More will be forthcoming soon, but please let me know what you think! - Mcshnee

Sleepless In Trenton

Chapter 8

Two more weeks flew by. Ranger's been to dinner at my parent's five times; that's way more than Joe – he refused to go more than once a week. Each time Ranger came, he was driving a different American car, wearing a different suit, and he always brought flowers. Ranger was, very subtly I'm sure, showing off his wealth.

The last time we visited, Ranger and my dad disappeared together; ostensibly to work on dad's 'hot rod', but when they emerged two hours later, both of them were still dressed immaculately with no trace of grime or oil…but they did both smell faintly of cigars.

I glanced at mom; she just rolled her eyes and didn't call them on it. So I followed suit. Until later on that evening when Ranger and I were alone.

'So?' I asked.

'So?' Ranger replied.

'How were the cigars?'

Ranger smiled, 'good thanks.'

I rolled my eyes, but didn't question him further. I'm not sure I want to know what my dad and Ranger talked about. Cars probably.

'Not just cars.' Ranger Esp'd.

Now I was curious. 'What else?'

'He asked me if I had any Italian ancestry at all. And I said my great great great uncle was Italian. Your dad nodded and said, 'knew there had to be some Italian in there somewhere.' Then he asked if I could speak Italian, I said I could, and then he conducted the rest of the conversation in Italian.' Ranger paused, smiling, 'Then he started teaching me some Italian traditions.'

I squinched my eyes shut; ugh, only I could have such an embarrassing family! 'Sorry.' I muttered.

'Don't be, it was fun.'

I opened my eyes, 'really?' I asked, not believing him.

Ranger smiled, 'Really.' And then he leaned forward to kiss me.

'Nuh uh.' I said pulling away, 'not before you change out of your smoky clothes and brush your teeth.'

He sighed slightly, smiling, and then he got up and disappeared into our bedroom. A few minutes later I heard the shower start to run. I put Damien Rice in the CD player and snuggled down on the couch, covered in Ranger's fleece blanket, and waited for Ranger to return.

Fifteen minutes later and I heard the door open. Ranger walked out, clad only in a towel, with the water droplets still glistening on his body and his wet hair dripping onto his broad shoulders. He walked nonchalantly to the fridge and got out a bottle of water. He unscrewed the cap, raised the neck of the bottle to his lips, and tipped the bottle back; pouring the water down his throat, strong muscles in his neck rippling as he swallowed.

I gaped at him, who knew someone drinking water could be so sexy?

Ranger put the empty bottle in the trash and turned back to me, smiling. 'Like what you see?' He asked.

'Yes.' I answered, my throat tighter and my voice lower than normal.

He walked towards me, and I used my superpowers to try and make the towel drop. But it didn't.

Lousy superpowers.

Ranger laughed softly, and I wondered how the hell he knew what I was thinking? Then I realised I was staring fixedly at the towel…yeah, that'd give it away.

He stopped as he reached the couch. He bent down and retrieved something from behind the couch.

He handed me the hairbrush, 'Brush my hair?' he asked. I nodded and he sat between my legs.

His hair was in perfect condition, and it was easy to draw the brush through his hair, but I brushed it until it was dry. Then I put the brush down and started rubbing Ranger's shoulders, firmly easing the tension from Ranger's body. Guess those college massage lessons came in handy.

When his body was relaxed and supple in my hands, I brushed the hair from his neck and kissed him lightly there. Then, tasting the waster droplet there, I reached out with my tongue and licked the moisture off. Ranger moaned, so I did it again, and again, working my way up and down his neck.

Ranger held himself still; as if he was afraid a movement from him would scare me away. I twisted out from behind him, and pushed him into the couch, then I straddled his towel-covered lap and met his eyes. The pupils were dilated with desire, and I smiled in satisfaction. Then I leaned down and licked the water droplet from his nipple. He groaned again, and I performed the same act on his other nipple. I looked up at him again, and then I kissed him.

Over the past two weeks Ranger and I have shared a lot of kisses; some hot, some tender, some sweet, some sexy – but all of them were good. As we seemed to have restricted ourselves to just kissing, we both got a lot of practice at it; and now we could easily turn the other on with a simple kiss, both of us knowing now exactly how to turn the other into a puddle of mush.

Ranger pushed his body into mine as I kissed him with silk and fire, and through the towel I could feel the effect I was having on him; Lord knows the man effects me that way on a regular basis.

His hands were stroking up and down my arms, sending tingles down my body.

He drew back reluctantly, 'I should get dressed babe.' He said regretfully.

I nodded, mentally cursing the 'no sex' rule.

Ranger smiled ruefully at me, 'I'm not particularly enjoying that rule either Babe. But I'm not taking advantage of you whilst you're still not one hundred percent ok. So we'll just have to grit our teeth and bear it.'

Yeah. Or masturbate.

Ranger burst out laughing, his whole body shaking, 'That too.' He gasped.

I blushed bright red.

Ranger kissed me on the forehead and went to the bedroom to change, grinning the whole way there. He emerged a few minutes later in combats, but with no shirt; it's my favourite of Ranger's outfits. Except maybe the towel…I think the towel just shot up to the number one position.

Ranger sat next to me on the couch, automatically taking me into his arms. We lay under the blanket, in each others arms, letting the sound of the music wash over us.

'This is going to completely destroy the mood,' Ranger warned, 'But how did your visit with Sandra go?'

Sandra was my shrink. Counsellor. Whatever. I've been to see her three times now, and as reluctant as I am to admit it, I think it's helped. Ranger organised it for me, he even insisting on paying – he really doesn't have too, my bank balance has really fleshed out these past few months: especially as Sally shared his ten big ones with me.

'Not too bad, thanks. I think it's helping.'

'Good.' Ranger said, kissing the shell of my ear.

'Ranger?'

'Yeah Babe?'

'If the nightmares stopped, would you go live somewhere else?'

I felt his body tense 'Do you want me to?' he asked softly.

'You know I don't.' I said, my voice low. 'But I don't know if you…what…I don't-'

'Babe.' Ranger sighed, tightening his arms around me. 'We fit. I won't walk away from that…I won't walk away from you.'

'So, what am I to you?' I asked. A girlfriend? A friend? A lover?…

'You're mine.' Ranger said.

I was about to protest about women's lib and slave labour, when he carried on, 'And I'm yours.' He finished.

'All mine?' I asked, a smile turning up my lips.

'All yours.' Ranger agreed. 'Exclusively.' He qualified.

'Lucky me.' I breathed, and I leaned forward to kiss him…

But his cell rang.

I sent the phone death rays, hoping it would explode…or maybe just run out of batteries; whatever works.

'This is why my lifestyle doesn't lend itself to relationships.' Ranger muterred. Then he answered the phone with a series of grunts that I tuned out.

'Babe?'

'Hmm?' I asked.

'That was my dad, he wants me to fly to Miami.'

'Why?'

'Katrina's a model; her agent informed her today that she may have a stalker. He sifts through her fan mail, and he noticed a few threatening letters, but he didn't think it was serious enough to worry her about. But now the threats have turned nastier, so he decided to inform her. Trina's a trooper, but something freaked her out enough that she cancelled a big photo shoot. Dad wants me to come and help find the psycho.'

'Are all Manoso's good looking?' I asked. Trust me to fixate on that.

Ranger blinked, 'pretty much.' He said. 'So…either I go to Miami or I just let Tank deal with it.'

'You have to go.' I said, 'she's your sister.'

'Yeah, but I don't want to leave you because you'll have nightmares.'

'I coped for two weeks without you.' I pointed out, 'I can deal with it.'

'Yeah, you can deal with it, but it's not a nice experience for you in any way. No, I won't leave you. But I have an idea.'

'Oh?'

'You could come to Miami with me, you can help; you have lots of psycho experience. You could be an inconspicuous bodyguards for my sister; just another model, hanging out.'

I burst out laughing, 'No one in a million years would believe I'm a model!'

'Why not?' Ranger frowned.

'Because, I'm not pretty enough, or skinny enough!'

'Babe, you've been running everyday for a couple of months; you're body's slim and toned. And you are defiantly pretty enough to be a model. You're beautiful.'

'You only think that because you're looking at me through rose coloured glasses.' I said, rolling my eyes, though I guess he's right about the slim and toned thing.

He turned to me, his expression bordering on Ranger's version of incredulousness, 'You really believe that, don't you?'

I shrugged, concentrating on the spot over his shoulder.

'Babe, look at me. You're stunning. You're gorgeous. You're amazing. You don't know this?'

'You're just saying that, don't worry Ranger I'm not fishing for compliments, I know I'm nothing special.'

'Nothing special?' he repeated, staring at me. 'Steph, Babe, how can you think that?'

I was about to mumble something when his cell rang again. Ah ha, saved by the bell this time. Maybe the phone shall not mysteriously die.

'Babe, this conversation is not over.' Ranger promised. Then he answered his phone.

I swear all that grunting and ugging is men reverting back to apehood. Man protect woman. Ugg.

Ranger finished his monosyllabic conversation and turned to me.

'That was Andy; he's taken leave to help Trina. He thinks everyone else is doing the same, and we're all meeting, and staying, at my parent's house. Do you want to go to Miami?'

'You won't go without me?'

'No.' Ranger said firmly.

'Then I'd love to go to Miami.' I answered.

Ranger smiled, 'Thanks Babe.' Then he pulled out his cell and started barking instructions into the phone.

'Go pack your bad-ass clothes as well as some jeans, nice dresses and stuff.' Ranger instructed me between calls, 'We'll buy anything you forget in Miami.'

I nodded and started to pack. Shoving clothes into my huge suitcase. My bad-ass clothes, as Ranger called them, had been purchased a few weeks ago when I'd complained to Ranger that I didn't intimidate any of my FTA's. He'd grinned at me, and then he took me shopping.

I brought seven pairs of combats; five black, one sand camouflage, and one forest camouflage. Then we brought some black stretchy tops and a two leather jackets. I brought another pair of CAT boots, and a pair of black kick ass knee-high boots with stiletto heels and pointy toes. Ranger raised his eyebrow at the boots. 'What?' I'd replied.

'Babe. Can you run in them?'

'Absolutely.' I'd replied.

'Fine. If you can wear them running tonight, then I'll pay for them.'

Good deal – the boots were nearly $500, but damn they were kick-ass.

I'm a girl from Jersey, and if there's one thing we can do, besides make-up and cussing; it's running in heels. It's a skill all women need, but few have; most of the women that can do it live in Jersey.

After our run Ranger wordlessly handed me the cash.

And he didn't complain about the boots again.

Two hours later and I was packed and sitting on a private jet. The interior was plush leather corporate décor. Nice.

Taking up the seats opposite me where Tank, Lester Santos and Bobby Brown.

'Who's running Trenton Rangeman?' I asked Ranger, who was seated next to me.

'The guy who runs Miami Rangeman. I'll be running Miami while I'm there, so he's coming down here to handle things.'

'Oh.'

I paused, sitting there with Will Smith's song 'Miami' playing in my head.

'Ranger?' I asked.

'Yeah Babe?'

'Are we nearly there yet?'

'Babe.' Ranger said, shaking his head.

Lester grinned, 'This is going to be fun.'