**Okay, this is a little one shot in response to a challenge from avbabe. The challenge, use the line "Man up and grow some balls, Cupcake." This is what came to mind. Keep the challenge going, share your version too.

PS life is settling down and I'm finally breaking through my writer's block a little. Got this written and felt recharged, so I got the next half a chapter of Taken written this morning too. Yay.**

I just knew I should have stayed in bed today, unfortunately I never listen to myself. So instead of a quiet room and a soft bed I'm enjoying the noise of the St. Francis ER and one of the plastic covered torture devices they try to pass off as beds.

"I'm fine. It's just a scratch," I said looking around the room, trying to determine if I could sneak out without being stopped. I've hated this place since I broke my arm when I was a kid. The doctor didn't dope me up enough before he set it, and it hurt like a bitch. Just like this was going to. "I'm gonna go home."

"You're not going home."

I looked over to the occupied chair on my right and frowned. "You can't keep me here," I grumbled back at him. Of course his answer to that was to pull out his handcuffs and attach my wrist to the bedrail. "Ugh, come on. Are you kidding me?"

"No."

"You can't just cuff me to the bed," I grumbled. He just lifted an eyebrow at me in response, making my face flush bright red. Okay, so maybe it wasn't the first time he cuffed me to a bed. "Well, not like this you can't. This is not consensual. Unlock them."

"Then stop testing my patience," he sighed as he unlocked the cuffs and stuffed them back into his pocket.

"Your patience? What about mine?"

"Stephanie, just stop complaining and let them stitch you up, then we'll discuss this," he said with finality.

Of course he should have known me well enough to know that I'd never let it go if he commanded me to. "No, let's discuss it now." He stared back at me for a minute before leaning back in the chair and closing his eyes. Was he kidding me? "Stop ignoring me."

"I'm not ignoring you," he told me. "That's impossible. You're too loud."

That jerk. If his chair was closer to the bed I'd hit him for that one. "Loud?" I yelled at him, which I knew practically proved his point, but he was pissing me off.

"Mmhmm."

"Well, it's better than being silent all the time," I complained back.

"My mom always said if you don't have something nice to say, say nothing."

I snorted back at that. I highly doubted his lack of words had anything to do with his mother. No. He just did it so he could keep everyone at arm's length and I was sick of it. "You obviously want to say something to me. Just say it already."

He shook his head and ran a hand through his dark hair, messing it in a completely yummy way. Not that I was looking. "I'm tired."

"You're tired? You're not the one who was shot," I bitched at him. Not that it was a real gunshot wound. Not the kind that threatened my life anyway. No, it was more of a flesh wound, the kind that would hurt like a bitch to get cleaned and stitched, but it wouldn't kill me.

"I'm tired of you getting hurt," he said more loudly, and then he picked up even more steam. "You need to be trained if you're going to go after the higher skips and you know it." I wasn't sure what to say to that. He'd never yelled at me that way before. "You make me crazy, you know that?"

"No." And I didn't. How would I? He never says anything to me. Well, at least nothing I can understand.

"Well, you do," he said as he pushed out of the chair and walked to the window. "You need training. You need a real partner. You need reliable back-up. You need someone you can trust to help you, someone you're not scared to admit you need help to."

"I trust you," I answered sulkily, because I knew everything he said was right, even if I would never admit it.

"Then why didn't you call me for back-up?"

Now that was a little more difficult to answer. It wasn't that I was afraid to ask him for back-up. It was more that I was afraid to work with him because every time I'm near him I get weaker and weaker, to the point where I'm afraid I'll give in to my lust. "Ranger," I sighed.

He looked back over his shoulder at me. "Babe."

"Ugh, fine. I didn't call because I didn't want to see you." He looked back at the window, but there was nothing casual about the way he was standing now. He was clenching his fists and his lips were pressed together in a firm line. I frowned. That wasn't exactly how I wanted that to sound, but what could I say? I didn't call because I was afraid I'd drop my panties in an instant? No. I couldn't say that, but I had to say something. I didn't want to hurt him. "It's not that I didn't want to see you, because I wanted to see you. A lot. I wanted to see you more than anything, so I knew I couldn't see you, because if I saw you things would get too real and I'm not ready for that yet."

He didn't respond. He just stood there, staring out that window. I wasn't sure I could say more than that. I wasn't sure he was ready to hear more than that either. But he finally did turn around. He leaned back against the windowsill and crossed his arms over his chest. "When are you going to be ready?"

"For what?"

"To discuss this, us," he sighed again.

I think my mouth dropped open as I stared back at him. He was the most gorgeous man I'd ever laid eyes on. He was tall, dark, and handsome and so strong, not just physically. He was smart and witty, charming and seductive, caring and understanding, and braver than anyone I knew. He was everything I could dream of wanting in a man, but he wasn't for the taking. He'd told me so. What more was there to discuss. "What us?"

"The us that you keep ignoring."

"Ranger."

He lifted that eyebrow again and let one side of his mouth lift into a smile. "Babe, I'm going to need more than a one word answer here."

"Answer?"

Of course that made him full out grin at me and it was a good thing I was already in a prone position or I probably would have hit the floor. Have I mentioned that he has the best smile I've ever seen? It lights up his entire face, no, the entire room.

"I want to be your partner. I want to train you. I want to help you. I want be with you," he told me.

"You stopped bounty hunting."

"I'm not talking about bounty hunting," he answered as he walked back to the bed and took my hand.

Oh. My. God. The man was about as clear as mud, but it sounded to me like he was talking relationship talk. "Oh?"

"I told you that I love you. I told you that I've been thinking about us living together," he said softly. "I want to do it. I want to be with you."

I want to be with you too. It was there, on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn't make the words come out. "Ranger, I, I, I,…" I managed to stutter before I was cut off.

"Cupcake," another male voice said coming into the room. He immediately took in the scene between Ranger and me and frowned. "Am I interrupting something?"

Yes. "Uh…" I managed to grunt.

"Yes," Ranger answered before looking back at me. "I'll be back later. Have an answer." Then he kissed me, right there in front of Joe. And it was a helluva kiss.

Oh, boy. I watched him walk out the door before looking back at Joe, who was just as handsome as Ranger, in his own way. He was just cuddlier and a bit more fun loving than Ranger. He was also kind hearted, loved animals and kids, was a brave and respected police officer, was smart and resourceful, and he got my family. Plus we had the same friends, sort of. Joe fit into my life seamlessly. That's why dating him had always been an easy choice for me. It's what would make staying with him today the easy choice too.

Unlike Ranger, I'd always know what Joe wanted from me. He never held back anything, even if it caused a huge fight. We'd probably have a quiet, predictable life in our hometown. All he really wanted was a wife, and mother for his kids, a dog, and a house. He was already half way there, he just needed me and the kids. It was the kind of life that'd look good on paper, but it was a life I wasn't sure I wanted.

Could I give up myself, what I've made for myself this last few years? Could I give up my independence? There would be no more excitement or danger. There'd be no more adventure or mysteries to solve. There'd be none of the things that make me feel alive. Joe would never allow those things the way Ranger would. Of course, there would be no discussion of training or safety like there would be with Ranger either, mainly because that life would be in my past. Just like Ranger would. And that's what's really kept me from saying yes to Joe for years. I didn't know if I could live the rest of my life without seeing Ranger again.

"What did he ask you? To do some other crazy, dangerous job with him? Cover something up for him? Give him an alibi?" Joe grumbled as he took the empty chair next to the bed. God, if it were only that simple.

"Joe," I sighed. "Not now, okay? I'm tired."

"Shit," he sighed back. "He wants you to choose, doesn't he?"

I guess I always knew there would come a day when the men in my life made me choose between them, but I never knew it would feel this way. Nor did I think it'd happen while I was trapped in a hospital bed, with a bullet hole in my arm.

"He wants to train me and get me a real partner and reliable back-up," I told him. "He said he's sick of watching me get hurt."

Joe took my hand and laced his fingers through mine. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm in complete agreement with him. I'm sick of it too. If you're going to keep doing this I'd rather you do it with him than alone."

"You can't mean that. You hate him," I accused.

Joe made a pained face, then finally shrugged. "I don't hate him. I hate that he helped you keep going with this career. I hate that you trust him more than me. I hate that you're in love with him. But he's a decent guy and he's been on the right side of a lot of our cases, even if he handles them a little questionably. Plus, he's saved your ass more times than I probably know about."

Well, crap. "How long have you known?"

"That you loved him?" I nodded yes. "Since you lied to me to help him." I opened my mouth to argue, but what could I say? "You hid him from the police. He was wanted for murder."

"So were you, and I helped you," I pointed out.

"And why did you do that?" he demanded. "Because you loved me."

I rolled my eyes at him and frowned. I always said it was for the bounty, but he was right. I was in love with him, just a little. "Fine, yes, I love you both."

Joe nodded, but he didn't look upset by my confession. Apparently he didn't need my confirmation. "Who do you love more?"

I didn't think it was a matter of who I loved more, because I wasn't sure how I could weigh the love I had for them. It was as different as they were. I didn't even think it was a matter of which of them loved me more. I knew they both loved me, in their own ways. No, it was a matter of what I wanted for the rest of my life. Who is the man that would stand by me, support me, and help me achieve those things?

"I can't answer that and you know it," I grumbled at him.

"Well, I hoped you could," he answered sadly. "And you'll have to."

"Knock, knock," a nurse said, sticking her head in the door. "I need to take you down to imaging now."

Ah, yes, to make sure I hadn't torn up my arm too badly. I smiled at her. Suddenly the idea of arm surgery sounded like heaven compared to choosing between the men. "Okay. I'm ready."

Joe stood and leaned down. He pressed a kiss to my lips, one that made my stomach flip a little, and smiled down at me. "It's time to man up and grow some balls, Cupcake." I frowned at him. Man up! Grow balls! Eww. "I'll be back later, for your decision."

Well, shit. I kind of hoped this doctor had a better way with drugs than the one that set my arm all those years ago. I was prepared to be knocked out for days, maybe weeks.

8888888888888888888

I pulled the trigger and watched as I hit my target in the chest, not once, but three times. I pulled off my goggles and ran over to look down at my victim. "I got you," I grinned. "I got you good."

Before I knew it he pulled me down to the ground and rolled me over, covering me with his body. The paint from the paintballs squished between us, but I hardly cared. His mouth covered mine as his hips slipped between my legs. I was immediately on fire, just like I always was when he kissed me that way. "Mm, Babe, I told you this training wouldn't be so bad," Ranger finally smiled at me when we came up for air.

He was right. From the moment I made the decision to give us a shot he started my training, on every possible subject. And there was one I was sure I needed a little more practice on, and it didn't include my gun if you know what I mean. "I'm ready to be trained some more," I told him as I wrapped my arms around his neck. "You should train me, hard, right now."

He grasped my hips and lifted them, so I cradled his body more securely. "I'm prepared to make this the hardest training of your life," he agreed before grinding his hips into mine.

"Do it then," I commanded him. Our lips met, again. There was nothing but the feel of his hand cupping my breast, his hips moving against mine, our tongues meeting in the same frantic rhythm as our bodies. At least to him there wasn't.

I, on the other hand, grabbed his paintball gun and fired over his shoulder hitting Tank square in the vest. Ranger was up in an instant, staring from Tank to me with a stunned look on his face. "Rule number one, always be aware of your surroundings," I told him with a gentle pat on his shoulder as I swung my ass toward the exit door.

"That girl's got some balls on her," Tank grumbled.

I heard Ranger's laugh echo through the room behind me. "She's all woman, man. And she's all mine." That's right, I didn't need to man up…I had to woman up to get the life I wanted. And, boy, did I have it all.