Chapter 12
Steph's POV
Ranger took me to his apartment and gently sat me on the couch.
"Ranger, I really appreciate you letting me stay here but it's really just a minor sprain. If I didn't work here, I certainly wouldn't be getting carried around and it's not like I would call into work over a minor sprain," I pointed out.
"Babe, if you didn't work here, I would personally be calling your employer to let them know you'd be out all week and then I would be findings way to keep you off your feet for a week," he whispered giving me a wolf grin, his lips so close to mine.
I felt my heart stop as heat flashed through my body. I grabbed his face and kissed him. He pulled me close to him and I wrapped my arms around him tight as his hands went in my hair. I opened my mouth and felt his tongue. I was getting dizzy with desire and kissed him back forcefully massaging his tongue with my own.
My brain finally kicked in and screamed for me to stop.
I abruptly broke the kiss, my breathing ragged. "Sorry about that. I probably shouldn't have just jumped you," I stammered.
He tilted my chin up so that my eyes met his. "You don't ever have to apologize for kissing me Babe. You have my permission to kiss me whenever you want," he smiled. I was so flustered. How is he so in control all the time? It's kind of annoying.
"Rest Babe, I have some things to do and then we can have dinner together. I'll have one of the guys go pick up your things for you," he said kissing my forehead.
"Ranger, please. I'll stay here with you, I'll keep my foot up and do everything Bobby said but please let me go to my own apartment and get my things. It's so strange the idea of Cal rifling through my underwear and picking up my body lotion," I asked trying not to sound like I was begging even though I kind of was.
He folded his arms looking at me with a hint of a smile on his lips.
"I think that can be arranged but I'd like continue this negotiation," he said.
I raised my eyebrows and waited for him to continue.
"I will take you to your apartment to get your things but you will be carried to the car and up to your apartment. I will let you pack your own things but you will be carried back here and your foot will be up with ice on your ankle the rest of the evening. Also, for the rest of the week I will be carrying you down to the gym and to your cubicle," he stated.
"Fine, but I will be walking around the apartment and I will be walking to the bathroom and showering without help. It is a minor sprain," I countered.
That got me a full 200 watt smile. "You know me well Babe. That was a smart move because I would have insisted that you be carried and I was hoping to convince you that you would need help in shower," he said. I felt my face get hot again and I began worrying about staying with Ranger. I didn't want to ruin what we were building by rushing things because of my uncontrollable hormones.
I took a breath and composed myself.
"So the deal is that you will take me to my apartment so I can pack my things and I can walk short distances but long ones I have to be carried. Is that it?" I asked.
He nodded.
I stuck out my hand. "I think we've reached an agreement Mr. Manoso," I said.
He raised his eyebrows at me but shook my hand.
"Alright Ms. Plum, let's go get your things," he said as he took me in his arms once again.
As humiliating at it was to be carried around I had to admit I really enjoyed being in his arms.
The past few weeks with Ranger have been interesting. He hasn't been pushy with me but he's gone out of his way to spend time with me. He's seems more relaxed and easy with me but yet he was still the same Ranger I've known for the past two years. I wondered if this change was really permanent. I really liked this Ranger, he smiled more and he was way more talkative. In all fairness, Ranger will never be considered smiley or talkative but this was just Ranger with the happy volume just turned up a notch.
I followed the compromise Ranger and I struck. I didn't complain when he carried me to get my things or when he carried me back to set me on the couch and got ice for my ankle. True to his word he didn't bother me when I got up to use the bathroom and when I showered.
When it was time for bed I told Ranger I would take the couch. I knew he wouldn't let me and he offered to take the couch. I figured we slept in the same bed multiple times before without incident so I told him I'd be willing to share if he was comfortable in it.
I changed in the bathroom and came out and Ranger was already in bed I climbed in next to him careful not to touch him. I fell asleep quickly. He really does have an amazing bed.
I woke up wrapped in his arms. My first instinct was to pull away. We weren't together, I wasn't sure if we should be. It just felt so good to be near him. I found myself snuggling closer.
"Mmmm. Morning Babe," he said holding me tighter kissing me softly on the forehead. "Ready to get up and head to gym?" he asked.
"I'd rather stay here," I whispered.
His eyes widened, "You just say the word and we can both be offline for the day," he said looking me straight in the eyes.
Now it was my turn for my eyes to widen. I would love to spend all day with Ranger I could easily find things for us to do to pass the time in his bed. But what would it mean? Am I ready for this? My mind raced as I sat there staring into his beautiful eyes.
"Too late Babe," he said breaking the silence.
I looked at him quizzically.
"You hesitated you're clearly not ready. Let's go to the gym," he said getting up.
"Ranger, I'm sorry!" I apologized. I felt terrible. Why the hell did I hesitate?
He came back to the bed and kissed me softly on the cheek. "Don't be sorry. Please. I want you to be completely sure. I'm not going to rush you," he said.
Ranger and I didn't talk about me hesitating the rest of the week. He never pushed me and every night I would go to bed without touching him and wake up peacefully wrapped in his arms. He never complained once.
It was Friday and I was in Bobby's office having my ankle looked at. "Gorgeous, I think you've actually been following my orders, it looks healed. How's it feel?" Bobby asked me.
"Good, there's no more pain and it doesn't seem to be swollen anymore," I replied not meeting his eyes.
Bobby sighed. "Are we ever going to get past this?" he asked quietly.
"I hope so. I guess I just don't know how to get there. I'm still angry and hurt. I felt so stupid the next day when you left. I had really believed that we had something," I answered.
"We did. I was serious when I said I was falling for you but I couldn't risk being in the same situation Ranger was in with Morelli," Bobby explained softly.
That hit me in the stomach. "What do you mean?" I asked.
"Ranger would do anything for you. He would save you, protect you, help you and then you would go home to Morelli. It must have killed him. I'm not comfortable being second to another man. I know you said you could have moved on from him and maybe you could've but I just couldn't risk being that guy that you ran too when you needed me and then having to watch you go home to someone else. I wouldn't be able to handle it. I don't know how he did it for so long. I know I didn't handle our situation in the right way. I fucked up bad but I hope you just understand my reasoning and can find some way to forgive me. I miss you and I want to spend time with you, even if it's only as friends. I'm hoping we can get there," he said as he gave my hand a light squeeze.
I felt like my heart was breaking in my chest. I didn't know this is how he felt or how poorly I was treating Ranger without meaning too.
"Bobby, I would never want to do that to you or anyone. I never knew that Ranger felt that way. I can't imagine what you all think of me," my voice practically cracked as my eyes filled with tears.
"Whoa, hey come here," Bobby said taking me in his arms hugging me tight.
"Listen Ranger was a complete idiot plenty of times as well. I mean you told me plenty of the things he's said to you and I know there were a lot of mixed signals. The point to this is I couldn't be with you until I was sure that it was completely over between the two of you and from the looks of everything it's not over. Therefore, I'm going to move on. I will always love you and be there for you but I'm not going to wait. I think Ranger really believed at the time that he couldn't have a relationship so he was content with what you both had. I would never be content with that. You are an amazing woman. You're beautiful, kind, smart and funny. Ranger is a lucky bastard that we're all jealous," Bobby said.
With that he kissed me slowly and softly and when I didn't pull away he deepened it. We kissed for another moment before breaking apart.
"Thank you for everything Bobby," I said with a small smile.
"Am I interrupting something?" said a familiar voice. I turned to see Ranger leaning against the wall with a dangerous look on his face.
"Not at all," I replied casually. "Bobby just said my ankle was good to go," I said hopping off the padded table.
I grabbed Ranger's hand and pulled him away from Bobby's office. His face was hard and his jaw was set.
"It's not what you think," I said quietly.
"Explain," he said angrily. Well, we might be taking some steps back on the whole talking thing.
"I think Bobby was saying good-bye," I explained. "I think we just broke up even though we weren't ever officially together. Please don't be mad," I asked quietly.
"Is it really over with Bobby?" he asked turning my face to his.
"Yes. It's really over to the point where I don't even think I can even be mad at him anymore. He explained his reasoning and admitted he handled the situation poorly. He basically said that he could never start something with me until it was really over between us and I'm not ready for us to be over," I said as met Ranger's eyes.
Ranger's breath hitched in his throat. "You're sure?" he asked.
"I'm sure but I'm still scared," I admitted.
He tipped my chin up and gently brushed his lips to mine. "What are your plans for this weekend?" he asked.
"No plans," I said smiling up at him.
"Have dinner with me tonight. Let's celebrate you being injury free and walking on your own," he asked returning my smile.
"I would love too. But why did you say this weekend instead of tonight?" I asked.
"Because tomorrow night I was hoping you would come to a family party at my parent's house. My mom wants to show off her new kitchen," he responded.
I just grinned at him.
"You already knew about the party didn't you? Did my mother invite you? Without even talking to me?" he asked incredulously.
"Celia texted me on Wednesday about it. I would've never have gone without you inviting me. I just wanted you to ask me on your own accord. I didn't want to bring it up and have you ask me because you felt obligated," I explained.
"Babe, everything that I've ever done for you was because I wanted to. I've never once did anything out of obligation," he said as he brushed my hair back from my face.
I felt a shiver run up my spine. Our eyes locked on to each other, he grabbed me by the back of the head and crushed his lips to mine. I moaned and responded by opening my mouth and pulling him to me. He broke the kiss and I realized we were still outside the gym waiting for the elevator.
"Take me back to seven," I commanded.
"Are you sure?" he whispered in a husky voice.
"Batman, I've never been more sure," I said.
The elevator dinged and I pushed him inside. He immediately started kissing me again. He picked me up and I wrapped my legs around his hips. The elevator dinged on seven and he carried me while I began kissing his neck and biting his ear into his apartment. We went immediately to the bedroom ripping clothes off along the way.
"You're sure?" he asked me once more time.
"If you stop again, I'll taze you," I replied. That got me a grin.
He scooped me up tossing me onto the bed then crashing on top of me, his mouth capturing mine. I wrapped my arms and legs around his body pinning him to me. I always pictured our first time as a couple being slow and romantic, but that's not how I was feeling now. I'm desperate for him.
I pulled off his boxers and began rubbing myself against him. "Babe," he groaned.
"Now Carlos, I can't wait," I begged.
He pushed inside me and I gasped. This feels so right. I began moving my hips matching his thrusts. He reached between my thighs and began stroking me. It took me all of two seconds before I came. What can I say? I've been living with him for a week and haven't used the shower massager once. I almost got off watching him dress in the morning.
Carlos came and then rolled off me but not letting me go. I laid on top of him, my head resting comfortably on his chest.
"I love you," he whispered.
"I know," I whispered back. I felt his chest vibrate with laughter.
"You'll pay for that one, Babe," he said.
"Bring it on Batman, I got all night," I replied grinning at him as I watching his eyes darken.
Ranger's POV
Steph and I made love all afternoon. I don't know the last time I was this relaxed and happy. At six she pulled herself from my grasp and walked to the shower. I asked her if she wanted company and she politely declined by rolling her eyes and saying that if she was going to be able to walk at my mother's tomorrow I had to give her a break.
Once she was done it was my turn, I came out of the shower and dressed in jeans and a black button down. I looked at Steph who was dressed in dark tight jeans and a purple blouse. Her hair was down in loose waves, her eyes bright as she drank in my image.
"You always looks amazing," she smiled.
"Babe, you never disappoint," I said smiling at her.
I took her to an Indian restaurant the next town over. It was a dark place lit mostly by candles. I loved to see her face in this light she was so beautiful.
We ordered and talked for awhile. I could tell something was on her mind.
"Babe?" I finally asked.
"Sorry, something that Bobby said to me has been on my mind," she started. "He said something about how I would ask you for help and how you would protect me and then I would go home to Morelli and how that must have killed you. I would never intentionally hurt you. I didn't think you felt that way about me," she said quietly.
"It did hurt but I was also not in a place to have a relationship. Morelli is a good guy who fit the Burg life style and who your mother approved of. I thought that's what you wanted and who you belonged with. I took pleasure in any time I could spend with you," I replied.
"You do know my mother didn't approve of Joe, right?"she asked raising her eyebrows.
I raised mine in response and she laughed.
"My mother remembered Joe from when he was younger and wild, not to mention the Morelli male reputation of being drunken womanizers. She was not pleased but Joe is charming and won her over. Just like I'm sure you will," she said smiling.
"The only guy my mother ever liked was my ex and everyone knows how that turned out. I don't take much stock in my mother's opinions on men," she explained.
"So I'm not just a phase of rebelling against your mother?" I teased.
She threw her head back and laughed. "No! That would be my refusing to learn how to cook," she said.
I raised my eyebrows again.
She sighed. "I did like my ex when we got married. I don't think I was ever in love, but he was a lawyer from a good family from the Burg. We dated for two years and I was out of college so that's just what you do, you get married. Well, you remember how I found him on the dining room table? That day I was out at the grocery store because he was on my ass about being a good wife and learning how to cook. So that was supposed to be the night of my first attempt but I got home and saw him... I felt like after the divorce it was my way of giving the entire Burg lifestyle the middle finger," she smiled.
"So why start now?" I asked.
"I guess I really don't care about what the Burg thinks of me either way anymore. I don't need to be accepted or to rebel. I just want to be happy. You make me happy. My job makes me happy. I love my life," she said.
"Are you still scared about getting involved with me?" I asked.
"I'm scared that it won't work out but I'd rather take the chance then lose you completely. If this doesn't work I'd rather walk away knowing that I tried everything to make it work so I would never have any what ifs," she explained.
"Thank you," I murmured as I leaned across the table kissing her softly.
After dinner we went back up to seven where my Babe proved that she had adequately recovered from our afternoon love making session by initiating another intense round. I fell asleep holding the woman I loved in my arms thinking about how after two years she was finally mine.
