Disclaimer: Yet again, I don't own it. Anything. Stephanie and Ranger are not mine. Trenton is not mine. The nice Mercedes? Not mine. What IS mine, however, is the plot. And…oh yeah. Miranda. wink

AN To anyone who speaks Spanish, well, please correct anything I've got down there. I used Babel Fish, and most of the time, Babel Fish sucks.

Ranger angled out of the Mercedes, moving around the hood to open my door, and he took my hand, guiding me out as I hurried to reassemble the dress, knowing that if it rode up, even a few inches, Ranger would get a view of things meant to be seen only in the bedroom. Which we might or might not end up in by the end of the night.

I took in my surroundings, my eyes taking in the unfamiliar buildings that looked a little too large, streets that looked a little too new, and a restaurant that looked way too fancy.

"We aren't in Trenton."

"No."

"Are we still in Jersey?"

He turned, grinning at me. "Barely."

I stopped him halfway to the door, staring in at the elegant dress of the just as elegant people dining there.

"I can't go in there."

"Why not?"

"Ranger, look inside there."

He followed my gaze, staring at the men just short of wearing suits, and women looking like they belonged on a red carpet. Or a runway. "So?"

"No one in there is remotely Jersey. I'm as Jersey as it gets. I can not go in there like this."

"Like what?" He was staring at me like I was insane, his eyes scanning me from head to toe, trying to find the flaw I was so adamant about.

"Like…" I let go of his had, gesturing vaguely to myself. "Like I'm about to go clubbing! I can't go in there in this dress!"

"What's wrong with the dress?"

"Ranger, come on! It's too short, there's too much cleavage, I'm wearing open-toed shoes, my hair is mussed which is a total faux pas for a place like this. I don't fit in here."

He moved forward suddenly, startling me, and cupped my face in his hands. "Do you really care about what everyone else in there thinks? Do you really care?"

"Don't you?" I asked, trying to hide the emotion in my voice, wondering how we'd gotten here so suddenly. "Don't you care what they think about me?"

His eyes held mine. "No."

I bent my head, blinking away tears, wondering if our worlds had always been truly this different. I felt his lips on my forehead, and sighed, wiping at my cheeks.

I nodded slightly, and he took my hand again, moving forward.

I stopped again at the door, my heart beating a million miles a minute. Ranger frowned. "What are you so afraid of?"

The door was thick, wooden, carved intricately with panes of stained glass in both. The handles were carved just as intricately, and the shrubberies on either side were lit with white lights. The last restaurant I'd been in, the doors had been made of thin layers of glass, and one pane had been replaced with a sheet of plywood because someone had taken a baseball bat to it.

"What if I can't fit in?"

The question was a loaded one. We weren't just talking about the restaurant, now. This was Ranger's life, and I didn't know if it could be mine, too.

"You already do, Babe."

My stomach in knots, I chose to believe him, for the time being, and let him lead me through two set of the doors, into the restaurant.

The woman standing at the wide wooden desk smiled at Ranger, her eyes taking me in in detail. I tried to sink back, but Ranger propelled me forward.

She nodded at Ranger, grabbing only one menu as she moved around to our side of the desk. "Carlos."

"Miranda."

She smiled, giving me a look and then raising her eyebrows at Ranger in amusement. "This way."

I glanced uneasily around me as we were lead farther and farther back, trying to ignore the way people's eyes would follow me through the rooms, and the way the hairs on the back of my neck prickled to let me know they didn't stop when I'd walked past them.

She took us all the way to the back, stopping at on of the curtained off alcoves. She slid the menu onto the table and ushered us in, waiting until we were settled before speaking.

"Welcome to El Jardín del Cielo, What can I get you to drink?"

I turned, wide eyes, to Ranger. Ranger grinned. "Wine."

Miranda smiled. "And cheese, with that?"

"Don't joke."

"I know what you want." She turned her gaze to me. "Anything else?"

I choked on my words. "Uh…n-no. Wine is good."

I felt Ranger's chuckle. "Two waters."

Miranda nodded. "I'll be back as soon as I can. Don't do anything I wouldn't do." She winked at me, and then the curtains dropped.

I stared at Ranger. "I don't think I've ever eaten in one of these. Isn't this kind of…bad? You can't see anything outside this little...thing. You don't feel…like your back is to the door?"

"This place is—different."

"Do you come here a lot?"

He did the eyebrow thing again.

"It's just…you and Miranda seem…close."

He looked like he was trying not to smile. "My brother owns the restaurant. He's also the head chef."

"And Miranda…"

He no longer fought the grin. "You're cute when you're insecure."

"I am not jealous."

"I said insecure."

My cheeks tinged red.

"Miranda is my brothers wife."

"Oh."

He smiled, softly, reaching for my hand across the table. Slowly, he intertwined our fingers, the smile still playing at his face.

After a moment of silence, the question I'd been thinking about suddenly popped out, leaving me mortified. "So…are all the Manoso's as rich as you and your brother?"

I clapped a hand over my mouth, my face burning in embarrassment. "Oh my God. I didn't…I mean…I don't…"

I dared to look up at him.

He was laughing. He was shaking in silent mirth, which bubbled out a moment later, filling my ears with deep melodic laughter.

I bowed my head again. "Don't laugh! It's not funny!"

He shook his head, sobering a bit. "It is, Babe."

"I'm such a dope."

He gave that small smile. "Hm," he intoned noncommittally.

I narrowed my eyes. "Was that an agreement?"

He didn't answer me, just continued to smile, like he knew something I didn't.

His hand found mine again. "Have I told you you're beautiful?"

He had me embarrassed again. I ducked my head, letting hair fall into my face. "Stop."

"Answer the question."

I gave a slight nod of my head, still not looking up. "At the door. You told me when you picked me up."

He crooked a finger under my chin, and pulled my head up. "I'm not talking about tonight."

The curtain swung open. "You are such a sweet talker."

It was Miranda, carrying the wine and glasses, a waiter behind her balancing a tray that held two waters. She set the glasses down, reaching for the water.

As she set it down on coasters that looked like they belonged in a museum, she turned her gaze to me. "But he's not lying. You do look beautiful."

Ranger groaned. "I should not have come here. Miranda, this is a date."

Miranda blinked. "Oh my God. I'm doing it again, aren't I? Butting in? I swear to god I've been working on it. Celia even took some guy she's been dating here again, and she didn't even rag on me afterwards."

"Work harder."

Miranda gave me an apologetic look. "I'm sorry. I'll stop interrupting."

"No, it's okay. I swear."

"It is?" Ranger and Miranda both asked.

I gave Ranger a sideways glance. "I don't really know much about Ranger. It's nice to know he has a family."

"You didn't think he had a family?"

"No, I mean…I knew he had a family, but…it's nice to actually see and hear part of it."

Miranda shot a look at Ranger. "You ready to order?"

I hit the palm of my hand against my forehead. "I haven't even looked at the menu."

"Good."

Ranger shifter. "No. Miranda—."

But she'd already disappeared.

"Nice to know I have a family?" he asked exasperatedly.

I shrugged. "You never say anything about yourself. You know everything about me and I know less than nothing about you. The whole mystery thing was cool for a while, but now it just sucks."

"The mystery is the allure."

"And you've allured the hell out of me. But you've already got me. You don't need to allure me anymore. I want to know about Carlos."

His brow knitted momentarily. "Really?"

I smiled, squeezing his hand. "Really."