Because you love her- by jersey girl in oxford (sue)
Chapter one
It had been a few months after the Scrog incident. Stephanie immediately pulled back from both Morelli and Ranger. Scrog had held her and Ranger's daughter, Julie, captive in her apartment. Knowing that one of the two men in her life was entering the apartment and probably going to get shot, she realized that she loved them both. She got the opportunity to tell Morelli that night, but never told Ranger. Stephanie knew Morelli loved her. He told her all the time. He was a good man. Ranger loved her in his own way but didn't want a relationship outside the bedroom. God, she loved them both with all her heart. She just didn't know what to do. She felt so restless that past week. She couldn't understand why. All she did know was that she couldn't commit to either of them.
Stephanie was able to avoid Morelli at the police station and around town. Avoiding Ranger had been easy the first two months after the shooting. His injuries kept him apartment bound after he got discharged from the hospital. When he was well enough to travel, Ranger went to Miami. Julie was having a hard time dealing with the kidnapping and shooting. Ranger decided to work out of the Miami office to be closer to her. Julie's therapist thought it best to have him around for a while. He left her a message to call Tank if she needed anything. She had been screening all her calls. A part of her was sorry she didn't answer when he called her. No declarations of love…just his usual "Be safe, Babe." She missed him.
She had a few messages from Morelli. He missed her. He loved her. Bob missed her. Lord knows, she missed him, too. Her desire for the two of them tore her apart. There was a tremendous sense of guilt that overwhelmed her. She felt a strong urge to move on with her life. Now was the time. Morelli left her another message earlier that day that he was going out of town on assignment. Ranger was already out of town. No interference.
Her family and friends noticed that she had withdrawn. Her mother kept up her barrage of daily phone calls. The messages usually consisted of current job openings at Personal Products, the daily dinner menu, Morelli, and her idea of normal. Stephanie knew she meant well. It was just getting a little old. Lula and Connie ragged on her all the time. They were worried about her, too. Can't she be allowed to be in a funk once in a while? Yeesh!
For the past week, Stephanie felt like she had been watched. It wasn't her usual apprehensive feeling she got when she was stalked. This was very different. There was almost a comfort to it. Finally having driven herself crazy, Stephanie decided to throw caution to the wind and put herself out there. After getting the right outfit and her hair to perfection, she headed to DuJour's.
DuJour's was the latest hot spot in Trenton. She hoped none of Ranger's Merry Men were there. It would get back to Ranger in a New York minute. No, tonight she needed to throw out the rules and damn what people would say about her. For everything that she had been through, Stephanie felt she was entitled to a night of reckless abandon.
After an hour of come-ons by slime balls, Stephanie was rethinking the whole reckless abandon thing. What a stupid idea, she thought to herself, this isn't me. She threw a five on the bar for a tip and slid off her stool. She bumped into an incredibly handsome man. He was Morelli's height, not quite as broad as Ranger, and had the most piercing blue eyes. His dirty blonde hair hung just past his ears. She felt his stare go right through her soul. There was a familiarity about him that she could not place. She felt butterflies in her stomach and her knees weaken. "I'm sorry," she told him breaking out of her trance. "I wasn't paying attention." He smiled.
"Forgive me," he told her. "I'm Christian." He extended his hand, and Stephanie automatically shook it. "I hope you weren't leaving." There was a faint hint of an accent that she couldn't place.
"Well….I was," she admitted. He pulled her stool out for her.
"Please join me for a drink?" She thought for a moment. One drink couldn't hurt. He was gorgeous. There was definitely an attraction. Maybe this is what she needed to move on with her life.
"You know what? I think I will," she replied with a wide smile and sat back on the bar stool.
The sun shone brightly through her bedroom window. Stephanie blinked several times but her eyes refused to adjust to the light. Groaning, she gave up and rolled her pillow over her head. Whose stupid idea was it to throw caution to the wind? Oh right….it was hers. She felt awful. It didn't feel like a normal hangover….something that could easily be remedied by the Cure. This felt more like the flu or something. Her entire body….ached. She rolled over and heard something crinkle. It was a note.
S,
Sorry to leave you my Darling. I will see you again soon.
All my love,
Christian
Stephanie bolted upright in bed. Her body immediately protested, and she flopped back down. Oh my God! What did I do? She remembered the handsome man she met last night. Did she sleep with him? She ran her hands down her body feeling only skin. Holy Shit! She picked up some random guy and slept with him! She didn't even remember it! She remembered meeting him at DuJour's. She remembered him coming back to the apartment. She remembered he had walked her to the door.
"Aren't you coming in?" she asked him.
"Are you inviting me?"
"Yes, Christian, I'm inviting you in," she giggled.
She remembered them talking, and the rest was gone. There was something special about him. She felt like she had known him…forever. It was weird, but exciting at the same time. Maybe he was what she needed to move on with her life. Sighing, Stephanie dragged herself out of bed. She shielded her eyes from the sun before yanking the curtains closed. She felt exposed for the first time that morning so she hurried to the bathroom to grab her robe and take care of business.
She counted to three before looking at herself in the mirror. Yikes! She looked like death warmed over. Her eyes looked sunken, her skin was pale, and she looked a little drawn. "What the hell did I drink last night?" she muttered aloud. While brushing her teeth, she noticed a bruised area on the right side of her neck. It was in the hollowed area between the base of her neck and collarbone. She spit out the toothpaste and pulled the collar of her robe away to get a better look. Was that a hickey? Was that dried blood? What the hell did she do last night?