Sorry for not updating for so long. As always, I don't own anything and I'm making no profit.

Temptation

Chapter Four: Heating up

It was 2.50 when Steph stepped into the conference room. She looked around and saw Tank pacing in one corner. She had to smile. She was sure, that Lula would say yes. The only one who didn't think he was good enough for her was him. It was so sweet.

She smiled at him and he smiled back, his eyes excited. The meeting would be horrible for him.

She heard someone call her name and turned towards the other side of the room. There Ranger was talking to Morelli and Joe Juniak, who was back to being police chief. He said that being a major held too less action.

She walked towards them, nodded at Morelli and Juniak and looked at Ranger, a question in her eyes.

"Hey babe, since there was a murder and all this is pretty bad for our industry, we are going to work together with Morelli and Juniak."

Oh,….that should be….interesting.

Shit, she didn't want to work together with Morelli. They parted as "friends" but he was still difficult. She had a bad feeling. He always had been jealous of Ranger and she had the feeling he didn't really accept their parting.

"Babe, you ok with this."

She returned from dreamland to see, that Morelli and Juniak had sat down and Ranger was standing close to her, one eyebrow risen.

"Yes, of course. Are you?"

He almost-smiled.

"It's sure gonna be interesting."

That it will….

The meeting was short. Nobody knew something.

Ranger wanted to talk to Morelli and Juniak alone and so the others, including Steph, stepped into the control room.

Stephanie sat down and Bobby, Lester and Tank sat down with her. She had gotten to know them much better during the last months.

After Ranger being shot she had helped a little bit at RangeMan because Ranger first had to heal and then flew down to Miami to be with his daughter for two weeks.

So now they were sitting there and the guys were teasing her, as they always did.

"So, my little violet, I heard you brought Davie the Spitter in." Lester leaned forward and raised one eyebrow.

"But of course, my mighty darling. I always get my man."

The guys whoooooed and clapped.

"Ohhh, so, did you "get" Ranger, too?"

Bobby grinned at me.

"Well" She stood up and got herself a cup of coffee. Standing beside the table she took a sip and put the cup down onto the table. Smiling at the look of the eager faces.

"You could ask him."

They all groaned.

"Come on, tell us bombshell!"

She smiled at Tank.

"Different from YOU, I don't kiss and tell."

Tank came towards her, walked across her and grabbed her ponytail.

She turned around and tried to bite him. He put his arm around her and lifted her up.

She tried to knee him into his stomach and bite him into his arm.

Suddenly he looked behind her, grinning proudly.

"She's like a wildcat."

Stephanie turned her head and saw Ranger leaning in the dorrway, his eyes smiling. Behind him were Joe and Juniak. Both of them were looking stunned.

She had to laugh and Tank laughed with her.

After a few minutes they calmed down and Ranger asked them to come into the conference room once more.

"The plan for now is that tonight Tank and me are going to watch the South pier, because we got a hint that there will be a delicery of car parts towards Manny the Toothgap."

Manny the Toothgap? Stephanie looked around and recognized that everyone but her seemed to know him. She looked back at Ranger, who send her a quick assuring smile. He would tell her later.

Across the room, Morelli noticed the interaction and frowned.

"Cal and Hal will be our backup."

Ranger explained further that the TPD would patrol through Haydn Park.

"Any questions?"

All of them shook their heads no.

Stephanie looked around and saw Tank sitting in his chair, head down and shoulders slumped. Shit, he had no time this night.

"Yes, there is something."

All heads turned towards her. She looked at Tank.

"Tank has done too much during the last time. He has this evening registered as free and I think he deserves it."

She turned towards Ranger.

"I could go with you."

Ranger's eyes were filled with emotions that she couldn't identify.

He nodded.

"Meeting's finished."

All of them moved out.

Tank stopped her on her way out and hugged her.

"Thanks, bombshell. You're the best."

She smiled softly.

"Nothing to thank for. Now go and get some rest."

Tank nodded and stormed to the elevator.

Stephanie shook her head and smiled softly.

A pair of arms slipped around her stomach and she leaned back into Ranger's chest.

"That was very nice of you, babe." He kissed my neck. "Is there something I don't know?"

She nodded and wondered if she could tell him. She guessed she could. He liked Lula and Tank was his friend.

"Okay, but you have to be quiet."

He turned her around in his arms and raised his eyebrow.

"Tank is going to ask Lula to marry him."

Ranger looked at her for a few seconds. Then he smiled.

"Really?"

She smiled, too.

"Yes, it's very sweet. He arranged a table at Rossini's and he has a beautiful ring."

"So now it makes sense why he doesn't want to do the dangerous missions anymore."

She nodded. "He wants to start a family with her."

"That's nice."

Both of them nodded again and they smiled at each other.

Ranger pulled her close to him and she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Did you eat lunch yet?"

"No."

"Then lets head to Shorty's. I will tell you about Manny the Toothgap and about tonight."

He moved his hand to her back and turned her around. Together they moved into the elevator.

A minute later they were in the garage and Ranger unlocked his new , and of course black, Jaguar Limited Edition XK Victory.

She loved that car and hoped that he would let her drive it soon.

She was moving to the passenger side, when he stopped her.

He held out the keys. She just stared at him and he smiled.

"Come on, you know you want it." She blushed, he chuckled.

She took the keys and both of them got in.

She started the car and sighed. It was a wonderful car. She smiled at Ranger and nearly suffocated when she saw his dark eyes and heated look.

She backed out of the parking space and clicked the gate open.

They moved out and Steph raced off.

None of them noticed the eyes following them.

Hope you like it. Review, please.