First the usual: The characters, except Steve, aren't mine. They belong to the one and only Janet Evanovich, I only play with them. And I like to play. ;)

"Does that mean, that you will stay here?"

"Exactly!"

And with that he kissed me.

The room seemed to fade and I lost myself.

He's so gonna get it

It was 3 o'clock in the morning and Steve drove me home. I looked at him and let the whole evening wander through my mind. The dinner had been delicious. We had danced very much. But we also talked.

Steve came from a very rich family. They owned a bank, called IBC (International Banking Company), which was already very popular in Europe. And now they wanted to open a bank in the USA, too. It would be in New York. Steve would be in charge of it and he would build a house (which means a villa for normal people) in Trenton. Because he wanted to live near me.

Singh, he is soooo sweet. Oh my god, I'm speaking like an lovesick teenager.

But I made a decision.

I would not sleep with Steve, soon. It's not that I didn't want to, but if we could work out an relationship, I didn't want it o be based on sex.

I did that with Morelli and it didn't work.

Steve parked the car and I realized, that we were in my lot.

He turned to me and smiled. "Deep thoughts, kitty?" He bent towards me and loosened my seat belt. He gripped me around my hips and heaved me onto his lap, as if I was feathery.

"Steve, I don't think……"

"Shhhhh", he brushed his mouth against mine, "I know darling. I don't want to rush anything, too. Let me just hold you and remember how you feel, so that I can dream of this tonight." And then he kissed me.

My arms went around his neck. One of his hands stroked my back the other slid under my dress to caress my tight.

When we parted we were both breathing heavy and I reconsidered my decision about having no sex.

But Steve opened his door and lifted me out of the car and onto my feet.

"I'm going to wait until you're save."

I smiled and automatically went towards the entry to the building.

I took the elevator, opened my door and went to the window in the living- room, to see Steve shooting out of the lot in his totally hot fire- red Ferrari F430.

I showered and went into my bed.

I fell asleep instantly, the smile never vanished from my face.

I woke up, still feeling great. I looked at my clock. 9 o'clock. Five hours sleep. Wonderful.

Everything is wonderful.

I was acting like a drug- addicted- person on a got shot.

I guess I took too much Steve.

Some girls can't handle too much romantic.

When I opened my door at 10 there was a bouquet of white and red roses was lying on my doormat.

I began to dislike roses, after the Singh thing, but I decided to change that, now.

I was still in a wonderful mood when I arrived at the parking- lot. Steve had also got my car from the lot of "The Destiny". And he hadn't had a key. Why can everybody do that except me? But I didn't want to worry about it. He would show me. Maybe.

I was walking towards my car.

Suddenly there was a loud BOOM.

I felt something hit my head and than blackness surrounded me. My last thought was : " I really liked this car!"

I woke up to the feeling of somebody stroking my hair. Ranger was kneeling beside me. My head was lying on his knees and he was touching the side of my neck. I looked up to him. His mouth was in a grim line and his eyes were dark with anger, which I instinctive knew, wasn't directed at me.

So Batman did actually care, huh?

He looked into my eyes and by the way his eyes widened a little bit I recognized that he hadn't noticed, that I was back on earth.

Wait, Batman not being aware of his surroundings? What's wrong here?

"Babe, how do you feel?"

"Wonderful" Stupid question. My car way in hell, my arms were scratched, my head hurt and it felt as if I had a big hole in my new jeans. I felt the first tear rolling down my cheek. Shit!

"Oh, babe!" Ranger sighed and drew me up to a sitting position with my head against his chest and his arm around me, one hand softly stroking my back.

In the distant I heard the fire brigade and the police coming.

The fire brigade started to extinguish the fire, Carl and Big Dog came towards me and Ranger.

I started to get up, but Ranger hold me down. "We don't know if you have a concussion. You need to lay down, babe."

O.K., it's not that I had anything against lying in Ranger's strong arms, being surrounded by the wonderful smell of Bulgari.

Carl and Big Dog were grinning. O.K., scratching somebody's eyes isn't very hard, I could do that even with a concussion. I felt Ranger's arms tighten around me. Damn ESP!

"Sooooo, Steph. I already thought that it was waaaay too long since the last time." Carl said, grinning even wider.

"Yeah, but I have to thank you. I gained a large amount of money because of you without moving one finger." Big Dog, full grin on, too.

Oh, they were so gonna get it!

It was 12 o'clock, now and I was sitting on the sofa in my apartment. Ranger was giving his statement in the kitchen and Morelli was standing close behind me. Joe wasn't very happy. He didn't like my car being bombed, he didn't like me being hurt, he didn't like me being a bounty hunter and he especially didn't like seeing me lying in Ranger's arms as I had been when he arrived.

"So, what have you done, this time, Steph?" O.K. he was seriously pissed off, but so was I. What should that mean, "what did YOU do this time"? It wasn't my fault.

"And don't tell me it wasn't your fault."

He mocked me! I don't believe it!

Oh, he was soooo gonna get it.

I jumped on my feet and whirled around.

"O.K., Morelli, now YOU listen for ONCE. It really WAS'NT my fault. What do you thing I did? Telling everybody I meat : "Oh, and when you have a minute time to spare, why don't you come and bomb my car. My insurance just LOVES it!" And by the way I don't seem to get why you still think you could butt in my life. I'm not your girlfriend anymore. Probably I never was. There actually IS a difference between being fuck- buddies and being equal partners in a stable relationship. So, why don't you go away and go on somebody else's nerves?"

Morelli just looked at me, jaw wide open. I guess he was a little surprised. But then his face went to full anger and just when he opened his mouth to give me the yell of the year Ranger returned.

"Morelli, your boss wants to talk to you."

Morelli turned around and stormed into the kitchen.

I flopped back onto the sofa. Ranger sat on the table in front of me.

"Babe, about the job today, you won't have to do it."

"Ranger I'm alright. There won't be a problem."

"I know, it won't babe! But I think the job is too dangerous for you. I'll have somebody else doing it."

Grrrrrrrrrrr "Who?" Don't say the wrong thing BATMAN!

"Jeanne Ellen"

WRONG ANSWER!

Oh, he's so gonna get it!

Let me know what you think of it!

Review, please.