Ranger's POV
I looked down at Steph, immensely enjoying the look of shock on her face. I reached out with one finger and gently closed her mouth, which had dropped open in astonishment. It's not often I get to surprise her quite so much. This was fun.
She punched me in the arm. It didn't budge me at all, and I let my slight smile creep up fractionally more.
"Don't tease me like that. What the hell do you mean guard the president? I'm pretty sure there's a whole agency to do that."
Dios, she looked sexy when she was annoyed. Inwardly, I wanted to pin her to the wall again and take her right there. Outwardly, I just shrugged slightly. "The Secret Service has its limits. They are set up to protect the president and a few other government officials, either in Washington or while they are traveling on official business. We're only three weeks out from an election, every high powered government official is on the campaign trail doing rallies. They are spread thin. So they bring in people from other government agencies. The people at the metal detectors are often TSA agents, for instance."
She still looked skeptical, so I continued, trying very hard not to stare at her lips, still slightly open in shock. "Rangeman has been contracted to help with a rally in Philadelphia on Halloween, a little more than a week before the election. It will be outside, in an open space that will be very difficult to secure. At the same time, the Secretary of State will be holding a rally in Harrisburg, and the Vice President in Virginia. So most Federal agents in the region will be needed at one or another of them that day. Frankly, the Secret Service needs everyone it can get.
Steph still looked skeptical. "But why would you want me help guard the President? You guys have years of training. I keep my gun in the cookie jar!"
I chuckled at that. I love how she makes me laugh, and I love watching what my laugh does to her. Her eyes dilated, turning the blue almost to indigo. I couldn't stop myself from nuzzling her temple with my nose. "That's one of the reasons I'll need you all week. You'll have to spend more time at the gun range. I need you comfortable with your gun. But what I want you for is your intuition, and your ability to blend in with a crowd. Guys like Tank and Cal stand out."
She giggled at the idea of Cal, with his flaming skull tattoo, trying to blend into a crowd. "I don't know, on Halloween Cal might be able to pull it off. Do I get to wear a costume?"
I glanced at my watch. I had a meeting in 10 minutes back at Rangeman with the Secret Service advance team. "What did you have in mind?"
She got an evil grin on her face. "Well, I had been planning on being Wonder Woman, but now I'm thinking sexy Secret Service agent." A picture flashed through my mind of her in a tight, short skirt, low-cut blouse, and thigh-high boots. If I didn't get out of here now I would be late for my meeting. In fact, if I kept thinking about that costume I would drag her back to my Cayenne and would be very late for my meeting.
"I have to go Babe. Go catch your chocolate thief, I'll have Lester meet you at the police station to get Carlin. After that, report to Rangeman for target practice." I gave her one last hungry kiss, then hurried to my Porsche, trying to move gracefully despite the tightness in my pants that I desperately hoped would be gone by the time I made it back to the office.
