Disclaimer: I only own the creepy guy that no one knows about, all else is by Janet.
Thanks to a good idea from the lovely XJerseyGirl, I'm looking for someone who would be willing to read new chapters before I post them to pick up things that I miss. If anyone is interested, see my bio for all my contact information.
Keep those reviews coming! And I'm always open to ideas of where the story should go.
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I was sitting on a stool in Rangers' kitchen shoving my face with the last of the potatoes while he was on the phone with Tank, trying to figure out who the guy in my apartment had been, since we had all done such a bang up job of it earlier. He didn't seem to like the idea that Bane knew that Ranger had seen me to today, and he seemed kind of neutral about the fact that Morelli was over this morning with donuts.
Alright, here's the thing. I know that Rangers' life is not open to a relationship. I know that, really I do. I asked him what he was to me before, and he said he was dessert, and that's where we get into trouble, because I love dessert. I could live off of nothing but TastyKakes if I had to with no problem. Even though I knew this, I couldn't help but find myself attracted to Ranger and hope that maybe one day he would come around a want something more. In the meantime, I had Morelli as my backup.
I know, that's not completely fair, I really did love Morelli (I think), but we always fight. Always. Morelli doesn't trust my instincts and usually doesn't listen to them, about anything. At least Ranger pretends to care, and that's all I need. Besides, Morelli wants a Burg housewife, and that was definitely not going to be me. Not in a million years. I wouldn't mind having some Morelli fun on the side though, but I wasn't completely sure that this no-strings-attached thing with Morelli would work. Way to much history. That man has been peeking up my skirt since we were in his garage at six playing choo-choo. I never got to be the train, only the tunnel.
"You really should call Morelli and tell him about this. Not only does this guy like breaking into your apartment, but he knows what you're going to do and when." Ranger had his hands both placed on the island that I was eating at and was looking across at me.
I wiped my face with a napkin. "Do I really need to? It's not like this is a big scary guy or something."
"Babe, he threatened you."
"Yeah, but not like to my face. Just suggested that he would hurt me. He's not all that scary." Ranger just shook his head before tossing his cell phone at me.
"Call Morelli, and don't argue with me."
"Is there anything you want to tell me first?" I asked picking up the phone and punching in Morellis' number, but not yet pressing send.
"Like what?"
"Like why this guy is so interested in you and Morelli? Usually it's one or the other with you guys. You working together on something?" I just got the Ranger stare. "Fine!" I said jumping off the stool and walking towards the bathroom as I pressed the send button. I had a feeling Morelli was going to be in the yelling mood, and I didn't think that would sit best with Ranger. He had a habit of taking the phone from me when that happened and hanging it up.
"Hello?" Morelli asked, sounding out of breath.
"Busy?" There was a beat.
"Steph? What the hell are you doing calling me from Rangers' phone?" I heard a brief bit of noise and figured he was walking around the police station.
"There's been a situation at my apartment and I think I might be staying at Rangers' for a few days."
"Jesus," I heard a door open and close, "why can't I have a normal girlfriend? One that doesn't get shot at and have people kidnap her on a weekly basis?"
"First, we're not dating anymore, remember?" I put the seat down on Rangers' toilet and sat on it. This was going real well. "And second, it's your damn fault that I'm staying at Rangers'." Morelli gave what sounded like a grunt. "Yeah, the guy that keeps showing up in my apartment."
"Keeps?"
"Uh, yeah, when I was awake this morning he was there, that's why I was already up when you came over."
"Shit, Steph, you should have told me."
"Will you let me finish?" Silence. "Thank you, anyway, this guy showed up not really wanting to kill me or anything, he was just asking a lot of questions, about you and Ranger. Wanted to know how well I knew you two. Then I picked up Mooner this afternoon and Mooner said the guy had been there. Then tonight the guy was at my apartment and he knew everything I did today. Oh, and we're expected at my parents house at six tomorrow night for dinner." Hopefully he won't pick up on that last bit until it's too late.
"Where are you now?"
"RangeMan. Ranger is loaning me an apartment tonight so I don't have to go back to mine."
"Is you loaning you his?" I laughed.
"Ha, no." Maybe.
"You saw this guy again, you would recognize him?"
"Pretty sure. He was pretty normal, which I think was the most unusual thing about it all. Ranger already had be go through, oh, a million pictures, didn't see him yet though."
"Just, just stay close to Ranger until tomorrow. I'll come get you and you'll stay at my house until we figure everything out. I gotta get back to work. I'll talk to you later." Click.
What was it with people and hanging up on me today? It's Gods' fault. He was trying to see how much he could pack on me before I just go crazy and runaway to California or Alaska and start over.
I took a deep breath and walked back into Rangers' kitchen were Ella, his house keeper, now was.
"Hello dear!" she said pleasantly as she looked at me. "I wasn't aware that Mr. Manoso had any guests." She quickly looked around the room. "I'll bring up a cake for you and some clothes for tomorrow, since I don't see any here."
"Oh, no, really, not necessary." I watched as Ella walked towards the door, wearing her own black outfit of black jeans and a black long sleeves shirt.
"Nonsense! I don't see any clothes here and you don't expect to walk around tomorrow dressed like that do you?"
I looked down at myself. I forgot that I was in my pajamas. I nodded my head yes and Ella smiled, quickly making her way out of the apartment. I didn't see Ranger anywhere. Just what I needed, he goes off and leaves me alone. I walked myself into the bedroom and took my sweatpants off, slipping under Rangers' sheets.
What was I doing? Ranger never said I was staying in his apartment, did he? Didn't think so. Yeah, but his sheets are perfect and comfortable and I'm sure he wouldn't mind if I just took a catnap. Besides, he had climbed in my bed while I was sleeping and surprised me, and when I woke up he was naked, not my fault at all.
The thought of Ranger naked make me get all warm down there and I honestly thought about using the shower in the bathroom, but decided against it. Ranger can open any door. God only knows what he would do if he came back into his apartment and I was in his bathroom doing that. I don't know if I would have been able to walk after that, but in a very, very good way.
I woke up to Ranger sitting next to me on the bed, the corners of his mouth turned up, barely a smile, but I still got one.
"Having a good dream?" he asked.
Hell yes I was! I don't remember much, but I know it involved Ranger, the shower head in his bathroom and, oh God, please tell me I wasn't saying that out loud.
"A shower head?" he asked, his smile now more easy to see.
"Please tell me you're using your ESP and I didn't say anything out loud."
"Even if you didn't, you just told me you were having a sex dream me about me by answering my question." Damn, he got me there. But it was his own fault. I buried my head under a pillow.
"Did you need something, Ranger?" I asked.
"Distraction." I peeked out from under my pillow and attempted to raise my eyebrow at him, I think I was getting better at it. "I need someone to be a distraction on a take down." I groaned.
"What time is it?"
"Almost midnight. Ella brought you up a dress. Ten minutes." I crashed my head onto the pillow and had my arms spread out. This wasn't my idea of a way to spend a night. "Oh, and if you have another dream like that, you should let me know, we might be able to work something out." Now that was just cruel, and I was planning on telling him that, but before I could get my head up to say something he was gone.
I pushed the covers aside and looked at the bottom of the bed to see THE DRESS. I knew my job was distract someone in this thing, but I don't think Ranger knew just how much was going to be seen in it, and I think Ella once again underestimated my size. I grabbed it and ran to the bathroom, knowing that when Ranger says ten minutes, it usually means five minutes and twenty-seven seconds before he would be pounding on the door.
I danced out of my clothes on the way to the bathroom and put the dress on over my head before looking in one of the many mirrors. I can't deny that it was a gorgeous dress. Strapless, black, went down to about two inches below my knees, but it had a slit up the side that I could swear if I moved the wrong way my whole ass would show. I checked my legs. Thank God I shaved yesterday or there would be a fight getting me out of the bathroom. This dressed hugged everything and actually made it look like I have cleavage.
New problem. My bra. I wasn't wearing one. Mental head-slap. I can't believe I had run over to Ranger without a bra on. Smart move there. And without make-up. This was never going to work.
"Ranger!" I yelled sticking my head out the bathroom door. I could see him talking to Bobby and they both turned. "We have a problem." Bobby looked like he was about to laugh, but Ranger ignored him. "Number one, I don't have a bra, and number two, I have no make-up. I can't go out with make-out. That's like suicide on my part, I'll never be able to distract anyone." Bobby was full on laughing now and by the look on Rangers' face he didn't think it was funny.
"Check the bed, I'm sure Ella left you something." I closed the bathroom door and walked into the bedroom, which was connected. Of course, Ella had left some simple make-up and a bra. Ella needed a raise, a big one, and she needed to have someone bake her a cake. Cake is always a great gift.
I grabbed the bag of make-up and dashed back into the bathroom. I literally pushed the top of the dress down, put on the strapless bra, and then pulled it back up. I put on some clear lip gloss, applied some blush, and covered every inch of my eyelids with about ten pounds of a natural looking color eye shadow. My eyes darted around the room, finding a brush, and then I did some real quick pooffing as best I could. I surprised my hair was doing anything at all, maybe it was the brush Ranger had that made my hair look good.
I checked myself over in the mirror and damned if I didn't look hot. It was decided, my mom was going to bake a cake for Ella when all this was done. I would, but I can't cook to save my life.
All I needed now was a pair of hot shoes.
I walked out of the bathroom and Lester, who had now joined Bobby and Ranger, saw me coming first. I did my best to sway my hips and I think I did a decent job. Ranger noticed that Lester wasn't paying attention and snapped his fingers in front of Lesters' face, but it didn't work. Ranger followed his gaze and gave me the hundred-watt smile.
"Babe," I said to Ranger before he got the chance. Man, was I on my game today or what? First I'm lying like a champ to my mom, I get to the grocery store, I dealt with Morelli like we were actually human, and now I'm pretty sure that I had Ranger speechless. If it wasn't for the crazy man looking for me I would be floating around on a cloud.
Ranger cleared his throat and Bobby smacked Lester in the chest getting his attention.
"I need shoes," I said to the three of them. I was actually hoping that Bobby and Lester would scramble looking for a pair, because you can only image what that can do for a girls ego.
"Ella's bringing up a pair," Ranger said before the other two had a chance to move. Damn him ruining my fun. Ranger walked over to me and showed me a picture. "This is Edward Black. He's wanted for assault, attempted murder, among other things, so we have to be real careful about how we play this. Study the picture. Don't forget his face." Oh great, I was feeling less optimistic by the second. "We're going to have you distract him at his favorite spot and when he moves in to talk to you we're gonna grab him. Have a problem with any of that?" I shook my head no, if they were just going to wait for him to talk to me I could deal with that.
"My dear, you look beautiful." I turned and saw Ella, I gave her a big smile.
"Thank you, very much. I think a size bigger would have been a little more comfortable, though." Ella smiled at me while she handed over a pair of three inch black fuck me pumps. I think I was in love with Ella right then and there.
"Nonsense, even if you are going to be a street walker tonight, you still look beautiful doing it. Why, if it wasn't for those slits up the sides you could probably wear it to a funeral or a wedding or something along those lines." I whipped around and looked at Ranger.
"I'm going to be a what!"
I think I yelled loud enough for the people on the street to hear.