I always wondered why I didn't choose Ranger sooner.

He always took good care of me, he always took me under his wing and he was always there for me when I needed him.

A lot had happened during the past 6 months and we had been together for 4 of them.

Morelli and I had decided we just couldn't make things work and stopped seeing each other- completely.

I had a new stalker who had a thing for curly haired brunettes. The idiot got caught when he had followed me to the police station when I had to drop off a current skip.

My landlord had decided I was too much of a danger magnet and, through a very honest letter, told me I had a week to pack up.

So Batman saved the day when he came in and found me crying face down in a pillow. Without a hint of hesitation, he pulled me up, carried Rex out of the kitchen and drove us to Rangeman.

"Don't worry anymore, Babe." He said. "We're together now."

Since I had moved in with Ranger, I had no rent or grocery money to pay and my bank account was filled to the brim.

I might not have wanted to be the perfect Burg wife but I didn't want to be the kind of woman who lived on her man's expense either. I still worked for Vinnie and got into a lot of misadventures with Lula.

But I noticed Ranger hadn't been himself. He had been a wake most nights, missed a lot of meals and grimaced a lot when he rubbed the back of his neck.

When I asked him what was wrong after I had finally noticed the dark circles under his eyes, he had explained there had been a lot of security breaches with several clients.

"Turns out someone had sent a virus into the system that trashed the security of every house. We've had tons of angry phone calls and emails from clients wanting to know what the hell had happened." He sighed. "We've managed to extract the virus but it's going to take a while to clean up the mess it made."

About a week later, Ranger had spent the entire work day finishing a new deal with the final customer and the poor man looked relieved.

I don't know whether it was a snap or impulsive decision, but I came up with the craziest idea of how to cheer him up.

If my mother had found out what I had planned for the evening, she would probably check herself into the nearest nuthouse.

I stood waiting between the wall and bedroom door, straining my ears for Ranger to arrive.

Nerves and anticipation stirred through my belly as I got my thoughts together.

This was okay. We were together now and he deserved it. Who knows? It could be fun.

My breath caught when I heard the lock turn and the front door open.

"I'm back, Babe."

I grinned. He sounded irritated.

"I'm in the bedroom. Could you come in here, please?"

I held my breath when I heard his footsteps approach and saw him walk past the door through the cracks. N'aw, the poor guy must have been exhausted. His ESP was faulty.

"Babe?"

That was my cue.

I came out of my hiding place and stood with my hands on my hips. I had to fight down the urge to laugh when I saw how wide his eyes had got.

I was wearing a tiny black bandeau top with a matching sarong tied around my waist, low enough to just conceal the promised lands. A golden body chain hung between my breasts and down the centre of my back from a collar clasped around my neck.

My hair was tied in a high ponytail, my lips were painted a scarlet red and I had sprayed on some sweet smelling perfume.

"Babe…" Ranger growled as I went up to him while swaying my hips. "What's the occasion?"

I slid my hands up his chest and wrapped my arms around his neck. "No occasion. After you saved me from living with my parents and worked your ass off all week, I thought you could use some fun. I think you'll like master and lover."

"Lover?"

"It's sounds a lot nicer than slave."

He shone his 2000 watt smile as he held me to him. "Now I wish I made you move in with me a lot sooner."

His lips pressed against mine while he trailed his fingertips up and down my spine, making me shudder.

We parted for breath and he tugged lightly on the chain, pulling me up onto tiptoe. "Has my lover been good for her master?" His eyes had dilated pure black.

I couldn't help but giggle. "Yes, Master. I was planning to start the evening by massaging your poor aching muscles."

Ranger's smile widened. "Good girl." Then he kissed me sweetly.

I pulled his shirt over his head before pushing him back to sit on the edge of the bed. I grabbed a bottle off the nightstand and scrambled behind him.

I poured some spicy smelling massage oil onto my hands and glided my fingers over his broad shoulders before pressing my thumbs into the nape of his neck. He groaned in satisfaction as I kneaded the toned tissue above his shoulder blades. I slid my hands down to the small of his back before moving around his ribcage and across his firm abs.

I leaned forward and began a trail of kisses from his shoulder to the crook of his neck as my fingers stroked his chest. I pulled back to begin pressuring the muscles from top to bottom. I heard him sigh with relief as my knuckles relieved him of the tension.

I was back to rubbing his shoulders and neck when he slowly stood up to face me and give me a perfect view of what was building up down stairs.

Ranger leant forward, wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer to him. His eyes were warm and filled with a fiery passion that made me melt.

I felt his hands slide up my spine before he pressed his lips to mine. His fingers unhooked my bandeau top; freeing my breasts as he tossed it aside.

My arms wound around his neck so I could deepen the kiss. Our tongues danced and explored but I submitted mine as I stuck to my role of the evening.

I moaned as Ranger forced his way into my mouth before clasping my wrists to push me down on to the bed; pinning me with my arms either side of my head. He gently rested himself on top of me as he continued to assault my mouth. I could feel his manly pride beginning to dig into my stomach.

Our eyes locked as we parted for breath.

"Arms above your head." He ordered softly.

I obeyed and arched my back for some extra credit. Ranger grinned with approval before beginning to brush his lips across my skin. I sighed as he cupped his hand against my breast and started kneading it with his fingertips.

The thrills that ignited within me hardened my nipples into painful peaks. Ranger brushed his thumb over the one belonging to the breast he neglected, I gasped when he pinched it between a thumb and forefinger which began teasing the fire building up in the lady garden.

His lips tugged into a smirk when my breath started to get ragged. He pushed himself up and pulled me with him by the body chain.

He stood me a couple of feet away from the bed and sat back down again; leaving me standing topless in front of him.

"Dance for me." Ranger said.

I blinked at him.

Okay that was unexpected and a little bit of a cliché…

"Dance?" I repeated.

He nodded. "Then I can see if I have to put those chains to good use."

I had no idea what he had meant by good use but my skin heated in all the right places as the possibilities ran through my head.

"What kind of dancing?" I asked, hoping he was thinking that I was teasing him.

Ranger smirked. "I think you already know…" He growled, sending chills up my spine.

I shrugged and slowly lifted my arms above my head while circling my hips. His eyes darkened as they took in my every move.

I was surprised at how graceful I moved. I began to turn around on the spot so my back faced him. I swung my hips from side to side whilst sliding my fingers into my hair, pulling it out of my ponytail and fluffing it around my shoulders as my hands slid down over my breasts and caressed my sides.

I felt the chain being tugged near the small of my back and I was pulled into Ranger's arms. His lips brushed against my shoulder as he pushed my hair over one side. He unhooked the clasp from around my neck and plucked the chains off in one tug so they fell to the floor.

Ranger turned me around. His pants and boots were gone but his face was impassioned and hungry. He pulled me to him and crushed our lips together with his hand fisting through my hair. I let out a quiet moan as he wrestled my tongue into submission. I threw my arms around his neck to rake my fingers through his hair; freeing it from its bind.

We pulled away for breath when he started to untie my sarong. He undid the knot but kept a hold of it by the corners so he could pull me towards the bed.

"Kneel on the bed with your hands on the headboard." He said, letting the sarong drop to the floor so I was now completely naked.

I crawled on to the bed and did as he said. I felt him kneel behind me before his fingertips started to glide their way up my ribs so his palms could cup my breasts. I closed my eyes and let out a sigh of bliss as his thumbs started to circle my nipples; fuelling the fire that had me craving his touch.

I bent my head back. Ranger's lips pressed against my exposed neck with slow deliberate kisses and nips from his teeth; leaving me gasping for air.

He abandoned my neck and his lips brushed against the shell of my ear. "Do you like this?" He whispered.

I blushed and fought down a giggle. "Yes, Master."

A growl vibrated from his chest before his lips were back on my neck; sucking and tasting the skin while his hands began to knead my breasts.

A ragged gasp escaped my throat when I felt his teeth sink into me. I fell back against him; he stroked the bite marks with his tongue before cradling me in his arms and lying me down on the bed.

Ranger moved to kneel between my legs. He towered over me so his long hair framed his face and hung over his shoulders. Our eyes were locked. I could see his pupils were dilated pure black and hungry like a feral predator. His boxers were gone.

He leaned forward until he was propped up on his elbows on top of me, before pressing his lips to mine as silky strands caressed my cheeks.

I closed my eyes when he trailed the kisses across my jaw and back down my neck. Ranger always knew exactly where to press his lips to make me feel this good.

After placing a final kiss on the hollow of my throat, he grabbed my wrists and pinned them at either side of my head.

I inhaled sharply as he entered me agonisingly slow, inch by inch. My eyes fluttered up open to see the lustful glint in his dilated orbs. He grinned as he arched his hips forward, making me cry out as a spasm of ecstasy surged through my core.

He growled and breathed out a breath of air as I enclosed around him. Ranger locked eyes with me again; making me shudder.

His grip on my wrists tightened before pulling them downward in a way that made me curve my back and left me panting at how deep he was inside of me.

"Does this feel good?" He asked his voice in a dark hush.

His hips tilted forward again. "Yes!" I moaned, digging my head back into the pillow.

Ranger laughed softly. "Then you'll have to beg for it."

Wow. He was really good at this role…Why was I surprised at that?

I licked my lips as I brought by breathing under control. "Please…"

"Not good enough..." He warned.

He began to withdraw from me, making me whimper. "Please, Master…please don't stop…please don't!"

"Very well…" Ranger grinned before lowering his face down to mine to kiss me and thrusted his hips into mine.

I screamed when pure bliss exploded within my centre. I saw stars and bursts of colour as Ranger drove in and out of me with merciless brutal force.

My body glistened with sweat and my breathing laboured with each thrust and struggle I made against his hold on my wrists.

Ranger's skin glimmered with moisture, his eyes were savage as he tightened his grip on me and as we both felt ourselves nearing release.

Just as I thought I couldn't take anymore, a miraculous release of white hot pleasure engulfed us. A moan tore from my throat as Ranger groaned and collapsed on top of me.

Once we got our breathing under control, he rolled us over so I was lying on his chest before throwing the quilt over us.

He threaded his fingers through my hair to hold me in place so he could lock our lips together in a deep, sweet kiss.

"Babe," He sighed once we parted. "That was incredible."

I gave a modest shrug. "It was just me being submissive the whole time."

Ranger caressed my face with his free hand. "It was more than that. Submitting yourself takes nerve and is showing someone that you have complete faith in them. Not many people consider that."

He touched our foreheads together. "I love how you only did it because of the shit I've had to deal with. But it means so much knowing that I truly have gained your trust, Babe."

I smiled and kissed his chest. "You've always had my trust, Ranger. You've always been there to catch me when I fall."

I lay my head over his heartbeat. "Nobody deserves my trust more than you. I love you."

I felt him stroke my hair. "I love you too, Babe."