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.

Thanks so much to Rach who makes the writing better and so much more fun.

Better Man 17

Storyline borrowed from Lean Mean 13

I was dumbfounded as I turned and walked out of the interrogation room. Lester and Tank were in the outer room with shit eating grins plastered on their faces. Lester waggled his eyebrows, "Some nap, huh Beautiful." I turned beet red and ran for the elevator. Frantically I pushed the key fob for the 7th floor. The guys were lumbering down the hall after me and I could hear them yelling for me to stop. I couldn't face them right now. The doors closed just as Tank and Lester came into sight. Thank god.

Reaching the apartment, I made my way to the bedroom in a daze, stripping my clothes off as I went. I turned the controls on in the shower and stepped under the spray. My head dropped back and the water pounded the tension out of my body. I was feeling so many different things. When it came to Dickie, I was relieved. His infidelity had always baffled me. Our sex life had been boring, but I didn't have much to base my opinion. Other than Dickie, until that point my sexual experience was limited to the five minute interlude with Joe at the bakery. To realize that those women sought Dickie out because of some ridiculous grudge they had against me is hilarious. Knowing what his performance was like, the joke was on them.

Then there was the clock and the key card. Petiak still wanted to kill me. The problem was I didn't have a clue where I'd even put that clock. My life has been nuts this last week, but trying to recall that mundane detail was suddenly shoved up my priority list. If we could solve this thing life could get back to normal. But what was normal now? I had been staying with Ranger for nearly a week. My clothes were in his closet, my toiletries in his bathroom and I think I saw a Tastykake in the cupboard. We were a couple. Omigod, was I living with Ranger?

Ranger. I was calling him Ranger. Am I that upset that I needed to distance myself from Carlos, so I went back to Ranger? I didn't want to think about it. Except I couldn't stop thinking about what he'd said. I know why he said it, to put Dickie in his place. Part of me loved that he said it. Another part of me was embarrassed that I loved it. Dickie definitely got the picture, as did anyone else who heard him. That was an interrogation room, wired for video and sound. I know it was monitored by more than just Lester and Tank. I've seen the guys who have monitor duty. It's terribly dull and any sort of action in the building draws their attention. So whoever was at the monitors heard and I'm sure by now everyone of the Rangemen knew exactly how I spent my morning.

I finished up in the shower, dried myself off and slid my robe on. I worked some anti frizz stuff into my hair and went to find some clothes. When I stepped out of the bathroom Carlos was sitting on the bed leaning up against the headboard. His face was filled with worry. He made the come here motion with his finger. I froze, debating talking to him and running into the closet to hide. I wasn't sure what I was feeling and I didn't know if I was ready to talk about it with him yet.

"Please don't run away from me Babe." His voice was soft. He said please, I had no choice.

I made my way to the bed and he pulled me down onto his lap. I tucked my head into his shoulder. I wouldn't look him in the eye. My emotions were all jumbled. I was angry, embarrassed and a whole bunch of other things I couldn't name. He wrapped one arm around my waist and he used the other to rub my back.

For once I waited him out. "Are you angry with me?" He asked.

I huffed, "Yes, no…I don't know what I am." He took my chin in his hand and tilted my head so I had no choice but to look at him.

"I didn't mean to hurt you. I would never hurt you intentionally."

The fact that it wasn't intentional did nothing to ease my frustration. "I know that. Who heard you?"

He sighed, that wasn't a good sign. "Well obviously Tank and Lester, who both feel awful for teasing you by the way. And it was being recorded, so the guys on the monitors." He paused a minute, oh God there was more, "Most of the guys on the 5th floor were watching. They wanted to see you in action."

My eyes went wide and my mouth hung open, I was mortified. "Well now they'll have no problem picturing me in action too," I snapped at him.

He winced, "Babe, I'm sorry. He pissed me off. I wanted to beat the shit out of him for treating you the way he did, making you feel inadequate. I didn't think. I wasn't thinking about the recording or that the guys were listening. I just wanted him to know how much he fucked up and how amazing you are." He took my face in both of his hands.

"You are so beautiful and so sexy. You make me lose my mind. I'm always in control, aware and focused, but when you are around…" He trailed off. "This morning, it doesn't make me look good either. What the hell kind of standard did I just set for my men? I was supposed to be watching the apartment. We were on a stakeout; I've been on hundreds of stakeouts and never let myself get distracted. Never. But with you… no one has ever affected me the way that you do. You make me want to lose control."

So far Carlos had done all of the talking, which was a switch for us. It was my turn. I placed my hands on his chest and he put his over top of mine, holding me to him. "I'm not angry about what you said. He treated me like crap. I always felt like an idiot not knowing he was screwing all of those women until I found him with Joyce. I'm happy Dickie knows the problem is not with me. That he knows we are together and I'm better off without him."

I took a deep breath. "I'm angry with you for embarrassing me in front of the guys. It's hard enough for me to feel like I'm worth being a part of the team, but for them to know what we were doing while we were on a stakeout… Are they going to think thank that the only reason I have a job here is because I'm screwing the boss? I mean it's not like they don't know we're together, hell they probably thought we were sleeping together long before we really were. But for them to know details, for them to have that picture painted for them, it just makes me feel, I don't know, dirty and cheap. It's like Joe writing about the Tasty Pastry all over again." Carlos cringed at the comparison.

He didn't try to mask the hurt in his voice, "That's not fair Steph. You know I didn't do it on purpose."

I sighed, "I know you didn't, but the result is still the same, everyone knows my business again. I know I'm not being fair to you. I open my mouth and say stupid shit all of the time without thinking. But you, you're always in control. You're Batman." He squeezed my hands.

"Babe, I'm not Batman. I'm just a man. I make mistakes and say stupid shit. You should know, I've said enough of it to you." He leaned forward so our foreheads were touching. "I'm sorry," he whispered and leaned in to kiss me softly. "Do you forgive me?" his voice was thick. I gave him a tender kiss.

I sighed, and whispered against his lips, "Yes." Pleased with my answer he captured my lips with his, taking possession of them. His hands moved to my back and he crushed me to him. I fisted my hands in his hair and angled my head, deepening the kiss. He groaned and moved his lips across my jaw to my ear, licking the shell before sucking it into his mouth.

"Did we just have our first fight?" His voice was husky.

My breathing was labored, "I think so; it was hard to tell, because there was no yelling or Italian hand gestures." A civilized argument was new territory for me.

His eyes dilated with arousal as he growled, "Then I guess we better have make up sex." Oh boy.

His lips fused to mine, forceful and needy. He lifted me and changed my position so I was now straddling him. My robe was half hanging open and I had no panties on so I was bare against his cargos. I could feel him harden underneath me as his lips trailed down my throat to between my breasts. His hands went to my shoulders where they slipped inside the robe and pushed it down my arms, exposing my upper half.

With the robe out of the way, his talented lips and nimble fingers caressed and teased my breasts. I moaned as he sucked one of my nipples into his hot mouth, his tongue rolling around it. I ground myself into his pulsing erection. The rough fabric of his cargos created a delicious sensation and I felt a flood of wetness pool between my legs. Carlos felt me dampen his cargos and he rasped out a rapid slew of Spanish. While he tortured one nipple with his teeth, his fingers plucked and twisted the other. He slid his free hand under the robe that still hung around my middle grabbing my ass as he thrust his hips off the bed and into me.

I whimpered his name. He must have liked it because his hand released my breast and slid down my belly cupping me. His long fingers stroked my folds before two of them slid effortlessly into me while his thumb found my clit. He added a third finger as he pumped in and out, his thumb alternating between circling and flicking my clit. Heat radiated from my center, traveling to every nerve in my body. I slid both of my hands into his hair and pulled his lips up to meet mine. He reluctantly released my nipple, but eagerly captured my mouth. His tongue was hot and insistent, delving into my mouth to tangle with mine. My release hit me hard as I pulled away from him, letting out an unholy shriek of satisfaction. His fingers continued to stroke in and out of me, while his thumb held constant pressure on my clit, prolonging my release.

With his other hand he untied the sash and threw my robe onto the floor. He withdrew his hand and laid us both down on the bed facing each other. When his hands ventured to caress my breasts, I snatched the one that was still wet with my juices. I licked the dampness from his palm with wide flat strokes before taking each of his fingers into my mouth and sucking them clean as he watched, mesmerized. As I let the last finger slide from my mouth, he growled claiming my mouth in a bruising kiss. He moaned as he tasted my essence on my lips.

I took the opportunity to yank his t-shirt from his cargos and pulled it off of him. My hands and eyes roamed his muscled chest. He was almost too beautiful to believe. My mouth got a little jealous and decided to join the fun. He let me roll him onto his back and I traveled downward, kissing, licking and sucking on his delicious skin. I reached the waistband of his cargos, quickly working the button and zipper to free him. I had planned to take his pants the rest of the way off, but I got distracted. Who could blame me? Carlos was physically perfect in every way and his cock was no different. It was long and thick and as hard as the rest of him. I've never thought of a dick as particularly attractive, actually for the most part I think they're kind of funny looking. But not Carlos, he was glorious.

"See something you like Babe?" Carlos's sexy voice interrupted my musings. I looked up at him; his eyes were hooded and dark.

I licked my lips as I slid his pants the rest of the way off, then I crawled up his legs, kneeling between them. My voice sounded husky "Like doesn't even begin to cover it." I ran one hand down his chest and abs while the other caressed his muscled legs. "God, I love you. I love every part of you, from the top of your silky hair to the tip of your sexy toes," my eyes traveled his body as I spoke. "But right now," I took his shaft in my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze, "This is my favorite." I gave him my own version of the wolf grin and leaned down, my tongue darting out to lap up the impressive amount of precum gathered there, before sucking him into my mouth. I moaned at the taste of him. He couldn't have tasted better if he really was mocha flavored.

Carlos's eyes closed and his head dropped back. He let out an impressive string of curses in jumbled Spanish and English. His hips came off the bed, trying to get more of himself into my mouth. I pushed his hips down against the mattress as I slid my lips up and down his shaft. He sat up to watch me, but my hair kept falling forward blocking his view. He could have used one of his hands to hold it out of the way, but they both had a white knuckled death grip on the sheets. I slowed my movements and eased him out of my mouth. I crawled backwards until I was off the bed and on my knees. I curled my finger, motioning for him to join me. He moved towards me, until he sat on the edge of the bed with his feet on the floor on either side of me.

I reached up and pulled his face down to mine, kissing him. "Better," I whispered against his lips. I made my way back to my favorite piece of Ranger Real Estate. Yum. I licked him from balls to tip before treating the head like a lollipop. I kissed and nipped the sensitive skin, traveling back down to his balls before lapping at them, then sucking one into my mouth. Strangled sounds were emanating from Carlos; both of his hands were tangled in my curls. I moved back up his shaft and sucked just the head into my mouth twirling my tongue around it. I took more of him in, my lips traveling down his pulsating cock. The tip hit the back of my throat and he groaned. I smiled around him. I eased back a little before taking him back in and relaxing my throat so I could take him deeper. One hand was holding him at the base; the other was beneath, cupping and rolling his balls then traveling to tease the sensitive skin behind them. I worked him in and out of my mouth, sucking and swirling my tongue, then slowing the pace and taking him deeper.

I could feel Carlos tense and I knew his control was slipping. He was close, but still holding on. The pleasure I got from making him lose control was exhilarating. I wanted him to come, no, I wanted to make him come. I eased him almost completely out of my mouth before taking him deep again. My hand traveled again from his balls to the tender skin behind, but this time trailing further back. I scraped my fingernail across his hole and I felt his whole body spasm as he lost it. He roared his release, his cum flowing down my throat. I swallowed and sucked harder; devouring every drop.

When I was sure I had every bit of him cleaned off, I climbed back up on the bed. Carlos had collapsed into the mattress when he came, his legs still hanging over the edge of the bed. I lay next to him while he tried to catch his breath. He sounded like I did after he made me run. He turned his head to look at me and I smiled at him like the cat who ate the canary. He gave me a lazy satisfied smile. My heart jumped, "I love you," I whispered. He reached over and pulled me to him, nearly crushing me with the intensity of it. He loosened his grip and held me against his body with one arm while he used the other to stroke up and down my side.

Once he regained the ability to speak he asked, "What the hell was that? I thought I was the one apologizing."

I smiled at him, "Then you better get to it." For that I got the full fledged Big Bad Wolf grin. Uh oh.

Carlos skillfully moved his lips and hands down my body, taking more than adequate time to torture my breasts until my nipples could cut glass. I was already writhing beneath him and he hadn't even gotten to my favorite part yet.

He looked up at me, his eyes twinkling, "My favorite part too Babe." I moaned in anticipation.

Ranger had moved off the bed, kneeling where I had been. His eyes roamed my body, the intensity of his gaze almost overwhelming. "I love you." His voice was thick with need. He trailed a hand up my inner thigh, finding it slick. He swiped some of the wetness up with his finger and sucked it into his mouth. "I love how your body responds to me, knows me." His eyes were locked on mine, "I love the way you look at me. Like no one else has ever looked at me. Seen all of me, understood and accepted me. You make me want to be a better man." He crawled back up my body to brush a soft kiss on my lips. The softness gave way to need and the kiss turned passionate quickly. Carlos moved his lips to my ear whispering, "Now about that apology." I whimpered.

He moved back to his knees and parted my legs, bringing the left one up so my foot was flat on the mattress, leaving me completely exposed. I propped myself up on my elbows so I could watch him. The look on his face made me shiver. He started kissing his way up my thigh, pausing briefly, "Our argument before, it was different for you, quieter than you're used to?" I nodded wondering where he was going with this. "Proud of you Babe," he knew it wasn't easy for me to hold my temper in check. He started kissing again, a hair's breath away from where I need him. He stopped again and looked at me with a wicked grin, "But now, I'm going to make you scream." Omigod.

With that his mouth descended on me. He latched onto my already throbbing clit, sucking and nipping at it. His fingers slipped inside of me and curled to torture me at just the right spot. I nearly rocketed off the bed when my orgasm hit me hard and fast, mirroring his pace. "Jesus," I cried shocked at how quickly he made me come. His movements slowed a little as he released my clit from his teeth and moved to lap up the juices that flowed from me. He slid his hands under my ass and lifted me to his face. A satisfied groan escaped him; he was obviously pleased with himself. I was pretty happy with him too.

He repositioned, holding me to him with one large hand so the other one was free to play with my clit. His talented fingers slipped over the bundle of nerves while Carlos moved his tongue in and out of me. When I was all but vibrating in his hands he took mercy on me and gave my clit a pinch sending me over the edge again. Before I could come down his fingers were back inside of me while he licked and sucked happily. He let my hips fall back to the mattress and crawled up the bed kneeling next to me. His fingers were still stroking in and out of me in a blissful rhythm. He latched hungrily onto my nipple as I arched off the bed to give him better access. Releasing my breast he took control of my mouth in a demanding kiss. I moaned when I tasted myself on his lips, so sexy. My body was trembling again, ready for release.

His voice was husky and his eyes were nearly black, "Trust me Babe?"

I nodded, "Always," I whispered. Just make me come, I thought.

He plundered my mouth again with a barely controlled ferocity. His fingers still tortured me, two of them thrusting in and out. A third moved to my ass, tracing, gently prodding. So slick with my wetness, it met little resistance when it slipped inside. I was in such a state, I didn't even consider protesting. I groaned at the new feeling. Encouraged Carlos pumped all three fingers in and out of me, slowly at first. I needed more. I thrust my hips into his hand to relay my need. In understanding he rose up on his knees beside me, watching me as he played my body like an instrument. His fingers pounded into me with more force while his other hand moved to my breasts, pulling and twisting my nipples. When his thumb found my clit, I exploded. My orgasm rocked my body while purely animalistic sounds escaped my throat. Pretty stars formed behind my eyes and I nearly passed out from the sensations.

Carlos placed gentle kisses on my face as his hand slowed its movements and I came down. "Wow, you were really sorry," my voice was hoarse. He grinned like a little boy. I smiled back at him and ran my hands down his chest to find him hard again.

I pulled him so he was on top of me, settled between my legs. I lifted my hips off the bed and guided him inside me. He slid in all the way with one thrust. I would never tire of this feeling, being complete, whole. We moved together, no longer frantic in our movements. The argument and the hurt feelings were gone, replaced with the knowledge that we were now stronger; together we could do this. When we finally came, our hands were linked and our faces were only inches from each other, neither of us able to look away.

Both completely spent, Carlos tucked us under the covers for a real nap. I snuggled into him and whispered, "Guess you can check make up sex off the list."

He thought for a moment before answering, "Babe, knowing us, it's probably going to be a regular occurrence."

"God, I hope so," I smiled drifting off to sleep.