The Test

All characters except Miguel belong to Janet Evanovich and I am not profiting from them in any way.

This is my first fanfic so please review and let me know what you think. Hints as to where to improve are also welcome! Be warned that this is an adult story with mature content (yes, there is smut) and language. Babe story with lots of angst but no Cupcake warnings.

Prologue

Ranger Manoso sat in silence staring into the darkness. As ex-military he had always appreciated their early warning systems; systems that would alert you to everything from intruders to missiles and let you know that your life was about to go to shit. What he wouldn't have given for one of those today for his personal life. In hindsight, he knew this had been building for awhile but somehow he had avoided thinking about it...until now. If only he could go back two weeks or better yet two years and do it all over again...

Life had been good, fairly relaxed even – at least for him. Joe and Stephanie had experienced a pregnancy scare that had thrilled him and terrified her forcing them to discuss the status of their relationship and what they needed from one another. Joe needed Steph to find more safe and stable employment and Steph needed to feel that Joe supported her choices which left them basically nowhere so they'd finally called it quits.

Mrs. Plum was devastated but the Tasty Pastry had started selling pineapple upside down cake and Ella was making chocolate fudge sour cream cake twice a week so Steph had handled her mother's wrath with a minimum of suffering. Ranger had waited two months before he'd moved on his Babe; he'd wanted to give her enough time to get over Morelli but not enough time for her hormones to start responding to anyone else's advances.

Ranger had wanted a chance with Steph for a long time but in the back of his mind he'd always wondered what would happen if they ever got together...would things really work out for them? Would their chemistry remain as strong once it was no longer forbidden? Could he give her the emotional openness she craved? Would their families get along? Would they get over their respective fears of marriage and decide they wanted to commit and have children? And the big one, would Steph accept his life and respect its inherent dangers and act accordingly?

The answers to all of his questions had been positive for the most part. The sex was better than he'd remembered and his Babe was more adventurous then Ranger had dared to dream - especially after he assigned Ella with a stealth mission involving the substitution of sugar with Splenda and Stevia.

Steph loved talking with Ranger and hearing about his day but she was also interested in his past and his opinions which made it easier for him to open up about his feelings. He'd finally realized that the more open he was the more comfortable Steph was and that made the effort worthwhile.

Their families hadn't been introduced however Ranger's parents had met Steph and liked her. Ellen Plum was slowly coming around and Frank was in favor of anything that made Steph happy. Valerie was pregnant with baby number five and concerned about Kloughn's failing practice so worrying about Steph's life wasn't really a priority for her.

Grandma Mazur adored Ranger in a disturbing and far from asexual way but there were no issues there - at least as long as Ranger stayed aware of his surroundings, kept his reflexes sharp and didn't object to discussing guns and sex toys over dinner.

The only area that was lacking was Steph's willingness to train. His men had all offered to help but Steph despised exercise and hated her gun so she kept resisting and Ranger was so happy that they were together and content that he allowed himself to visit Denial Land with her - as long as she kept her trackers and panic buttons in her luggage.

Things had been so good...he should have known. As a couple they were finally solid…Murphy just had to be waiting to bite them in the ass.

Steph was in between stalkers, she'd had the same car for seven months and she'd been running with Ranger a few mornings a week – largely to keep her junk food addiction from manifesting itself across her middle.

Ranger had survived his government contract, picked up some new corporate clients and kicked everyone's ass in Rangeman's first fishing tournament. Ranger and Julie spoke on the phone or emailed daily and they seemed to finally be developing a relationship. Ranger had felt so comfortable that he'd taken Steph and the core team to Point Pleasant for a wonderful weekend of R & R.

They had barely returned when his former commander had contacted him about Miguel Sequero.

Please read and review!