Disclaimer: Not Mine...Never Mine

Author's Note: I am glad everybody who is reading and reviewing this is enjoying it. I am having so much writing this, I thought about doing another one once this is finished. :)

Live From New York...& Steph Says What

Good, he is right on time. I'm in my truck waiting on Ram. He just stepped off the elevator. I am taking him to Ashley's house so they can get on the road to New York. Ashley has been excited all week about it and I haven't been. A whole weekend that I'll spend doing paperwork or some other meaningless crap that I don't want to do. I don't mind her going, but I just want to be going with her not Ram. I wait until Ram is fully in the truck before pulling out of the underground garage.

"You do know what this weekend requires of you."

"Yes Sir."

"Explain."

"To protect Sophie at all costs."

"No, you are to protect Ashley and Sophie at all costs." He nods.

"Yes Sir." If he's surprised at that statement, he doesn't show it. Most of my men believe that Ashley is just Sophie's mother to me. It's none of their business, so I don't correct them.

"You understand Ram, this is just like it was with Steph. If anything happens to Ashley or Sophie this weekend, there will be no where you can hide, that I won't find you."

"Yes Sir." I leave it at that and go into my driving zone.

I have a meeting this afternoon at 1:00 and then another meeting at 3:00. My first meeting is with a client that is never happy with anything. The slightest little thing sets him off and everyone in his path hears about it. Then last week he called and everyone was busy so Steph offered to answer the phone. She was only there to visit my men, her friends. Well he yelled and screamed at her, calling her every name in the book. She kept being professional for me, but I scheduled this meeting today to let him know that if his attitude doesn't change, his contract will be terminated. In said contract is a clause that allows Rangeman to terminate any contract with due cause. Well screaming at my employees and friends is due cause. He won't like it and I don't care.

My second meeting is hopefully going to be a new client. It's Ashley's father and her mother. They are wanting to update their security and go with a different company. Ashley recommended me. I mean Rangeman. I told Mr. Monroe that I would be than happy to come to him, but he insisted. Ashley said her dad is pretty well laid back as long as her mom is around. Tank and Lester will be in the meeting with me, maybe I'll just let them talk.

We pull up in front of Ashley's and I'm a little surprised. Her Lincoln Navigator is sitting in the drive way with the back open and no one is in sight. The front door is wide open. Ram looks at me with a question on his face.

"When you get out, don't slam the door." He nods his head in agreement and we get out the vehicle. We walk slowly to the front door and I peer inside. Nothing is amiss and everything is quiet, all except for the voices I can hear upstairs. I motion for Ram to follow me in and I listen to the voices. One is Ashley who is upset and the other is Jeremy. It sounds like they are coming from Sophie's room.

"Jeremy I told you no, I don't want to."

"Oh come on Lil Bit." What the hell is going on?

"No Jeremy! I didn't like Steven all that much." And she wanted me to leave them alone.

"Why? He's nice."

"Yea nice and handsy, Jeremy." Excuse me?

"He was handsy?"

"For a first date, he was."

"Okay I understand about Steven, but what about Brad?" Brad...another pretty boy probably.

"No Jeremy, no Brad, no Brian, No Matthew, No Tim, No Dick, No Henry. No." How many friends does he have?

"I believe thats Tom, Dick, or Henry, Lil Bit." I heard her laugh. I really am getting addicted that beautiful sound.

"Whatever, just move so I can finish packing Bug's stuff."

"Thats another thing. Why are you going to New York this weekend? I have to go to Texas on Monday and I'll be gone for two weeks. I want to spend time with Sophie before I leave."

"Jeremy, you know if I could I would change my plans for you, but I can't."

"Why?"

"Because we are going to New York for a girl's weekend and so Shay can spend time with Sophie before she goes back to South Africa on Wednesday for the 4 months."

"Oh okay and what does Sophie's dad think of you running off to New York with his daughter for the weekend?" Her voice got angry.

"His name is Ranger and I am her mother you know. And he's sending a bodyguard to go with us to watch Sophie." No, to make sure nothing happens to either one of you.

"Oh thats rich, he doesn't trust you with Sophie."

"Its nothing like that Jeremy. If he didn't trust me with Sophie, then he would have fought for custody. Besides, I thought you liked Ranger."

"I did until Steven told me that he threatened him." I did not.

"What? Jeremy, that's stupid. He did not."

"How do you know, Lil Bit?"

"Because he only saw Ranger for about 2 minutes as we were leaving and Ranger only said "have a good time" and then shut the door."

"Oh. Well why would he said that he did."

"Probably, because Ranger could see right thru him." I know I should let myself be known, but I can't seem to stop listening.

"What do you mean?"

"Steven was mad when I made him leave because he said that Ranger was just jealous of my date with him. I told him not true. Then he called me the next day and the first question he asked was Ranger there and when I told him yes, and do you know what Steven said?"

"What?" Yea, what?

"Well I guess someone got lucky and then he hung up." He what?

"He said that to you."

"He did. Steven is just a jerk, Jeremy. A very handsy jerk."

"I'll have a talk with him. So he was handsy, huh?" His voice went down to a teasing level. Maybe now is the time to interrupt.

"Yes he was, Jeremy and don't you dare."

"Was he handsy like this or like this?" I heard her giggling and laughing and I knew that he was tickling her. I called out her name.

"Ashley." I heard her tell Jeremy to stop tickling her and get Sophie. She almost came running down the stairs. I was standing at the bottom when she reached me. We were eye to eye. She gives me a big smile before leaning towards me and kissing my cheek. Her hands on my shoulders look tiny and so fragile.

"Hi, Ranger! Jeremy has Bug. Who's going with us?" I grin at her.

"Ram is going with you. Would you like to meet him?"

"Yes I would... very much." The smile on her face is too much so I close the distance between us and touch my lips to hers. To my surprise she kisses me back, just barely before pulling away. I take her hand in mine and pull her outside.

"He could have come in, Ranger." She rolls her eyes at me and pulls her hand from mine. She walks up to Ram and introduces herself. She says something because he smiles. Ram smiled? I walk over to them and Ashley turns to me.

"We are picking up Lex and Shay at Lex's place. We won't be back until Sunday evening. Here is the hotel's number, Lex's number, and Shay's number. You already have my number and I'm sure Ram's number. I don't need to tell you the number to 911, do I?" The look on her face is priceless. She's teasing me...how cute.

"Smartass."

"Well, you were going to ask for them anyway. I just beat you too it."

"Yes you did and thank you."

"You're very welcome." She looks over my shoulder and walks over to the front door. I turn and see Jeremy. She takes Sophie from Jeremy and then hands her to me.

"Jeremy, would you please help load the car?" He gives her a tight smile. "Sure."

"Ram, where is your bag?"

"In the truck. I'll get it." She nods to Ram before following Jeremy into the house. I offer to help but she tells me to spend time with Sophie, so I do. They load up 3 suitcases, a box of diapers, a case of formula, a portable crib, and an exersaucer. Image that, its the small one that needs all the stuff. They get everything loaded and the front door is locked with the alarm set. Ram is in the passenger seat and Sophie is strapped in her car seat. She has already said good bye to Jeremy and he left. She turns to me.

"Have fun, Ashley."

"Thanks. We will, I'm sure. I'll take lots of pictures. I promise." I cup her face in my hands and lean down to look her in the eye.

"Make sure you're in some of them, okay?" She rolls her eyes and laughs. I let go of her face.

"Okay, I promise." She gives me a hug and then a kiss on the cheek. She hops in her vehicle and waves. "Bye Ranger!"

Oh New York! New York!

"Lil Bit, this hotel room is mucho awesomeo." I laugh at my best friend.

"Lex, mucho awesomeo is not...you know what..nevermind..go with it." She grins at me.

"Alright girls! Let's get those hot little bodies into your bathing suits, so we can go swimming."

"Shay, your corrupting Ram, stop it."

"I can't help myself, you two are just too hot!" Poor Ram looks almost frightened. I grab Sophie from her car seat and address Ram.

"Go get your swim trunks on, please." Now he looks scared.

"The Boss said to keep watch."

"Yes I know and you can do that from a pool. Please Ram, I promise Ranger won't get mad." He doesn't look convinced but he does as I ask. I take Sophie in my room and get us dressed. 10 minutes we are down at the indoor pool. Its totally deserted and all ours. I put Sophie in the exersaucer next to the swallow end of the pool.

"Hey Lil Bit, you sure do look sexy in that little pink polka dot bikini." I laugh at Shay.

"I believe thats yellow polka dot bikini, not pink. Let me ask you something Shay. Where is the rest of your bathing suit?" She laughs out loud and splashes me with water.

"I wanted something skimpy sweetheart to make myself irrestible to you." She wiggles her eyebrows at me. "Is it working, Sweet Stuff?"

"Shay, you are horrible!" She knows I don't mean it. Shay is a lesbian and proud of that fact. She doesn't want to settle down anytime soon, but she is responsible in all she does. She only acts like this in front of us, her friends. We don't mind. Poor Ram on the other hand, looks down right scared to death. Shay backs off seeing Ram's face and we play in the pool for awhile, dunking each other and playing volleyball. Then Shay gets an idea. Ram is a pretty big guy, standing at about 6'4-6'5 and probably weighs over 200 pounds of nothing but solid muscle. Shay is 5'9 and 132 pounds of nothing but muscle. She runs a lot..remember her job...taking pictures of wild animals.

Shay gets out of the pool and Ram with his eyes on Sophie and me, isn't paying attention. Shay sneaks up behind up and jumps into the pool onto his back and brings him down. Lex gets it all on video tape. Phones are a wonderful thing, aren't they. He comes up spitting water and glaring at Shay. We're laughing so hard, he can't help but grin and laugh along with us. After that, he lightens up a lot and we take turns getting thrown into the pool by Ram. When Sophie starts getting mad, we get out and go upstairs.

Ranger's Office

"Knock, knock." I look up and see Steph. I smile at her and motion for her to sit down. She does.

"Hey Babe, what are you doing here?"

"We had to come to town to check something out. What are you doing here and not with Ashley?"

"She's in New York with Sophie."

"You didn't go?"

"It's a girls weekend."

"No bodyguard, I'm shocked."

"I sent Ram." Steph laughs... hard.

"You sent Ram on an all girls weekend." I nod and she laughs until tears pool in her eyes.

"Oh Ranger that is too funny."

"I know, I'm Mr. Funny Man. Lester was busy and Tank is spending the weekend with Lula and Cal is working. He was next choice. He won't fail. So what are you here for?"

"I was just wondering how you feel about Ashley?" My blank face slides into place.

"Ooooo I guess that answers my question. I guess you don't mind if Morelli goes sniffing around, do you?" My jaw tightens and my fists clench, breaking the pen in my hand.

"What do you mean by that, Steph?"

"So you do like her or is it just Sophie you're worried about?"

"I care about Ashley very much yes." Now get to the point about Morelli.

"Enough for a relationship, Ranger."

"Steph, you know I can't do relationships." What about Morelli?

"Oh come on, Ranger. Ashley is perfect for you."

"How so?"

"How long did it take you to convince Ashley to take a bodyguard?" I thought for a moment.

"Not long. As soon as I explained why, she went for it. Why?"

"Because if it was me you were trying to convince, we would still be here arguing." Your point?

"Your point."

"She understands the whole bodyguard and being careful business because of her dad being a judge. So on that point she won't argue with you... much. She already has Rangeman for her security company. She loves your daughter beyond anything. She likes you. She respects you. She trusts you. Man up, Ranger. You like her, a lot. Everytime you mention her, blank face or not, you light up." Damn, she's right

"You're right, Babe." She looks taken back.

"What?"

"Steph, you're right. I do like her a lot. I can't stop thinking about her. But marriage?"

"Marriage isn't bad if you find the right person. I have Diesel and he is amazing. We get a long so well. I think it would work between you two."

"Thank you, Steph for making me see." She smiles at me.

"You're welcome."

"Now, what is this about Morelli?"

"Ashley said that her dad got Mooch off some charges so in returning that favor, Morelli has been dropping by Ashley's place all the time "checking" up on her. He might have other motives, Ranger."

"What does Ashley say about it?"

"She just shrugs it off because she doesn't see the harm in it, but we know how Morelli is."

"Yes we do. Thank you Steph, for telling me. Now I have to ask Ashley about this."

"Just be nice, Ranger. Don't go all machoism on her?" I raise my eyebrow. "Machosim?" She giggles. I laugh.

"Come on Steph. I'll take ya out to dinner."

"Oooo Ella?" I laugh harder.

"Good to know somethings never change!"

Author's Note: The New York trip is not over. More on that in the next chapter. And Ranger confronts Ashley!