Pen Name: PTBvisiongrrl
Story Title: Ranger's Little Girl
Summary: ana come to live with Ranger in Trenton for a year, and she's not happy about it. Ranger hires Stephanie as her governess/body guard.
Story Rating: PG-13 (mostly just language)
Status: Work in Progress
Genre: Drama/Comedy
Couple: Stephanie and Ranger (eventually)
Spoilers: not really—AU (she's no Julie)
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, but only gently use for my amusement.
Chapter FourteenDinner was a somewhat tense affair. It had taken two calls upstairs and a knock on the door to get Ana's attention, and she declined to come down, stating her stomach was bothering her. Realizing that she had given the girl some serious chocolate and cream at the mall, Steph acknowledged that it might be a real complaint and not just an excuse to avoid.
Ranger didn't agree as much, very much wanting to discuss Ana's language from earlier. Steph had to pull a Burg girl stare and remind him, yet again, of why he hired her for this before he backed down. Ranger had closed his eyes, sighed, and turned back to the dinner he had waiting for them in the kitchen. Stephanie followed, sniffing appreciatively.
Ranger smiled when he noticed. "Just for you—Alfredo lasagna with sausage, eggplant, and shredded carrots, to help prevent full clogging of your arteries. Garlic bread," he nodded towards the stove, "on multi-grain rolls, with a sprinkle of aged peccorino cheese. And a green salad with oil and vinegar dressing."
Steph sighed contentedly. "Even semi-healthy, that sounds lovely." She sat down at the table, unfolding a linen napkin—how she had fought with Ranger over the purchase of those, until giving up all say over kitchen purchases—and waiting. Hope in her voice, she asked, "Any dessert?"
Ranger smiled and shook his head. "Sorry, just some plain vanilla yogurt and cut up fruit."
The smile was bright enough that Steph forgave his desert lapse.
Dinner was very nice; she and Ranger talked about a lot of things, carefully avoiding (at least on Ranger's part) talk of Ana. Steph had gotten a few more tidbits of personal information out of him, things she hadn't know before, like the fact that his great grandmother was still alive and well and living no more than a half-hour from the house—with his grandmother. Abuela Mejor was over a hundred.
Steph helped Ranger clean up and put away food, opening a second bottle of wine and refilling both their glasses in the process. Ranger continued to let information slip as they worked, filling in the mystery of his past to Steph a brush stroke at a time. Ranger had been arrested once, in junior high, for stealing a car; his mother had beat his ass so badly that he couldn't sit for a week. He also never got caught stealing a car again. Stephanie noted that he said he had never been caught again, not that he had never stolen another one.
Even Steph let a few things slip, not that she had been a proverbial closed book to begin with. But the story of attending Nativity elementary school as the younger sister of Saint Valerie, who had (until 8th grade and discovering boys) seriously wanted to become a nun helped Ranger understand Steph's stubborn resistance to accepted norms a bit better—even when acceptance wouldn't be that bad a thing.
The two were enjoying the conversation and wine so much that both were surprised when the kitchen was spanking clean, as it seemed to take no time. Not wanting to break things up, Ranger suggested they shoot pool in the basement rec room; Steph agreed, taking the wine bottle and glasses down, but sending Ranger to check on Ana first. She hoped that wasn't a mistake, and was relieved when Ranger was quickly back, announcing that Ana had fallen asleep.
"She looked like an angel, laying there in the moonlight." Ranger sighed. "I don't know what to do with her, I don't, but I love her so much, Steph, I want to figure it out."
Steph hugged him briefly, handing him his pool cue. "That's what has you so rattled. There is no training for this, and for once, you are not better prepared than anyone else." In her head, all Steph could add was, what a sweet man. "You could try talking to my Dad. After all, he survived me!" She smiled at him, leaning over to rack the balls.
Ranger sighed again. "I might. If he'll talk to me. I mean, I'm not Morelli. Your mother barely speaks to me when its necessary."
"Grandma Mazur loves you," Steph added with a laugh. "And my mother will go to her grave swearing that Joe Morelli and I belong together. Learn to ignore it—I have." And she had, at least recently. Steph knew that she was not meant to be with Morelli. She wasn't sure, yet, if she was meant to be with Ranger, but she was willing to give it a try, should the opportunity come up.
Ranger moved in to break. It was a clean crack and all the balls scattered somewhat symmetrically across the table. An orange stripe sunk into the side pocket, and Ranger searched out another shot. "When is your next dinner at your parents?"
An odd expression on her face, Steph narrowed her eyes. "Are you requesting a visit to my family?" The laugh she let out made Ranger jump, losing his shot and accidentally sinking one of her solids.
"Maybe," Ranger answered a little petulantly.
"Tomorrow night it is," Steph smiled. "My mother called today, and I haven't called her back yet. Three more for dinner will make Mom ecstatic." Taking a shot, Steph missed and moved back.
"Keep your grandmom away from Ana. Ana doesn't need any help coming up with ideas to make me miserable this year." Ranger switched places, taking another shot. Three balls later, it gave up his spot to Steph. He distracted his clenched stomach's pondering of another Plum family dinner by taking in the wonderful view of Stephanie's full ass right in front of him. Her second shot was from the opposite side of the table, giving him an awesome view of her cleavage as she leaned to shoot.
His big fear of asking Steph to help him this year reared its ugly head, full force. How the hell was he going to survive a year with her living in his house but not in his bed? He realized that with Ana in the house, he didn't want to be obvious or casual about any relationship developments with Stephanie. But looking at Steph right now, it was hard to remember that. He couldn't keep himself from pulling Steph into a kiss and embrace as she tried to wiggle past him to take yet another shot. Her wiggles were entirely too close and enticing.
Stephanie returned the kiss enthusiastically enough for Ranger to feel it in his groin. Repeating the mantra, Ana could wake up and walk in at any time, he kept his affection less than Xrated, but it was an effort. When he placed Stephanie on the edge of the pool table, and stepped between her legs, it was impossible to avoid thinking about what she would look like, naked and splayed out against the felt top.
Ranger clamped down on his hormones and kept himself to kisses, though. And he was very glad that he had chosen to do so when he heard a loud and thorough throat clearing behind him not ten minutes later.