NOTE: There's a new Anthony One Shot up on my blog tonight, link is in my profile, enjoy. [10.12.12]
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A Random Life
AN- 11 on Top was one of my favorite books in the series. Here is the shower scene and the car conversation scene[s] from Ranger's POV. Quite a bit of the dialog is from the book. AU to my Take a Chance story line.
Chapter 21 - Secrets
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"And look at you, you have a deep dark secret."
I stared into Steph's blue eyes, my hands clenching on the collar of the bathrobe. I couldn't believe I told her that.
All these years undercover, black ops for Special Forces, assassin for the CIA, mercenary for hire to all thegovernment alphabet agencies. All these years of fighting the creepy feeling that I should pull out my wallet to see who I was this week, this year. The stack of passports locked in my gun safe—Ricardo Manoso. Carlos Manoso. Marc Pardo. Michael Rodriguez, Enrique Alvarez. Shit, one might even say Jason Bourne if he wasn't so relentlessly white bread.
Oh right. That's just a movie, isn't it? And there's a new guy now...
Stephanie makes me crazy. Look how I'd blown off an important client to come home and soothe her jelly donut—um—urges. Only to find Steph showering off yet another batch of noodles and fries. I hoped I wouldn'thave to have Louis come Roto-Rooter the drains. Again.
Now the silence had been too long.
I said, "Let it go."
Yeah, right.
Stephanie said, "Are you sick?"
Her mind was an open book to me. Unfortunately it was a mystery book. How could she possibly think I was sick, do I look sick? Would I have endangered her with unprotected sex that night…that night!—if I was sick?
Of course she did make me crazy.
I said, "No, I am not sick. Not physically, anyway. I'm not sure sometimes about the mental, emotional,and sexual."
What the fuck am I babbling about now?
Steph's hands that had been wrapped around my wrists slipped gently to my hands, loosening my death grip on the lapels of the robe. She took my hands and moved them to her breasts. I felt her nipples hard through the thick terry cloth. I could feel her heart beating fast, her breathing quickening. She smelled like my soap and fresh-scrubbed woman. Her hands touched me, my waist, my stomach, exploring the planes of my abs through my t-shirt. My belt buckle, my…..
It was reminiscent of that time so long ago at the bonds office. I had stopped her then—Vinnie had cameras, ick.
And I was in the middle of a highly paid joint op for ATF (Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms, an agency similar to DEA for guns, etc.) and Treasury. No time, no time. But now…
Stephanie said, "I can help you with that."
What could I say? She made me crazy, not stupid, but I said, "Is this the jelly donuts hormones talking, babe?"
"Do you care?"
"Yeah. I care."
"No, Ranger. This is me talking. Take it or leave it."
I kissed her and the afternoon spun into heaven.
…
Later, in the Porsche, parked at Joe's house~
I said, "Just for the record, if you were living with me….."
Stephanie rolled her eyes and huffed a little. So cute.
She said, "Just for the record I will be living with you."
I said, "Someday."
"Yeah, right, Ranger. But someday is tomorrow."
She hopped out without waiting for my reply. No time for me to waffle or quibble or back out. I watched her run into Morelli's house for the last time. A huge smile spread across my face.
She makes me crazy. She is perfect.
the end/ series tbc