September 14…0500

I decided I was really going to ask Stephanie out, on a date. So Friday afternoon I called Tank and Santos into my office to ask their advice on how to go about asking. To be honest, I'd tried it about a half dozen times in the past and fucked it up every time. I would start to ask and the next thing I knew I was bullying her into going to dinner or offering to pay her for a job I pulled out of my ass, sure they were actual jobs I was working on, but I didn't need to pay her to come along with me. I guess I was afraid that she'd say no if I didn't give her a good reason to say yes and I don't like rejection, who does?

So the guys sat down and I looked at them. I knew they would give me shit, but if it worked it would be worth it. After I ask them how to get Stephanie to agree to go on a date with me, Tank laughed, fucker. He said that I should just ask her. That's it, just say, "Stephanie, would you like to go out with me?" A lot of help that was, didn't he think I'd tried that before.

So I turned to Santos. He just grinned and said with a girl like Steph I had to lay it all out there, she wouldn't respond to gentle hints. Didn't I know it, most of the hints I gave her over the years were anything but gentle and she didn't seem to notice them. So I asked him how I would go about 'laying it all out there'. He shook his head at me and told me that I needed to stop hiding myself from her. I started to protest. I wasn't hiding, she was living with me for fuck's sake.

Santos just shook his head and told me that I knew nearly every detail of her life and could track her any time of day, but I kept myself sealed off from her. I needed to let her in so she could see the Bruce Wayne behind the Batman mask. I'll tell you now, I had to work pretty hard not to punch his ugly mug. Idiot.

Tank told me to buy her a present, then he add not a car this time, while he laughed. He was having way too much fun at my expense. Okay, so I gave her a car, it wasn't a big deal, she needed one and I had an extra. Tank laughed even harder at that as he said something about extra Porsches just lying around. Christ. I wasn't going to give her a car this time anyway, she was afraid to drive alone. I found that out when she had Hal drive my Turbo to her appointment.

Lester agreed about the gift, he said something from the heart would show that I was serious about her. I didn't know what the hell they were talking about, from the heart? They sounded like Hallmark or something. So flowers and jewelry were kind of out, everybody did that. I was still convinced chocolate was the way to go with Steph. So I went to see Ella.

I told her that I was planning on asking Steph out on a date and wanted her to make me a chocolate cake so she'd be more receptive to my request. Ella laughed at me. Right in my face. She told me that she wasn't making a cake until after the date. I had to do this on my own. Steph needed to know I was putting the work into this. Christ, no wonder I don't date.

So anyway, I get back to the apartment and she is all dressed up in tight jeans, that make her ass looking amazing and her legs look a mile long, and a form fitting sweater that makes me want to cup her breasts in my hands and just hold them there. I tried my best to play it cool, like usual, but the guys warned me to let her see me, so I kicked off my shoes and got out of my jacket and tie and tried to relax. I could do relaxed, just a normal guy.

I made it through the dinner without having to put on the Ranger mask so I decided to keep going with the relaxed theme and try some more of the opening up thing. I got into my sweats and asked her if she wanted to see some of my computer programs. The guys said I knew everything about her and could track her anytime. So I figured the best way to open up would be to make her feel comfortable. So I showed her how to pull up the trackers on everyone on the team, including me, now she could find me any time of day too. I also wanted to show her the things she wanted to know most about me, the little things I'd held back for no better reason than to keep her on the edge of my life, but I didn't want her there anymore. I knew this was probably going to be my only chance to make things work with her and I didn't want to mess it up again.

So I showed her my parents, their home, my sister's place, Julie's bedroom window, and my lake house. I could tell she was starting to open herself up to me. So I went for it, I asked her out on a date. She didn't seem to believe what I asked at first so I had to clarify, but she finally accepted. On top of that she'd complained that she didn't have anything to wear, so I knew exactly what kind of gift to get her.

I'd been to a shop in Princeton earlier in the week for a new security system install. It was some big designer's store. The stuff was classy looking, but there were a few things I had noted would look amazing on Steph, especially the short dresses and heels. So I drove out there yesterday morning.

I told the manager I wanted to pick up something special for my girlfriend and gave her the sizes Ella had written down for me. Then I started picking out dresses. I don't know what happened, suddenly the pile of dresses grew. There were jeans, slacks, jackets, skirts, tees, tops, shoes, bags, and jewelry. I was pretty proud of myself. I knew everything would look great on Steph and couldn't wait to see here wear it. So I handed over my credit card while they bagged and boxed everything up for me.

I had the guys unload the Cayenne and bring the packages upstairs, to surprise Steph. The next thing I know Ella's on the phone yelling at me in Spanish that I was an idiot. I'd gone overboard again. She said Stephanie was sitting on the floor and looked like she was about to cry or freak out. That hadn't been my intension. Ella just sighed at me and tried to explain that Steph shopped the sale racks and only picked up what she needed, she wasn't handed a couple thousand dollars of clothing as a gift. Okay, so put that way I knew what she meant, but I wanted to give her nice things. I wanted to take her out places and have her feel comfortable and beautiful. I didn't think fourteen thousand dollars was a lot to spend to make her happy. Hell, it was pocket change compared to the Porsche I'd given her and I doubted she'd blow up the shoes.

I had to go up to the apartment for damage control. I didn't want Steph panicking over something stupid I did with good intensions. I didn't know why I couldn't do anything right where she was concerned. I never thought I was so awkward until Steph came into my life, but now awkward may have been being kind.

Ella was standing in the living room amid all the packages and Stephanie was sitting on the floor, just like Ella said, looking at the shoes in her lap. "Babe," I said sitting down next to her. "I'm sorry. I went to buy you a dress for dinner and I think I went crazy."

She just looked at the pile of stuff and asked what the hell I was thinking.

I shrugged at her and told her, "I was just walking through the store imagining how beautiful you'd look in these dresses and then I added the matching shoes. Then there were a few short, sexy skirts that I knew would look great on your legs so I got those with the matching tops and shoes. Then I thought if you had new shoes you'd need a matching bag so I got those. Then I knew it'd be getting cold soon so I added the sweaters and jackets. I didn't mean to freak you out. I just wanted to make you happy." Her mouth was hanging open as she stared at me. Ella motioned for me to keep talking before heading toward the front door. "I told you I'd get you something for our date. Just think of this as something to wear on our next thirty dates," I told her giving her the smile I knew melted her anger.

She started grumbling at me, telling me I was crazy. She started going on about the shoes costing over three hundred dollars and the dresses costing four hundred and there were a dozen of them. I knew I had her then, I pointed out that she must have known the designer if she knew the prices. She just rolled her eyes and said of course she did, she was a Burg girl.

Finally I took her hand and explained that the clothes came from a new client and if I returned everything I'd look like an idiot. She laughed and said, "You are an idiot." I laughed back and agreed, she wasn't wrong. So I told her she had to keep the clothes or I'd have to donate them since there was no way I was messing up my new account by returning their winter line.

I knew she was going to give in even though she didn't like it. She never wanted to take things from me. I wasn't sure why it bothered her, but it certainly did. So she finally blew out her breath and picked up a little black dress from a nearby pile. "Are you sure about this? I can't afford to pay you back. I'm not working right now," she questioned. I shook my head and told her that it was a gift and I didn't want her paying me back. Then she looked into my eyes and watched me for a minute. I'm not sure what she was thinking, but she finally asked if I really wanted to go on more dates with her.

I leaned in and kissed her lips softly before I told her that I never wanted to date anyone but her for the rest of my life. She blushed at that and kissed me back before she said she'd keep the clothes if it made me happy.

So with the first disaster averted I went back downstairs to finish up a contract before going up to get ready. Steph was in the dressing room, where Ella had relocated all her new clothes and shoes, when I got back. I slipped into the bathroom for my shower and smiled. Her hair products, curling iron, and make-up were all over her side of the counter. I don't know why I loved her mess, but I did. It was comforting to have reminders that my life wasn't empty anymore.

After my shower I slipped into the dressing room and was kind of shocked by the amount of things that were taking up Steph's, now, two thirds of the closet. I opened the drawers and looked in at her pajamas and underwear. Those were the only things I hadn't purchased for her. I wondered if I should have Ella sneak new things into the drawers for her too. Well, maybe not pajamas, I liked having her naked in my bed.

I pulled on some black dress pants and shoes with a dark gray sweater over a black tee. I walked into the living room and the sight of Steph made my breath catch. She was wearing a short black dress that I'd picked out with tonight in mind. It had a high neckline with a shiny gold collar and was fitted around her breasts, but then hung loosely down to a little above the middle of her thighs. Her long, slender legs were enhanced by the matching black heels with shiny gold toes.

Then my eyes traveled back up her body to her face. She was wearing just a touch of mascara and lip gloss, almost natural looking, just the way I liked her. Her curls were perfectly tamed and fell around her shoulders in soft rings. Her eyes were that deep blue shade they get when she's turned on. "You look amazing," she finally said.

I laughed at that. "No, you're the one that looks amazing. I almost don't want to leave here, because I don't want to share you with anyone else," I told her. Her face turned pink at that. I loved making her blush and apparently the lame lines were a winner in that department. I was just glad the guys didn't hear me.

She grabbed her sweater and clutch off the table and smiled at me. I smiled back at her. I couldn't help it, her smile made me happy. I took her hand and we took the elevator down to the garage. I opened her door for her and leaned in to kiss her lips before closing her door. I walked around the car and noticed the security camera move with me, dickheads. Obviously they needed more work to keep them busy tomorrow. I flipped off the camera and got into the turbo.

I gunned the engine a little as we pulled out of the garage. I knew Steph loved this car, especially the sound of the engine. She made a little moan noise as she snuggled back into her seat. God, I'd love to make her make that noise without having to use my car to do it.

I pulled up in front of Marsilio's and she looked out the window at the building. I knew it was one of her favorite restaurants, but it was in the Burg. "Is this alright? We can drive into Princeton or Newark if you're not up to this," I told her. I hadn't really thought about her not wanting to be out in the Burg before that moment and felt kind of stupid for it.

She looked back at me and then back at the restaurant. "No, let's do it," she told me before smiling and continuing, "I went to Pino's the other day with Les and it wasn't so bad. I need to get used to being out in public again and you'll get me tiramisu, right?" I promised to get her as much as she wanted.

I slipped my arm around her waist as we walked into the restaurant. I felt all the eyes in the building fall on us as we walked to our table. I saw a few cell phones slip out and wondered if Mrs. Plum or Morelli were going to get pictures of us text to them. I figured I'd deal with that when it became an issue, tonight was about Stephanie.

We had a secluded table toward the back of the restaurant where I could keep my back to the wall and Steph wasn't directly in front of a window, just like I requested. She pulled her chair around so she was sitting on the side of the table to my left instead of directly across from me. I grinned at her when her leg wrapped around mine and a barefoot slipped inside my pant leg. She just shrugged and said she needed to feel me, it calmed her nerves. So I pulled her chair closer and settled an arm around her back, rubbing her skin through the keyhole opening in the back of her dress.

We skipped the wine because of her medication, both of us sticking to water with lemon, and ordered eggplant rollatini for an appetizer. Then she surprised me again by ordering chicken cacciatore with a side salad instead of her usual, so I ordered the same. She just shrugged when I asked and said I must have been rubbing off on her.

I told her that eating healthier helped me with some of my issues. Sometimes fats and sugars made me feel sluggish or like I'd have mood crashes after eating them. I asked if eating healthier made her feel better too. She told me that was exactly how she felt lately. Then she told me not to gloat, I wasn't right all the time.

I tugged on her curls and smiled before asking if I could try to prove I was right about one more thing. I told her I thought she should try to work out daily, the exercise helps with endorphin production which helps depression. She frowned at me and said, "Don't tell me you work out for your mood and not your sex god abs."

Sex god abs, God, how I love that woman. "It's a little of both, but working out makes me feel good. I think you'd have the same reaction if we found something you liked to do, obviously running is out," I told her.

"Fine, find something I like and I'll work out with you," she grinned back at me before popping an appetizer in her mouth. I found myself staring at her lips a little too long. "You look like you want to kiss me," she said quietly.

I really, really did. "I do," I answered her.

She looked around the restaurant before looking back at me. "So do I," she whispered. I leaned over and kissed her lightly, not escalating it here in public, but still wanting her to know how much I desired her and cared for her.

The waiter returned with our main dishes while we were recovering from the kiss, at least I was. I needed a minute. It wasn't like I could sneak off to my office or the shower to rub one out like I did at home. Yeah, it's gotten a little out of hand, but I'm so fucking attracted to her that I have to do something. Sleeping beside her and not being able to bury myself inside her warm body is about killing me. Not to mention the kiss the night before, the kiss that lasted forever and almost made me combust right there against her hip like a fifteen year old virgin.

Over dinner I kept the conversation light, telling her about the last time I was in Miami to see Julie. She laughed along the stories about me shopping in a mall and taking her to some boy band's new 3D movie. We managed to finish dinner without me reaching over to try to molest her so I silently congratulated myself on that one.

I pulled out her chair and took her hand to help her up. She stood and pressed a little kiss to my lips. I smiled at her which made her blush. "You look so beautiful," I whispered in her ear as I slipped an arm around her waist to lead her back out to the car. "Would you like to go dancing with me?" I asked.

She cheeks were still pink when she turned to look at me. She just nodded and whispered yes. I smiled then, this was perfect, she was perfect. As we got closer to the door I felt her stiffen. I looked up to see Eddie Gazzara and his wife smiling at us.

Eddie waved to us and pulled his wife along with him. Eddie told Steph she looked great while he looked her up and down then asked what the occasion was.

Steph looked up at me and smiled. "We're on a date," she answered. Her cousin Shirley smiled at me and looked me up and down before she hugged Steph and whispered something in her ear.

Eddie didn't seem to notice he just smiled even brighter when she said we were on a date. "That's great. We're out for our anniversary, my mother took the kids for the entire night," he said with a wink. Then he leaned into me while the women were speaking and said, "I don't know what you're doing, but keep doing it. She hasn't looked that happy in a long time."

We managed to get away and Steph laughed on the way to the car. She told me that her cousin Shirley told her I looked like quite the stud muffin and Grandma Mazur must have been jealous. So I teased her and asked if that meant Shirley had checked out my package. She just rolled her eyes and told me that all women checked out my package and every other inch of me.

I opened her car door and helped her into the seat. I leaned in until my lips were just a hair away from hers and asked if she checked out every inch of me too. She blushed and said she'd checked me out so often that I was imprinted on her brain. That confession definitely earned her a kiss, so I gave her one that almost lit my hair on fire. I never felt such heat from a woman before, but she lit me up with just the barest touch, every time.

I broke away and walked around the car to get into the driver's seat. I drove us to a dark spot along the river that was secluded and quiet. I opened the windows on the car and turned the radio up before getting out. Steph followed me out of the car, but waited for me to come around. She looked around nervously, before asking what we were doing there.

I grabbed her and pulled her against me and just whispered to her that we were dancing. It didn't take her long to relax. I felt it almost immediately, her head rested on my shoulder, her arms wrapped around my shoulders, and her torso pressed against mine. I slowly rocked us to the music, focusing more on her than the music. I have no idea if we were even moving in time. All my senses were taken up with her. The moonlight shone in her hair, the fragrance of her perfume floated on the air, the touch of her fingers on my neck sent tingles straight to by cock, then my lips touched hers and the taste of the tiramisu sweetened skin made me moan in delight.

We stayed there like that until I felt her shiver. I knew it was starting to get chilly so I walked her back to the car and opened her door. We both got in, I put up the windows and turned the heater up on high. She inhaled and sighed loudly. I looked over at her and she smiled. "I love how this car smells like you," she told me with a little moan.

God, my mind was instantly filled with the memories of her crawling on top of me and fucking me right there in my car seat. I wanted to just pull her out of her seat, yank up that pretty dress, tear off her panties, and fuck her against my steering wheel again, but instead I took a deep breath and pulled out onto the road toward home. I knew I had to control myself, we weren't ready for that yet, and when we were I wanted to give her so much more than a quickie in the car. I wanted to make love to her not just fuck her when this happened again. I wanted her to know how much she meant to me.

Before I knew it we were back at RangeMan and I was pulling into my spot. I reached for my door knob, but she caught my other arm. "Ranger, this has been the best date I've ever been on. Thank you," she told me with a little smile.

"Me too. Thanks for agreeing to go out with me," I told her. I got out and opened her door for her and held her hand as we walked to the elevator.

She looked up at the camera and laughed. She did her little finger wave to the guys and turned to look at me with a little smile. Then she leaned in and kissed me, her fingers caught in my hair, and she held me to her as she kissed me more deeply. When the doors opened on seven she broke away from me and turned to walk out. I pulled her back against me and kept her in front of me as we walked to the door, no sense in letting the men see exactly how that kiss affected me. I opened the door for her, she turned on the lights, and we both kicked off our shoes and dropped our things onto the table.

She grinned at me then. "So how does this work? The dating code doesn't work since we're living together," she asked. I raised an eyebrow at her and asked about the dating code. She laughed then and told me that at the door a handshake meant it was nice, but she wouldn't be going out with me again. A kiss at the door meant I had better call for another date. Asking me in for a drink meant I had better have my pants off in the next five minutes.

I laughed at that. They should make a book to decipher those codes. I wondered how many I misread throughout my life. Since she'd laid it out there for me I pulled her back to the door and kissed her again. Then I told her that I'd really like to go out with her again. She agreed that I should ask her again, then laughed and asked me if I wanted to come in for a bottle of water.

She turned to go to the kitchen so I decided to have a little fun with her. As soon as her back was turned I took off my pants and tossed them onto one of the stools. I stood there in my boxer briefs waiting for her to bring the drinks. As soon as she noticed she started laughing, deep, hard laughing. Then I asked if I'd read the code wrong. She just laughed harder.

"You're overdressed, Babe," I told her as I caught her and pulled the zipper on the back of her dress. Her eyes widened and her giggles died on her lips. I knew she was feeling the same things I was, but it was still too soon. I was playing with fire this time. I kissed her nose and whispered to her, "Go get into something comfortable."

She nodded and started to walk off toward the bedroom. "Ranger, I like the underwear, but I was just wondering, where do you keep them?" she asked while staring at my crotch.

I couldn't keep the smile off my face. I knew she'd gone through my things. I also knew it'd only be a matter of time before her curiosity got the best of her and she'd have to ask. I took her hand and led her into the dressing room. I pulled out a pair of dress pants that were perfectly hung on the hanger. I unhooked them and opened them up, out spilled a pair of underwear. She just blinked at the dress pants before peeking inside a few more pair. Then she started to giggle. "I thought you went commando," she said quietly.

Who was I to disappoint her? "I only wear them with the dress pants, the fabric is thin and they're more fitted than the cargos," I told her. "I was afraid I'd forget them so I had Ella hang them with the clothes, saves time in the mornings too."

"I don't know what's hotter, no underwear or these," she told me. She reached out and traced the line of my cock through the tight fabric. "They're very flattering. You could be a underwear model." She turned away then and started pulling shorts and a tee shirt of her pajama drawer.

She let the dress slip off her shoulders and pool to the ground at her feet. With her back to me I had a perfect view of the black, lacy panties that hugged her hips and cut up high, showing an indecent amount of her perfect ass cheeks. She reached behind herself and flicked open the hook on her bra and slipped it down her shoulders. I was painfully hard at that point. I knew I should look away, but she had me entranced. I wondered if she knew how sexy she was, if she knew exactly what she was doing to me. She slipped the white tee shirt over her head and shimmied the little red shorts up over her hips, covering herself from my view.

She turned to look at me with a little smile, her eyes settling on my boxers again. There was no denying what she did to me, the proof was right there, poking out of my waistband. She reached over and picked up a pair of my black sweat pants and handed them to me. I pulled them on while she watched, then she walked over and slipped her fingers under the sweater I was wearing and pulled it up my body and over my head. Her fingers moved over my tee shirt clad chest and I wished she would have pulled it off too. I wanted her fingers on my skin.

When she got to my waist her arms wrapped around me, hugging me tightly. I hugged her back and realized that holding her like that was exactly what I needed. I lifted her and carried her to bed, we snuggled under the covers and just held each other until we dozed off.

I woke this morning with her head still on my chest, her arm slung around me, and my hand on her ass. After enjoying the moment I crawled out from under her and went down to my office to write this down. I needed to write this down, to say it to myself, I love her, I want a life with her, and I'm never going to let her go again. No matter what I have to do to keep her with me, I'll never let her move out of our apartment again.