Chapter Thirteen

Lula was nearly hyperventilating when I finished the call. I knew that Ranger was wondering what just happened. I hung up the phone before he could respond to my declaration of love. I wanted to keep him guessing, plus I knew I'd have to pay for hanging up on him. His form of revenge was always very pleasurable.

Lula and I paid for our purchases and left the store before she spoke.

"Damn, you hung up on him, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I wanted the last word. Have to leave him wondering, you know."

"Any chance that stuff will work on the other hunks he works with?"

I thought about the Rangeman employees. Who knows what works with them. They were all so different. I knew that Lula would love to be able to date one of them, bragging rights and all, but I wasn't sure that they could be convinced to date anyone I hung out with.

"The only way you'd find out is to give it a try," I offered.

Macy's had a sale as well. I thought about dinner tonight and the fact that I hung up on Ranger. Better make nice and find something appropriate to wear. This night was about a different sort of distraction. Lula and I were just about to enter the store when I noticed Joe Morelli headed straight for us. I wasn't anywhere near ready to confront him.

"Stephanie, wait up," he shouted from ten feet away.

I thought about making a run for it, but the look on Lula's face told me that she was too curious to cooperate with any getaway plans.

"Joe, now's not the time for us to talk," I began.

"Look, I know you're upset, but I need to talk to you anyway." He looked like he hadn't slept at all last night.

I knew I wouldn't be able to get rid of him without making some concession to talking to him later. "Look, Joe, I have a date tonight. I want to buy a new dress. Lula wants to shop. I really don't have time for any long conversations, so let's summarize: You spent a weekend screwing Lester's sister, only you didn't know who she was at the time. You're now going to be a father in four months, which is good for you because you've always wanted kids. You stepped out on me, but that's no big deal because you probably never really wanted to marry me anyway. Gee, did I miss anything?"

Lula's jaw dropped. Joe's eyes cut to her and back to me. "I know you're mad so maybe now isn't the time to talk about this, but I would appreciate it if you would make time for me to come by tomorrow. Stephanie, I never meant to hurt you."

"Gee, I don't know Joe, it may not be healthy to come by my place. Remember the man I live with, well he's got a long memory too and he's already offered to beat you up for me. Who knows the type of offer he made Anna."

I honestly think Joe paled at the thought. "I just want to talk, to both you." He turned around and left without saying another word.

Lula found her voice. "You have some explaining to do."

As we walked to the dress department and started looking around, I explained the previous night's events to Lula.

"So this Anna is the sister you told me about, the one that Ranger's protective of?"

"Yeah, and he's not too happy with Joe right now. Not only did Morelli sleep with someone else while we were in an on-again stage, but it turns out she's a relative of a Rangeman employee. Small world, huh?" I smiled and held up what I thought would be the perfect dress for tonight.

"Oh, girl, that dress is the shit," Lula sighed.

We headed to the dressing room. As luck would have it, the dress fit perfectly. I even already had the shoes to go with it. That wouldn't stop me from finding others, but who cared. I had my own money and no longer paid rent. Of course then I thought about Ranger.

"Ric going to love this," I told Lula, looking in the mirror.

"You may not make it to dinner," Lula laughed.

She was probably right.

We finished our shopping and Lula dropped me at the Rangeman office building. I waived at the camera, used my access card to get in the building and then took the elevator to the top. I was so accustomed to ride to the seventh floor that I didn't even think about it anymore. I let myself into the apartment and headed back to bedroom with packages. I now had a dresser and my own side of the closet in this apartment. It wasn't the Batcave, as I always referred to Ranger's home, but he and I decided that it made sense to live here. Ranger had sold some property, including a home that he used to share with his daughter. While he didn't say why, I thought that maybe he was looking for a place we could all share.

I put the bags on the bed and started to change out of my clothes. I wrapped up in a robe and then noticed that there was a note on the nightstand.

It read: Babe, I came home to leave you this note. Remember payback for hanging up on me? I love you, Ric.

I felt warm all over and had to smile. I hugged the note to my chest. I didnt' hear him approach until he was right behind me.

"You need to me more..."

I didn't let him finish. I threw myself at him and kissed him like there was no tomorrow. I felt so much I couldn't decide what to say or what to do. Fortunately, he took over from there.

The bags were thrown aside as was my robe. Ric was hastily pulling his clothes off. I felt chilled and reached for him. He broke all records in undressing and was on the bed beside me before I could call out his name.

"You hung up on me," he kissed my neck. "You have to pay for that."

I kissed his neck in response. "I knew exactly what I was doing." I also knew what to do now. I began to run my hands all over his body. I felt the muscles of his chest, his back. I moved my hands lower still. He groaned. I moved my body down his, touching him slowly, sensuously. I kissed him, nibbling here and there until my mouth found his hardness. He whispered something in Spanish. It was the last thing he said for a while.

I looked at the clock. Ric had made reservations and now we were in danger of being late.

"Hey," I tugged at the arm holding me. "Did you want to see me in the new dress, or not?"

I snuggled closer, not sure I cared about the dress any longer.

"Of course, I do," he whispered in my ear. "Just not right now."

"We'll be late if we don't hit the shower and really take the shower." We had a habit of carrying our bedroom activities into the shower.

Ric moved to let me up. "I heard Morelli saw you at the mall."

I didn't want to know how he heard and I certainly didn't want to discuss it right now. I turned on the water, not responding to the implied question.

"Stephanie, I want to know what he said," his voice was stern.

I turned around and was greeted by the sight of a naked Ranger, standing in the bathroom doorway. There's a sight I could never get tired of seeing.

"We have a nice evening planned, Ric. Let's not ruin it by bringing up Morelli." I stepped in the shower. He followed.

"Maybe you're right, but don't think this is the end of it," he whispered against my neck as he reached for the shower gel. "We'll talk later, much later." He started to lather my back and slowly moved lower and lower.