string of lights to untangle. We worked in silence and finished about the same time.

After testing to make sure the lights worked, I started working from the bottom up, going half way around the tree before passing the string to Ranger to finish up. Back and forth we went until we reached the top of the tree.

I plugged it back in again, adjusting some of the lights and grinned at the result.

"Perfect."

Just then the food came. Ranger beat me to the door and paid for it. I started to argue but he told me it was payment for getting him out of work.

Finally I just shrugged. Who was I to refuse free food?

We talked about different things as we ate. I had a meatball sub with extra cheese and I got Ranger a salad with low-fat dressing. Mental eye roll. I really do need to teach him how to eat.

I cleaned up in the kitchen while Ranger swept up the pine needles in the living room.

I met him in the living room. He looked at me curiously when we pulled out my not-so traditional ornaments from the tub.

I grinned. "I'll tell you about them later. Right now help me hang the regulars on."

Minutes ticked by as Ranger and I hung the different colored ornaments. Every now and then I would feel Ranger staring at me but I just continued to find places more ornaments. When we went through the whole box, I stepped back to look. The corner of Rangers lips twitched when I rearranged a couple of the ornaments he hung.

"Hey, they need to be perfect ok? You had too many red near each other. Everyone knows you're supposed to hang them in a certain balance." I rolled my eyes when he raised his eyebrow. I waved him off and grinned as I bent down to get my favorite ornaments.

"Pretty interesting choice of stuff to hang on a Christmas tree, Babe."

I gave him a soft smile. "They remind me of my friends and family. I buy one for everyone that's helped me get to where I am. How about you hand them to me and I'll tell you about them as I hang it?"

He nodded and handed me the first one. I rubbed my thumb lightly over the little army man before finding the right spot for it. "You probably think this is you or one of your men, but it's for my dad. He was always so proud of what he did. My mom says he's still the same now as he was when he was in the military. Strong, loyal, courageous, loving, hard working, and determined. He kind of reminds me of you."

Ranger gave me a small smile and I smiled back. The next one he handed me was an hourglass painted in bright colors, with pink and purple sand inside. I laughed as I explain. "This one is Grandma Mazur of course. Bright, hard to miss, never really ages, and comes in different colors and sizes."

Ranger just shook his head and handed me the next one after I hung the hourglass.

"I don't think this one needs an explanation, Babe."

I laughed when I saw it was a tank. "You're right. I was lucky I found this. I couldn't think of anything else to represent Tank." I hung it up and flicked the cannon lightly. "Next."

This time it was a silver fork and spoon crisscrossing each other. "My mom of course. She might not always understand me, or even try to, but I know she loves me. She'll always be there for me. . . . especially when it comes to food."

Ranger grinned and handed me the next one. "Morelli."

"Yup." In my hand was a small cupcake ceramic cupcake. "I was debating between this and a train, but I didn't want to have to explain the train." I hung it up and picked the next one out of Ranger hands.

"This one is Lula's." I found the perfect place for the bright red high heeled shoes.

On and on we went, sometimes we laughed, and sometimes my heart skipped a beat as I remember all my old friends and family.

Finally we were down to the last three.

"Mary Lou?" Ranger guessed.

I smiled and nodded my head. I hung the half heart near the top of the tree. "She actually has the other half. I gave it to her a long time ago and she's been putting it on her tree ever since."

I took the last two ornaments from his hand. I looked at it for a moment before I spoke. "This is your ornament." I held up the black one. "I saw it on a small tree in a store window and had to get it. I walked in and asked the manager how much it was. He said it wasn't for sale but I kept raising my price. Finally he just looked at me for a moment said placed it in my hand. He said I could have then for free. I tried to argue and say I would gladly pay but he just shook his head, wished me a Merry Christmas, and told me to take good care of them." I hung his up right below the top before running my thumb over the white one. "The white one is mine. You helped me find my wings. I'll always be thankful for the Ranger." I hung his up right next to mine.

I hadn't looked at him since I took the two ornaments out of his hand. I still avoided his eye as I grabbed a chair to plug in the star and place it on the top. After I put the chair back, I plugged in the base lights and stood back to look at the tree. The lights reflected off the ornaments and made the whole tree glow.

Ranger walked right up to my back and wrapped his arms around me. We stood there admiring the beautiful tree we both decorated.

I finally have my tree.

And near the center, right under the star, were the yin and yang of my life.

A white turtle dove and a rare black turtle dove.

Me and Ranger.

A/N: I think it's pretty cute. Tell me what you think. Thanks again for reading.