Chapter 2

Fifteen minutes later they pulled into the Japanese restaurant. They walked in and the hostess immediately sat them at a table in a corner. Amy opened her menu and immediately started deciding on what she wanted, although it didn't take her long to decide since this was one of her favorite places to eat. The waitress came back and took their drink orders, not surprisingly Ranger ordered a water but he did surprise her by ordering saki for both of them. Amy asked for a water as well. Their waitress left to let them decide on their dinner.

"Would you be opposed to sharing a few sushi rolls?" Ranger watched her study the menu.

"That would be good. I usually get their side salad, I love their dressing. And like I said in the car, the Philadelphia roll and the hot night roll are my favorites."

"I like their side salad as well. I agree on the hot night roll. And I will try your Philadelphia roll if you'll try my Alaskan Roll."

Amy looked up the Alaskan Roll and decided it sounded like it was worth a shot. "Deal." She closed her menu and gave him a tentative smile. "I have to ask,"

Their waitress interrupted her. Ranger read off their order and he and Amy both smiled at the waitress and waited for her to leave.

"You have to ask?" Ranger watched her as she started to look slightly uncomfortable.

"I do. Is this a date?"

"Yes," Ranger answered without hesitation. "Does that make you uncomfortable?"

"Well, No. But it does lead to another question." She paused for a second, "What about you and Stephanie?"

His eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly but he waited only a few seconds before answering, "That's over. I don't want to get into all of the details on our first date, but rest assured there's nothing there anymore."

"I just wanted to make sure I wasn't poaching someone else's guy. I don't do that kind of dating or relationships."

"Me either."

"Good."

"Is it my turn now?" Ranger folded his hands on the table in front of him.

"Your turn for what?" Amy cocked her head.

"To ask you a question?"

"Oh, yeah sure."

"You said earlier that you didn't have any family here, where did you grow up?"

"Well I was born in Illinois but we moved to Iowa when I was about two. I guess you could say that my dad had a wandering soul because we were only there for a few years before moving to Tennessee. I left there with my dad when I was fourteen for Florida. I was hired by your Miami office pretty much straight from college, then transferred up here for a change of scenery. What about you?"

Ranger had watched her intently while she talked and could tell there was more to her story. But he really didn't want to push her on their first date. "Born and raised in the states but both of my parents are from Cuba. I spent most of my early years in Miami. Immediately after high school I enlisted in the Army. I spent quite a few years doing special ops. I started Rangeman and after a few years of bouncing between Trenton, Miami, and getting called out for big trips for special ops I got out of the Army so I could focus on Rangeman."

"Any brothers or sisters?"

"One younger sister. She's married and lives out in Vegas with her husband and two kids. What about you? Siblings?"

"I have an older brother, he lives in New York City, he's married but no kids yet. When my dad left for Florida my mom didn't want to go so they divorced. My dad got re-married a few years later to someone a little younger than him. She had three sons and a daughter, all younger than me. My oldest step-brother is a junior in college, the next a freshman in college, then the twins are Seniors in high school, and finally my little half sister is in seventh grade."

"Wow, did your dad and step-mom plan your little sister?"

"No," Amy kind of chuckled but the server interrupted them with their salads and plate of sushi, she continued after the server left. "Well, I guess they sort of did. My dad had a vasectomy a few years after I was born. But he had it reversed after he and Carrie got married. The doctor basically said that since the procedure had been done so long ago their odds weren't great for getting pregnant without help. Dad and Carrie agreed to just do the reversal and see if it happened. It didn't even take six months."

"How old were you?" Ranger asked between bites of his salad.

"Nineteen. It's so weird for me knowing my little sister was only four when my daughter was born."

"And you said she's six now?"

"Yes. She just started first grade."

"So that would make you twenty-nine."

"Yes, less than a year until I enter my third decade. What about you? You know my age so spill it." Amy took a bite of her salad.

"Thirty-three."

"Yeah, but you look like your only twenty-five." Her response made him cough a little, trying not to choke on his sushi. Amy couldn't help but chuckle at Ranger's reaction.

"Let's talk about something else." He took a drink of water. "What did you major in at college?"

"Oh c'mon, I know you already know the answer to that. And probably to any other question your going to ask. You run very thorough background checks on all of your employees. You probably know our dogs name." she teased.

"I do run thorough background checks but it doesn't mean that I memorize them. I know you went to school in Florida but I really don't remember your major."

"I majored in Management Information Systems, I minored in Criminology. For a very short time in my life I'd thought about being a criminal psychologist. It was interesting," she said, anticipating his next question. "But I couldn't see myself doing that for very long. Plus computers seemed to be a good choice at the time."

"Why do you say the 'best choice'?" he watched her as she tried the Alaskan Roll. "Was it money?"

She held up a finger while she chewed.

"How's the Alaskan Roll?"

"Delicious, a new favorite I think." She took a sip of water before continuing, "Isn't everything about money?" She shook her head, "Honestly I liked tinkering with computers. I took some advanced computer science classes in high school, including college-level classes that counted for high school credit and college credit after I graduated. I found I liked programming."

"You graduated Cum Lade didn't you?" He asked before thinking. He actually had practically memorized her employee file and background check.

"Yes, I was a book worm." She took another piece of the Alaskan Roll, he did the same. Once she was finished chewing she added, "Well not a total book worm because I did manage to work a part-time job and be a member of the college's competitive dance team."

"I'd call that being an over-achiever, not a book worm."

"I suppose that's accurate." Amy took a small sip of her saki, it wasn't her favorite thing ever but the one he'd ordered wasn't bad. "So you have a daughter too don't you?"

"Yeah, Julie. She's thirteen."

"I'm sorry if I'm being too forward, but why don't you spend any time with her?"

That made him pause. "It just wasn't a good fit for me at the time. I was young and just starting my military career. Her mom and I got married, but she couldn't really handle me being gone as much as I was. I wasn't even in the US when Julie was born. By the time I got home my ex was ready to move out and had talked to a lawyer about a divorce. It was for the best at the time. Julie's mom found someone new, who was a much better father than I was prepared to be at the time. He had more to offer them, and he was definitely more stable."

"What about now?"

"Julie knows that if she wants a relationship it's her choice, but no one is going to force it."

Amy nodded. "Do you want a relationship now?"

"Yeah," he nodded slightly. "I wouldn't mind."

They were both quiet for a minute.

"I'm sorry," Amy finally said. "First date conversations are supposed to be light and friendly. I just drove us right into sad and serious."

"That's okay." He paused, "I've never really been that comfortable with someone to open up like that before." At Amy's slightly uneasy look he gave her a genuine smile. "You just make it easy."

Amy felt a warm tingle start at the top of her head and go all the way down to her toes. "Well, it's always nice to have someone you can really talk to." Amy took a chance and reached across the table to put her hand over his. He turned his over and linked his fingers with hers. That one small gesture gave her butterflies in her stomach and her heart beat a little faster.

The server came back to clear the table and they both pulled back. Ranger got his wallet out and paid the check the server left behind. He left a very generous tip and took her hand as she stood up from the table. They held hands the entire way out to the car until she was in her seat and Ranger was closing her door.

Once they were on their way back to the office Amy took advantage of the darkness in the car to really smile. She couldn't seem to stop herself. Especially when he reached across the center console to hold her hand again.

"So are you busy Friday night?" He asked.

"No. Just another night at home with Lexi."

"Would you like to go out on another date?" He found himself feeling a little nervous that she might turn him down.

She thought for a few seconds just to keep him in suspense. "That would be really nice," she looked over at him and smiled.

"Anything special you'd like to do? Or something you haven't gotten to do in a while?"

"Considering I haven't really dated since college, that list could be long and complicated." She said half joking. "But really, I think you probably know enough about me to have a good idea on your own. Surprise me."

"I think I can handle that." He smiled.

Amy felt a little twinge of disappointment when they pulled into the garage at Rangeman. "Thanks for dinner. I had a great time." She took off her seatbelt then grabbed her purse and reached for the door at the same time.

"Would you like to come up for a drink?" He just wanted to spend more time with her, anything to keep her with him.

"That would be nice." She smiled at him. She really couldn't stop smiling at him. "But it's a school night. I really need to go pick up Lexi at her friend's house and get her home." Amy said regretfully. Although she also didn't know if going up to his apartment after their first date was a smart decision since she'd been basically celibate for about 5 years.

He walked her to her car and opened the door for her. "This weekend." They stood at her car staring at each other. "Would you like to see the house I'm buying? I'm meeting my contractor out there on Saturday morning to go over everything that needs to be done as soon as I take possession."

"I already have to get a sitter for Friday night. Now you want me to go with you to your house on Saturday morning too?"

"You can bring Lexi Saturday."

Amy looked to see if he was serious and immediately saw that he was. "I don't know if I'm ready for that yet."

"I get it." One side of his mouth lifted in a small smile. "But think about it."

"I will. But now I really have to go."

"Will you stay if I tell you that I'll cry myself to sleep if you leave?" He teased.

"You can't guilt me, I have a six year-old."

"True." He took a step closer to her knowing she couldn't go anywhere with her car behind her. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow, Wednesday morning staff meeting at 8."

"But I now have tomorrow off."

He considered for a minute before responding, "I forgot tomorrow was Wednesday when I gave you the day off."

"Is it that important for me to be at the meeting?"

"Not necessarily but we were planning to go over your new system upgrades. Do you want to take a different day off?"

"Would Monday work? Lexi doesn't have school because of professional development for the teachers, I can spend the day with her instead of her being bored at daycare all day."

"That should work."

"Okay, so I will see you tomorrow then."

He gave her a small smile, "That's great."

"Bye," she whispered.

"Bye" He was standing just a few inches from her.

Neither one of them moved.

"You make it really hard to leave," she looked down just as he took the final step closing the distance between them.

Ranger put a finger under her chin, tipping her head back. "So stay."

"You know I really can't." She lifted her head and couldn't move her gaze past his mouth.

Before she knew what was happening they both leaned toward each other. The moment their lips met, Amy knew she was done. His lips moves gently against hers, coaxing her into a pretty heavy makeout session. After a few minutes, Ranger finally eased back with a final quick kiss.

"I really want you to stay, but I know you can't." He leaned in and lightly brushed his lips against hers again then pulled back. "And I just realized that the guys in the control room just got some free entertainment. So I'm going to go up before they see way more than I'd ever want them to see."

"Bye."

"Bye" She sat in her car and smiled as Ranger closed her door for her. He took a few steps back as she started her car and backed out. She couldn't stop smiling. She put her car in drive and put up a hand in a short wave and was kind of surprised when he did the same. As she drove out of the parking garage she started talking to herself. "I can't believe I am now dating my boss. Amy, what in the hell are you doing?" But she also couldn't stop smiling.