Okay I know some of you are mad about what I did to Ranger and you'll probably not like what will happen next (sorry for the give away). But please just stick with me. I know what I'm doing (wink). Thanks for all of the reviews. Please keep giving me more.

Chapter Eleven:

As I drove to the office I involuntarily started comparing Ranger to Morelli. I was hoping to make a decision but it wasn't so easy. If I stayed with Morelli we'd probably get married and he'd morph me into a housewife. I didn't like the picture of me as a housewife. I'd have an excruciatingly ordinary life, and I couldn't stand living that way. On the other hand, if I was with Ranger I may never know where I completely stood with him. I also didn't have any idea how things would turn out and what my life would be like. My life expectancy would drop lower than it already was. It didn't know which was scarier. A normal Burg life or life that could end at any moment? I mentally scolded myself. When it comes to men why do I have to be such an idiot?

I finally pulled up to the office. Lula and Connie both jumped out of their seats trying to see what car I would be driving. They both were disappointed when I pulled in with a normal Rangeman SUV. I felt the exact same way. Just because he was mad at me didn't mean he had to strip me of cool car privileges.

"Dang girl," Lula said as I walked inside. "What happened? Why are you driving one of Ranger's boring ass SUV's rather than a Porsche?" I looked at her wearily and shrugged. I definitely did not want to go into detail.

"She's not telling us everything." Connie noted. Both Lula and she jumped on me faster than a cougar on a poor unsuspecting animal. They were not going let up until I told them the truth. Sighing loudly, I began telling the whole pathetic tale.

"Well, it started last night when I arrived at Ranger's apartment," they nodded eagerly, lapping up every word I was saying.

"He had dinner waiting for me…"

"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!" Lula and Connie said in unison. I rolled my eyes.

"Do you want me to go on?" I asked irritably. They nodded and bit their lips.

"As I was saying, he had dinner waiting for me. After we were down eating, I thought it might be some fun to ask him some questions," Lula and Connie looked at each other knowingly. Asking Ranger questions is like playing Russian roulette. Thrilling at first, but then it turns into an unpredictable, possibly deadly game.

"First I asked him about his wife and kid. I mean I didn't want a whole lot of details, but I was desperate. Then I asked about Tank…"

"Ooh, what did you ask? I bet you asked what his real name was." Lula interrupted.

"No I bet she asked if he was seeing anyone. That's why Ranger is so mad."

"No maybe she asked about his tighty-whiteys!" We all chuckled. It was a welcomed distraction from the thing I was about to say soon.

"Actually I asked him how long he and Tank knew each other."

"That's sad girl." Lula and Connie shook their heads. Okay, it was a dumb question. But it was just a filler question to stall him long enough before I could ask him something really juicy.

"Then," I took a breath. This was the worst part. "I asked if he was seeing anyone." Connie and Lula sucked in air and held their breaths, waiting for the response.

"He said that he was, kind of."

"Who? Who!" They urged me to press on.

"Me. He said he was seeing me." They both looked at me strange. They hadn't quite figured out what was happening yet.

"Then he went on about how he didn't want to hurt me and that he thought it was better if Morelli and I were together. And then," I tried to prepare myself for the next detail I was about to spill. "He said he loved me." The room went deadly silent. Even Vinnie wasn't puttering around his office. That's because he was probably eavesdropping on our conversation from another one of his many bugs he set up in the office.

"Holy shit." Lula finally said. That about summed it up.

"So what did you say?" Connie asked with an eyebrow raised. Both of them knew that how I responded to that probably answered the question to why Ranger was mad at me.

"I said thank-you." Lula and Connie looked at me in disbelief. Neither of them could believe my stupidity. "I know! I know! I'm such a dope!"

"I can't believe you didn't say it back! I mean he's so damn fine! I have to restrain saying that to him every time he walks through that door!" Lula exploded. Connie nodded in agreement. Okay, so thank-you wasn't the best response to I love you. But it could have been worse, right?

The room had quieted down, and by the looks on Lula and Connie's faces and the intoxicating scent of Bulgari, I knew who had just walked in.

"Any new FTA's?" Ranger asked Connie. She nodded with her mouth hanging open. Her eyes darted back and forth from him to me. Lula was doing the same except she had the view from the couch. The room fell totally still.

"Okay," Ranger said grabbing the file. He turned to leave.

"Ranger…" I just couldn't control my mouth. The silence was driving me crazy. He turned to me and my mouth went dry. I just stared at him, hoping my face would say it all. He just turned and walked out the door. I felt even lower than I had this morning. So it wasn't just a joke he was playing. He was really upset. Great, I had really screwed up this time.

"Wow." Lula whispered. I could feel both their eyes burning holes in the back of my head. I couldn't take it any longer.

"Do you have any new files for me?" I asked Connie quickly, like I was in a big rush. She shook her head.

"Oh. All right. Let me know if anything comes up." I turned to leave when Lula ran up beside me. Not an easy feat in her tight purple leather pants.

"Do you want me to come with you?" She asked her eyes filled with sympathy. I couldn't handle her pitying me so I shook my head.

"Okay, but you know I'm here for you." I nodded, desperate to leave. I left the office with my head held high. Once I got into the car I started to bawl. I didn't realize how much I cared about Ranger. I really, really didn't want him to hate me. I wished the world would just swallow me up right then so I wouldn't have to face him or my true feelings.

After cruising around awhile I finally stopped at the Tasty Pastry. A doughnut would really cheer me up. After spending half an hour devouring a Boston Cream, I realized it failed to solve my problems. I was debating what a birthday cake might do when my cell phone rang. Ranger flashed on the screen.

"Hello?" I answered eagerly.

"I need you to come back to the apartment. We need to talk." Oh boy.

"Okay."

"'Kay."

He disconnected. I had a bad feeling while I drove to the apartment. Ranger was waiting for me in the garage.

"Come on." He said impatiently. I tried to read him while we waited in the elevator. He gave nothing away. It was a bad sign.

"Sit." He ordered once we were inside. Oh no, he was giving commands to me. This must really be bad. I sat down at the kitchen table, trying to ignore the images of last night that were seeping into my head.

"Look," he began right as he sat down, "about last night. Those things I said weren't true. I like you, but I'm not in love with you. Sorry if I mislead you." His words were cold and robotic. I sat in shook. I had expected yelling and cursing, anything but this. This was much, much worse.

My bottom lip started to tremble. I could not cry now, especially not in front of him.

"Oh, okay." I answered sadly. An awkward silence filled the apartment.

"You can go now." He said dismissing me. I quickly fled out of there. I was numb. Utterly and completely numb.