CHAPTER TWO – CONFRONTATION

Lula was the first to notice something was amiss in the Fantasy Island that was the mind of Stephanie Plum.

"Girl, if you don't pull your head out of the ass it is presently stuck in we're both going to die right here on I-195. And while we're on the subject of just exactly where your head is at, what's up with that shit back there. I'm the muscle on this team. Since when do you go all up in an FTA's face and do the beatin' part? That's supposed to be my job!"

"We won't die on the highway as long as I can avoid all these idiots on the road. I'm driving fast to get away from them. And I can beat up someone if I want to. You don't like it, don't come next time."

"Whoa! Someone's not getting any! Pardon me! I'll just settle my black ass down and doze a while. I'll either wake up in Trenton or dead. Anything's better than getting snipped apart by Ms. Thing here."

"I'm sorry, Lula. There's just been so much going on in my life lately. I didn't mean to take it out on you." Steph allowed her shoulders to finally relax and drop to a more comfortable driving position. The death grip on the wheel also disappeared.

"Something you want to talk about, baby? Man trouble? Don't take any Dr. Ruth to see that things are strange between you and the Magic Man Manoso." Lula was back to her always helpful, always nosey self. "You have a fight? He have another girl?"

Stephanie's head turned to Lula so fast she could hear her neck crack. "No. No fight, no other woman. I just think we've taken things as far as they can go between us. I don't think he's the man for me. That's all." Dr. Ruth, no. Dr. Phil, maybe.

Lula shook her head and laughed. "In the years we've been partners I have heard some mighty fine shit come out o' your mouth. But none of that compares to the amazing shit coming out of it now! Not the man for you? Girl, he's the man for all women! He turned you down or somethin'?"

"No! He didn't turn me down or something." And believe me, he is not the man for ALL women. "I just don't see us going anywhere and I'm not getting any younger. Let's just drop it. OK?"

The radio got turned louder. The conversation stopped. And the rest of the drive back to Trenton was much slower, safer and uneventful.

#####

For weeks all that was on her mind was what she witnessed in that basement. Her dreams at night always ended up with a half-naked Ranger and that riding crop. Nights were spent on the internet researching everything from 'rough sex' to 'hard-core bondage sites', and yet she couldn't find the one answer she needed to find peace within herself.

She was so desperate that she thought of finding Jeanne Ellen and asking her straight out about Ranger. Then sanity took back over. Jeanne Ellen, if she could be found, would never share things about Ranger. Out of loyalty, fear or perhaps love his secrets would be safe with her. The only person who could give her the answers she needed was Ranger himself. And he was the last person she would ever ask.

It all came to a head at the bonds office. Steph had been avoiding Ranger like the plague. Making sure his car was no where around she confidently strolled in with the paperwork for the previous night's capture.

"This one was almost too easy" she crowed as Connie handed her the payment voucher. She caught the look in Connie's eyes too late to prepare herself. His hand was on the back of her neck in that gentle expression he used to show…what? Affection? Possession? Dominance? It was instinct. Her whole body jumped, startled by his nearness as much by his touch. It wasn't surprise. It was terror.

Connie laughed at her reaction. Ranger did not. He saw the fear in her eyes. There was a questioning look in his.

"A little jumpy there, Babe."

"I…I didn't see your car. I didn't know you were here. You surprised me. That's all." She tried to look him in the eyes and failed miserably.

"Tank dropped me off on his way to the carwash. We had a messy time this morning. Now that our business is finished here, you could take me to Haywood and save him the trip back and me the wait. If it's not too much trouble." He was smiling down at her with the satisfied look of a patient spider who had just netted the catch of the day on his web.

"No, no trouble at all. Let's get going." Let's get this over with is more like it.

Outside the office, Steph tried to hand him the keys. "Here you drive. I know how much you hate not being in control." Shit! Brain-to-Mouth…get it together!

"No. Your car. You drive. I don't need to be behind the wheel to be in control." Again, he gave her that "there's-method-to-my-madness" smile and eased into the passenger seat.

She pulled out onto Hamilton, keeping her eyes on the road and not daring to look in his direction. The silence between them only made her heartbeat seem thundering and audible. She decided to test and see if she still had vocal cords. "So, how are things? I haven't seen you in a while?" Whew! They still work. I just sound stupid.

"'Things are just fine. And you've worked very hard to make sure that you haven't seen me in a while." Shit, he knows! God, don't let me crash this car before we get to Rangeman.

"That's ridiculous! I've just been busy, that's all. Why would I be avoiding you?"

"Babe, you damned near jumped out of your skin back there in the office. You looked at me as if I was the last person on earth you wanted to see. That wasn't surprise on your face. Believe me; I know fear when I see it. What's going on?"

The Patron Saint of Good Timing must have been smiling on her at that moment. Before she had time to think of an answer, they were pulling into Rangeman's garage. She'd just pull up to the elevator, drop him off and pull out before he could see her panic. That was not to be.

As soon as she stopped the car to let him out, Ranger reached over and took the keys. She was trapped. "Talk to me." He said the words softly but she knew it was a command.

"I know." she whispered. Then the words blurted out before she had time to think. "I know what you do. I saw. I didn't mean to. I meant to see. But I didn't mean to see what I saw." She was babbling. She knew it, but couldn't stop. And all the while she was shaking as if she had just developed some rare form of palsy.

"Yes, I know you do." His voice was calming. He took her quivering hand and gave her back the keys. "Park over here."

Without question, Steph did as she was told. He got out of the car and walked over to the driver's door and opened it. Taking her hand, he led her out of the car and towards the elevator.

"We need to talk."

########

The elevator ride to the seventh floor was the longest of her life. Ranger didn't help by being his stoic self and not saying a word. He also didn't let go of her hand. He wasn't squeezing it but Steph felt his fingers tighten ever so slightly when she tried to free herself. Oh my, I wish Scotty could beam me anywhere right now. Why can't I keep my nosey self in a box?

He kept his proprietary hold as he buzzed them into the apartment, dropped his keys in the silver tray on the sideboard and walked them both into the living room. She was released as he sat her on the couch. He sat at the far end of the couch with his right arm laid across the couch back; he looked directly at her.

Softly and calmly he addressed the panic in her eyes. "I know you have a lot of questions about what you saw the other night. I also know how you allow your imagination to run rampant." He was trying to read her thoughts and ease her fear at the same time.

"I did NOT imagine what I saw! You were whipping that woman! And you were smiling about it too! That's just plain sick. What kind of a fucking pervert does shit like that? And I thought Vinnie was out there!" She had found her voice but her common sense had evidently gone AWOL. Never, ever, piss off the lion in his own den! And never compare Ranger to Vincent Plum and expect to remain in one piece. Stupid. Stupid. Just get up and leave while you are still capable of mobility. She stood suddenly as if flight was her only survival option.

He reached over and pulled her back down onto the couch. "Sit! Stay!" he commanded and then walked calmly into the kitchen returning shortly with a bottle of wine and two glasses. He spoke as he poured. "First of all, that was a riding crop, not a whip. Secondly, Tasha…that's her name by the way…needs to feel some pain before she can be fully sexually aroused. Since I take my responsibility of thoroughly pleasing the woman I am with…" He stared directly into her eyes and gave her his 100 watt smile and handed her a full wine glass…"I was only too happy to accommodate her wishes. If any one should be upset it should be me. How dare you spy on me? Vincent Plum? Rather childish of you, don't you think?"

Stephanie could feel her face turning scarlet. She wasn't sure if it was his damn smile, reminding her of all the ways he had pleased her over the past year or the embarrassment of being called out as a voyeur. Oh no you don't! Don't turn this back on me. You are the pervert in this room! "I wasn't spying. I was researching." Oh geeze.

"Researching!? That's a new one." He shook his head and laughed. God, this woman is such a delight! I hope I made the right decision in letting her see Tasha and me.

"Well, yes I was researching. You have not been around a lot lately, at least not around my apartment anyway. When I saw you coming out of that club with TASHA, I was…I was…"

"Jealous?"

"Yes! Yes, alright, I was jealous. I wanted to get a look at my competition. I'm a woman. What do you expect?"

"I never know what to expect from you, Babe. But you have no reason to be jealous over a frivolous encounter at a sex club. You have no competition because that part of my life has nothing to do with our relationship."

She was knocked speechless for a moment and when she did speak, her voice was uncharacteristically demure. "Relationship? We have a relationship?"

"Of course we do, Babe. More importantly you must know that you please me very much. You bring a refreshing style to my bed. It is very different from what I am accustomed. I value the trust and friendship we share even more. And I don't want that to change because of what you learned the other night."

She really needed the wine now.