Okay, here's another chapter! Keep the reviews up! I'm totally loving them.

Not mine.

Girls' night was turning out better than expected.

"One more!" Connie yelled. Mary Lou, the designated driver, shook her head.

"No more."

"Aw, come on, Mother Hen!"

She rolled her eyes and we cheered. I sauntered up to the bar. "Three tequila shots please?" I asked the bartender. He nodded and started to fill the glasses while I pulled out the cash.

"No, on me." The man next to me said. He had a great smile, which he was flashing at me.

"It's okay, I got it."

"Please."

Who could turn down a free drink? I gave up. "Thank you."

"I'm Brian."

"Stephanie."

We shook hands.

"So, Stephanie, who in their right mind would leave you alone in a bar?"

Confused, I said, "I'm with my friends."

"No boyfriend?" In my drunken state, it took me a moment to realize he was hitting on me.

"Well actually…"

"He's late." Ranger said, coming from behind me and putting his arm around me. "Sorry, honey."

I snorted. In my drunken state, Ranger calling me honey was hilarious!

"Carlos Manoso." Ranger said, holding out his hand. They shook and Brian paled. He turned back on his stool and continued sipping his whiskey.

"That was mean." I slurred.

"Babe, how many of these have you had?" He asked, helping me carry the shots back to our table.

I bit my lip. Damn, I couldn't remember!

"Four, counting that one." Mary Lou said, pointing to the shot in my hand.

"Babe, you're a cheap date."

"I know, but its sooo tasty!" I said, hitting the shot back. Ranger smiled at me and grabbed my waist. "Come on, Babe." He said, practically carrying me out.

"What about my car?"

"Tank's got it." He poured me into my seat.

"Hey, how'd you know I was here?"

"You called me."

"I did?" Damn, I didn't remember that either.

He nodded, then smiled. "You asked me to broaden your horizons tonight."

I blushed. Now I remembered. "Well, are you?"

"Am I what?"

"Going to broaden my horizons."

"Babe, you're three sheets to the wind. When I do that, I think you should be conscious."

I put my hand on his thigh and dragged it towards his crotch when his hand clamped down on mine. "No."

"Jeez. I thought I'd never hear you say no."

"Only when you're drunk, Babe."

Hmph. He pulled into the Dunkin Donuts and got me coffee and a bottle of water. I drank half of the cup and changed the subject. "So you're my boyfriend?" I asked, taking a sip of coffee.

He turned towards Haywood. Clearly not remembering, he said. "What?"

"Brian asked me if I had a boyfriend and if he would leave me alone at Pino's."

He looked at me for a moment. "So?"

We were going around in circles. "Does that make you my boyfriend?"

"Do you really have to ask?"

"Are you really going to answer my question with a question?"

"Babe."

I sighed. "I have no idea what we're doing."

"Driving to my apartment."

I rolled my eyes. "Thank you Mr. Literal. I meant us. What is this?" I flicked my finger between us.

He stopped at a red light. "I don't want to do this now."

Great. "Why not?"

"Because I want you sober enough to remember this so you never have to question it again."

"I'm sober!" Sort of.

"Can you walk a straight line?"

"Sure!" Maybe.

He smirked. "Tomorrow."

"No. Now or you're not getting any."

"I'm not getting any now."

"Ever again. My legs will stay closed. The thong will stay on."

"You're wearing a thong?"

I nodded.

"You're killing me." He groaned.

"Answer the question."

"Can I get a reprieve to tell you in the apartment?"

I nodded. That was as long as I was going to wait. Around Ranger, my panties dropped to the floor faster than I could put them on. And I had a feeling I was going to have a hard time keeping them on.

The rest of the ride and the elevator ride to the apartment were silent. Ranger sat me down on the couch and handed me another bottle of water with two Advils.

"Take it. It'll hedge the hangover."

I gulped back the rest of the coffee and started on the water bottle. Ranger opened his mouth and I held up a hand.

"Hold on." I skirted around him and ran for the bathroom. Two minutes later, I returned to a chuckling Ranger.

"What?"

"That was cute Babe."

I rolled my eyes and sat back down. "Okay, speak."

He looked at me and tucked a curl behind my ear. "What do you think?"

"I think you need to tell me first."

"Why?"

I bit my lip. "Because I need you to."

"Why?"

"Because," I sighed. He was going to find out sooner or later. "I'm afraid."

"Of what?"

"Of you."

He quirked an eyebrow.

"I'm afraid that you're going to wake up one morning and say 'well, that was fun. Now get out' or pat me on the head and tell me that you realized that you wanted to be just friends. I couldn't handle that."

"Why?"

"Would you stop with the why's?"

He didn't respond. I sighed. "Because I couldn't handle it."

I could see he wanted to ask why again. I rolled my eyes. "I'm not good with voicing my emotions. I just like to eat them. It's amazing I'm not five hundred pounds. So it's hard for me to say what I'm feeling. I couldn't handle it because I'm so in love with you that if you left me, I'm not sure I'd survive."

He smiled at me. "I know."

I stared at him. "You know? What the hell kind of answer is that? I tell you I love you and you just say you know? Jeez. I'm never…"

He put his hand over my lips. "It's nice to hear what I could already tell."

"How?" I asked, voice muffled around his hand.

"It was in your eyes, Babe. When you started to look at me like I you do a donut case, I knew you loved me."

It was true. I had loved him for a long time, but it took me until two weeks ago to realize that I was in love with him. That's probably when the donut thing started happening.

He took his hand away and kneeled in front of me. "Do you know how much I love you?" He whispered.

I wasn't sure how to answer.

"You used to drive me insane. You never wanted any help from anyone and I had this need to protect you. So whenever you'd get all defensive and self righteous, I wanted to choke you."

I squeaked.

"But I never would, because I knew in my heart that it would kill me if you were dead. So I found ways to keep track of you in more subtle ways. The tracker, the cameras in your apartment and the GPS monitor on the POS car of the week. If I couldn't actually see you, I could watch the tracker and make sure you were okay.

"Slowly, the independent woman turned into your most redeeming quality. Whenever my parents would set me up on blind dates, they would always be mousy women. I realized that I loved you because you didn't need to cling to me for protection. Even if you really needed it sometimes."

I gave him a small smile.

"That's when I knew that I was in love with you. That I needed you like I need oxygen. I just had to wait until you broke up with Joe to make my move."

He smiled. "I also love you for the little snore that comes out when you're in a deep sleep."

I was shocked. "I don't snore!"

"Sure you do. It's cute and only happens after we make love all night."

I blushed. That's usually when I'd get the best sleep. "So, you're my boyfriend?"

"Always was. Never doubt that."

"And we're dating in the real sense of the word?"

He raised his eyebrow again.

"You know, dates, movies, dinners at family's houses, sex…"

"I like the sex part."

I rolled my eyes. "Not seeing anyone else." I added more to myself.

"Babe," he said, turning my face towards him. "There hasn't been anyone permanent in my life in a long time. And there won't be, except you."

That was so sweet. I kissed him with a little tongue.

"So we're doing this?"

"We're doing this."

He gave me a small smile and kissed me again until the world faded into darkness.