Ch. 9

I woke up this morning feeling slightly less queasy than I had been, and I hadn't thrown up again since the ice cream cone incident a couple days ago. But feeling hopeless that my confinement would ever end, I was currently once again holed up in my apartment consoling myself with smuggled food. This time it was a box of donuts. As I was savoring one particularly large and delicious bite, there was a knock at my door. Whoever it was should've known better. I was feeling as protective of these donuts as a lioness protecting her cubs. I wasn't sharing, and heaven help the person who might try and take them away from me.

"Go away," I shouted.

"Steph, I need to show you something," Ranger answered. "Can you come out here?"

"No."

"Dammit Steph, get out here," Ranger responded.

"Dammit Ranger, you can't tell me what to do. I'm sick of being here, I'm sick of being told what to do and what's best for me, and I'm not coming out!" So there, I thought. I showed him.

"Steph, I understand you bribed one of my men into bringing you donuts in there."

"Yeah, so." What am I? In second grade?

"So, if you keep locking yourself in your room with donuts you're going to be big and fat when you see Morelli again. You don't want that, do you?"

Now this conversation was getting ugly. I was the only one who got to make cracks about my weight. And I definitely didn't feel like talking about Joe when at this point it seemed I was destined to never see him again. Maybe I should just let myself go. Then again…I got up and walked over to the door, ready to open it up and relinquish my rights to my donuts. By the time I reached the door; however, I had changed my mind again. That's a woman's prerogative, right?

Still speaking through the closed door, I yelled, "Morelli will love me no matter what! Even if I am fat…maybe…probably…maybe…alright, you know what? Screw Morelli!" and I yanked open the door only to see that wonderful man standing on the other side. My breath caught in my lungs.

"That's kind of what I was hoping for," Joe said in a voice so husky and deep my knees buckled, my stomach dropped six feet, and my pulse began to race. I knew that tone all too well.

Joe's eyes greedily stroked over me before I grabbed his hand, pulled him into my apartment and slammed the door behind us. He turned to me and our eyes locked in a gaze full of intensity and desire. Joe uttered a primitive growl low in his throat that made me wild. In the next instant, in a move so subconscious I can't remember making it, we were wrapped around each other and Joe's mouth was crushing mine, devouring me, sating his hunger and feeding mine. When we finally took a break to drag some much needed air into our lungs, I figured I'd take that opportunity to ask some questions I really wanted answers to.

"So, I want to know what's been going on. What have you been up to? Have you found Leslie? When can I get out of here? Did you come to get me? Is that what you're doing here?" Joe kissed me, soft and gentle, a kiss meant purely to shut me up.

"I'm not here to take you home, but I am here all night. We'll discuss everything in the morning. I've been dreaming about being with you the last few weeks, and believe me when I say it's going to be a long night."

Joe slowly led me over to the bed and gently laid me down. He touched me reverently, worshipping me, until I was begging him to ease the pleasurable ache he had created in me, and he did so splendidly. As promised, it was a very long night indeed. The man's stamina amazed me, but I couldn't complain. And when we were both finally sated, Joe lay down behind me, pulled me flush against his chest and held me there the rest of the night.

I woke up the next morning feeling warm and safe. I can't remember the last time I'd felt that. Although I knew nothing would happen to me while I was at Ranger's, it wasn't the same feeling of utter safety I felt when I was wrapped up against Joe. His warmth felt so good, I shimmied my body closer to him, laying my head on his outstretched arm.

"Morning, Beautiful," Joe murmured huskily in my ear.

With his free arm, Joe stroked my back and my hair. It was such a sweet gesture I couldn't help but reach behind my head and drag my own fingers through his hair, slowly massaging his scalp. Before I knew it, we were re-enacting the events of the previous night. It just doesn't get any better than this, I thought later, as I drifted back into a peaceful slumber.