Bare Chested Ranger
Just noticed the challenge issued by xoc13 to use "bare chested Ranger bathing under the sun." It sounds like fun.As always all plum universe characters belong to JE I just appreciate getting to play with them. All mistakes are mine as this is un-betaed. Please review.
Stephanie unconsciously tapped the first class airline ticket against her lip, deep in thought and not paying attention to her surroundings. She nearly jumped out of her skin when Tank spoke behind her. His voice resembled a low rumble as the big man in black cargos and t-shirt that looked like it had been painted on his massive, muscled chest, gingerly touched her shoulder with his fingertips. "Steph?"
He wasn't sure whether he should be concerned or amused about her distracted state.
A couple of hours ago he had approached her at the bonds office with an offer he was sure she couldn't refuse. There was a lull in Trenton activity due to the February snow. Vinnie hadn't bailed anybody out in more than two week so that meant no low level bonds for Stephanie and Lula to chase. It was just as well, Stephanie's latest POS Honda barely got her to the bonds office on this cold morning.
Steph had tripped and nearly fallen face first on the un-shoveled walk in front of the office. Lula happened to be strutting up behind her in her new, almost Spigas and caught her friend by the back of the jacket as she stumbled forward. Both women wobbled and slid but managed to stay upright. Steph was relieved to see Connie had picked up a box of doughnuts on her way in and had them perched on the edge of her desk. Money was tight right now between rent and paying off Christmas purchases and no money was coming in. Steph had food for Rex but her cupboards were bare. Embarrassed, she had kept mostly to herself lately except for several dinners at her parents.
She couldn't decide if the free meal was worth the lectures from her mother about quitting her job and settling down with that "wonderful, young man Joseph Morelli." Joe was known around town as the Italian Stallion of the Burg. In his younger years he lived up to his nickname bedding half the women in the tri-state area, including a teenage Stephanie. He was still a great looking guy, but had grown up and was looking to settle down and start a family. He had a stable job as a detective for Trenton PD; a house his aunt willed to him and a big, orange dog named Bob. He was a real catch in the Burg and he loved Stephanie, so few people in town could understand why they were not already married.
Stephanie and Joe were in an off again stage of their rocky relationship and she had no desire to go back to on again. While she loved him; she was realizing she wasn't IN love with him and certainly not ready to marry him, not now, not ever. Yes, it was best that they had ended it. It didn't matter that no one else could see that. She hoped Ranger could see that this time is different; she would not be going back to Joe or trying to repair a relationship that wasn't working-that would never work because she was in love with HIM. Ranger was her best friend, her mentor, her hero, her one time lover and her someday.
Stephanie was savoring her second Boston crème with a moan as the bell on the bonds office door rang and Tank glided through it. He nodded toward Lula and Connie, "Miss Lula, Miss Connie." He paused in front of Stephanie and asked if he could speak with her outside. She nodded, grabbed her coat and purse and followed him out to the Explorer he was driving. He opened the passenger side door and helped her inside where it was warm and they had some privacy to talk.
"What's up big guy?" she asked licking some frosting off her lip. "Ranger has been out of town for a while," he started. Steph nodded wondering where he was, not sure if he was in the wind or just at another Rangeman location. She felt pretty sure he wasn't in the wind or he would have told her. "We got a tip on skip and he went to track the scumbag down." "Ok, but what does that have to do with me?" she asked, "Do you need me to run some searches or something?"
"Not this time. We need you to go undercover with Rangeman to get this guy." "Me? Why me? I'd probably be more of a liability than a help Tank."
"That's not true. You have good instincts that compliment his. Ranger tracked this guy down but Hanlin is working a couple's cruise and Rangeman needs you to partner with him. You would pretend to be a couple to get on this cruise and get close to him. You can apprehend him at the end of the trip once you gain his trust. Hanlin is a slippery one.
"If Ranger wants my help why didn't he just ask me himself?" She asked chewing on her lip.
Tank grinned thinking how well suited these two were for each other if only they'd get together already. He pressed 1 on his phone and handed it to her.
Ranger answered immediately. "Ranger?" she asked softly. "Yeah Babe, are you coming? I need your help. Please?" She sighed knowing that she would against her better judgment knowing that her heart was likely to get broken in the process. She would follow him anywhere and help him no matter the cost. Her thoughts turned to all the times he had gone way above and beyond for her and told her there was no price for what they gave each other. She suddenly understood that. "Babe? You still there?"
She cleared the lump from her throat to answer. "Yes, I am here." "Do you trust me?" he asked. "Yes. I assume you already have everything arranged?" she said finally getting control of her emotions.
"Of course. Tank will set you up and get you to me. And Babe?" "Yes Ranger?" "Thank you, I can't wait for you to get here." Click. She looked at the phone a minute and handed it back to Tank. "Can the guys watch Rex?" Tank smiled. "Yep, they are looking forward to teaching him some tricks." Stephanie laughed and shook her head. "Pretty confident I'd agree huh?"
"More like optimistic," he said, "I've got everything arranged."
They watched as a snow plow sprayed dirty snow all over her car. Tank chuckled. "You and your lousy luck, how about I give you a ride?" She grunted but agreed, thankful for the opportunity to get out of town and somewhere else for a while. Hopefully she was going someplace warm.
"Ella packed you a bag and had the rest sent over to Rangeman Miami. If you need anything you can get it there."
They drove in silence to the airport. Tank parked and walked her inside. A couple across the lobby locked in a passionate embrace caught her eye and Stephanie got lost in her thoughts. She jumped when Tank tapped her shoulder.
"Don't even say it," Steph groaned as Tank's enormous hands rested on her shoulders to steady her. "I know, I know, I should be more aware of my surroundings!"
His lips curled up into a half smile. "That wasn't what I was going to say."
"What is it then?" she asks a little more harshly than she had intended. This time he couldn't hold in his amusement and pulled her into his hard chest laughing as he hugged her tight. He hoped that his best friend and partner was going to step up and pull his head out his ass and claim this feisty woman as his own.
"I was going to ask if you needed anything," he said. "Oh, ummm…I don't think so," she said, "I trust you."
Tank nodded and handed her bag to her.
