AN: Sorry for the wait! I hope you think it is worth it. I've had writers block or just lack of energy lately. I'm hoping to have more regular updates again but we will see if RL cooperates. Bachata is a seriously sensual dance but is super fun! They have tons of videos on youtube if you're interested. :) Please, let me know what you think! I appreciate each and every review.

Sigo Extrañándote by J Balvin

"Entiende que yo sigo extrañándote
A cada instante
En todo momento…

Y te quiero ver yeah
Para resolver yeah
Dime en donde por favor responde"

Defining Moments

Chapter 12: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Steph's POV

"Why do you seem so nervous?" I ask Quinn as we head up the elevator in RangeMan. He glances over at me.

"I didn't get the warmest welcoming the last time I was here," he responds, not offering any more details. I can only guess it was when he was doing interviews about me. I guess it's nice to know my friends at RangeMan didn't tell him diddly squat. The elevator comes to a stop on the fifth floor. I'm a little shocked to see the big behemoth of a man standing in front of the elevator with a shit eating grin. Before I can even ask, he gathers me in his arms and swings me around.

"Congrats, Little Girl," he booms before whispering, "I'm proud of you." My heart swells, and I can feel tears threatening to fall. I realize Tank must have had something to do with the whole FBI thing, and it leaves me with an unfamiliar feeling. I try to stop the tears from leaking out but a few stray ones do. Tank sets me down gently and Les is next in line. Instead of his cocky playboy grin, he's wearing a genuine smile that tells me how happy and proud he is of me. I don't even question how they found out.

"No one else knows," Tank says with a shit-eating grin, "but I had to tell Les." I smile, not mad at all. I'm sure Lester forced it out of him. Although I wonder if…

"No, he has no idea," Tank states, "and won't until you tell him." Damn ESP, but hey he answered my unasked question. It makes me kind of glad that Ranger doesn't know but... sad at the same time.

"Yeah Beautiful," Les grins, "he's gonna shit a brick!" I can't help but laugh at this. I turn to my partner who is standing to the side looking more than just a little uncomfortable.

"Guys, this is Quinn," I say with a smile, "officially he's a new bounty hunter and I'm helping him…unofficially well he's my partner!" I grin. Quinn shuffles his feet and reaches a hand out to say hello.

"Tank," Tank says gruffly although I see a twinkle in his eye as he grabs Quinn's hand. Les just does a quick one.

"Lester Santos," Les informs Quinn, looking him up and down, "If anything happens to our girl, you're the first one we'll come for." I roll my eyes at the dramatics.

"Boys, please," I butt in, "I'll be fine. And we must be going." I see Les waggle his eyebrows suggestively.

"Better save a few dances for me tonight, Beautiful," Les says with his green eyes twinkling. I smile back and my heart swells knowing I have friends no matter the situation with Ranger.

"Of course! Be ready!" I say with a wink and a laugh. I drag Quinn back into the elevator and head out to get ready for tonight.

"What was with the shy guy act?" I question, my arms folding over my chest. Quinn looks sheepish, if not a bit uncomfortable.

"The last time I came here was a bit…intimidating..." Quinn admits and I can tell it's not easy for him to say, "and then seeing Tank…I've talked to him on the phone, but I never knew who he was." I nod, as it makes sense. Wow, who knew tough FBI guys could get scared. I'll have to tuck that tidbit away for future use if he ever steps out of line. Knowing I have a bunch of badass Merry Men who would step up if something happened to me makes me feel even more loved. I just hope Quinn never does anything that would require that to happen.

xxx

I'm just finishing up the last touches of my makeup when I hear the knock on my door. After my initial rebuttal at going out, I actually feel excited about it. I think knowing I have support from Tank and Lester, plus all the girls really put a spring in my step. I'm realizing that I can be happy without Ranger. Tonight I'm wearing a short red wrap dress that has one strap that goes over my left shoulder. I have some cute, strappy black FMPs on my feet. I finish up the mascara on my smokey eye look before I head to the door. I look pretty good if I do say so myself. I look through the peephole to see Quinn. I swing the door open and grin. He's looking good in a painted on blue v-neck t-shirt, dark wash jeans, and brown casual yet dressy shoes. We smile at each other after our mutual look over.

"Wow, you clean up nice!" Quinn says with an elbow nudge. I roll my eyes.

"You dress down nicely," I comment, thinking of his suit wardrobe. He grins and I turn to go get my purse and swipe on some red lipstick to match my outfit.

"I'm almost ready," I say, "just give me a second!" I swipe on some red lipstick, put it in my little purse and head out. I tap Rex's cage and drop a carrot in.

"Let's hit it!" I say with a smile, "you ready to party Jersey style?" We head out and I lock the door before we get into the elevator.

xxx

Lula had texted me the name of the club earlier. Strangely, it's called Café Citron and it's not a café at all. Lula said it's one of the best clubs if we want a variety of music and good looking men. Who am I to say no to that? Quinn insisted on driving, stating that he doesn't like drinking much anyways. I'm not planning to drink much considering I only need a drink to get buzzed and two or three means lights out normally. Quinn's phone rings and he smiles as he answers.

"Yo Xandy," he greets in a teasing voice, "you here?" I look over with a grin. I have a feeling he invited Xandra, which is great! I can get to know my fellow agents. I do a grin and giggle at the thought. I guess I'm still getting used to being an FBI agent.

"Parking now," he replies, "wait in your car. We'll come to you." He ends the call and looks over to me.

"I figured you wouldn't mind if Xandra joins," he explains, "she's here." We get out of the car and he directs me to a blue Saturn. Xandra is behind the wheel. She grins when she sees us and gets out. She's wearing a tight green dress that has a cutout in the middle showing a good amount of cleavage, but not enough to be untasteful.

"Damn Steph! You look hot!" Xandra exclaims excitedly. I smile as we walk towards the door.

"I can say the same about you! You're about to break some hearts," I reply with a wink.

The club is starting to get busy by the time we get inside. I have to say I do feel like a million bucks in my little red dress and hot FMPs. Maybe I'll find a cute guy while we're here. We've found Mary Lou, Lula, Connie, Sally, and a few Merry Men. I notice Lester and Tank haven't even arrived yet. I do see Bobby from the core team. I introduce him to Quinn and Xandra. The girls seem interested in Xandra as well, but I see the appreciative way Bobby looks at her. Hmm…maybe I could play matchmaker. Hell, if I can't find someone for myself the least I could do is help someone else. I can feel Quinn behind me, and I swear I can feel the nervousness radiating off him. We say hi and Lula grins.

"Go on and get a drink," Lula says as she takes a sip of her piña colada, "we gon' get you drunk!" I roll my eyes at her. She pushes me over to the bar and Quinn tails behind us. Xandra stays chatting with Bobby.

I can barely hear as Lula orders drinks. She shoves a colorful looking drink at me and a beer into Quinn's hand. I take a sip and try not to cringe at the sweetness barely covering the strong alcohol. Oh boy, tonight will be fun. We make it back to the table, and I have to blink because all the Merry Men have materialized. Lester grins when he sees me and throws an arm around my neck.

"Shots for everyone, on me!" Les cries with a fist in the air. I glare. I haven't even finished the drink Lula shoved in my hand. He disappears, and I assume it's to go get the shots. I feel a tingle on my neck and scratch my neck curiously. I turn around searching through the sea of faces to find one I know won't be present. I sigh before taking a big slurp of my drink. I introduce Quinn to some other Merry Men before Lula, Connie and Mary Lou pull me to sit beside them. We immediately start gossiping. They ask me all about Quinn and Xandra, but I don't say much. Just that they knew each other from working together in the past. I gave them the same spiel about Quinn being a new bounty hunter. We all chat and yell over the music. I'm halfway done with my drink, and I already have a buzz going. Lester is back before we know it with shots for everyone. He seems to have an evil glint in his eye. He shoos Lula over and sits down beside me before passing around the tray of shots. His eyes gleam.

"Tequila!" Oh boy. I narrow my eyes at Les and he just grins wider. Tequila makes my mouth run and my clothes come off. Les laughs. I blush as I realize I said it aloud.

"Havana Club has that effect on my cousin," he informs me, and I blink. Did he just tell me that rum makes Ranger spill his guts? Les raises his glass when he sees everyone has one.

"Salud!" I shrug and we all take the shot together. I quickly bite the lime and my eyes squinch shut at the sensations. I shake my head and stick my tongue out. I then take a few gulps of my blue drink. Probably not the best idea but it helped. I sip on my drink some more as I look around at my friends. Sally catches my eye and raises his glass in silent cheers. I finish my drink rather quickly for me and before I know it, Lula has another in my hand. I'm going to regret this in the morning.

By the time I finish my drink I notice Xandra and Bobby dancing on the dance floor, Connie and Quinn, and Lula with Tank. Mary Lou is even dancing with Cal! I sigh and realize I'm the only one left. Other Merry Men have broken off and found girls. I feel the tingle and my hand immediately rubs the back of my neck. I shake my head. Suddenly, he's in front of me and I have to blink my eyes to clear the image of Ranger. Instead, it's Les' bright green eyes and vanilla latte skin standing in front of me with his hand offered. I grin and take it.

"Let's dance, beautiful!" I stand up too quickly and I can feel the alcohol hitting me in a rush. Ooh boy. I smile at Les and stumble a bit behind him. The music changes suddenly and it's a Latin beat. Les grins.

"This is Bachata," he informs me, pulling my body close to his. I can feel the heat radiating off of him. His right hand slides to my low back while his left grips mine in a traditional dancing pose.

"It's basically a four-step, but I tend to think of it as two," he explains, "two to one side, and then two back. Same rhythm and timing. Just follow me." Les moves beautifully with the music. His hips move better than mine, but I'm not terrible. I did take dance lessons as a girl. Our hips are touching as we move seductively in the dance. He starts moving and he does a spin.

"Yes, that's it," he grins at me, his green eyes sparkling. He pulls me back in close after the spin, his leg wedged between my thighs as we continue moving around the dance floor. I'm feeling a bit dizzy, and the alcohol is definitely humming through my veins. I feel a twinge of lust as I feel Les' muscles move as we dance. I let my eyes close as I follow his body across the floor, and I feel heat pool between my legs. The song changes, but the beat remains the same. I hear Les groan a little.

"Damn, Beautiful," he breathes in my ear as our cheeks rest against each other. "You're good at this." I flush at his comment. We continue dancing, and he presses me closer to him. I feel the tingle on the back of my neck go crazy, and I open my eyes to scan the crowd. I don't see him and I shake my head. He looks down at me and my mouth pops open in surprise. I reach my hand up to his face and touch his lip. He lets out a shuddering sigh as he kisses my finger. I can feel the heat pool low in my belly. He leans down and our lips meet in a sensual kiss. Our bodies have completely stopped in the middle of the dance floor. We're plastered together.

"Oh beautiful," he moans, and it's like a bucket of ice water has been thrown over my head. My eyes snap open and I'm staring at Les' glazed green eyes. My eyes widen and I push away from him clumsily. I teeter back on my heels but manage to catch my balance before pivoting and all but running away. I can feel tears falling down my cheeks. I rush to the bathroom and find the first open stall. Oh god. The tears stream down my face. I suddenly feel sober. I kissed Lester. Yet I was thinking of Ranger the whole time. Jeez, I need to get a grip. I'm such a horrible friend. And I'm just as bad as Ranger going with Jeanne Ellen.

I manage to pull myself together and clean up enough to look presentable. I'm at the sink when a girl bumps into me. I look up and she's staring at me with flat brown eyes. Her hair is long and blonde.

"Stop looking into Ian," she utters in a cool voice. "He'll just kill me." Before I can react, she's already out of the bathroom. Still dazed and buzzed, I follow her out, but quickly realize that she's lost in the crowd. I sigh.

"Stephanie!" I look over and see Lester standing against the wall. I walk over feeling extremely guilty.

"Lester," I say, "I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking. I…" He puts a hand up to stop me.

"It's not your fault," he replies, "I helped get you drunk and we were dancing. I'm sorry." I nod and nudge him with my arm.

"So, friends?" I question as I stick out my hand. He grins and shakes it.

xxx

"Bobby is cuuute!" Xandra giggles, leaning against my shoulder as we walk to Quinn's car. I smile, feeling much more sober. I stopped drinking after the Lester incident. Overall, it was definitely a fun night though.

"Did you get his number?" I ask as Quinn opens the back door to his car and helps Xandra in.

"Duh," she replies, "how about you Steph? I saw you and Lester close."

"We're just friends." Xandra drops to sleep as we drive. Quinn parks at the hotel he's staying at and takes her up. He then comes back down to drive me home.

Quinn comes with me to check out my apartment. When it's all clear he looks at me.

"If you ever want to talk, I'm here," he says with a smile, "I hope you had fun tonight." I smile and nod.

"I did. And thanks," I reply before pausing, "I guess…I guess I'm not really over Ranger." I press my lips together after I admit that. I've never been one to express my feelings…let alone say I have feelings for Ranger. Especially not after my heart was ripped out seeing him with Bounty Hunter Barbie. Quinn squeezes my shoulder.

"I'll be back in a few hours." I nod. After he leaves, I head to the bathroom. I take off all my makeup and brush my teeth before slipping into my bed. The sheets are cool and calming against my skin. My eyes are drawn to movement by my window. A scream dies in my throat as I realize Ranger is standing there. My hand goes to my chest where I try to calm my furiously beating heart.

"What the hell Ranger?!" I shriek. He sighs and sits on the side of my bed.

"Babe." Which reads, "You should be more aware of your surroundings, but I didn't mean to scare you."

"How long have you been in here?" I question pulling the sheet up to my chin.

"A while." I nod, wondering if he was here before Quinn left.

"What are you doing here? Are you okay? Is your mission finished?" I question, the words tumbling out of my mouth as soon as I think them. He sighs and runs a hand through his silky hair.

"I missed you." We're both silent as we digest what he admits. I feel my heart beat widely, and I crave his touch. I look down embarrassed and afraid to ask.

"Hold me?" My voice sounds weak, even to me. I'm surprised I even asked and I can't even bear to look at him as I await his answer. I don't even breathe. I feel the bed shift and a thump on the ground before his arms are around me. I melt into his embrace. He lays down and pulls me snug to be his little spoon. His hand slides under my shirt and he rubs small circles on my stomach. I sigh into his touch. Just as I'm drifting off to dreamland I hear him whisper, "I love you."