Thanks for the support on this kooky one. As a thanks here's an update and a little more background I accidentally stumbled on and thought it would be cool to share since I'm not Italian (I found it pretty interesting).

Three types of Italian Folk Magic:

1. Stregoneria

{sorcery/witchcraft: use of power gained from evil spirits} negative connotation/malevolent; used to inflict harm or illness. (Got watered down with Christianity)

2. Stregheria

{More pagan; root of witchcraft} pagan oriented religious belief system with a magical structure for rituals and spells. *Stregoneria distorted the more pure traditional witchcraft (Stregheria) when it mixed with Christianity*

3. Benedicaria

{more spiritual; known as "way of blessing"} almost exclusively focuses on healing, cleansing, spirituality and religious devotion.

Practicing some (or all of these) in Italy in the early to mid 1900s was socially unacceptable. I find it's super hypocrytical of the Burg people, like Grandma Bella, to openly wish harm to Stephanie (or anyone in the Burg). I think Stegoneria (the malevolent type) would fit Grandma Bella's curses (vordo, the evil eye etc). Do you?

Fun fact #1: June has a Friday the 17th. Hopefully I can get a few more updates in before then.

Fun fact #2: There's a theory that if we bumped into our clone we might not recognize them because we've only ever seen ourselves in reflections (mirrors) or pictures and that's why most people don't think they look good in photos that aren't 'selfie' types.

Let me know your thoughts on this one. This short story has a total of four chapters.

Disclaimer: The Plum universe belongs to JE. The typos are mine.

"No, no, no, no!" I shook my head in rejection, expertly willing denial to swoop in and envelope me.

"Babe." Ranger, errr, Me? Uhm, Ranger inside of me? Mmm… It's so confusing! And it sounds so wrong.

"This is a nightmare." I said as I crawled off the bed to put some distance between us. It was so trippy to see myself standing literally in front of me.

"Not likely." Ranger said, crossing his arms under his chest… well my chest, which made my breasts push up with the movement.

"Then I'm dead." I ran a hand through my hair, only instead of fingers tangling with my curls they slid right through soft, short hair. I frowned until I remembered that I was inside of someone else's body! "Yeah, I have to be dead." I nodded as I began to pace back and forth.

"Babe." It sounded weird coming out of my mouth, making the nickname I'm so used to hit different when it wasn't coming out of Ranger's deep, manly voice. "Breathe." Ranger instructed. Or maybe it was myself? I instructed? This is so fucking confusing. Ugh!

"It's gotta be a nightmare." I declared as I stomped off, effectively putting distance between us as I headed for the bathroom.

Unfortunately, I didn't have time to be alone and work on processing this weirdness because Ranger followed after me. The tingling in the back of my neck was there, like it always was, but there was a different kind of tingling lower below. I refused to look down and check it out because I was pretty sure I knew what I'd find.

"Babe, breathe." Ranger instructed, holding my gaze through the mirror. It was weird to not be greeted back by my own reflection, so I flicked my eyes over to the other person here. I worked on normalizing my breathing in hopes of being able to better process this. Whatever this is.

"How'd you find me?" I asked, wondering if we'd spent the night. The last I remembered I was in my living room drinking pretty yummy wine. Did I call him? Could be. Hmmm…

"I awoke in your apartment, which was odd all on its own." Ranger shared as I turned to face him. I noted he threw on some sweats and a hooded sweatshirt, which I was grateful for because I'd been in nothing but my undies and a T-shirt last night. "Imagine my surprise when I saw myself in the mirror." The Ranger half smile he's patented looked different in my smaller, softer lips. Still sexy, but different. "Although a naked you first thing in the morning isn't necessarily bad, I was still taken aback."

Ranger humor, oh boy.

"How is this possible?" I groaned, rubbing at my eyes furiously. Was I under the influence still? God, that would explain a lot of things.

"I was hoping you'd enlighten me." Was my companion's reply.

I rolled my eyes and caught a minute glimpse of it on the mirror. It was kinda funny to see Ranger's reflection rolling its eyes.

"I need clarity for this." I grumbled, marching my borrowed body into the shower.

Ranger's shower is a dream. Not only does it have never ending stock of his sinful Bulgari Green shower gel, but the water temp and pressure is always whatever you set it to be unlike my apartment's roulette of perfect to miserable.

Except being inside of Ranger's shower with control over his body was really weird. Yes, I know Ranger's bulky body just as well as I know my own, but it's still a little weird to look down and find his muscular perfection instead of my pasty body.

I needn't worry about being without my body long, because I wasn't alone for more than a handful of seconds.

"What are you doing?" I shrieked, putting some distance between us. Even inside of Ranger's body I don't trust myself to think clearly if he's in close proximity.

"Following your lead." Was the only explanation I got.

I lathered while shooting side glances at Ranger. He seemed to be really enjoying swapping bodies, spending a lot of time lathering my breasts.

"Those are sufficiently clean." I grumbled just before I ducked under the cold water stream. Yes, I adjusted the water to cold because there was no way I was having a reaction. Nope!

"I don't think so, Babe." I heard as I exited the shower.

I was busy drying roughly, barely managing to wrap the towel around my lower half just as Ranger exited the shower. He dried methodically, enjoying it a little too much in my opinion, before tossing the towel aside. Guess Ranger doesn't care whether he's in a female or male body. He's comfortable in his skin, even if it's currently not his own.

I followed after him as he moved towards the walk in closet. Luckily, I have clothes here. Well, luckily for him. Ranger frowned at the colorful options on my side of the closet. Wait? My side?

"Yes, your side." Ranger replied over his shoulder as he selected the tiny black thong that Ella embroider Ranger's name on. Pairing it with a cotton black bra, I watched Ranger look through the rest of his options. "Do you have anywhere to be?"

"Uhm, I captured all of my skips yesterday." I traded the capture slips for checks from Connie and got them deposited before I went home last night. "I just have to see if there's any new files for me."

"Good." Ranger nodded, causing my curls to whip across my shoulders. Ranger frowned, obviously not used to it. I smiled, knowing he was going to put my rebellious hair in a pony tail to keep it out of his face. Good luck with that. My hair doest whatever it wants.

Ranger selected one of my Rangeman T-shirts and a pair of cargo pants. I had some CAT boots and sneakers here, so he went with the boots.

"What about you?" I found myself asking. Let's be real. Doesn't seem like we're swapping bodies any moment now.

"I have a client meeting in thirty minutes." He suggested I go with formal, so I did.

Once I was wearing one of his fitted suits, with tie and everything, I followed him out to the kitchen. Guess he'd told Ella to deliver breakfast for two. He ate his healthy breakfast and I opted for the standard Stephanie breakfast. It was funny in some sort of twisted cosmic joke type of way.

Ranger asked if I had any idea of how this could have happened, so I recounted my day. Granda Bella and the old lady that sold me that good wine at the Shop n Bag were points of interest.

"After the client meetings, meet me at the Bonds office." Ranger said the meetings should be over by one. "We can spend the afternoon getting to the bottom of this." His smile widened. "As much as I like being inside of you, Babe, this isn't my idea of accomplishing that."

I felt the heat sear my face at the innuendo.

The buzzing of a phone burst the sexy bubble, snapping that sexual tension that always seems to hover between us.

"Yo." I greeted at Ranger's phone after I answered Tank's call on speaker.

"Client's here. Conference room one." And he hung up. I frowned at the device, much to Ranger's amusement.

"I don't even know what I'm supposed to do." I confessed as doubt began to swirl around my jumbled thoughts. I didn't want to cost Rangeman a client.

"Tank's running the show. Follow his lead." Ranger said I knew enough about Rangeman to handle my own.

"If you say so…" I mumbled as I dragged my feet towards the front door.

"Babe?" His call had me turning as I was in the process of opening the front door of his penthouse.

"Yeah?" I turned just in time to Ranger planting what was a very memorable kiss on my lips.

"We'll figure this out like we always do." He promised, making me stare into really dark blue eyes. My eyes.

"Yeah? How?" I couldn't help asking.

"Together." With that promise I walked out of the penthouse and headed for the elevator. I closed my eyes in the short ride to the fifth floor, praying that this mess was sorted out soon.

S&R

I know I'd wished I was a man just last night, but after the torturous meetings I was just subjected to…. I take it back. I'll be Stephanie Plum any day of the week instead of being a Rangeman.

The first client was pretentious with a capital P, with his wife sliding her bare feet against my legs every chance she got. It got to the point that I resorted to standing, choosing to take over the meeting to present the different coverage plans just to keep her from touching me.

The second client meeting was just as bad. The client flashed her medically enhanced breasts at us every chance she got. I wasn't aware how much harassment the men are subjected to on a daily basis. God, these women see them as some type of meat. It was disgusting.

"Suck it up, Rangeman." Tank said after the meetings from hell. "Lester endured three of these last week." And the jerk had the audacity to smile at me.

"Lester can take the lead on future meetings." I'd said on a shudder as I stormed out of Rangeman.

I drove straight to the bonds office, wanting nothing more than meeting up with Ranger so we could go on this quest to get our bodies, and lives, back!

The Turbo slid to a stop in front of the bonds office. I could see myself through the plate glass window as I turned off the ignition and angled out of the Porsche.

My steps took me to the sidewalk, just feet away from the entrance, when I felt a sudden rush of movement behind me. Sadly, I didn't have enough of an alert to act. Bracing for impact was difficult when you didn't have a heads up of where the attack was coming from.

Slim feminine arms slipped around my waist from behind. The mystery woman pressed herself against me, suggestively rubbing her breasts against my upper back. Heavily manicured hands snaked up my abdomen, zeroing in on my chest. Her nails raked against my pectorals, squeezing roughly.

"When are we going to fuck again?" She moaned, nuzzling her nose against my ear. "Mmmm?" When her tongue darted out, lapping against the shell of my ear, a wave of chilling goosebumps erupted throughout my borrowed body. Literal chills washed over me.

My heart was hammering in my chest, beating wildly. Fuck again? I felt my heartrate reach near stroke levels as the hands roamed over my chest as the woman pressed herself more firmly against my back. Her nipples hardened to stiff points as she wiggled against me.

Various emotions assaulted me all at once. Shock, hurt, sadness, anger, jealousy… Everything swirled, throwing me into an endless tailspin.

Don't be naive, Stephanie. I berated myself. Of course Ranger would have women at his disposal. I've got firsthand knowledge of how insatiable he can be. A man with that much sexual drive isn't going to be celibate because you're too scared to be with him!

Choking back tears, I swallowed my emotions. I had to keep my composure. I just had to. I could derail in private. Even though I knew I had no right to be, I still felt hurt. Mr. I'm Not Relationship Material was right: he did ruin me for any other man.

What Ranger didn't say was that he'd not only ruin me, but would destroy me too.

As I felt a hand dip lower, aiming for my crotch, reflexes I didn't know I possessed took over. Gripping the stranger's hand forcefully, I focused on shrugging the rest of her off of me.

However, I was unprepared for the sight I was greeted with when I spun around to confront her.

"Hi, Papi." My arch nemesis purred when we were face to face.

Shock overrode all the other conflicting emotions, leaving me speechless as I stood before none other than Joyce Barnhardt.