Ooh, look who's updating already! This girl is.

I'm loving the response I'm getting for this story! It's been ruminating for so long in my head, I sometimes wonder what's good and what's not. The fact that you guys are enjoying yourselves gives me great hopes. A couple of you already figured out some of my inspiration (not material stolen from these works... I don't consciously plagiarize and if anyone thinks that, they don't know me or my work very well) from the movie Red and before we're done, there'll be a little more Red and some Bourne with a whole lot of me in there thrown in!

So please enjoy. The only thing I own is the computer I write this on the mistakes I make, the story idea, and any characters I make up along the way.

A few days later, I was finalizing my resume on the computer. This was the big day and I was getting nervous.

Sally swiveled in his chair and looked over my shoulder. "Girl, you're a shoe-in for that job! Stop worrying!" Sally said, patting my shoulder. Sally Sweet and I started working at the company around the same time and became cube-mates when my former mate mysteriously moved to a desk across the office.

She had OCD and I live my life messy. You do the math.

Sally is six foot seven, built like a string bean, has curly black hair, brown eyes and likes to cross dress on the weekends for his band.

"I just want to make sure it's perfect. I don't want it to get thrown out because of a stupid typo."

Sally sighed and rolled his eyes. He was getting to good at that. "Look, you work hard, work longer and are completely competent for that job. I have no doubts that they know that too!"

"I love you, Sally."

"Dude, you know I love you."

I took a deep breath, bit my lip and hit print. "There. Done."

He handed the paper to me. "Now go hand it in!"

"Right. Going." I got up and walked towards my boss's office.

The closer I got to her office, the more confidence I felt. Shira Nash was a decent boss, and I knew she'd at least hear me out. She's a five foot, five inches middle aged woman who had a voice that sounds like she smoked three packs a day. Her hair was blonde and teased like cotton candy and her sliver eyes missed nothing.

Shira was on the phone when I knocked, but she waved me in. I sat, and crossed and uncrossed my legs nervously.

"Uh huh. Yeah, we'll talk about that later. I got someone here that looks like she's about to wet her pants." She grimaced and nodded. "Yeah, that's good. Call me then. Ciao." Shira hung up the phone and laced her fingers. "What can I do for you, Stephanie?"

I handed her my resume. "I heard there was an opening in the investigative division and I wanted to apply for it."

She glanced over it. "I see." She said slowly.

"I've been working here for a long time and I'd like to keep growing within the company."

"But you've got no real investigative experience."

"I know, but I'm a quick learner and I have an uncanny ability to build a rapport with people."

"That is true." She considered this for a moment. "Look, Plum, you're one of my best workers. But if you're serious about this, I'll put it in the pile."

I nodded. "Thanks."

"Good luck."

I nodded once more and left. Sally peeked over the partition. I gave him the thumbs up and he grinned.

"So when do you find out?" Mary Lou my best friend asked me. I met her at Pino's for our weekly lunch. Mary Lou and I grew up together and started these lunches when she got married. No matter what was going on in our lives, we dropped everything each Tuesday to catch up. Her husband Lenny has to make sure he's home for lunch to watch the kids.

I shrugged. "In the next couple weeks, I'd think."

"I know you'll get it. You're too good to that company." Mary Lou smiled. She was built like a brick shithouse, has curly brown hair, brown eyes and too many sweater sets to count. Today's color was a nice dusky pink.

"I hope so. I really want that job."

"What brought this on? The change in jobs."

I shrugged again. "It felt like it was time for a change." I looked down at my cup. Empty. "Need a refill?"

"Sure."

I got up and headed towards the bar. Pino's is a family restaurant and each and every person in here has been coming since they were in diapers. Pino's has waitresses, but as long as you don't set anything on fire, he lets you pretty much go anywhere.

I leaned over the bar (clearly feeling too lazy to go around the bar) and started filling our cups with Pepsi.

Just as I was finishing, I started to slip. My life flashed before my eyes and I could feel the blood pooling in my head when two warm hands grabbed my hips, pulling me back at the last minute.

"Thanks," I said, when the hands turned me right side up and back safely on ground.

The dark brown eyes looked like they were thinking about smiling. "Sure." The hands didn't move and we stood there for a minute, just staring.

"Dude, there are other damsels in distress to save." His friend said from the door. "Let's go."

Mystery man nodded to his friend. "Be careful."

"Certainly."

He smiled this time and added a small squeeze to my hips before letting go. Before I knew it, the man melted into the crowd and was gone. I shook my head and grabbed our glasses.

I could still feel the tingle from his hands on my hips.

"Whew. Who was that?" Mary Lou asked when I got back to the table.

"No idea." I told her about what happened. "And then he just vanished."

"He was hot…"

"Lou! You're married!"

"Yes, married, dear. Not dead."

True. I have a serious boyfriend, but I wasn't about to disagree. He was hot. Dark hair, dark eyes, mocha latte skin. Muscles bulging out…

Yum.

And his friend wasn't unfortunate looking either. Same skin, green eyes and a quick smile that I was sure dropped more panties than a bathroom trip.

A tingle grew in my belly.

"So how's Joe?"

Annnd… Tingle gone.

"Good." The waitress put the pizza down between us. "Working hard."

"And he's behind the move in your career?"

"Yes, of course. He wants what I want."

"Good. He's a keeper, Steph."

"I know." I took a slice. "I'm well aware of that fact."

Later at night, I went over the highlights of the day. Joe had come over with dinner again and this time, he stayed the night. I glanced over at him. He was on his side, fast asleep.

It melted my heart.

"I can feel you thinking all the way over here." Joe said without opening his eyes.

Go figure. He cracked an eye. "Anything you want to talk about?"

"Just nervous about that job."

His hand rubbed my naked shoulder. "You'll get it. I know you will."

I smiled and leaned over to kiss him. "Thanks. You're the best, you know?"

"Duh." He rolled back over and went to sleep for real this time.

But I didn't. Instead, I went over the conversation I had with Mary Lou. I knew that Joe was a good guy. He was a great guy. Even though we've had our trouble when we were kids, he definitely didn't turn into his dad. Mr. Morelli was an abusive drunk that liked to use his family as his personal boxing gym. It's a miracle that any of the Morelli boys turned out normal. My parents liked him and his mother liked me. We were a match made in heaven. I felt safe and secure with him.

These were all things that I knew.

And yet, when I finally fell into a deep sleep, all my thoughts were focused on the mystery man in black.

*grins* Yes, I couldn't help myself. Ranger has made his first appearance! He didn't want to stay in the shadows any longer. Please leave some love now!