A/N : Sorry this one took so long to get out. RL got in the way a bit. A real good friend of mine is in the hospital and not doing well. Hopefully all will be well soon. Keep leaving your kind reviews. :-)

RPOV

"OK babe, let's get this show on the road." I tell her as I lead her to the door with my hand at her back.

I lead her down the hall, to the elevator, out the building, and to my truck waiting in the parking lot. I beep the passenger door unlocked and help her inside. I settle her in and buckle her up then make my way to the driver's side. After we are both secure, I turn the engine over and head out to the street.

We head the short way across town to Steph's parents' house. As I pull up to the curb outside I hear Steph sigh heavily.

"What's wrong babe?"

"I don't know if I can go through with this. My Mom is bound to give me the same old speech. 'You're getting too old, why don't you settle down and give me more grandchildren.' I'm sick of hearing it. That's not what I want. And besides I don't recognize that other car in the driveway."

"What do you mean? Which car?"

"That dark blue Pontiac, I don't know who it belongs to. But knowing my mother, it could be anyone. More than likely some guy she wants to set me up with, my last chance she would say."

"It can't be that bad babe. Can it?"

"You have no idea Ric." She looks over at the door and sighs again when she sees her mother and grandmother standing behind the screen. "We may as well get the torture over with."

"Sit tight for a sec, I'll help you out of the truck."

I climb out of the driver's seat and make my way around to her side. I open the door and help her out. She turns to the door and hangs her head. I put my hand at her back, showing my support, and guide her up the walkway.

"Mom, Grandma, hi, how are you?" She asks when we reach the screen door.

"I can't speak for Helen here, but I am so glad to see you baby-granddaughter. And who is this fine specimen of a man you got here?" Her grandmother asks.

"Mother let them get in the house first before you start." Helen says exasperated.

They move to the side and let us pass. Steph's grandmother pulls her to her and hugs her tight.

"It's been too long. I missed you baby." She tells her and she squeezes Steph.

"I missed you guys too. Grandma, Mom, this is my boyfriend, Ricardo Carlos Manoso. I call him Ric. Ric this is my mother Helen Plum and my grandmother, Edna Mazur."

"It's nice to meet you ladies." I tell them both.

"Well that's no way to greet family. Give us a hug, stud." Mrs. Mazur says.

Steph looks over to me as if to say, 'I wouldn't if I were you.' I can only think to myself, 'What harm could it do. She's just a little old lady.'

So I open up my arms and reach over to give Ms. Edna her hug. As I wrap my arms around her I could swear I feel her hands begin to drift down. I try to wiggle free, but this little old lady has an iron grip! She finally makes her way down and takes both hands full of my ass! 'She is groping my ass!' I think to myself.

As I look over to Steph, she is barely able to control her grin. When she sees my obvious look of discomfort, she loses it and doubles over laughing.

Mrs. Mazur finally lets me go with a huge, smug smile of satisfaction on her face.

"That's enough Mother!" Helen scolds.

When Steph finally regains control of her laughing fit, she snickers out.

"I tried to warn you. Where is Dad?" She asks her mother.

"He's in the living room watching television with our other guest."

"Other guest, Oh no, Mother, what have you done?"

"Just go say hello to your father while I go check on dinner."

Steph and I make our way to the living room to meet and greet her father. He is lounging back in a comfy looking recliner in front of the TV. Sitting on the end of the sofa near the doorway is a middle-aged, doughy, balding white male.

"Hi Daddy," Steph says as she leans down to place a kiss on his cheek.

"Hey Pumpkin," he grunts in response.

Just then Mrs. Plum comes back from the kitchen.

"Dinner is ready. Everyone come on before it gets cold and is ruined."

We all make our way to the dining room table where Helen has already laid out most of the food. I see roasted chicken, salad, green beans, mashed potatoes, a corn & tomato mix, and fresh dinner rolls.

We all take our seats at the table. Mr. and Mrs. Plum at the heads of the table, Steph and I on one side, and Grandma Mazur and the 'guest' on the other side. Grandma Mazur is sitting directly across from me.

After a short pre-meal prayer Helen starts the conversation up.

"I'm sorry I didn't have a chance to introduce you to our dinner guest Stephanie. This is Bernie Kuntz. He works at his father's appliance store. He will be manager one day."

I can see that both Bernie and Steph are blushing furiously, both for entirely different reasons. Steph hangs her head down and tries to explain to her mother.

"Mother, please, I am not interested in being set up. I told you before we came in, this is Ric, my boyfriend."

Helen Plum has the good grace to look a little embarrassed.

"Mrs. Plum," I start to say. "Steph is very important to me. I intend to do right by her. I will not be letting her go anytime soon. We are together for the long haul. We both would appreciate it if you would stop trying to set Steph up on these blind dates."

Bernie quickly stand up and looks around nervously. "I just remembered I told my father that I would do inventory tonight. I have to go. I'm sorry. Thank-you for inviting me Mrs. Plum."

He then makes a hasty retreat to the front door. Helen sits there with her mouth a-gape. She finally has the nerve to say.

"Stephanie! Why is it you always run off every good man in this town? You will never find a husband that way. Why me?!" She utters as she looks up toward the ceiling and chugs back the half glass of amber colored liquid, which smells suspiciously like bourbon to me.

"Enough Mother! Let's just enjoy dinner while we still can."

I gently squeeze Steph's hand under the table and lean in to whisper. "Proud of you babe."

We then start to try to enjoy the dinner that Helen worked so hard to prepare. We all fill our plates with a little of each dish, except me, I leave the potatoes and rolls untouched.

In the middle of the meal while we are eating, I feel a foot begin to rub up and down my calf and ankle. 'What the ... ' I think. 'That cannot be Steph doing that, it's coming from across the way. Oh, shit! Grandma Mazur is playing footsie with me!'

I look up to her across the table and she is wearing this large shit-eating grin. I believe I actually sighed.

Steph looks over to me and smirks. Then I hear her grandmother ask me.

"So hot stuff, what do you do for a living?"

"I own and run a security company. We do business and residential security, as well as security for events and clubs and such. We also do skip tracing, bounty hunting. That's where I met Steph. I look for criminals for Vinnie also, high bonds."

"Wow, so you're showing her the ropes." Edna says.

"Yes ma'am, I am showing her how to do the job safely. I even got her equipped with a gun, taser, and pepper spray to keep her safe. We are currently looking for Joe Morelli." I tell her.

I hear Mr. Plum grunt from behind his fork, sounded like 'asshole'.

"You got a gun baby-granddaughter?" Edna says excitedly.

"Yes, Grandma, it's in my purse."

Mrs. Mazur gets up and reaches over to the side table for Steph's purse. She looks through it and digs out Steph's 38.

"Is this it?" She inquires.

"Yes, Grandma, please put it down before you hurt someone."

Too late! Edna is turning the gun over in her hand, examining it. When we all hear the obvious sound of a gun shot. Just as I wonder where the shot went, I see the chicken carcass jump off of the table.

Good thing I didn't have my gun on my hip. I had already pulled Steph to my side to shield her. Steph jumps up out of my grasp and runs around the table to take the gun from her grandmother.

"Ha! Shot that thing right in the gumpy!" Edna says excitedly.

Frank Plum looks up from his plate and utters. "Crazy old bat!"

We all take a moment to settle down and get back to our meal. After the main meal is done, Helen goes to the kitchen to bring out dessert. She walks back into the dining room and places the cake plate down in the center of the table, once the broken platter and shot-up chicken carcass has been removed.

It looks to me like pineapple upside-down cake. I hear Steph moan from beside me. I guess it is. I know this is her favorite and she says her mother's is the best. I decide to give it a try and see. It would be rude not to, you know.

Helen begins to slice off pieces of the cake and serve them up, Mr. Plum first, then Mrs. Mazur, and Steph. She then asks me if I want a piece.

"A small piece will be fine Mrs. Plum." I tell her.

She looks over-joyed that I didn't refuse. I made the right decision. I can always work it off in the morning at the gym.

Listening to Steph moan her way through dessert has me in a state. I reached down several times to adjust my pants. Steph looks over to me and mouths 'sorry'.

After the last crumbs of cake are gone, Steph helps her mother take the dishes to the kitchen and her father returns to his chair in front of the TV. I realize that I have been left alone with "grabby grandma".

I quickly back away to the living room never taking my eyes off of the enemy. Edna sighs and walks off to the kitchen.

A short time later the ladies join us in the living room. Steph speaks up.

"Thanks for dinner Mom, but I am really tired, so we better leave now."

"Of course, Mother and I will walk you to the door." Helen offers.

On our way to the front door Mrs. Mazur is walking behind us. I feel her pinch my ass again. I turn around to confront her just as she is reaching for another pinch. Just in time for her to get an handful of my manhood.

My eyes widen in alarm and I jerk back, just as we reach the door and go through. I tell the ladies good-night and walk Steph down to the truck.

As we settle down in our seats in the truck I lean my head back on the head-rest and shudder. Steph looks over at me with amusement as she asks.

"Something wrong?"

I lift my head and look her way as I tell her. "I feel so violated."

She actually starts to laugh out loud. When she finally catches her breath enough to speak she squeaks out.

"Awwwwwww ... honey, I tried to warn you. My Grandma Mazur has hands like an octopus and fingers like a crab."

"Yeah, I guess I should have listened to you. Never again will I think that she is a 'helpless old lady'. "

Steph grins back at me. "OK, Ric, take me home."

"I'll gladly take you home, my home." I wolf-grin back at her.

"You know what I meant mister!"

I chuckle as I start the truck. I pull into her parking lot a few minutes later. I park the truck and help her out. We make our way across the parking lot and into the building.

She unlocks her apartment door and moves inside. I feel obligated to do a security check. It's for her safety, I swear it. After clearing the whole apartment, I turn to her in the living room.

"All clear babe. You're safe for the night, as long as you lock your doors and windows. But please let me up-grade your security. This apartment is lax in that regard."

"I'll be fine Ric. I'm used to it by now. My neighbors are all older folks, not a crazy in the bunch."

"Please just think about it. It would make me feel better if you had more security, better locks and maybe a camera or two. I'll even set it all up for you, business expense."

"OK, ok, I'll think about it at least." She relents.

I smile big at her and take her in my arms. I lean down to plant a kiss on her soft lips. Before I am able to get out of breath from her addictive kiss, I feel my body responding. I pull back reluctantly.

"I better go babe. I still want to take things slow. I don't want you thinking I'm an asshole for being too forward."

"If you say so. But just know that I am ready when you are." She smiles up at me seductively. 'Shit! I really don't want to leave.'

I groan out loud as I release her. I give her one more small peck on the lips as I turn to leave.

"Good night babe. Rest well."

She walks me to the door as she replies.

"You too Ric. Sweet dreams of me."

I step on the other side of her door and give her one last fleeting kiss.

"Don't forget to lock up behind me, please."

"I won't. Now get out of here before I change my mind and drag you back in here." She winks.

I smile and turn away before I change MY mind. I hear her locks tumble after my back is turned. Satisfied that she is safe for the time being, I walk away.

As I am driving back to Haywood my mind wanders. 'This is starting to get good. I am so glad I found her again. I never thought that the girl that stole my heart all those years ago would make her way back into my life.' I smile to myself as I pull into the underground garage. 'This has the ability to become one hot case since we are working it together. Morelli has no chance against us!' ####################

A/N : Please continue to review and let me know what you would like to see in upcoming chapters. Yes! The shower rod scene is most definitely going to be one of them, I am not telling you which one tho ;-)

Rain (Jackie)