Disclaimer: This a Stephanie Plum FanFiction Story. All recognizable characters belong to the fabulous Janet Evanovich. I am just borrowing her amazing characters for a while. I'm grateful she allows us to play with her characters.
Warning: Adult language
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A/N: A puppuccino is simply an espresso cup filled with whipped cream. Most coffee shops like Starbucks and Dutch Bros hand them out on request. Don't worry no dogs were harmed in the writing of this story. According to vets, whipped cream in moderation is fine for a healthy dog.
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Love In the Age of Puppuccinos
Ranger turned onto Chambers Street and stopped at a red light. His eyes cut to his companion and partner for the day. His lean body practically vibrated with excitement, and he was panting and maybe even drooling a little bit.
Ranger reached over and scratched his big head. "You like fieldwork, don't you, boy?"
Mac gave a big woof and panted some more. Ranger turned up the AC and maneuvered a vent so the cold air would blow right on him. Ranger inherited Mac from Kinsey a couple of months ago and they were still trying to find their footing with each other. Mostly Ranger tried to establish boundaries that Mac kept smashing right through. No getting on the furniture. That lasted less than a day. No riding in the fleet vehicles, yet here they were. No eating human food. Ranger gave a snort. Yeah, at first, he caught Ella topping Mac's dog food with a chicken breast. She claimed he wasn't getting enough to eat. They both knew that had been a lie, and now she didn't even bother to hide behind that pretense. She home cooked all of his meals. Mac's evening meal arrived with his, and Ranger wasn't entirely sure which one of them Ella liked better.
Ranger shook his head. Mac had come into his life like a whirlwind and promptly taken over. Their current battle of wills focused on Mac sleeping in Ranger's bed. So far, Mac was winning. He'd start out on the floor and sometime during the night ease his way onto the foot of the bed. Ranger had woken up to the sound of Mac's snuffling more than once.
Ranger let out a soft sigh. How had he got roped into this one? He should have stood his ground, but the minute he looked into those big brown eyes, he knew he didn't stand a chance. Kinsey adopted Mac after his handler died. Ryan and Mac served with Kinsey and Ranger in their unit. Mac had been right alongside them in the heat of battle more times than Ranger could count.
Mac was a Belgium Malinois and his compact size made him perfect to serve with elite forces around the world. As a military working dog, Mac was trained to sniff out explosives, stand guard, track, and even parachute and rappel when needed. That nose for trouble and need for excitement got him in hot water in civilian life. Ranger could relate.
Ranger met Mac when he was deployed in the sandbox, and then again in Afghanistan. Mac and his handler, Ryan, had been assigned to Ranger's unit, and Mac saved Ranger's ass on more than one occasion. When the vehicle Ryan and Mac were riding in was hit by an IED, Ryan had been killed and Mac had been injured. His injuries were deemed too severe for rehabilitation, and he was discharged from the military.
Kinsey's petition to adopt Mac had been granted, but his transition from the military into civilian life had been as difficult for him as it was for Ranger, or Kinsey, for that matter. Amanda and Kinsey welcomed their first child a few months ago, and Mac's protectiveness of the infant caused issues in their neighborhood.
Every time Amanda took little Lila and Mac out for a walk, Mac would menace anyone that got within twenty-five feet of the stroller. After numerous complaints and threats of legal action, Kinsey called Ranger and asked him to take Mac. It wasn't like Ranger could really say no, so here they were making the best out of the situation.
Begrudgingly, Ranger admitted Mac had proven useful to the RangeMan team. Just this morning, Mac aided Ranger in the takedown of a skip. Mac ran the skip down with ease and cornered the guy between the side of a building and a dumpster until Ranger strolled over at his leisure. It made quick work of the capture, and they were on their way back from dumping the guy at the police station. The only downside, the guy pissed his pants, and the smell of urine still lingered in the cab, even with the windows down. That hadn't really been Mac's fault. Ranger might have pissed his pants too if Mac had him cornered, with all those sharp teeth level with his junk. His dick gave a sympathetic twinge at the thought.
Ranger stifled a yawn and Mac whined in sympathy. "How about a treat? I think you've earned it." Ranger asked Mac, fully aware he was talking to a dog, knowing it was a slippery slope from there to buying him sweaters.
Ranger pulled into the drive-thru lane at Perks coffee shop, wondering if he had taken leave of his senses. Perks was on the list of dog friendly places to take fido according to some website Ranger visited way too often. In the last two months, Ranger familiarized himself with dog friendly restaurants, doggie daycare, and even a pet friendly carwash. His last vestige of pride had gone right out the window with this little stunt.
Ranger pulled up to order. "Welcome to Perks. I'm Stella. What can I get you?" Even over the tinny speaker, the woman sounded like an angel and a little unexpected jolt shot through Ranger.
"One large coffee, black." Ranger looked over at Mac and rolled his eyes. He could not believe he was doing this. "One puppuccino." He mumbled.
"I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" The angel asked.
Ranger cleared his throat. "One puppuccino."
"Yes sir, please pull around."
Ranger shook his head, thinking he'd just given up all rights to his man card. When they pulled around to the window, Ranger gave Mac a healthy dose of side-eye, and Mac looked back with an innocent expression with a hint of smugness thrown in for good measure. Ranger was feeding the beast and creating a monster, but leaving Mac in his apartment unattended would not end well for either of them. Ranger would come home and find his couch shredded and that wouldn't even be the worst of it. That concern left his brain, along with every other coherent thought, when the woman with the voice of an angel greeted him.
She was attractive, with her delicate nose and generous mouth, but it was those big blue eyes that drew him. The color of the ocean. A man could drown in those depths, and damn if that wouldn't be the way to go. They sparkled with intelligence and warmth. There was lightness that surrounded her, an aura that pulled him in like a magnet. It was just the two of them sharing a secret.
Ranger realized he was staring at her like some weird stalker guy and quickly handed her some cash to cover the fact he had no idea what she'd just said.
Stella handed him the puppuccino. "Who's the lucky boy?"
Ranger thought that was probably him, but realized, before he said something stupid, she was talking about the dog.
"That's Mac." Ranger replied, wondering if some time warp had happened and he was back in puberty. His hands were clammy, and he resisted the urge to wipe them on his cargo pants.
"He's gorgeous." She beamed, and Ranger thought it was entirely possible the sun glinting off that gorgeous tumble of dark hair was really a halo. Her smile could light up a city block. He blinked a couple of times looking for his sanity. He was deranged. That was the only explanation for where that thought had come from.
Ranger gave her a tight, polite smile that turned into a full-blown grin. There was an openness about her, a lightness that tugged around the edges and made it impossible not to smile back.
"He has his moments." Ranger confirmed.
Mac gave an enthusiastic woof and leapt in the back seat so he could stick his big head out the window. Ranger waited for the delectable Stella to shrink back in fear. Instead, she laughed and rubbed Mac's head. His tongue lolled out, and he gave a soft whine as he butted his head into her hand, begging for more. Ranger could relate. He kind of wished the enchanting Stella would greet him that enthusiastically.
"OK, buddy, that's enough." Ranger ordered, and Mac reluctantly climbed back into the front seat.
Stella handed Ranger his change. "And your coffee." Her smile turned back to him, and Ranger was pretty sure the ice encasing his heart cracked a little.
Her enthusiasm and charm spread a warm tingle through his body as their fingers brushed. Her eyes flickered to his, and he saw a spark of blue fire as her lips parted in surprise. She had felt it, too.
"Bye Mac." Stella waved as they drove off.
Ranger brought the coffee to his lips and took a tentative sip. It was all he could do not to spew it all over the dashboard. Whatever was in that cup was not coffee. It was all sugar and fat, and Ranger was pretty sure he could feel a coronary coming on. He had no idea how anyone could mess up an order for black coffee, but the little angel had. He smiled and dumped the contents out the window. Good thing she had the body of an angel, too. A man could forgive a lot of things for a woman like that.
Mac was busy licking the bottom of the cup, slurping up the last little smidgen of whip cream in his puppuccino as they headed back out on patrol. Ranger shook his head.
"It's like that, is it?" Ranger scoffed. He was a goner, and they both knew it.
The next morning when Ranger pulled onto Chambers Street, Mac started whining and twitching. Ranger could sympathize, and before he had time to consider his actions, Ranger found himself in the drive thru line at Perks, wondering if the delightful Stella was working. He'd thought about her off and on all day, her beautiful smile popping into his mind at the most unexpected, and sometimes inconvenient, of times.
He'd spent the day grinning like a fool, not a foul mood in sight. His second in command, Tank, had asked if he was feeling OK. Apparently, his sour mood had been the subject of office gossip lately. It had been a rough few weeks, and Ranger had to admit he'd been short tempered and curt. Building a business took time and effort, and a healthy dose of luck. RangeMan had lost out on a couple of big contracts that would have taken them to the next level, and the loss had been hard. Sure, there would be other opportunities, but that didn't mean it made this loss any easier. He needed to go out and blow off some steam, but when he went to the bar last night with one intention, he couldn't find anyone that interested him, because some blue-eyed angel kept obscuring his vision.
Ranger pulled into Perks to order. The angel's soft lilting voice came over the speaker, and Ranger felt the heaviness in his chest lift.
"One puppuccino." Ranger threw Mac a baleful glance.
"And what can I get Mac's dad?" Stella's disembodied voice asked over the speaker.
Ranger figured the odds of getting what he really wanted were approaching zero, including the right drink order.
"Surprise me."
Ranger had definitely surprised himself with that statement and he held his breath. Was he flirting?
Her light, musical laugh drifted over him, and a warmth spread through his belly at the sound. She'd recognized his voice, and for reasons he didn't want to examine too closely, it pleased him. Ranger realized he was grinning like he was deranged and pulled the SUV around, trying to contain his smile, and failing miserably.
"I blame you." He told Mac.
Mac wasn't listening. He was already in the back seat with his head hanging out the window, watching for Stella. They pulled up to the window and Stella leaned out to scratch Mac's head, and Ranger realized he was envious of a dog.
"One puppuccino coming right up." Mac gave her a big sloppy puppy kiss and Stella laughed.
Stella handed him Mac's puppuccino and their fingers brushed, sending a bolt of electricity through him. Her sharp inhalation drew his eyes to her mouth. Her lips were full and looked pillowy soft and imminently kissable. Their eyes caught for a second and she gave him a shy smile and retreated through the window.
She emerged a minute later. "And for Mac's dad, a mocha latte." She handed it to him. "I think it will be your favorite."
Then the woman winked at him, and fire streaked through Ranger, making him lightheaded. He needed to breathe, but somehow, he'd forgotten how. The air crackled between them, while Ranger looked for his voice. He cleared his throat, hoping it would also clear his head.
"My favorite, huh? And if it's not?"
Stella smiled at him, and Ranger was lost, drowned in those blue eyes, caressed by her voice.
"Then come back tomorrow, and I'll try again." Her eyebrow quirked up at the invitation that sounded more like a challenge.
Ranger grinned at her. That's one challenge he would take. They both knew he was coming back tomorrow. The guy behind Ranger honked, yanking them both out of the little bubble they found themselves in. Ranger put the SUV in gear and drove off grinning like an idiot. He was happy, and that wasn't a word he would ever use to describe himself.
Ranger took a sip of the mocha latte and scrunched up his nose. Yeah, that was diabetes in a cup, and pitched the liquid out the window.
And so it went. Every morning Ranger would roll through the drive thru at Perks and the beautiful Stella would try to guess his favorite drink.
The morning she'd given him a vanilla white mocha, his fingers rested over hers on the cup, and she made no move to pull back, and the connection between them fluttered into a full-blown gale-force wind. His heartbeat synced with hers, their eyes locked, and he saw his reflection in them. Interest, heat, and something more. She enjoyed talking to him as much as he liked talking to her.
"Ok, Mac's dad. What's the deal with all the black?" She'd made a vague gesture towards him. "Do you just really like black or something?"
"Or something." He replied. She'd held his gaze and didn't flinch. His darkness didn't scare her.
Stella handed him his mystery drink. "Vanilla white mocha. I thought you could use some lightness in your life."
"Like your smile." Ranger wasn't sure where that had come from. Clearly, he was stuck in junior high, if his flirting skills were any indication.
She blushed a pretty shade of pink and stammered. "Life's all about balance. The good with the bad, the light and the dark."
He realized he was still holding her hand. "Maybe I could buy you a coffee sometime. Guess your favorite drink."
The stain on her cheeks deepened. "I'd like that."
Some asshole behind them yelled. "Kiss her already."
She gave a nervous laugh and Ranger drove off, trying not to grin. Mac gave a soft bark of appreciation. One Ranger interpreted to mean get on with it.
"We wouldn't have anything in common." Ranger told Mac as he took a sip of the gawd awful confection in a cup she'd handed him.
Mac snorted, and Ranger gave him some side eye. "Easy for you to say. What would I even say to her? I'm not big on small talk."
Ranger was stunned into temporary silence when he realized he wanted to go on a date with her and get to know her, not just get her naked. Not that naked didn't hold appeal, it just wasn't the first thing he wanted to do.
Ranger glared at Mac. "This is all your fault." Mac looked pretty satisfied with himself.
A couple of days passed with more hideous drinks. A bonbon, whatever the hell that had been, and a flat white, which was tolerable. Stella seemed disappointed when he didn't pursue asking her out. She'd hinted and Ranger had tried, he really had. But he'd broken out into a cold sweat, stammered something idiotic, and drove off without his drink. It had gone worse than expected, and he needed to shore up his reserves before he tried again. He even considered asking his idiot cousin for some pointers, but quickly dismissed that idea. Ranger didn't remember the last time he had to pursue a woman, and even longer since he'd been interested in talking to one.
The next morning Ranger's head had been in another place, and Stella had picked up on his distraction. She greeted Mac and handed him a dog bone, which he sat happily crunching on in the back seat.
"What is it?" She asked. Genuine concern lighting her eyes.
"It's nothing, really. I got some family news today."
"Bad news?"
"No, not at all. Just unexpected. One of my sisters and her husband have been trying for a baby for years. They did it all, IVF the whole works and no baby. Last year they finally decided to adopt, and they have been working their way through the approval process. Then they find out she's pregnant. All those years and that grief, and when they let go and move on, a miracle happens."
Ranger didn't know why he was telling Stella, or why talking to her had been so easy. Ranger winced. Apparently word vomit was a real thing.
"Life is like that," she replied softly. "Unpredictable and beautiful, don't you think?"
Ranger smiled at Stella. "Yes." They both knew he wasn't talking about his sister anymore.
Stella was the bright spot in Ranger's day, and he craved their interaction like a drug. "I'll see you tomorrow."
She gave him a heart-stopping smile. "I look forward to it."
Ranger didn't even bother to try the thing called a caramel macchiato. He just chucked it in the trash.
Two days later, Ranger rolled to the window, eager to see Stella. Today was the day. He was going to take the plunge and ask for her number, or at least tell her his name. She still called him Mac's dad.
Stella greeted him and gave him a smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. Instantly his gut cramped, and unease settled through him.
"Everything OK." He asked, concern deepening his voice.
"Yeah, it's fine. It's nothing. Just a bad day at work." She hedged.
Something about the way she said it made him uneasy, but he told himself not to read too much into it.
"Your favorite." She handed him a cup, careful not to brush his fingers. "Black coffee."
The unease turned into a full-on tsunami warning. Stella had known all this time, she'd just been pushing him to try something new, to get out of his comfort zone, and now she seemed sad, like maybe he wasn't worth it.
"Stella." He waited for her to look at him.
"Do you want to talk about it? Mac's a good listener." He teased, but it fell flat.
"No." Her shoulder shrugged up. "Just life."
"Did I do something?"
Her eyes shot to his. "No, not at all." She gave him a tight smile that didn't reassure him in the least.
Maybe not doing something was the problem, and the window had closed while Ranger remained paralyzed with indecision. Her supervisor yelled at her to keep the line moving.
"Sorry," she whispered, and the window slid shut with a finality he tried to ignore.
Ranger gawked for a minute wondering what had happened before he put the SUV in gear and drove off. Worry nagged at the back of his mind.
Today marked the third day in a row he'd come to Perks, and no Stella. The first day he assured himself people took time off, and she'd be back. By the second day, his worry had turned to regret. Why didn't he get her number? Take her for that cup of coffee.
Ranger rolled to the window and a woman with blue hair, a grating voice, and a nose ring leaned out the window to hand him his drink.
"Where is Stella?" Ranger asked, trying not to sound like a stalker.
The woman smacked her gum, and it took all of Ranger's willpower not to grab her and shake the answers out. He clenched his jaw and forced himself to wait, while her brain processed his question, one syllable at a time.
"Don't know." Came her surly reply.
"Does she work tomorrow?" Ranger prodded, doing his best not to appear threatening.
The woman smacked her gum some more, the wheels in her head creaking and groaning at the pace of a geriatric snail, and Ranger wanted to scream. Instead, he ground down on his molars and gripped the steering wheel so tight his knuckles turned white.
"Stella, don't work here anymore."
Ranger's body flashed cold and then anger washed over him. He drove off with Smurfette yelling out the window after him. Stella didn't work there anymore. She'd known she was leaving, and she hadn't said a damn word to him. Not even a simple goodbye. He was nobody, just another customer, and his gut roiled at the knowledge.
He raked a hand down his face and blew out a frustrated breath. The connection had seemed so real. At least to him.
Mac whined in the seat beside him, head down, giving Ranger a pitiful look. Ranger reached over and scratched his furry ears. "I know buddy, I know. I miss her too."
It was better this way. The fantasy would always outlive the reality. They'd spend one awkward dinner staring at each other until they realized they had nothing in common. At least this way, he would always remember her beautiful smile, her quick laugh, and her kind eyes. Nothing more than a missed opportunity, and his life was littered with those, so what was one more?
Ranger's phone chirped.
"Yo!"
He listened to Ram drone on for a minute. "I'll be there in ten, and I can transport him."
Ranger hung up and smacked his hand on the wheel as frustration pulsed through him. Three days and already his life seemed bleaker. Ranger made a right at the end of the street and headed towards Stark Street, trying to rein in his frustration.
Ram and Hal had responded to a tripped alarm, only to find not one but three skips all holed up together. Two of them needed medical attention and Ram needed an extra pair of hands to transport the third to the police station and collect the body receipt.
Ranger loaded the guy into the back of the SUV. Big, bald, and surly. Mac eyed him suspiciously and gave a low growl, every time the man so much as breathed too loudly the entire way to the police station. Ranger wasn't sure which one of them was more relieved to get out of the SUV, the skip or him.
"Come on buddy, it's too hot for you to stay in the car." Ranger called to Mac.
Mac hopped out of the SUV and trotted next to Ranger. They were standing at the desk waiting on the body receipt when Mac took off like a shot.
"Mac! Stop!" Ranger yelled, but the infernal dog didn't even slow down at his command.
Ranger threw a glance over at the officer. He was busy talking to another cop and didn't seem to be in a hurry. Ranger hightailed it after Mac as he watched Mac run up to a woman. Her back was to him, but even a blind man could tell that was a woman. Long legs, lush ass, dark, curly hair down the middle of her back. She was dressed in navy slacks and a light blue dress shirt, but even the masculine clothes couldn't hide her curves.
Mac shoved his snout into her hand, and she gave a start. Ranger held his breath, waiting for the bomb blast and all hell to break loose. Instead, she crouched down and started scratching behind Mac's ears as he licked her face like a long-lost friend.
"Mac!" Ranger commanded. "Leave the nice …" His voice trailed off, stuck in his throat as all the breath left his body. There was no way.
The woman stood up and faced him, and his heart stuttered around in his chest, and he thought he might be dangerously close to a heart attack.
It was Stella. What was she doing at the police station?
"Mac," Ranger repeated, and his eyes dropped to the gold shield clipped to her belt. "Leave the nice detective alone."
Ranger stopped and crossed his arms over his chest and waited, trying to wrap his head around Stella being a detective. She must be a recent addition or a transfer because Ranger knew most of the Trenton PD. Or she was vice and worked undercover. The knowledge rippled through him. She'd been undercover at Perks, the pieces snapping together like a puzzle. He'd heard about a recent drug bust. Some baristas had been selling coffee with a side of X. Not that Ranger would call half the shit they sold coffee, but that wasn't really the point. He had a lot more in common with the delectable Stella than he thought.
She gave him a hesitant smile, and a tingle started at the base of his spine, and radiated through his body like a low hum. God, she was beautiful. He didn't expect to ever see her again, yet there she stood. Mac had taken up residence beside her, a far too pleased look on his face. Ranger was a little afraid it might match his.
"Mr. Manoso." Her soft voice drifted over him, and he resisted the urge to reach out. It registered with his stunned brain; she knew his name. She'd known who he was all along.
She held out her hand to him. "Detective Plum. Stephanie Plum."
Ranger's brain had slipped into neutral. She shifted uncomfortably, her outstretched hand extended between them like an olive branch. The seconds ticked by as the awkwardness built. He gave his head a little shake to rattle his brain back in gear. Ranger reached out and took her hand in his. The familiar jolt of awareness streaked through him, and her lips parted with a little gasp, confirming he wasn't alone in feeling the hum between them. The intangible connection that pulsed around them, drawing them together until everything else faded away and all he could see was her.
"Detective Plum." He rolled it around on his tongue, getting used to the feel. he liked it.
"Stephanie." She repeated.
"Stephanie." He clarified. He liked that even better. His thumb stroked over the back of her hand. "My friends call me Ranger."
"Are we friends?" She asked, a little breathless.
Ranger's brow quirked up. "I'd like to think so." His eyes dropped to that gorgeous mouth. "Or we could be."
"Then Ranger it is."
Ranger thought he heard a halleluiah chorus, but it was probably just the blood rushing through his head.
A couple of beats of silence passed between them, and she didn't pull her hand away as his thumb continued its lazy exploration. Mac's tail thumped the floor with restrained excitement.
"I, um, wanted to tell you, but I was undercover. I didn't know what to say. I would have called." She stammered.
"But you didn't have my number." He acknowledged. Mainly because he'd been too chickenshit to give it to her, but he kept that to himself.
"I would have found you." She gave him a sly smile. "I am a detective."
Ranger nodded. Yes, she was, and that changed the game.
"Things happened quickly, and the takedown moved up. I'm sorry."
Ranger smiled at her, and some of the tension around her mouth eased as the corners tilted up.
"Life is like that sometimes. A wise woman once told me life is unpredictable. I mean, one minute you're drinking coffee, the next you're talking to a beautiful woman that takes your breath away, and then she disappears."
The flush of embarrassment colored her neck and stained her cheeks.
"You think you've lost her." She whispered. "A missed opportunity."
His hand reached out and tucked a wayward curl behind her ears.
"A wasted opportunity, but then your fortunes change and you find her." Ranger confirmed.
Mac leaned against Stephanie, as his big brown eyes looked at her with adoration. OK, technically Mac found her, but Ranger wasn't complaining.
"You owe me a coffee." Her husky voice snaked right through him.
Ranger gave her an easy smile, and everything shifted back in place, and he took a deep breath, finally able to breathe with ease.
"Yes, I do. Ready?"
"Right now?" She squeaked.
"I'm not wasting another opportunity or another minute. I'm not letting you get away a second time." Ranger knew that was all kinds of presumptive, but he didn't care.
She laughed. "Fair enough. Lucky you, I just happen to know a place that has the best coffee."
Mac gave a soft woof, and she scratched behind his ears. "And the best puppucino." Stephanie assured him.
She was right, Ranger was a lucky man.