Chapter Eight

I noticed the look on Ranger's face before he managed to effectively hide his feelings.

"Ric, did you hear about Terry Gilman?" I asked leaving Morelli and moving closer to Ranger.

I felt his hand go to the back of my neck, but noticed that his eyes never left Morelli. "Yeah, I heard. What are you doing, Morelli?"

Joe's cop face was in place. "Since I was the one to ask for your help, I figured I should be the one to tell you the search is over." Joe looked over at me. I couldn't tell what he was feeling or thinking at this moment. For some reason, I reached for Ranger, bringing my arm around his waist. I felt his hand move down my back and settle around my hip.

"What do you think happened?" Ranger asked him, an edge in his voice.

Morelli picked up on the implication of the tone of voice. "Shit, Ranger, I don't know. The way I see it now, I'm probably a target as well. If you think that I had anything to do with Terry's murder, you're just flat out wrong. She was helping me with a case, pure and simple. I needed her testimony once the sting operation was over."

I felt that Joe was telling the truth, but could tell by Ranger's body language that he was buying the story. I made a mental note to talk to him about it later.

Joe moved toward the door, but Ranger had effectively blocked the exit. "I'm leaving Manoso, unless you have other ideas," Joe's tone was now equally as menacing as Ranger's had been.

"No problem, Morelli. I'll see you out. Babe, wait here."

I started to argue but thought better of it. "See you later, Joe," I offered but I made no move toward the door.

"Later, Cupcake."

When Ranger returned, it was obviously that he and Joe had exchanged words, but there was no evidence of fighting.

"What happened?" I asked him. His eyes were shadowed as if he was trying to hide his feelings.

"Morelli and I talked. I laid down some ground rules regarding his visits to this office."

"What's that supposed to mean? Nothing happened between Joe & me and you know it." I tried now to raise my voice, but I didn't like where the conversation was going.

"Let's just say I didn't appreciate seeing you two hugging in my conference room."

Oh no, he didn't say that did he? "Jesus, Ranger, he just found out that Terry was killed.A hug between friends is not out-of-line in that circumstance. I had hoped you trusted me more than that."

Now I was angry. I moved to the leave but Ranger's rock hard body blocked the exit.

"I'm sorry, Babe. I do trust you, but I don't trust Morelli."

"Yeah, well just because you had a habit of trespassing on his territory, doesn't mean that he will do the same. Let's face it, Ranger, you're jealous and you have no right to be." Funny, but I thought I would enjoy making Ranger jealous, but the reality of it wasn't satisfying at all, it was irritating.

"I'm going upstairs. It's after work now, isn't it?" I didn't wear a watch.

Ranger nodded and didn't say anything else as I left the conference room and took the elevator to his apartment. I realized that right now I wanted to put some distance between us as this was probably our first argument. I wasn't really sure how to handle an argument with Ranger. With Joe, it was easy: I ran back to my apartment. I didn't have the apartment any longer and even if I did, I don't think that I would want to run away from Ranger. I sat on the couch thinking of how to handle disagreement maturely, something that I hadn't had a lot of practice with. That's where I was when Ranger came home.

I silently watched as he sorted through the day's mail. He went into the bedroom, removing his gun and other armaments as he went along. He wasn't gone long. He returned to the living room, clothes changed, and took a seat across from me.

"Babe," he began. "I suppose you want to talk about what just happened?"

I looked at him, focusing on the eyes. God, he has gorgeous eyes. "I don't know that there's really anything to talk about," I replied.

"Are you mad at me?" His voice was a bit tense.

"Not really," and I honestly wasn't mad. Maybe I was a little disappointed.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you. I know I shouldn't be jealous, but I've waited a long time for us to work out and it hurt to see you even talking to Morelli that close, let alone hugging him."

"Ric, I know it's going to take some time, but I need to know that you feel you can trust me. I need to know you believe that I want a relationship with you, not Joe. I don't want to live together if you are going to wonder whether or not I'm sleeping with someone else."

"Steph, I never accused you of sleeping with someone else. I don't know why I overreacted with Morelli, I just did. Can you forgive me? Will you forgive me?"

I saw the emotions play across his face and had to smile. Batman was insecure.

"You know, Ric, I think you might be able to make it up to me, but not right now. I have to take Grandma Mazur to a viewing."

Ranger smiled. "Please don't tell me that the way to make it up to you is to go with your grandmother. Babe, that's cruel and unusual punishment."

"Nah," I answered. "I have more entertaining ways of making you pay, big guy. Right now I have to go get ready, but later I can fill you in on all the details."

"Sounds good, Babe. Do you have time for dinner?" Ranger had a few domestic talents, but mostly relied on Ella's cooking to ensure we ate well.

"I'll have eat when I get back. I think this will be a short visit. I heard it was a closed casket and you know how Grandma hates those." I moved to sit on his lap and started to kiss him tenderly.

That tender kiss blossomed into a full blown erotic fantasy and I was nearly late in picking up Grandma.

"Stephanie, you're late!" Grandma shouted from the front door.

I knew I would hear about wearing jeans to the funeral home, but I had barely time to get dressed once Ranger and I had finished "making up". It wasn't much of an argument as mine usually went, but the make up sex was extraordinary.

"Yeah, I know," I replied as I approached the door. "Come on and let's go, I don't have time to stop in and chat." I knew I was tempting the fates with this comment. If my mother heard me, I would never hear the end of it.

"Don't worry," Grandma Mazur offered. "You're mother is on the phone. Valerie is still having relationship trouble. If you ask me, she needs to find the kind of package you have in that Ranger fellow. That dough boy look Albert has just doesn't do anything for your libido, you know?"

"Grandma, Valerie loves Albert. She just has to accept that her new life isn't exactly like her old one. Give her some time." Okay, so I talked a good game, but I didn't see Albert as Valerie's type either. Luckily, it wasn't may decision. Who was I to give relationship advice anyway?

I parked the truck, which I borrowed from Rangeman Enterprises outside the funeral home. There was already a crowd and Grandma was complaining about not getting a good seat. I personally didn't understand the importance of sitting so close to the coffin. It seemed kind of morbid to me, but to the elderly it was a status symbol.

"Grandma, you go find a seat. I'm going to wait out here. It's kind of crowded inside."

"Fine by me, it's going to be a pip of a service, though. Hate to see you miss out." Grandma said as she pushed her way through the crowd.

I wondered around the reception area and eventually found a place to sit and wait out Grandma. I was really anxious to get back to the apartment and enjoy a little moremakeup time with Ranger. I probably had a silly grin on my face, thinking of what I hoped would be the evening's entertainment, when Joe Morelli tapped me on the shoulder.

"Hey, Joe, what are you doing here?" I was surprised to see him.

"I was checking on the arrangements for Terry. Vito asked for my help," he explained. "You here with Grandma Mazur?"

"Yeah, it was my turn to escort her."

"I hope Ranger wasn't too pissed at that scene this afternoon," Joe offered. I doubted he really cared about Ranger's reaction.

"Nah, no problem. What did he say to you when he showed you out?" Joe may not tell me the truth, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask.

"Basically, he just wanted me to know that I could still look but I had damn well better not touch. I never knew the guy was that possessive."

I smiled at Joe. I didn't know Ranger was that possessive either. "Yeah, well, he's a man of many mysteries. He knows that I still want to be your friend. We just have to all learn how to deal with that, you know."

Joe returned the smile. "Yeah, I know." He left without another word.

I dropped Grandma at the house, explaining that I was late for another appointment. That wasn't a total lie, as I couldn't wait to meet up with Ranger. I felt like I couldn't even breathe by the time I reached the Rangeman parking garage. I pressed the button for the seventh floor and paced the elevator until the car reached the destination. I used my key to unlock the apartment and called out for Ranger.

"Ric, I'm back," I called out before I was stopped dead in my tracks. Seated next to Ranger on the couch was a beautiful auburn haired woman. Ranger had his arm around her shoulders. I saw him glance back at me.

"Yo, Babe. We have company."