In Walked Love
Chapter 1
SapphireJ

Just a little something that won't leave me alone and allow me to finish my other projects. I know that if I write what is in my head, then once it clears, I can begin working on my other projects… so here it is. Hope you enjoy it.

This is not a Babe or Cupcake (not that I'd ever write a Cupcake). This is a Tart story. I'm not sure when you'll figure out which MM is involved, but probably by the third chapter. This is probably all going to be from the MM's POV.

Leave me some reviews and let me know what you think!


As I struggled to wake up, I realized something was wrong. Before opening my eyes, I decided to try and take inventory: I was in an unfamiliar bed; it was harder than mine, I didn't feel any clothes on, and there was someone in bed with me. I tried wracking my brain to remember last night, but the more I thought about it, the more my head throbbed. Sniffing the air, I smelled a familiar scent and I prayed that I was wrong. Fighting the urge to open my eyes wide, and partly because if I just peeked, then I could tell myself it wasn't real, I decided to squint one eye. What I saw had my half my brain shouting, "Oh Shit! Oh Fuck!" while the other half shouted, "Hell YES!"

There, upon my chest, was a mass of brown curly hair. Part of my body screamed, "Run for your life," while another part throbbed and began to grow quickly. I closed my eyes and, once again, began praying that the person currently using my chest as a pillow was not Stephanie Plum. Closing my eyes, I thought back to last night and tried to rest a little to alleviate the headache.

My brother, Chase, had just arrived in Trenton and signed on at Rangeman. I wanted to take him out to celebrate, so I sent word through the office. The only ones who didn't have plans already were Zip, Zero, and Junior. So, the four of us grabbed my brother and two vehicles, and headed off to Princeton. The bars in Trenton were boring and I wanted to have a good time.

The first bar we hit was a dud. The music sucked and the beer was worse. So, we decided to hit Frankie's, a new bar that had just opened. When we arrived, we knew this was the place to be. The band was kicking ass and the wait staff was freaking hot! We secured a table and ordered our first round. Just as the beers arrived, I heard Chase whistle, "Dayum, looks like this is the bar for the night. Here comes a hot lookin' chick."

I turned to see who he was talking about and saw none other than Stephanie Plum and her group of friends walking towards us. She had the most amazing dress on; you know the type, short, tight, and black. When she reached our table, she smiled and looked at Chase. Giggling, she said, "I don't know you, but you sure look like you could be a Merry Man." Damn, she was already tipsy. Chase laughed, "What's your name and what the fuck is a Merry Man?"

Stephanie looked at her friends and back to Chase, "I'm sorry. I'm Stephanie, and this is Lula, Connie, Mary-Lou, and Valerie." Before she mentioned our names to her friends, she looked at each of us with her hands on her hips, "Now, I know your mothers didn't name you with street names, so I want given names."

Her glare landed on Junior first. Of course he had no control over himself when it came to her. "Marc is my given name," he said with a smile. Zip and Zero went next, "Alex. Bryan." Then her gaze turned to me. When she smiled and winked at me, I had to swallow before I could talk, "Matthew." I pointed to Chase and answered for him, "This is my little brother, Michael."

Stephanie smiled again, and when she looked around, she saw that the girls had all taken the empty seats at the table. Zip stood to go grab one, but she shook her head, looked at me, and planted herself in my lap. I was so shocked that it took a moment to get the blood flowing to the correct head.

"Sorry," she whispered in my ear, "all the other seats were taken. I hope you don't mind."

Mind? Did I mind that the woman who has stared in many of my fantasies is currently sitting on my lap? Fuck no. Under the pretense of keeping her from falling, I wrapped my arms around her waist. When I inhaled, I smelled her coconut lotion and was lost. I couldn't even tell you what the guys were talking about.

As the night wore on, we'd all taken a trip around the dance floor with Steph. We tried to include the other women, but Lula and Connie had found other men in the bar to spend time with. About the time we were ready for a second trip around the dance floor, Mary-Lou had a call that her middle son was in the hospital with a broken leg. Not having a car of her own, Valerie decided to call it a night and give Mary-Lou a ride home.

As the guys, Steph, and I sat around the table, Junior decided to ask the question I wanted an answer to, but didn't want to ask. "So, Steph. What's up with you, Joe, and Ranger?"

Taking a drink, she gathered her thoughts before speaking, "Joe and I split up eight months ago. He finally realized what I'd been saying all along. We are better at friends than lovers. He wants me to change and I don't want to. I won't give up my friends or career just because he wants me to."

I nodded in agreement with her. I sure as fuck didn't want her to change or give up her friends. Chase, who didn't know her, asked, "And Ranger?"

Stephanie look at him for a moment before turning back to me, "He's your brother?" I nodded. "Got any other brothers?" Not understanding why that mattered, I nodded.

"I have two other brothers. One younger and one older." I smiled when she looked like she was thinking of what to ask next. Sometimes I wondered how her thought process worked because instead of asking about my other brothers, she decided to answer Chase's question.

"Ranger and I had a loooong talk 'bout seven months ago." She reached for my beer, and without asking, took a long swallow. "Right 'fore he went on his mission, he came to me. We talked for hours. Well, actually I talked. He just threw in a word here and there."

She began to squirm on my lap and I swear to God if she didn't sit still soon, I was going to seem like I was teenager and embarrass myself. I tightened my arms around her waist and she finally stopped. Whew, that was close.

"Anyway, Ranger and I decided that all we'd ever be is friends. He can't, or won't, allow someone to get close to him and he understands that I need more than just the occasional kiss and touch from him. So, we're friends and that's it."

I swear my heart started pounding so hard she was going to feel it. I couldn't believe she just gave me a glimmer of hope that I, Matthew Cooper, may have a chance at being more than friends with her.

Snapping out my thoughts, I opened my eyes again and stared at her. For some reason beyond my control, I reached a hand up to run it through her curls when I spotted it.

I froze… it was either that or sit up so fast that I'd risk launching sleeping beauty across the room. There, resting on my ring finger of my left hand, was a ring that was not there twenty-four hours ago. I began reciting the Lord's Prayer in my head because I knew that when the boss found out, I'd be dead meat. They may be just friends now, but he was still going to be very protective of her. I tried, once again, to search my memory for information, but before I could get too far, Stephanie, at least I'm still assuming it was Stephanie, began to wake up. I knew the instant she was fully awake as her body tensed.

"Morning," I whispered as I placed my hand in her curls.

Slowly looking up at me, I saw the most beautiful blue eyes, "Um, morning, Matthew."

When she said my given name, I couldn't help the twitch my dick gave. I just hope she didn't notice it and freak out. "Um, are we in a hotel room?" she whispered as she looked around.

"Yeah, I guess so."

I felt her squirm a little against me and then still, "Shit. Are we naked?" I didn't have to answer that one as she lifted the sheet a little and answered her own question. The next question, however, I was not prepared for. "Did we… um… you know."

I couldn't tell if she'd be upset with the answer or not, so I just nodded over to the night stand, "From the looks of the three empty condom wrappers, I'd say we did."

I felt her burry her face in my chest and hoped she wasn't regretting anything; I know I wasn't. "Steph?" I stroked her hair and prayed she'd not push me away. "Talk to me."

"I need to use the restroom," she said as she tried to grab the sheet. I stopped her. I knew she said she needed to use the restroom, but I didn't want her going, possibly finding a ring on her finger, and freaking out.

"Matthew, I need to go," she whispered. When she raised her hand to brush the hair from her face, I saw the matching ring on her finger.

"Steph, I know you said you need to go, but there is something I need to tell you before you get up from this bed." With her looking at me with those beautiful blue eyes, I didn't want to tell her this and have her never speak to me again, but I knew I had to. Slowly reaching out for her hand, I brought her left hand to my lips and kissed her ring finger.

I watched as her eyes followed my lips to her finger and knew the second she realized what was different. Her eyes were huge and her breathing seemed to have stopped. I waited for her to yell, scream, slap me, anything. But she didn't. What she did do, surprised me. She sat up, allowing the sheet the fall which gave me a glimpse of her breasts… yep, there goes the dick twitch again. Down boy!

"Um, Matthew, is this what I think it is?" she questioned while still looking at the ring. I think she forgot she was naked as the sheet was forgotten.

Placing my left hand on hers, I answered, "I think so. I seem to have the matching one."

"What happened last night? I remember going out with the girls, ditching a few clubs as they were boring. We ended up at Frankie's and ran into you and a few of the guys. I don't remember much other than dancing."

Here's the thing. How much do I tell her I remember? I remember her sitting on my lap, dancing with us guys, and then a make-out session with her in the hallway while waiting on the bathroom line for her to die down. After that, my mind is blank. I decided to be honest with her and watched as I told about the major kissing and groping.

Her hand went to her lips as if she were remembering the kiss. When she brushed her fingers across her bottom lip, her eyes closed, and she smiled. "You are a wonderful kisser," she said and then blushed. When she opened her eyes, she realized she was naked and grabbed the sheet. Damn, there goes my opportunity to see her breasts again. As I was about to groan, I realized she was leaning towards me. My heart sped up and all the blood rushed south as I began to anticipate her kissing me.

Her lips landed on mine and I swear to God, I heard her moan. It may have been me, but I'm betting it was her. I kissed her back with just as much passion as she was giving. Next thing I knew, we were horizontal and she was laying on top of me. I swear I'm dreaming I thought to myself as I wound my fingers in her hair.

"Not dreaming, Matthew," she whispered in my ear. Fuck, now I'm picking up her habits of talking out loud. "I do still need to get up and use the restroom, but I'll be right back."

She rolled off me and strutted, naked mind you, to the bathroom. Just before she shut the door, she looked over her shoulder and smiled at me.

I have to be dreaming. There is no way in HELL I am really married to Stephanie Plum and she is so accepting of it. She's not freaked out, so that right there tells me this is a dream and I'll be waking up soon. I have to wake up, right? Either that… or I'm dead. Fuck!