The Bathroom Wall
Chapter One
Unlocking her dark wooden front door, Stephanie entered the house and crossed into the living room to flop down onto the cream sofa. Her head dropped back and her eyes closed simultaneously as she visibly relaxed, a disembodied voice making its way across the room to her moments after she'd flopped down.
"Rough day, babe?"
Stephanie smiled at the sound of the smooth, familiar voice. Who'd have thought she'd be living with Ricardo Manoso nineteen years after she'd started bounty huntering? It wasn't something she'd ever envisioned when she'd met him in a small downtown café, total bad-ass decked out completely in black and as dangerous as he was sexy, i.e. in the extreme. She smiled. The best at everything, it sometimes seemed. A better bounty hunter than she'd ever be. He was good elsewhere too. Very good.
"Do you think Zito just disappeared off the face of the earth, sometime in the last few days?" Stephanie raged exasperatedly, not opening her eyes. She felt the sofa next to her sink slightly, then the soft caress of Cuban lips on hers in a light kiss. She sighed, and opened her eyes to look into a pair of amused chocolate ones. He drew back gently.
"You'll get a lead on him soon. Look at your track record." Ranger said, the almost smile in place on the corners of his delicious lips. Stephanie hit him playfully on the arm and rolled her eyes.
"My track record involves the demolition or almost demolition of various buildings in Trenton, and a whole lot of ex-cars." She glared at Ranger.
He grinned back at her. "Gotta keep life interesting somehow." He brushed a light kiss over her lips again, then rose from the sofa to wander into the kitchen. Their kitchen. Jeez, Stephanie thought, I'll never get used to saying that.
Anthony Zito was FTA, and was turning out to be more than just a pain in the ass to track down. Stephanie didn't do that many actual apprehensions anymore – she wondered if she'd ever be able to stop taking in the occasional skip – but her instincts and determination, combined with her knowledge of the Burg and ability to piece together information, would make it a waste of those talents if she stopped chasing criminals altogether. Consequently, she mostly researched and tracked down skips for Rangeman now, the part of bounty huntering she'd always found easy. Of course, Wonder Woman wouldn't be defeated that easily, and she still took great delight in chasing and capturing skips, even if they weren't the same level as the ones Ranger did.
Stephanie turned to watch him leave the room, admiring the view she got from behind.
"See something you like, babe?" Ranger flashed 100 watts over his shoulder at her, dispelling her attempted Burg glare. She settled for an eye roll instead. How did he always know what she was thinking? Of course it may have been to do with that tiny, insignificant, little sigh she had let out, but then again this was Batman. Batman with ESP. Who knew what other powers he had?
"I can't get a single lead on Zito!" Stephanie shouted at his back, sighing in frustration, head dropping back onto the top of the sofa. Master of the subtle subject change.
Ranger's lips tilted, mindful of what Stephanie was doing, but let it pass. The large house they now shared had an open plan lounge/dinning room, with a wider-than-usual door leading into the kitchen. The door was – as usual – wide open, affording Stephanie a pleasant view of Ranger as he moved around the spacious kitchen, getting himself a glass of water. Her husband, she thought. Another thing she was still getting used to. Joe was always the obvious choice…they'd not broken up very well the final time, but managed to meet up a few months later when everything had cooler down to try to maintain their friendship. She knew Ranger had still often thought of him as a threat for a couple of years afterwards and was sometimes possessive – Steph smiled – but she and Morelli had too much past and too much in common to let it go that easily. He'd been transferred into New York City a few years back, but Stephanie still managed to see him on occasion, normally meeting up for Pino's and a Rangers game. She may be married to an incredibly sexy Cuban-American health freak, but just occasionally (or more that just occasionally) his rabbit food just didn't cut it. A girl had needs.
"You'll get him." The health-freak speaks, Stephanie mused. "Just be patient and keep looking." Stephanie snorted. Easier said than done, she thought. She had to be the most impatient person in Trenton. And Ranger knew it too – the almost smile that had returned to his lips told her so.
Ranger strode back into the living area, sitting down next to his wife and slinging an arm around her shoulders. Stephanie smiled contentedly, and laid her head on his broad chest. She closed her eyes, sighing, feeling completely safe in his arms, as she always did there. She loved Ranger more than she could measure, but had respected and trusted him longer, and like no other. And loved him for it.
Stephanie could feel exhaustion from the stress of the day pull on the edges of her consciousness, aching for rest, and could have easily fallen asleep in Ranger's arms, if not for the sudden infusion of noise into the house.