This is my first attempt at a FF so please read and review. I do not own anything. I'm using Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum Series in my own way. Hope you enjoy.

SPOV

I looked at the clock on my RangeMan computer; it read "12:01". I had only been sitting at my desk running background searches for four hours and it felt like twelve. I was desperately bored and starting to doze at my desk. I looked down to my bag that was lying on the floor beside my feet. The bag had become increasingly full with skip files. For the past six weeks I'd been primarily working at RangeMan which had caused my work at Vincent Plum Bail Bonds to hit a back burner. Ranger had asked me to help until he could fill some new position to cover the increase in new accounts and he had hired several new people but I was still helping and doing the most boring job ever. I was itching to get back out in the field. I knew if I didn't get back out there soon Vinny was going to fire me. In the beginning Ranger had Tank and Lester helping me to bring in my skip quicker so that I could get back to RangeMan but unfortunately with the increased accounts all RangeMen employees had a full plate.

I looked back to my computer and again at my files and decided that I needed to get back to my actual job of Bounty Hunting. I shut down my computer, grabbed my bag and headed for Rangers office. Ranger had started as my mentor when I'd blackmailed my cousin and the owner of Vincent Plum Bail Bonds into giving me a job. Ranger had helped me get started and had quickly become an amazing friend and for one very amazing night a lover. Because of my on again off again relationship with Detective Joe Morelli we had only spent that one magical night together on a off part of Joe and I's relationship and since then have managed not to tango in the sheets again. Not that I didn't daydream and well night dream about it happening again hell the man oozed sex. It was hard to look at him and not think of wild hot passionate sex but the truth was Ranger was not a relationship man. He wasn't the man you brought home to meet mommy and daddy. He was the kind of man you disappeared into a dark alley way to do very naughty things, things that you couldn't tell your mother about later. He'd always been blatantly honest with me and letting me know that his love came with a condom and not a ring. Morelli's love came with both but unfortunately I couldn't commit to him. I loved Joe but I wasn't completely sure I was in love with him and I knew that had something to do with the mysterious man in black, Ranger aka Batman.

I gave a quick knock on Ranger's door then entered before hearing him say "Enter".

"Babe," he said with a slight twitch of his lips as I stepped into the office.

"Ranger, I need to get back to work," I said quickly getting to the point. No point in tip toeing. "My skip files are piling up and I need to get back to work."

"I can have someone take care of that for you," he said dismissively.

"No, Ranger, you've already taken on more than you can handle. Your men are overloaded as it is. I'll handle my own skips."

"I need you here, Steph."

Ranger had become more overprotective than usual since the Abruzzi case and it was starting to make me crazy. I knew that he needed more help but he didn't need me. He was doing the same thing that Joe did and was trying to get me into a position that was less dangerous.

"Ranger, you'll have to find someone else. I already have a job."

"Babe, I'm not trying to keep you here for your safety. I really do need you."

"Stop with the ESP already." Ranger always had a weird way of reading my mind.

He barely smiled; "Steph, we are overloaded with searches and I can't spare anyone to do them."

"I'll do them in between working at Vinny's."

"I need full-time, Babe."

"I can't give you full-time, Ranger. I have to go." I turned to walk out but was instantly pulled back against Ranger rock hard body. He nuzzled his face into my messy hair and breathed it in. The smell of him surrounded me.

"Alright, Babe. Call if you need anything." He swirled me around and before I could say okay his mouth took mine in a kiss that made my knees go weak and my head go light.

When we broke from the kiss, I'd forgotten what we were talking about and suddenly just wanted to rip off all of his clothes and make mad passionate love to him on his desk. He must have seen the lust in my eyes because a simple but sexy "Babe" with a sexy smirk was all he said.

RPOV

I watched as Stephanie left my office. I hated that she still wanted to work for Vincent Plum Bail Bonds and that she wouldn't come to work for me full-time but I didn't want to force her into anything that she'd regret later. After the Abruzzi case I realized how much she really meant to me. Even though I hadn't brought myself to tell her yet I finally realized how much I was in love with her. Shortly after Abruzzi committed "suicide", her and Joe Morelli started an on again part of their relationship and now I was just waiting for him to screw up again so that I could make my move. It had been eight weeks and they seemed to be going strong still which was unusual considering they only typically made it four weeks before a huge fight. Maybe he'd realized that he was in love with her too. Actually I think he knew from the beginning that he was in love with her. He'd asked her to marry him only about a dozen times but my babe always tells him no and I think that's because of me but it could also be her extreme commitment phobia.

I leaned back in my office chair to think clearly. I really did need someone to help around the office and I really wanted Stephanie. I knew that I could trust her. When Tank and I had originally discussed the idea of hiring a full-time office manager we'd decided to hold the position until Stephanie was ready to work here and only here but it didn't look like that was ever going to happen. I didn't want to push her but I really needed someone in that position. Suddenly I had a clear thought. Maybe I did need to hire someone else. Maybe if Steph felt her position here was threatened she'd leave Vinny's and come work with me full-time.

I picked up the phone and connected immediately with Tank. "I need to speak with you in my office now." And I disconnected.

As I sat waiting for Tank, I had to come up with a quick plan. It was very true that we needed more help but if Tank or any of my other men thought that this would hurt Stephanie they'd kill me but if I hurt my babe I would probably kill myself. I just want her to feel a sense of jealousy like I do every time I see her with Morelli. I wanted something that would or could convince her that she belonged at RangeMan and with me.

"Yeah, Boss," Tank said entering the office.

"I want to post the Office Manager/Personal Assistant position today," I said trying to keep a blank face.

Tank's face turned to confusion; "I thought we were holding that position for Steph?"

"I can't hold it anymore. Stephanie doesn't want to quit working for Vinny."

"Ranger, we can hold out a little longer."

"No, I want the position filled ASAP. It will help take work off of all of us." I paused trying to be careful what I said. "I want a woman. Someone who can help with distractions."

"Boss," he said worried. "Are we replacing Bombshell?"

"No, Stephanie will always have a position at RangeMan but we need help. If Stephanie decides that she is ready to work full-time I will adjust the positions at that time but until then we are filling the position."

Tank's eyes narrowed; "What are you up to?"

"Excuse me?"

"We've worked together for a long time now and I can smell a plan."

"There's no plan."

Tank stood narrowed eyes on me. "I know you care about Stephanie and I know you wouldn't want to hurt her so tell me what's going on."

Releasing a heavy sigh I figured what the hell; "I want Stephanie to work here full-time. I want to keep her safe and I know she's safe here but I can't and won't force her. I thought if we hired another woman maybe it would sway her opinion and she would come work here." I braced for him to be upset with me. I waited for him to tell me I was being childish and should just tell her how I feel but it never came.

Tank nodded his head slowly; "It could work, Boss. Stephanie is strong willed and will only come under her own terms and this could help her decide." He paused running it through in his head. "It could also back fire and you could lose her forever."

"Well let's hope it doesn't." Tank stood to leave. "Oh and Tank."

"Yeah."

"No one else is to know about the plan. Only that we are hiring for an Office Manager/Personal Assistant."

Tank nodded and disappeared.

SPOV

I rolled over in the bed to see what time it was. I could hear Joe moving around in the bathroom so I knew it was after six. The clock read "6:15". I fell back on to my pillow. Joe and I had been getting along exceptionally well over the past few weeks. He hadn't bugged me about my job or even pushed the subject of marriage. Things felt pretty comfortable at the moment but I couldn't help feeling like something was missing.

It had been two week since I walked out of Rangers office and I hadn't heard from him or any of the Merry Men since. I was starting to wonder if he was mad at me. I've never gone so long without at least talking to Ranger with the exception of him being away on his missions but not with him being right down the road. Usually I call him if I need help getting a skip but everything had gone remarkably smooth the last few days and I hadn't required the assistance of Ranger or the Merry Men but I was beginning to miss them all.

I felt bad for leaving Ranger hanging when he's done so much for me over the years and all the times he's bailed me out of trouble but I had to take care of my job. I couldn't see myself sitting behind a desk full-time. I have grown to love being a BEA over the years and I couldn't see myself doing anything else.

I was finally caught up on my skips so I figured I would check in with Connie and then I would go see Ranger and see how I can help. I crawled out of bed and stumbled into the kitchen where Joe already had a cup of coffee waiting of me. That made me smile. He could be really considerate when he wanted to. I was leaned against the counter and sipping at the steaming cup of black coffee when Joe walked in wearing plan clothes, jeans and a button up black shirt, his gun on his hip on one side and his badge on the other. He was 100% hot Italian and had the best ass in Trenton. Women have thrown themselves at Joe Morelli for years hoping they'd be in my place right now and I couldn't blame them. He was one sexy man.

"Morin' Cupcake," Joe said place a kiss on the top of my head.

"Mmm," was all I could get out.

"Plans for today," he asked taking a sip of his own coffee.

"The usual," I plopped down in a dining room chair. "I'm gonna go check in with Connie see if she has anything for me then I figured I'd run by RangeMan and see if they need any help." Joe face went tight but he didn't say anything which was extremely unusual. "What about you?"

"Work," was all he said. He gave me a kiss and left.

Around eight am I got to the bonds office. Connie, Vinny's assistant, was behind her desk typing away on her computer and Lula, the office filing clerk and my sometimes assistant, was sitting on the couch eating donuts. I took a seat next to Lula and grabbed a jelly filled donut out of the box.

"Hey, girl," Lula said with a mouth full of donut. "I didn't figure you'd still be working here."

"Why is that," I asked confused.

"We seen the job posting for an Office Manager at RangeMan," Connie spoke up holding a newspaper in her hand.

I stood and moved towards Connie's desk to see the paper. There in the job section was a huge ad for an Office Manager/Personal Assistant at RangeMan. I wasn't quite sure how to feel. Ranger said he'd needed more employees but he'd never mentioned and Office Mangers position.

"Do you have anything new for me Connie," I asked quickly.

"Nope it's pretty slow right now."

Without another word I left and headed to RangeMan.

Chapter 2

RPOV

It took Tank two days to get the job description perfect and posted on our website as well as in the local paper. I'd instructed him to keep it open for a week and then we'd go through the applications until we find the perfect person.