Let's Play House
Chapter One
The last weekend in March ushered in the warmest weather Trenton had seen in months. After a brutally cold winter, with record breaking freezing temperatures and snow, the city was finally unthawing and settling into a warm spring season.
Stephanie carried an arm load of freshly laundered bed linens into the guest bedroom of the house she and Ranger now shared. Tucked in the center of Hunterdon County within a borough called Flemington, the two- story house, with three bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms, was the real Bat Cave, as well as Stephanie and Ranger's quiet retreat away from the city.
Stephanie had spent her first romantic weekend with Ranger in this house, and she loved every nook and cranny within its intimate walls. After moving into Ranger's life permanently, he'd given her permission to change the décor as she liked, stressing the importance of having a home that represented both of them, not just a bachelor. But so far, Stephanie had left the décor alone, deciding to add her personal touch once they were married. As it turned out, most of their time was spent at Ranger's seventh floor penthouse, a convenient space to unwind at the end of a long work day.
Stephanie stripped the standard bedding off the full size mattress, replacing the material with sheets bearing the image of Justine Bieber, his toothy grin plastered on every piece of linen, including the comforter. Stephanie had purchased the bed-in-a-bag from a celebrity fan site on the Internet, because Ranger's daughter, Julie, was crazy about the teen sensation, just like every other adolescent girl living on the planet. And Stephanie and Ranger wanted Julie to have a room she could call her own during her stay.
A few months prior, Stephanie had convinced Ranger to let Julie visit Trenton for a couple of weeks during the summer, hoping the two would get to know one another better. Ranger had agreed that an extended stay might be a valuable first step in building a relationship with his daughter, especially now that his lifestyle was slowly morphing into a more stable existence. But after discussing the issue with Julie's parents, Rachel and Ron, Ranger was informed that the couple had already made summer plans for their daughter.
In support of Ranger's willingness to reach out to his daughter, Rachel had suggested that Julie visit during the week of spring break. Unfortunately, Julie's last experience in Trenton had been at the hands of a kidnapping lunatic, so Rachel was justifiably leery about being away from her daughter for two weeks. Julie's parents had never blamed Ranger for the incident, and they knew he'd done everything in his power to keep Julie safe. But Rachel, always the over protective mother, was more concerned about Julie's emotional state of mind. From her viewpoint, one week would be a good start for Julie and Ranger. Just enough time to get their feet wet, so to speak.
Understanding that baby steps had to be taken, Ranger agreed to fly Julie to Trenton while she was on spring break. And for what it was worth, Julie was excited with the idea of spending time with her biological father. Ranger, on the other hand, wasn't sure what to expect. Even though he was more than willing to open up his home to his daughter, the reality of her visit made him nervous. For the first time in his adult life, Ranger would be a full-time father, albeit for only one week.
Stephanie guessed under the circumstances, one week probably seemed like a year in Ranger's mind. And in all honesty, she could relate to Ranger's anxiety. Shifting into daddy and mommy mode was a scary scenario for both of them. And they were not people who were easily scared. But a healthy relationship with Julie was imperative for both of them.
After smoothing the new sheets over the mattress, Stephanie fluffed the pillows and pulled a Justin Bieber poster from its plastic casing. As she tacked the poster on the wall, Stephanie felt butterflies in her stomach, a mixture of excitement and nerves. She'd never seen Ranger interact with his daughter, and she was curious about his approach to fatherhood. The whole idea had been hers, after all, so if the visit didn't go well, Stephanie would definitely feel responsible. Pushing the last tack into the wall, Stephanie heard Ranger's footsteps ascend the stairs.
"I'm in the guest room," she called to Ranger, picking up the empty plastic casing off the floor.
Walking into the newly decorated bedroom, Ranger's eyes scanned the space. The corners of his lips turned up a fraction of an inch as he took in Justine Bieber's image filling the room.
"Didn't know you were such a huge fan, babe," Ranger said, walking over to Stephanie and pulling her into his chest.
"Very funny," Stephanie returned, giving her fiancé a hello kiss. "Do you think she'll like it?"
"I hope so," Ranger admitted, staring at the poster. "I don't get it. What do girls see in that kid?"
Stephanie hooked her arm around Ranger's neck, and he held her close, his hands encasing her waist. "He's cute."
"He should shoot his barber."
"I wouldn't say that to Julie. She loves his hair."
"How much did I give to the Justine Bieber fan club?" Ranger asked Stephanie, pushing her toward the bed.
"Does it matter?"
Ranger thought about it for a beat, then shook his head. "No. If Julie likes him, it doesn't matter."
The backs of Stephanie's knees were pressed against the edge of the bed and Ranger kissed her lips, gently pushing his tongue into her mouth.
Stephanie's body quickly responded to the kiss, her center pulsing as she slid her hands underneath Ranger's black t-shirt, caressing the smooth skin on his back. As the kiss deepened, Stephanie reluctantly pulled her lips away from Ranger's mouth, looking down at the bed.
"Are we going to do this in here?"
Ranger's eyes swept over the room, Justine Bieber smiling at him from every angle.
"No. Not with that goofy kid smiling at us."
"Good call," Stephanie said, heading for the door. "Are you changing out of your work clothes before we go to the airport?"
"Yes. I'm afraid people will think we're terrorists if we show up at the airport in Rangeman gear."
Ranger followed Stephanie out of the bedroom. He was wearing his usual Rangeman uniform, as was Stephanie, now that she was a part-time Rangeman employee again. To date, Stephanie's position as a research coordinator at Rangeman had gone smoothly, and Ranger had let her do her job with minimal harassment. The afternoon quickies that they'd hoped for had actually been few and far between. Most days, Ranger was too busy out in the field to make time for a sex break in the middle of a work day.
The crazy days of being a bounty hunter was now a past life for Stephanie. Her school courses were complete, and she had extra time to study for a private investigator license. According to the state laws of New Jersey, Stephanie would have to be a licensed private investigator to run her own PI firm.
"We have time for a quick shower," Stephanie said to Ranger as they entered the master suite.
"Babe, is that an invitation to finish what I started?"
"Yes it is. And you better enjoy it now. Intimacy will be scarce for the next few days"
Raising his eyebrows in question, Ranger said, "Why?"
"We're not going at it every night with your daughter across the hall."
Ranger stared at Stephanie, as if the thought had never entered his mind. "Babe, don't be ridiculous. Do you think Julie's parents go without sex, just because there're three kids in the house?"
Stephanie narrowed her eyes into slits, placing her hands on her hips. "I'm not being ridiculous, Ranger. Julie's parents are happily married. Technically, we are shacking up until October, and Julie is old enough to know the difference. Besides, it would be too weird to think that she might be listening in during our intimate moments."
Pulling off his t-shirt, Ranger looked at Stephanie pointedly. "Well, you'll just have to be quiet during those intimate moments."
End of the discussion as far as Ranger was concerned. The mere thought of going five nights without sex was out of the question.
Stephanie pulled in a deep, frustrated breath, blowing it out slowly. She and Ranger didn't usually argue, but she was standing her ground on this one.
"Fine," she said to Ranger. "I'll sleep at the apartment while Julie's here, since you can't control yourself for five days."
An awkward silence filled the air. Ranger stared at Stephanie incredulously, studying her closely. He was trying to decide if she was serious or just testing him to see if he'd back down. What he couldn't figure out, was why she'd taken such an unwavering stand on the issue.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Ranger said, "Why are you being so dramatic, babe? What's this really about?" His tone was soft, his voice full of curiosity.
The shift in Ranger's demeanor broke down the defensive barrier that Stephanie had quickly shrouded herself in. Pulling her hands off her hips, she blew out a sigh. True enough, the drama was probably unwarranted, a show to hide the real issue at hand.
"I'm scared," Stephanie admitted. "In a few months, I'm going to be Julie's step-mother. And I don't want her to view me in a negative light."
In past discussions regarding Julie's mother, Ranger had admitted that Rachel was a good Catholic girl and a dedicated housewife with a squeaky clean past. In stark contrast, Stephanie hadn't been to a Catholic church, or any church for that matter, since she was a child. She hadn't quite mastered the housewife role, and she was just figuring out what she wanted to do with her life. She didn't know how to compete with the perfect stay-at-home mother of three.
Ranger moved in close to Stephanie, pushing a stray curl off her forehead. "I get it, babe.
We are nothing like Rachel and Ron. But we're not exactly running our own freak show. I can assure you that Julie won't miss out on the comforts of home while she's here."
Kissing Stephanie's neck, just below the ear, Ranger said. "I need you here with me. I don't want to do this by myself. And for the record, I think you'll be a perfect step-mother to Julie."
Stephanie wrapped her arms around Ranger's waist and laid her head on his shoulder, exhaling a sigh of relief. "Thanks for the compliment. I hope Julie feels the same way."
"I've always held you in high regard around Julie's parents," Ranger supplied. "And Julie is crazy about you. In fact, I think she's more excited to see you than she is to see me."
Julie's run in with a lunatic a couple of years ago had brought Stephanie to her rescue, along with Ranger and every law enforcement agency in the state of New Jersey. And while the kidnapping had a negative impact on Julie, the young girl had come out of the incident with the utmost respect for Stephanie. She had also fearlessly protected Ranger against the crazed stalker, proving that she had a great deal of reverence for the man she merely knew as her biological father.
Stephanie lifted her head and looked at Ranger. "That's not true. Julie showed her affection for you when she shot Scrog. That little girl saved your life, and she was brave as hell."
Stephanie's mind traveled back to that awful day, remembering the moment when Julie grabbed Scrog's gun and shot him point blank. "You know, you and Julie share some of the same character traits."
"Yeah, I know. I hope our personalities don't clash," Ranger said quietly.
Stephanie smiled at Ranger. "That might be fun to watch."
"Speaking of fun," Ranger said, pulling Stephanie's stretchy black t-shirt over her head. "We have a shower to get to."
Ranger threw the shirt on the floor and filled his hands with Stephanie's breasts, running his thumbs over her nipples as they peeked through her black lace bra, straining against the material. Stephanie moaned lightly and touched her lips to Ranger's bare chest. Pulling a nipple into her mouth, she ran her tongue lightly across the hard nub, and then kissed a light trail along the skin of his neck.
"You'll never make it five days, babe," Ranger said, his eyes growing dark with need.
Stephanie pulled away, her lips twisted into a sly smile. Swinging her ass toward the bathroom, she looked over her shoulder at Ranger. "We have an hour and a half before we start playing house. Let's get to it."