Chapter Four

Sun was already streaming in through the window when he woke the next morning, folded around a soft, warm body he knew all too well. He'd poured over every inch of her last night. In the bed. And the Jacuzzi. The kitchen, where he'd fed her cake and wrapped her legs around his waist until she cried out in relief. By the time they fell asleep they were exhausted, and the sharp hunger for her had finally dulled.

She drew in a deep breath and let it out in a silent, contented sigh. It hadn't taken long last night for the last of her reticence to melt and burn away. Stephanie was a good girl. For the most part. But the deeper he delved the more he realized the animal instinct inside her. Beneath the good girl, Steph was reckless and insatiable. And just a little bit bad in the best possible ways.

The hunger sharpened again.

Ranger pulled her toward him and nestled her into his side, kissing her shoulder. Her eyes met his. Pools of liquid sky. They fluttered closed when his lips caressed her skin. "Morning," he said, enjoying the way her body warmed.

"Morning," she answered. A satisfied smile pulled at the corners of her mouth no matter how she tried to hide it. It was endearing that even after the wild abandon she'd shown last night, she could still be shy. He kissed her collarbone, and then her throat, and she let out a sigh that made him stir. "What time is it?"

"Late."

"How late?"

He didn't answer. He was busy following a line across her jaw, heading toward her mouth.

She twisted in his arms so that she could look at the clock on her bedside table. "Oh crap."

"What now?"

"It's after 10."

"Understandable. You're fighting a six hour time change, and we didn't get a lot of sleep last night," he said, leaning over her. She'd rolled onto her back to look at the clock. He liked it when she was on her back. He brushed the tip of his nose up the length of her neck, feeling her soft skin with his lips.

"But we missed breakfast," she said.

"So we'll order in."

"That's not what I mean." She seemed to be having trouble holding onto her thoughts. It was a testament to how he affected her when Stephanie Plum turned mushy and inarticulate. He let his hands wander over her. She was silky and soft. Incredibly sexy. He wanted to bury himself deep inside her again, but she started to squirm away. He could have caught her and dragged her back, kissed her until she forgot whatever point she was trying to make. But he didn't. He just watched her pale, naked body slide out of the bed, every inch of her exposed.

She picked up the first article of clothing she could find and started to put it on. His black linen shirt. If she thought covering that beautiful body of hers was going to help his focus, she shouldn't have chosen to wear his clothes. The black was stark against her white skin. Highlighting just how flawless and smooth it was. And the way she was buttoning it. She must have thought that closing it over her belly would hide all the best parts of her, but he could still see the contours of her nipples through the linen, her breasts half exposed through the deep V that hung open nearly to her belly button. Her legs were long and slim under the hem of his shirt. Like Venus rising from the sea.

"We should be canvassing the public areas looking for the Ruguzzis," she said, trying to ignore the lazy way his eyes were caressing her. "They're here somewhere right under our noses. They could be next door and we'd never know it because we haven't left the room." A small smile pulled at his mouth, humor shining in his eyes. She flapped her arms to her sides in frustration. "Aren't you going to help me?"

The grin widened. "I helped you several times last night, but I'm willing to give it another shot."

"I'm being serious!"

"So am I."

She was working up steam. Ranger reached toward her and snatched her hand out of the air so that he could drag her back down onto the bed. She yelped in surprise. Her back hit the mattress and he landed on top of her to cover her with his body. Her clear eyes stared up at him as they warmed, his face an inch from hers. She wanted to object out of principal. He could see it. But he could also see just how much she liked the feel of him laying on top of her, his weight pressing her into the bed.

"Steph," he said, holding her gaze. "I've never had you all to myself before. No client meetings to get in the way, no emergencies or death threats. And I don't have to share you with Lula or your grandmother or Morelli."

A touch of unconscious guilt flashed across her face and he regretted mentioning Morelli. He kissed under her jaw to distract her, and then her throat and her collar, making a slow trail down her exposed breastbone, unbuttoning as he went until he could lay the shirt open. "We'll find Ruguzzi. He checked in only a day before we did and I don't see him checking out for at least a few days. That gives us time to get a lead on their itinerary. Then we can take him down when we're ready." His lips caressed her stomach. "Does that sound agreeable?"

An eager sigh eased out of her in answer. One of the best sounds in the world. He stripped the shirt from her and threw it over his shoulder, letting it fall forgotten to the floor.

o o o

Steph was a glowing puddle of ecstasy when he left her lying on the bed, half covered in sweaty sheets like an afterthought. Further evidence of a job well done. From the way her arms were dangling over the side of the bed, he would bet anything that the only reason she would get up now would be if there was food involved.

He called in for room service and went to take a shower.

He set the familiar, pale green bottle of shower gel on the ledge before he turned on the tap. It had been one of the few items he mentioned specifically when he sent Noah the list of things he'd need. Not that he loved it or anything. He'd never been the kind of guy to notice or care what he smelled like. But Steph liked it. He would have known that even if she'd never said it out loud. She breathed more deeply around him since he started using it. Lingered against him just a little longer each time before she pulled away. And then when she leaned into him not long ago, her lips brushing his ear as she whispered how sexy he smelled, he'd pulled off her clothes and carried her into his bedroom and pick up the carnal intensity right where they'd left it that first night.

Ranger suppressed a laugh. She'd tried to put the blame on some spell put on her by Morelli's crazy grandmother. It was supposedly meant to heighten her sex drive and make her behave badly. Really, it had just been an excuse. Things had been brewing between them for a long time. And truth is, Steph doesn't need much of an excuse to behave badly. It's in her nature.

Yet another one of those things he loved about her.

He shut off the tap and reached for a towel, rubbing it through his hair to dry it. Steph's voice filtered in through the closed door. She was on the phone. Sounded like she was talking to her grandmother. Which was probably where Steph had inherited her wild impulses in the first place.

Steph came from a long line of scary women. Her mother was fierce in a quiet housewife kind of way. Insistent and unrelenting. Like all good catholic mothers, her primary focus in life was to see her daughters married and settled, popping out grandkids for her to spoil. So far, Stephanie hadn't met this goal. Most of the time it didn't seem like getting married was very important to her. It was in her life plan, though. When she was ready. Which was why she'd kept Ranger at arm's length for so long.

Marriage defiantly wasn't in his life plan. In fact, emotional relationships of any kind were off the table. He could give her satisfaction. He could look after her and keep her safe. He could care for her and love her. But he wasn't really capable of much beyond that. Probably never would be.

That's why it would never work between them. Not for long, anyway. As free spirited as Stephanie was, she was never going to be comfortable jumping out of an airplane without a parachute.

She didn't hear him when he opened the door, leaning against the doorframe to watch her. She had put on one the fluffy white hotel robes. Though the way she was sitting on the end of the bed with one leg tucked under her made it ride up on her thighs, giving him an almost glimpse of his favorite part of her. There were stress lines where her eyebrows met. A cute little wrinkle to her nose. She wasn't enjoying the conversation.

"It's fine. I live all alone in my apartment in Trenton. This won't be any different," she said to the phone.

Must have told her granny about Morelli cutting out to do his cop thing. You can't blame a guy for having a strong work ethic, but there's a line any rational red-blooded man would draw when it came to passing on an island vacation with a woman like Stephanie.

Morelli really was an idiot.

Steph listened a second and almost frowned. "Meeting a hottie isn't in my plan, but I'll let you know if one turns up. I really just called to tell you that I changed hotels. I got a special deal for the Konu Ku'ono Resort. It's this really great cottage right on the beach."

She'd entirely glossed over the fact that she wasn't alone in that cottage. Interesting. Steph's granny was the type to watch pay-per-view porn, and usually had a look when he was around like she was picturing him naked. He couldn't imagine why Steph would be holding back.

She hurried her granny off the phone and looked up to find him standing in the doorway.

"I take it you didn't tell your grandmother I was here."

She shrugged. "I knew she'd tell my mom and then it would turn into a big thing. My mom has only barely accepted Morelli in my life, and that's mostly because she tells herself we're almost married. I don't think it would go over well to tell her I was shacking up with you in Hawaii."

He fought a smile. He kind of liked the sound of that. Shacking up with Stephanie would come with some serious perks.

"Did you tell Vinnie and Connie you were headed out of town?" she asked him.

"I left a message."

"I should probably call the office too and check in."

He nodded and hung the towel over the bar in the bathroom. "Give Lula and Connie my love," he said and headed into the other room where she'd left the room service tray sitting on the kitchen counter. He lifted the lid, picked up half a whole wheat bagel and spread some of the smoked salmon over it. Then he felt her eyes. When he turned back to the bedroom door, Steph was leaning at an awkward angle so that she could watch him walking around without any clothes on. Their eyes held for a moment and she turned back to the phone with a coy smile. Busted. Ranger laughed quietly. Yeah, she definitely liked his body.

He took his time making coffee while Steph talked. He didn't need to be party to the conversation she would have with the other women from the bonds office, especially since he had a fairly good idea of how it would go. Every time he walked into the office, Lula and Connie would go deadly still, their eyes scanning him thoroughly before they turned with meaning onto Stephanie. It was no secret that there was something between them. Something that he was sure was discussed in his absence, probably in graphic detail.

He put a lot of cream in one of the mugs for Stephanie and poured out some coffee. He waited until her voice fell quiet before he went back to the bed with two mugs and the rest of the bowl of fruit. Steph was sitting on her side of the bed, a number of pamphlets and brochures spread across her lap.

He set the bowl down and held out the pale coffee for her. She accepted it with a grateful smile. A flare of light caught in her ring. It was still circling her finger. Ranger had taken his off as soon as there was no one around to see it last night. But not Stephanie.

"You're still wearing the ring."

He could see a hint of chagrin in her smile. She looked down at the big diamond and gave her fingers a playful wiggle to catch the light. "What? It's pretty."

He couldn't help but be amused by that. The rings might have been for show, but a little part of him was glad she liked it. He'd been right about it suiting her.

He set his coffee down on his bedside table and sat on the bed. Forked a piece of pineapple and fed it to her before he lounged back beside her, taking one for himself. He glanced at the workshop brochures over her shoulder. "Find anything promising?"

"Not yet. I was hoping there might be a something that jumped out at me. It would be so much easier if there was an obvious choice for someone like The Rug. You know, like Marriage for Murderers or Analysis for Assassins." Ranger looked at her, the ghost of laughter in his eyes. "Healing for Hitmen?"

"Got anymore?"

"Bonding for Bad Guys."

"You can do better."

She thought for a second. "Contract Killer Karma Sutra?"

"I might be willing to go to that one."

He fed her a piece of cantaloupe and took the brochure from her lap, pretending to look it over. She was making notes in the main hotel schedule. He didn't need to look at it. He'd pretty much memorized it while he was doing his own research back in Trenton. There would be a few events that were likely to provide opportunity for contact, but he wasn't nearly ready to give this up yet.

He'd known Steph for two year before they'd had the one night together. And it had taken another two years for her to fall into his bed again. He had every intention of keeping her as long as he could this time before the window closed. Because after being this close to her, waiting another two years to have her again didn't sound the least bit appealing.

The hem of the robe was riding high on her leg, exposing her long white stems. He traced a gentle finger across her skin. Couldn't help it. Her attention faltered, but she didn't respond. He touched her again, deliberately trying to arouse her. This time it was clear that she was ignoring him, the slightest of smiles pulling at the corner of her mouth. She was playing with him.

He tossed the pamphlet aside and pulled at the shoulder of her robe so that he could kiss her bare skin, knowing that the movement would loosen the hastily tied belt that was keeping it shut.

"I was thinking we should go to the beach today," she said as nonchalantly as if he hadn't been touching her. "Maybe walk the main building before we check out the restaurants."

So, she wanted him to work for it. Alright. He was game. He slid his hand into the gap in the front of her robe. Her breast was soft as silk, and just large enough to cup in his hand. He ran his thumb across her nipple and felt it tighten. "And was thinking we should check out the private spa again."

She considered that, responding when he caressed her other breast. She liked the spa. It seemed to have a positive effect on her, too. Loosened her up and eased away any reluctance she might have felt about their physical relationship. She had a tendency to get tied in knots over it. Even when Morelli wasn't part of the equation.

It was best to keep Steph relaxed.

"How about we check out the spa again after dinner?" she said at last.

The corner of his mouth lifted. Gaining ground. He caught the edge of her ear with his teeth. "How about both before and after dinner. And maybe during."

This time she turned to look at him. When she saw that he wasn't joking she narrowed her eyes in her best attempt at a stern expression. "The beach. Then the spa. And then you take me to dinner. With desert."

"Is that your counter offer?"

"Final offer."

"I could bring out my ruthless negotiating skills," he said, caressing lower inside the robe. She drew in a quick breath in response. It was exactly what he'd been going for. He teased her sensitive skin and she shuddered. This game was fun.

She gave him a shove and pressed his back against the bed, pinning him there. Her robe fell open in the effort. Nothing but skin between them. His body reacted in a predictable way. She seemed amazingly unaware of just how much power she had over him.

"I have negotiating skills too, you know," she said with a husky voice. He stiffened.

"If this is your opening move, it'll be a short negotiation."

"Try me."

He searched her face, memorizing the way her eyes shone bright when she knew she could get the better of him. The balance between them had always been delicate. It was more rewarding than he had expected to see her guard come down completely.

"Alright. You win," he said. "And to show you what a good guy I am, I'll even help you shower."

"Wow. That's very generous of you. That's a real sacrifice."

"What can I say? I'm a generous guy," he said, rising up enough to kiss her.

o o o

He'd taken his time getting her ready, but the happy grin she wore made it well worth the effort. After the shower, he had applied sunscreen to her himself, massaging it into her delicate skin even in places that weren't likely to see the sun. She was practically panting by the time he'd finished. Leading to another round on the bed before she gathered herself up and went to get dressed.

Ranger went to his suitcase and pulled out the black board shorts and a shirt. He hadn't been specific when he'd given Noah instructions on most of his clothes. Black and non-descript. That was what the email said. Clothes that weren't likely to stand out. Noah's interpretation had been to give him black Hawaiian shirts. The printed patterns were black, too. The subtle outline of ferns or flowers or blocked lines filled with detail. Not nearly as bright or garish as what the other men would be wearing, but it would fit in well on the beach.

Ranger picked up his ring from the bedside table and slipped in back on his finger.

Steph stepped out of the bathroom and his eyes slid down her body. She was wearing a little red bikini, lightly covered by a black and red wrap tied over her waist to show the entire length of one leg. Her unruly brown curls fell in soft waves around her shoulders. Reminding him of the way they tumbled over the edge of the bed. He had the sudden urge to throw her down on it again, but if he did that they might never make it to the beach.

He held the door open for her and let her step past him before he followed her down to the shoreline. Slipped his hand around hers so that he could feel at least some part of her. She looked down at their joined hands and he caught a tiny smile.

The resort's public beach was crowded, but they were able to find a pair of reclining beach chairs back by the main bar. That was better anyway. Not as good as having his back to a wall, but it gave him a decent line of sight. He settled back on the chair with an arm stretched behind his head, dark sunglasses hiding his eyes.

A waiter in all white came by and Ranger ordered a Corona and a blended house cocktail for Stephanie. Only one shot of rum. Steph was a light weight when it came to drinking. There was a fine line for her between relaxed and bombed. Two glasses of wine and she was ready to get naked. Three and she was much more likely to pass out instead.

He reclined back on his chair and scanned the beach. Most people were lounging on their own chairs, or laid out on beach blankets taking full advantage of the sun. Others were playing in the surf like teenagers. Something they probably hadn't done in years. Without children to shepherd, there was a general sigh of relief to the atmosphere. Husbands and wives who had nothing to focus on but the island and each other.

The waiter came back with Ranger's beer and a pineapple with a little red umbrella in it. Steph made a cute gasping sound when she saw the umbrella. Like it had made her day. Ranger and the waiter both smiled. Sometimes Steph was easy to please.

Ranger only took a few sips of his beer before he set it on the short table between them. He'd mostly ordered it for show. A prop to add to his relaxed demeanor. As much as he wished this was just an ordinary vacation, he was all too aware that they were still working, and he never drank when he was working. In fact, he didn't drink much when he wasn't working, either. Not anymore. There were years of hard living in his past. Years when he'd lacked the control and discipline he had now. He had no intention of repeating them.

The straw gurgled at the bottom of Steph's pineapple. He looked over at her with a raised eyebrow. That was fast. She already looked more relaxed, a slight glow warming her cheeks. He smiled. "Want another one?"

"If I have another one, I'll forget why we're out here."

"You mean when we could be naked in our bed?"

It was meant to be a gentle suggestion, just enough to put ideas in her head, but he saw it when a shadow crossed her face. And then a dark panic shone behind her eyes. It had happened so fast. And just like that, her guard was back up. Shit.

He leaned forward an inch, but she didn't meet his eye. "Steph? Are you alright? You look like you just swallowed the top of that pineapple."

Her throat moved involuntarily. Like she was trying to dislodge whatever it was that had stuck in her throat. It took her a second to answer. And in that second, she'd started to look a little queasy. "I'm fine."

"You don't look fine. I haven't seen that much panic on your face since you almost hyperventilated at the idea of sleeping with me for the first time."

"That was because you were talking about handcuffs."

"It wasn't just the handcuffs."

She shifted awkwardly under his searching gaze. Picked up his beer like an unconscious thought and took a generous gulp. Looked like she regretted it. Then took another drink anyway. Ranger set his left hand on her thigh, hoping to calm her, his palm brushing her bare skin through the gap in her wrap skirt. She cut her eyes down at it and swallowed again. Usually a buzzed Stephanie was flirty. This was something else.

She drew in a deep breath and her swirling thoughts seemed to get the better of her. "Why do you have something against marriage?"

He glanced down at the hand he still had on her thigh, his dark wedding ring resting against her fair skin. Of course. He should have seen this coming. The anticipation and relief of being back in her bed had been so marked that he hadn't considered anything else. Like what playing marriage might mean to someone who actually wanted to have one someday.

He measured his answer, watching her staring at the horizon so she wouldn't have to look at him. "I don't," he said at last.

"You have to. What's with all this never getting married stuff unless you have something against it?"

"I don't have a problem with the institution. I just don't see it as a personal option."

"Why?"

"I've told you why."

"No you haven't. Not really. You've said you don't plan on marrying. You said you're not family material because you carry guns and a knife. You said you don't have the kind of lifestyle that allows for relationships, but the truth is lots of people carry guns and your lifestyle has changed since then."

"Not enough."

"What's enough?"

He didn't answer right away. Just kept watching her while she stared at the shoreline. He lowered his voice. "This isn't the time or place to discuss it."

"Is there a time or place to discuss it?"

It was a fair question. Too bad it didn't have a fair answer. He watched her a moment more before he turned his eyes to the shoreline too. "Probably not."

She tried to hide how sad that made her, but he saw it anyway. She took a long pull on his beer and held it out for him, forcing him to lift his hand off her leg to take it. "I'm gonna get in the water for a little bit. You coming?"

"No. I'm good."

She stood and kicked off her flip flops, untying the knot at her waist so that the black and red wrap floated down into her chair. He watched the slender outline of her body, barely covered by the red bikini, until she'd padded down the beach and vanished into the water.