Some more, let me know what you think!

His voice roughened, 'Glad I don't need a cat.'

Then he hung up.

Chapter 16

My natural Burg instinct told me to call him back, if only so I could hang up on him. But then I'd have to talk about the cat comment. And besides, he'd definitely send me to Guatemala if I hung up on him again.

So instead I mentally shrugged and turned to Lester, 'Ranger called me shorty.'

'You know what that means?' Lester enquired.

'I know what shorty means, but I don't know what it means that Ranger called me shorty.'

Lester grinned, 'why don't you ask?'

'What? Don't be stupid!'

'Why not? Asked Hector.

'Because…' what if it's only a turn of phrasing and he doesn't mean it?

'Oh.' said Lester, 'now I understand.'

'Huh?'

'You say out loud,' explained Hector.

'You spoke out loud.' I absentmindedly corrected him. And then I realised what that meant… 'Shit! You're not going to tell him that, are you?'

Lester and Hector exchanged Esp. glances that I didn't understand. I wish I could do that, I'm pretty sure that Esp. can cross the language barrier – and then it would be like I could speak a hundred languages, how cool would that be?

'Steph?' said Lester, amused.

'Huh?'

'Did you hear what I just said?'

'The silent Esp. stuff?' I asked.

'No, the out-loud-I'm-talking-with-words stuff.'

'Oh.' I paused, 'No, I didn't.'

He grinned and shook his head, 'I said; Hector and I won't offer the information to Ranger, but we won't lie if he asks us directly, ok?'

It didn't seem right to ask them to lie anyway, 'sure, thanks guys.' I said.

'Your welcome, now what time is Ranger picking you up for dinner?'

'OMG, in less than two hours! I have to get ready; Hector, bath duty.' I said, running to the bathroom.

Nearly two hours later, and I was groomed to perfection; well…not womanly perfection, but Steph perfection – I don't get much better than this.

My hair framed my face in soft smooth curls that shone with health and lustre. My legs were shaved, exfoliated and moisturised, and clad in black FMPs. I was wearing the dress that I'd asked Ranger's opinion on and he'd said 'if you knew, you'd have yourself barricaded in the bedroom with your gun in your hand' so I figure he likes it. And also I'm hoping his reaction to the dress might give me a clue about the shorty remark.

The dress skimmed tightly yet flatteringly across my body, seeming to boost me up a cup size and, at the same time, made it look like I had legs up to my ears.

I wore earrings and a matching necklace that trailed down my Victoria Secret induced cleavage.

I checked my appearance one final time and nodded my satisfaction, then I waked back into the living room.

Ranger was sitting on the couch, but he stood as I entered the room. 'Babe.' He said appreciatively, his voice deeper than normal.

He was clad in a black Armani suit that screamed wealth and outlined the muscles in his body; making him seem sexy and strong rather than merely bulky. In his ear he wore a diamond stud and his sleek hair fell loose to his shoulders. It was all I could do not to lick my lips. Yum.

'Ranger.' I said, my voice huskier than normal.

His eyes were still scanning my body, mentally undressing me.

'Maybe you guys should skip Rossini's and just eat each other?' suggested an amused Lester.

We both shot glares at Lester; we might be thinking it, but he can't say it.

Ranger offered me a bouquet of red tulips, 'My favourite!' I exclaimed, 'How did you know?'

'I asked your mom.' He said, smiling.

'You braved the Plum household to find out my favourite flower?' I asked, surprisingly touched.

'Yeah.' He paused, and then smiled ruefully, 'Grandma only pinched my ass twice.'

I burst out laughing, 'You got off lightly!'

'So I was given to understand.' He hesitated, looking curious, 'Did she really stun gun Frank?'

I put the flowers in a vase and poured some water in. 'Yeah, she was just trying out my new stun gun...' I said, shaking my head, 'you don't want to know about the time she shot the roast chicken.'

Ranger grinned, 'Babe, your family are fun.'

'Fun being synonymous with crazy.'

He laughed, 'Maybe,' he said, offering me his arm, 'but anything that produced you can't be bad.'

I smiled, taking his arm, 'Thanks.' And then I kissed him on the cheek.

Ranger smiled, 'you're welcome Babe. And Babe?'

'Yeah?'

'You look stunning.'

'Thanks, you're looking pretty edible yourself.'

He flashed me the wolf smile; full of desire and sexy promise. Oh my.

We drove to Rossini's in comfortable silence, with Lester and Hector following behind. Ranger thinks he might be a bit distracted on our date, so Lester and Hector are on bodyguard duty, sitting a few tables away from us, watching our backs.

Ranger froze as he entered the restaurant. Then he turned to me, 'maybe we should go somewhere else.' He suggested.

I looked over his shoulder, searching for whatever it was Ranger had seen.

It was Joe.

And Terri.

Together.

He was feeding her ice cream. Just sex my fine ass.

Ranger raised an eyebrow, asking me what I wanted to do.

'We are not changing our plans because of them. Besides, I love the tiramisu here.'

Ranger flashed me a 200 watt smile, 'Proud of you Babe.' Then he took my arm again and we sashayed past Terri and Joe. Well, I sashayed, Ranger strutted – looking smug that I was on his arm.

I wasn't going to complain, I probably looked smug to be on his arm, and why not? Every woman there was jealous of me, shooting daggers in my direction.

The meal passed quickly and pleasantly, we talked about minor things, enjoying each others company and the food.

But when the desserts came…

I took a bite of my tiramisu and moaned. And another bite – another moan. By the end of my tiramisu Ranger was staring at me, eyes black, and his bowl of fruit salad was untouched.

'Oh God shorty.' He said, huskily.

I smiled, 'wanna taste some?' I asked.

'It's all gone.' He pointed out.

'I said taste, not try.' Then I leaned forward and kissed him, the taste of my dessert still fresh on my lips. As he kissed me my foot slipped out of my shoe and, under the cover of the table sheet, my foot trailed up his leg. I paused at his inner thigh and his legs opened wider, it was the invitation I needed. I stroked him with my foot, and felt him harden further; Ranger groaned into my mouth.

Eventually Ranger pulled back from our kiss, 'we should go.' He said.

'You haven't eaten your fruit salad.' I smiled smiling cheekily.

Ranger picked up a bit of melon with his fingers and ate it, then he picked up a strawberry and offered it to me. I bit down into the fresh fruit and felt the juices of it run down my chin. Ranger leaned forward and licked the juices of my face. Then I picked up a strawberry and offered it to him, and so it continued, fruit by fruit.

When the bowl was empty Ranger took my hand and started to lead me out of the restaurant. 'Don't we have to pay?' I said.

'It goes on my tab.' Ranger explained.

'Oh.'

We slid into Ranger's car, and he drove us to my apartment.

'Walk me up?' I asked.

Ranger smiled in the darkness, 'Sure.'

Then he sent me the wolf smile.