This is a little bit different than what I'm usually writing (at least I think so...). So I hope you enjoy! Thanks for all the reviews!

Not mine. How sad...


"Looks good up here, Boss." Lester said from the doorway. Ranger and I were directing the movers to put the couch down. "Looks like someone actually lives here."

"Shut up Lester." I said.

Lester laughed. "Is that all you got, Bombshell?"

I wanted to kick him in the pants, but refrained. I turned around and went to the bedroom.

"I really like this bed." I said to Ranger, wrapping my arms around him.

"Me too. I can't wait to christen it."

I shivered.

The minute the movers were done, we did christen the bed. And the couch. And the dining room table.

And his office.

"How much time do I have?" I asked from the closet, a few hours later.

"We were supposed to leave ten minutes ago." Ranger said to me from the bedroom. I couldn't pick out what kind of dress I was going to wear tonight. His sister was throwing a small party for the opening of her restaurant and insisted that we come. It was this or Sunday dinner.

I think Ranger chose well.

I sighed, picking out a black, knee-length dress and three inch FMP.

"Babe, you look beautiful." He said when I emerged.

"This is okay?" I asked, trying to smooth out the invisible wrinkles.

"More than okay. I better be on my guard or someone will try to steal you away."

"Hardly. You're stuck with me." I wrapped my arms around his neck. "I'm sorry we'll be late."

"Actually," Ranger said, looking at his watch, "if we leave now, we'll be a few minutes early."

"What?"

"Babe, I thought you were never going to get out of the shower."

"That's because you decided to shower with me! Don't blame this one on me, mister."

He smiled at me, the one that made it hard to stay mad. I smiled back. "Let's go, crazy ass."

The restaurant ended up being about halfway between Newark and Trenton. It was a small Cuban place with lots of atmosphere. Ranger said that she took a lot of the things from their parents' house to decorate. I teased him and said it was like a Manoso Museum.

"So this is Stephanie. It is so nice to finally put a face to a name." Celia said after hugging me and Ranger. "The boys didn't do you justice. She's a keeper, brother."

"Thanks Celia, like I didn't know that." Ranger rolled his eyes. I giggled. Who knew he could roll his eyes?

"Well, we have your table right over here. Against the wall as usual. Enjoy the meal." Celia said as she personally walked us to the table.

"I like your sister." I said to him when we were alone.

He smiled sweetly at me. "I'm glad." He said.

I wasn't sure what to order, so I asked Ranger to order for me. Whatever he picked was sure to be delicious.

"Don't worry Babe. It's not a temple day."

"Even better." I said, kissing his lips lightly. I wasn't into PDA's, but since we were out of the Burg, I didn't really care anymore.

"Carlos? Is that you?" A beautiful woman asked. She was also of Cuban decent with dark hair, eyes and skin. Ranger stood up and hugged the woman lightly. "I had a feeling that Celia might drag you here."

"Not so much drag as in con…" Ranger replied. She laughed.

"I'm sitting with Carmen, Rosa and Lucia. You should come sit with us."

"Actually, I'm here with my girlfriend." He said, turning and smiling at me. "Stephanie, this is an old friend Adaluz. Adaluz, this is my girlfriend Stephanie."

"Oh," she said, kind of deflating. "It's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too." I said, taking her hand and shaking it. Even if she looked and acted like a tramp, doesn't mean I'm going to be a bitch. We both looked each other over for a minute, sizing up the competition.

She turned back to Ranger. "Well, you should at least stop by and say hi. I'm sure the girls all miss you as much as I did."

I couldn't believe her! She was blatantly flirting with Ranger right in front of me! Did she have an aneurism and forget I was his girlfriend?

But in true Ranger fashion, he dodged her. "Maybe later." He sat back down with me and wrapped his right arm over my shoulders, drawing me closer. Ha! Take that!

She held her composure. "Then maybe I'll see you later. By Carlos." And she turned on her heel and left.

"Babe, I'm so sorry."

"For what?"

"Adaluz. She's more Celia's friend than mine and she never got over the fact that I was one of the only men that didn't want to be in her bed. Ever."

I was surprised. She was pretty and obviously came from money with her Jimmy Choo's. She'd be perfect for him.

"It's okay." I said. "I'm going to make a quick trip to the ladies room." I got up.

"Babe," He said.

"I'm fine." I said, kissing his palm.

I was glad to find the ladies room empty. I splashed water onto my face. Who was I kidding? I wasn't right for Ranger. He needed someone that who had it together, not a completely messy life. He and Adaluz fit, in a way.

I was in one of the stalls when the door opened.

"Did you see Carlos?" I heard Adaluz ask the other pair of shoes with her.

"Yeah, he was looking mighty fine. But I saw him sitting with another woman." The friend said.

"Oh, her?" Her voice asked full of distain. "It's not serious."

"How do you know?"

"Come on, did you see her? Totally not his type."

"I don't know…"

"Come on, she clearly has no fashion taste whatsoever. That dress was a knockoff. He's just using her until he's ready for me."

"Are you serious?"

I'm guessing she nodded. "I talked to him yesterday and he told me the whole story."

I was shocked. What the hell was she talking about?

"Everyone's told me that we would be the perfect couple. It's just a matter of time."

The two pairs of shoes walked out and I sat there, shaking.

Was she right? Was I just being used?

He said he loved me, but… now I wasn't so sure.

I waited until my composure came back and went back out to the table.

"Everything okay?" He asked, eyes concerned.

"Yeah, fine." I said flatly.

Ranger continued to gaze into my eyes, trying to ESP what it was. Luckily he didn't guess. He turned his attention back to the plate in front of him.

"Okay, Stephanie. What's wrong?" Ranger asked. He had pulled over to the side of the road and was staring at me.

"Nothing's wrong." I replied, not looking at him.

"Steph, Babe, you've barely spoken a word since you got back from the bathroom." He lovingly tucked a curl behind my ear. "What's the matter? Tell me, please."

Crap, he was using the please card. The tears welled up in my eyes. He just caressed my cheek with his thumb, waiting for an answer.

"Why do you love me?" I whispered.

He was taken aback. "Why do I love you?" He looked at me and realized that the answer to his question was behind mine. "Because you're smart, sexy, funny, loving, you don't give a crap about what other people think, you're beautiful, and you care more about other people's happiness than your own."

"Yeah, but I'm messy, spastic, hell on cars and your men…"

"Hey, hey, hey, where is this all coming from?"

"She was right, I'm not good enough for you." I whispered.

"Who was right?"

"Adaluz."

He looked at me, confused.

"She said that you were just using me until you could be with her."

He barked out a laugh. "She's still saying that line?"

"Huh?"

"Babe, she's been saying that every girl I've dated ever was just someone I was using until she let me date her. The fact is, she begged me to go to prom with her, even though I was leaving for boot camp the same day. I doubt even her friends believe her anymore."

I felt like such a fool. Ranger never gave me any reason to doubt him and one stupid woman comes along and blows it to smithereens.

I sighed. "I can't believe I let her get to me."

He turned my face towards his. "I love you. No matter what anyone says, that's not going to change. You could eat fifty Tastykakes a day, stop having sex with me and gain a hundred pounds and I'd still love you. Don't ever doubt it."

I nodded. I remember once when I was living with Joe and he said that I was only around for sex, and somewhere deep down, I knew he meant it. But I could see in Ranger's eyes that he meant every word that he was saying right now.

"I'm sorry I doubted us." I whispered.

"There's no reason to be sorry. You didn't know about her. I would do the same exact thing in your position."

I snorted.

"Babe, have you looked in the mirror? You're smokin' hot. I have to beat my men down with a stick."

I giggled at the mental image of Ranger beating his men with a stick.

"So are we really okay now?" He asked, placing light kisses on my knuckles.

"Yes, Carlos, I'm really okay now. Can you take me home and show me how much you love me?"

Ranger started the car. "With pleasure, Babe." He wolf grinned at me.

Oh boy…