Steps, a janet evanovich fanfic

All characters belong to Janet Evanovich

Minor smut--kissing

Steps

Ranger was driving back from Boston. One of the oldest clients wanted to upgrade the security system in his three hotels. He had seen enough exits, hotel lobbies, kitchens, and hallways. Up on the roof, down in the basements, on the loading docks. Enough hotels, he wanted to go home where his Babe was waiting for him.

Stephanie would have made the trip with him, but it was Grandma Mazur's birthday and she didn't want to miss it. They talked first thing in the morning and last thing at night. A few times in between when he could call.

Without her smile, no curls to touch, and no Stephanie to hold at night, the five days away dragged and were beyond boring. The client approved the upgrades and Ranger turned the installation over to his brother, Ramon, who ran the Boston Rangeman office. Not able to get a flight to Trenton until late afternoon, he opted to rent a black Lexus SUV and high-tailed it home. He settled into his zone.

A song caught his attention.

I always needed time on my own
I never thought I'd need you there when I cry
And the days feel like years when I'm alone
And the bed where you lie is made up on your side

When you walk away I count the steps that you take
Do you see how much I need you right now

When you're gone
The pieces of my heart are missing you
When you're gone
The face I came to know is missing too
When you're gone
The words I need to hear to always get me through the day and make it ok
I miss you

I've never felt this way before
Everything that I do reminds me of you
And the clothes you left, they lie on the floor
And they smell just like you, I love the things that you do

When you walk away I count the steps that you take
Do you see how much I need you right now

We were made for each other
Out here forever
I know we were, yeah
All I ever wanted was for you to know
Everything I'd do, I'd give my heart and soul
I can hardly breathe I need to feel you here with me, yeah

He was missing Stephanie. They were meant for each other. And Ranger admitted he loved only her and stopped fighting his feelings.

How many steps until he held her in his arms tonight?

Tank picked Ranger up at the rental car office when he dropped it off. They pulled into the Rangeman garage.

From the Porsche to the elevator--11 steps.

Elevator--2 steps in, 2 steps out.

Elevator to apartment door--7 steps.

Apartment door to Stephanie's lips on the sofa--14 steps.

"Thirty-six," Ranger mumbled kissing her.

"What?" , Stephanie looked at him curiously.

"From the Porsche to you it was 36 steps."

Sofa to bed, still kissing--20 steps

" You to bed another twenty steps."

"Why? That boring in Boston."

"I wanted to know how many steps it would take until I was holding you. My heart is where you are. And it was approximately 1,689,636 steps from Boston to my Babe."

"Wow, I missed you, too."

It went on for weeks. When Stephanie counted, her totals were always off. Then she figured Ranger was counting in her smaller steps and not his larger strides.

Ranger's office to Stephanie's cubicle--18 steps.

Elevator to Ranger's office--31 steps.

Bedroom to kitchen--15 steps.

Apartment door to bedroom--26 steps.

Elevator to treadmill in gym--82 steps.

Bed to shower--17 steps, but 9 Ranger strides with Stephanie over his shoulder.

Stephanie was in the firing range when she felt Ranger nuzzling her neck.

"All right, how many?"

"96 from elevator to your lips, 133 from bed to here, and 131 from my office."

"Ranger, you need a different hobby."

"No, Babe, I'm really like the hobby that comes after the this hobby."

"What could that be?"

Kissing her so Stephanie was only aware of them. "I 'll show you in 133 steps."

Candlelit steps for Stephanie to reach Ranger--26.

"You may now kiss the bride"--1 step.

The End

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When you're Gone--Avril Lavigne