Disclaimer: Not mine

Notes: Short but fun chapter to write! haha!

Chapter Fourteen

We pulled up to the bond's office roughly an hour and a half later. Lula was telling me the story of her last attempt to bring in Mooner without me and I was laughing along with Connie—apparently Lula had shown up when the Moon Man had been out of his favorite kind of leafy green, if you know what I mean. He'd been cranky and sour and slammed the door in Lula's face…so she'd thrown a brick through his front window…the brick had knocked over an end table and revealed some hidden goods Mooner and Dougie had forgotten about in their near-permanent stupor.

An hour later no one cared about the broken window and they'd ordered take-out for the I dream of Jeanie marathon.

Connie had just started to Park when Lula let out a squeak and went silent and Connie cursed out loud.

"What?" I turned my head expecting to see Vinnie, or some other reason for the disturbance and spotted the black Porsche parked at the curb. As Connie parked Ranger slid out of the driver seat and circled the vehicle to lean against the side. He looked as unhappy as he had last night, maybe even more so.

Well, Fuck.

"Does Batman know about you know what?" Lula stage whispered between the seats out of one side of her mouth.

"No."

"Shit."

"You better figure out what to tell him," Connie informed me, "because he does Not look happy."

No. He definitely didn't.

"Why does it have to be about me, maybe he's just having a bad day." I pointed out.

Connie snorted and Lula shook her head. "White girl, Batman don't have bad days."

She was right, Ranger was Perfect. Unless I got him shot that is.

"Yeah, I hate to say it Steph but the only time Ranger looks like that is when you're involved."

"Thanks." I shot out sarcastically. I'd be more offended if she wasn't right. Ranger's life would be perfect if it wasn't for my constant screw ups. If he found out about the mess I was in this time he'd probably lock me up and throw away the key—or worse, write me off completely. My stomach churned with acid at the thought. I had a feeling there was a limit to how much Entertainment even Ranger's nerves of steel could take.

Sighing heavily I hauled myself out of the car shutting the door behind me and waving to Connie over the hood. "Thanks for lunch."

"Good luck." She mouthed silently.

I didn't think luck was going to help.

"We gonna see you before you leave?" Lula asked eyes cutting nervously towards Ranger.

"I hope so."

Behind us Ranger cleared his throat pointedly and Lula took off after Connie through the Bond's office door like a quail at a gun shot.

I turned to face him, hiking my messenger bag up onto my shoulder and clenching the strap in one fist trying to keep my hands still. His posture looked deceptively relaxed, his face gave away nothing.

"Ranger."

"Stephanie."

Uh oh.

Ranger raised one arm and crooked a finger at me. Come here. Butterflies filled my stomach and I stupidly shook my head No and wondered if I could get into the Buick and get the door locks engaged before he could grab me. Ranger sighed, and pushed off the car striding towards me the look on his face made me want to run, the gleam in his eye told me clearly, I wouldn't make it far.

Ranger stopped right in front of me, almost touching. He said nothing for almost a full minute, long enough for me to start to squirm feeling like a bug under a microscope. "What?" I finally snapped unable to take it any longer.

He just kept looking at me then he pulled in a deep breath. "Are you eating?"

I blinked at him completely stupefied by the question. What?

Ranger's hand came up, one finger hooked in the front pocket of my jeans he gave a tug clearly pointing out the loose fit, the lines of his frown deepening when the cinch in my belt became visible.

So I hadn't been shopping in a while, big deal! Ranger was always pushing me to work out and eat healthy! I finally pick up one of those habits and now he's upset about it?

Ranger's expression darkened further. "I heard you were at Pino's earlier today,"

"…I was…" was this about my conversation with Joe? Was Ranger Mad about Joe? Did he think we were getting back together…wait, why would Ranger care?

"Echo was there, said you didn't eat anything."

"Echo?" I asked feeling a little silly considering the name.

"New guy," Ranger said. "He said you threw your whole lunch away."

I didn't see anyone from Rangeman there…but then I'd been trying to avoid looking at anybody. Ranger seemed to be waiting for an explanation. "It got cold."

Ranger's eyes narrowed. "There's doughnuts in the office."

"Yeah," I'd brought them for Connie and Lula when Lula had had her little outburst we'd all been distracted…

"You didn't eat any of them." Ranger pointed out.

I parked both my hands on my admittedly slimmer hips staring up at him, "No, I didn't. Wait, shouldn't you be happy? Mr. Twigs and tree bark, and eat a Salad babe, that stuff will kill you babe," I repeated in a mockery of his lower tone.

Ranger huffed and wrapped one hand around my forearm tugging me towards his car, "Hey!"

Ranger said nothing.

"Ranger!"

He took three quick steps twisting me and suddenly my butt was against the door of the Porsche and Ranger was standing Really close.

Really, Really close.

My hormones did the mamba, and my brain went to white noise…wait, he was still talking.

"…And then I find out from Tank that you're Out with him, on a Date!" He growled.

"What?" I'm so eloquent.

Ranger's eyes cast heaven word for a moment and he muttered something in Spanish that didn't sound complimentary. "I get back and Tank informs me there's a guy who's been hanging around your apartment, he's sent you notes, and flowers and even driven by your parent's house and the bonds office and you're nowhere to be found."

Wait, was he talking about Alex? "He drives by the Bonds office?" I asked dumbfounded.

"And then I get a report that you're in town after being gone for weeks! I swing by your Parent's house and your mother tells me you're on a date! But not with Morelli, some other guy your Mother can only identify as Blonde! And a Nice guy! I had the control room pull up this guy's vehicle tracker and he's at the same restaurant!"

"You thought he was there to kidnap me? Wait! Why the Hell are you tracking his car?"

A muscle in Ranger's jaw was ticking. "He was a concern. I didn't think you were going to be dating him." He shot back.

"Dinner."

"What?"

"Not dating, we went to one meal Ranger," I hadn't even gotten dessert. It's not a Date without dessert, at least in my book.

Ranger growled, "Is that some kind of Metaphor? Because it's not funny Stephanie."

I just stared at his chest, trying to understand where the rumbling growl was coming from. I've never heard Ranger make That sound before. It was…well It was kinda hot. Really hot.

Ranger growled something in Spanish, then opened the car door with a jerk. "Get in the Car," he ordered and my metaphorical hackles went up instantly.

"What! Why?!"

Ranger moved into my space growling again and I leaned back so far my head was almost touching the hood, he loomed over me, hands on either side of my hips pinning me against the car's frame. "We have some things to discuss."

"And we can't talk about them here?" His mouth was so close I could just tilt my head up and kiss him…no Stephanie, bad idea!

"No," Ranger informed me, pushing me down firmly but gently into the open doorway and watching me while I slide my legs in under his threatening glare. "We can't."

to be continued...

.

Geeze, what's his problem? ;)