I Stephanie Plum have had it. The competion between Ranger and Joe has ratcheted up a notch. Everyone knew of my off and on again relationships with Joe. Now Ranger has stopped hiding his feelings for me. Instead of hidden kisses, he now gives me full blown ones in front of Connie, Lula, and Vinnie. One time he had just closed his mouth on mine when Joe had walked in and he didn't even pull away. Now when we are all together there's arguing, yelling, and then almost fists. Well now I'm exhausted mentally and physically, and this was what I'm going to do about it. They want a competition well they've got one.
"What do you mean write you a song?" Joe asked
"It doesn't have to be a song. Weren't you just listening?" I asked him
"Yes you said you were tired of Rangers games so you wanted…." he said
"Not just Ranger Morelli, yours too" I reminded him
"All right you want us to tell you why we want you" he said back to me
"Yes, if both of you say you love me then prove it. Either it be a song, letter, poem, or a gift. Let the best man win" I told him leaving his house
"Where are you going?" he called to me as I got into my car
"RANGEMAN" I yelled back
I drove into the RangeMan underground garage. I parked into an empty spot and opened my door. I knew I had already been seen by several cameras but I didn't care. I punched the button that I knew would lead me to the command center. As the doors opened Lester met me and smiled.
"I've seen that look before" he told me
"And what look is that?" I asked flipping my eyes up to meet his
"It's a look of a woman on a mission. Need any help?" he asked
"No, I know exactly what I'm doing" I told him sidestepping him and lookin around to see the man himself going into his office
Walking over to Rangers door I felt the first licks of panic. He can read minds; well I know he can mine anyways. I stood there for a minute to compose myself and get my breathing back to normal.
"You told Joe you can tell Ranger" I said looking over to see Tank watching me talk to myself. I made a fist with my hand and knocked on his door.
"YES" he said
Walking in I stood there watching him write something down on a piece of paper. I guess one of men would just blurt out what he was there for but I just couldn't. As soon as I saw him my heart started to beat faster. He was all dressed in black and his hair neatly slicked back banded with a thin black ponytail holder.
"SPEAK" he growled never looking up and causing me to jump a little
When I just stood there he lifted his head looking at me with annoyance thinking I probably was just one of the guys.
"Steph" he said his features finally softening
"Hi" I said as he rolled his chair away from his desk and walked over to me
"What do I owe this nice distraction?" he asked me placing a hand on the back of my neck
"I have something to tell you" hoping I didn't sound shaky
"Trouble again Babe" he asked coming closer
"No"
"Need a car?" he asked placing his other hand on my hip pressing me to the door
"No"
"Finally loosing the cop and coming to me?" he asked as his lips closed on mine
Abruptly pulling away from Rangers steamy, orgasm inducing kiss, I moved from his arms. He gave me a very confused look.
"You know Babe usually while I'm kissing a woman, they just don't up and leave" he told me watching as I went over to the windows on the other side of his office.
"You remember what you just said about me leaving the cop and coming to you?" I asked
"Yea"
Well it's not that exactly but…" I said seeing him stand there with his hands on his hips
"Exactly WHAT are you trying to tell me steph?" he asked me
"This has to stop. I'm tired and I can't take it anymore. The last time you and Joe were together you almost came to blows, I'm drained. So I've came up with something. You two like competitions? Well here you go and the prize is Me" I tell him and I see that almost there smile of his
"Babe I don't need to play in a game to have you, you know that right?" he asked me
And boy did I.
"No you probably don't but this way it sooths the manly macho thing you both got going and its fair" I say as I sit in one of his guests chairs
"Ok babe you got my interest, what are the rules of this game?" Ranger asked me as he sat back behind his desk
"Joe says he loves me and I think you do too. So I want you to write me a song, poem, letter, or gifts that proves to me that you love me and want me to be yours, and I'll pick the best one and whoever that is wins the prize" I tell him
"And the prize is you?" he asked me
"Yes. Yes it is" I tell him looking him right in the eye
I stand up and walk to his door opening it I looked back at him.
May the best man win" I tell him as I walk out the door
A few weeks later I had hardly been around both men. I hadn't slept with them either which wasn't that hard since I haven't slept with Ranger since when I dealt with Abruzzi.
I'd captured Russ and brought him to the police station. As I got my body receipt, someone took me by the arm and took me into the men's bathroom,
"Joe what the hell? I ask him looking around the bathroom
"Just read Steph" he said as he showed me the wall
"I love my Cupcake
It's plain to see
Manoso take a hike
She belongs to me"
I read and my heart fell to my feet.
Morelli had done his best I guess but he didn't if that makes any sense I looked at him and asked him if that was his entry and he said it was.
"You know I've wrote on many walls before, after I'm with you Cupcake" he said sliding an arm around my shoulders
"Yes I know you have" recalling the other walls id been subject too
"Let's see Manoso top a tradition. I bet he can't be loving and all that chap. got this in the bag" he told me as he walked me out to my car
I started to wonder if Ranger would be able to come up with anything. The only times he's shown emotions is when he kisses me and the one night we were together. I guess we shall see.
When I woke up the next morning, I came into the living room to sit on my couch. On my small coffee table there was a large brown envelope with my name wrote on it in Rangers handwriting. As I opened it two pieces of paper that were stapled together were inside, I pulled them out.
~ Stephanie,
When you told me of the completion, I didn't have to look far for what I needed. Truth be told I already had it in my desk; I just hadn't gave it to you. I love you
C. Manoso~
Flipping the page over I read another note by Ranger.
~I heard this as I was apprehending a fugitive in a country western bar and I thought of you~
I hope you never lose your sense of wonder,
You get your fill but always keep that hunger,
May you never take one single breath for granted,
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed,
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens,
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance… I hope you dance.
I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance,
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Livin might mean takin chances, but they're worth takin,
Lovin might be a mistake but its worth makin,
Don't let some hell bent heart leave you bitter,
When you come close to selling out reconsider,
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance… I hope you dance.
I hope you dance… I hope you dance.
(Tine is a wheel in constant motion always rollin us along, tell me who wants to look back on the years and wonder where those years have gone)
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens,
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
Dance…I hope you dance
I hope you dance… I hope you dance.
I hope you dance… I hope you dance.
(Tine is a wheel in constant motion always rollin us along, tell me who wants to look back on the years and wonder where those years have gone)
~Babe I mean every word this song says. Please give us a chance. You're a good bounty hunter Stephanie and I don't want you to ever Change a thing. Don't allow anyone to make you sit it out….DANCE BABE~
I had tears in my eyes and flowing down my cheeks. Jumping up I grabbed my keys and jumped in my car. Pulling in at RangeMan I rode the elevator up to the command center. When the doors opened Ranger stood in the middle of the room with a file in his hand talking and showing something about it to Tank and Hal. I strolled right up to him, took the file, and threw it into Tanks chest.
"Babe?" he asked surprised
"I want to Dance" I said as I placed a hand onto his head and kissed him in front of all RangeMan.
"Morelli?" he asked me
"Later" I said into his mouth
Tank and Hal and all of RangeMan stood all googley eyed and their mouths hanging to the floor at seeing their very strict boss, their commander in chief standing there kissing me in the middle of RangeMan. His arms tightened around me and held me close as I felt his tongue enter my mouth and touch mine. It was like from some kind of movie.
As we parted Ranger took me around the waist. We moved over to the elevators. As he punched the up button he called over his shoulder.
"Tank"
"Yes sir" he said right back at him
"Your in command until further notice" Ranger told him as the doors opened and we stepped in.
As I looked into his eyes as he made love to me I knew I'd made the right choice. Ranger would never demand me to quit my job, never pressure me to have babies, and never tell me I'm stupid.
"I love you" I said as he spooned up to me after our love making session.
"I love you too Stephanie"
The End