Disclaimer: All characters are courtesy of the amazing Janet Evanovich. I am not making any money from this story.
A/N: Thank you for all the wonderful reviews! This chapter is a good bit longer, but for some reason I had trouble writing it. I wanted to show Stephanie's unspoken feelings about Ranger and how others' view their relationship. I hope I was successful. Previously: I sat down on the sofa and thought about the weekend. It was only Wednesday and we would leave Friday morning, so I had lots of time to work myself into a frenzy of nerves and lust. Looking for Me? Chapter 4I sat there thinking about this weekend. A whole weekend with Ranger. A whole weekend with Ranger touching me, talking to me, being with me. I've known Ranger for a few years now, but we've never spent a long uninterrupted period of time together. What if we don't have anything to talk about? What if he doesn't talk at all? What if, after a day, we decide we can't stand each other?
Right then and there I told myself to "man-up" again and try to enjoy this weekend no matter what happens. I can't sit here and think of all the things that could go wrong. Which means I can't sit here at all. I have to get moving and get my mind on something else.
I drove by the bonds office to see if I had any new skips. Connie and Lula were sitting in the office, both doing their nails when I walked in. They both looked up and noticed the lack of food in my hands and went back to their nails. "Hey, any new skips today?"
Connie capped her polish, OPI Hong Kong Sunrise today, and handed me two folders. Mooner and Dougie. Well, at least I knew I had some easy money today.
"Lula, you want to ride with me today?" Lula said, "No, girl, I gotta stay here. This new diet has my stomach in knots and I don't want to be anywhere near that cop shop when I feel this way. But I wanted to talk to you about this weekend. I'm having a Passion Party Saturday night and you better be there."
Crap, I don't want to tell her what I'm really doing. I tried for vague. "Lula, I'm sorry, but I've already got plans for Saturday." I don't know why I bothered trying to be vague. Lula instantly hit the screech that could be heard a mile away. "What the hell do you mean you've got plans? What plans could be important enough to miss my party? Hell, the only excuse I can think of is getting some…wait a minute, hold the phone, back the truck up! Do you have a date? It's not Morelli, is it?"
Shit, my face was turning ten shades of red. I don't want Connie and Lula to know about my plans for this weekend. I tried to think of something to say, "Um, I, um…" about my third "um" I felt a familiar tingle up my neck and then a warm hand settled there. "Hi, Ranger."
"Babe, ladies." He turned to me then and said, "Did Hector help you get set for this weekend?" I was surprised that he mentioned this weekend in front of Connie and Lula. Both of them were looking back and forth between Ranger and I like they were watching a tennis match. "Yep, all set. Hector deserves a shopping medal." He gave me a slight nod, a kiss in my hair and was gone.
I hated to see him leave so soon because I knew I was about to face the Burg equivalent of the Spanish Inquisition. As soon as Ranger's car was gone, Lula shouted, "You're spending the weekend with Batman? Holy Shit! You are one lucky girl! Damn, what I wouldn't give to…" About that time, Connie started in, "What are his plans? What does this mean? Are you dating Ranger?"
See, this is why I didn't want to tell them. I don't even know what's going on myself and they'll have us married by close of business today. "Look, we're going to get an FTA and spending the rest of the weekend in Atlantic City. It's really just a friend thing."
Connie and Lula looked at me like I had grown a second head. "Friends," they said in unison. Connie took over, "Steph, I know you don't like to discuss your personal life, but it's obvious to everyone that you and Ranger are hot for each other. It's more than that, though. We see the way you look at each other. You never looked at Morelli that way, and it's not just you. Ranger looks at you with an intensity I've never seen before. He's an intense man anyway, especially when he's on a mission." She gave me a bold look and continued, "You, girlfriend, have been his mission for a while, you just weren't ready to see it yet."
Holy crap! Could Connie be right? Could Ranger really want more than a little fun? I couldn't even contemplate that right now. I'm in love with Ranger, but it's a love that I never really thought would go anywhere beyond stolen kisses and innuendo. Of course I wanted more from him, but I just never thought that would happen. Ranger doesn't do relationships. But if he did… No, I told myself. Don't go there, you'll only end up heartbroken. Since I have admitted to myself that I love Ranger, I have never let myself consider the possibility that one day we might have more of a relationship. He has made his position on that clear and I have to respect that. Respect is the only feeling I have for Ranger that has never caused confusion. No matter if you loved or hated the man, you always showed him respect. He had more than earned it.
I turned my attention back to Connie and Lula and said, "Look, I don't know what's going on with this weekend, but I'd rather it stay private. Please don't blab about this all over the place." They looked a little peeved, but nodded their consent. Figuring it couldn't get any better than that, I grabbed my files and left. I spent the afternoon watching a Buffy the Vampire Slayer marathon and inhaling second-hand smoke with Mooner and Dougie. They had great snacks, though. By the time I drove them back home after getting them rebonded, it was time to go to my parent's house for dinner.
I pulled up at the curb and saw mom and grandma waiting at the door. "Hi Mom, Grandma." Mom asked, "Is Joseph coming for dinner?" I sighed and knew it was time to tell her the truth. "No, Mom, he's not coming for dinner. We've broken up and it's permanent this time." Mom looked shocked, I have no idea why since Joe and I spent at least half of our time together in the off again phase.
"Stephanie, why do you think this time is permanent? Maybe you just both needed a little break. After all, you've known each other your whole lives." Mom looked like she was hanging onto that hope with a thread. My eye twitched a little bit.
"Mom, Joe and I talked and we both agreed that it's for the best that we don't see each other anymore. We're friends and I hope we always will be, but we just don't want the same things. It's okay, really. I'm more okay with it than I thought I would be. Joe seems fine, too." Please, mom, don't go on and on about this, I prayed silently.
Mom looked thoughtful for a moment and said, "Well, I'm glad you're not too upset over the breakup, but Stephanie, don't you want to get married again and have children? That's why I always pushed you to make things work with Joe. You're not getting any younger." I rolled my eyes and said, "Gee, thanks Mom. I know I'm not getting any younger, but I don't know if I ever want to get married again, much less have children. All I can say for certain is that I don't want either of those things right now."
Mom stared at me with her mouth slightly open. After a few minutes she finally said, "Stephanie, that's the most adult thing I've ever heard you say about yourself. Usually you just say that you don't know what you want or you just let everyone think what they want to think. I'm proud of you for figuring out what you want, even if it's not what I would have chosen for you. Now, help me set the table or dinner will get cold." With that she turned around and walked into the kitchen, leaving grandma and I staring after her. Grandma and I looked at each other and together said, "Damn!" and went to go eat.
After dinner, I went home and went straight to bed. It had been a roller coaster of a day. The conversations with Ranger and my mother and Connie and Lula had been almost surreal. I fell asleep quickly and dreamed of Ranger and I rolling dice at the Tropicana in Atlantic City. He brought the dice to my lips for me to kiss them and my lips lingered on his fingers for a fraction too long. He grabbed me around the waist and pulled me into his body and kissed me long and hard, his tongue moving slowly against mine. His hand was at the small of my back, keeping me flat against him. The hand holding the die was curled into my cheek, caressing me slowly. I woke up struggling to breathe and found that my body was in a real state, I could almost feel him against me, his whole body hard and ready, his mouth firm and demanding against mine, his tongue, smooth and hot in my mouth. Damn it! A woman could die from this! No man had ever made me feel this way without even actually touching me.
I could remember everything from our night together. The way his weight felt on top of me, how his mouth moved over my body and the size of him inside of me. Let's just say that nothing about Ranger is average. I mean, if sex were a class, Ranger would be in the gifted section, with a full scholarship and top honors. We're talking Valedictorian here.
Our one night together, I had been so terrified that although I enjoyed it immensely, I didn't let myself feel as much as I would have otherwise. Ranger was intense and I could feel his intensity pulling at me all the time, but especially that night. When we were together, he was so totally concentrated on me that I felt like I was the only thing in his universe.
I'm more comfortable with him now than I was then. He still scares me at times, not physically, just his presence. No one has presence like Ranger. It's scary to look at him and realize that he probably knows everything I am thinking and feeling. It's a level of intimacy I've never had with anyone before.
It was daylight by this time and I decided I might as well get up. I took a long hot shower, trying to rid my body of residual Ranger hormones, cough, cough shower massager, did my hair and make-up and headed for the bonds office. I stopped off at the Tasty Pastry and picked up some much needed sugar.
Lula met me at the door, "Girl, I hope you got some jelly donuts in there!" I handed her the box and she sat down to help herself. Connie said, "Steph, there aren't any new files, but you still need to get Rolando Edwards. His bond forfeits today." I must have looked a little green around the gills because she added, "Maybe you should get Ranger to help you with this one. Did you have some trouble?" I didn't want to get into the whole story about the handcuffs and the gang, so I just nodded. Lula said she was up for coming with me and I didn't really want to call Ranger since he had just rescued me again the other day.
Lula and I headed towards Stark Street. "Look, Lula, this guy got away from me pretty easy the other day. I just didn't want to come down here by myself. You can wait in the car if you want." Lula looked at me and said, "Girl, you know I got your back. I'll go in with you. I know you ain't got no gun either, but I'm always packing." I smiled at my friend, "Thanks, Lula."
We pulled up at Rolando's apartment building and I took a deep breath and looked around, trying to be more aware of my surroundings. Lula and I stepped from the car and started walking toward the building. Once again, Rolando came out the front door and started walking towards me. I nodded at Lula, who pulled her stun gun from her purse. Before we could move, Rolando shoved Lula to the ground, knocked my stun gun out of my hand and started dragging me towards the car. "Bitch, you should've got the message the first time. Maybe I need to be more clear." With that, he took me by my hair and shoved me against the car. I was trying to turn around to get a hit in when I heard yelling and he was lifted off of me. I turned around to see the gang members from the other day beating the crap out of Rolando. One landed a punch to his temple that knocked him out cold. It was the older guy, the one who had been doing all the talking the other day. He turned to me and said, "Where you want him?" I didn't understand. They were helping me? "Um, just let me cuff him and if you could put him in the back seat, that would be great."
He smiled, "Of course, chica." I cuffed him and put leg shackles on him and two of the guys put him in the back seat. Lula had wandered up at this point and was watching the action. The leader turned towards me again, "Chica, we are sorry for the other day. We didn't know who you were. If you have job on Stark Street again, you call us and we help. We don't want any trouble from Hector and we damn sure don't want any trouble from Manoso. If you could tell them that we help you, it might be enough to keep them off us." I swallowed. "Keep them off you? What do you mean?" They looked at each other as if trying to decide how much to say. "Chica, you seem like a nice girl, so I don't want to get into this with you too much, but the only reason we aren't all dead is because Manoso and Hector didn't want you to witness it. They sent a clear message and we respect that. We will not harm what belongs to Manoso. And you will have our protection while you are in our territory. Please tell him that."
"Okay," I stuttered and they walked off. They stood and watched while Lula and I got in the car and drove off. Lula waited about two beats before saying, "What the hell was that? What were they talking about? You belong to Ranger? What the hell happened the other day?" She was breathing a little heavy and I could tell she was as freaked out by the encounter as I was.
I tried to explain briefly, "I had some trouble the other day when I tried to pick up Edwards. Ranger and Hector showed up and took care of it." Lula said, "How exactly did they take care of it?" I shrugged, "Really, them showing up was enough. The guys took off running after that." Lula thought for a moment and then said, "They didn't say anything to the guys?"
I thought back and said, "Well, Hector talked to them, but he was speaking Spanish so I don't know what he said. They looked scared though."
Lula smiled and said, "That's what I thought. They were told you belong to Ranger and their asses would be dead if they messed with you. Girl, you might as well tattoo 'Property of Batman' across your forehead!" Lula got a dreamy smile and said, "Damn, I'd trade lives with you in a minute!"
I thought about this for a minute and remembered a comment Ranger had made. "The men in my building know you're my personal property." Could Ranger really be that possessive of me? The teenage girl in me squealed in delight, but the adult woman in me thought, that freaking bastard, I don't belong to him! The two were warring against each other when Lula said, "Uh-uh Steph, I know what you're thinking and you can just stop that shit right now. Batman takes care of you and never tries to hold you back. Don't compare him to anyone or anything else. He doesn't want to own you or control you. He just wants you to be safe." Damn, when did Lula get to know Ranger so well? I asked her and she said, "Girl, all you have to do is look at that man looking at you to know what he's thinking."
I dropped Lula off at the bonds office and went on to the cop shop to drop off Edwards. I rang the bell at the back door and Big Dog and Carl came to get him out for me. Edwards was still out cold. They just looked at me and raised their eyebrows. "It wasn't my fault" I told them. They shrugged and dragged Edwards inside. Eddie was working the desk. "Hey, Steph. Man, you brought in a nasty one today. He give you any trouble?" I shook my head, "Not much." He gave me my body receipt and I went on my merry way. I was glad not to run into anybody else. Morelli and I are friends, of course, but I just wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone else right now.
I went home and ate some lunch and started thinking about what to pack for my weekend with Ranger. I had my dress Hector had picked out, but I also decided to take a little sleeveless dress and a coral dress, as well as one nice turquoise pants set, a pair of jeans and a few t-shirts and some pajamas. Sponge Bob. After I packed the pajamas I wondered if I should pack some lingerie, too. I picked a black halter-top teddy and a red flyaway baby doll. They both made me feel sexy and I'd never worn either before. They had been bought one day when I was depressed and went to the mall for Victoria's Secret therapy. I had matching shoes for everything and I wouldn't pack my make-up and hair stuff until tomorrow.
Ranger called and said that he had a takedown scheduled for tonight and an early meeting tomorrow morning. "I'd like to send Hector to pick you up at 8:00 and bring you to RangeMan. We can leave for Atlantic City when I get done with my meeting."
"Okay, Ranger, I'll see you then." Ranger paused for a moment and before he hung up said, "Babe, I'm looking forward to our weekend. Sweet dreams." I stood there for a moment staring at the phone in shock. Rangers looking forward to spending time with me? I felt myself start to smile. Maybe this weekend will be the start of something more.
The next morning I got up early to get ready and finish packing. I had three cups of coffee and was getting a little jittery by the time Hector knocked on the door at 7:45. He carried my bags to the black RangeMan Tahoe and opened the passenger door for me.
He settled in beside me and turned to look at me. "Donuts?" I smiled and immediately felt less jittery. "Yes, please. The Tasty Pastry if it's not too much trouble." Hector was silent on the drive, but did come in to get the donuts with me. I was surprised at that. I was also surprised to realize that I like Hector. I didn't dislike him before, just didn't know him well enough to form an opinion. His tattoos always scared the crap out of me, but he had been very kind and helpful to me.
Hector pulled into the RangeMan garage about the time I finished my second Boston Cream. He moved the bags to the Porsche Turbo and turned to me, "Wait on 5?" I nodded and followed him. Before we got to the elevator, Hector turned to me, gave me a wolf grin and said, "Stephanie, be gentle with boss this weekend." He then went back to the Tahoe, got in and drove off. What the hell? Be gentle with Ranger? I stepped in the elevator and got off on the 5th floor and walked right into Lester. I walked into him so hard that I bounced off and landed flat on my butt a few feet away.
"Beautiful, are you okay?" he asked and helped me stand up. I looked up at him and smiled and said, "Yeah, just thought you guys were due for a 'Bombshell moment.'" Lester laughed out loud and slung an arm over my shoulder. "Beautiful, as long as you haven't been kidnapped, 'Bombshell Moments' are fine with me. You looking for the boss?"
"Yeah, but he said he had a meeting to finish, so I'll just wait for him." Lester led me into the control room and told me to have a seat. He and Cal were on monitor duty this morning. The guys tended to hate monitor duty because nothing ever happened. "Hey, Cal." Cal's flaming skull tattoo gave me a nod.
Ranger came in after about five minutes and said, "Babe, you ready?" I nodded and stood up. Ranger turned back to Lester and Cal and said, "I need you two, Hector and Manny outside the Tropicana at 8:00. Tank is speaking with their security right now to ensure we don't run into any problems." Lester and Cal nodded and Ranger led me to the garage, opened the turbo door for me and we were off to Atlantic City.
He seemed to be in his zone for a while, but once we made it out of Trenton, he turned to me and said, "So, what do you want to do this weekend?" Oh, boy!