Thank you for all the wonderful reviews! For those that have Private messages turned off that left Reviews thank you for the reviews! I love reading every one of them so keep them coming.

I want to Thank Margaret Fowler for encouraging this story out of me. When I mentioned it to you 6 – 7 months ago you didn't let it die in my head. You kept pressing for it so here it is finally being written! I hope it is everything you thought it would be.

Standard Disclaimer: The characters aren't mine. They belong to JE I just take them out of the box and play with them a little. I have begged to keep Ranger and Lester for myself but I have yet to get a response…

Chapter 34: It's all Ram's Fault.

SPOV

"Ram so help me god, if you do that again I am going to buy you a rhinestone collar and start calling you Gucci." I told him, reminding him of Lester's comment in the garage the day I came to Rangeman.

I had referenced Ram as reminded of a Pitbull and Lester said he thought he was more Chinese Crested than Pitbull. You know the dog that is more rhinestone collar and designer than say the brute and brawn of a Pitbull.

"Damn Steph that is cold." He said, yeah well I never said I was nice.

"Well then stop it." I told him. I had been helping out a little around the building for about a week or so. I was feeling better; I was healing and I needed something to do to keep from going completely nuts. Besides it was a way to help out and sort of repay Carlos. Not that I thought what I was doing was actually repaying anything but it was helping in some small way.

My problem right now was Ram. I was trying to order some office supplies and I was using the empty cubicle across from Ram's and soon as I was completely focused on my work he would shoot a rubber band over at me, or toss a paper clip at me, or bounce a balled up piece of paper off my head. I swear sometimes men can be such a pain in the ass.

Of course I would toss them back, he would stop, but as soon as I was once again focused on my work he would throw something else at me making me jump, and him laugh, when it hit me. I think he liked the idea of startling me. I tend to startle easily which he learned the first time I used this desk.

I was sitting there redoing the company directory updating phone numbers, locations, etc from information provided to me when he walked up behind me and just touched me. It was innocent but I practically jumped out of my chair and well he had a big laugh.

Now he is determined to worry me to death. His excuse is he is teaching me how to keep from being startled. So far all he has taught me is that my restraint is better than I thought because I am actually surprised I haven't shot him yet, with his own gun.

As I felt another paper ball bounce off the back of my head. "Ram, I mean it!" I screamed causing a few people to look up over or around the cubicle wall. I blushed as I became center of attention from my outburst. I hadn't meant to be that loud but I was so frustrated, at this point it just came out.

Ram just started laughing shaking his head. I narrowed my eyes at him. I heard someone growl, I think it was me. "I warned you." I threatened him as I was forming a plan. "Gucci" I said causing a few of the guys who had heard the story to laugh around us. I think I heard one of them guys say "Stupid man." I couldn't agree more.

I booted up the computer up opening up the Internet I opened Google. I blushed at the websites that came up. I had been searching for about half an hour. Some of the websites I had been on had me gaping at what they offered. Human collars were the most innocent thing they offered. Most of the websites I had visited was chains, whips, and sex toys of every variety one could think. I was completely red faced but I was focused on finding the rhinestone collar for Ram, I was determined not to be deterred by the other offerings on the websites.

I never heard anyone walk up behind me. I was leaned forwarded looking at a website that specialty must have been in restraint as they had any all things imaginable to tie someone up. Some of the items were being demonstrated and I tried not to focus but it was difficult to not look. You know the whole curiosity killed the cat thing.

It wasn't until I heard the voice behind me that I knew I had been caught.

"Babe?" Shit I heard the question in just the one word.

I quickly closed the window hoping he hadn't seen what was up on the screen. I turn towards him blushing full out; red. Shit. I look past him and Ram is looking at me his eyes widen; shit, double shit.

I try smiling putting on my innocent face, flashing the puppy dog eyes at Carlos and Ram; no effect. Shit, this wasn't good. I looked up and Lester was looking over Ram's cubicle wall he was smiling about as big as he could without his face splitting. His eyes dancing with laughter flashing green. I could tell he had fully seen what I was looking at. Shit, triple shit.

I blushed more, if that was possible. Damn I couldn't speak. Carlos was standing in front of me his eyebrow quirked up but his eyes darken, the black of his eyes almost consuming all of the normally rich brown color of his eyes.

My mouth was open but nothing was coming out. What was I going to say? I focused on Ram.

"It's Ram's fault." I exclaimed I could hear the desperation in my voice. I was hoping the earth would just open up and swallow me.

I saw Carlos' lips twitch. "Beautiful exactly what did Ram do that had you searching sex toy sites? I want to know how to get in on that action. You know I am all about sticks and stones break my bones, but whips and chains well that does nothing but excite me." He said. Shit. He had seen. Quadruple shit.

"Santos!" Carlos barked out in such a manner that I saw Lester lose his smile for a minute.

"Babe, come with me." He said his voice hard. Damn I was in trouble. Ram smiled behind Carlos' back, he thought this was funny; I narrowed my eyes at him. This wasn't over. Just because I felt like I was being walked to the Principal's office I wasn't done with Ram. I would find a way to get even. I got up and followed Carlos but not before I shut the computer down.

"It will take more than shutting down the computer to keep them from tracking the websites you visited." Carlos said as we had rounded the cubicles. Damn I really needed to learn more about computers.

"I am sorry." I muttered behind him my embarrassment giving way to regret. I was so focused on finding the collar I wasn't thinking about how inappropriate it was for me to be looking at the websites while at work. Not to mention the fact that none of it was work related.

Carlos didn't reply he just kept walking, damn he was pissed. He steps through the door to his office and the second I cross the threshold I feel myself being lifted as the door slams behind me. My back hits the closed door. I hear the lock engage as his lips descend and attack mine; feral and full of desire and need.

Our tongues dual with each others as my hands lock around him fisting in his hair. My legs wrap around him, I vaguely note the pain in my leg from the position but right now I can't focus on that. His body is pressing against mine, pushing my back into the door, our centers touching and grinding together. I feel the muscles low in my body tighten with the excitement as I feel him hard against me. I heard a moan and I believe it came from me.

His mouth broke away from mine leaving us both gasping for much needed air. "God, Babe what you do to me." He said as he pushed his very hard member into my core letting me feel exactly what I did to him. I felt my eyes roll back as another moan escaped my lips.

His lips on my neck and his teeth grazing my skin had me on fire as I ground myself shameless against him desperate for a release.

There was a loud banging on the door that had my center vibrating against him as my back bounced off of the door had me moaning even more. It wasn't until I heard the angry voice on the other side of the door that had me crashing back to reality. The reality of where we were and what we were only matter of seconds maybe minutes from doing. Shit.

"Ranger so help me fuck, open the God damn door. I haven't released her for strenuous activity that includes sex." He yelled to the door. "Control your dick before you end up hurting her and setting her recovery back." He yelled and I felt myself go blood red. His voice was so loud I had no double every man in the building knew what was happening. I would never be able to show my face on the floor again. Shit. How had this day gotten so out of control? Oh yeah Ram. It's all his fault.

How was I going to look these men in the face again without dying from embarrassment after this? Damn, it's all Ram's fault. I detangle one hand from Carlos' hair and cover my face lowering it to Carlos's chest where I can feel his heart beating fast I grown. Which stops his attack on my neck and part of me wants to scream because I know the chance of me having that wonderful release wasn't going to happen now.

"Babe?" He questions me leaning back to look at me.

I motioned to the door. It was only seconds before Bobby yelled again. "Ranger, open the fucking door! I told you she isn't cleared for sex get it together soldier and control your dick." He yelled and I put my other hand over my face covering it entirely.

I was still in Carlos' arms my legs wrapped around him our centers pressed together his hands on my ass holding me. He sighed I heard the click of the door lock. I felt us moving and we had no more stepped away from the door the door opened crashing into the wall.

"Brown!" Carlos yelled. I knew it was to reprimand but I also knew that Carlos' wasn't reprimanding him from stopping us. He lowered himself into a chair moving my legs so they were both to one side.

"Ranger, she isn't cleared you could have hurt her. Stephanie do you have pain anywhere?" He asked me.

Oh I had a pain alright but it wasn't anything Bobby could do about it; killjoy. I shook my head no praying I had kept that thought to myself. I found it difficult to look at Bobby so I was focus on the wall to his right.

"Stephanie, look at me." He said and I shifted a little bringing my head closer to his direction but my eyes still diverted. My face still red and hot from embarrassment, he knew exactly what Carlos and I were only minutes from doing in his office.

"Stephanie, I mean look at me." Bobby said more forcefully causing my eyes to snap to his.

"Now I want you to tell me, are you hurting anywhere? Did you feel any pain anywhere that wasn't there prior to walking into this room?" He asked me.

"I am fine. I am not in pain. I briefly felt a pain in my leg at one point but it wasn't bad and it only lasted a second. It's been fine since." I said I saw his jaw tighten a little and I saw a look that flashed across Carlos' face. I wasn't quite sure what it was.

"Stephanie I want you to come with me to the gym. I want to see if you set back your recovery." Damn. Not only was I not going to get that much needed release now I had to exercise. Double damn.

I nodded standing up and followed Bobby out of the office.

I kept my eyes down trying to avoid eye contact with the guys as I walked with Bobby over the elevator. I knew it was too good when I felt an arm wrap around my shoulders just before the doors opened. "Beautiful I am surprised you are still walking." He said. I further blushed and had to smile when I heard the thump and him yelling "OW" as Bobby smacked the back of his head.

The doors on the elevator opened and we got on "It wasn't my fault." I said trying to make excuse. I saw the looks of disbelief on Lester's face.

"What wasn't your fault?" Bobby asked.

"The websites, It wasn't my fault. It was Ram's fault. All of it was Ram's fault." I said again.

"Websites?" Bobby asked. Shit he didn't know.

"Beautiful was looking at some BDSM websites." Lester said and I felt the embarrassment wash over me again as Bobby looked at me.

"It isn't like that." I tried to defend my actions. "I was looking for a collar for Ram." I stated it was only when the words came out of my mouth I realized how it could be taken. I shook my head in frustration as Lester started laughing.

"Beautiful I don't know why you want to buy a collar for Ram but if there is a line, please order me one as well. I will allow you to tie me down, chain me up and drag me anywhere you want to go." Lester said laughter in his voice that caused me to close my eyes and pray one more time for the earth to just hurry up and swallow me whole before I managed to dig the whole I was currently standing in deeper.

"Not like that. I mean it wasn't for that. He was irritating me and I told him I was going to get him a rhinestone collar, and start calling him Gucci. You know when you called him a Chinese Crested. Anyway I was trying to find him one of those collars and well when I put it in search different sites came up and well you know curiosity killed the cat. I didn't think anyone would spy over my shoulder." I said happy that I sounded a little irritated at their nosiness.

Lester just laughed shaking his head. "Beautiful you have an odd way about you, you know that?" I looked at Lester rolled my eyes thinking tell me something I didn't already know.

Something popped into my head. "Bobby if you didn't know about the website how did you know…you know?" I motioned with my hand not wanting to say the actual words for what Carlos and I were only seconds from doing.

"Beautiful I called him. I saw that look on my cousin's face, I knew he was going to be on you the second you cleared that door. I also knew you weren't cleared for physical activity yet and he would hate it if he hurt you because he was unable to control himself. So I called Bobby." He said. I narrowed my eyes at him. I had Lester to thank for my missed release, and my trip to the gym.

"Bobby, you didn't have to go screaming at the door." I told him my anger rising as I thought about what all the guys heard.

"Yeah Steph I am probably going to have to answer to Ranger in the morning for that but I tried knocking, and banging on the door I even tried to talk softly at first but neither of you responded." He said. I could hear a tinge of guilt or regret in his voice. "I just didn't want your recovery set back. You have come so far." He said. Hearing it put like that I was able to let go the anger for him interrupting my much needed release.

I nodded. "It's okay. I will tell Carlos to not go too hard on you tomorrow." I told Bobby and I saw him smile as we walked into the gym.

"I take it back." I huffed out my breathing labored as I gasp of air for the second time in one afternoon, only this time it was for a completely different reason.

"What do you take back?" Bobby asked me.

"I take back telling Carlos to go easy on you tomorrow." I said as I did one more lunge forward.

Lester started laughing. I narrowed my eyes at him just before he started lunging beside me. "You are doing good." Lester said as he lunged forward with me. I saw the ass kiss, to keep my anger directed at Bobby, but I ignored it.

I couldn't help but notice he was dry and sweat free while I was drenched in sweat, life was so not fair.

"See I told you no new pain." I told him as I fell back on the mat. My arms and legs out, I was done. Put a fork in me done; well done, over done in fact burnt. Lester crashed down beside me. This seemed to be a ritual after every physical therapy session we would lay on the mat flat on our backs.

He just laid there breathing normally, I on the other hand am usually gasping for air.

Once I had my breathing under better control I turned my head towards Lester. "Lester, I want to go out. I need some fresh air. You think I can drive with a cast on? I mean it isn't on my left hand and I drive with my right." I said and he turned looking at me.

"Beautiful I could drive, or any of the guys including Ranger would be willing to drive if you want to go out. You just say the word and someone will take you anywhere you want to go." He said I nodded feeling a little disappointed.

"Why the frown?" He asked me.

"Well I am sure none of you will want to go where I want to go." I said unable to keep the sound of disappointment out of my voice.

"Beautiful I am sure it isn't that bad, where do you want to go? The local sex shop?" He added as a joke his eyebrows jumping up and down, but I couldn't help but think it was going to take a long time before I lived today down. I shook my head no at his comment scrunching my face up at him. No way in the world would I admit stepping foot into the local Ultimate Bliss shop not after today and especially not to lover boy Lester, even if he was my best friend.

Where had that thought come from, my best friend? Mary Lou had always been my best friend there had been no other best friends. Well I guess until now. Lester did feel like a best friend. Almost like the brother I never had. I briefly wondered if between us who was the oldest. I secretly hoped it was him, I always wanted an older brother.

"The Mall." I said and I watched as his smilel faltered slightly before it was back.

"See I told you, you don't want to go." I said and he shook his head no.

"Nah Beautiful, I will go. Only under one condition though, we go in Victoria's Secret and you model one thing for me, of my choosing." He said. I wasn't certain my ears heard him right. I cut my eyes to him his eyes were dancing in laughter.

"I get full veto rights?" I asked him, figure if I get to veto things then I could keep from embarrassing myself too much.

"Only if the items I chose are sheer, or contain less fabric than a two piece bathing suit." He said.

"Well then if that is the case you have to model something I pick for you, the same rules apply only instead of trunks for a bathing suit its speedos." I said thinking two could play this game.

"Oh and no pictures or video are to be taken; period." I added filling the need to be specific or he would find a way around agreeing. I knew him well enough he would use whatever advantage he had.

"Beautiful you drive a hard bargain, but deal." He said, I couldn't help but smile. I had no money to buy anything at the mall but I liked going walking around and looking. It was something I had sort of gotten use to, walking around and looking, dreaming, and playing the 'what if I was rich and could afford it' game.

It's a game where you walk through the store and you pretend money wasn't an object what would you buy. I know sort of lame but hey sometimes it doesn't take much to entertain me and it's the best kind of entertainment, it is free.

"When were you thinking about going?" He asked me and I shrugged my shoulders.

"Maybe tomorrow, how does that work for you?" I asked him hoping he would say yes. I enjoyed being at Rangeman but I was feeling the need for a change of scenery at least for a few hours.

"Works for me, are you going to tell Carlos?" He asked me his eyes once again dancing with laughter as he said the name Carlos mimicking me. I knew the guys didn't call him that but well I had started and I really didn't want to start calling him Ranger. Carlos didn't seem to mind so until I heard differently he was going to be Carlos at least to me.

"Yeah I am going to tell him, I am even going to tell him about your little indecent proposition." I told him holding back my laughter as I watched him swallow and turn a little green around the edges.

I wasn't worried I knew I had full veto regardless of what Lester said and I also knew that he wasn't taking this any further than this; friends, best friends. He knew where my heart belonged and that was with Carlos. But I was going to make note of what Lester liked in hopes that his cousin would like the same things.

Bobby had to come and ruin our good time. "Come on Steph lets go up to the infirmary." He said and I huffed I was starting to hate that as much as I hated hospitals every time he asked me to go he would make me step on the scales and I was about done with stepping on scales.

Lester hopped up and then they reached down pulling me up it sort of become the game see how high you can pull Stephanie into the air, oh what strong men. I indulge them by not complaining and letting them have their fun with their he-man power. Truth be told it was sort of fun so it was win-win.

RPOV

Fuck I had lost control. I had lost focus and not only had I been aggressive with Stephanie I had caused her pain. When she said that her leg pained her even though she said it wasn't still hurting I felt like shit. I knew she wasn't cleared for sex but when I saw the websites she was looking at, it stirred something within me that I couldn't control.

I didn't want to control it. I just wanted to bury my dick so far in her that I would become lost and stay there forever. It was all I could do to not grab her at the desk and take her right there. I wanted her so bad.

I wasn't sure exactly why she was on those sites and why it was Ram's fault but I was pretty sure it was going to be an interesting story behind it.

Brown had taken her to the gym; looking at the feed it looked like he was putting her through some test. I finally looked and saw her lying on her back with Lester lying beside her. I was finding that I was becoming more comfortable seeing her and Lester together. They had a fast friendship. They seemed to just click sort of like her and I only in the friends category and if he made her more comfortable in a building full of men then so be it. I was all for my men making her feel as though she fit in and belonged. What I wouldn't tolerate is anyone disrespecting her.

I picked up the phone "Ram my office, now." I said with force. I wasn't really pissed at him but pulling his chain was a little fun. A knock, came only matter of seconds later. "Enter".

Ram walked through the door and I indicated for him to shut the door and take the seat in front of me. I was staring at him, my blank face firmly in place. I watched him swallow as he took the seat in front of me. I tilted my head to the side accessing him, wondering if I could make him sweat. He was a damn fine soldier and one of the best snipers in the world. So it was a challenge to see if I could crack him, to his credit he just sat there looking at me. I could see a little worry in his eyes but he wasn't letting the rest of his body show it.

I only hired the best and while he didn't sweat, it made me proud that he was on my team. It just further proved the good decision to have him join Rangeman. "Care to explain why Stephanie felt like it was your fault for her looking at bondage websites?" I asked him, I saw him swallow and what I felt like a moment of panic flash across his eyes. He was trying to figure out what to tell me. I would suggest the truth unless he wanted to disappoint me.

"Sir, I am not sure. Not really. She threatened to call me Gucci and buy me a rhinestone collar if I bugged her anymore. I assume that is what she was trying to do when she wondered on to the website but I have no idea beyond that." He said and I thought I detected a little bead of sweat, but I let it slide.

"What were you doing to bug her?" I asked him. He pierced his lips together before sighed and then he started to explain himself. "I was just having a little fun with her. She startles easily, I was trying to help her overcome it." He explained. Somehow I felt like while that was true there was more that he was leaving out so I raised my eyebrow letting him know I needed more. I wanted more.

"You know I was waiting until she was focused on something else then I would startle her by throwing something at her like a balled up piece of paper, a paper clip, etc." He said. I shook my head. He had annoyed her until she threatened him and then she tried to follow through on the threat. It was almost comical because it had backfired and she had been the one embarrassed. I had lost control and almost attacked her to the point that Brown had to beat on my door and scream at me, to stop my lust induced assault of her body.

Damn I got hard just thinking about having her legs wrapped around me her hands knotted in my hair pulling me to her, her hot center grinding against me. Fuck I needed to change my thoughts, take a cold shower or perhaps both. I focused my thoughts back on Ram in front of me.

"Ram, mats zero five hundred tomorrow." I told him and he nodded. He needed to understand that while I wasn't mad about what happened he doesn't annoy my Babe and get away with it. It sounded like he went beyond playing to being a pain in her ass causing her to take action. He would think twice before doing that again.

He nodded his understanding. I nodded; he got up exiting my office. I couldn't help the smile at the thought of her getting him a rhinestone collar and calling him Gucci. Maybe I would suggest to her to order a new nameplate for him, for his cubicle.

I shook my head before Stephanie, this wouldn't have happened. I wouldn't be wasting my time on this frivolous bull shit but since she came into my life. I was learning that life wasn't all about working, and making money. It wasn't all about sitting in this office day in day out. I was able to relax in our bed at night, I was able to hold her and feel comforted, I was able to smile and even laugh because she was here. Because she was with me, I was able to remember what it was I wanted to fight for so many years ago when I joined the army.

Ram playing with her, even if he was being in a pain in the ass, wouldn't have happened. It wasn't something my men ever did, before her. It was because of her he relaxed enough to play have a little fun. I decided then to take it easy on him on the mats and let him know I am cool with him having a little fun with her just to understand there is a limit when it is no longer fun and crosses the line to being a pain in her ass.

Lester lying on his back on the mats wouldn't have happened. He worked out with the best of us and out of all the men he had been the most playful but that had ended several years ago. I was once again seeing the fun Lester, the seemingly carefree playful Lester from years ago.

Cal could intimidate even the toughest man yet he was nothing but putty in her hands. He was defenseless when it came to her even his tattoo seemed to have a softer side when she was around.

The most surprising was Hector. He had called to notify me of the sites she was visiting. Not that I gave a shit but he wanted me to know because of the other guys on the floor. He didn't want to have to slit their throats when they said something inappropriate to her. Or so he told me.

So to keep Rangeman from becoming a bloody mess I thought I needed to go intervene. I just had no idea how it would have affected me. Porn didn't do it for me, and the websites she was on wasn't porn sites but thinking about her looking at the websites, her being excited by them had my body reacting in ways that I was unable to control.

Maybe I wouldn't go so easy on Ram on the mats tomorrow after all I had him to thank for all of this. I stood up making my way to the bathroom I needed to take care of something before my Babe came back into my office.

God I hoped Bobby releases her soon.

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