Chapter Eleven

Ranger had spent half the night hard as a rock, and now he was having a very vivid dream. A scorching one that made him throb and ache. Slowly, he was being pulled from sleep and he resisted waking-up. The dream was much too pleasant and felt far too good. He could feel Stephanie's soft touch, her hot, wet mouth on him, doing wicked things. Ranger was really, really enjoying this dream, and he didn't want to ruin it, but he forced his eyes to open. They locked with a pair of blue ones that were blazing like blue fire.

"Jesus Christ." Ranger mumbled and blinked a couple of times to make sure he wasn't hallucinating.

Stephanie's dark hair was spread out around her, and her mouth was indeed doing wonderfully wicked things to him. His abdominal muscles clenched, and he gave an involuntary jerk of his hips as she took that little pink tongue and ran it from base to tip, her eyes never leaving his face. That woman was going to be the death of him.

Ranger's eyes flickered closed, and he grasped helplessly at the sheets, praying for control or this was going to be over before it started.

"Babe." His voice cracked like a teenage boy and the hum of her laughter came dangerously close to pushing him right over the edge.

"What are you doing?" Ranger knew that was the stupidest question he'd ever uttered.

"You've been like this all night. I thought I'd help you out." Then the woman winked at him, and if Ranger hadn't been addicted to her before, all bets were off now. She was smart, sassy, and beautiful.

She gave him a wicked smile, and watched him through the fringe of her dark lashes, as she closed her mouth back around him. Fire streaked through his veins like molten lava as he watched that beautiful mouth of hers expertly drive him mad with that slow rhythmic dance of pure decadence. Ranger would have said it was impossible, but he felt himself swell and get harder. Diamonds didn't have anything on him, and neither would the fourth of July in about thirty seconds.

His hips bucked involuntarily when her hand wrapped around him, stroking him with precision. Ranger was pretty sure that primal noise had come from him, and he fisted his hand in those glorious curls and urged her to go faster and take more of him. Stephanie eagerly complied.

He was rapidly approaching the point of no return, and as delightful as that perfect, skilled mouth of hers was, Ranger wanted more. He needed to be inside of her with her heat wrapped around him, and he wanted to feel her when he took her over the edge.

It took considerable effort, but Ranger finally formed actual words. "Get. Up. Here. Now!"

If the command in his voice was unclear, the sharp tug his fisted hand gave her hair wasn't. Stephanie's tongue darted out, and she licked her way up his abdomen, stopping to circle his belly-button in a slow tantalizing circle, and then she continued her journey, unhurried. Oblivious to his desperation, as she continued to tease and inflame him with every flick of her tongue. It felt like a trail of fire across his skin, every nerve taut and vibrating. When she bit his nipple, Ranger gave a guttural growl and in one fluid motion yanked her boxers off and picked her up, settling her on top of him.

Stephanie was straddling him and he could feel her heat, yet she didn't touch him or ease the need clawing at him, making sweat mist his body. The sly smile on her face told him she knew exactly what effect she was having on him, and she was enjoying the power. Ranger figured turn about was fair play, and right now she had the upper hand, but one of these days very soon, he was going to repay the favor. And that was one favor he didn't mind owing.

His hands slid up her flank, dragging her tank top with him. She raised her arms, and he pulled the tank top over her head, giving it a careless toss. His knuckles brushed down the side of her body, gently trailing over the curve of her breast.

"Perfect." Apparently, his brain couldn't manage more than one word at a time, and he was probably lucky he got that one. His neurons were scrambled, misfiring in rapid succession, between the feel of her wet heat pressed against him, and the sight of her naked, he was lost. He'd been dreaming about this moment for days, and his dreams hadn't done her any justice. She was simply stunning. Strong and sleek, but soft where a woman should be. She looked like a warrior and a goddess, all rolled into one.

Ranger leaned forward and latched onto her nipple, sucking hard. The involuntary tremble that went through her told Ranger she wasn't as immune to him as she wanted him to believe. He rolled her other nipple between his thumb and forefinger and gave it a little tug, eliciting a sharp gasp from her lips.

Ranger trailed his tongue up her throat, his lips hovering over and gently sucking the pulse point in her neck. Her pulse was fluttering wildly, betraying her body's truth.

He drew back and gave her a knowing look. The wicked grin she gave him stole his breath. He should have known she was about to own him, but somehow, he missed the signs. She locked eyes with him and impaled herself on his hard length in one swift motion.

"Dios." Ranger snarled.

Ranger's head snapped back, and he grabbed her hips, stilling her as he gritted his teeth and prayed for control. His head was about to explode right along with the rest of him. She was definitely going to kill him, and Ranger couldn't think of a better way to go.

She matched him thrust for thrust, working the friction between their bodies to her advantage.

He fisted his hands in that long silky hair and pulled her head back, arching her neck. Ranger licked his way up the column of her throat to her wicked little mouth. He teased her lips open and kissed her long and deep, their tongues dancing to the same rhythm as their bodies. Her hands cupped his face as her greedy, hot mouth devoured him.

The delicious little sounds that escaped her lips drove him closer and closer to the edge. Stephanie closed her eyes and threw her head back, rocking against him, increasing the pace. Her lush full breasts jutted forward and Ranger took full advantage. His teeth grazed across her and gave her nipple a sharp tug. The growl that erupted from low in her throat was almost animal, and it rocketed straight to his cock. He could tell by her breathing and the flush of her skin she was close. Thank god for minor miracles, Ranger knew he wasn't going to last a minute more. Everything about her was wild and intoxicating. He'd never met a woman so perfectly matched to him in every way.

Ranger grasp her hips and pulled her forward, changing the angle between them, exploiting the pressure and the friction. A sound of pure feminine pleasure tore from her chest and he felt her clench around him, as his mouth found hers swallowing the sound. Ranger continued to rock against her as she crested, clenching and fluttering around him, each little tremor sucking him closer to the edge. His battle for control was lost, and he tumbled over the cliff, spilling her name from his lips in a muffled groan against the side of her neck. Each little aftershock that went through her felt like a brief flutter of exquisite torture, as she coaxed every last drop of pleasure from his spent body.

Ranger slumped back on the pillows bringing his arm over his eyes, working to normalize his breathing, and willing himself to not have an actual heart attack, which seemed like a genuine possibility at the moment. He could feel his pulse pounding in his temple. That had been unexpected and hot as hell.

"Well, that wasn't a bad way to wake-up." He heard the smile in her voice.

Ranger dropped his arm and looked at Stephanie, giving her a relaxed smile. "I could wake up that way every day."

Shit. He knew the minute it was out of his mouth; it had been a mistake. He watched as her expression became guarded, wariness marring her features. No, Ranger thought, she didn't get to do this. She didn't get to just shutdown not after they had just shared a bed.

He sat up and took one hand in each of his, bringing her wrist to his lips and pressing a soft kiss on each pulse point. The wild fluttering betrayed the truth.

"Don't freak out, babe. All I'm saying is waking up with your mouth wrapped around my cock was definitely one of the highlights of my life. It's not like I'm proposing, so you don't need to make this all weird." Ranger gave her a pointed look, challenging her to contradict him. They could enjoy each other without dissecting every word, every phrase, and every little glance.

They were doing this crazy dance where they moved forward and then back and then forward, never making progress. Even the slightest admission or mention of a future sent her running for cover. Right now, enjoying each other and getting to hold her all night was enough. At least, that is what he was telling himself. The rest would come in time, or it wouldn't. Ranger knew better than to push, but he also would not let her hide in denial land.

Stephanie's mouth opened and then closed, like she didn't know what to say. He'd called her on her bullshit. He doubted many people ever did that.

She gave him a half-hearted eye roll. "It was a great way to wake-up." Stephanie conceded.

Ranger caught her gaze. "Would it be so bad to wake up to me?"

She stared at him for a full minute and he held his breath, waiting. He could feel every beat of his heart at the base of his throat. Finally, she gave him a shy smile and a half-shrug.

"No." Her voice was barely audible. "But I don't do.."

Ranger's hand slipped behind her neck and he pulled her forward for a soft kiss, cutting off her words.

"I'm a patient man." Ranger warned her. "And a persistent one."

He knew she was going to repeat her 'I don't do relationships' mantra. The problem, they were already in one. They could call it whatever she needed to, but it was beyond just a quick fuck, and they both knew it. She needed to accept that. They both did. It might not be traditional, but neither were they, and they didn't need to get caught in that trap of putting labels on how they felt.

"I can work with that."

"Good, now get your fine ass off of me before you tempt me into a second round." Ranger grinned at her.

Stephanie slid off of him and propped herself up on her elbows, watching him with those big blue eyes. He loved how they could be icy blue one minute and scorching blue fire the next, but this soft deep blue was his favorite. Her mouth might say one thing, but her eyes told a different story. Stephanie was in just as deep as he was.

Ranger climbed out of bed and grabbed his pants, pulling them on.

"You've got a pretty fine ass yourself." She told him with that matter-of-fact tone like she was giving a sitrep, and he couldn't help but chuckle.

"I'm going to go shower and change. I'll see you downstairs."

Ranger leaned down and gave her a quick kiss. When her tongue darted into his mouth, he groaned and forced himself to pull away. He didn't have that much self-control. He needed to get out of her room before they ended up back in that bed.

Ranger poked his head out and scanned the hallway. Everything was quiet, and he made his way down the hall and into Les' room without running into anyone. He didn't much care, but he wanted this to be on Stephanie's terms. She was already freaked out over what he'd said. Maybe it was too much, maybe it was too soon, maybe the sex had short-circuited his brain, but waking up with her every morning didn't feel like the prison he thought it would. It felt like freedom. Monogamy and commitment had always seemed a little short-sighted and dubious, but with Stephanie, his views were shifting. He couldn't imagine being with another woman, and he sure as hell didn't want her with another man. OK, so maybe marriage wasn't in the cards in the traditional sense, but he was warming to the idea of sharing his closet. Hell, he'd settle for her agreement that she would always come home to him between jobs. Ranger didn't think they had to define the how, just the what.

Les was staring at Ranger. He was rubbing his chin and eyeing him like he might be contagious.

"What?" Ranger barked.

Les held up his hands. "Nothing. Just looks like you had a good night."

Ranger narrowed his eyes. "How so?"

"You have that dopey, love-struck look on your face for starters." Les replied. Clearly skeptical of Ranger's sanity.

Ranger just glared at Les. He did not have a dopey look on his face. Probably. Ranger had been accused of a lot of things, but this was a first. No one had ever accused him of dopey, scowling, sure, but never that. Ranger resisted the urge to sigh. That woman had ruined him in more ways than one. He used to be such a badass, and now he was walking around with a dopey, love-struck look on his face. Wasn't that bloody brilliant.

"And you smell like sex." Les threw him a towel and just shook his head.

OK, so that part was totally true. Ranger definitely smelled like sex. He waited for one of Les' famous lectures. Don't tie yourself to one woman. Love makes you weak. Never sleep in the same bed twice if you don't have to.

"I'm going to find some coffee." Les declared and sauntered towards the door.

"What, no lecture, no words of warning." Ranger quirked his brow.

Les just chuckled. "What would be the point? It's way too late for that, brother. Look, she is basically the female equivalent of you."

"And that's a problem?"

"It could be. Two alphas in the same kennel." Les just shrugged and left the rest of the sentence off.

"So what? I should date the dental hygienist or the barista?" That was more Les' style than his.

"She's hot, she's smart, and she's fierce. She's also got some serious baggage. I like her, but with her, you're not always in control. Things aren't always orderly, and that usually makes your head explode. You're going to have to check that natural born hero complex around her. I'm just saying things could be complicated. That's all."

"She's worth it." Ranger snapped.

Les smiled. "Like I said, way too late for you. Now you just have to convince her not to dump your loser ass. Again."

Ranger was gritting his teeth and Les was still laughing as he went out the door.

Ranger grabbed a quick shower and immediately missed her scent on his skin. He wondered if Les was right as he watched the suds swirl down the drain, right along with his common sense. Sometimes like with like was a disaster. Was he even capable of a relationship? His history wasn't exactly littered with examples of success. He had never managed one yet. What made him think this time was different? Les was right; he was just fooling himself. This was doomed, and the quicker he accepted that, the less damage there would be for both of them. Ranger didn't do emotional. Now his brain just needed to let his heart know that's how things worked. They could see each other a few times a year and have some great sex. Nothing wrong with that, Ranger decided. He ignored the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.

When Ranger stepped out of the room, his eyes locked with Luca's. A flash of surprise ghosted across Luca's face. He looked mildly surprised to see Ranger coming out of his own room, and way too pleased about that fact. Irritation rippled through Ranger, but he kept his expression neutral. They nodded to each other and headed downstairs, like that little awkward encounter hadn't just happened.

Jack was teaching Les how to flip pancakes without a spatula, and Stephanie was sitting at the bar, hands wrapped around a coffee mug, laughing at their antics. Ranger saw her nostrils flare and a flash of fear flit across her face when she saw Ranger and Luca enter together. No doubt concerned there might be bloodshed. She eyed them both for a second, her brows furrowing. The openness and the lightness gone in a flash. Ranger instantly missed it.

When Luca just handed Ranger a cup of coffee, Stephanie's look went from concerned to confused to suspicious. She narrowed her eyes and studied them, no doubt wondering when she'd woken up in the twilight zone.

Ranger would not compete with Luca. If Stephanie wanted Luca, that was her choice. It was clear Luca felt the same. Ranger's gut clenched at the thought of Stephanie choosing Luca, but he pushed it aside and covered his discomfort by sipping the boiling hot coffee and pretending he hadn't just scalded his tongue.

They all heard the electronic lock, and five hands settled on their weapons.

Nikko rolled in. He looked like shit, tension and exhaustion evident around his eyes and mouth. Ranger was pretty sure that was blood on his shirt, and he didn't even want to guess what that brown stuff was caked on his pants. Ranger worked to keep his lip from curling back in disgust. It was far too early in the morning to contemplate those possibilities.

"What happened?" Stephanie asked the question everyone wanted the answer to.

Nikko ran his hand through his hair, in a very uncharacteristic display of nervous energy. Usually Nikko was calm, on the outside anyway. Ranger had no doubt Nikko's mind was a blur of activity and madness at any given moment.

Jack poured Nikko a cup of coffee and silently handed it to him. Ranger wasn't so sure coffee was what Nikko needed. Sleep and a damn shower maybe. He could smell the man from where he was standing. Caffeine, not so much.

Stephanie was in front of Nikko in two strides, studying him. She didn't seem to care that he was disheveled, smelled like a gym in July, and had blood on him. She put her hand on his chest and Ranger saw the subtle flinch before Nikko's eyes fluttered closed for a second, and he relaxed into her touch. Ranger doubted many people had ever offered Nikko comfort, and Nikko had probably taken it from even less.

Nikko looked at Stephanie differently than he did anyone else. There was a softness about him, a protectiveness that felt organic. It wasn't just a job to Nikko, he liked her. Respected her. Ranger might have said it even looked like genuine affection, if Nikko actually had a heart. Ranger wondered for the thousandth time what exactly had gone down between the two of them in Colombia.

Ranger might not like it, but it was clear the bond between them was real, and might even veer into friendship. Nikko was going to be in her life, whether or not he liked it. Making peace with Nikko had been for Ranger, but now he realized it might have also been for Stephanie. He would never be that guy, the one that tried to dictate her friends or her life. Nikko, of all people, had given him the best advice. He couldn't change her to make himself more comfortable.

"We got a location." Nikko stated. His eyes locked with Stephanie's.

Game on, Ranger thought.

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.A/N: Ok, I just couldn't help myself with the Game On reference!