See prologue for disclaimer. Thanks for the comments, I greatly appreciate it. Please let me know what you think!

Chapter 8

By the time I got home at 5:30 that night, I wanted to crawl into bed and hide. I felt like a yo-yo lately with the good and the bad and the highs and the lows that I'd experienced this week. No time to sleep, so instead, I took a bubble bath and let Calgon take me away. I relaxed in the tub with cucumber slices on my eyes to handle the puffiness from a marathon crying jag.

I'd gone to the gun range with Lester, and was much improved after spending some time imagining Ranger's face superimposed on the targets. Lester joked with me knowing that it was the best way to improve my mood.

He bent and whispered in my ear, with a wicked grin, "I'll let you hold my gun."

"Easy killer, that's gotta be against the rules," I told him, laughing at his sass.

That was pretty much how the entire hour went. Lester made suggestive comments and I parried with sarcastic retorts.

After that I went back to my desk and did my work. I figured if I kept a low profile, I couldn't find any trouble. I just kept thinking Ranger-schmanger. It was my new mantra. Ranger-schmanger, Ranger-schmanger. Ohmmmmm. I might achieve enlightenment yet.

After lunch, Bobby stopped by my cubicle. "Hi there, Sexy. How's it going?"

I made a face and answered, "I've had better days." My smile was a little forced, but I wasn't going to cry, damn it. Ranger-schmanger

"Well, I had big plans for tonight and I'd hoped you would come out with me, but I guess you heard about the job."

"Yeah, Ranger filled me in. I'm sorry. I hope we can do it another night."

"You bet, how about tomorrow?"

"Sounds good. What are you planning?"

"Surprise. How about I pick you up at your place after work, about six?"

"Perfect."

I didn't leave my desk for the remainder of the day and was glad that there hadn't been a lot of traffic through my cubicle. Maybe Lester had let the guys know that I needed a little space.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

I forced myself out of the bath as the water became tepid and dried off in the fluffy towels that I'd bought to emulate the heavenly towels in Ranger's apartment.

I made my way to my bedroom closet. I had to distract an FTA named Simon Young tonight. He was a white-collar criminal. The thing with the white-collar criminals was that they tended to be smarter. So, staking out the girlfriends or parent's house didn't always produce results. We were pursuing him for failing to appear at a trial regarding embezzlement charges. It seemed, though, that he had a dark side, because the background search I had personally performed showed that his past was littered with accusations of physical and sexual assault against women. Nothing had stuck, but that didn't make him innocent in my eyes.

The job was typical, as Ranger had said. He was expected in a bar this evening, a tip we got from his accountant who was meeting him there at 8:30. The plan was for the accountant to leave as soon as business had been handled. Then I would target Mr. Young so that I could lure him out of the bar with promises of no-strings-sex. At that point, the team of Merry Men would do all the heavy lifting and would take down the FTA and get him back to the police to hold-over until trial.

I needed to balance sex appeal and sophistication. In the end I opted for a black dress that had a deep V-neckline that dipped to my naval. There was a silver clasp that rested about an inch under my breasts for decoration and to keep the dress from gaping open and revealing my chest. It was also completely backless. I couldn't even wear underwear (thong or otherwise) because edge of the dress skimmed the top of my bottom. The skirt was fitted through the waist and hips and then flared out ending a good three inches above my knees. It played up my legs, which I thought were my best assets, especially when paired with my four inch FMP's with the peek-a-boo toe.

I wore my hair in a soft up-do to accentuate the long line of my back and made a mental note not to bend over at the waist unless absolutely necessary or if I wanted to moon the entire team. With the addition of major make-up: smoky eyes, ruby red lips, porcelain skin, and silver drop earrings, I looked classy and yet I screamed sex.

I placed my .38 in my clutch because the Sig wouldn't fit, threw in a lipstick and cab money (a habit ingrained in me by my mother) and grabbed a black shawl that I would ditch before entering the bar. No sense in wearing a backless dress and then covering it up.

I drove to the Haywood building with some trepidation. The op plan called for Ranger to monitor communications from outside the building with Tank. So I knew I wouldn't be able to avoid him tonight. Additionally, Lester and Bobby would be in place inside the bar and Vince and Woody were to be stationed near the exit I would use, ready to apprehend the skip.

I got to the building a few minutes early and waited in my car for the rest of the team to assemble. Wouldn't want to distract the men on duty up on the fifth floor any more than I had to. A few minutes later, the six men stepped off the elevator and I got out and joined them, wrapped in my black velvet shawl.

"So, just to recap, Tank and I will be in the SUV monitoring communication and relaying any important information. We'll be prepared to pursue in the unlikely event that the skip makes it to a car. Lester and Bobby will enter first. They're already wired and will ID the skip and will keep and eye out once Stephanie makes contact. Stephanie will enter ten minutes after Lester and Bobby, and will contact the skip and persuade him to leave with her via the side service door. Vince and Woody will be waiting outside the side door to take out the skip once he exits the building. Any questions?"

No one answered.

"Good. Stephanie needs to be wired and then we're ready to go."

It's funny, wiring me had never before sounded like such a chore. In the past, wiring me up had been an erotic game between Ranger and me. Now he sounded like he was looking for volunteers. He handed me a wire and looked at me expectantly. I looked at the microphone and transmitter and realized there was a small problem.

"I need tape. I've got no other way to put this on."

"Can't you tuck it into…?" Ranger trailed off looking uncharacteristically uncomfortable at mentioning my unmentionables.

I dropped the shawl from around my shoulders and there was a round of audible gasps from the team as they took in my outfit. "I'm not wearing anything that it can be tucked into."

Ranger raised an eyebrow. When he opened his mouth to speak, I interrupted, assuming the words would be critical.

"It's my job to be distracting tonight. You and the rest of the guys are just gonna have to deal with it." Without waiting for a response, I turned to Vince who was standing on my left, "Vince," I asked sweetly, "Can you help me get this thing situated?" There was no way that I could survive Ranger's hands on me, and I wasn't certain that Lester's were any safer. I didn't know either Tank or Woody well enough for them to touch me intimately. I figured I'd go with the middle of the road.

"Uh, sure, Steph," Vince said, his voice a little more gravelly than normal. "There's tape in the back of the truck."

He and I walked away from the other men to the semi-privacy of the SUV backed against the garage wall.

I told Vince in a soft voice, "I'm pretty sure that I can do this myself, but you can let me know if the microphone is visible."

"Steph, do you know what you're doing?" Vince asked quietly. I knew he wasn't referring to hiding the microphone. He meant baiting Ranger.

"Rarely, if ever," I gave him a small smile.

I taped the microphone under my left breast, trying not to flash Vince. That was the only place where the fabric was loose enough to accommodate it, except my inner thigh, and I didn't think I wanted to have to get the skip to talk into my crotch.

Meanwhile, Vince attempted to look anywhere but at my chest. When I'd finished, I dropped my hands to my sides and asked Vince, "How does it look?"

"There's a wire visible here and it bulges a little…" He pointed to my chest, "Oh hell, let me fix it," Vince said. He slipped his hand under the edge of my dress and repositioned the equipment. When his fingers brushed the underside of my breast, he quickly apologized in a strangled voice.

"It's okay," I replied. Vince withdrew his hand and I asked, "Better now?"

Vince looked at my chest and said, "Looks fine."

I caught the heated look in his eyes and the double meaning in his words, and felt my nipples pucker in response. My freaking hormones were out of control.

My response to his gaze did not go unnoticed since the fabric was a light crepe. He drew in a breath, forced his eyes up to meet mine and sighed. "Christ, Steph, do you know what you're doing to me?" He practically echoed his earlier question.

"Sorry, Vince," I said. "Let's go."

We rejoined the rest of the team, where Ranger studiously ignored me and the others just looked between Vince and me speculatively. Lester's mouth was tight and he looked… well… jealous.

We tested my mic and then left for the bar in two vehicles. I ended up riding with Tank and Ranger and we sat in silence as we waited the ten minutes for Lester and Bobby to get settled. When it was time, I got out and made my way into the bar without a word to the men I was leaving behind.

I swayed my hips as I crossed the street and tried to get into character.

The interior of the bar was smoky and dim and it took a few minutes for my eyes to adjust. Compared to a lot of the bars that were settings for distraction jobs, this bar was very nice. The crowd was mostly after work, white collar types sharing martini's and blowing off a little steam. Lester and Bobby were dressed to blend, but I thought that their bodies were too well built for them to really look like they worked behind a desk all day. My gaze traveled across all of the patrons sitting at the bar spotting the skip and I focused my attention on an empty bar stool just to the right of Simon. I made my way over and sat down next to Simon, pretending not to notice him.

As I apparently waited for the bartender to realize I needed a drink, I could feel Simon looking me up and down.

He let out a low whistle, and leaned toward me saying, "I hope your boyfriend realizes that he has a treasure in you."

I turned my eyes toward him and smiled a little sadly, "Actually, my boyfriend and I just broke up tonight. Turns out he's been seeing another woman." I figured I'd go for to I just got jilted, I need meaningless sex angle. Stick as close to the truth as possible when telling a lie, it makes it easier to remember.

I shifted on my barstool and crossed my legs, my body language shouting 'Take me.'

"Well, he must be an idiot to let you slip through his fingers," he consoled. He extended his hand, "My name's Simon." Simon was not completely repulsive appearance-wise with golden blonde hair and broad shoulders. But, he was much too doughy in the middle and his smarmy smile gave me the heebie-jeebies.

"Stacey," I lied while placing my hand in his. He placed a hot kiss on my knuckles. "I've never been here before, what's good?" I asked. I eyed him suggestively implying that I thought he was at the top of that list. I suppressed a shudder.

Simon smiled slowly and answered, "This bartender makes the best mojitos north of Mexico. Jeff," Simon addressed the bartender, "a mojito for the lovely Stacey, here."

I saw the bartender raise an eyebrow and Simon nodded slightly and wondered what that was all about. Maybe Simon picked up a lot of women here.

"Thanks," I said in my best sex kitten purr, "but why don't we go somewhere a little more private? I have a bottle of champagne chilling in my apartment."

"Easy, Sugar. We'll get there, but let's enjoy a drink here for a few minutes."

What the hell is wrong with this guy? He's obviously interested and I am practically giving him an engraved invitation to come to my place for sex. And he wanted to finish his drink?

I got my drink from the bartender and thanked Simon, then I sucked it down through the straw in one long sip, my eyes holding Simon's over the rim of the glass.

Simon placed his hand on my knee, his eyes black. "You don't waste time, do you Stacey?" His hand slowly slid up my leg and stopped just a few inches from my you-know-where.

I covered my panic with a smile and said, "When I see something I want, I usually just go for it."

I was starting to feel warm all over and my vision was a little blurry. That mojito must have been pure alcohol, because it was hitting me like a ton of bricks.

"So, what do you want, Stacey?" he asked, his voice a low caress, a finger from his other hand now trailing along the edge of my neckline between my breasts.

"You," I lied in a sultry sex-phone operator tone.

He removed his hands from my body, pulled out a wad of bills and threw them on the bar, then stood up and pulled me off of my bar stool. The room twirled when I got up and I stumbled a little into Simon. I saw out of the corner of my eye that Lester was looking at me with concern and speaking to Bobby who was seated on his right.

I looked back up at Simon, who grabbed my hand and started leading me toward a back door. I tugged my hand out of his grip and pointed to the side door, "My car's out this way."

He just smiled and grabbed my hand again. "Sugar, you are in no shape to drive. Let's go." He again started moving toward the back of the bar. In my head I was thinking 'Shit. Shit. Shit,' but my mind was not able to come up with anything more useful than that. My legs became unsteady and I felt like I was going to pass out. Simon must have sensed that because he wrapped his arm around my body, his hand dipping beneath the fabric at the back of my dress and wrapping around my side, his fingers resting on the side of my breast. I said a prayer of thanks that the mic was on the other side, and I hoped that the guys were relocating to the back of the building, because I didn't have any plans to get in this creep's car.

We walked through a door that led to short hallway that approached the backdoor. As we walked down the hallway, Simon suddenly stopped and pulled me into what looked like a supply closet. I managed to get out a startled "What…" before his mouth crashed down on mine in a bruising kiss and his hands slid up the backs of my legs, under my skirt to grab my bare ass. I tried to push against his chest, but he had the advantages of surprise, strength, and sobriety. I was trying to fight him, but my body betrayed me by becoming increasingly lethargic. While my mind was fighting an all out war, apathy invaded my limbs and I started to sag in Simon's embrace.

I was suddenly a puddle on the floor when Simon was yanked away from me by an irate Lester. The gleam in Lester's eyes was feral and he landed blow after blow in Simon's stomach, face, kidneys and groin. Simon was curled on the floor when I heard Ranger finally say, "Enough, Santos," in a tight voice. I looked up from where Simon lay and was surprised to see the entire team had filed into the hallway and closet.

I could feel myself losing consciousness and I closed my eyes as Vince covered me up with his jacket. I only caught snippets of the conversation going on around me.

"…must have drugged…"

"…bartender…"

"…the police are…"

"Babe…"

Then I knew only darkness.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

I awoke, disoriented, in a dark room. I'd been moved to a bed and had been changed into a shirt. My head was fuzzy and I couldn't remember what, where, when or any of those other important 'wh-' words.

I sat up slowly and recognized the shapes of my bedroom. How?

"Babe," Ranger's voice called out softly from the darkness, "you should be resting."

"What happened?"

"What do you remember?"

"I was at the bar with Simon and I started to feel really drunk…" I furrowed my brow trying to recall what had happened next. "I swear, Ranger, I only had the one, I don't know why…"

"Babe, it's not your fault," Ranger interrupted. "The bartender slipped something in your drink. Simon paid him about $200 to lace your drink with some kind of designer date-rape drug. Seems like they've done this before."

"Thank God you guys were there to help me out," I said closing my eyes against the images of what could have happened had I been just a regular girl looking for a fun evening out.

"Yeah, if only I hadn't gotten you into it in the first place."

"It's okay, part of the job. We did get him right?"

"Yeah, and the police would like your statement tomorrow so they can also book him and the bartender for attempting to assault you."

"Sure. I'll go tomorrow. I'll try to remember what happened."

"Don't worry about it tonight."

"Ranger… what are you doing here?"

"Someone had to stay with you or the doctors would have admitted you to the hospital. Thought you'd be happier here."

"Oh… Thanks."

"The least I could do."

We lapsed into silence and I settled back down into bed and rolled onto my side, facing away from him.

"Babe?"

"Yeah?"

"I wanted to apologize for earlier today. I think I was a little harsh and it's unfair to ask you to bear the full responsibility for the actions of the guys."

"I agree," I said quietly, "and I accept your apology."

I thought that was the end of the conversation and was flirting with sleep when I heard Ranger say softly, "I don't like seeing you go out with them, and when I saw you with Lester… I lost it. I'm not normally the kind of guy who loses it."

I didn't know how to respond, so I didn't. I just drifted off to sleep.