I'd planned on getting to the smut by this point, but don't worry, it's coming. If you're in a hurry to read some, check out my story "A Sexy Surprise" in the Night Huntress universe. It's a quick story, and you don't have to have read the series to enjoy it. I do highly recommend them though. The main male character, Bones, and Ranger have a fair amount in common. s/12190944/1/A-sexy-suprise

Stephanie's POV

I sent Vinnie a quick text telling him to meet us at the station so he could get Marie bonded out as soon as possible. Then I crossed my fingers and started the car, hoping against hope it would start properly and we wouldn't have to beg a ride from Lester. He'd be happy to do it, and he was going to follow me anyway, but it would be freakin humiliating.

Marie kept grilling me about Lester the entire drive to the police station. What was he like, what were his hobbies, did he look even better naked than he did clothed. I admitted to some knowledge of the first two, and limited knowledge of the second. I'd never seen Lester naked, but I had seen him working out shirtless and in shorts. He wasn't Ranger level of hot, but that was a bar high enough for a giraffe to limbo under.

"Look, Marie. Have fun with Lester if you want, just don't expect him to stick around for life. Or even a week. He's a flirt and a player, don't let him break your heart."

She glanced at me. "Are you warning me off for my sake, or because you like him?"

Her look wasn't challenging, it was curious. I blushed a little. "My life is complicated enough right now. Lester's great but he's…" I stopped talking. Yeah, I knew Marie a little, but not enough to talk to her about this stuff. She'd been a bit of a gossip in High School. I didn't know if she still was, but I really didn't want my complicated feelings providing more fuel for the Burg grapevine.

"There's someone else," she said sagely. "Lester's great, but you have feelings for someone else." She looked at me again, and I felt a little like I had been stripped bare. She seemed to see right through me.

Luckily, at that point we arrived at the TPD. I jumped out of the car a little faster than was strictly necessary for a capture I bought off with a box of TastyKakes. I opened the door for her, then walked her into the station.

When I had recieved my body receipt I walked back out to the parking lot and approached Lester's car. "Do you want to stay with Marie until she gets out?" I asked, a knowing glint in my eye.

Lester smiled at me, raising one eyebrow in that way that everyone I knew could, except for me. "My job today is to stay with you, Beautiful. Strict orders to assist in your skips so your caseload is clear, and then take you back to Rangeman for target practice."

I nodded, then went back to my car and drove to Haywood, the black SUV trailing behind me.

When I got to Rangeman I went straight to the firing range. My gun was home in the cookie jar, but I knew there would be plenty available. Ranger would be upset, but not surprised, that I wasn't carrying. If I was working for him for the next week, I would have to keep my gun with me. Sometimes I wonder if the only reason he hired me was so he could force me to carry a gun.

I grabbed a Sig Sauer from the gun cabinet and proceed to load it, practicing taking the magazine out and putting it back in 10 times before grabbing ear protectors and goggles. Lester came in after me and grabbed ear & eye protection as well. I spread my legs shoulder width apart, raised my gun, and fired at the paper target.

I had learned how to shoot with a .38 revolver, and was having a little trouble adjusting to the larger gun. It weighed almost twice as much, and my arms ached from holding it up too long. I'm usually a pretty good shot, but my aim goes downhill fast once I get tired.

After emptying the clip, I pushed the button to bring the target close to me. It was a full 6 feet long, and had an outline of a man on it. While I had been aiming at the bullseye on the chest, this guy had holes all over. He looked like he was dressing up as a spaghetti strainer for Halloween.

Lester's POV

Bomber was having trouble with her aim, so I stood behind her to help her with her stance. I put my body against hers to help guide her, first turning her slightly, then adjusting her arms. I swear it was innocent, at least, that was my intention. I just wanted he help her shoot better. But having her pressed up against me, firing a gun while I helped her shoot straight….

I turned my hips slightly so that I could try to hide my body's sudden betrayal. Steph was awesome, she was beautiful and smart and tough as nails, but still kind to everyone at Rangeman. She saw the best in people. A man would have to be crazy to not like her. Or, in the case of my idiot cousin, crazy to love her and not just fucking tell her. Everyone in Trenton knew how he felt about her. You don't spend as much time and money as he does protecting someone you don't love. Hell, he's brave enough to walk into a room knowing he's going to get shot to protect her, but he can't just ask her out for fucking dinner unless he makes it about work.

Steph seemed to sense my change in mood, but kindly ignored my embarrassing reaction. Her aim did improve, though. She wasn't hitting the bullseye all the time, but at least all the holes were in the torso.

After an hour and a half of practice her hands were shaking with exhaustion. She'd improved for the first few clips, but after that she got worse as she struggles to keep her arms up and straight. Still, the point was as much about getting her used to her gun as it was about target practice.

My phone rang and I answered it, though I didn't recognize the number. I had a suspicion who it was.

"Hi, Lester? It's Marie, from earlier."

I grinned. "I remember. How are you doing? Judge decide not to lock you up and throw away the key for Grand Theft Cocoa?"

"Yeah, they're letting me go again. Um, were you serious about giving me a ride home? I mean, I could probably get a friend to pick me up after work or something…."

"No, I'll come get you." Bomber smiled at me. "I'll be there in 10 minutes." I hung up.

Bomber rolled her eyes. "What?" I asked.

"You guys have such terrible phone manners! Have you all always been like this? Did you spend your teenage years hanging up on girls? Or is Ranger just contagious?"

I laughed and threw an arm around her shoulder, kissing the top of her head. "It's an eternal mystery. I'll see you later, Beautiful. I'm sure there are lots of searches upstairs for you, since we're all up to our ears in work with the rally only a couple weeks away."

"Where is it going to be, anyway? I just know an open space in Philly."

"In front of the art museum. If you want, I bet you'd be able to find the time the week before to check the place out. Lots of nudes in there."

She ruffled my hair, then jokingly pushed me out the door. I grinned, then went off to take Marie home. I wondered if she had any plans for dinner. I bet going to jail makes you work up a real appetite for Italian food. Or maybe even Cuban.