Chapter Thirty – Eight

Stephanie went into her apartment and slammed the door, hard. It startled Rex so bad he fell off his wheel.

"Sorry." Rex ran into his soup can and buried himself in his shavings. His little round hamster but shaking. Stephanie could relate. Burying herself and hiding from the world sounded like a fine plan.

Stephanie wiped at the tears rolling down her cheeks. Why was she crying. It was stupid. She was a woman, hear her roar. Except it came out more as a whimper. Okay, take a deep breath, she told herself. Don't go all hormonal. Get the facts straight. Have a mental doughnut."

Except that was the thing. The facts were straight. They just weren't what she wanted them to be. God, why was it she felt like that man toyed with her like a cat with a mouse. It was a really good thing she'd left the Sure Guard in her car, or she might have sprayed Ranger's dumb ass with it just to make herself feel better. The woman at the ammo store had told her it would be a downright humiliating experience for the victim. Stephanie figured she shouldn't be selfish and keep all the humiliation for herself.

Why did she let him do this to her? Then she stopped and asked herself, let him do what. What exactly had Ranger ever done. She had been a job. He had done his job. He had always been clear; relationships didn't work for him. She had been the one that chose to ignore the orange caution cones, but they had been there. She had mowed right through them. It was her own fault she fell off a cliff. Yeah, so Ranger was sometimes conflicted. He liked her and he felt the pull, it was hard to deny they had a connection. He'd admitted as much, but it wasn't enough for him to change his life plan. So why was she faulting him for knowing himself?

Maybe Ranger had the right idea. Set a life plan, establish goals, and don't deviate. No matter what. That's why Ranger was successful and she was in business with a freak. A related one, but still a freak. An involuntary shiver went through her. She really hoped some of the stories about Vinnie weren't actually true, but she had a bad feeling they were.

Stephanie looked at her phone. Maybe Montero was right. Leave Vinnie to run the Trenton office and expand into DC. It would be a challenge, and probably more lucrative. It wasn't like Vinnie needed help running the Trenton office, he had been doing it for years. Vinnie only needed cash.

And there was the Montero factor. He was kind, funny, sexy. Oh, and he was stable. So he had that in his favor. He wasn't pushing for marriage or for her to be a stay-at-home mom, but he was open to the idea of a relationship. There were a lot of things going for him that Morelli and Ranger lacked. Like he was normal for starters. There were colors in his closet, he didn't try and nail everything that moved, and he didn't' drink black coffee. All in, he had some definite appeal. Why was she still holding out for mister mysterious? A guy that was smokin' hot and entirely emotionally unavailable. And possibly crazy. No one had ever described Montero as a shade off normal.

She'd kept her distance from Montero, OK, she'd mostly kept her distance. They'd had a few hot and heavy make-out sessions, and a few close calls. Enough for her to know he wouldn't be a disappointment. Heat flushed her cheeks at the memories.

They'd just finished dinner at some fish shack on the beach, and Montero had opened the door of the SUV for her. He had given her a boost so she wouldn't flash everybody in her skirt. What had seemed a respectable length when she put it on had ridden up her thighs to a less than respectable place. Montero had leaned down and kissed her, and one thing led to another. Lots of tongue and lots of heat. Somehow, she'd ended up with her legs wrapped around his waist grinding up against him.

"Jesus Plum, we can't do this." Montero's voice had sounded strangled.

"Hmmm, I'm pretty sure we can." Stephanie gripped his ass and pulled him closer.

"I can feel your heat through my jeans." Montero groaned against her mouth and slipped his hand between them.

They had been well on the way to the point of no return, when a car had pulled into the lot, interrupting things before they had really gotten out of hand.

She had always stopped short with Montero, and as much as she hated to admit it, as good as the chemistry was, it paled in comparison to Ranger, and that was the real rub.

She didn't think it would be fair to Montero, but that was really only part of it. Mostly it felt like she was cheating on Ranger, and how screwed up was that. A man that did not want her. How many times did he need to beat her over the head with that fact before she finally accepted that it was true?

Screw it. She would let Montero know she was coming for the weekend. She could scout possible office locations and figure out a business plan. She'd also rip the band-aid off and sleep with Montero. A weekend of hot sex was just what she needed to get over Ranger because everyone knew the best way to get over someone was to get it on with someone else. That and if she went too much longer, she might spontaneously combust or burn the motor out in B.O.B.

Stephanie pulled a beer out of the fridge and popped open her laptop. She pulled up her file and started working on options for a DC office.

The hours went quickly, and before she knew it long shadows cast across her floor as the last of daylight slipped away. She'd made good progress, and felt confident a DC office was an option. Well except for the whole living in DC thing away from all of her family and friends.

Stephanie slathered peanut butter on a piece of bread and ate it standing up against the counter. Rex was still giving her reproachful looks for knocking him off his little wheel. She didn't have the heart to tell him no matter how long he ran on the thing, he wasn't getting anywhere. She thought maybe she should tell herself that about Ranger too.

It was ten o'clock at night, and she was bone tired. Her encounter with Ranger had left her emotionally exhausted and the work on her business plan had wiped the rest of her energy. Stephanie said good night to Rex, and switched the light off in the kitchen.

She dragged herself into the bathroom and peeled off her clothes. Stephanie turned the water on as hot as she could stand it and stepped into the shower. She stood with her head bent and her arms braced on the wall. She let the water wash over her, as she tried ease the ache in her shoulders. Too much time hunched over a computer could do a girl in. She lathered up with her boring unscented soap, and managed to rinse off before the hot water ran out. Stephanie stepped out and dried off with her thin scratchy towel. A wave of loneliness washed over her.

Seeing Ranger was always a mistake. It just made her want things she couldn't have. And that was the problem with wanting. It started out innocuous enough. Then suddenly your towels sucked and your bathroom looked like the set of Austin Powers had exploded, and you were no longer satisfied with your life.

She missed Ranger's perfect shower, his perfect fluffy towels, and his perfect bed with the soft sheets. But mainly she just missed Ranger. She had a feeling she was probably always going to miss him.

Stephanie padded out of the bathroom and pulled on a pair of sleep shorts and a tank top and crawled into bed. Tomorrow was a new day, and she was a woman with a plan. And maybe tomorrow she'd even let Montero in on it. No more indecision.

Stephanie struggled out of sleep thinking something was wrong. She was caught at the edge of a dream, and something was pulling her awake. It was the light, she thought. Dim but annoying. She had fallen asleep and left a light burning somewhere in the apartment. Probably she should get up and turn the light off.

Stephanie was on her stomach with her face smushed into the pillow. She popped one eye open and squinted at the bedside clock. Two o'clock in the morning. She really didn't want to get out of bed. Stephanie closed her eyes willing herself back to sleep. The hell with the light, it could just stay on. The bed was warm, and if she closed her eyes, she could imagine just the faintest hint of Ranger's intoxicating scent drifting through the air.

Stephanie was trying hard to ignore the light when she heard the faint rustle of clothing from the far side of the room. Icy fear washed over her and she laid there paralyzed. She kept her eyes closed and hoped death came quickly, her ears straining.

After about twenty seconds she got impatient waiting for death. Stephanie opened her eyes and rolled onto her back.

Ranger was sitting in the chair illuminated by the streetlight. His elbows propped on his knees, watching her. She could see his earring gleaming in the glow of the streetlight. Everything else about him—his T-shirt, his cargo pants, his flack vest, his hair, and 9-mm Glock—was as black as the night. It was 2AM, and Ranger was clearly still working.

"Ranger?" Stephanie croaked.

She thought it was possible she was hallucinating, that she had finally had a mental break and the grandma Mazur crazy gene had finally taken over. Why was Ranger in her apartment? At two in the morning.

"It's me babe." Came his soft reply.

Stephanie sat up alarmed. "What's happened. What's wrong?" Stephanie's heart was pounding. Ranger was scaring her.

"Nothing has happened. Nothing bad anyway."

His words barely penetrated her sleep fogged brain, but she marginally relaxed. No armed gunmen sneaking through the apartment about to kill her.

"Why are you here? How did you get in?" Stephanie held up her hand, that was a stupid question. Ranger was like smoke he could get in anywhere.

"Never mind, why are you here." She realized he could have let himself in at any point during the last month and forced the conversation she had been avoiding, instead he had waited for an invitation. One she kept refusing to give.

"You messed up my plans." He said simply.

"Plans change." Stephanie replied a little defensively. Did he really break in to tell her she'd messed up his plans? Her chin tilted up defiantly.

"Not my plans. Not until I met you."

Stephanie wasn't sure what she was supposed to say. Sorry didn't seem like the right answer, so she just stared at him. She figured surely there was a point to it somewhere. It was two in the morning and he had broken into her apartment.

Ranger raked a hand down his face. "Just say it. Tell me that this was never going to work. Tell me you are leaving. Tell me you choose Montero."

"Leaving?" Stephanie was confused.

"I saw the business plans for DC on your dining room table."

"Yes. I'm thinking about it. There isn't much tying me to Trenton these days." Her voice trailed off.

She knew there was an accusatory note to her voice, but she couldn't help it. Maybe she was running away, but sometimes retreat was the best battle strategy when it came to an unbeatable enemy. Probably Sun Tzu had said something about that. She kind of wished she'd paid more attention in college.

"Montero is a good guy. You should give him a chance."

"But?" Stephanie prompted.

"If I put my mind to it, I could make you forget about Montero."

"So why don't you?" Her challenge was clear.

"He's the better choice."

"What if he isn't the right choice?" Stephanie's throat had constricted and she could barely get the words out. Was he really pushing her off to Montero?

"Babe." Ranger's voice came out more as a half groan, half growl.

"Ranger." Stephanie shot back.

He reached up and ran his hand through his hair.

"What if I said there is room in my closet. You already have clothes there, why not a few more?"

Stephanie was just staring at him. What did that mean. She could keep a few items in his underwear drawer for when she came over for booty calls?

"You know I still can't sleep on your side of the bed." Ranger confessed. He sounded pretty miserable about the whole revelation. Stephanie's breath hitched a little, but she stayed silent. Something she had learned from Ranger.

Ranger gave a humorless laugh. "OK, I'll have to bring out the big guns. Rex could have a bigger aquarium."

Stephanie narrowed her eyes a little. "Are you really trying to use Rex to bribe me into…?" Stephanie was beyond confused. What was he saying? Why did Ranger care if she went to DC? Was he asking her to move in, be in a relationship? Because it sure sounded that way.

"Maybe."

Stephanie heaved out a frustrated breath. "Why are you here Ranger?" Stephanie was tired. She didn't want to do this dance anymore.

"Because I fucking love you OK."

Stephanie's heart came to a full-stop and then stuttered into a wild erratic beat. She could feel her own pulse. Stephanie's eyebrows went up.

"But?" She was waiting for the qualifier. In my own way, it doesn't come with a ring, I don't do relationships, just sheet-clawing, knock-your-socks-off, brain-melting sex.

"No buts, I just love you. I will love you forever and when that ends, I'll love you some more. I guess it's just that simple."

Stephanie was pretty sure her mouth was hanging open as she stared at him. Heat rushed her body and her stomach dropped like she was on a rollercoaster, because let's face it, the last twelve hours had been like a rollercoaster.

"Say something babe." Ranger pleaded. "Say I'm not too late, that I didn't mess things up so much you don't want to be with me."

Stephanie threw back the covers and patted the spot on the bed beside her.

"What took you so long? I missed you."

Ranger was out of the chair and in two strides he was to the bed. Ranger climbed in beside her hauling her on his chest, wrapping his arms around her.

"Ranger.."

"Don't say anything, just hold me tighter. I don't know what I'm doing, I'm way out on a limb here, and I'm probably going to mess this up."

"I was just going to say I love you." Stephanie whispered.

She felt him smile against the top of her head.

"And I'm not leaving." She rushed to say.

She heard his soft laugh. "Anything else?"

"Yes."

"What's that babe?"

"I'm pretty sure you said you were going to bury yourself so deep that I didn't know where I ended and you began. And you were going to make sure no other man's name ever passed my lips. I'm pretty sure that's what you promised me."

Stephanie gave a little squeak as Ranger rolled her underneath him and settled between her legs.

"Babe, that I can do."

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A/N: It's been fun. I hope you enjoyed this story. Thank you for all the reviews, follows, favorites, and PMs. I read and appreciate every single one of them. Your feedback and encouragement made it a fantastic journey and kept me going.

A special thanks to baileygirl12. If it weren't for you, I would have never written another word of JE FanFiction. Your encouragement and unfailing support kept me going.