All recognizable characters belong to JE, I'm just having fun.
Love Wrangler
RPOV
"Alright men, listen up! We've had a request for help from DEA. They've been tracking a new drug, street name Daydream, that is very similar to ecstasy, but delivered in paper tab form like LSD. It induces euphoria, alters perception, and increases energy, as well as response to tactile stimuli. It was originally showing up only on the club scene, but now it's hit suburbia. There have been a rash of overdoses in Philadelphia but no one's talking, and no one knows how it's being distributed. We don't have a lot of intel, just a rumor that a dealer is working out of a new restaurant down in the entertainment district. We need to get eyes on the restaurant and pinpoint the dealer. I need 8 men to go undercover and another 8 for support and surveillance. Volunteers?"
The conference room is silent, as expected. No one ever wants to be the first to volunteer.
"No one?" I gave them each a pointed glare.
Santos smirks and folds his arms over his chest. "Sounds like a good way for the FNGs to get their ears wet."
Not a bad idea, not that I'd ever tell him that. James "Jax" Jackson and Henry "Pringles" Dobson, the fucking new guys as Lester tagged them, are solid operators, but new to Rangeman. At this point I trust them to run patrols, work perimeter duty at large events, and do the required monitor shifts. They haven't earned their stripes yet and will have to work their way up to personal protection, bond apprehension and Babe duty. Especially Babe duty.
"Fine. Jax and Pringles are on the inside undercover. I need six more. Anyone?"
My cousin is still smirking, thinking he's home free. No such luck, primo.
"Binkie, Ram, Woody, Junior, Ramon and Lester, you're inside to keep an eye on the FNGs and to find the dealer. Hal, Hector, Chet, and Ghost are on surveillance. Bobby, Zero, Cal and Bones are in the background for support. Thanks for volunteering. Any questions?"
Binkie raises his hand but waits for me to nod before asking. "Uh yeah. What's the plan? We're going to stick out like a sore thumb if we go in as a big group. It's not like we can play it off as a Fantasy Football League meet up."
Every eye in the place is focused on Binkie now. Lester snickers, but Binkie's got no shame in his game and levels Les with a bold stare. "What?"
"Fantasy Football? Dude, were you not cool enough for the Dungeons and Dragons crowd?"
"Fuck you, Santos. I won $10K last season."
Now Binkie really has everyone's attention. Tank lets out an ear-piercing whistle from the back of the room to break up the chatter.
"The restaurant has a lot of turnover. You'll all be going in as waiters."
"Seriously? We don't have to wear stupid themed outfits, like referee uniforms, right?"
"Relax, Santos. You won't be dressed like a referee."
There was visible relief at that before Santos asks, "So what kind of restaurant is it?"
With that, I let what Babe calls my "blank face" go and the smile I've been fighting since Santos started volunteering people pops up. Santos' eyes go wide, and I hear Junior mutter "oh, shit!" under his breath. At my nod, Tank presses a few keys on his laptop and turns on the wall monitor. The restaurant's website is now displayed in high definition on a 50-inch screen.
Wranglers.
The conference room is as silent as I've ever heard it as the men take in the information. Hooters for women. Bare chested servers. ATM near the front dispenses $1 bills.
Binkie swallows hard. "So, we're going to be wearing…"
"Wrangler jeans, cowboys boots and a hat." Thank God I'm the boss and my clothes get to stay on.
No one says anything for a full two minutes, and none of the men make eye contact with each other. Hector slowly starts nodding his head and breaks out into the biggest smile I've ever seen from him. "Ese es mi tipo de lugar…" (That's my kind of place…)
The Spanish speakers in the room laugh and Santos' smirk is back. "$100 says I rake in the most tips…and the most phone numbers."
###
The op is set for tomorrow night and I'll be running point from the restaurant as a patron and potential investor. Unfortunately, I'll be paired with Rebecca King, an upstart agent who's made no secret that she'd be more than happy to "liaise" with me. She didn't get the hint after the first polite brush-off and doesn't appear to be put off by my unequivocal statement of "I don't get involved with colleagues." Shit, I hope we get something on the dealer before I need to be even more direct.
I pull up behind Babe's piece of shit Honda Accord in front of Vinnie's and sigh. She broke things off with the cop nearly three months ago but won't talk about why. He's been seen with several women around the neighborhood, and if the rumors are true, he's spending his nights trolling bars and nailing anything with a pulse that seems receptive to his "Italian Stallion" swagger. Three months is about the time they get back together and I'm growing weary of the waiting game. Every time I think Babe has broken free of the pull he has over her, she ends up right back in his bed. I hate it and it's my own fault. For years I fed her lines like my life doesn't lend itself to relationships, my love doesn't come with a ring, but a condom might come in handy, and then my finest one, there's all kinds of love. At the time I said it, it was true, but not the whole story. She hasn't asked for clarification since I told her there was "no price" for what we give each other after our first night together. She takes my comments on loving her in stride but never seems to give them weight. She seems to easily accept that I love her, but what does that means to her? Now that I'm in a position to offer her more, she's never stayed single for more than a couple months and they never stop circling each other. Despite my warning that I'd be back in her bed if the cop was gone too long, I've kept things light between us. I'm not willing to settle for being a rebound or a placeholder until they get back together.
Pushing the office door open, I hide my smile as Lula and Connie suck in a breath and fan themselves. Babe is focusing on a file and ignoring all of us.
"Ladies, Babe. Connie, you got any files for Rangeman?"
"Just two."
I flip through them, watching Steph out of the corner of my eye. She's staring at the floor now, not even bothering to pretend to be busy, just ignoring all of us. Concerned, I put my hand on Steph's neck. "Can I talk to you outside, Babe?"
The hesitation is new, but she turns and walks out and allows me to steer her to the alley. Once there I invade her personal space and push her back against the bricks. Winding a hand in her curls and pulling her closer with the other hand on her ass, I give her plenty of time to tell me to back off. She doesn't. I keep the kiss light until she moans. My tongue sweeps in and suddenly she's giving as good as she gets, and it's my turn to moan a little. Her hand is sweeping up and down my back, sliding under my shirt and singeing my skin. I use the hand that's on her ass to lift her up and she complies by pulling her legs up and locking them around my waist. Encouraged, I slide my hand under her t-shirt and up her side until I'm cradling her breast, my thumb toying with her nipple. Her head falls back against the bricks with a breathless moan, breaking the kiss. I nibble and suckle my way over to her ear and then down one side of her neck. I'm hard as a rock and her breathing is labored as I kiss my way back to the other side. Rocking against her pelvis drags a moan out of both of us and we've just moved in for another kiss when my phone starts vibrating in my pocket, shattering the mood.
With a groan, she drops her legs and I let go, stepping back. I watch as a blush spreads across her cheeks. Ignoring the phone when it vibrates a second time, I run a hand along her cheek and ask, "Everything ok, Babe?"
"Yeah, just a lot on my mind."
I need to get going or I'm going to be late for a meeting with a potential new client, but I'm reluctant to leave. Something's different about Steph and I can't quite put my finger on it.
"I have to go, Babe. You sure nothing's wrong?"
She nods her head and I step back, ignoring my phone for a third time as I turn to leave the alley.
"Hey, Ranger?"
"Yeah, Babe?"
"I was wondering if you wanted to grab dinner with me tomorrow night."
My heart jumps for a minute, wondering if she's finally making a choice. My internal yes, finally! moment comes to a screeching halt when I remember we're camping out at Wranglers tomorrow night. Shit.
"Sorry, Babe. I already have plans—"
"It's ok. You're a busy guy. Maybe some other time." She's staring at the ground, embarrassed.
"Babe—"
Stupid fucking phone! While I pull the damn thing out and glance at the display, Steph slips out of the alley. Her absence registers only when I hear her car pulling away from the curb. I'm seconds away from throwing the phone when I realize I didn't get the chance to explain or ask for a different night. I'm not surprised when I get her voicemail and end up leaving a simple, "call me" message. Sighing, I head back to the Turbo as another alert goes off, signaling a break in.
###
Wranglers is loud and obnoxious and Pringles and Jax look like they're debating whether or not they really want to work for me. I've been in this booth for two hours and even I'm wondering if this paycheck will be worth it. So far there have been no signs of anyone dealing anything and I've had to pry King off my arm more than once. Every time I try and move further away from her, she follows, and I can't move any more without losing a visual of the room. My plan was to have her act as my assistant, but I knew as soon as she arrived in a ridiculously short, tight dress and latched herself to me that she was planning more of a "girlfriend" scenario. I'm only interested in one woman for that role, and she's currently ignoring my phone calls.
My men are gamely giving it a go, playing their parts. Ram is currently squished between a mother-daughter duo for a picture, Woody's working his southern boy drawl and raking in tips, giving Les a run for his money –literally - while Junior and Ramon are tag teaming to make an octogenarian's day. Binkie's hair is mussed from a sneak attack by a prim and proper middle-aged woman that could pass for a preacher's wife. I'd lecture him about always being aware of his surroundings, but I'm not sure I would have seen that one coming, either. One minute she was sitting perfectly straight like she had a stick up her ass, and then bam! She's wrapped around Binkie like a python with him in a lip-lock while rubbing on his dick. A couple of the other waiters pulled her off him and escorted her and her party out of the dining area while other customers hooted and hollered like we were in a strip club. Binkie had blinked a few times to shake himself out of his what the fuck just happened? stupor and calmly cleared the table, pausing only long enough to mutter "I don't know how the hell Bomber does this" under his breath as he walked past my booth. Since then, his approach to tables has been cautious, but he's still working his role and watching the customers for any sign of our guy. I really don't want to leave here with nothing.
I groan when Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy blares from the overhead speakers again. I swear I'll die a happy man if I never hear that song again. A group of waiters comes from the back, led by freaking Santos, and makes a beeline to a table full of screaming women. He's got a kitchen sink sized ice cream sundae in his hands and a swivel in his hips as he makes his approach. He's in his element as he leads the other waiters in a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday. His enthusiasm is rewarded with the less timid women of the group shoving bills and napkins in his pockets. One particularly brazen brunette slowly stands up, sliding against him the entire time, and whispers in his ear while shoving something into his waistband. Whatever she said must have been good, based on the smile he gives her. I'd say my "knock it off" look must be functioning perfectly well, based on how quickly that smile disappears.
While my focus is elsewhere, King takes the opportunity to cuddle up to me, placing her hand high up on my thigh and plants a kiss on my jaw. When I turn to tell her to dial it back a notch, she leans in closer to whisper, "Relax. No reason we can't have a little fun while we're stuck here." I'm sure it looks intimate when I pull her closer and reach down to grip her hand to keep it from sliding up any further. With my voice as steely as I can make it, I tell her "There are actually several reasons, the biggest one being I'm not interested. Pay attention to the floor because I don't want to have to come back here."
I turn myself back toward the tables to avoid her leaning in again and catch Ramon with a "deer in the headlights" look. Thinking he might have spied something; I surreptitiously look toward the entrance and I feel my stomach fall, landing somewhere on the floor. Babe is standing there with her hand on the back of her neck, looking amazing in tight jeans, a dressy turquoise sleeveless top and sky-high heels. Behind her, Connie and Mary Lou Stankovick are similarly dressed, while Lula stands out in fuchsia spandex. Shit. My night just got much more complicated on so many levels. Steph's eyes are narrowed as she takes in me and King tucked in close. Double shit. I catch a glimpse of hurt and confusion on her face before she turns away and follows the host. He acts like he's going to lead them to our section, but as they approach, Babe points at a table in another part of the restaurant. If I'm lucky she'll see one of the guys and figure out that we're on a job.
I have a clear view of their table, but Steph sits with her back to me and I'm disappointed that I can't catch her eye. Jax is assigned to their table and as soon as he sees Steph he stiffens. Even from across the room I can see him swallow heavily. Good. That means he read her file like he was supposed to and recognized her. He's still new enough that none of the women will recognize him as one of mine. Connie says something to him, and Lula and Mary Lou laugh as Connie shoves something in his pocket. Astronauts in the space station could see the kid blush and I thank God I didn't assign Hal inside or we'd have had to call paramedics in already. Lula's checking out the room, head bopping to what passes for music here and her eyes widen and then narrow as King leans in to whisper "locker room checked out clean" while running a hand up and down my arm. Lula turns toward Steph to say something, but Babe just shakes her head. Jax delivers four large fruity drinks and I make a note to stop by Steph's apartment in the morning with the cure.
A commotion at the host stand garner's everyone's attention. My eye immediately starts to twitch as a group of elderly women, led by Edna Mazur, demands the table "closest to the hottie action, because we ain't getting any younger!" If I didn't know better, I'd say I was being punished for one of my many past misdeeds. The host leads the group straight to a large round table in front of my booth. As they get settled, Edna spies me, and I prepare to have the op blown. She looks at me for a minute before shifting her dentures around and saying, "Huh. That's disappointing. I thought you had better taste than that."
My men are looking warily between Steph and her grandmother on opposite sides of the restaurant, waiting for me to call it. Steph is still ignoring me with her back to the restaurant and Mrs. Mazur is loudly debating what drink to order. Taking the reprieve as the gift that it is, I curtly order King, "Stay here." Lula stares daggers at me as I approach their table. Connie and Mary Lou are loud and having fun, but Steph is busy polishing off her drink. Shit. She's going to be hurting tomorrow unless she gets some food in her.
"Can I talk to you, Babe."
"Nope."
"No?"
"Nope. Sorry, the alley's not available."
With that she dismisses me and starts flipping through the menu. Babe's got her claws out tonight and I need to nip this in the bud. Lula and Connie are wide-eyed, and Mary Lou moves from nervous giggle to a squeak of protest when I try and grab Steph's hand. "Hey! This is Girl's Night, no dicks allowed! Besides, I thought you had plans."
"Plans" comes out with a heavy stink attached, confirming that Babe is thinking the worst. Mary Lou looks defiant; Connie and Lula look like they're trying to avoid wetting themselves and Babe's still flipping through the menu. This isn't the place to get into it, not in the middle of an op, but I'm loathe to walk away from here with Steph thinking I turned her down because I already had a date. "Babe, we'll talk about this later."
Forty minutes later, we still have nothing, and Steph has downed a second drink, some fluorescent green thing. She been openly watching all the waiters but seems to be paying particular attention to one of the regulars. She waves off Jax, and points to the one she's been ogling and gets him to the table with a 'come here' gesture. My fist is clenching at the way she's flirting with him, her hand on his arm while she places another order from the drink menu. The girls' mouths are hanging wide open as she orders, and I have to stop myself from heading back across the room to beat the shit out of the waiter for just doing his job. With drink names like Lick Her Good, Deep Throat, Cum in My Panties, Balls Deep, Tie Me to the Bedpost, Climax and Menage a Trois, just ordering in this place could be considered foreplay. Christ, I'm going to need a shot of alcohol of my own by the time this night is done. Her hand hovers on his waistband before tucking something inside. Black spots form in my vision as I start cataloguing all the places I can hide his body.
King tries to draw my attention, but I've stopped being nice. The last time she put her hand in my lap she pulled back in a hurry when I bent her pinkie finger to near the point of dislocating it. I'm perfectly fine with it looking like we're a couple on the outs. Surveying the room, I see red when I look back over at Steph's table and see the waiter, Chad if I remember correctly, has delivered Babe a Climax. Mine, God damnit!
Another rowdy group of women is escorted out after fondling Pringles, but he takes it in stride. Mrs. Mazur's group has gotten progressively louder, but so far are keeping their hands to themselves. They somehow managed to snag a stack of the chipboard drink coasters and are using them to score the waiters' asses. Other tables have joined in and I realize that I might be getting a glimpse of my Babe in forty years. As Edna throws her head back and laughs with abandon, all I can think is I sincerely hope so. There's a yelp from another section and Ram is rubbing his ass. Jesus. I have a new respect for the waitresses at Hooters and I need to consider raising what I pay out for distractions. Looking across the bar, Babe is waving Woody over while scribbling on a napkin. When he arrives at the table, she leans back and poses sexily. The look on her face has me instantly hard. Whatever she says to Woody has him discretely placing his hands in front of his crotch in a vain effort to hide that his dick is standing at attention. Lula is laughing her ass off and Connie and Mary Lou are staring at Steph in awe. I can feel my blood pressure reach stroke level when Steph stands and leans in close to Woody's ear while shoving a napkin down his pants. When he turns to leave, hands still in front of his crotch, he looks at me with the wide-eyed terror of a soldier who knows he's a dead man walking.
He takes off for the manager's office with an awkward gait and I move to intercept him. Lester, correctly judging my mood, blocks the door until I have myself under control. Ram and Junior have joined us, and my control lasts until we get in the manager's office and I see Woody trying to adjust himself.
"Boss! I—"
"What the hell did she say to you."
"Nothing. Here."
He's holding out a folded napkin, presumably the one that just tucked down in his pants next to his junk. No one says anything as I look from him to the napkin.
"What. Did. She. Say?"
Woody, now resigned to his fate, swallows hard and then takes a large breath wondering if it's also his last. "She said that so far tonight, she's been licked good, tied to the bedpost, had a screaming climax and now she was ready to cum in her panties. Sir."
There's dead silence in the office as we all suck in a breath and now Woody's not the only one adjusting himself. "Then she whispered in my ear to make sure you get the napkin, that it was important. Said to only give it to you. Sir."
I reluctantly take the wadded-up cocktail napkin from his hands, and as soon as he hands it off, he puts Ram and Junior between us. Smart move.
Flipping the napkin open and reading her loopy scrawl, I pinch the bridge of my nose with my free hand. Fucking hell. You're killing me, Babe.
"Problems, Boss?"
"Yeah. I've spent three hours watching you guys run around like Chippendale dancers while trying to convince a randy DEA agent to keep her hands out of my lap and I have nothing to show for my time. Stephanie's been here less than an hour, isn't even on the case and is drunk off her ass, and she still managed to find my dealer and get evidence."
Junior shrugs and says, "She's Bomber. Of course, she did."
"Alright. It looks like we need to detain Chad the waiter. He's delivering the drugs with a certain drink. I'm going to have Agent King order a Screaming Climax, which apparently comes with a "premium upcharge" payable separately to the waiter. The drugs get delivered sandwiched between two coasters. According to Steph's scribbles, that's the only drink that's been delivered with two coasters. Once Chad's made the delivery and King has verified the transfer, we'll move in. Lester, set up a couple of those stupid ice cream sundaes to be delivered to Edna Mazur's table as an excuse to have all of you in the area."
After letting King in on the plan, I slip back out of the booth like I'm headed to the bathroom. She bides her time and then motions Chad over and flirts with him a bit before placing her order and slipping cash in his waistband. While waiting, I glance back over at Steph and the girls. Lula and Connie are literally hanging off the biceps of a waiter that would give Tank a run for his money, their feet dangling a foot above the floor. Babe is laughing and snapping a picture with her phone.
I hear the strains of that freaking Cowboy song start and it's go time. Woody, Jax and Pringles come out bearing the obnoxious sundaes with the rest of the guys doing their hip wiggle birthday dance presentation while Mrs. Mazur and her friends egg them on. Chad keeps his distance as he moves behind them deliver King's Screaming Climax. Lester pulls him in to the mix as he tries to move away. King nods her head to indicate the drugs are there at the exact moment Chad looks over, and he knows he's been made. Grabbing one of the sundae bowls from Pringles, Chad throws it in my direction as I move in. I'm able to bat it away but it lands on the Mazur party's table, splattering several of the women. Offense taken, they start flinging food in all directions and soon a restaurant full of horny half-drunk women have turned it into a full-fledged food fight. A few have resorted to rubbing food on the bare chests of the waiters as they try and get away. Lester and Ram have wrestled Chad to the ground and have managed to pull Junior and Jax down with them. I see more than one ass crack as pants are grabbed for leverage. Since they're covered in ice cream and toppings, they're having trouble keeping ahold of Chad, but I'm able to wade in with the cuffs. By the time I'm done, my shirt is dotted with food and I have to remove a cherry from my hair.
Satisfied that the job is done, I'm starting to feel a little better when I look up and see Steph and her friends standing at the entrance to the dining area. For once, Babe is completely clean…and holding up her phone. Shit. They clumsily step to the side as Zero and Cal come in to retrieve Chad. Cal comes to an full stop as he sees a perfectly clean Steph and an entire team of food-covered Rangemen. She does an exaggerated drunk shrug and says, "Oops?", getting a laugh out of the men close enough to hear it.
Once I'm sure that Chad has been properly passed off, I make a move to intercept Steph when Agent King swoops in with questions about my findings and the takedown. Finally free, I make my way over to Steph. The closer I get, the bigger her smile grows as she takes in my filthy clothes. Standing in front of me, she shakes her head and does a passible imitation of me when she says, "Babe, I have the strongest urge to take you home and hose you down."
Before I can respond, she grows serious and asks, "I don't suppose we can pretend I'm one of your employees, so I don't get busted for buying and possession? Getting arrested would suck and I'd never get pineapple upside down cake again."
"Babe."
"Was that a yes? Because if not, I fully intend to take off."
"Babe, you've never been taken off the Rangeman roster."
"Awesome, who gets this?" For the first time, I notice she's got a death grip on a set of coasters. Hesitant of all the ways this could go wrong, I wave King over and ask her to log it in to preserve the chain of evidence. King's listens to Steph's story about noticing that some drinks got 2 coasters and paying attention to what the woman at the next table ordered and then ordering it herself. King takes a few notes on her phone before addressing me.
"I wasn't aware you had women here undercover in addition to the men."
"Miss Plum is one of my most valued employees and excellent in the field."
King's face is speculative at that, and just to fuck with me she slides her hand across my abs and arm with a parting shot of "Miss Plum, I'll need to get you to sign a statement, and Carlos, I'll catch up with you later."
Steph's head is down while she fiddles with her phone and I can't gauge her mood.
"Babe, I've still got a mess to deal with here, but I need to talk to you."
"It's fine, Ranger. Can you do something for me?"
"Anything, Babe. You know that."
She hands me her phone. "I have the conversation with the waiter on video and I don't want to accidentally delete it. I might be a teensy bit drunk. Can you do whatever needs to be done with it?"
"Babe, you never disappoint."
A look I can't decipher crosses her face but I'm being called over to calm the restaurant manager down. By the time I'm done and clear to leave, Steph and the girls are nowhere in sight and no car registered to any of them in in the parking lot.
###
It's 3am when I let myself into Steph's apartment. A shower and fresh clothes have helped my mood, but I'm running on fumes and mad that Steph made another getaway. A peek into her bedroom verifies that the apartment is empty, save for Rex, and I'm stuck somewhere between concerned and pissed. Making myself comfortable on her couch, I contemplate what I want to say and the questions I want answered. The sound of the key rattling in the lock jars me from the light slumber I've fallen into and I look at my watch. 4am. Where the hell has she been? They left Wranglers nearly 6 hours ago.
Silent as Steph makes the slow and deliberate movements of the inebriated while locking the door behind her, I wait for her to turn around. Instead, she rests her head against the door.
"What are you doing here, Ranger?"
"You didn't come home last night, Babe."
"Last time I checked, I was an adult without a curfew."
"Babe."
"Dancing and breakfast." With that she turns and faces me, using the wall to hold herself up.
I know it's not the right time to get into it, but there's probably never going to be a good time. "Why didn't you return my calls?"
"I was hurt and embarrassed, and despite a lifetime of experience with both, I still don't handle either of them very well."
She makes herself comfortable against the door, giving me a slow and thorough perusal that has certain body parts standing up to pay attention.
"How come you weren't out there in your cowboy boots and a hat?"
"I'm the boss. I get to tell people to go shake their ass."
"That's too bad. You would have made a lot of tips. You've got a really great ass."
"Babe."
"Girlfriend probably wouldn't have liked it, though."
"She was a pain in the ass DEA agent that wouldn't keep her hands to herself."
"Maybe she thought she'd have success if she kept applying pressure."
She wobbled forward a little before leaning against the wall and to pull a shoe off and drop it to the floor.
"Babe, why'd you and Morelli call it quits?"
"He got a ring and asked me to marry him and I told him no."
Holy shit, the cop finally got off his ass and did it. And she said no. That made absolutely no sense. She stuck it out with him for years, so why would she tell him no when she was finally getting what she wanted?
"I'm not following, Babe."
She's wrestled off her second shoe and tossed it behind her on her way through the living room. "What's there to follow? He asked, I said no, he yelled, I yelled, we broke up, I gathered up his shit and his key and dropped it on his porch and changed my locks."
The alcohol buzz still in her system made her uncoordinated and she was struggling with the button of her jeans the entire time she was talking. With it finally free she slid the zipper down and did a shimmy to work the jeans to her ankles. She gave up trying to pull them off without falling over and finally settled for kicking her legs out until the offending garment was off. I was distracted by her long, bare legs and nearly forgot to follow up as I watched her gorgeous ass, clad in a bright blue lacy thong, move in the direction of the bedroom.
"Why'd you say no, Babe?"
"Didn't want to marry him."
"Why not?"
She's got a hand on the door frame to steady herself and the other is rubbing her forehead. "Didn't love him enough."
Jesus, where was the Stephanie that wouldn't stop talking? I could use a visit from her about now.
"How do you know?"
Her sigh is heavy, and she pins her gaze to me. "Why are you here, Ranger?"
"I'm here because you're avoiding my phone calls and you left Wranglers before I could talk to you. Why didn't you want to marry Morelli?"
With that, her temper snapped. "Because the ring came with conditions, ok! He'd marry me if I quit my job, stayed away from the bond's office, stayed away from Rangeman and you. He'd only commit to me if I changed everything about me to suit him and fit into his life, in his house, with his rules. I don't love him enough to sit at home and be safe while he goes out and lives. He said not working for Vinnie was the only way to prove that I was choosing him."
"Babe, you were dating him, so you already made a choice." What the hell was he thinking?
She was stuck with her shirt half on and half off and as much as I was enjoying the view, her frustrated grunt spurred me forward to help free her. As soon as her head was clear she looked me in the eye. "Ranger, you're an idiot. You know that, right?"
Stunned, I watched her walk into her bedroom. She was digging around in her dresser, searching for something and getting more frustrated as she moved things around. The blue bra she was wearing made the most of what God gave her and I deserved a medal for keeping my hands to myself.
"Why exactly am I an idiot?"
Abandoning her fruitless search, she straightens back up and stares at me like she's just now seeing me. "Because if I didn't work for Vinnie then I probably wouldn't see you. Joe knows that when it comes down to it, I'm always going to choose you."
"Babe—"
"Jesus, Ranger. I choose you every time I call you for help instead of him. I choose you whenever I throw myself into something dangerous to help you. I choose you every time we head into the alley. I choose you when I kiss you, and I choose you when I sleep with you even when I'm supposed to be with Joe. I choose you when I refuse to quit my job and go to work at the button factory. I choose you when I stick around after you say stupid stuff that hurts. I choose you by avoiding marrying Joe because I'm holding out hope that you'll someday see me as something other than entertainment. I always choose you; you're just too busy pushing away me to notice."
With that, she crawls under the covers and she's out like a light before I can even respond.
###
At 11am I let myself back into her apartment. She's still dead to the world and wrapped around the pillow I slid into her arms when I got up to make my quick trip back to the office to pack a bag. Taking a few McDonald's fries out of the bag, I wave them under her nose before rubbing them along her bottom lip. Her lips part to accept the fries and I think I must be a sick fuck to think of eating fries as an erotic act. Once the second handful is gone, I ask if she can sit up and I get a weak, "no, I'm dead" in response.
Resisting the urge to chuckle, I put the bag on the night table and gently maneuver her into a safer position to eat without choking herself on fries or the Coke. She finds the food by touch alone, unwilling to open her eyes. Taking pity on her, I drop a couple Tylenol into her hand and hold the Coke for her until she hands me an empty fry container.
"Does the video help?"
"Yeah, Babe. You did good. Thanks to you we got the low-level dealer and he's cutting a deal to give up the big fish. We had nothing until you molested Woody to pass on the info."
"Until I what?"
Emotions are flying across her face as she relives the night and I see the moment she remembers pushing the napkin down Woody's pants. Her eyes fly open in mortification.
"Oh. My. God."
"I think the guys have new respect for what you have to deal with during distractions."
"I don't know, Lester seemed to enjoy it."
I snort. "Yeah. They had a bet going on who could get the most in tips and phone numbers. He's pouting this morning because Binkie outpaced all of them in both categories."
"Grandmas love the sweet boy next door look."
I had to laugh at that. Binkie certainly did get mauled by some sweet grandmother types last night.
"Your phone is charging in the living room. I saw you took video and pictures of us in the food fight. I deleted it."
"Good thing I emailed it to myself and sent it to the cloud."
"Babe."
"What? Sometimes it's nice to have a reminder that you're human."
I don't even bother to hide my sigh. "I'm human, Babe, just like everyone else."
"I know that, but you go out of your way to hide from me, so you can't blame me for wanting to tuck a little piece of evidence away."
"Babe, it wasn't fair to either of us to open up like that when Morelli was still in the picture."
"Joe's been out of the picture for a while now and nothing has changed between us. I get it. You like things the way they are. I asked you to dinner so I could talk to you about that."
She's picking at the bedsheet, not willing to make eye contact with me. "Stephanie." Her eyes come up, knowing that I'm being serious if I'm using her full name. "I'm human. I make mistakes, say stupid things, and hurt like anyone else. I wasn't willing to open up and share without knowing if you were going to stick around or go back to Joe. I'm not here to keep you entertained until you two get back together. You say you choose me, but you never give him up, either."
"That's a really shitty thing to say to me, when you sent me back to him."
"Once, Babe. I told you to fix things with him once, when I wasn't in a position to offer you more. Since then, I've been waiting and watching you go back all on your own. I might be an opportunist, but I'm not a masochist. I can't get involved with you if you're not committed, because once we start this, that's it. I'm yours and your mine and no going back."
"That's what I want but have been too afraid to ask for."
"Babe. I've just been waiting for you to decide that you wanted more without any pressure from me. It wasn't my intention to make you think that all I wanted was quick moments in the alley. I want all of you. I know it makes me a hypocrite, but Babe, I won't handle it well if there's anyone else in the alley with you.
Her eyes get big, and then she starts laughing. Not the reaction I was expecting. I lean back to look at her, flushed and wrapped up in the sheets, eyes sparkling.
"Sorry, sorry. If you mean Joe, yeah, no. I am totally done there and have no intention of going back, even if you didn't want me. That ship is sunk. It's dead and on the bottom of the ocean. Like really dead."
"Babe?"
"Umm... Remember when I said he yelled, and I yelled?"
"Yes. Which led to breaking up and you leaving his shit on the porch."
"Well…he was angry and said that since we were done, he could go fuck Terry. At least she wasn't a cold fish in bed. And then I said that you had a bigger dick, and you know how to use it. It got ugly from there. Since then, he's been sleeping his way through Trenton to soothe his ego."
She's on her back with me hovering over her before she can blink. "Good to know. It's just you and me, Babe, from here on out."
"Got it. No Joe, no DEA agents that can't keep their hands to themselves. There's probably a few more things we need to discuss. You know, later." With that she pulled my head down and kissed me until I needed air.
After thoroughly exploring her mouth, neck and chest, I pause, resting my head on her stomach.
"Ranger?"
"Babe, I had to sit in agony all night watching you from across the room. From now on, they only way you get to be licked, tied to a bedpost, climax and cum in your panties is through me."
Her eyes are wide and her breathing shallow as she watches me settle between her legs and kiss her thigh.
"Relax, Babe. We're going to do this, and it's going to be good."
"Oh boy."
