Family Ties

Chapter 17

I watched as he unsaddled the horses, gave them water, and brushed them down. Turning to me, he said "We'll let them cool off a little before we feed them."

I nodded, and watched while he continued to work. He was unloading things from the saddlebags and using his boot to clear out a level stretch of ground. He pulled our sleeping bags out from behind the saddles, and attached them together before spreading them out. He looked up, "This okay with you Babe?"

I caught my breath and nodded. What else could I say? I wouldn't deny myself the chance to sleep in his arms if I could help it. He smiled over at me before heading in my direction. He held out his hands to help me up, and looked concerned when I winced.

"Can you stand?"

I let out a breath. "I think so."

Ranger let go of me to brush the dirt off me, then took my hand and led me to the sleeping bags. Walking was difficult, but not impossible. As we got to the edge of the sleeping bags, he let go, telling me "On your belly, Babe. Take the strain off your legs and rear for a while."

It was more difficult to get down than it had been to walk. Ranger steadied me, and took the gun off my hip and helped me off with the shoulder holster so I could lay down comfortably.

I half turned so I could look up at him. "I feel a little guilty, laying around while you do all the work."

He chuckled a little. "Don't. Your job is to relax so you'll be fit tomorrow. Are you hungry?"

"Not really."

He sighed a little as he sat down next to me. "Well then, I'm going to relax for a while before I start doing anything about dinner." He flopped down on his back next to me, and was stretching his legs toward his chin. I hadn't known he was that flexible. He was beautiful to watch.

"Sore?" I asked him.

"A little. It's been a long time since I've ridden."

"Where did you learn to ride?"

He smiled. "My father's best friend owned a stud farm for retired racehorses. I worked for him every summer when I was a kid. At first just cleaning out stables and feeding the horses every morning, then helping them get cleaned up and ready when someone was coming to see if they were interested in breeding their horses, and finally, by the time I was in high school, riding them to get their daily exercise."

"Wow. I think that's the most you've ever told me about yourself."

He shrugged a little. "I never knew it bothered you so much. Hell, I told you about my daughter, and most of Rangeman doesn't even know about her."

"They don't?" He shook his head. "Then why did you tell me?"

"You asked."

I just looked at him, confused. "You told me just because I asked?"

He rolled toward me, and started rubbing slow circles on my back as he answered. "Do you not know this?"

I shook my head. "Know what? What could I possibly know, when you never say anything?"

"Babe. I'm secretive by nature and training, and because it keeps me, and the people around me safe. I trust you. I haven't intentionally been shutting you out. I told you about my daughter because you asked. I thought you understood that. Mostly, you don't ask, so I assume you don't want to know."

I shook my head again, incredulous. "There's a lot of things I want to know. But you, you're so secretive, and I never wanted to feel like I was prying."

He took a deep breath. "I never felt like you were prying. You're one of the few people that's ever been genuinely interested in me, not just in my image."

"So why are you telling me all this now?" Hope was making my heart hammer in my chest.

"A couple of reasons. First, you apparently needed to hear it."

"And second?"

"I-" he stopped.

"Ranger." He stopped rubbing my back and met my eyes. "I'm asking."

He smiled a little before taking a deep breath. "This is probably not the time and place for this discussion, but you asked..." I nodded, waiting.

He resumed rubbing my back, and I resisted the urge to purr. "Babe, we've been friends and partners, and very briefly, lovers. I'd very much like to combine all those things, and see where that takes us."

"What does that mean?"

He smiled. "It means I want you in my life, in every way."

"I thought your lifestyle didn't lend itself to relationships." I couldn't believe I was arguing this. What was wrong with me?

"It doesn't. But you live a similar lifestyle, so you know this. And you'd understand the uncertain hours, and everything else that goes along with that."

"And you told me to fix my relationship with Morelli, and that we wouldn't be good for each other."

He sighed. "Stupid move on my part, Babe. But you were on a 'time out' from Morelli. It didn't sound like it was over. And we are good for each other. I thought that getting involved with you would make me lose my focus, somehow. I was wrong. If anything, you help me hold onto it. I worried that getting involved with me would take you away from the 'Burg, and everything that goes along with that. I should have realized sooner how hard you've been trying your whole life to break away from that mold, and I'd have worried less. And truthfully, I wasn't sure I was ready for us to be more to each other than we already were. I am now. I just don't know if you are."

I was stunned. Everything I ever wanted was right in front of me, and I was speechless.

"Steph?"

It took me two tries to find my voice. "I am too."

"But?" He heard the slight hesitation in my voice, or saw it on my face, or used his damn ESP, maybe.

"I just- I don't ever not want to have you in my life. I guess I worry that if we can't make it work I'll lose you completely."

"Never happen, Babe." He was smiling, and then he turned serious. "I'm not an easy person to be involved with. With your penchant for being in the middle of disasters, neither are you. I think we could be great together. If we try and fail, I don't want to lose you either. And we don't have to. That's entirely up to us. I just can't justify not even trying when the rewards are, well, everything. I can't promise you a picket fence and someday bouncing our grandchildren on your knee. Those things may never happen, you should know that up front. I can promise that you'll be with a man that thinks you are the most amazing, strong, vibrant woman on the planet."

He pulled me toward him, so I was almost on top of him. He kissed me softly, almost reverently. "Take a chance on me. Say yes."

I looked into his eyes and smiled. "Yes."