Disclaimer: I don't own Plum characters. A nod of respect goes to Janet Evanovich and her imagination for creating these characters.

Spoilers: Through EE (Explosive Eighteen) just to be on the safe side.

TBC Challenge: October 2011- Expand on a Previously Unworked Challenge Idea.

Rating: T (or K+, but I refuse to admit I write that kind of stuff.)

Unbeta-ed. All mistakes are mine alone.

Pairing: Babe.

…::Previous Idea (2008)::…

He flashed all two-hundred watts at me. "I need you."

This was Ranger's MO. He'd pop out of nowhere, flash those pearly whites, then disappear when the gig was over.

I shot him a look. "I'm a little busy at the moment."

"I've noticed; but this is important."

I sighed heavy. Like I had any choice in the matter.

"Good, let's go."

"Where are we going?"

He pulled me by one hand, and all I could see was his back. Six feet of lethal male packaged up like utter eye candy. It was no wonder he worked alone. His partners would be falling in love with him all the time. I trotted three steps to his every one. What the hell did I expect? I'm wearing FMPs; I'm surprised I was walking at all.

He poured me into the front seat of his SUV, then got in. We were in the middle of traffic before I realized he still hadn't answered me. "Ranger?"

He looked at me.

"Where are we going?"

"Vegas." He flashed me all 200 watts. "I need a wife for this."

..::Partnership::..

I limped down the sidewalk. One heel on my FMP was broken, the other just barely hanging on. My Rangeman SUV got jacked. My cell phone was fried. The only thing missing from this nightmare day was my apartment blowing up; but the night was still young so I wasn't counting myself lucky just yet.

Lucky, I snorted. Yeah, that's me all right.

I slipped down the alley way, determined for one thing to go right this evening, and nearly pissed my pants when a dark shadow stepped out of the alley way. I slipped my hand into my pocket and fingered the wood grip of my gun.

"Babe."

I sagged with relief. "Ranger?"

"Yo." Ranger pulled me into the shadows with him. His hand lingered on my elbow. His body heat seeped into me. My gaze darted over his shoulder, looking for anyone who might be lurking around. His grip tightened. "Why are you so twitchy?"

"I have a good reason." Twitchy is not how I'd describe it. Paranoid, stressed-out, and going-down-in-flames might though. "I've got a new admirer."

Ranger paused a half minute longer than necessary. "When did you pick the new admirer up?"

I took a deep breath and tried to remain calm. It wasn't helping I hadn't had a decent night's sleep in over a week but I didn't want Ranger to know that otherwise he'd start in on the safe house thing again.

"Few of days ago," I hedged.

He froze. "Why didn't you call?"

"Because-"

"Babe," Ranger pulled me close. His arm wrapped around my shoulder and I pressed my face into his chest. He smelled faintly of Bulgari and leather. I took a deep steadying breath. "There is no price between us. Don't make excuses."

"It's not an excuse," I mumbled.

"Yeah it is." Ranger pulled out his cell phone and hit a speed dial number. I heard Tank's voice rumble on the other end.

"Yo. I need you to reroute Santos' team to Steph's apartment."

There was a deep rumble reply and Ranger replied, "New stalker."

I twisted Ranger's jacket between my fingers, enjoying the feel of him against me. The soft leather of his jacket was warm. The smell of him was reassuring. There was a slight nagging feeling lingering around in the back of my mind that I shouldn't be letting him take the responsibility of dealing with my stalker. But as if Ranger read my mind, he pressed his lips against my forehead.

"You should've told me sooner."

"You've been in the wind."

"I told you to call Tank."

I made a face. "Tank is intimidating. He speaks in one word syllables and gives me the angry dad look."

Ranger laughed. "You did blow up his favorite ride."

"That was not my fault." The last time Tank and I rode out on one of my skips, the angry divorcee decided all men were scum and it was her civil duty to rid the world of scum- including Tank. And me by association. "I tried to tell him that woman was bat shit crazy and he told me all women were bat shit crazy and to get off his back about it."

Ranger slipped his phone back into his pocket. "Santos is gonna sweep your apartment. Where have you been staying?"

"Here and there."

"Babe," Ranger groaned. He ran a hand through his hair in a gesture that wasn't lost on me- frustration. "Why didn't you go to Haywood?"

I gave him a look. "You know why."

"You're full of excuses tonight." His index finger slipped under my chin and tipped my head back. He stared into my eyes, searching. "Why have you been avoiding me?"

"You can't avoid someone who's been out of town."

"I've been back for three days."

I cocked an eyebrow. "Are you saying you missed me?"

"Stephanie," Ranger exhaled. "Stop giving me the run around."

"Listen, Ranger," I put some distance between us so I could think properly. "We both got our issues. I can't just sit around twiddling my thumbs while you run off to God knows where. I have a life. I need to make money."

"That's good to hear because-" Ranger pulled me back against him and he leaned against the brick building wall. "I have a job for you."

I eyed him speculatively. "Is this one of those things where you say you got something for me to work on and you throw me into the trunk of the Mercedes and take me to the safe house?"

A smile quirked the corners of his lips up. "Babe, you need 4-wheel drive to get to the safe house."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever."

"You up for a job?"

I needed the money. Bad. Dylan was floating my rent until I could get the funds. But even that wouldn't last forever. "What is it?"

"I have a job in Vegas."

Last time Vegas was a disaster. I'm pretty sure Ranger's Merry Man contact in Vegas wouldn't like another visit from me any time soon. Probably not even in this lifetime. "I thought you couldn't go to the state of Nevada."

"There are ways around that."

Ut-oh. "Just what type of job is this?"

"Just need to do some surveillance."

I felt like there was more to this than just a simple job in Vegas. "What's the catch?"

"I need your instincts, Babe."

He reached into his pocket and extracted a couple of cards. A couple of driver's licenses. Fake driver's licenses. Really good fake ones. I looked it over, my eyes particularly stuck on the picture. "This is my driver's license picture."

Then I saw the name. Stephanie Pardo... You gotta be kidding me.

I grabbed the other one out of his hand and did a double take. Marc Pardo- Ranger's favorite alias. "Uh, Ranger..."

He seemed to know what was coming next. "It's just a job, Babe."

"Why do we have the same last name?" I was trying not to read anything into this little turn of events. My heart did a little stutter step in my chest. "Can't you just say I'm an associate or something?"

"I need to cover all the bases. An associate would draw attention."

I numbly stared at our "driver's licenses". Ranger looked intimidating, mysterious, drop dead gorgeous. I look like I just rolled out of bed with gum stuck in my hair. It wasn't fair.

I tapped my finger on the address and I grinned. "This is the empty lot."

"I'm touched, babe." Ranger smiled at me before taking the licenses back. "You remembered."

"Kinda hard to forget when you're really not sure if the guy you've been working with is just fucking with you or if he's some kind of deranged serial killer who keeps an empty lot for just the address."

"Stephanie-"

"Don't worry. I can't resist a man who plays hard to get." I shrugged my shoulder and sighed dramatically as if I were working on the set of a made for TV drama. "It's probably why I stick around. The man of mystery needs a heroine and I'm his girl."

Ranger did a double take. "Are you flirting with me?"

"Well-" Being slightly paranoid and running on no sleep made this girl feel bold as neon sign lighting up the sky at night. "We are married."

His eyebrow slightly arched. "You want to play house?"

I started to make a wise crack but there was something about the intensity in his eyes that threw me for a loop. He crooked his elbow around my neck and pulled me close. His lips brushed my temple as I stuttered an excuse. "Maybe I'm just trying to get into character."

He chuckled and I rested my head against his shoulder. Ranger turned on the 200 watt smile and I felt my heart skip a beat. "I have a feeling this trip is going to be enlightening, Babe."

Oh shit, I thought, as Ranger steered me out of the alley. I had a feeling this trip was going to be anything but.

End.

(For Now)

Written: October 05, 2011.

Original Posting Date: August 07, 2012.

A/N: Unsure if I'd ever write more on it- even though there is potential- hence why I posted it in Sideshow.