This is the sequel I was warning you about…and by its nature, it's AU, because Joe is still dead. Other than that, I don't think you need to have read 'Living on a Prayer' for it to make sense.
JE has her Super Jenn, I got my Stellar Stayce. Thank you so much for your help, your ideas, and your friendship!
Disclaimer: Forgot it in the first chapter…so maybe you forgot the characters are JE's and the title is Bon Jovi's? Thought so.
Smut Warning
Keep the Faith
Chapter 2
Instinctively, I squeezed my eyes shut. I heard Ranger howl when the mace connected with his eyes, and I think I ducked, but I'm not sure. I felt a hard shove against my chest and tumbled back against a dining room chair. I tried to get a hold of it for some reason and fell with it against the dining table and landed on the floor. I took a moment to let my head clear, did a mental body scan and realized I was unharmed, so I slowly got up.
Ranger was doubled over, coughing and swearing. I must have gotten him straight in the face with the mace. He was naked except for a pair of boxers, clutching his face with his hands, still holding the gun. Had it been the other way around, I would have shot Ranger or at the very least dropped the gun, so it was sort of a lucky break I hadn't brought my gun.
I knew I should have felt bad for hurting Ranger, but I felt justified to some extent because he hadn't told me he was back. How the hell was I supposed to know it was him? And he had a gun pointed at me!! I didn't have his reflexes, by the time I'd recognized him, my trigger finger had had a mind of its own.
I snapped out of my shock and pushed Ranger back through the bedroom and into the bathroom, taking the gun out of his hand. I was a little surprised that he'd let me, but I figured he was well aware it was me. In the bathroom, I briefly considered the sink, but then I just shoved him through the open shower door and turned on the water.
Ranger gasped when the cold water hit him but didn't move out of the way, he just lifted up his face so the water would flush his eyes. If it'd been me, I would have jumped out of the shower until the water was adjusted. Ranger just stood under the flow, but I thought he might be getting too cold after a couple minutes and bent down to add some hot water.
And that's when Ranger grabbed me and pulled me into the shower with him. I shrieked and tried to struggle, but he held me in a tight grip. His face was still turned up so the water hit it straight on, and I could see how reddened his eyes and nose were.
The cold water made me shiver and a grin spread over Ranger's face as I was instantly soaked through.
He leaned his head down and whispered, "I missed you too, Babe," close to my ear. His mouth travelled from my ear down my neck and his warm touch was in stark contrast to the coldness of the water, making me shiver again.
Ranger pressed me flush against him and splayed his hand on my back while he reached around me and added hot water into the mix. My body molded against his and I could clearly feel his reaction to me pressing into my abdomen.
He looked at me with red-rimmed eyes, smiling. "Next time, work on the welcome parade though," he said. He didn't give me time to respond as he lowered his head and closed my mouth with his. I threw my arms around his neck and pulled him closer against me when our tongues met. And if the kiss was any indication, he wasn't mad at me for spraying him.
It felt so good to be with him again, I never knew I could miss him so much. Heat pooled in my stomach when he ran his hands up and down my back.
We finally pulled apart, both breathless, and he leaned his forehead against mine, smiling.
I admire women who always have total control over their emotions, I really do. I've never figured out how to control anything about my life.
While I was ecstatically happy Ranger was back in one piece, and I was glad nobody'd gotten seriously hurt in our scuffle, I suddenly realized he'd come back without telling me. And before I could stop it, the thought muscled itself to the forefront of my mind.
"When did you get back?" I asked, slowly backing out of his grip so I could look at him. Ranger shut of the water and reached for the towels right outside the shower stall.
"Tonight," he said and wrapped us both in the fluffy cotton. Now that the redness was receding, I could tell how tired he looked. Like he hadn't slept much for the past week. And still, that pesky voice in my head wouldn't shut up.
"Why didn't you call me?" I asked. Ranger looked at me and shook his head slightly, then he lifted me up and took us out of the shower. I grabbed another towel when he put me down and started drying my hair with it. "Well?"
"I got back about an hour ago," Ranger said, shucking his boxers and wrapping the towel around his waist. This was where I should leave it, I realized. He just got back, no time to call. I absently studied the towel and noticed just how low on his hips it was riding. I wanted nothing more than to pull it off of him and fall into bed with him. The way the water drops were glistening on his broad chest looked downright yummy.
And I realized I was spoiling for a fight, and not because Ranger hadn't called me. Yes, I was hurt about that, but I could get over it. I'd been so stressed over the past week that I thought a big Italian temper tantrum would help, like a big thunderstorm that cleans the air. Joe would have understood. But Ranger had this temper under control at all times. He didn't do shouting matches. I, on the other hand, wasn't able not to do them.
"You could have called the control room, you know," I said, not letting the subject die. "You didn't have to come at me with your gun drawn." Watch out, bitch Stephanie was at the wheel.
Ranger leaned back against the bathroom door, crossing his arms over his chest. "Yeah, I could've. And if you'd come in like your usual self, I wouldn't have needed to." I raised my eyebrows, "What do you mean?"
"You didn't turn on the lights, you didn't come right into the bedroom, and you were a lot quieter than you usually are," he explained. "So you thought I was an intruder rather than one of your men?"
He smiled at that. "My men know better than to just come in after I've returned from a mission." Duh. Mental head slap. I could have thought of that myself, he probably needed just as much time to decompress as other soldiers, Batman or not.
"So what made you think the guys missed someone riding up in the elevator and breaking into your apartment?" I was really getting started now. Ranger shook his head slightly. "Guess I was still in combat mode. So why were you armed?"
I had that coming. "Guess I was in combat mode, too. I figured you would've called if you were back, so it had to be a robber in your bedroom." Ranger looked at me, his face growing soft.
"Under the circumstances, I should consider myself lucky a faceful of defense spray was the worst that happened, huh?" He said and closed the distance between us, putting his arms around me and nuzzling my neck. "Cleaned your sinuses right up, didn't it?" I joked, snuggling up to him. I could feel him chuckle.
"I wouldn't have shot you, you know," he said, growing serious again. He pulled back until our eyes met. "The pepper spray surprised me, but I would have never shot you."
"I know. I never thought you would." I put my head on his chest again. "I always thought I would never spray you either," I said softly. "I'll live," Ranger assured me and kissed my hair.
Damn, it felt good to hold him. "I'm sorry I gassed you," I said softly.
I could feel him shake his head slowly. "Don't worry about it. Wasn't the first time." I knew he wouldn't elaborate on that even if I asked.
I pulled away from him and picked my towel back up from the counter and when I looked at him I noticed again how tired he looked.
"I'm gonna go back to bed," he said. "Why don't you join me when you're done in here?" Before I could reply he'd winked at me and left. I let out a whoosh of air. I didn't know how he'd done it, but he'd defused my Italian temper completely. I still wanted to ask him about not calling me, but I wasn't mad girlfriend about it anymore.
I peeled my wet clothes off and wrapped myself in Ranger's fluffy bathrobe before I did damage control on my hair.
Twenty minutes later, I stepped out of the bathroom to find Ranger lying on his bed, his head resting on his locked hands behind his head. He was watching me with a half-smile on his lips.
"Feel better?" He asked, patting the spot next to him. The way the sheets clung to him it was easy to see he was not wearing the towel anymore and I got a rush at the sight.
And then something extraordinary happened. Well, extraordinary for me. I decided to give it a rest and talk to Ranger after we both had a chance to sleep on it.
I climbed into bed and scooted up to Ranger, snuggling into his chest and breathing in his scent.
I smiled when I remembered his scent had been part of the reason I'd come here in the first place.
"So, you wanna tell me what you were doing here in the middle of the night?" Ranger asked, running his fingers through my damp hair. "I couldn't sleep," I said. It was the truth after all. Ranger's chest shook under me in silent laughter, and I could feel him shake his head slightly.
I propped myself up on my elbow so I could look at him. "Your bed is nicer," I said.
"Yeah, when you're in it," he said and drew me closer with his hand on the back of my neck. The kiss in the shower had been hungry and hard. This kiss was soft and gentle. He ran his tongue over the outline of my lips before he slowly pushed it between them, seeking entrance.
And when his other hand pulled on the belt on the robe and snaked through the opening, I forgot why I'd been angry before.
I shrugged out of the robe, slid my leg over Ranger's hips and lifted myself over him so that I was straddling him and he smiled against my lips when I splayed my palms on this chest. His hands ran from my knees up to my hips, massaging them, and his hard length was pressing against me. I could feel the heat travel down from our dancing tongues through my belly straight to my core.
I took control of the kiss for a moment, cupping his face in both my hands and pulling his head up, but I gasped in surprise when Ranger rolled me around so I was pinned under him. I moaned when his hand slid up my thigh and his finger buried itself in me, expertly brushing against my clit. There was a time for caresses and long foreplay, after a week without him, I had no patience for it. I pushed my hips up impatiently, but Ranger pulled back and started trailing kisses from my neck down.
When I pushed up again, he held me down with one hand while he dipped his tongue in the hollow of my throat. He was obviously determined to take it slow.
"I need to feel you inside me," I whispered, "Now." I was rewarded with a low growl as Ranger pushed himself up on his elbows and slid into me, watching me closely. I'd meant to hold his gaze, but as he buried himself inside me deeper and deeper, my eyes squeezed shut and a cry escaped my mouth. Ranger growled low in his chest in response when all of him was in me.
I hooked one leg over him and lifted my hips up to meet every one of his thrusts, and every time he rammed into me I moaned out loud. It had only been a week, but my body was starving for him. I cried out when his teeth grazed my shoulder and then bit down lightly. I was a goner when he pushed one hand between us and stroked my clit in sync with his thrusts, and I came screaming his name. And that was just the start.
The soft light of dawn was creeping through the curtains when we finally lay back, tangled and slack-limped, and completely spent, but satisfied. Ranger said something but I was already too far gone to understand, I just smiled at the sound of his voice and drifted off to sleep.
When I woke up, my left knee touched the mattress, the rest of my body was draped over Ranger. I looked up to find Ranger still sleeping; at least his eyes were closed. I couldn't remember ever waking up before him, it gave me the opportunity to study his face. There was no blank face when he was sleeping, the lines around his eyes were barely visible and his lashes fanned out over his cheekbones. He was beautiful.
Of course I didn't get to study him for long, he has one of those sixth senses where he just knows someone is watching him, I swear. He slowly opened his eyes and smiled at me. I glanced at the bedside clock. I'd been so relaxed that I thought we'd slept in, but it was only 8:30. Late for Ranger, early for me.
"Morning," he said softly, pulling me further up his chest. I pushed the hair out of my face and settled my head on his shoulder. And I wanted to stay like that forever, Ranger's arm around me, his fingers caressing my skin.
"You ready to tell me what's wrong now?" He asked, I could feel his breath on my ear. I ran my hand over his chest. "What makes you think something's wrong?" I had no intention of getting in a bad mood again. I'd put yesterday in a box and closed the lid on it. As far as I was concerned, nothing was wrong.
When Ranger didn't reply I lifted my head to look at him. Our eyes locked and I had the feeling he was looking right into my soul. Him and his damned ESP! I sighed and pushed myself away.
"I'm gonna take a shower," I announced and scooted away from Ranger to get up. I half-expected him to hold on to me and ask me again, but instead he let me go and when I looked back when I was at the bathroom door, he was sitting up with an almost exasperated look on his face.
I'd just stepped under the hot water and reached for the shampoo when Ranger slid the shower door open and stepped in. "Let me," he said and took the shampoo bottle.
He lathered it up in my hair and gently massaged my scalp. I had my eyes closed and leaned back, completely relaxed, remembering a time months ago when he'd relaxed me the same way.
Ranger pushed me back into the water stream and when the suds were rinsed, he lowered his mouth to mine, cupping my ass with both hands to pull me against him. The water was rushing over our heads and our tongues were dancing with each other, I felt a heat inside me that had nothing to do with the warmth of the water. I let my hands slide down from his shoulders over his arms, enjoying the ripple of his muscles under my palms.
Ranger grabbed me tighter and lifted me up, pressing me against the shower wall with his body. He broke the kiss to run his tongue over my jawbone to my ear, and then he placed open-mouthed kisses down my neck that had me squirming with pleasure. He held me with one arm then, the other hand started exploring, kneading my breast, flicking my nipple between two fingers until I gasped.
I held on to his shoulders and my fingernails were digging into his skin when he replaced his hand with his mouth and ran his tongue over my pebbled nipple. He loosened his grip around my hips and let me slide down slowly, burying his finger into me. I fisted my hands in his hair, already very close to slipping over the edge. When he rubbed his callused fingertip over my clit, I could feel the orgasm building and moaned low in my throat. I pressed against his finger, rocking slowly, needing to feel him deeper in me. Ranger's erection pressed against my thigh and his breath was hot on my skin as he suckled and grazed the sensitive spot at the juncture of my neck and shoulder.
I cried out when he pushed a second finger into me and held on to him when I felt my knees buckle. I splayed my hand against his length and slowly rubbed it until I felt Ranger moan against my skin. He lifted his head and crashed his lips onto mine, plundering my mouth with his tongue. I lifted one leg and draped it around his hips while I leaned into the kiss with all I had and slung my hands around his neck. My movement pushed his fingers into me just a fraction further, but it was enough to make me draw my head back and cry out as the orgasm hit me.
When I opened my eyes, Ranger was smiling and slowly pulled his hand away to replace it with his rock-hard length.
The water was beginning to run cold, but I didn't really notice, we were producing enough heat between us to keep me warm. Ranger held on to my leg around his hips as he pushed further and further, until he was buried in me to the hilt. He stilled for a moment to let me adjust to his size, and then he pulled back slowly, only to thrust into me with a force that made me cry out in pleasure. I'd barely recovered from the first orgasm, and already I could feel the second one building. I pulled his head down to me, meeting his open mouth with mine, rubbing my tongue against his while meeting every one of his thrusts with a push of my hips.
When Ranger cupped my ass and lifted me off the floor, I lost it. I threw my head back as I came, my walls clenching around him, pushing him over the edge as well. I let my head fall on his shoulder while I was waiting for my breathing to return to normal, and I could feel his heartbeat against my chest as if we were one.
When I slowly slid my leg down, holding on to Ranger because I didn't trust my legs yet, he leaned his forehead against mine and smiled. Water was still raining down on him, forming rivulets on his shoulders that were running down his chest to where my body met his.
"I meant to talk to you," he said, chuckling. I shrugged, smiling. "We talked in body language."
He bent down to turn off the water, still holding on to me. "Babe."
When my legs were able to carry me again, I pushed back a little and fished a towel off the rack. I slung it around me and stepped out of the shower. I looked at Ranger and he gave me the same look he'd given me when I'd jumped out of bed and I knew I wouldn't be able to get away with it this time. He took his own towel and followed me.
"What did you want to talk about?" I asked all innocently. I knew better than to think it would fool Ranger for a second, but it bought me some time.
"Well, for starters, what were you really doing here last night?"
I tightened the towel on my chest after I was dry enough and shook my head by way of styling my hair. "I told you," I said, flashing a smile, "I just couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd come here." It was true; I hadn't been able to sleep. And there really wasn't anything to talk about because I was trying to avoid even thinking about it.
Ranger stood between me and the door, and he looked like he wouldn't move until I told him what I wanted to hear. "Did that happen often while I was away?" He asked.
I didn't know if he was referring to my insomnia or my coming here but to both the answer was no. I shook my head, "Just last night." I didn't know where he was going with his questions. Was he just concerned or did he sense something was off? I focused my attention away from him on my reflection in the mirror, straightening my hair.
He blew out some air and shook his head. "Let's talk over breakfast," he suggested and left the bathroom. My stomach rumbled, agreeing with him.
I pulled my hair into a ponytail so I wouldn't have to style it, retrieved the robe from the bedroom floor and exchanged it for the towel before I followed Ranger. He was standing in the middle of the room, his arms crossed over his chest. He was wearing only black silk boxers and he was staring at the upended dining chair that I had stumbled against the night before.
I didn't think he was debating how to pick it up, my guess was he was reliving the night before in his mind. He looked like he was deep in thought as I walked up to him. Out of nowhere I remembered a time a few years ago when just thinking about Ranger's body scared the hell out of me. That thought made me giggle as I slung my arms around him, locking them on his stomach. His body heat seeped into me and I inhaled his scent deeply and kissed him between his shoulder blades. He covered my hands with his when I hugged him tighter.
"I'm so glad you're back," I said as I put my face against his firm back. He patted my hands and pulled away. I frowned because I'd expected him to turn and kiss me or at least say something. He walked into the kitchen and sat down at the breakfast bar. "Something wrong?" I asked as I took the stool next to him.
He shook his head and picked up the thermal carafe to pour us coffee.
There was a basket with bagels on the counter in the kitchen, so I assumed Ella hadn't been to the dining room, that's why the mess was still there. I grabbed one of the bagels, slathered it with butter and took a big bite. It wasn't until the melted butter was running down my forearm that I noticed Ranger was sitting next to me, blank-faced. He hadn't touched his coffee, didn't comment on my eating habits. "Okay, what is it?" I asked him, turning to face him.
"It was close," Ranger said softly, his face still blank. I shrugged. "But nothing happened." I didn't really know what was supposed to be close, I only knew we were both fine. But Ranger looked…disturbed. Like he had just seen himself as Tristan in "Legends of the Fall" after he'd attacked Susannah. And I didn't know what to say to lighten the mood, I wasn't used to Ranger showing this kind of emotion.
"Let's just forget it," I said and took a sip of my coffee. Maybe 'forget' wasn't the right word, but I didn't think Ranger would like 'Let's think about it tomorrow' any better. He shook his head slightly, and I didn't know if it was to say 'no' or if he was still thinking about what happened.
Our eyes locked, and I glimpsed more emotions in Ranger's eyes than I'd ever seen. Just for a second, but I was sure they were there. I couldn't even name them all, it had happened too fast, but I thought I saw pain and sadness mixed in. I blinked, and his eyes were expressionless again.
"I have a meeting in ten minutes," Ranger said and startled me out of my thoughts. He took a sip of his coffee and got up. "I have to get dressed and ready."
I expected him to stop behind me and lean over and kiss me, or tell me he'd be over later, something. Instead, he passed behind me and closed the bedroom door.
I stared at the closed door with my mouth open, trying to make sense to his abrupt departure. It hadn't sounded like an invitation when he said he had to get dressed, so I was pretty sure he wasn't waiting for me in his bedroom. And I knew it wasn't anything I'd said; it was as if Ranger had a whole conversation with himself when he was staring at me.
I put my half-eaten bagel back on the plate and was about to slide off the stool when Ranger came back. Now he was dressed in his usual black, from his CAT boots to his skin-tight t-shirt.
"Sorry I can't stay," he said as he stopped by the breakfast bar, adjusting his utility belt. "I'll see you later."
"But…" I didn't really know what I was going to say, but I never got a chance to, Ranger had already disappeared into the foyer. 'I'll see you later'?? I wanted to jump up and follow him, asking him what the hell was going on, but I was too stunned. A part of me was still waiting for him to turn around, slapping his forehead, smiling and saying something like 'What was I thinking?' before bending down and kissing me goodbye. But I knew he wouldn't return when I heard the front door click shut. "Ranger?" I called out, even though I knew he was gone.
What the hell had just happened? I let the past twenty minutes replay in my head, from when I almost bumped into Ranger as he was studying the upended chair to when he practically ran out of the apartment, but I couldn't help feeling that I missed a whole chunk in the middle. Maybe I'd fallen asleep without noticing while Ranger had talked to me? Unlikely, but the only thing that I could come up with that would begin to explain it.
I walked over to the dining room, trying to find what Ranger had seen. I picked up the chair and put it back in its place. The dining table was a little askew because I had bumped into it, but here weren't any bloodstains or ripped clothes, because nothing had happened. There was nothing out of the ordinary.
So now what? I wondered if I should follow him, drag him out of his meeting and demand an explanation. I decided against it because it would create a scene, and Ranger hated scenes. And I didn't want to confront him in front of the Merry Men anyway. But what else was there to do? If I stayed in his apartment until he returned, I could be in for a very long wait, and I didn't do waiting well. But I couldn't just go down to my cubicle and work my inbox as if nothing had happened either. There was no way I could concentrate on work right now.
I finally resolved to give him an hour and poured myself another cup of coffee, but I was too wired to sit down and drink it. I rinsed my plate and the cups and put them in the dishwasher, then I wiped down the sink and countertops, just to give myself something to do.
I realized Ella would come by at some point to straighten up, and I didn't feel like running into her. I'd gotten to know her pretty well over the last few months. She would ask me how I was and I was hanging on by such a thin thread, a simple question like that might push me over. 'How are you?' was a difficult question for me to answer right now. Just yesterday, I thought I had two problems; one of them being that Ranger was away. Well, Ranger had returned and I should only have the Harry problem left, but this morning had screwed me over.
Before I could talk to Ranger about what to do about the mob, I had to find out what was wrong with him.
And today was the lunch meeting with Guzzarella that I had no intention of attending and my meeting with Eddie to maybe tell him about it. Or maybe not. I didn't know. The plan to just up and leave Trenton kept becoming more and more alluring to me.
"Arrrgh!" I screamed and threw my hands up. I knew it wouldn't solve anything, but screaming always made me feel better, unless I was screaming in fear, of course.
Then I remembered Bob, and how he was probably dancing around by the front door by now, and I almost ran into the bedroom to get dressed. It was an excuse to leave, and I knew it, but I didn't really know what else to do. One thing at a time.
Ranger had forgotten all about the talk we were going to have, where I would have probably told him all about my problem with Harry the Hammer, but under the circumstances, I couldn't feel relieved about that. Part of me had wanted him to press on so that I could tell him the story from the start. But why hadn't I told him when he asked, twice? I shook my head. Best not to think about it right now.
I dressed in my RangeMan uniform because that's what I'd brought, but I had no intention of going to work, not in my current state of mind.
On the way out, I took another look at the dining room, thinking maybe I'd overlooked something. Nothing.
Probably I was totally wrong. Probably Ranger had been preoccupied with the upcoming meeting, and hadn't even thought about the night before. Maybe the meeting was about the mission that just ended and he'd dreaded it.
I knew that wasn't like Ranger but I was determined to make that the explanation when I pulled the front door shut behind me and pressed the elevator call button.
TBC
A/N: What happened to Ranger? Some kind of PTSD or something? What should Steph do about her problems, any of them? Please let me know what you think!