Not mine, but a girl can dream.

Warning: language and and smut, actually this chapter is lots of smut, but all integral to the storyline, I promise you.

Better Man 15

Storyline borrowed from Lean Mean 13

Falling asleep after making love with Ranger I was blissfully happy. In the back of my mind was a small nagging thought, how can you top this? I knew or hoped anyway that there would be morning sex as there had been the last few days, but I wondered how it could get better than this. Then there were the emotions. Feelings are not something I do particularly well. It's one thing to say you love someone at night in the heat of the moment and even if you did mean it, the light of day can make it awkward. So I worried about what things would be like in the morning. Silly Stephanie.

I shouldn't have worried. Ranger and I were rudely awoken early this morning with a break in our case. No morning nookie for me. So now we sit in the Cayenne, one of four Rangeman vehicles on a stake out. You know how I love mornings? And stakeouts? Argh. On the upside I am sitting here with Ranger.

"Where are we?" I asked him. I know someone had told me, but I think I was half asleep at the time.

Keeping his eyes on the apartment building he said, "Your friend Dave has been seen going in and out of that apartment building."

"Dave? You mean the guy whose nuts I stapled?" I made the connection.

Ranger grimaced, "Babe." Why do men do that? They can be watching a TV show and see a guy get hit in the balls and they have sympathy pains.

I tried to put myself in the zone, like Ranger does. Ranger has a driving zone, a takedown zone and a stakeout zone. I seem to have a shopping zone, a donut zone and a sex zone. I didn't think any of mine would help here though. I dug in my purse to find my emergency stash. No tastykakes, no candy bars, no nothing. I looked to see if I had a nail file, I could at least be somewhat productive. Nope.

"Babe," Ranger seemed amused and annoyed with me at the same time. His eyes flicked towards me digging in my purse before returning to his watch.

"Ranger," I said, trying to mimic him, but it came out more of a whine. It meant I'm bored, please entertain me. We had been sitting here for an hour and a half already. "Can we talk? Is that allowed?" I was just checking out what the rules were.

"About?" He sounded wary. His eyes were still on the apartment building.

I sighed, "Anything." Just don't make me sit here in silence any longer I thought.

His eyes cut to me and then back again. "Anything?" He sounded like he was up to something.

"Yes! Anything! I just can't sit here in silence!" Without donuts, or chocolate or chips I mean.

"You lied to Joe." He stated.

This is what he wants to talk about? Joe? "What do you mean? When? Last night?"

"You told him that I had always helped you and I never asked for anything in return. That isn't true." He picked up my hand and placed a kiss in my palm. His eyes still focused outside.

I was confused, "What do you mean? Of course it's true."

Now he was looking at me. He shook his head and his voice got softer, "The De Cooch Deal, I put a price on my helping you and I've always regretted it."

I rolled my eyes, "Ranger, do you honestly think I slept with you because of that stupid deal? That I would use sex to pay off a debt? That I couldn't have taken in De Cooch on my own?" Silly, silly man.

"Then why did you?" He looked slightly surprised.

I took his face in my hands as I answered him, "Because I wanted to, but without the deal I would never have given myself permission." I gave him a soft kiss. "Why did you, make the deal I mean?" He must have given up on watching the building for the time being.

He placed his hands over mine and pulled them away from his face, kissing each palm, keeping my hands in his. "Because I'm an ass; because I wanted to be with you and I didn't know how to make it happen."

I rolled my eyes again, "You could've asked me out."

"Babe." I think he was embarrassed.

This was funny. "What? The great Ranger Manoso was too scared of asking a little white girl from the burg out on a date?" I batted my eyelashes at him.

He shrugged, "Something like that. Do you know how long it has been since I asked a girl out on a date? Probably fifteen years, since high school. I don't date." Are you kidding me?

I couldn't stop the snort that escaped, "That's right, women just throw themselves at you. I'm so sorry it's handicapped you. Sometimes you're such an ass." I gave him another eye roll.

"I know. I'm sorry." He leaned in and kissed me. Gently, showing me how sorry he was. Words were never his strong point, mine either.

I didn't know if I wanted to ask the next question, but I'd waited over a year to find out and the curiosity was killing me. "Why did you sneak out the next morning? Why did you say those things to me? Send me back to Joe?" I tried to keep the hurt out of my voice, but from the look on his face, I wasn't very successful.

His eyes were sad. "I needed you to choose, to fight for it, for me, for us. I had seen you and Morelli go back and forth. I can't do that. After that night, I told you it wasn't about wanting you anymore. I needed you. It's never been like that for me before. I couldn't lose you to him." He squeezed my hands. "And I didn't think you would go. Since when have you done anything you were told to do?" He started out a little apologetic, but by the time he finished he sounded annoyed.

My voice rose, "So it is my fault? I did it because you made it seem like you were done with me." I turned my head away from him to look out the window. I was ashamed about what I was about to say. "So I went back to him so I wouldn't be alone. I know it is a shitty thing to do to him, but I didn't do it consciously. He was safe." My voice got quieter, "You were scary. What if I pushed you for more and you didn't want anything to do with me at all? Not even friendship. It would have killed me. So I settled for the stolen kisses and making out in the alley." A tear slipped out.

He put his hand on my jaw and turned my head so I was looking at him. He swept the tear away with his thumb. "We were pretty fucked up weren't we?"

I gave him a small nod, "For two pretty smart people we were pretty stupid and it made us both miserable."

He smiled, "Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know."

I sighed, "That is just sad. But that was then, what about now?"

He sounded a little surprised, "What do you mean?"

"I mean the whole us thing. Are we a couple?" Please say yes, please say yes.

A sly smile spread across his face, "Did you forget most of yesterday and last night? I don't think I'll ever forget them." Just the reminder made me blush. The images were burned into my brain.

I gave him a soft smile, "No, I didn't forget, just clarifying things. We are together, a couple?"

"Babe." It meant, "Do you really have to ask?"

"Ranger." It meant "Yes I do."

He made sure I was looking directly at him as he spoke, "Babe, I have peanut butter and white bread in my cupboards, you have nearly a third of my closet, and you have more products in my bathroom than I do."

"Well…" I'd never added it all up like that.

His face was serious, "Do you know that at least half a dozen times in the last week you have referred to the penthouse as home?"

Shit, I was hoping he hadn't noticed. "I umm…sorry, I didn't mean to."

A big smile spread across his face. "Babe, I like it. It's always been my apartment, but with you there its home. I want you there. I'd love it if you would move in permanently, but I don't want to push you."

I snorted. "Since when? I thought you were the master at applying pressure."

His serious face was back again. "I don't want to pressure you in this. I meant what I said before, whatever happens between us, it is both our responsibility, this is an equal partnership. I love you."

I sighed, "I love you too. You know that whole concept is foreign to me right? I am new to all of this." Joe had always yelled at me and I yelled right back. Mature I know, but it was what I knew.

He squeezed my hands, "Babe, I am not exactly an expert in the relationship area either, but we'll work it out together."

"What if we fight?" I could be stubborn and so could he.

I got the wolf grin, "Then we get to have make up sex." He leaned in and gave me a passionate kiss.

"That sounds promising." My voice was breathy from the kiss.

His hands started to roam, "But there are lots of other kinds of sex that are just as promising."

I tilted my head back as he started to trail kisses down my throat. "Morning sex, shower sex, the dining room table was amazing and yesterday in the hallway." I listed off some favorites.

He paused and whispered against my skin, "So we need to break in the living room and the kitchen?"

I nodded, "What about your office? Is that a possibility?"

His voice was deep, "Definitely." I moaned.

His hands slid under my top as he brought my nipples to attention with his thumbs while continuing to assault my neck with his lips. I had one hand fisted in his hair while the other one had slipped inside his t shirt and was caressing his abs and working its way down. His mouth came back up to claim mine. His tongue explored my mouth and tangled with my own. He angled his head to deepen the kiss, taking control. I happily gave it to him. I used my hand that was in his hair to pull him closer. He groaned.

His hands were still torturing my nipples through the lace of my bra. My hand traveled from his stomach down to find him hard and straining against his cargos. "Fuck," he growled as he hauled me over the console and onto his lap. I placed my knees on either side of his hips, straddling him. Being on my knees put my breasts right in front of his face, of which he took full advantage. He pushed my sweatshirt and t shirt up and out of the way before just yanking them over my head. Not bothering to unclasp my bra, he just pulled the cups down to release my breasts. He captured one nipple between his teeth and sucked it into his warm mouth. He massaged the other breast with his palm before pulling and tweaking the nipple.

I moaned his named as I arched into him. He switched breasts, sucking the other nipple into his mouth while entertaining the one he'd left with his hand. He trailed kisses up my chest and neck before kissing me again. I slid my tongue into his mouth to battle with his before sucking his tongue into mine. I dropped from my knees so I was sitting and I ground myself into him. I felt him slide the seat back and recline as far as it would go, giving us a little more room. His hands settled on my ass as he pulled me tighter to him. We were both panting heavily. I worked the button and zipper on his cargos releasing his straining erection. I grasped onto him as he sprung free and started to work up and down his shaft with my hand. I wanted to get him into my mouth, but there was no way to maneuver that in the car. He growled and in a blink my pants were gone. The man is like smoke.

My eyes were locked on his as I lowered myself onto him. My head dropped back and my eyes closed at the sensation. Recovering, I began to ride him, Ranger's hands on my hips, guiding my rhythm. His eyes were black as his hips came up off the seat to meet mine. I braced my hands on the roof of the car as I felt my orgasm building. "Omigod…fuck," Ranger's hips slammed into me. He kept one hand on my hip to steady me and used the other to flick at my clit. "Jesus," I whimpered. Using my hands on the roof as leverage, I increased my speed and met Ranger's thrusts with my own. I cried out, "Omigod…Carlos…I love you," As my orgasm ripped through me. Ranger arched into me and I felt him tense as he came, crying out in Spanish. God I loved it when he did that. I collapsed onto his chest and his arms came up to pull me to him. "Mmm…" was all I could manage. We lay there struggling to regain normal breathing. "I guess we can cross the car off our list." I panted.

"We can cross this car off the list." He murmured. Omigod. I moaned and my body spasmed around him at the thought. He growled.

"We're seeing some action here," Lester's voice crackled over the radio. I sat up in a flash and tucked myself back into my bra. They could see us? Here in the car? I was swiveling my head back and forth.

"Babe," Ranger placed me back in my seat and handed me my jeans. "The building, Lester is around back. They must see movement in the apartment." Ranger had himself zipped and his utility belt on while I couldn't find the energy to put one leg in my pants.

"We have a visual, two males in the apartment. One is secured to a chair and the other is standing over him. Move in." Tank's commanding voice filled the air way. I still was pretty much naked.

Ranger's eyes darted to me as he opened the door. "Lock the door Babe; I'll be back for you." I wanted to argue. I could be helpful, I was a part of the team, and this was my case, although the fact that I was only wearing a bra was really weakening my argument. I crammed myself back into my clothes, cursing under my breath. I thought about heading out to find them once I was dressed, but it was Stark Street in the wee hours of the morning and I hadn't exactly paid attention to what building we were supposed to be watching, much less listened to what apartment. What? It was really early!

Twenty minutes later I saw Ranger appear in the doorway of one of the buildings. I watched as he made his way to me. My god even his walk was sexy. I checked for drool while he opened his door and settled in the driver's seat. He had to move the seat forward and raise it from its reclined position. I moaned at the visual I was remembering. He gave me a sexy grin as he started the engine.

"What happened back there? Where are we going? Why didn't I get to go?" I tried to focus on the case, not on the memory of riding Ranger like a pony in the front seat of the car. I bit my lip.

"Babe, you were naked." His voice was sexy.

I huffed, "Yeah, well, I still could have helped."

"Babe, dressed like that you would have been no help. No one would have been able to concentrate. You would have caused a riot." He was smiling.

I pouted, but I knew he was right. "Now what? Where are we going?"

"Home Babe. We're going to have company." He was grinning.

I was a little wary. "Who?"

He turned back to the road, "Dickie is coming back to Haywood so we can have a conversation."

I sat up a little straighter, "Dickie? Then I definitely want to help."

His eyes cut to me, "Definitely Babe, definitely."