Everybody and anything familiar belongs to Janet. Mistakes are mine. Warnings for a little bit of bedroom fun.
"I can't believe you have a date/date with Ranger," Mary Lou said to me. "Are you scared? I'd be scared. I'd also be thankin' my lucky stars too! Lenny's not hard on the eyes, at least mine, but Ranger is a whole other kind of animal."
I'd asked her to come shopping with me to find a dress for tonight that would make Batman's eyes flare and then stay simmering, and something he'll be in a hurry to get off me. The black, strapless mini-dress with a convenient 'unwrap me' bow making up the sweetheart neckline, I think, will accomplish my goal ... which is to make Ranger my personal Superhero for the long haul.
"I am scared, but also really excited. This, and we, have been a long time coming."
"If you play your cards just right," she said, the pink tinge to her cheeks warned me that she's about to say something she really shouldn't, "you'll be ..."
"Stop there, Mare. I get where you're going ... and I'm all for it!"
"So let's get you checked out so Ranger can soon check you out."
I raised the hanger and the dress on it as a salute, and followed her to the cashier. I was all but doing a happy dance behind the wheel after I dropped her off at her house and continued on back to my crappy apartment. It's the first time in a long time, I was excited to go home. Mainly just so I can get ready to leave it for a night if I'm lucky enough to get lucky.
I hesitated in parking when I noticed a Porsche 911 parked near my spot and Ranger leaning against it, clearly waiting for me. I pulled in beside him and got out with my shoulder and dress bags in my hand.
"Funny seeing you here," I told him. "I was just thinking about you."
I could feel each one of his fingers curling around the wrist of my free arm as he pulled me to him. "Let me give you something else to think about," he said, his voice deepening while his mouth moved in for the kill.
If the heat of his hand and grip of his fingers were causing a physical - and really sexy - reaction in me, the feel of his lips on mine and his willing them to open under his ... had me melting but winding up all at the same time. I'll deny it, but I know I whimpered when he took his lips and tongue back.
"Holy, hot kiss, Batman! To what do I owe the pleasure? And I mean the pleasure-thing literally," I said to him, while I mentally told my body to knock off just about everything it's currently doing.
He didn't answer, instead he looked down at the Macy's bag in my hand. "Retail therapy?" He asked.
"Nope. More like a shopping celebration. Mary Lou came along to help me find something that I like, but that you'll like even more when you see it tonight."
I can't be sure, because he's careful about letting any emotion slip, but I swear I saw something dim the hunger that'd been lurking in his chocolatey eyes.
"I hate to say this, you have no idea just how much I do, but I have to ask for a raincheck for tonight."
I started nodding before I could stop myself. "I knew something as good as that kiss would come with something bad. You're going to be in the wind again, aren't you?"
I can feel it in my gut. If it were an apprehension or a Julie visit, I would've heard about it before now.
At least he was willing to say yes with a nod. "Believe me, if there were anyone else I could call, I would. I wanted this date to happen … bad. I would have allowed myself to take a pass on a job."
"I'm flattered," I said, my words going up an octave as I tried not to let him see how disappointed I am. "But we can just have dinner when you get back, right?"
"Right," he replied, but he never took his eyes off mine.
The man knows I'll talk too much and say what I'm really thinking if he goes all tall, dark, and silently-staring at me. I really don't want him to know that I'm on the verge of crying, not only because the promise of this night got me through a typically crappy week, but also I know his 'windy days' mean he's doing something that could get him killed.
The thought of not having Ranger as the centering-force in my world is impossible to consider on a normal day, but not even having a relationship-cementing night out and then in, before he has to disappear ... is causing a few irregular heartbeats.
"You have to get back home," I said before I could stop myself. "I need you."
"I know, Babe. And I will be back for that knowledge alone."
"Promise?" I pushed.
"As much as I'm able to. I'm not God."
That caused a tiny smile. "Liar. I haven't discovered your direct line to the Big Man yet, so all roads lead to you actually being him."
He gave me a wolf-grin. "He wishes."
"No doubt," I answered, not knowing what to say when I feel like I need to say everything while I have the chance.
He can promise to come back to me all he wants, but even a cat has only nine lives.
"I want you to swear on the rat's life that you'll call Tank if you need anything."
"Are we talking ... if I need a quick trigger-finger or just a pint of ice cream?"
"I'm being serious, Steph."
"I know. I can't be or I'm going to start bawling, which we both know will completely ruin your T-shirt."
"I'll be okay if I know for sure you'll be alright while I'm gone."
"I cross my heart and pinky swear to call Tank, then Bobby, and then Lester after them, if I need help of any kind. How's that?"
"I'll be sure to tell Santos he came in third once again. I've also asked Hal and Cal to keep an eye on you, so don't be alarmed if you see one or both around."
"I think seeing them would cause the opposite of alarm. Most people would relax knowing that those two are guarding them."
He brushed my curls back with just the tips of his fingers and then continued with the light caress down my temple and across my cheek.
"But not you?" He asked.
"Huh?"
He grinned again. "You don't feel relaxed with Hal and Cal guarding you?"
"Oh ... that. I do, but not when I'm busy being scared for you. I'm not going to breathe normally until you're right back here in my lot again. In case you don't actually know, I love you and really don't want to lose you before I even officially have you."
His mouth silenced mine just as I'd finished the last word. I dug my hands into the front of his jacket and held onto both his body and his mouth with the grip I had on his chest and on his lips. I can't give him every part of me right now, but hopefully with the way I'm kissing him back, he'll know that I'll be here for him no matter how long he's gone.
"I've always been yours, Babe. And I will be back," he repeated, obviously tasting a lot of desperation in my kiss.
I nodded and took a deep breath. "Of course you will, and I'll be waiting impatiently so we can finish everything we just started here."
"Count on it," he promised.
After a quick, hard kiss … he was gone.
I watched him drive away and then I flicked my eyes up towards the sky. "I'm not sure I believe in you, since you don't seem to answer a lot of prayers for those who deserve a break, but you know ... keeping Ranger safe takes a lot of stuff off your plate, with him trying to single-handedly save the entire world and all."
"The Boss has only been gone five minutes, and you're already talking to yourself?" Cal asked me.
I hadn't heard his SUV pull in. I was too busy trying not to picture all the ways Ranger could be hurt ... or worse.
"Yeah," I said, trying for normal and failing miserably. "Turns out Ranger was right. He really is what keeps me sane."
Cal parked in the spot Ranger vacated and killed the engine so we could speak within a reasonable decibel range.
"Ranger helps, no question there," I heard Hal say from the passenger's seat.
"Talk about the understatement of the century. Since I apparently now have a free night ahead of me, I can order a pizza or three if you want and you guys can come up and hang out instead of loitering in my parking lot. I'm not looking forward to only having Rex for company."
"Tempting," Cal replied, "but I have a better idea." He stuck his arm out of his window and dangled from his index finger a fob similar to mine. "How about you use your Rangeman fob and key and stay on seven until the Boss gets home? You'll be safe, have full cabinets, and more company than you end up wanting."
"Ranger said not to pressure her," Hal reminded Cal.
"I'm not, just offering her an alternative solution."
I went still as they talked. "Ranger mentioned me staying in his apartment?"
"Yeah. He told everyone to be on the lookout for you and not do anything to spook you if you appeared like you'd be willing to stay in his building."
"He somehow failed to tell me that," I said, mostly to myself.
"Like I said, he didn't want to spook or pressure you. He just wanted to be sure you're safe no matter where you stayed."
"Did you get the impression that Ranger wanted me at his place?"
They exchanged looks before Cal answered. "You know damn well you can't read Ranger, but being a guy - and seeing firsthand the lengths he'll go for you - I'm surprised he didn't just order us to pick you up and stash you in a safe house until he returned."
I had to laugh at that. "He didn't do that because he knows how well that would've worked out."
Hal nodded. "I'm glad. I don't wanna get zapped again. Once was enough."
Cal gave him a 'don't be a pussy' look before he took back the conversation. "So you can spare us, make Ranger happy, and get to live in a place that has only the rodent you picked out living with you."
"Hah, hah. Very funny. My apartment isn't that bad."
"No disrespect, Steph," Hal said, "but your place is that bad."
"Soooo ... should we follow you up just to carry your bags back down?" Cal asked me.
If it'll tip the odds in Ranger's favor if he somehow learns that he has absolutely nothing to worry about when it comes to me, I'll bite the bullet and choose a luxurious penthouse over a depressingly-painted rat-haven.
"Yeah," I answered. "I'll just throw a few things together and grab Rex. Me being in the building will free you two up for more important jobs. You won't have to watch out for me unless I go out."
Cal didn't look like he fully believed my logic.
"Sure, we're your reason," he replied. To rub it in that they know why I'm really willing to temporarily move, Cal continued. "Don't forget to pack that dress. You'll need it when Ranger gets back."
"Wait ... how ...?"
"Trackers. You being at the mall right before a date with the Boss, means what you have in that bag is likely for his benefit only."
"You know, I miss the days when you guys never spoke," I grumbled, but I did step out of the way so he could open his door without hitting me.
"No you don't," I was told.
"No ... I do like talking to you guys, even when you're being know-it-alls all the friggin' time. Come on, if we hurry we can pick up a pizza order on our way across town. We can do a multiple-slice-salute to Ranger."
"Sounds good," Cal said, "even if he would ban both the pizza and the sentiment if he were here," Cal said to us.
"Well if he doesn't approve, he can turn right around and tell us so," I replied, praying he'd do just that.
Rex and I were happy enough while we were passing out and also eating pizza in the control room, talking to Ella, and participating in the easy back-and-forth teasing I've developed with all of the Merry Men. But as soon as I left for the night and closed the front door behind me on seven, the silence waiting for me literally choked the life right out of me.
I love being here, but I want Ranger with me more. He's a quiet guy by nature and necessity, so walking into a quiet apartment isn't a new thing, but the man himself radiates contained energy, a sexy hum of sexual tension, but he also gives off a zen-like calm that I really need right now. My completely dormant neck tingle isn't helping my mood either. If his plans changed and Ranger is actually nearby, I'd feel his tingle. But my neck is dead, and what's above it doesn't feel too 'with it' either.
But I'm on my own, so I tried to suck up the sadness and went to make Rex set for the night in the kitchen. To kill more time before I attempted to sleep, I took a shower. Big mistake. I reached for Ranger's evil shower gel and realized I had completely zoned out as I remembered every time that citrusy-smell combined with his own sexy scent distracted me ... in the alley beside the bonds office, the front seat of the Bat truck, this very shower when I'd broken in and hid out.
I forced myself to hurry up, to just scrub everything and get the hell out before I drained the entire building's hot water supply. That quickly led to another problem ... what to sleep in. I did pack my pjs, but I was walking into Ranger's closet before I'd even come to a decision about hijacking one of his T-shirts. I ditched the towel and slid it over my head and climbed into the king-sized bed.
"You smell like the guy, now look like the guy, and are sleeping in the guy's bed. That's really pathetic, Plum," I told myself, but I feel closer to Ranger now than I had during any of the hours since he'd left. I thought I was coping relatively well, until I was lying in the dark during hour two of not being able to fall asleep. I bolted upright and grabbed the cell I'd parked on the nightstand.
I couldn't help it, I hit the button that usually connects me to the man, the myth, and the legend, but it went straight to voicemail. That's when everything hit me ... the missing him, the fear for him, and the full-force of love I have for him. Two tears popped out of my eyes, and the twin waterfalls that formed seconds after continued until I was completely drained. I stayed on my back and just stared with swollen eyelids at the ceiling until I saw light coming through the bedroom windows.
"Holy shit," Lester said at the butt crack of dawn, when I'd stepped off the elevator on five ... looking for work and a distraction. "No offense, Steph, but you look like crap."
I nodded. I noticed the same thing when I'd briefly glanced in the bathroom mirror. I'd turned away in horror at how irritated my eyes and nose looked, and at the pretty purple bags that had tried to overtake more than just the immediate space under my eyes during the hours I'd spent counting down to dawn.
"I had a bad night," I said by way of apology.
If I avoid mirrors, I don't have to look at myself. The guys aren't so lucky.
"No shit," he said.
He put his hands on my shoulders, turned me around, and marched me directly to Tank's office.
"Ummm," I began to say, but Tank was barking out a "What?" before I had time or enough brainpower to ask why I'm being escorted into the lion's den.
"Do us all a favor," Lester was saying to Tank, "and tell her what you know. Her face will scare off skips if this continues."
That woke me up like nothing else could. My attention and hopes perked up so suddenly, I felt like I'd just hugged a bug zapper while standing in a tub full of ice-cold water.
"You've heard from Ranger?" I asked.
"No," Tank answered. "But from what Ranger said after the call he got, and the answers I received after I made a few of my own, this should be a relatively-quick job. Four days tops if all goes well. Feel better?"
"Yes and no. Yes, cause now I have an end-date in sight to look forward to. No, because it only takes a second for a bullet to leave a weapon, and four days means ..."
"There's three hundred forty-five thousand six hundred seconds to survive," Lester interrupted to say.
"Stop helping," Tank ordered him before cutting his eyes back to me. "Ranger's the best. He'll make it."
"He'd better. There won't be a tranquilizer dart big enough to calm me down if anything happens to him."
"Duly noted," Tank said, and then he glanced back at Lester. "Start looking for whale tranquilizers, just in case."
I knew what they were doing, and I really appreciated the teasing. "You guys are jerks ... but thank you. This is nothing that we haven't all been through before, it just feels so much harder this time around."
"Because you looooove the Boss and your chance to lay that on him was commandeered by world events."
"I know you're trying to irritate me, but that is the truth. I suppose a silver lining could be ... now I have a few days to finely-tune my declaration of ever-lasting love."
"That's just disgusting. How'd you say shit like that with a straight face?" Lester asked me.
I smiled sweetly. "I just pictured yours. I don't get sappy or sad when I think about you."
Tank surprised me by briefly grinning before reverting back to serious. "You can do this, Steph. If you want to love Ranger, you're going to have to."
"I know. I'm working on it. Hopefully I won't have to work too hard this time around."
"Now that sounds like you, trying to bypass a heavy workload when you could potentially avoid it."
"Too late, I'm already part of your lives. There's no insulting me away."
Someone must've been listening to the personal plea/rant I'd had back in my apartment's lot. It was day three, well technically day four since it's still dark out and the last time I looked, the clock said two-thirty-three A.M. I'd been asleep for maybe an hour afterwards, but a familiar feeling worked its way through my subconscious and into something I was starting to pay attention to.
"I never understood why Goldilocks was such a popular story, but I admit ... I love coming home and finding a curly-haired intruder in my bed."
What woke me wasn't Ranger's words, but the beginnings of my tingle coming back. My body couldn't decide if it's flooded with relief that he made it home safely and could finally relax. Or if it's soooo freakin' excited, it had to act on it. I went with the latter. Almost in one move, I threw his blanket off me, sat up, and ran right to him.
He caught me and I wrapped my legs around him for added contact. It didn't take him long to kiss me or learn that all I have on is his shirt. His fingers did a little exploring as his tongue went on its own seek and destroy mission in my mouth. I was squirming before logic kicked in and I figured out that I need to get to work on his clothes.
When I went for his belt buckle, he drew everything back. "Easy, Babe," he whispered against my mouth. "We have time."
"Maybe you do, but I'm sorta done waiting. I want you and you're here, what more do we need?"
He kept one arm under my ass to keep me where I am as he tossed his keys and cell next to mine. He then sat on the edge of the bed with my body curled all around him. I stretched my legs out onto the mattress on either side of his hips, and I heard him suck in a breath.
Hmmm, Batman isn't as in control as he seems. That's really helpful to know. I scooted tighter to his zipper, wrapped my arms around his neck, and waited to see what closer proximity to me would do to him. I felt his entire body get hard, and then all but one area was forced to relax. What he said surprised me.
"Put the dress on," he told me through clenched teeth.
His need for me was quickly beating out his resolve to prolong our time together.
"What?" I asked, not sure I heard him right.
"I spent the entire mission trying to picture you in whatever you picked for me. I want it on you, since you could say I survived just to see that happen."
"You want me to put on clothes when you can have them all off me now? Who are you, and what have you done with Ranger?"
"I'm here," he said, slipping his hands back under my shirt, skimming my bare ass and moving up to gently cup my breasts. "And if you want me to do more while I am, go put on the dress."
His thumbs simultaneously flicked my nipples and I groaned. His hands disappeared right after. "Okay, okay. I'm going," I said, trying to gracefully slide off his lap when I'm not at all graceful on a good day.
"Steph," he said, stopping me as I grabbed the Macy's bag from the closet and was about to head to the bathroom.
I turned to face him. "Yeah?"
"Just the dress. Nothing else."
Gulp.
I nodded and disappeared into the bathroom. It felt a little stupid to go into another room just to pull one thing off and put another thing on that he's just going to remove, but Ranger deserves to live the reality he's only been able to picture in a land I bet is far away from Trenton.
I ditched his shirt, slid on the slinky dress that feels even sexier now that there's no barrier between skin and material. I quickly brushed my teeth even though I've been asleep for only an hour if the clock isn't screwing with me, and I tried to finger-comb out a few tangles which only angered my curls and made them appear more sleep-tousled. Putting on makeup seems even dumber than changing in here, but I did add a little lip stain only so Ranger can find my mouth in the dark.
I'd just jumped him, but walking out with his eyes tracking my every move from where he still sat on the bed, felt more intimate somehow. I decided to try being playful to reduce my sudden nerves and got close enough to almost touch him. I did a little twirl to give him a three hundred-and-sixty-degree look, and then my bare toes dug into the carpet.
"What do you think?" I asked, my words having a tiny nervous warble to them.
That's when he did move. He stood up, cupped my face in his hands so I couldn't look away, and said with zero hint of the same nerves.
"You're even more beautiful than I was picturing."
I tried out a smile. "That's the lack of underwear talking."
"No, it's me. And you need to believe my words if you want me to stop talking."
"Sorry, I'm never going to wish for that. I love that you know you can talk to me ... about anything. Keep that in mind if there's something new you need to share."
"I will ... later," he said, and that was the end of the thinking portion of our pre-morning activities.
While he was holding my head, he kissed me ... and then kissed me again. Deeper and for longer each time he did. I was ready to skip the appetizers and get right down to the meat and potatoes. My Man of Mystery apparently had other plans.
"I saw you just like this in my dreams," Ranger admitted, after he'd picked me up and carefully laid me out on his side of the bed, my crazy hair covering his entire pillow.
"I'm glad. One, that you got to sleep at some point," I said, stretching my body up so I could kiss the corner of his mouth. "And two, that I'm what was on your mind."
"I confess, you haven't been out of it since we met."
That put a pause on the giant throb my body had turned into under his lips and body.
"I'm sorry," I told him.
He kissed my shoulder and ran his tongue over my collar bone. "For?"
"Not letting myself or you have this a lot sooner. I hope you know that I loved you at the beginning too, as a friend ... and then as way more. But I was scared."
"I know, Babe," he told me, this time kissing the hint of cleavage the strapless neckline created even without a bra.
I have no idea what the dress looks like horizontal, but it seems Ranger is okay with whatever he's looking at.
"You know that I was scared of being in a relationship, of getting married, or having kids, but you didn't know my real fear is I was worried if I got too serious with you, you'd eventually move on and I wouldn't be the same ... or even more terrifying, I'd go back to who I was before you changed everything. You weren't kidding, you did ruin me for all other men ... and a few relatives too. You're all I want all the time."
"I can say something similar about you. Why do you think I didn't settle in Miami, Boston, or Newark near my family, even when you made it clear we weren't going to happen?"
"You like a challenge?" I guessed.
"I do, but not when it comes to you. I made the chase sound like a game, but I stuck close to Trenton because I couldn't leave you. You're a one-stop-shop for me. You're sexy, caring, can make me laugh which is nearly impossible, and you keep me calm when I'm feeling anything but. A five minute visit with you, to me is equal to six-months of therapy. I couldn't let that or you go."
He made this sound like a somber admittance, but his fingers and occasional lips stayed busy throughout. The only problem is, he seems to have a purpose behind what he's touching. As much as I like my dress, I suddenly was shooting daggers down at it, because he was only kissing or touching the skin above or below the material.
To have something to focus on while I tried to figure out his angle, I tugged on his shirt until he removed it. I sighed happily when I was given access to his chest and back, and every one of those mocha-muscles making up his torso. I was then able to answer him as long as my hands got to wander.
"So this isn't a one-way relationship?" I asked him. "I thought I was getting everything you have to offer, while you get nothing back."
"I have you, Babe. That's enough. You've always been enough for me."
Before I knew I was going to talk, my mouth was opening to say the words again. "I love you, Batman. And I'm hoping to use every day I have left showing you how much, in as many ways as I can. Starting tonight, I mean morning ... if you let me out of this friggin' dress."
He kissed the inside of my elbow and then came back to my mouth. "Sorry, but I have you right where I want you, Steph. And I'm feeling playful."
No shit, Batman, I said in my head. But he did make it back home, okay as far as I can see and tell, so I'll let him have his way. Round two, though, he's all mine.
He kept up teasing me around the perimeter of my dress, but changed tactics slightly by finally sliding his hand underneath it and up and between my thighs. I'm pretty sure I bit through my lip by the time he was done stroking me and had moved onto coaxing a release out of me. While I was still panting and shaking from that climax, he left his hand in place but moved his face to my chest and nudged the fabric down using only one hand and his mouth to tease what he'd uncovered.
That combo was deadly. His lips closed around a nipple at the same time as the tips of his thumb and index finger squeezed something much more sensitive further down. The second time I shouted his name, I went boneless ... being drawn so tight twice and definitely not left high and dry either time, gave my body permission to just collapse.
"I think my date night dress is going to double as a nightie," I murmured, not sure I hadn't just died and gone right to heaven.
Only then did Ranger unzip the back of it and slid the entire dress down to my hips, stopping to kiss, lick, or draw on, any part of me that distracted him from his duties. Then the freakin' thing was down my legs and finally tossed far away from me.
Oh, boy was the date-dress worth the money I'd paid for it ... was the last clear thought I had. Once I was completely naked, he left the bed and got himself the same way, never taking his eyes off of me. Turns out, I wasn't as sleepy as I'd thought. I held out my arms to him and he took his rightful place between them and my legs and brought me to the brink all over again, my earlier vow be damned. This time, though, I got to take him over the edge with me.
Despite not having any sleep last night, and likely not a lot the days before he'd returned, Ranger still insisted on going down to the control room at his usual time. But not before I'd added another memory that involved his shower gel, which I got to be the one fully in control of. I got to kiss, run my hands over, and pat down, every inch of the unfairly-chiseled body. I didn't tell Ranger this, but I didn't just want him all over again ... I wanted to see in full light that he's not hurt. There are a few bruises, a couple of fresh scratches, and a suspicious looking gouge, but he brushed off my concern so I let it go until he decides he wants to talk about how he got them.
I was tucked under Ranger's arm as we stepped out of the elevator. Lester, of course, was the first guy to spot us.
He let out a wolf-whistle. "Now that's the Steph we know and love to look at," he said, not successfully dodging Tank's cuff upside his head for the comment. "You must've told the Boss whatever you needed to."
"Yeah," I admitted. "I think I can honestly say that I held nothing back."