AN: Here it is! I hope you enjoyed reading this story as much as I did writing it. I have read and loved each and every one of your comments! They have been funny and charming and motivating and demanding and I wouldn't have it any other way. I was going to post this tomorrow but decided because potterwench used the magic word six times, I'd get it up today. This one is for you potterwench!

Thanks again for making this whole experience so rewarding.

Warning: Tiny bit of smut

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Time seemed to move in slow motion as the car flipped into the air. We rotated twice and then the six thousand pound SUV crashed down onto the unyielding surface of the asphalt street, landing tilted onto the driver's side and skidding a few feet down the road.

For a second there was absolute silence and then everything was back in the rush of breath that expelled from my lungs on a loud whoosh of sound.

"Fuck!" Lester exclaimed from the front seat and Cal echoed the sentiment from my right side. I turned my head and found his eyes.

"Are you hurt," he asked.

I glanced down at myself, not really sure of the answer. I was still secured behind the seatbelt and appeared unscathed. "I don't think so. Are you?"

"Pretty sure my leg is broken. Hal…" his voice trailed off and I turned to the left.

Shit. Tears filled my eyes at the sight of blood pooling from somewhere underneath Hal. I stretched my arm over him to find the pulse point on his neck. "Oh thank God," I murmured when I felt the strong throb of life against my fingers. "Alive," I said to Cal. "But he's out and there's a lot of blood. I can't tell where it's coming from."

"Ram?"

"I don't know," Lester said. He had his knife in his left hand and was cutting away the air bag that deployed on impact.

"Lester," I said slowly as I remembered what I'd done when we were in the air. "What happens if no one is in the control to monitor the alarms?"

He craned his neck to look back at me. "Did you hit your panic button?"

"Yeah, but the building has been evacuated so no one there will know where we are."

I was surprised to find Lester smiling. "What?"

"Your panic button alarm sounds in the control room but it also goes directly to Ranger's phone," Cal answered.

The relief was instant. Ranger would be coming for us. "We need to get out of this car and get an ambulance on the way," I said as I released my seatbelt. I had to brace my hands on the roof to keep from sliding into Hal.

"Check on Ram," Cal implored.

"I'll do it," Lester said as he cut himself free of the seatbelt. He then climbed over the console to investigate Ram's status.

"Alive," he announced and I breathed another sigh of relief. "But his pulse is weak. We need to get him to the hospital." Lester grabbed his phone and dialed emergency.

"They're on the way and since you hit your button so is Ranger. Let's get out of this car."

I don't even know how he twisted his body that way but he did and I watched as his powerful legs kicked out the windshield that had buckled slightly. It was safety glass so hadn't shattered but was fully splintered and spider webbed with cracks.

"I don't want to leave you here," I said to Cal as I eyed Lester climbing out through the open space like a monkey up a tree.

"Go," he said. "We'll be fine. It won't be long until the cavalry arrives."

I leaned into him and kissed his cheek and then did my best to follow the path Lester took. I only slipped twice. "You could have offered a hand," I complained as I managed to haul myself out and onto the pavement.

Lester didn't respond and when I looked up at him his face was hard and unreadable and there was a gun pressed against his right temple.

I didn't even have to think about it. My Glock was in my hand, the safety was off and it was pointed at Chavez's heart. I heard Tank's low, even voice in my head. Arms loose, deep breath in, squeeze-don't pull.

And then the bastard laughed.

"Oh, very good," he said. His accent was thick and filled with amusement. "But he'll be dead before you even pull the trigger."

"Want to test that theory?"

"He's right." Lester's voice was calm and quiet and I chanced a glance at his face. "Take the shot," he said as our eyes met.

I could see the truth there. Lester was willing to sacrifice himself to end this. There wasn't any way I would let that happen.

"How very noble," Chavez sneered. "She won't do it. Will you? You don't have it in you."

"Why are you doing this?" I asked trying to stall for time. Ranger had to be close. I just needed to keep him talking. All psychopaths liked to talk, right? They liked to tell you how clever they thought they were. Right?

"I warned him," Chavez said. "I warned him and still he let you out of his sight. Not the first mistake he's made, but it will be the last. Ricardo took something of mine and now I will take something of his. I should just kill you now as that would be the ultimate torture for him - but I want to play with you first. That will make him insane. "

"Take the shot, Stephanie," Lester said more forcefully and I watched his eyes dart down to the ground and then back up to me. What was that?

"Your friend apparently wants to die." This seemed to make Chavez happy. He was smiling at me with his dead eyes and it made a shiver run down my spine.

Lester's eyes darted down again and then I understood what he wanted to do. I shook my head slightly. I didn't think it would work and didn't want to risk him taking a bullet in the brain.

"Take it," he said one last time and then dropped like a bag of sand.

I squeezed the trigger –once, twice.

Ranger appeared in my peripheral vision before the world went black.

########

My eyes opened slowly and I focused on the white tiles of the ceiling. My ceiling didn't look like that and I know Ranger's didn't either so whose bed was I in? I was definitely in a bed.

"There you are," a voice said softly beside me and I turned my head to see a blond haired blue eyed nurse staring at me. "Welcome back." She smiled and her teeth were blindingly white.

"Thanks," I croaked out. My voice sounded like a bullfrog. "But where did I go?" I tried to shift in the bed but my right side was immobile. I looked down and discovered Rangers sleeping form plastered to my body.

I cut my eyes back to the nurse in question. She lifted a plastic cup with a straw to my lips and I took a grateful sip of water. "He wouldn't leave," she said. "And that one," she jerked her head to a body in the corner, "threatened the hospital administrator with a gun."

I looked and saw Joe slouched down in a chair, fast asleep.

"We had to bring one of the beds we use for…larger patients because he insisted on being next to you and you both wouldn't fit in the normal beds."

Ranger stirred slightly and I lifted my hand and rubbed it softly over his short hair. He settled back into my side without waking up.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Well, you were shot," she said and pointed to my neck. I touched the spot she indicated and felt a heavy bandage under my fingers. "It was actually fairly superficial but you fell and your head caught the edge of a curb. There was some brain swelling and they had to go in and drain some of the fluid."

"How's my head now?"

"Better. You'll be fine in a few days. Want some more water?"

"No. How long have I been here?"

"Three days."

"Damn."

"Tell me your secret," The nurse said and that got her a confused face from me.

"What secret?"

"How did you land these two? It has to be a lot of butt stuff, right? I mean, I can't even get one half way decent looking guy to ask me out and you have two of the most gorgeous things I've ever seen that won't leave your side. They're obviously in love with you so what is it? Whips, chains? Do you bend to their every will in a red room of pain?"

I choked out a laugh. "Well I hate to disappoint you but there's nothing like that and only this one is mine." I pointed to Ranger and then gestured to Joe's sleeping form. "He belongs to someone else."

"Really?" she was genuinely surprised. "Neither one of them has left this room since you were brought in so I just assumed…"

"Believe me; I don't think it would be possible to handle both of them at once."

She laughed. "You're probably right, but I bet it would be fun to try for a while."

I just smiled and didn't say anything. She didn't need to know that I'd done just that for a brief period of time.

"So what about the others?" she said and I raised my eyebrows.

"Others?"

"Yes, there has been a parade of men in black in and out of this room, most of them look like they stepped out of magazine and there is one that is so huge he looks like a tank."

"That's Tank," I said.

"His name is Tank?"

"It's what he goes by."

"It fits," she said.

"I work with them," I told her. "Oh shit!"

"What's wrong?"

"I just remembered….what happened to Lester? Please tell me Lester is okay. And what about Hal and Ram?"

I was freaking out and the machines I was attached to started beeping like crazy.

"Calm down," the nurse said and laid a hand on my arm.

"Lester…" I felt tears gathering in the back of my eyes. I could see him standing in front of me with the gun pressed to his head.

"Lester's fine, Babe." Ranger's familiar voice rumbled from my side and he snaked his arm across my stomach and squeezed me in a comforting embrace.

"You're awake!" Joe was suddenly standing beside the nurse and grinning down at me.

"I'm going to go get the doctor," the nurse said and gave me a knowing look. I don't think she believed that I wasn't with both of them but I didn't say anything as she slipped out of the room

Ranger sat up and brushed a kiss over my lips before swinging his legs over the side of the bed and turning so he could face me.

Joe sat down on the other side and they each took one of my hands in theirs, Joe being careful with the IV attached to the one he had.

"Lester's really okay?"

"Not a scratch on him," Ranger confirmed.

"And Chavez…he didn't get away, did he?"

Joe and Ranger shared a look. "Chavez is dead, Steph," Joe said.

I blew out a sigh of relief. "Oh good. You guys got there in time to get him."

"Wasn't us," Joe said and looked at Ranger again.

"What do you mean?" I wanted to know. "I saw you, Ranger. I saw you before…"

"I was there," he said. "But I was a second too late. You had already taken the shot. He got one off too, but because Lester distracted him by dropping to the ground he wasn't as quick as you and his aim was off."

"I killed Chavez?" I said slowly.

"Two shots, right to the heart," Joe said and I could hear the pride in his voice.

I cut my eyes to Ranger for confirmation and he nodded. "He's gone, Steph."

I closed my eyes and felt a tear escape and run down my cheek.

"Why are you crying? This is good news." Joe sounded confused and I smiled without opening my eyes.

"These are happy tears. I'm glad he's dead and I'm happy no one else had to die in the process." My eyes flew open. "No one else died, right? Ram…Hal and Cal? Everyone is okay?"

"Yeah, Babe. Everyone is okay." Ranger squeezed my hand. "Cal has a broken leg. Hal has multiple cuts and contusions and three broken fingers on his left hand. Ram got the worst of it. His shoulder is shattered and he'll need a lot of work to get it repaired, but he'll be okay too."

Well that sucked. But they were alive. Battered but alive. "Are they here? Can I see them?"

Joe leaned forward and pecked my cheek before standing up. "I'll go let everyone know you're awake and see what we can do about visitation."

He disappeared out the door leaving me alone with Ranger.

"You scared me," Ranger whispered and ran his thumb over the tiny scar under my eye. His eyes were bright and shiny with moisture. I thought for a second he was going to cry but he blinked and the moment was gone.

"I didn't mean to," I assured him.

"I know." He smiled and brushed some hair off my face. He was quiet for several long minutes and then he said more than I've ever heard him say at one time.

"While I was gone, I realized how much I hated being away from you. I couldn't sleep, didn't feel like eating; everything just felt…wrong. So I made a promise to myself that if I was able to come back I would stop wasting time pushing you away and saying things to you to make you think I didn't want to be with you."

He paused and took a breath and I realized I was holding mine.

"You don't know how happy it made me when I got home and discovered I hadn't completely destroyed my chance. I was lucky. I was so lucky you hadn't run right to Morelli's arms, never looking back."

He stopped again and looked away as if he was trying to find the words to continue on. When he began again his voice was soft and hoarse.

"And then Chavez fired his gun and I couldn't stop it; I couldn't get there fast enough and you went down. There was so much blood and you wouldn't wake up – you wouldn't…I thought I lost you…"

He trailed off and tilted his head back, eyes to the ceiling and inhaled a shaky breath.

"Ranger." I took his hand and he slowly lowered his head and met my eyes. "I'm okay," I said and he nodded one time. "And all that other stuff is in the past. It doesn't matter anymore. We have our chance now and I don't know about you, but I can't wait to move forward with our lives – together."

A part of me wanted to know why he'd spent so much time keeping me at arm's length but I knew I wasn't any better. I never told him how I truly felt about him and what I said was true. It doesn't matter anymore. We both made mistakes but now we have the chance to start over and we both really want to do just that.

I got the full on Ranger smile. He told me he loved me and then he kissed me and that kiss held all sorts of promises about better things to come but we were interrupted by the door bursting open and the room filling with apparently everyone I know.

Lester was leading the pack and I was surprised to see my Grandma clinging to his arm. "Hot damn," she said. "That was some kiss! I wouldn't mind getting a kiss like that." She tilted her head up to look at her escort. The panic stricken look of horror on Lester's face made Ranger and I laugh out loud.

My whole family was there, including my nieces and brother in-law and my Mother came bearing dessert. A whole bag full of dessert. I think she must have made a dozen things. I was going to enjoy digging into that later. A rotating group of Rangemen made an appearance, including Hal and Cal. The only one I didn't see was Ram as he was in his own hospital room down the hall. I would visit him as soon as they let me out.

Joe brought Christine by and I even got a visit from Eddie Garza and Carl Costanza. I loved that everyone came to visit but by the time the hospital made everyone leave I was grateful. It was kind of exhausting dealing with that many people at once. Only Ranger remained and he crawled into the oversized hospital bed and curled up to my side just as I let out an enormous yawn.

"Tired, Babe?"

"Yeah, but…"

Ranger sat up and looked at me. "Really? Right now?"

I gave him a sheepish grin. "Would you mind?"

He shook his head and laughed. "You never disappoint." He got out of the bed and found the bag my Mother had left. From previous experience I knew there would be paper plates and plastic utensils in there and sure enough, a minute later, Ranger appeared at my side with a piece of pineapple upside down cake on a plate and he had a plastic fork in his hand.

He sat down and began feeding me. It was heavenly and I heard myself moan in appreciation.

"God, I love watching you eat," Ranger said and I smiled around a mouthful of cake.

########

I stepped out of the shower, dried off and then spent a few minutes inspecting the scar on my neck in the mirror over my sink. It had been a month since the hospital deemed me fit to be released and it was looking much better. It was almost in the same spot as the one Ranger had on his neck but somehow on him it looked dangerous and mysterious and flat out sexy. On me, it was just ugly.

I covered it with a scarf for a while but Ranger kept taking it off to kiss me there and I got tired of putting it back on all the time so I quit wearing it.

Ranger had barely left my side since I got out of the hospital. Today I finally convinced him to get back to work. Not that I wanted to be away from him, but he had a business to run and I could tell Tank was starting to get anxious for him to return.

I spent the day by myself and it was nice to have some alone time but I was looking forward to Ranger's return. He'd been staying with me and I looked at his tooth brush and shaving equipment covering my sink. My bathroom wasn't really big enough for two people to share but we'd made it work. He'd never brought it up, but I did wonder if he thought about going back to his apartment. If he did, I hoped he'd want me to go with him.

I was seriously thinking about moving in with Ranger and it wasn't scary. Wow, I think I'm finally becoming an adult!

I mascaraed my lashes and put on some pink lip gloss. I lotioned my freshly shaved body, plucked some stray hairs from my eyebrows and looked down at the light pink polish of the pedicure I'd gotten that afternoon. I was feeling pretty today and hoped Ranger thought so too. He'd been very delicate with me since the shooting and, in fact, we hadn't made love since I'd been home. There'd been a lot of heavy petting and a ton of kissing and massaging but it always ended with us cuddling together and falling asleep. Not that I don't like all that, because I do, but I'm not a delicate flower and a girl has needs. This girl needs Ranger. Naked and aroused Ranger and tonight I'm going to make that happen.

"Steph?"

Speak of the devil. The deliciously hot devil.

"I'm in the bathroom. I'll be right out," I called. I smelled Chinese food. Yum, but it was going to have to wait. I swiped another layer of mascara on my lashes and touched up my lip gloss.

"I brought dinner," He called back. "Chinese."

I smiled and hoped he was hungry for some Hungarian/Italian instead. I slipped my feet into the sexy ankle-strap heels I'd bought that afternoon and eyed the slinky black dress hanging on the back of the door. It was a great dress, but I was thinking I needed to be a little more aggressive tonight. I'd wear it for him another night.

I took one last look in the mirror and fluffed my hair. I sprayed a tiny bit of Dolce Vita on my wrist and swept out of the bathroom in my heels and nothing else.

Ranger was sitting on the couch and dishing out food onto plates when I entered the living room.

"I got pork fried rice, mango chicken, some dumplings and an order of wonton soup," he said and when I didn't respond, he glanced up from his task.

I was rewarded with the dilating of his eyes to the darkest brown I'd ever seen and his jaw dropping open slightly.

"I'm not all that hungry," I said and placed my heel clad foot up on the edge of the coffee table. "I bought some new shoes today. Do you like them?"

To his credit, Ranger dropped his eyes to my shoe on the table. "Very nice," he said, "but I don't think you're going to be wearing them very long." His eyes took a slow path up my leg, drinking in every inch of my naked skin until they finally reached my face. He held my gaze, his expression serious and his breathing was slow and deep.

I opened my mouth to say something, although I don't remember what because he was up and off the couch and carrying me to the bedroom before any words could form on my tongue.

He lay me down in the middle of my bed and I sat up on my elbows and had the distinct pleasure of watching him strip. He didn't take his time and was soon standing before me as naked as I was. He grabbed my calves and pulled me down until my backside was just at the edge of the bed. His hands caressed my legs slowly until they were at my ankles. He slipped off my new shoes one by one and let them fall to the floor.

His fingers traced over the top of my shins and then moved over and under my knees and to the back of my thighs sending shivers up and through my body. I felt a rush of heat and wetness flooded my core when his hands reached my hips and yanked them up to meet his pulsing erection.

"I'm getting the impression you're not in the mood for slow and sensual tonight," he murmured and pressed into me, smearing the pearl of liquid that had developed of the head of his thick shaft.

I wanted him inside me so badly I couldn't even talk so I shook my head from side to side. He did not need a verbal response and plunged in deep. I sucked in a gasp of air and tried not to whimper when he pulled almost all the way out before diving in again. It only took two more times before I found my voice and screamed out is name on glorious climax.

Ranger was still hard as a rock but he pulled out and grabbed me by my waist. He lifted me up and dropped me back onto the bed, my head landing in the middle of a pillow. He crawled up between my legs and covered my mouth in a crushing kiss.

"Now," he said, pulling back and grinning slightly, "slow and sensual."

Two hours and multiple orgasms later, I was curled up on my side with Ranger spooned behind me running his hand lazily over my breasts.

"Are you hungry yet," his voice was low in my ear.

"Only for you."

"Haven't you had your fill of me yet?"

I turned over in his arms to face him and gently placed my lips over his. "I don't think that could ever be an issue."

"Good to know," he said and kissed me back. "Have you ever considered subletting your apartment?"

The change of subject was abrupt and completely threw me for a loop. "What? No. Why would I?"

He shrugged slightly and kissed the tip of my nose. "Just thought you might want to when you move in with me."

My breath caught in my throat. I had just been thinking about this earlier and here he was asking me. Damn.

"Did you just ask me to move in with you?"

"Yes," he said simply.

"Hmmm," I drew out slowly. "I should probably weigh the pros and cons before making a decision about that."

"Is that right?" Ranger raised an eyebrow and propped up his elbow, resting his head in his palm. He looked down at me. "Alright. Well let's hear it then. The pro's first."

"Well," I said and sighed deeply. "There's Ella."

"Yeah," Ranger nodded. "That would definitely be a pro."

"Mmmm, yes." I agreed. "And then there are your sheets. Those are pretty excellent sheets."

"I like them," he said. "But they are better when you're between them."

I couldn't stop the smile. I was just going to say that about him.

"Your shower's pretty good too," I went on. "And that giant T.V. will be good for watching the hockey playoffs."

"Okay," he said slowly. "So there are my sheets, my shower, my television and my house keeper…anything else?"

"Well, you'll be there, so I'm guessing there will be a lot of mind blowing orgasms. That's definitely a pro."

"That would be at the top of my list," he said. "Alright, what about the cons?"

I narrowed my eyes and tried to put a serious expression on my face. "There is only one, but it's a big one."

"Lay it on me," he said and I almost smiled at the worry I saw behind his eyes.

"Doughnuts," I said.

He couldn't hide the surprise. "Doughnuts?"

"Yes. You don't allow them in the building. That is a huge problem for me. Might even be a deal breaker."

Ranger laughed and then kissed me long and deep. "I love you," he said when we came up for air.

"I love you too," I said.

"Do you want to start moving this weekend?"

"Yeah," I said. "I really, really do."

The End

Epilogue

One Year Later

My eyes never left Rangers as I made the slow trek down the aisle. I often found myself lost in the intensity of his gaze and today was no exception, but it was important to stay focused in this moment so I squared my shoulders and attempted to avoid the power of his force field.

He'd let his hair grow long again and he'd worn it loose. It stopped just short of the tops of his shoulders and I longed to run my fingers through the thick silky strands.

He looked un-fucking-believable in the charcoal grey suit that was expertly tailored to every cut and contour of his perfectly sculpted body. Even though it was highly inappropriate in this particular setting, I couldn't stop thinking about my plans to get him out of that suit when the ceremony was over.

He looks amazing in a suit, but words haven't even been invented that could describe what he looks like naked.

Ranger's eyes went suddenly dark and his lips twitched slightly at the corners as if he could tell exactly where my mind had been wandering while I made my way to where he was waiting. I felt my cheeks flush and I finally had to tear my eyes away before everyone in the church knew what I was thinking.

I looked down and focused on the small bouquet of flowers in my hands and then I concentrated on navigating the two steps leading up to the alter so I didn't trip. I took my place on the left and turned to face the aisle to watch the rest of the procession. I chanced once last glance at Ranger across from me. He was giving me his full, breath taking smile.

Lula, the maid of honor, marched up the aisle and to her spot in front of me and then all the guests rose and turned in unison as the wedding march began to play.

Connie looked beautiful in her ivory Vera Wang gown and I know it sounds cliché, but she was glowing with happiness as her father escorted her to her waiting fiancé. I snuck a peek at Hal as she got closer. He was grinning from ear to ear and I don't think I've ever seen him look that happy. His eyes shone with love for his bride and when I cut my glance to Lula, she was watching him too. We were thrilled for both of them.

Hal's best man, Cal, cuffed his friend on the shoulder as Connie ascended the steps. Cal was grinning too and I knew he was happy for his friend and partner. Hal took Connie's hand and the ceremony began.

I tried to pay attention to the pastor but I kept getting sucked into the gravitational pull of Ranger's presence across the small alter. It amazed me after all this time that I still couldn't take my eyes off him. And obviously, I also had a hard time keeping my hands off of him as well. Would you be able to? I wanted my hands on him right now. I was thinking about the first place to touch as soon as I got him alone when I felt Lula's elbow in my side.

I managed not to grunt in pain at the jab, but only barely and someone in the audience laughed and tried to cover it up with a cough. I knew it was Lester without even having to look. As soon as I'd moved into the Rangeman building and into Ranger's apartment, Lester began complaining about us acting like newlyweds. I'll admit, sometimes we did get carried away with the public displays of affection but I didn't care. Once we both decided what we wanted we never again wasted a single chance to show each other, and anyone in the vicinity, how we felt about each other. Lester pointed out that normal people just get married and let their rings do the talking but Ranger and I have never really been "normal" and we prefer it that way. Maybe someday we'll get married, but for now we like our life just the way it is.

"You may kiss the bride!" The preacher exclaimed and I turned back to Hal and Connie to witness their first kiss as man and wife. Lester wolf whistled from the front row and then the whole church burst into applause when the grinning couple made their way down the aisle. I watched Cal escort Lula away next and then Ranger was at my side and slipping his arm through mine.

"You look stunning in this dress, Babe," he said and I was grateful Connie hadn't tortured me with a hideous bridesmaid monstrosity. "But I'm really looking forward to you taking it off."

"Maybe it will be a short reception," I offered as we made our way out of the chapel.

"Have you ever been to a short reception?"

"No," I confessed sadly.

Ranger laughed. "That's what I thought. I guess I'll just have to imagine it until we get home."

"It's not that bad," I said. "I've been imagining getting you out of that suit since I stepped into the church.

This got me a sly smile. "I know. In fact I think everyone in here knows. I thought you were going to attack me up there in front of God and everyone."

"Funny. But it's not my fault, you know."

"Are you suggesting it's my fault that you can't control yourself, even in church?"

"I'm not suggesting I'm flat out stating facts. Have you seen yourself in this suit? I sort of felt bad for Hal because every woman in here was imagining getting you out of it. Probably even Connie… And I didn't attack you, did I? So I have some self-control. But it's a good thing we're sharing a Limo with the rest of the wedding party because I don't think I could be held accountable for what I would do if I had you to myself in there."

"How interesting that you would say that," Ranger said as we stepped outside and made our way down to the Limos waiting at the curb. Hal and Connie were in the first one and it was pulling away from the curb. I watched Cal and Lula get into the second one and the chauffeur shut the door behind Cal's large frame.

I turned to Ranger and found him grinning. "This one's all ours, Babe." The chauffeur opened the door and Ranger held out his hand to help me inside. I gave him a raised eyebrow, but took his hand and climbed inside. He followed and slid in next to me on the plush leather seats.

"So," he began when the door closed. "You were saying something about having me to yourself…"

I grabbed him by the lapel of his suit jacket and pulled him to me. "Do you know how much I love you?" I asked and planted a kiss on his luscious lips.

He nipped at my bottom lip and slid his palm around to the nape of my neck. "Maybe you should show me."

So I did.

The End.