I do not own any of these characters, although I would really like to meet
up with Ranger in a dark room somewhere. I simply borrow and gently use
them for my amusement.
Chapter Eight Clarification
Tank and Steph talked on and off for the rest of the ride home, Steph trying to find out more about Ranger, Tank trying to gauge how long it would take Steph to let Ranger in on her feelings. Neither was very successful.
When Tank pulled up in her lot, she was almost out of the vehicle before it stopped. Tank insisted on following her inside. "Ranger would kill me if I didn't check out the apartment for you. You might as well live in a cardboard box for all the protection those locks give you."
Steph led him to the elevator and punched two. "Ranger's the only one who breaks in on a regular basis." The look on Tank's face told her that this was new information for him.
As they exited, Tank held out his hand for her keys. "This really isn't necessary, Tank-"Steph started. One more look shut her mouth. Tank took his responsibilities to Ranger very seriously. He drew his gun, checked out all the rooms and under the bed ("You really need to take a mop to under this bed. The dust bunnies will get you in your sleep one night!") He handed her keys back as he re-holstered.
She stood by the door to let him out and lock up. On his way, he caught her chin in his hand and pulled her eyes up to meet his. "I hope you figure out what you want soon, for Ranger's sake." Then he leaned down and placed a gentle, subtle kiss on her lips.
Steph almost jerked back when she realized there was a kiss coming up, but was glad she didn't. It was a simple kiss of friendship, nothing tawdry or demanding about it. Then he left, and she was standing alone.
She locked the door and headed to the bathroom, stopping only long enough to grab a beer from the fridge. She stripped her dress and panties off and left them on the floor. Standing under the showerhead, she ran scalding hot water and scrubbed down every inch of herself twice. Then she stood until the hot water turned cold. Pulling the shower curtain aside, she came face to face with Ranger.
Ranger looked at her with those smoldering Cuban eyes. "Babe."
Speech was gone. Steph couldn't even manage "Hello." She dripped over the tile floor, leaning to get a towel, frozen. Ranger reached for her, snagged a towel, and wrapped it carefully around her. When he tucked the end in, his hands grazed her breasts and rested against them for a moment. Then he withdrew. "I'll be in the kitchen," he called over his shoulder.
It took a moment for the stupor to pass. Steph hugged the towel against her, reaching for another to dry her hair with. The perfect up-do was history; she was back to tangled, curly every day mess. Why did Ranger take so long? She didn't look that good anymore.
Wait. Ranger was HERE. In her apartment. And had seen her naked in the shower for about the fifth time. But more importantly, he was here. She hated that she was so unsure of herself and not very good at these sexual/relationship issues. Surely Ranger couldn't be that upset with her, if he bothered to show up, and break in to do it. Right?
God, she hoped so.
She was still unsure, though, and nervous. And that made her unsure how to dress. She had been on her way to bed when Ranger popped up; suddenly, the T-shirt and panties she had planned on were a little too revealing. Boxers and a T-shirt were friendly, but none were clean; a flannel night shirt was just too "granny" for anyone to see her in but an EMT unit or coroner; and she was not brave enough, even on a good night, to greet Ranger in lingerie. Fuck it, she thought, after fifteen minutes of internal debate. She decided to reach for her usual jeans and T-shirt. Just as she pulled on a clean bra and panties- Supergirl symbol in pink- Ranger appeared in the doorway, two beer bottles in hand.
"Cute, Supergirl. Dressing up for Batman?" Ranger's eyes roamed her body.
Stephanie didn't even try to cover up, although she wasn't the most comfortable standing around in her underwear in front of Ranger. Lots of looking at her had to be good, right? That meant he wasn't upset with her, right? She put her hands on her hips. "All sold out of Batgirl." She mentally congratulated herself on a) being able to talk at all, and b) coming up with a bit of witty (okay, not so witty) repartee. "Are those for me?"
"You were taking too long. I wanted to make sure that you hadn't taken off via the fire escape" Ranger handed her one bottle and took a long drink of the other, his head tilted back in breath-taking profile. Stephanie ran the cool bottle over her face, trying to calm her hormones down. She was trying not to rush into another physical encounter with Ranger until they talked. She needed some additional information before she would be comfortable in exploring any further relationship with him. It was just going to be difficult- very difficult- to keep that in mind.
When Ranger finally put the bottle down, Stephanie raised an eyebrow. "What? Ranger actually drinking alcohol? Is there a solar eclipse or planetary alignment or something?"
He chuckled and moved to settle down on her unmade bed. He gathered her pillows to pile behind him when he paused, and raised one to sniff. "New bath gel?" he inquired.
Red blossomed in Stephanie's face and she ducked behind her hair. "So did you finish business in New York early?"
Ranger leaned back and laced his hands behind his head. "It didn't take as long as I thought it might. Kim was It was fairly easy to remove her and her possessions from Devine's apartment." Ranger stretched like a cat. "His housekeeper had already started packing when I arrived, and Jason was helping throw things out his windows."
Stephanie tried to think of something else to say, but anything she came up with had to do with her performance tonight. Plus, Ranger was just watching her, which made her very nervous. She opted for no talking, and sat down next to him, careful not to let body parts intermingle. Silence filled the room. Stephanie felt like a contraction. She wanted to touch Ranger, and then she didn't. She knew she needed to ask if Ranger was upset with her, but she couldn't quite bring it up. She was too afraid of the answer- either way. It was all very confusing and worrisome.
The silence went on, until Ranger reached over and took her hand. "I had an interesting conversation with Tank while you were in the shower." His thumb rubbed across her palm, warm and rough.
Stephanie felt panic building. Just what had Tank told him? "Really."
Silence reigned again, broken- again- by Ranger. "He told me that you and I should have a serious talk tonight. That you were uncomfortable working a job like tonight's."
Stephanie nodded, her throat tight, still not looking at him.
Ranger's hand tightened around hers and pulled her towards him. She tried to resist, but his strength won. She ended up in a controlled free- fall that ended on his chest. Oh, what a chest. The firm muscles made a comfortable pillow under her cheek, and the arm that suddenly encircled her felt- natural. Like that's where it belonged. "It was not my intention to make you uncomfortable. I'm sorry that happened."
Regret rang true in his voice. Steph's head reeled. He was worried about her feelings, not what he had witnessed in that hall. Thank god. She sniffled a little as relief flooded her. "Babe," Ranger whispered. He kissed the top of her head.
"I'm never going to be able to look Bobby and Lester in the face again without turning bright red." She shivered.
"What about Tank?"
"We talked on the ride home. I think I can still work with Tank."
"Even if you have to play his date again?" Ranger's voice was strained, as if he was waiting for a certain answer.
"I could deal. We came to an understanding."
Ranger's arms tightened around her. "What kind of understanding?"
"He's not you, and never will be. Can you be my date next time?"
"I wouldn't be able to concentrate, babe. And this job involved a bit more than just being your date."
"True." Steph chuckled a little. "How did you pick him? Did the guys draw straws, the short straw had to go out with me?"
"He volunteered."
"Does he have a wife or girlfriend I should know about?"
"This was strictly business, and she doesn't want to know about business."
"Didn't look strictly business to me."
"You didn't look like all business tonight, either." His voice sounded hoarse, as if it had caught in his throat a little.
Steph pulled away from him to put some distance between them. "So you are mad at me."
"Mad about what?" Ranger questioned, puzzlement in his voice.
"Tank kissed me, really kissed me, dammit, and Jason Devine has more hands than an Indian god."
"Seeing you kissing Tank wasn't easy, but I knew it was an act." Ranger paused. "You looked like you enjoyed fooling around with Jason."
"How much did you see from your shadows?" Steph asked, trying to judge what he had seen and how she could best explain it.
"I saw him get a little impatient, and I saw him get into your panties. You didn't seem to enjoy that last part with the panties." Steph had listened closely for any intonation that would give her a heads up on Ranger's feelings about tonight. His voice was neutrally pitched, though.
She hesitated a minute before replying. "Up until then, I was getting into it. Not every day that I get to make out with a movie star, you know." Steph waited for his response.
Honesty seemed like a good approach. Ranger ran a finger down her spine. "It was kind of hard to watch. I thought he might end up giving you some trouble, and then I'd have to hurt him. But before there was any trouble-"
"What?"
"You looked gorgeous, really hot, while you were enjoying it." Ranger voice was like furnace; it started parts of Stephanie quivering in reaction. "I liked watching you."
Stephanie tried to catch her breath, but Ranger was making it more difficult. "That dress looked better on you than I thought it would. I could see your nipples right though it."
Stephanie wasn't sure how to respond to that. In a wavering voice, she admitted her discomfort. "Tonight was not fun, though. I thought it would be a relatively easy job, and maybe we could spend some time in New York. I didn't think I would be mauled and witness group sex."
She felt Ranger's face change expression. "After all," his voice rumbled in her ear, "it's not Thursday." He must be smiling, his eyes crinkled at the corners.
"That was my first distraction, and I got flustered. Are you all going to keep reminding me of that comment?" Stephanie's voice showed her exasperation for a minute, before the stress came back into it. "I'm not comfortable with stuff like that."
Ranger's hand rubbed her back gently. There was a little regret in his voice again. "I wouldn't know what kinds of sex you're comfortable with."
Stephanie shivered. There was a lot going on beneath that comment. The regret in his voice made her a little braver than she might otherwise have been. "Why haven't you found out yet? Morelli's been gone for months."
The perfect chest stopped moving for a minute. Ranger had held his breath for a moment, before he let it out slowly. It was the only sign Steph had ever had, in any situation, that he was nervous. Ranger just didn't get nervous. She waited for him to respond, but he took too long. Where were the lewd comments, the innuendo? She sat up and gave him a long look.
"It's complicated." Was Ranger's only response.
"How articulate!" Stephanie snorted. Interesting answer, though. It was the closest to an admission of emotion Ranger had made beyond a few brief comments to her. "What makes it so complicated?"
Another momentary pause. "Would it be that easy for you? To just fall into bed with me?"
Laughter came out before she could stop it. "Nothing about you is easy."
"Some would say the same about you, Babe." Ranger cupped her chin in his hand and forced her eyes to his. "So you wouldn't just fall into bed with me?"
Crossing her arms, Steph sighed. "Any day of the week, and twice on Saturday. Face it, Ranger, I'd be insane to turn you down. You're HOT. You're the shit." She racked her brain for a better comparison. "You're fucking Batman." She stared at a place over Ranger's shoulder. "And you're damn good at it."
A slight smile curled up the corners of his mouth. "You want me."
"Ranger, I've wanted you since the minute you walked into that restaurant to Henry Higgins me." Stephanie surprised herself by blurting out an honest answer instead of hiding behind flirting. She needed Ranger to be equally honest with her, because it wasn't, and could never be, just sex with Ranger. That was the problem. "Wanting is easy with you. It's the actually going to bed with you part that scares me, and everything that goes along with it."
Ranger's eyes darkened, and he leaned towards her. His face was only inches away. "What, exactly, scares you about going to bed with me?"
Steph gulped. He looked so intense- and sexy. He was sitting here in her bed, and she was explaining why she didn't want to have sex with him. This was all wrong. "You said you don't do relationships, but we HAVE a relationship. The problem is, you know the boundaries because you set them, and I didn't get any say. Are you really okay, knowing that I was pretty happy making out with another guy? I mean, if this is just physical, am I allowed other guys, as long as they aren't Morelli?" She paused. He looked unhappy. "Or am I just yours? And if I am, where the hell have you been? I have needs, dammit!"
Steph took a deep breath and tried to calm down. "I just need some clarification. You've told me more than once that you love me. What did you mean?" Steph pressed.
Ranger reached for the rest of his beer, and took another mouthful. He rubbed the bottle, wiping off condensation. Ranger was not good at discussing emotions. Steph thought that this emotional avoidance was one of the reasons Ranger didn't do relationships. "It means what it means."
"There are all types of love, Ranger. You said you loved me in your own way. What does that involve?" Steph pressed him further. He lay back on the pillows and closed his eyes. Steph poked him. "Hey, I want an answer!"
He didn't move. "I'm thinking about what to say."
"Then let me keep talking. You've pulled my fat out of the fire whenever I needed help, however bad the situation was. I've gotten you shot, I've had your cars stolen AND blown up, I broke into your apartment and invaded your private space, and I tried to trade you to Joyce Bernhardt when you were an FTA. I got a night of great sex that I hope we will get to repeat. I've gotten a lot out of this relationship. What do you get out of it?"
He opened his eyes and looked at her. He didn't respond.
"Did you kill Abruzzi?" Steph shot at him, her tone angry and fragile at the same time.
"You don't want the answer to that. You shouldn't ask questions that you'd rather not know the answer to," Ranger warned.
"No, no, I do. I'm tired of the mysterious act. I need to know about you. I know you're far more than the persona you've adopted for the public. Show me." The last bit came out as a half-sob, she was so frustrated at trying to make Ranger understand what she wanted from him.
Ranger was on her in a minute. He flipped her on the bed and pinned her down. His breath was hot against her neck, and his hands and mouth were everywhere. Her body responded, even though she didn't want it to. It took her a few minutes to get herself under control. What snapped her out of the wonderful things that Ranger was doing to her body was when he started to take her panties down.
Her hands pressed against his, stopping the removal. "Don't."
Ranger paused in his ministrations. "I want you. Now," he growled. He looked into her eyes, breathing heavily.
Steph closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She wanted him, too, but she needed to finish this conversation. "Talk to me."
A string of Spanish curses and Ranger pulled himself off of her. He retreated to the lone chair in the room.
Stephanie felt panic again. God, this would be good sex, and by the time this conversation was over, Ranger might not want to go back to it.
Chapter Eight Clarification
Tank and Steph talked on and off for the rest of the ride home, Steph trying to find out more about Ranger, Tank trying to gauge how long it would take Steph to let Ranger in on her feelings. Neither was very successful.
When Tank pulled up in her lot, she was almost out of the vehicle before it stopped. Tank insisted on following her inside. "Ranger would kill me if I didn't check out the apartment for you. You might as well live in a cardboard box for all the protection those locks give you."
Steph led him to the elevator and punched two. "Ranger's the only one who breaks in on a regular basis." The look on Tank's face told her that this was new information for him.
As they exited, Tank held out his hand for her keys. "This really isn't necessary, Tank-"Steph started. One more look shut her mouth. Tank took his responsibilities to Ranger very seriously. He drew his gun, checked out all the rooms and under the bed ("You really need to take a mop to under this bed. The dust bunnies will get you in your sleep one night!") He handed her keys back as he re-holstered.
She stood by the door to let him out and lock up. On his way, he caught her chin in his hand and pulled her eyes up to meet his. "I hope you figure out what you want soon, for Ranger's sake." Then he leaned down and placed a gentle, subtle kiss on her lips.
Steph almost jerked back when she realized there was a kiss coming up, but was glad she didn't. It was a simple kiss of friendship, nothing tawdry or demanding about it. Then he left, and she was standing alone.
She locked the door and headed to the bathroom, stopping only long enough to grab a beer from the fridge. She stripped her dress and panties off and left them on the floor. Standing under the showerhead, she ran scalding hot water and scrubbed down every inch of herself twice. Then she stood until the hot water turned cold. Pulling the shower curtain aside, she came face to face with Ranger.
Ranger looked at her with those smoldering Cuban eyes. "Babe."
Speech was gone. Steph couldn't even manage "Hello." She dripped over the tile floor, leaning to get a towel, frozen. Ranger reached for her, snagged a towel, and wrapped it carefully around her. When he tucked the end in, his hands grazed her breasts and rested against them for a moment. Then he withdrew. "I'll be in the kitchen," he called over his shoulder.
It took a moment for the stupor to pass. Steph hugged the towel against her, reaching for another to dry her hair with. The perfect up-do was history; she was back to tangled, curly every day mess. Why did Ranger take so long? She didn't look that good anymore.
Wait. Ranger was HERE. In her apartment. And had seen her naked in the shower for about the fifth time. But more importantly, he was here. She hated that she was so unsure of herself and not very good at these sexual/relationship issues. Surely Ranger couldn't be that upset with her, if he bothered to show up, and break in to do it. Right?
God, she hoped so.
She was still unsure, though, and nervous. And that made her unsure how to dress. She had been on her way to bed when Ranger popped up; suddenly, the T-shirt and panties she had planned on were a little too revealing. Boxers and a T-shirt were friendly, but none were clean; a flannel night shirt was just too "granny" for anyone to see her in but an EMT unit or coroner; and she was not brave enough, even on a good night, to greet Ranger in lingerie. Fuck it, she thought, after fifteen minutes of internal debate. She decided to reach for her usual jeans and T-shirt. Just as she pulled on a clean bra and panties- Supergirl symbol in pink- Ranger appeared in the doorway, two beer bottles in hand.
"Cute, Supergirl. Dressing up for Batman?" Ranger's eyes roamed her body.
Stephanie didn't even try to cover up, although she wasn't the most comfortable standing around in her underwear in front of Ranger. Lots of looking at her had to be good, right? That meant he wasn't upset with her, right? She put her hands on her hips. "All sold out of Batgirl." She mentally congratulated herself on a) being able to talk at all, and b) coming up with a bit of witty (okay, not so witty) repartee. "Are those for me?"
"You were taking too long. I wanted to make sure that you hadn't taken off via the fire escape" Ranger handed her one bottle and took a long drink of the other, his head tilted back in breath-taking profile. Stephanie ran the cool bottle over her face, trying to calm her hormones down. She was trying not to rush into another physical encounter with Ranger until they talked. She needed some additional information before she would be comfortable in exploring any further relationship with him. It was just going to be difficult- very difficult- to keep that in mind.
When Ranger finally put the bottle down, Stephanie raised an eyebrow. "What? Ranger actually drinking alcohol? Is there a solar eclipse or planetary alignment or something?"
He chuckled and moved to settle down on her unmade bed. He gathered her pillows to pile behind him when he paused, and raised one to sniff. "New bath gel?" he inquired.
Red blossomed in Stephanie's face and she ducked behind her hair. "So did you finish business in New York early?"
Ranger leaned back and laced his hands behind his head. "It didn't take as long as I thought it might. Kim was It was fairly easy to remove her and her possessions from Devine's apartment." Ranger stretched like a cat. "His housekeeper had already started packing when I arrived, and Jason was helping throw things out his windows."
Stephanie tried to think of something else to say, but anything she came up with had to do with her performance tonight. Plus, Ranger was just watching her, which made her very nervous. She opted for no talking, and sat down next to him, careful not to let body parts intermingle. Silence filled the room. Stephanie felt like a contraction. She wanted to touch Ranger, and then she didn't. She knew she needed to ask if Ranger was upset with her, but she couldn't quite bring it up. She was too afraid of the answer- either way. It was all very confusing and worrisome.
The silence went on, until Ranger reached over and took her hand. "I had an interesting conversation with Tank while you were in the shower." His thumb rubbed across her palm, warm and rough.
Stephanie felt panic building. Just what had Tank told him? "Really."
Silence reigned again, broken- again- by Ranger. "He told me that you and I should have a serious talk tonight. That you were uncomfortable working a job like tonight's."
Stephanie nodded, her throat tight, still not looking at him.
Ranger's hand tightened around hers and pulled her towards him. She tried to resist, but his strength won. She ended up in a controlled free- fall that ended on his chest. Oh, what a chest. The firm muscles made a comfortable pillow under her cheek, and the arm that suddenly encircled her felt- natural. Like that's where it belonged. "It was not my intention to make you uncomfortable. I'm sorry that happened."
Regret rang true in his voice. Steph's head reeled. He was worried about her feelings, not what he had witnessed in that hall. Thank god. She sniffled a little as relief flooded her. "Babe," Ranger whispered. He kissed the top of her head.
"I'm never going to be able to look Bobby and Lester in the face again without turning bright red." She shivered.
"What about Tank?"
"We talked on the ride home. I think I can still work with Tank."
"Even if you have to play his date again?" Ranger's voice was strained, as if he was waiting for a certain answer.
"I could deal. We came to an understanding."
Ranger's arms tightened around her. "What kind of understanding?"
"He's not you, and never will be. Can you be my date next time?"
"I wouldn't be able to concentrate, babe. And this job involved a bit more than just being your date."
"True." Steph chuckled a little. "How did you pick him? Did the guys draw straws, the short straw had to go out with me?"
"He volunteered."
"Does he have a wife or girlfriend I should know about?"
"This was strictly business, and she doesn't want to know about business."
"Didn't look strictly business to me."
"You didn't look like all business tonight, either." His voice sounded hoarse, as if it had caught in his throat a little.
Steph pulled away from him to put some distance between them. "So you are mad at me."
"Mad about what?" Ranger questioned, puzzlement in his voice.
"Tank kissed me, really kissed me, dammit, and Jason Devine has more hands than an Indian god."
"Seeing you kissing Tank wasn't easy, but I knew it was an act." Ranger paused. "You looked like you enjoyed fooling around with Jason."
"How much did you see from your shadows?" Steph asked, trying to judge what he had seen and how she could best explain it.
"I saw him get a little impatient, and I saw him get into your panties. You didn't seem to enjoy that last part with the panties." Steph had listened closely for any intonation that would give her a heads up on Ranger's feelings about tonight. His voice was neutrally pitched, though.
She hesitated a minute before replying. "Up until then, I was getting into it. Not every day that I get to make out with a movie star, you know." Steph waited for his response.
Honesty seemed like a good approach. Ranger ran a finger down her spine. "It was kind of hard to watch. I thought he might end up giving you some trouble, and then I'd have to hurt him. But before there was any trouble-"
"What?"
"You looked gorgeous, really hot, while you were enjoying it." Ranger voice was like furnace; it started parts of Stephanie quivering in reaction. "I liked watching you."
Stephanie tried to catch her breath, but Ranger was making it more difficult. "That dress looked better on you than I thought it would. I could see your nipples right though it."
Stephanie wasn't sure how to respond to that. In a wavering voice, she admitted her discomfort. "Tonight was not fun, though. I thought it would be a relatively easy job, and maybe we could spend some time in New York. I didn't think I would be mauled and witness group sex."
She felt Ranger's face change expression. "After all," his voice rumbled in her ear, "it's not Thursday." He must be smiling, his eyes crinkled at the corners.
"That was my first distraction, and I got flustered. Are you all going to keep reminding me of that comment?" Stephanie's voice showed her exasperation for a minute, before the stress came back into it. "I'm not comfortable with stuff like that."
Ranger's hand rubbed her back gently. There was a little regret in his voice again. "I wouldn't know what kinds of sex you're comfortable with."
Stephanie shivered. There was a lot going on beneath that comment. The regret in his voice made her a little braver than she might otherwise have been. "Why haven't you found out yet? Morelli's been gone for months."
The perfect chest stopped moving for a minute. Ranger had held his breath for a moment, before he let it out slowly. It was the only sign Steph had ever had, in any situation, that he was nervous. Ranger just didn't get nervous. She waited for him to respond, but he took too long. Where were the lewd comments, the innuendo? She sat up and gave him a long look.
"It's complicated." Was Ranger's only response.
"How articulate!" Stephanie snorted. Interesting answer, though. It was the closest to an admission of emotion Ranger had made beyond a few brief comments to her. "What makes it so complicated?"
Another momentary pause. "Would it be that easy for you? To just fall into bed with me?"
Laughter came out before she could stop it. "Nothing about you is easy."
"Some would say the same about you, Babe." Ranger cupped her chin in his hand and forced her eyes to his. "So you wouldn't just fall into bed with me?"
Crossing her arms, Steph sighed. "Any day of the week, and twice on Saturday. Face it, Ranger, I'd be insane to turn you down. You're HOT. You're the shit." She racked her brain for a better comparison. "You're fucking Batman." She stared at a place over Ranger's shoulder. "And you're damn good at it."
A slight smile curled up the corners of his mouth. "You want me."
"Ranger, I've wanted you since the minute you walked into that restaurant to Henry Higgins me." Stephanie surprised herself by blurting out an honest answer instead of hiding behind flirting. She needed Ranger to be equally honest with her, because it wasn't, and could never be, just sex with Ranger. That was the problem. "Wanting is easy with you. It's the actually going to bed with you part that scares me, and everything that goes along with it."
Ranger's eyes darkened, and he leaned towards her. His face was only inches away. "What, exactly, scares you about going to bed with me?"
Steph gulped. He looked so intense- and sexy. He was sitting here in her bed, and she was explaining why she didn't want to have sex with him. This was all wrong. "You said you don't do relationships, but we HAVE a relationship. The problem is, you know the boundaries because you set them, and I didn't get any say. Are you really okay, knowing that I was pretty happy making out with another guy? I mean, if this is just physical, am I allowed other guys, as long as they aren't Morelli?" She paused. He looked unhappy. "Or am I just yours? And if I am, where the hell have you been? I have needs, dammit!"
Steph took a deep breath and tried to calm down. "I just need some clarification. You've told me more than once that you love me. What did you mean?" Steph pressed.
Ranger reached for the rest of his beer, and took another mouthful. He rubbed the bottle, wiping off condensation. Ranger was not good at discussing emotions. Steph thought that this emotional avoidance was one of the reasons Ranger didn't do relationships. "It means what it means."
"There are all types of love, Ranger. You said you loved me in your own way. What does that involve?" Steph pressed him further. He lay back on the pillows and closed his eyes. Steph poked him. "Hey, I want an answer!"
He didn't move. "I'm thinking about what to say."
"Then let me keep talking. You've pulled my fat out of the fire whenever I needed help, however bad the situation was. I've gotten you shot, I've had your cars stolen AND blown up, I broke into your apartment and invaded your private space, and I tried to trade you to Joyce Bernhardt when you were an FTA. I got a night of great sex that I hope we will get to repeat. I've gotten a lot out of this relationship. What do you get out of it?"
He opened his eyes and looked at her. He didn't respond.
"Did you kill Abruzzi?" Steph shot at him, her tone angry and fragile at the same time.
"You don't want the answer to that. You shouldn't ask questions that you'd rather not know the answer to," Ranger warned.
"No, no, I do. I'm tired of the mysterious act. I need to know about you. I know you're far more than the persona you've adopted for the public. Show me." The last bit came out as a half-sob, she was so frustrated at trying to make Ranger understand what she wanted from him.
Ranger was on her in a minute. He flipped her on the bed and pinned her down. His breath was hot against her neck, and his hands and mouth were everywhere. Her body responded, even though she didn't want it to. It took her a few minutes to get herself under control. What snapped her out of the wonderful things that Ranger was doing to her body was when he started to take her panties down.
Her hands pressed against his, stopping the removal. "Don't."
Ranger paused in his ministrations. "I want you. Now," he growled. He looked into her eyes, breathing heavily.
Steph closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She wanted him, too, but she needed to finish this conversation. "Talk to me."
A string of Spanish curses and Ranger pulled himself off of her. He retreated to the lone chair in the room.
Stephanie felt panic again. God, this would be good sex, and by the time this conversation was over, Ranger might not want to go back to it.