Disclaimer: This a Stephanie Plum FanFiction Story. All recognizable characters belong to the fabulous Janet Evanovich. I am just borrowing her amazing characters for a while. I'm grateful she allows us to play.
Summary: Stephanie and Ranger show up at the same bar, with their respective dates. Will the magic of Christmas be enough to bring them together? This is canon compliant and takes place around the time of Four to Score.
Warning: Adult language and adult situations.
A/N: A short story in response to Janet Evanovich Fan Fiction Facebook group's December Writing Challenge.
Activity: Mistletoe
Trope: Mutual Pining
Dialogue Prompt: I can't keep kissing strangers and pretending they are you.
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Little Miss Perfect
Stephanie glanced over at her phone with a look of pure disdain and punched the button to silence its incessant ringing. She had no interest in talking to anyone, especially her mother. No doubt the Burg gossip tree was in full swing. Another capture gone sideways, another video, another day in her life.
One that had gotten a lot more complicated lately. Her thoughts drifted to the complication in her life, Ranger. Stephanie had been standing next to her POS car in the alley behind the bonds office when her world had officially tilted off its axis. Nothing had quite prepared her that day.
….*******************
"Fucking Morelli." Stephanie mumbled to herself.
"Just a case, cupcake. Case my ass! In what alternate universe does Terry freaking Gilman need to meet you in a hotel in a teddy for a case? I'm insane, why do I keep doing this." Stephanie waved her arms around and glanced heavenward, looking for answers from the divine. The divine was stubbornly silent.
She blew out a hard breath. "Why do I keep believing him? That's because I have a brain the size of a walnut and the self-control of a gnat." Stephanie fumed.
Since she couldn't kick Morelli in his junk, Stephanie did the next best thing and gave her current POS a good kick, yelping when pain rocketed through her toe.
"I hate you." She hissed. She mostly thought she meant the car, but at the moment, she wasn't entirely sure.
She heard a soft laugh behind her and whipped around to find Ranger. Arms crossed over his powerful chest, an amused expression on his face.
"Glad I can provide some comic relief to your day." Stephanie snapped.
His eyebrow quirked up and his brown eyes assessed her. The intensity of his gaze and the look sparking in his eyes made her breath hitch and her heart hammer against her ribs.
His eyes went to the wildly fluttering pulse in her neck and she watched them darken, and her mouth went dry. She resisted the urge to fan herself like Scarlet O'Hara. Just looking at him made her forget her name right along with the finer points of why underwear was important. She was a good girl that wanted to be very, very bad with Ranger, even if it was for just one night.
He stepped forward until he was so close, she could sense the heat radiating off of him. Every nerve in her body took notice, pulling taut with anticipation. Her body screamed at him to come closer. They'd been doing this dance for months. The attraction between them simmering just below the surface, surging and ebbing, but never boiling over.
A light snow had started to fall. He reached around her. His nearness caused the butterflies in her belly to flutter and take flight, as he pulled her jacket hood up and tucked a wayward curl behind her ear. His finger traced a line at her temple, his touch soft. The little callouses reminded her of a cat's tongue as his fingertips continued their journey. Their eyes met, and for a moment, she thought he might kiss her. Something like hope leapt in her throat. The moment passed, and Ranger pulled back. Disappointment filtered through her and she staunchly pushed it away.
"You always talk to yourself like that?" Ranger asked.
"Only when I need expert advice." Stephanie retorted, trying to regain her equilibrium.
Ranger's lip tipped up like he was thinking about smiling.
"What you need is a new life." That silky rich voice slid around her and her eyes drifted shut for an instant, wondering if it got deeper and rougher in bed.
"I have a life. What I need is a new boyfriend." Or at least one that wasn't fucking Terry Gilman, anyway. Stephanie kept that to herself mainly because she didn't want to look like an even bigger loser in front of the king of cool.
"Maybe a new car." She winced as the bumper gave a screeching groan and fell off.
Ranger stared at her for a moment, his dark eyes assessing. A slightly predatory gleam drifted across his face. Stephanie refused to speculate what that meant.
"What kind of boyfriend are you looking for?"
"Powerful, sexy, faithful." She quipped, wondering where the hell that had come from. Her voice was husky and would make a porn star blush. "Why do you have someone in mind?" The minute it was out of her mouth, she wanted to whack her head against the hood of her POS car and spare them both from more of her incurable stupidity.
Ranger's eyes dilated almost black and the heat shimmering in them made her excited and nervous at the same time. She shivered, but not from the cold.
"I'm not sure I can help with the boyfriend part, but I can help with the new car. What would you be willing to do for a car?"
She had a momentary flash of the devil holding an apple and she gave her head a tiny shake in a vain attempt to clear it.
The full force of his words registered, and Stephanie squashed down the disappointment that surged through her. God, she was an idiot. By the looks of things, several cards shy of a full deck. She couldn't believe she'd said the boyfriend thing to him. It was like her brain had short-circuited from all the sex appeal and testosterone oozing off of him. Ranger had made it crystal clear he didn't do relationships, and he definitely didn't do disasters like her.
"Depends on the car." Stephanie retorted, trying to get her brain back in the game and away from his broad shoulders.
Her eyes dropped lower and landed on the substantial bulge in his pants. Her ovaries started screeching like a bunch of howler monkeys, and Stephanie sighed, resigned to her fate of being an idiot. He was giving her 'the what you see is what you get' look.
"Powerful and sexy." He threw her words back to her. They both knew they weren't talking about the car anymore. "I like a woman that appreciates a powerful ride. Maybe one that even rides a little rough."
Heat exploded through her so fast and with such force she thought her knees were going to buckle. She licked her lips in a completely involuntary gesture that drew his heated gaze.
"What did you have in mind?" Now her voice just sounded like an invitation.
One for sweaty, dirty, brain-melting, multiple orgasm sex. She prayed the clenching between her thighs was only evident to her, but the way his eyes drifted down her body and back to her mouth where they stayed transfixed suggested it wasn't.
"Would it have to be morally correct?" His shoulder tilted up at the question.
She got the distinct impression he wasn't talking about a job. Visions of Ranger naked popped into her mind, and she was pretty sure she went blind and maybe even moaned a little.
"Legal."
Ranger cocked a brow at her.
"OK. Mostly legal. I have enough to worry about in my life." She sounded suspiciously like a small animal being strangled.
All she could do was stare at his powerful physique and wonder what he would feel like touching her, taking her. Her eyes fluttered down and she would have sworn the bulge in his pants had gotten bigger. She yanked her eyes back up and stared at everything but his face and his crotch. She suddenly became fascinated with the sign for the dry cleaners.
Ranger stepped forward. His hand snaked around and captured the nape of her neck. He drew her closer, their lips a whisper apart. She was breathtakingly aware of his nearness. So close, but not anywhere near close enough. She could feel his warm breath on her cheek. His crisp, clean, very masculine scent slid around her like an invisible tether that drew her closer. Her lips parted in anticipation; her breath suspended as his mouth inched closer.
Her eyes fluttered almost closed, and just when she thought those soft luscious lips were going to touch hers, his head turned to the side and he nuzzled his way up her jawline to the soft spot just behind her ear. He placed a whisper soft kiss, touched the tip of his tongue to the spot, and then kissed it again. Stephanie's head tilted to give him better access and her fingers roamed the hard, unforgiving muscles of his chest and abdomen, igniting her imagination.
His voice a seductive caress. "I guess that's something else to worry about." His thumb brushed over the sensitive skin on her neck and tingles danced down her spine.
Pure raw desire, hot, liquid and scary, washed over her. She clamped her thighs together, startled by the sharp need that had pulsed in time with her heartbeat. The man hadn't even kissed her, and she was already a melty little puddle of desire pooling at his feet.
"Oh boy," she whispered before she could halt the words.
"Yeah," he said. "Think about it."
"What I think ... is that it's a bad idea."
"Of course it's a bad idea," Ranger whispered against the shell of her ear. "If it was a good idea, I'd have been in your bed a long time ago."
Stephanie's mind instantly flashed to Ranger, naked in her bed. Her core fluttered and clenched around nothing and she was pretty sure her panties went up in smoke as a helpless whimper escaped. A part of her knew she should be embarrassed, but the rest of her didn't care. She balled her fists and dug her nails into her palms to keep from grabbing his shirt and hauling him into the back seat of her car and riding him like she was going for the Triple Crown.
"Let me know what you decide." His voice was huskier, less silk and more growl.
"Decide?" It came out as a across between a bray, a bleat, and a wheeze. Wasn't she the cool one? She cleared her throat. "About the job?" She asked, looking for clarification.
"About Morelli. Ball is in your court, babe."
With that, Ranger was gone. Stephanie thought she must have fainted while standing up. One minute or one hour might have passed as her body froze in place, her feet rooted to the ground, her mouth hanging open. About Morelli? What the hell did that even mean?
…*******************
That fun adventure had been a few weeks ago, and Stephanie had been avoiding Ranger like the plague ever since, ducking out the back of the bonds office in case he showed up, staying away from places he frequented. She knew it was stupid. If Ranger wanted to find her, he would, and that made it all the worse. That knowledge had just made her angry. Ranger knew how to find her, but he didn't, which meant Ranger was avoiding her too.
Things felt awkward and uncertain, and she didn't know what to do with her feelings. Ranger wasn't boyfriend material, but she couldn't deny the pull between them. Sure, it was sexual, but it felt like more. To her, at least. She'd had more meaningful conversations and dinners with Ranger in the months she'd known him than in all the years with Morelli. Ranger got her. He didn't judge her job or her life. He helped her when she needed it, mentored her when she wanted it. Ranger was her rock.
Since their almost kiss, Ranger had dominated Stephanie's thoughts. Mostly naked Ranger but sometimes Ranger the man. He was a mystery that begged to be solved, but if her skills as a bounty hunter were any indication, she might not be a good sleuth, either. Ranger was perfection and mystery. His body perfect, from the tip of his toes to the top of his head with that mane of soft silky hair. All perfectly toned hard muscle and panther like grace. Dark, unreadable eyes, good looks with a perfectly straight nose and soft, full lips. Ranger always smelled like heaven. That crisp, citrus scent was the one thing about him that was unexpected and almost seemed out of place. His clothes were dark, his cars were dark. His life was dark. Ranger had lots of secrets, but Ranger smelled like sex and sunshine.
The only thing she was sure about was her dissatisfaction with Morelli and their relationship had grown every day since the Ranger carrot had been dangled in front of her like some unattainable, forbidden prize. Some of the discontent was fair, some of it not. Suddenly, so many things about Morelli irritated her. His family, his job, the way he made fun of her, even the way he chewed.
Which is why tonight annoyed her even more than usual. Stephanie had bought a dress, and she and Morelli had planned to try a new Italian restaurant. At the last minute, instead of going on a proper date, he wanted to drag her to some retirement party for a fellow cop. He didn't even think he had to try with her. She was like a broken in pair of tennis shoes. Comfy, but not something you wore to the special events in your life. She wondered if that's what she was to Morelli. A comfy pair of shoes that he liked to wear, but was ashamed to take out in public.
Morelli hadn't even noticed she was pissed, or maybe he noticed and didn't care. They were both pretty good at the denial thing. They pulled into the parking lot, and Stephanie resisted the urge to sigh at the number of ugly Crown Vics in the parking lot. She mentally rolled her eyes and wondered why she even bothered to put on make-up, heels, and some stupid dress. Morelli would spend the night swapping cop stories and scoping out the waitresses, and Stephanie would smile and pretend like she didn't notice Morelli staring at some woman's tits.
The retirement party was at some grungy cop bar. No doubt she'd get to listen to lots of cop war stories and be the brunt of their jokes. The bombshell bounty hunter strikes again. She wondered why she and Morelli never went on dates. They watched games, attended family gatherings, and his work events. Morelli had never once taken her out to a nice dinner or given her flowers he actually paid for himself. His version of that excuse, Stephanie, was low maintenance. He claimed that's what he liked about her. Maybe the truth was, he didn't care enough to try. She briefly wondered why she hadn't insisted. Somehow, she figured Terry Gilman would never settle for takeout from Pino's and Rangers games with a little sex sprinkled in at half-time.
Not that the sex was bad, it just wasn't hallelujah chorus good these days. In the beginning, she and Morelli would spend hours in bed. Touching, exploring, learning about each other. Nowadays, twenty-minutes from start to finish on Friday 'date night' summed it up. Morelli said they'd gotten better at it; Stephanie just thought Morelli had gotten lazy. Either his libido had taken a sudden nose dive or Morelli was spending time with someone else. And by that she meant naked, sweaty, balls deep time.
It was like they were an old married couple without the benefit of being married or old. They had skipped right through the courtship phase, straight to stale.
Stephanie climbed out of Morelli's truck and trailed behind him into the dingy interior of the bar. Rancid beer, sweat, and Pine sol permeated the air and her nostrils flared at the assault. Her gaze swept over the bar. The wooden booths were mostly taken, and a few couples danced on the tiny dancefloor. The booths were dark wood, as were the walls, giving the place a masculine cave like feel. A few photographs littered the wall along with an advertisement for karaoke night. Thankfully, that was one indignity she wouldn't have to endure for the evening. The dim lighting was probably a strategic move to cover the dirt and neglect. The shiny tinsel, twinkling lights, and assorted other Christmas decorations seemed out of place. Far too cheery and hopeful for a dive like this.
Morelli spotted a couple of his buddies and gave them a wave and headed their way.
"Grab us a couple of beers." He called over his shoulder.
Stephanie gave him a tight smile. "Sure thing." Not that he even heard her since he was already gone.
Stephanie watched his back disappear into the crowd and resisted the urge to make a snarky comment or flip him a classic Italian hand gesture. She pushed her way towards the bar, ignoring how the soles of her shoes stuck to something sticky on the stained hardwood floor. She decided not to think too long or hard about it while mentally deciding to pick something that came in a bottle. Anything on draft might be suspect. Not that a trip to the ER with food poisoning didn't hold some appeal if it got her out of this night.
Stephanie propped her hip on a nearby bar stool and waited for the overworked bartender to get to her. Her finger traced the scarred surface of the countertop, and she wondered if this was as good as it got. Maybe comfortable and predictable weren't so bad. It had worked for her parents for forty years. Why did she think she deserved better? A puff of cold air stirred around her as the door opened and a new group of people entered the bar.
Stephanie looked over and almost slid off her barstool and face planted on the floor. She wished the ground would just open up and swallow her, and save her from this indignity. If this was god's sense of humor, she did not find it funny.
Ranger and two other men had walked in. Draped on Ranger's arm was a gorgeous woman. Silky chestnut hair hung in lush waves halfway down her back. She sported perfectly balanced features with lips that made a cute little bow on top. Even her smile was perfect with her straight white teeth that belonged in a toothpaste commercial. Everything about her was petite and delicate. She was everything that Stephanie was not, but she gazed at Ranger with a look Stephanie recognized. She was definitely picturing Ranger naked.
When Ranger helped her out of her black coat that looked like cashmere and probably cost a few thousand dollars, a strangled sound escaped from low in Stephanie's throat. The woman was impeccably dressed in perfectly tailored trousers and a matching cashmere sweater in a light camel. The clothes were expensive and understated, but screamed money and class. They also showcased her perfect heart-shaped ass and very ample breasts. She was gorgeous and no doubt just Ranger's type. If Stephanie was honest, that woman was every man's type. Even her damn jewelry was delicate, as a gold filigree necklace caught the light. Ranger wore a dark suit, shirt open at the collar, looking every bit the successful entrepreneur. They could have easily graced the cover of a magazine. They made the perfect couple.
Stephanie told herself the woman was just a business partner, but when Ranger leaned down and brushed a kiss across her perfectly glossed lips, Stephanie felt it like a knife to the gut. Those were her lips that woman was kissing. Jealousy streaked through Stephanie and a slow burning anger started to build.
Unable to turn away, she watched as the woman leaned into Ranger, her breasts pressed against his chest and his arm snaked around her, and she deepened the kiss. Well, that answered one question. Or maybe it was two. At least Stephanie knew where Ranger had been spending his time.
Intuitively she knew Ranger had women, probably an entire harem she thought bitterly, but it still stung more than she thought it would and way more than it should. His offer, the little seduction scene, had just been a distraction, like a cat toying with a mouse. He'd probably gotten a good laugh out of poor dumb Stephanie that had almost orgasmed from just his touch. Anger surged through her and she tried to pull her eyes away from them but failed like she did at everything else in life. It was like watching a train wreck, horrifying and fascinating.
The bartender finally made his way to her, a big, burly guy with kind eyes.
"What can I get you?" He asked.
"Two bottles of Peroni." Stephanie replied as her eyes slid back to Ranger and little miss perfect.
Her arm was around his waist and they were talking with the other two men. Both men wore business suits and had that soft, boring lawyer look to them. One of the men said something, and the woman threw back her head and laughed. It was a ladylike melodic sound that made Stephanie narrow her eyes and grip the bar. No snorting or loud laughing for her. Nope, she sounded like little damn birds singing. The slender, graceful curve of her neck drew Stephanie's eye. Stephanie wanted to just slink off to the bell tower like the unlovable, hideous, deformed monster she was.
Stephanie was too loud, too tall, too big, and far too ugly to be Ranger's type. Unexpected tears prickled her eyes, and she turned her back to them, forcing her gaze to something else. She started counting the different brands of whiskey lined against the wall, but the tears blurred her vision. Stephanie blinked a few times and inhaled a deep breath. She immediately wished she hadn't. The Pine sol burned her nostrils and the stale beer made her want to gag.
Where the hell was the bartender with those damn beers. Her gaze travelled up helplessly drawn to the mirror over the bar. Her eyes locked with Ranger's. His expression blank and unreadable. At least some things never changed.
Mercifully, the bartender arrived with her beers. She could feel Ranger's eyes boring a hole through the back of her head, but she refused to meet his eyes in the mirror. Stephanie fished around and found a couple of bills and grabbed the bottles, pushing her way through the crowd towards the general direction Morelli had disappeared in, cursing herself for caring that Ranger was here with Miss America.
Jackass, she mumbled under her breath and then realized the irony of the fact she was on her way back to Morelli complaining about Ranger being on a date. Still, the hurt and jealousy surged through her. It didn't comfort her that the thought of Morelli slubbing Terry Gilman didn't make her even half as mad as Ranger being on a damn date.
She found Morelli tucked into a booth in the back.
"Hey cupcake, I wondered if you got lost." He gave her a boyish grin and reached for one of the bottles.
Like he would have even noticed if it weren't for the fact she had the beer. Stephanie bit back her retort. She would not get into a screaming match with Morelli at the bar. She'd been humiliated enough for one night.
She slid into the booth next to Morelli and desperately wished she had stayed home. At least she could be on the couch in her pajamas with Ben and Jerry. The only two men that seemed to want her these days. Not to mention, she would have saved the fifteen bucks she'd spent on two lousy lukewarm beers.
Stephanie took a long pull of her beer and picked at the label. She didn't really know the two men Morelli was sitting with. Both were vice, but had transferred in from somewhere. They were talking shop and Stephanie zoned out, trying to ignore the cramping knots in her stomach.
The sea of people had closed in and thankfully she didn't have to watch Ranger and his date get all hot and heavy. If there was a silver lining, that was it. Well, that and at six bucks a bottle, she wouldn't have to worry about getting drunk and making a scene.
A few minutes passed, the noise grating on her nerves. The fact Morelli hadn't even attempted to include her in the conversation irked her and it felt like all useable oxygen had been sucked out of the building. She got up. If she didn't get some place away from the noise, she might scream or hurl herself off the nearest bridge.
"Where you off to?" Morelli asked.
Stephanie resisted the urge to roll her eyes.
"Ladies' room." She replied mechanically.
"Grab a couple more beers on your way back, will you?"
Morelli didn't wait for confirmation. He just turned back to the conversation.
Ladies' room and then a cab, assuming she could afford one. Stephanie was done. Morelli was a good cop, and a good man, mostly anyway, but he was a damn lousy boyfriend, and Stephanie wanted more. She deserved to be important. Maybe not the sun, moon, and stars, but at least important enough, someone might notice if she was unhappy. Her goals weren't particularly lofty, she just wanted someone that would think she was important enough to keep.
Stephanie headed down the dimly lit hall towards the ladies' room, ignoring the sticky, squelching sounds her shoes made. The back entrance was at the end of the hall. She figured her luck must be looking up, but then when you were at rock bottom, it was hard to go anywhere but up. She ducked into the restroom. A woman in a short denim skirt and cowboy boots was reapplying her lipstick.
Stephanie felt out of place in her stupid wrap dress that she'd bought because it highlighted her cleavage and hid her stomach. Not that it mattered. Next to Ranger's date, she looked like a sasquatch.
The woman glanced at her in the mirror and gave her a polite smile. Stephanie smiled back and stepped into one of the stalls, locking the door, fighting for calm. Her emotions and thoughts were all over the place. She briefly wished she'd worn her coat into the bar instead of leaving it in Morelli's truck. It was going to be a cold trip home. Somehow, that seemed fitting.
She heard the door to the washroom close, and she poked her head out of the stall. Alone, she stared at her reflection in the warped, cracked mirror that reminded her of a funhouse, except there was nothing fun about this night or this place. Her hair was already returning to its naturally curly state and little wisps curled around her face. Staring back at her were sad eyes. That's the thing that struck her the most. Stephanie wasn't a girl that wallowed, but tonight she'd allow herself one little indulgence.
Ranger had that whole mysterious, only dress in black thing, going for him that was a guaranteed panty ruiner. Why she ever thought she could compete for Ranger's attention eluded her. Ranger was one of the beautiful people, and he had his shit together, which was more than she could say for herself. What did Stephanie have to offer. A crappy job, a really crappy car with no bumper, a seventies inspired apartment, a cute hamster, and a broken toaster. Yep, that was her, every man's fantasy, if they were homeless or in an insane asylum. Stephanie gave in inelegant snort; she was pretty sure little miss perfect never did that. Stephanie was officially swearing off men. She ordered an Uber, squared her shoulders and pushed out of the ladies' room.
Apparently, god wasn't done with the jokes. Ranger was waiting for her, lounging like a big jungle cat up against the wall. His expression inscrutable, as his gaze dissected her.
Stephanie tilted her chin defiantly and gave Ranger her best 'go to hell' look. She couldn't help but cross her arms protectively over her chest, maybe even her heart.
They both stared at each other, neither sure how to play things. Ranger's gaze swept over her body and warmth radiated through her, settling low in her belly. Dammit.
"You look good, babe."
Sure, just not as good as miss perfect pants out there. Stephanie narrowed her eyes and remained silent. Mainly because her throat constricted and she couldn't speak, and she was deathly afraid she might burst into tears.
Ranger pushed off the wall and took a step towards her. Stephanie took a step back. Ranger was having none of that and drew closer. Stephanie heard her own harsh breathing. A noise at the end of the hall caught her attention as a couple of men headed their way.
Ranger herded her farther down the hall and into the doorway that led to the banquet room used for private parties.
"Babe." His voice was soft, almost pleading.
Babe could mean a lot of things, but tonight the question was unmistakable.
"I've missed you." It was such an uncharacteristic confession Stephanie thought her mind was playing tricks on her.
"Missed me?" She parroted.
"I've been in Miami the last few weeks sorting out a RangeMan problem. I just got back tonight."
Really, well, that had been fast. Back and already on a date. Oh god, unless he'd brought the woman back with him from Miami. Maybe she was his Miami girlfriend. Ranger hadn't been avoiding her, he'd just been shacked up with little miss perfect. That thought sliced like a dull knife. Bile rose in Stephanie's throat and she thought she was going to be sick.
"Are you OK?" Ranger asked and wrapped his hand around the column of her throat, gently brushing his thumb over the hollow at the base. Concern evident in those unsettling deep, intense eyes.
She knew he could feel her pulse hammering wildly. She wanted to step back, move away from him, but she was trapped in his force field, held immobile by his touch. How could one man shatter her with just a look, the brush of his fingertips?
"Shouldn't you be getting back to your date?" Stephanie hated she sounded as jealous as she was.
Ranger's eyebrow hitched up a fraction.
"Aren't you here with Morelli?" It wasn't really a question, something that felt like anger vibrated just under the surface of his words.
They were at a stalemate, eyeing each other like a couple of circling dogs. Stephanie's phone dinked, and she looked at the display.
"My ride is here."
Ranger didn't move. His hand still encircled her throat, making those lazy soft circles that Stephanie really wished he was making somewhere else.
"Your ride? You don't have a coat."
Stephanie didn't have the heart to tell him he sounded a bit like rain man, and it was a little endearing. If she didn't get away from him in the next sixty seconds, she was going to go up like a five-alarm fire. He was so close his body heat seeped into her. Her anger started to dissipate and morph into something else. Something that made fire streak through her veins. Something that made her weak. The thought reignited her anger. Anger was good, anger she could manage.
"Let me go." Stephanie hissed and tried to take a step back, but came flush with the wall instead.
"What if I don't want to? What if I can't?"
Stephanie gave a derisive snort. "I'm sure little miss perfect can help you out with that."
She watched his eyes narrow. "Why are you not leaving with Morelli?"
Ranger evasive, as always. He just waited, offering no explanation of his own.
Stephanie blew out a frustrated breath. "Because we're done, OK. Now can you please let me go. I don't want to keep you from your date."
"She's not my date."
Stephanie rolled her eyes. Right, Ranger didn't date. Ranger didn't do relationships.
"OK Ranger, your lover or whatever she is."
"She's not my lover."
Relief, swift and strong, swept over her, and her legs felt like jelly.
"I saw you kiss her."
"Only because I couldn't kiss you."
"What?" Stephanie stammered.
Her eyes drifted heavenward, looking for help, and lit on the sprig of mistletoe hanging above them. Now god was just being cruel. Ranger's gaze followed hers and his lip tipped up in a smile.
"That's mistletoe."
"So I see." Stephanie rolled her eyes as heat crept up her neck and stained her cheeks. She looked down; eyes fixed on his broad chest, mesmerized by the sliver of skin peeking out of his collar. Stephanie wondered if the rest of him would be as flawless, knowing the answer would be yes. She tilted her head until she was looking at him.
"Babe, I can't keep kissing strangers and pretending they are you."
Her mouth suddenly dry, she swallowed with an audible click. Then why wasn't Ranger kissing her? She wanted to scream the question.
"Please." That one word caused the air to shift around them. Stephanie wasn't sure if it was please let her go, or please don't.
Ranger cupped her face and with just that one touch, it was over. His fingers tangled in her hair, electrifying her and everything, but his touch faded away into nothingness. He tilted her head back, anchoring her in place. His beautiful eyes blazed with fire and something else. Anticipation, longing, and intoxicating desire washed over her like a rising tide. The switch had flipped and she no longer thought kissing him was a bad idea. In fact, it was the only thing that dominated her thoughts. There was no going back.
When his lips brushed against hers, a low, feral growl erupted from her throat and her arms snaked around his neck. With one taste, Stephanie was addicted. She had become utterly and irretrievably his. She didn't want restrained; she didn't want polite; she wanted all consuming passion that only Ranger could give her. The hell with caution. She'd had enough weak, tepid kisses to last a lifetime. Everything about him was fire and magic, and Stephanie wanted all of him. No regrets, nothing held in reserve.
Ranger didn't disappoint. His lips teased along hers. They were as soft and lush as she thought they would be. Her back arched and her lips parted in silent invitation. With the first bold caress of his tongue, he caused her body to tremble and yearn. Desire poured through her like molten lava settling between her thighs. He tasted faintly of good whiskey, his inviting scent rising to mock her illusion of restraint.
Stephanie wasn't sure if she yanked him towards her or he had pressed into her, but they were molded together in an intimate embrace. She could feel him hot and hard cushioned against her belly. A sound of pure need tumbled from her lips, and she might have been embarrassed, but she was already too far gone to worry about proper.
His mouth plundered and explored as he pressed his body against hers. His hand slid down and palmed the back of her thigh, pulling her against him. Her dress rode precariously high as he pressed into her core, his arousal unmistakable. His fingers traced the contour of her hip as his body mapped hers, molding together and memorizing the feel. There was a familiarity that startled Stephanie. It was like her body had always known him and was welcoming him home. Heat swirled through her, settling low in her belly, causing an ache only he could stop. She shamelessly ground against him, oblivious to the world around them.
Ranger pulled back and the noise she made was nothing short of protest. She could feel him smiling as he nuzzled and nipped along her jaw, pressing feathery kisses that felt like little embers burning her skin. He was breathing hard, and it gave her a great deal of satisfaction to realize he was just as affected as she was.
"Wow." Her voice was hoarse and barely above a whisper.
"I was afraid it would be like this." He purred against the shell of her ear.
Like this had been nothing short of a nuclear explosion and she was afraid her damp quivering thighs wouldn't hold her. She was grateful his hard body was still pressed against her, holding her up. Heat flushed across her cheeks. If Ranger hadn't stopped, she'd have done him right against the wall. A part of her was embarrassed and a part of her was disappointed.
Ranger stepped back and Stephanie placed her palms flat against the wall to steady herself.
"Want to get out of here. Finish this?" Ranger studied her intently.
"What exactly is this?" She asked. Surprised, her voice was strong and unwavering.
A beat went by and Stephanie's nerves pulled taut. Ranger cocked his head, weighing his answer. Finally, he blew out a ragged breath.
"It's whatever we want it to be."
"We or just you?"
"We." Ranger confirmed.
Stephanie's eyebrows climbed about three inches on her head. "Even if that something is a relationship?"
"Yes, but there are conditions. Non-negotiable ones."
"What conditions?" She asked suspiciously, afraid it had all been too good to be true.
"You train in self-defense, you accept help on dangerous skips, and you let me give you a car."
"That's it. That's your hard bargain." Stephanie bit her lip to keep from smiling.
"That's it." Ranger confirmed.
"What if I have conditions?"
Ranger just shrugged.
"Don't you want me to name them?"
"No, because the answer is yes."
"Just like that?"
"Yes. I'm all in, babe. Now the question is, are you?"
He crossed his arms and waited.
"OK."
"OK, what?" He growled.
"I'm in. All in." She waited for the wash of panic, but all she felt was happy. And hopefully soon to be satisfied. The throbbing at her core had not abated.
"You ready to get out of here?"
"What about miss perfect?"
"She's not who I want. Miss perfect is standing right in front of me." Ranger's fingers traced her temple and his fingers skimmed across her lower lip.
Stephanie looked down and toed the scarred wooden floor. Maybe she had misheard him, but she was pretty sure Ranger had just said she was perfect. A small smile played on her lips, and her heart thrummed a wild beat.
"What about Morelli?"
"Morelli isn't who I want." And Stephanie knew truer words had never been spoken.
Ranger shrugged out of his jacket and pulled it around her. The fabric was soft and warm with his body heat, and smelled like him. It felt like heaven.
Ranger held out his hand, and she took it. He tugged her towards the back entrance.
"We'll text them from the car."
.
.
A/N: Thanks for reading! Thank you for reviewing, I read and appreciate every single one.