CHAPTER EIGHT

Her entire body radiated the heat of her arousal. Her frantic moans and soft pleas were music to his ears. With her bound in submission, he could play her body like a fine instrument. Her blindfold made her sensitive to his slightest touch. Her smile professed her pleasure and encouraged him to continue. His own need was becoming urgently painful. He wanted to give her one more orgasm before he joined her in release.

He slid between her open thighs, carefully avoiding any physical contact. He used his arms to hold himself directly above her pleasure zone and gently touched her clit with the tip of his tongue. Her reaction was immediate and passionate. She screamed out his name as she convulsed in wave after wave of climax. She called out his name again.

Ranger awoke with a jolt, covered in sweat. In that brief semiconscious moment between asleep and awake, he looked in expectation across the bed. Stephanie wasn't there. Reality closed the door on hope. She had not shared his bed in many weeks. He had thrown her away out of fear. Now his nights were filled with fantasy, frustration and guilt. He could no longer deny the truth. Stephanie was now part of his psyche. He needed her back in his world and in his bed.

Damn, this has got to stop! Get a hold of yourself, Manoso! Despite the gravity of the situation he burst out laughing. These thoughts had run through his head while he stood under the hot waters of his shower and manually relieved his sizable erection. You're a grown man…act like one. She is the one woman you want in your life. Swallow your pride and go fight for her…now!

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He had not slept at all the night he told her to leave. Once his anger had subsided and he could think clearly, he began to question the source of his inner turmoil. He didn't like the answers. He wasn't furious at Steph. She had offered him her greatest gift…her submission…body and soul. The weight of that gift had scared him. He had never run from responsibility in his life. The thought of caring completely for his soul mate because she had also chosen him had caused a rush of anxiety and raw fear. He didn't like being afraid. It was an emotion he'd buried years ago. When it raised its ugly head, he became furious with himself. He took that rage out on the one person who deserved nothing but his undying love and respect.

Ranger was not a pleasant person to be around for those next two weeks. Even the inner circle at Rangeman walked as if on eggshells. Ranger knew that he was volatile and tried all kinds of self therapy. He tried extensive workouts in the gym with conscripted sparring partners. He tried locking himself in his office and burying himself under paperwork. In a last desperate attempt at getting a full night's sleep, he returned to Dominion in the hopes of finding a partner for his sexual needs as well as a willing conduit for his anger. There were many volunteers, but he went home alone and unsatisfied.

This latest dream was the final straw. He would apologize. He would ask for forgiveness. He had decided that, if necessary, he would kneel in submission, something he had not done since his days training as a Dom. There was a way to fix this. By the end of the day, he and his Babe would be together and starting their new life.

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Ramon was manning the com-center when Ranger walked in.

"What is Stephanie's location?" It was a simple request and he expected a simple answer.

Poor Ramon could feel his blood pooling in his feet. He turned an odd shade of ashen beige…the Latino version of ghostly white. Remembering his boss's fiery mood over the last few weeks, he attempted to temper his bad news with an upbeat ending. "She's not on the board right now. But there have been no reports of any bombs, fires or rocket launchings either." Ramon hoped that adding a positive note to a negative answer would soften his boss's reaction. His brief sojourn into psychology was a total failure.

"What do you mean, 'she's not on the board'.?" Ranger's voice was an octave deeper than usual, a sure sign of his displeasure. "Her car should broadcast a signal automatically. Hit the 'inquire' button and pull up the history." Control your temper. It's not Ramon's primary responsibility. She's your woman. You should know where she is.

"She left the area three days ago, heading north. We lost the signal when she passed Newton on I80. Her transmitter is out of range."

"Well, ping another tower. Broaden the range. Find her." This was a command, not a request. Ramon sensed that his future ability to breathe and function properly as a fully intact human rested solely on locating Stephanie Plum. He turned over the com to Woody and began his quest with survival as his goal.

In the privacy of his office, Ranger called Steph's cell. He got the standard recording that stated the phone was either out of range or turned off. Did he want to leave a message? "Babe, we need to talk."

He called Connie at the bonds office. "She's not here. You missed her by a day. She was going to take a couple of weeks off and go on vacation. I don't know where. Didn't she tell you?" Connie was never known for being subtle.

A trip to Steph's apartment was next. The place was in order, by Plum standards. It seemed odd not to see the cage and the ever present Rex. He had gone to the big wheel in the sky a week after Steph and Morelli had officially broken up. Ranger had been there to console and comfort. Steph had declined his offer to replace the little critter stating nothing could take Rex's place. He had planned on giving her a kitten from Tank's cat's next litter. Another good idea put aside for a better time. No more waiting for the right time. Make your own right time. Fate is too damn fickle.

He looked in every room. A check of her closet showed she had not taken her high heels or her evening dresses. Unless she planned on purchasing at her destination, wherever she was, it was more casual than formal. She did take her bathing suit…the one they picked out together in Hawaii. She really looked hot in that bikini. Ranger found himself getting a little jealous that some stranger would be seeing her in something he felt was his alone to enjoy.

If he couldn't find any clues here, he would go to her parents' house and make up some story about a missing report. Even if she had told them not to say where she was going, he would make it seem urgent and convince them to reveal her location.

In the lobby on the way out of the building he passed her mailbox. It was so stuffed that the lock was barely holding it shut. The lock was so strained that it took seconds with just the slightest encouragement to spring open. Two large manila envelopes were the cause. One glance at the return addresses caused Ranger's blood pressure to skyrocket. He took the stairs two at a time back to her apartment. He needed privacy to absorb what he was reading and ready access to her computer. Babe, please. You didn't do what I think you did. You can't be that foolish. Wait a minute. What am I thinking? Of course you can. You never disappoint.