Recap: Stephanie is hurt on a takedown, and Joe accidentally grabs her injury while attempting to kiss her. She orders him to leave her alone and not contact her until she calls him.

Stephanie's POV

It had been a long, emotionally draining day and I was happy to get back to the Haywood office. I wasn't quite ready to call it 'home' yet, but seeing the building was starting to give me the same feeling of calm that my apartment did.

I pulled into the garage and grabbed my basket, walking across the concrete floor to the elevator. When the doors opened Ranger was already standing there, giving me a soft smile that made him look 10 years younger. He lifted the basket from my arms and kissed me as the elevator rose.

"Mmmmmm," I said. "I could get used to that after work."

"I'll see what I can arrange, Babe," he whispered in my ear. The elevator stopped and he fobbed us into the apartment. He set the basket down gently, and carefully put Rex's cage on the counter. And then his arms were around me, his cheek resting against mine. "Are you OK? Santos said you got banged up on the takedown earlier."

I nodded, causing my cheek to rub against his stubble. "I'll be bruised and sore tomorrow, but nothing's broken."

He nuzzled his nose against my temple. "Santos also said you saved him from getting stabbed. Proud of you, Babe."

Those words always gave me a warm glow, and today was no exception. I turned my head into his lips for a heart-stopping kiss, and backed up with him into the bedroom.

An hour later we lay on the bed, our legs tangled together and my nose nuzzling against his chest. Normally we liked to spoon back-to-chest in bed, but my injured left arm meant I wanted to lay on my right side. He gently brushed my hair away from my sweat-slicked face and tucked it behind my ear. "How are you feeling Babe?" He gently touched my swollen arm, with no more pressure than a brush of fabric.

I grinned and nuzzled his collarbone. "Pretty good, Batman. Fishing for compliments?"

He chuckled, making his chest rise and fall in front of my face. It was good to feel him be so relaxed. "You know what I mean. How is your arm? I tried to keep from touching it."

"Is that why you had me on top again?" I was beginning to think Lula was right.

"What about Lula?"

Shit! I must have said that aloud. "Nothing."

"Babe."

As always, he could say so much with one word. I think this time he meant 'what are you talking about, you might as well tell me, you know I'm going to get it out of you eventually.'

"Seriously, Ranger. It was nothing." For a moment I thought he was going to drop it. I was being foolish. Ranger was a master interrogator. He made hardened criminals and Columbian drug lords and terrorists spill their secrets. I didn't stand a chance. Admittedly, he probably didn't get information out of them by tickling, but that was the tactic he used on me.

He pinned me underneath him, still careful to avoid my left arm. One hand went for my right armpit, the other reached back and got the bottom of my left foot. I squealed and wriggled under him, trying to get away. It was hopeless. He knew far too much about how to hold someone down, even without hurting them at all. Then he pulled out his nastiest weapon of all.

Ranger slid back and dipped his head down between my legs, giving me a long, slow lick. I shuddered and arched my back from the sensation. Then he took my clit in his mouth and rolled it around, playing with it as his tongue caressed the sensitive nub. I grabbed the sheets as I felt two fingers enter me, swirling around in my depths. I could feel the pressure building inside me, pushing me to the edge…

And then it stopped. Ranger lifted his chin and set it on my pubic bone, staring up at me. "Babe, what were you saying?"

"Dammit Ranger, don't stop!" I yelled as I felt his fingers curl inside me.

"What were you saying before? You can make the pleasure come back, or, you can make it go away." He gave my clit a quick flick with his thumb to remind me how good his touch could feel.

He was right, there was no way I wasn't going to give him the information eventually, and I reeeeally wanted another orgasm. I spit out the answer as fast as I could. "Fine. Lula said that she thought you'd be into kinnky shit like to be handcuffed to the bed because it was the guys who were in positions of power who were into that stuff and dammit give me my orgasm!"

He laughed and put his head back down, adding a third finger to the two inside me and putting his lips where I wanted the most. In less than thirty seconds he had me back to where I had been before, and a moment later I felt myself clamp down on his fingers as shockwaves passed through me, and I lost all awareness of anything but the pleasure inside me.

Ranger's POV

I watched Stephanie have her third orgasm of the night from my favorite vantage point; between her legs, looking up at her face as she came. Her legs clamped around my head as she writhed around, making me glad for the breath training I had done in Ranger school so I could go without breathing for over a minute. When she relaxed and lay on the bed, spent and pliant, I kissed my way back up her body until my mouth met hers.

"Tell me, Batman; is that how you get the terrorists to tell you where the timebomb is?" I cracked a smile at the idea.

"The Army doesn't have that particular tactic in the Field Manual. And I really don't think I'd enjoy it as much with anyone other than you." I kissed her again, loving the taste of both her sets of lips combined.

"To answer your, or rather Lula's question, I've fantasized about having you in every way imaginable. You on top, me on top, on a blanket in the woods, on the couch, on my desk, in the gym, in each one of my cars, hell, even in the Buick. And I'll admit to some kinky tastes that come into my fantasies sometimes." I kissed her gently on the lips again, then moved along her jaw line and to her neck.

"Does that include handcuffs?"

"Yeah, Babe. On both you and me. Don't worry, I won't pressure you into anything, ever. But let me know if there's anything you want to try. I will say one thing though, I'd only be OK with you handcuffing me here."

She looked at me, puzzled. "Why's that?"

"This is the most secure apartment in the city. If we were at your place, or a hotel, I wouldn't be able to protect you if someone broke in. And I won't leave you vulnerable like that." I refused to put her at risk simply to make the sex hotter. Lula was right, for someone as in control as me, a loss of control was incredibly errotic. But anywhere besides here, I needed to be ready to defend her at a moment's notice, and it's tough to do that chained to a bed.

Babe snuggled up closer to me, and her slowed breathing told me she was close to falling asleep. "What did you fantasize the most about?"

"Two things. When I used to watch you sleep, I fantasized a dozen times a minute of crawling into bed with you and holding you to me, just like this." I carefully wrapped my body around hers to hold her closer.

"And the other?"

"That night early on when you called me from the shower, and I rescued you from being handcuffed to the bar. I can't tell you how many times I fantasized about you being so grateful that you wanted to have me right there."

That fantasy of her comforted me more nights than I can count, especially when I was in the wind and sleeping on a dirt floor or being held captive, not knowing if I'd ever see her again. The simple fact that she had been relieved rather than scared to see me was amazing. This sheltered white girl from the 'Burg who had only ever seen me when I was trying to be tough and intimidating. She hadn't shied away from me, despite being in such a vulnerable position.

"I didn't think you'd noticed how I looked. You were so cool that night."

"All an act, Babe. You took my breath away. Then and always."

And with that, her breathing slackened and her muscles went limp as she fell into sleep.