11.

I pulled into the parking garage a little late to work. I stopped by a car lot earlier that morning to trade in my old car and get a new one. I picked out a Lexus LS, black, sporty, and sleek. It had a bunch of miles, so I got a pretty good deal on it. It wasn't a Mercedes or a Porsche, but it looked cool and it was my own. And if I cut back on pizza and beer, I could almost afford the monthly payments.

All the good spots were taken, so I had to park near the exit. I hiked it over to the elevators and tried to fight the nagging feeling that I was forgetting something. I looked in my purse. Keys? Check. Gun? Check. Ranger would probably fire me on the spot if I didn't carry my gun to work. The policy on bullets however was a little gray, so I usually went unloaded. I checked myself over in the elevator. I remembered to put on my underwear and bra. I did a quick underarm and breath check. Yup, remembered to put deodorant on and brush my teeth. Oh well, I thought and exited the elevator into the office.

I realized what I was missing when I walked into the empty control room. Duh! Big meeting, new client. Crap I hope I'm not fired, I thought to myself. It would be a shame to see that nice new car get repossessed so soon.

There was a large meeting room in the office, with the blinds left slightly open and I could see that the room was filled to capacity. The first person I saw I didn't recognize. He was sitting at the head of the meeting table and was listening to Tank talk. I spotted Ranger next. He had spotted me, too. I gave him a little finger wave and he responded with a death glare and a motion for me to get my butt in there.

I entered the room and thankfully everyone pretended not to see me. I spotted an empty seat next in between Bobby and Hal and was quietly making my way over when a hand slapped me right smack on the behind. I stopped dead in my tracks and my eyes expanded to the size of dinner plates.

An unfamiliar voice said from behind me, "How about a refill on my coffee, tootsie?"

I heard several of the men suck in some air. I spun around to face the assailant. He was in his early fifties and was handsome in another life, graying hair slicked back, a few gold chains around his neck, and a big, gold pinky ring. He looked like a Soprano's reject. I had a few choice words on the tip of my tongue when I saw Ranger out of the corner of my eye. I was already in big doo-doo for being late and taking off early yesterday. His eyes were amused, but at the same time pleading with me not to be too hard on the guy.

I sighed, slumped my shoulders, and walked over to the coffee pot. It could be worse, Stephanie. You could be rolling around in garbage chasing after some stupid skip. I walked over to the new man's cup and it took every ounce of self-control to not dump the coffee right on his ugly head. Tank resumed talking in the meantime. I think he felt sorry for me.

Across the table, Lester jokingly motioned me to come give him a coffee refill, too. I narrowed my eyes as much as I could at him. He grimaced a little and laughed silently to himself. I carefully put the coffee pot back in place, afraid if I moved to quickly I would end up throwing it against the wall.

I took my spot in betweenHal and Bobby, thunked down in my seat, and opened the agenda that was lying in front of me.

It was a bunch of security mumbo-jumbo that I didn't really care about. I grabbed a pen from the table and started to take my frustrations out on paper.

I got from the meeting that the new client's name was Sammy Fiorelli and he was in need of protection after a deal he financed went sour. He was involved in high stakes real estate, and his main clients were politicians and high power attorneys. When the real-estate plan fell through the politicians hired goons to make him pay for the debt, with his life.

A half an hour later, I had drawn a large group of stick figures labeled men being bombed by a plane from the sky. The stick figures represented all of the men in my life and me sending them all away. I had about as much talent for drawing as a second grader but I felt better. I was so into the drawing I hadn't noticed the meeting had broken up and the guys were going out to do their security stuff.

A hand on the base of my neck sent chills down my spine. Only one man could do that with a single touch. I looked up at him smiling.

He was trying to look stern, but his face softened when our eyes met.

"Interesting artwork."

"I know. I'm thinking about opening my own studio exhibit. It's titled My Life Sucks."

One side of his mouth tipped up. "I'm meeting privately with Mr. Fiorelli to finalize some plans and then I need to talk to you. No sneaking out early today."

"Sir, yes, sir." I faked a salute.

He slightly shook his head and led Sammy into his office.


It was after noon before Ranger came back to my office to talk to me. I had finished with my morning allotment of background searches and was heavily into my Sims created universe on my computer. I barely noticed the hairs on the back of my neck stand up when he entered my cubicle.

He sat next to me in the empty office chair and looked intently at the computer screen before I could turn it off.

"What's this?"

I sighed. "It's a game called the Sim's. It's like reality TV, only you get to control all of the people in your neighborhood. You build them houses and get to control their relationships while trying to keep them happy by fulfilling their needs." I clicked out of the house I was currently playing in and went to the neighborhood view in order to save and exit. The neighborhood I created consisted of most of my friends and family and we all were living pretty well in the game. Most of the houses were large and had pools and Jacuzzis. In this dream world of mine, everyone ordered pizza for every meal and had a housekeeper.

"What's this little house over here?"

"That's my parents'. I designed their home to be modest; I don't think they would know what to do with a pool anyway." I went on to explain the design of the rest of the neighborhood and pointed out Lula, Connie, and Mary Lou's houses. "I'm working on building Morelli's house now. I moved him out of my house this morning, which is such a shame. Our love meter was almost at 100."

"You still want him in your neighborhood?"

"Sure, we'll always be friends."

He pointed on the screen to the largest house in the neighborhood. "Whose house is this?"

"I thought you'd never ask. That, my good man, is the Bat cave!" I clicked on the house to view the Sims living inside. There were about ten large Sims, all dressed in black living in the house. I had a huge garage next to the house filled with black cars and had a tall fence going around the entire perimeter. The house was sparsely decorated downstairs, which is where I created makeshift security monitors, a few small bedrooms, and exercise equipment. The upstairs contained all of the fun stuff, like a pool table and DJ table with light-up dance floor. The upstairs also contained the large bedrooms.

"Not the way I would've designed it, but I like it. I especially like the dance floor." He put his arm around me and pulled me in to give me a kiss on the top of my head. "How is our love meter?"

"Almost non existent. Every time I visit the Bat cave, you try to make me work out on the exercise equipment, so my character gets bored and leaves." I smiled at him. "The other guys in your house do throw some really wild parties, though."

"I never figured you for a computer geek." He turned the computer monitor off and spun my chair around so we were sitting face to face and our knees were touching.

"It was either this or online poker. And it's not like I spend a lot of time on it. I use the extra time I have when my IN box is empty and sometimes I play on my lunch break." I didn't really think it was necessary to explain how this was the closest thing I had to a social life.

He gently grabbed my wrist and kissed the palm of my hand. "I think we need to figure out more constructive things to do with your time." His kiss sent a surge of heat from my fingers to my nether regions and I was suddenly feeling flirty.

I leaned towards him and licked my lips. "And those things would be?"

This got me a raised eyebrow in response. "I was thinking more along the lines of visiting the gym." He leaned even closer to me and whispered, "But I'm always open to suggestions if you think of something better."

That was about as far as I was willing to go at the moment so I leaned back in my chair and tried to change subjects as gracefully as possible. "So...What did you want to talk to me about?"

The corners of his mouth tipped into an almost smile. "You need to get over your fear of me, Babe. I have a feeling we'll be spending a lot more time together now that Morelli's out of the picture."

Yikes! I didn't know whether to be happy or completely petrified at this statement.

He glanced at his watch. "You free for lunch?"

"I'll have to check my calendar, but I think I can squeeze you in." He gave me one of his full on smiles.

"Wise guy." We both stood up and he pulled me close and gave me a light kiss on the lips. "I'll meet you downstairs in five."


We pulled up to the restaurant about twenty minutes later. The host seated us at a corner booth and Ranger sat with his back to the wall. Sometime, I would have to think about how Ranger always managed to do that.

I was contemplating the merits of the fettuccini versus the lasagna when the waiter came to take our orders. We both ordered a glass of wine and I had the fettuccini, while Ranger ordered an organic salad. Ranger didn't start to discuss business until our food arrived.

"I need you to do some fieldwork for me." I nodded, but my mouth was full so I motioned him to continue. "The new client needs a bodyguard for a function this weekend." I thought this was a pretty strange request, because mine was the body that usually needed guarding.

I swallowed my mouthful. "I don't think you want me as a bodyguard. I don't know if you noticed, but I'm kind of a psycho magnet. And I really hate getting shot at."

"I highly doubt there will be any shooting and I will have my men stationed near you at all times. I would never put you in harm's way, but my options are limited. Fiorelli specifically asked for a female bodyguard to pose as his date at the foray. I think the chances of you having to use any of your training is slim to none, you're position is more to give the client piece of mind."

An evening of Fiorelli fondling me and making passes did not seem like a good time, so I tried to think of something to get me out of it, when it suddenly occurred to me. "Why don't you get Jeanne Ellen to do it? You two are pretty chummy these days."

He gave me a full on smile at this. "You know, you're cute when you're jealous." Like I haven't heard that one before. "Jeanne and I have a business relationship."

I thought about that for a beat. "That's what you tell people about us." Not to mention, that's what I tell people about him.

He put his fork down folded his hands on top of the table and leaned forward. "Do we have something more than a business relationship?"

I was not touching that question with a ten foot pole. "Are you trying to change the subject?"

"Yes, but I don't think its working." He stared at me in silence for a few moments before continuing. "Jeanne and I were involved at one point in time, but she's not a part of my life anymore."

"Good to know." I was relieved that he was not boinking Jeanne Ellen, but he still hadn't explained why she couldn't do this body guarding gig. "Maybe you should ask her to do the body guarding, though."

"I already have. I had a meeting with her Friday morning to discuss it, but she's not available this weekend." He finished the last bite of his salad and pushed his empty plate to the side. "I think it will work out for the best, though. Fiorelli having a date with Jeanne Ellen isn't very believable."

I had to agree with this. People would wonder why a woman like Jeanne would go anywhere near a slime ball like Fiorelli. I thought about this while I was finishing my fettuccini and the meaning behind his words dawned on me. When I looked up at Ranger, it looked like it was dawning on him at the same time.

"So I'm believable?" I narrowed my eyes at him.

He held up his hands in a defensive manner and sat back into the booth as far as he could. "I never said that." He looked like he was choosing his words wisely. "You're one of the most beautiful women I've ever met; it's just that Jeanne Ellen is…"

"What, Ranger?" I thought it was kind of sweet that Ranger called me beautiful, but I wasn't going to let on. "She's perfect?"

"That's not what I was going to say. She's not perfect." He tried to hold my hand from across the table, but I snatched it away before he could reach me. I was debating on whether or not to get up and walk out. I hadn't had dessert yet and the office was almost ten blocks away.

I leaned back in the booth and folded my arms over my chest. "I'm staying" I said as I pointed a finger at him, "But it's only because this restaurant has the best cheesecake in Trenton."

"My lucky day."


Ranger pulled up in front of the office to drop me off. "You never gave me an answer on the job."

"I'll do it." I said as I opened the car door. What could go wrong? Everything. "But Rangeman has to buy me a new dress."

"You drive a hard bargain." He gave me a wolfish grin and leaned over to give me a light kiss on the lips.

"One more thing, I get to stun gun him if he smacks my butt again." I stepped onto the curb and shut the door behind me. Through the tinted glass, I could see Ranger shaking his head. He peeled off into traffic and was gone, off to fight crime.