I know you want some more GG, but my GG muse has upped and moved to Aruba until I increase her pay. Some I'm playing with my RE muse. I think I'm going to hang with my RE muse until I'm done with her, she wants to retire you see, so it's going to be RE for the next couple of weeks, but hopefully RE will be finished in another ten chapters max. I re-read RE before I started writing more, it took me two hours – who knew it was so long? LOL. As always, let me know what you think – Heather

Chapter 33

'Angel, nothing on this Earth would make Ranger send you away: especially not to Saudi Arabia. He loves you.'

'Yeah.' I smiled.

'Gooey.' Accused Danny.

'Yes.' I admitted, 'but at least I'm honest about it.'

Danny rolled his eyes burg-style. We drew up in front of a tidy suburban house; I guess we're at the Fta's house.

'I'll take the back.' I said, 'you take the front.' This was unusual for me, but hey, I didn't want to try and pronounce that name! Danny obviously reached the same conclusion, he sighed and climbed out of the car.

I snuck round the back, waiting to the side of the backdoor, stun gun and cuffs poised: ready for action.

Unfortunately action wasn't ready for me; and nothing happened. After two minutes I got bored of waiting for action to come to me, so I picked the backdoor locks – besides, I gotta keep these skills honed, never know when I'll need them.

I crept cautiously into the house, pausing to listen to the intonation of voices rising and falling in conversation. I made my way to the lounge, and stared. Danny was sitting down on the couch, having a cup of tea.

'Hey.' I said in a flat voice. I wonder how long he would've let me wait outside there for?

Danny's lips twitched slightly in a smirk, and I gave him my best burg-glare. The smirk disappeared, heh heh heh.

'I'm Mr Foritonisa.' Said the Fta, so that's how you pronounce it. 'Yeah, most people can't pronounce it when they see it written down.'

I have got to stop thinking out loud!

An hour later we'd dropped our amiable host off at his new hotel cough cop-shop cough and I was several thousand dollars richer.

'Where to Boss?' Danny asked.

It was payback time for letting me wait outside, 'the mall.'

'But Stephanie-' he whined.

'No buts! I need to buy a pretty dress for tonight, and as my bodyguard you're coming with me. Don't worry, I won't spend too long in Victoria's Secret...'

Danny groaned.

I smiled.

Paybacks are a bitch.

Five hours and a blister later, and I've had a manicure, a pedicure, a facial, and I've brought new shoes that match perfectly with my new dress. And new underwear.

Danny now wore a tortured expression. Most men would do, if they'd been forced to carry around a pink bag with Victoria's Secret emblazoned across it.

With profound relief, Danny drove us home. We parked, and went up to the games room; Tank, Ric, Aly and Jeanne Ellen were there.

'Stephie!' Aly squealed as I walked in the games room. She launched herself at me, but I caught her easily.

'Hey sweetheart.' I said, kissing her on the forehead, 'how was your day?'

'Daddy took me shopping in New York! It was so good! We went to all the expensive exclusive boutiques and he brought me a brand new dress and some shoes for dinner later! Isn't he the coolest ever?' she gushed.

'Definitely.' I agreed, flashing Ric a smile. 'But you did say thank you to Daddy, didn't you?'

Aly thought about it, her lips pursed in thought, 'I think I did, didn't I Daddy?'

'Yeah honey, you did.' Ric said with a smile.

'Coolest!' Aly said. She wriggled in my arms so she could kiss me on my forehead, then she hopped out of my arms. 'I'm going to get ready for dinner,' she announced.

'It'll be at 8 o'clock, honey, don't be late.' Ric said.

''K.' she said, already running up to her room.

Rico smiled at me, 'hey Baby. Did you have a good day?'

I sauntered over to him, and then I wrapped my arms around his neck. 'I caught a criminal today.' I informed him.

His lips twitched, 'no way? Really?'

'Yup.' I said, 'it was just like Charlie's Angels.'

Rico's lips curved up in that slow smile that I know so well. 'Really?'

'well…no. Not unless Charlie's Angels got served tea and cake by their arch nemeses.'

'It could have happened.' Rico smiled.

'If I didn't, it should have done. That would've been a great episode.'

'yeah.' Ric agreed.

I met his eyes and I saw the laughter lurking in them; were we seriously having this conversation? I felt the laughter welling up inside me and I did nothing to contain it. I started giggling and before I knew it I was laughing so hard I had to sit down on the floor. Ric was next to me, laughing with his whole body, muscles shaking and quivering with laughter.

Eventually I calmed down, and I straddled his lap and kissed him lightly on the lips.

'Love you.' I said.

'Love you more.' He replied.

I made the fist for rocks paper scissors, one two three. I was paper, he was scissors. He won.

'Hey!' I said, frowning suddenly. 'You've won every single time!'

'Cos I love you more.'

'You're cheating!' I accused him.

'Why Querida!' he said, eyes wide and innocent, 'how could you say such a thing?'

'You are! Tell me how!'

'Nuh uh.' He said with a smirk.

So I tiggled him, and tiggled him until he was laughing so hard he was gasping for breath.

'Mercy!' he said, 'I'll tell you!'

'Well?' I said.

'It was fluke at first, I swear! But your expression changes very slightly, depending on which sign you're going to use.'

I glared at him. Ok, I said to myself, imagine you're just about to pick rock…

'Rock.' Ric said.

Ok, how about scissors…

'Scissors.' He said.

Rock…

'Rock.' He repeated.

Paper…

'Paper.' Ric sounded amused. Bastard.

'Dammit!' I yelled. The whole time I'd been doing my blank face, trying to keep my expression neutral, but he'd gotten it right every time!

'Fine! If you love me, you're going to have to let me win RPS once in a while!'

Ric laughed. 'Sure Baby, whatever you say.' Then he leaned forward and kissed me. Really, really kissed me. In a million years time I bet he could still kiss me and set every nerve in my body singing. Just a touch of his lips and I was a goner.

'I'd better go.' He said, pulling back slightly.

'Go?' I asked, still a little dazed from his kiss.

He laughed softly, 'I've got to get some things ready for dinner. I'll pick you up from our room at 7, ok?'

'I thought dinner was at 8?' I said, confused.

'It is.' He said. 'I want to take a walk in the garden with you for a while.'

'Oh.' I smiled. 'that's nice.'

'Yeah, I'm a real nice guy.' Then he leaned forward again and kissed me, sending shivers of pleasure to my toes, and to other regions as well.

I watched him walk away, automatically tilting my head so I could better see his ass. I noticed Jeanne Ellen was doing the same. She noticed me noticing and shrugged, 'I'm engaged, not dead.'

'I hear you.' I said. I didn't have a major problem with other women appreciating my man's good looks; they can look – but I can touch.

Jeanne Ellen smiled at me, 'You'd better go get ready.'

'Yeah.' I agreed.

An hour later and I was showered, shaved and perfumed. My hair hung in glossy loose curls around my face, just how Ric likes it. My dress was short, but not indecently so. At first glance the dress was black, but as I moved it shimmered and red highlights shone through. I put on some mascara and a little bit of blusher, but mostly I went au naturel – Ric's always telling me he prefers me without vast quantities of make-up.

My shoes were black with red threads running through, matching the dress, with ankle straps that emphasised the length of my legs. I admired the result. Hell yeah.

At seven o'clock exactly there was a knock on our apartment door, trust Ric to observe propriety now.

I opened the door with a smile. Tank smiled back at me. 'Hey Angel.'

'Hey Tank.' I must have sounded a little confused, because his smile widened.

'I'm here to show you the way.' He said, offering me his arm. I took it and followed him out to the garden. The evening had drawn in, and the skies glittered with stars.

Tank led me to a section of the garden I'd never investigated; there was what appeared to be a huge maze, made of seven-ft tall hedges. He led me to the entrance and paused.

'This is where I leave you Angel. There are security camera's outside the maze to ensure no one gets in that isn't supposed to, but inside the maze you have complete privacy.' Tank kissed me lightly on my cheek. 'He's a man like no other Angel. Go get him tiger.'

I nodded, my stomach was fluttering with nerves, but I didn't know why, or what was going on. For now I guess I'll go with the flow. I stepped into the maze.