The Rift- Chapter 10
Sorry. I just realized that it has been months since I posted on this story. . I hope everyone is still interested in the story. I wanted to wrap it up. Please leave reviews, as I live for them.
Stephanie's POV
To be honest, talking was the last thing I wanted to do. With Ranger's thumb stroking my breast, I couldn't think, let alone talk. But we needed to talk. I had been positive that I'd never see him again, that he'd continue in Miami, and I would continue here. I was resigned to it. I had even arranged my life to be content with that. Never happy, not without Ranger, but content. Existing, not living. But now he was back, and he had thrown out the proverbial olive branch. I owed it to him, hell, to myself, to at least talk about the issues. I wasn't sure we'd ever work them out, after all, I am who I am, and Ranger is who he is. But I certainly didn't want to have regrets, or think of 'what might have been."
I couldn't think about our issues, now however, because the insistence of Ranger's thumb on my left nipple was making me wet and making my breath come in little gasps. I was starved for an orgasm that wasn't self-induced and so I put all the reasons why we shouldn't from my head and let Ranger seduce me. I threw my head back and he nuzzled and kissed my neck, an invitation for him to continue. Issuing that invitation to Ranger was like waving a red cloak in front of a bull. He poured all his months of loneliness and pent up sexual frustration into his touch, his lips and fingers setting me on fire.
I woke with my head on Ranger's naked chest. Most of my body was sore now. Our lovemaking hadn't been gentle, it had been passionate. After weeks of longing and pent up desire, neither of us had wanted gentle. Even in the midst to his ravenous passion, Ranger had been so gentle and tender when it came to my right breast. He barely even touched it, and only gently kissed it. It was so sweet. He did have a lot of fun with the other one, though.
I wanted to spend more time reveling in the delicious aftermath of incredible sex, but I knew that we had issues to talk about. And we needed to talk about them, before either of us lost our nerve. Ranger must have realized the same thing, because he kissed me one last time, then got up and put on his shirt. I got us each a bottle of water, then we sat in the living room, on opposite sides of the couch.
Ranger's POV
I had put on my clothes, and part of me wanted to put on my " tough emotionless badass" mask with them. I was feeling uncomfortable again. How the hell can I feel so damn confident and comfortable in the bedroom, and so damn flustered out of it? I hated this feeling s shit. Ok, I knew it was time for me to fucking man up, so I just dove in.
" Steph, babe, " I …I..really missed you," I said, afraid to look in her eyes. No, it was so much easier to talk about feelings and stuff if you weren't looking at the other person. " When the guys called me and told me there was a situation with you, I was scared as hell and spent hours imaging the worst. When I thought you had breast cancer, I was terrified. Not just for you, but for me. I was terrified of losing you."
Steph was just sitting cross legged on the couch, she looked at me and opened her mouth to reply, but I raised my fingers to stop her. " No wait, let me say this before I lose my nerve or fuck it up." Shit. I had never felt so fucking uncomfortable in my life.
Steph's POV
I stopped trying to talk and just waited for Ranger to finish. He wouldn't meet my eyes, but occasionally I got a look into his. His looked so uncertain and vulnerable. I had never seen hi m like this, so transparent, willing to express his feelings.
He sighed. " I know I told you that my life doesn't lend itself to relationships, and that is true. But there are lots of guys with dangerous jobs who have families, so I guess it can be done. I have been fighting my feelings for you, but being so damn scared that I would lose you made me stop fighting. All those cars I gave you, my men, my apartment, all the times I was overprotective, that is my way of taking care of you. And then you ran back to Morelli…" He had a pained look on his face, as if it was physically hurting him to actually express his feelings.
I couldn't believe he was suddenly baring so much of himself to me. FBD was a pain, but if him thinking my FBD was cancer made him open up to me, then it was worth it.
" Ranger, I only went back to Joe because you kept reminding me that you didn't want a relationship. I knew you wanted sex with me, but I don't do just sex. I knew that was all I'd get with you. I wasn't really sure what I wanted , and Joe and my mom were pressuring me to be with him. But I haven't seen Joe since before our fight. I want to be with you. "
Ranger's POV
I moved over close to Steph and put my arm around her, gently stroking her neck with my fingers. I seemed to suddenly have this huge desire to express my feelings. It seemed like, now that I lowered the the dam holding back my feelings, they came flowing over it like a waterfall. I was helpless to control teh flow."
"Babe, I want you to come back to Rangeman, work full time for me. The guys can help you with your skips. "
I saw that she was about to protest, and I stopped her with a finger to her lips. " Steph, you can't make a living catching the occasional skip for Vinnie. And the guys are non-negotiable. You have a lot of courage and luck, but you don't have the skill, and I don't want you getting hurt.
I saw the indignant look in her eyes. " Look , Steph, I have a lot of enemies. People who would love to hurt me by hurting someone I love. " He grabbed my hands. " I can't risk losing you."
"The guys are like babysitters, making sure I don't get hurt." I don't need babysitters."
" Babe, all the guys have partners. I don't let any of them go into the field alone. They always have backup. "
" You don't trust that I can take care of myself," she accused.
Well, she had me there. She couldn't really take care of herself. She didn't even carry her damn gun.
I looked for a tactful way out. "Look, babe. . I know that all the guys can take care of themselves, and they still have partners."
Now that I was being honest, I should be brutally honest. " And you don't ever carry your gun, you won't go to self defense training, you don't wait for backup, of course I wonder if you can take care of yourself. I can't risk losing you if you get in over your head. I can't risk losing someone I love."
Steph's POV
At first I was indignant, but then I realized that Ranger was right. How could he trust that I can handle myself in dangerous situations if I never carried a gun, never worked out, etc. Wait, did he just say he loved me…
Well, ok, it hadn't been those three exact words, but it had been as close to "I love you" as Ranger is probably ever going to get. I looked over at him. He looked back at me, for once not giving me damn blackface. His face was filled with emotion, a mixture of hope and wariness. I could see the anxiety on his face, as he waited, unsure of what my reaction would be. How I could ever have thought him emotionless was beyond me. He had them, he just covered them well.
Joe was out of the picture, and it sounded like Ranger was going to attempt to be reasonable, and he did bring up some good points.
" Ok, I'll come back to work at Rangeman, but only part time for now. Lula works with me on my Vinnie skips. "
I knew he'd never give in about having the guys with me, But I knew it was to protect what he had finally allowed himself to love, so I guess I could handle it.
Ranger's eyes darkened and seemed to spark with fire. He touched my right breast. " Does it hurt?, he asked. I nodded.
His face broke into a sexy smirk. " How about if I kiss it and make it better," he said, pushing me down on the couch starting to kiss all the way down my body.
Finally , finished. Hope you all enjoyed it.-chloe