Not mine, but a girl can dream.

Warning: language and and smut.

Thanks so much to Rach for her work as a beta and as inspiration, even when she doesn't know it.

Better Man 20

Storyline borrowed from Lean Mean 13

I registered shock on his face before the blank mask fell into place. His voice was even and measured, "Excuse me?"

"You heard me! You're a fucking asshole. Overprotective, macho jerk!" My voice was one decibel below screaming.

He paused before answering calmly, "I can be all of those things, yes. I've been all of those things to you in the past, but is there something new you'd like to tell me about?" His mask was slipping and he had the nerve to look a little hurt.

"Oh and I forgot - lying bastard! I believed you! All your bullshit about how we're equal partners. I guess that only applies to the bedroom or when you want me to take responsibility for something. When it comes to work you can cut me off and treat me like I don't even matter. Then you go on and give me all this bullshit about being proud of me. What a load of crap. I thought you meant it Ranger. I thought you were different."

He let me rant before calmly asking, "Are you finished?" I glared at him, but didn't say anything else. I had a horrible sense of déjà vu. It was only a few nights ago we sat here in these same positions in front of my parents' house. I replayed the scene in my head and before I knew it, I was flying across the seat, my hand raised to attack him again. My mother was right. I never learn.

I must not have been the only one who remembered the events from the other night because Ranger caught my wrist, as well as the rest of me. Again I found myself in his lap, my arms pinned behind me. He crushed me to his chest, I could feel his heart beating wildly, betraying his calm exterior. His body was tense, "Stephanie, do you want to tell me what happened between Pino's and now that made me the biggest asshole you ever met? Bitch all you want, but at least tell me what the hell you're talking about." His words started out even and measured, but the pain and confusion bled through.

It was too much. He didn't think I should be upset? He thought he had the right to treat me this way? In my heart I may belong to him, but that didn't give him the right to secure me to the car like you would your dog to the parking meter while you went into Starbucks to pick up your morning coffee. I tried to wriggle out of his grip, but wasn't very successful. When I twisted my arm trying to get away the open handcuff dug into my arm and made my cry out. Ranger immediately recognized that I was in pain and didn't stop me as I scurried to my side of the truck. It hurt like a bitch. I pulled the arm of my sweat shirt up to assess the damage.

When the light reflected off the metal of the cuffs Ranger moved swiftly across the bench seat and grabbed my arm. "What the hell?" His voice was a low roar and it was scaring me. The part that was scared was vying with the other half of me that was still angry.

"I thought the same thing when I woke up and you'd cuffed me to your god damn truck." I spit out at him. I tried to snatch my arm back, but he wouldn't release it.

He looked like I'd slapped him. "You think I did this?" I just nodded. "Why?"

I snorted, "Your cuffs, your truck, your woman." I kind of sneered at the last part. "Besides, you're the one who told me I had to stay in the truck while you went and checked things out. You're telling me this wasn't your way of making sure that happened?" I held up the arm with the cuffs, letting them dangle.

"Steph, you were drunk. I tried to wake you, but when I couldn't I figured you were out for the night." He reached behind him and pulled his cuffs off of his utility belt, tossing them to me. "Here are my cuffs. Believe me, if I was responsible for cuffing you we'd both be enjoying it a hell of a lot more than this." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys and unlocked my bracelets.

My eyes narrowed, "If they aren't yours, why does your key work? I tried my key and they wouldn't open." He inspected the cuffs, then slipped his arm around the back of my waist, along my utility belt. We both realized there were no cuffs attached, which meant…

"Babe, these are your cuffs. They're Rangeman standard issue. The key to them is universal." He tried to hide his smirk at the idea that I'd been restrained using my own handcuffs. Ass. "What key did you try? And how did you get out if you didn't have a key?"

I grabbed my purse, which still had my cuffs from Vinnie and the key, "This one; it's for my handcuffs from the Bond's Office. I didn't know there were different keys."

He was more interested in an answer to his second question. "You still didn't answer me, how did you get out of them?"

I bit my lip. I'd wanted to wait until I was really good at it to tell him. "Lester taught me. We were doing surveillance one day out at the mall and I was bored. He showed me how to pick the lock with a paperclip. I didn't have one so I used a bobby pin." I shrugged, "I needed my right hand to do it so I could only get the cuff off the door handle, not the one on my wrist."

I watched his face split into a big grin, "Proud of you Babe." He paused for a second, trying to gauge my reaction, then said "Pretty sure it was Lester." I opened my mouth to interrupt him, but he cut me off, answering my question before I'd asked it. "It's a ritual, a little bit of hazing to test your new skill. All the guys have gone through it. They've found themselves cuffed to their beds, desks; I think Binkie was cuffed to a bathroom stall." My jaw dropped when I realized how wrong I'd been. Then I got a little warm fuzzy feeling that I was being treated like one of the guys. But that didn't mean I didn't plan on getting back at him.

"I'm so going to kick his ass," I half growled, half laughed.

Ranger smiled, "Get in line Babe." He pulled me onto his lap so I had one knee on either side of his hips. His hands were low on my back.

Now I felt like an ass for the things I'd said. "Umm, I'm sorry about yelling at you. When I thought you did it to keep me out of the way it pissed me off. It reminded me…um, it reminded me of Morelli." I was cautious about mentioning his name to Ranger. I knew the comparison wouldn't go over well.

I saw his surprise at my words, but no anger. "The shower?" I just nodded. That night was horrible. I had been so angry and humiliated. His hands rubbed up and down my back to comfort me.

He gave me his almost smile, "Babe, I know that must not be a happy memory for you, but I have to tell you the image of you, naked and cuffed to your shower, has kept me warm on many a night. Not only were you beautiful and sexy, you were pissed as hell. It was pretty damn hot." And now he looked like the big bad wolf. He leaned in and started kissing my neck.

I blushed, "It was that night I knew I trusted you like I'd never trusted anybody."

He stopped his assault on my neck and looked up at me, one eyebrow raised. "You mean because I didn't jump you when I found you like that?"

I shook my head, "No, before that, when I decided to call you. I'd only known you for a few days, but somehow, I knew that you would take care of me." I slid my hands up his arms and around to his neck, pulling him to me for a kiss. I laid my head on his shoulder, not wanting to look at him when I asked the next question, "Why didn't you, um, take advantage of the situation? You always said you were an opportunist and you told me you wanted me since the café."

He pulled back so he could look in my eyes, "When I came in and found you, the way you looked at me, it was like I was a superhero. I didn't want it to be hero worship or a thank you. I wanted you to want me."

I gave him a sexy smile, "Oh believe me, I wanted you." I bit my lip and wondered if I should tell him the rest, oh what the hell, "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't at least a little disappointed you didn't."

He groaned and resumed kissing my neck. His hands also became active again and slid underneath my shirt. "Well, we could always make up for lost time. Believe me, I've created a number of fantasies around you and those handcuffs."

I dropped my head back to give him better access and a small moan escaped, "I thought you said you didn't need handcuffs to enslave a woman."

He gave a soft laugh and his breath on my skin made me shiver, "It's not about need, it's about want." My nipples pebbled and my panties grew wet. His hands were roaming all over my body. The temperature in the truck went up a few degrees.

I tried to sound normal, but it kind of came out all breathy and sexy. "What kind of fantasies?"

Tired of fighting my t-shirt and sweat shirt Ranger pulled them up over my head and dropped them to the floor. He slid his hands up my back, his fingers curling over my shoulders. He pulled back causing my chest to arch up towards his mouth. As he traced the edge of my bra with his lips and tongue he asked in a deep and throaty voice, "Do you want them chronologically or alphabetically?"

I whimpered, "That many?" Gulp.

He chuckled, "You have no idea." In an instant he had my bra off and added it to the pile on the floor. His mouth resumed its explorations, kissing, licking and sucking at my breasts, pointedly ignoring my nipples. I felt his warm breath on my skin as he spoke, "The first one is exactly the same as that night, but instead of letting you down, I use a second set of cuffs, securing your other hand to the shower rod while I had my wicked way with you." I gasped as he flicked at my nipple with his tongue.

"Uh, huh," was my eloquent reply. He laid me down against the bench, and reached under the driver's seat. He pulled on a lever and the entire seatback reclined into the back seat, creating an almost bed. Thank god for extended cab pick-ups. "Wow Batman, bet you drove a love van in high school." He slipped out of his jacket, shoulder holster and shirt before joining me.

His hands found my breasts and resumed the sweet torture abandoned by his mouth while his lips returned to my neck. "Nope, motorcycle." Always the bad boy, I imagined riding behind Ranger on a Harley. Molding myself to his back and wrapping my arms around him while the motor rumbled underneath of us.

"Someday Babe," He shifted me back on the seat, making room for himself beside me. "Now where were we?" He murmured against my skin, resuming his explorations.

"Your fantasy, shower, naked, handcuffs." Full sentences seemed like too much of an effort, my mind solely focused on what he was doing to my body.

"Mmmm…" was all he said as he slid his tongue into my mouth. The kiss was hot and demanding, taking all of my focus. His hard chest was rubbing back and forth against my nipples. I could feel something equally hard pressing into my stomach. I could think of nothing else beyond getting him naked and buried inside of me. I heard a familiar click and then another bringing me back. Ranger pulled away, sitting back on his haunches, his hungry eyes raking over the picture he'd created. I was laid out before him topless, my arms above my head, cuffed to the handle on the back door.

He searched my eyes for fear or apprehension. Neither was there, but there was a question on my lips: "I get my turn right?"

"Babe, that's fantasy number four," his eyes darkened as a smile spread across his face. He made quick work of our utility belts and boots as well as my cargos and ruined Rangeman panties. He groaned when he saw how much his little fantasy was turning me on. When I protested that he still had his cargos on he reminded me it was his fantasy and I would have my turn.

Crawling back up my body he encircled my wrists just below the cuffs and trailed his hands down my arms, his breath was warm on my skin as he reached my shoulders and chest. "You were freezing, so first I had to warm you up." He ran his hands up and down my sides as he latched his hot mouth to my breast, sucking on my nipple, teasing it with his tongue. He ran his hand over my other breast, teasing the nipple with his palm. I moaned and arched up into him. He moved his mouth to my other breast and repeated, caressing me with his mouth and hands. Releasing my breast his mouth claimed mine again. He kissed me like he owned me and I was too turned on to object. He pulled my lower lip into his mouth, sucking on it gently. His voice was husky, "You were so cold and I wanted your nipples to be hard for a whole other reason." Damn, I felt another rush of warmth on my inner thighs. I didn't know which was more erotic, his words or the things he was doing to my body. Together they were a powerful combination.

He slid down my body and kneeled between my legs. Resuming his tale, he picked up my right leg and placed it over his shoulder. "After I had you warm, it was safe to make you hot." I whimpered. He leaned forward and licked the wetness from my upper thighs, but not venturing where I needed him most. "I dropped to my knees to taste you, touch you." He ran his fingers up and down my slit before sucking them into his mouth and licking them clean. My heart was beating a million miles an hour.

My eyes threatened to roll up into my head, but I refused to take my eyes from him. He licked, nipped and sucked on my lips, paying no attention to my clit. I thrust my hips towards his mouth, wishing I could grab his hair and pull him to me. He chuckled at my frustration, sending vibrations through my body. I was close, so close. He stopped all together and looked up at me, continuing, "And made you scream my name as you came while I filled you with my fingers and tortured you with my tongue."

He slid two fingers into me and finally sucked my throbbing clit into his mouth. I screamed and shuddered as my orgasm ripped through me. His hand and mouth traded positions, his tongue slid into me while his slick fingers rubbed against my clit. I grabbed onto the door handle to give myself some leverage as my hips bucked against his mouth. Before I came down he had me spiraling up again. When he pressed down on my clit while fucking me with his tongue I knew I was close. The hand that was holding my leg slid down to cup my ass. It was his thumb that slipped between my cheeks to play with my ass that pushed me over the edge. "Christ. Oh god, oh god. Carlos, Jesus, yes."

He lapped up the juices that flowed from me, allowing me to catch my breath. He had a wicked gleam in his eye when he spoke again, "And I'd do it over and over again until you begged me to fuck you." Even though I assured him we were already there, he took no mercy on me, making me come twice more before he gave in to my pleading.

He shed his cargos and ran his hands up my body, caressing and teasing. "Finally I'd turn on the shower and release your hands." I was so engrossed in his tale I didn't notice he'd unlocked my cuffs. I brought them to rest on his upper arms, desperate to hear what was next. "Pulling you under the spray and washing you from head to toe." The next thing I knew he'd flipped me over and was stretched out across my back. His mouth was at my ear, his breathing as erratic as mine. "And I'd press you up against the wall and fuck you hard and fast until you screamed that you were mine." That's my Carlos, a man with a plan.

"Please," I begged and raised my hips to rub against him. He pushed up on my thigh, raising my knee to give him some room. He slipped one hand underneath me to pull me up while he tilted his hips and thrust inside me. I whimpered and he groaned at the sensation. After taking a moment to regain control he began to move, pulling out until just the head remained inside me before sinking back in. His pace was slow and deliberate and maddening.

"Faster, please faster," I thrust my hips back into him. He increased his speed, but his thrusts were shallow. "Harder, god, more, harder," I was panting, close to release, but he was keeping me from coming. "Carlos," I growled. Hearing his name on my lips and the urgency in my voice, snapped any control he had left. Thank god. He began pounding into me fast and furious. I had to brace my hands on the door to keep from ramming into it. The fabric on the seat was rubbing against my already sensitive nipples.

Carlos had one hand on my hip holding me to him. His other braced near my shoulder. I could feel his breath on my neck, "Mine." He growled, "Say it," his voice commanding.

"Yours," I sobbed, "Always, only yours." With my words his mouth found my shoulder and he bit down, groaning. I screamed as my orgasm tore through me, grateful for the weight of Ranger's body keeping me grounded. I shuddered and shook causing him to tighten his grip as I pulled him over with me. As he came he roared my name, his voice hoarse.

He tried to roll us over, but I wasn't ready to give up the sensation of his body pressing me into the seat. Finally he rolled to his side and tucked me in next to him. He kissed my neck and shoulder, spending extra time soothing the spot that I'm sure bore his teeth marks. He sighed, "You know Morelli really is an SOB, but I'll be damned if I don't feel like writing him a thank you note."

Still trying to catch my breath I rasped out, "Sign my name too."