My name is Stephanie Plum and I used to be a bounty hunter. These days I seldom do any sort of bounty hunting. These days I'm more of a corporate kind of girl. That doesn't mean I don't get my hands dirty, I do. But I get a lot less dirty than I used to. I work for Rangeman. Rangeman is partially (at least) owned by one Ricardo Carlos Manoso. Most of us just call him Ranger. Even his daughter calls him Ranger most of the time. I call him friend. That's all I can call him.

I'm just past thirty and my biological clock is beating time to Judas Priest. I'm ready for the house, the white picket fence, 2.5 children, a cat and a dog…oh, and in my case a hamster. I have the house with the picket fence and the hamster. I'm getting there. My mother would like me to get there a little faster. I'm working on it. Did I mention that one of my best friends, Lula…the former hooker, is marrying one of my good friends in a few months? Yep, she is and she's about two years younger than I am. You can imagine what my mother has to say about that. It's not pretty.

I live in Trenton, New Jersey where I was born and where I've spent the better part of my life. My parents live about twenty minutes away. My sister lives about the same distance. I work within fifteen minutes in traffic. The nearest mall is about thirty minutes from my house. Life is okay. I have a boyfriend who lives in DC and who works for the FBI. He's hot. He's good in bed. He's a fabulous kisser. He believes in me. I'm not in love with him yet, but I have high hopes. See there's this problem with that. I'm already sort of in love…with Ranger. But my therapist and I are working on it.

I met Brian, the boyfriend, through my work. We spent Christmas together after solving a murder. The case didn't end the way I would have liked for it to, but they seldom do. It's approaching New Year and Ranger is still in 'the wind'.

I am still wondering just what 'in the wind' is a euphemism for. Does it really mean he's partaking in some black ops kind of thing that would mean he would have to kill me if I knew the details about it? Or does it mean he has a wife and eight children in Chile and he's just going home for Christmas. I'm not sure. I just know that the sultry voice that called him Carlos in the background of one of our recent phone calls didn't sound like a black ops kind of thing to me. But I'm a suspicious kind of chick. What can I say? It's my nature.

Anyway New Year's is approaching and Brian has gone to Boston to see his parents since he spent Christmas with me. That means that I don't have a date for the biggest party in Trenton…The Policeman's annual New Year's Eve Ball. To make matters worse Joe Morelli, my ex-boyfriend…er ex-fiancé…er whatever, and his extremely pregnant wife, the former Terri Gilman…bitch, will be attending that party. I have to show. It's a requirement of all Rangeman employees, at least the higher ups, because we contribute to both the party and the Policeman's retirement fund. This was Ranger's way of getting them not to look at us so closely. But the thing is we don't really need it anymore. Some days I think we operate more 'in the law' than most of TPD. Oh and just to make sure I suffer complete humiliation, my grandmother is attending the ball with her beau of several months. Burt was a detective with TPD before he retired about a hundred years ago. So…I'm going to look pathetic. Oh I'll tell people that Brian's in Boston, but they'll still feel sorry for me. Assholes!

Its four days after Christmas and only two days till the party and I'm getting desperate. I'd ask Lester to take me, but I have a feeling he's going with Marina. To be honest, all the guys I trust at Rangeman to take me have girlfriends…that I set them up with. Way to go Stephanie! Nice thinking ahead there. Anyway…it's not looking hopeful.

I put my bag down by my chair and hung my coat, scarf and hat on the rack and went to my desk to turn on my computer. I hadn't been in the office since Christmas Eve and Tank had insisted that I take the rest of the week off then. He kind of owed me since I solved the case and saved at least one person in the process. I had help doing that though. I can't do anything alone really. Rangeman is a team. Rangeman is family.

The computer booted up and I checked the stack of mail at the side of my desk. Most of it was Christmas Cards from Clients. There was a signed contract from a new client. The signer was in Boca so they Fedexed it to him and he returned it to me in the same manner. There were a few thank you notes and some regular business correspondence including some potential clients.

I sorted everything and then clicked on the email icon on my desktop. I had quite a few emails waiting for me including one from Ranger telling me he'd be back in town on the 28th. That was yesterday.

I jumped up and hurried next door to his office and tapped.

"Yo," he said.

I started to push the door open and then I remembered our last conversation. You know the one, the one where I told him I was in love with him and I was letting him go so he'd never hate me. Oh God…I'd already knocked. What an idiot. This was awkward. "Never mind," I called through the door and sprinted back to my office. I wasn't ready for that conversation.

My phone rang just as I returned, "Stephanie Plum," I said breathlessly.

"Steph…do you want me to send Morty's research on to the Feds," Lester asked.

Mortimer 'Morty' Stray was the son of the first murder victim in our last case. He was also, sadly, our perp. "I thought it was gone?"

"No, we found it in a desk down there. Do you think it's worth anything?"

"I don't know. Send it on to them and let them figure it out. As far as I know Brady's still trying to find the original research and the prototype," I said with a grin. Brady had missed Christmas because he'd lost Morty the first time and he was in trouble with the FBI. He was Brian's new partner and I didn't like him. I didn't like him one little bit.

"Will do sweetcheeks," he said cheerfully. His voice changed after that to a gentle tone. He felt bad for me. I think most of the Rangeman employees knew how I felt about Ranger and felt bad for me. "By the way…the boss is back."

"Yea…I know. I got an email," I said.

"See ya at morning briefing," he said and hung up.

"You can't avoid me forever Steph," Ranger said from my doorway where he was leaning lazily and looking, may I say, sexier than ever. He had spiked up the short black hair on his head. His eyes looked…God, they looked sexy. I could get lost in those eyes and was in danger of doing so right then. His face was smooth. His mouth turned up slightly on the ends. His body was… I needed a cold shower and I needed it ASAP.

I swallowed, "I just…it's awkward."

"Do you want me to forget you said it," he asked with a raised brow.

"No, that would defeat the purpose," I sighed.

"It also wasn't going to happen," he said gently. He came into my office and closed the door and sat down in one of the chairs in front of my desk. "I was worried. I'm glad you're safe. You take too many chances Babe."

"I didn't take chances. I went in with backup every single time on this one."

"Yes you did," he smiled. "You handled yourself well."

"I tried," I blushed.

"This morning's meeting is going to be an eye opener. Are you ready for it?"

"I am," I nodded.

"Good…ten minutes," he said getting lazily to his feet, "conference room on five."

"Yea," I said fingering the bracelet on my wrist absently, "hmmm…Ranger?"

"Yes Babe," he asked with that ebony brow raised ever so slightly.

"Thank you for the flowers and the bracelet. You didn't have to do that…especially on Christmas day. It could have waited."

"No Babe," he said softly, "it couldn't have." He disappeared out the door closing it behind him.

That Ranger is a smart man. He knew I'd need some time behind closed doors to get it together. He knew. He probably knew that hidden beneath the long sleeved blouse and jacket was the bracelet he gave me as well. Things don't change overnight. And my love for him wasn't the exception.

After a few minutes of deep breathing I gathered my notebook and headed for the conference room. The room was already filled with other Rangeman employees. They were whispering and clapping each other on the back. Ranger was in the corner talking to Tank. I paused for a moment. I wasn't sure I wanted to take my usual seat next to Ranger. I wasn't sure I could handle it. The decision was taken out of my hands when Tank came over to me and put his bear arm around my shoulder and led me to the table.

"Things are getting back to normal finally," he grinned.

"The boss is back," I smiled slightly.

"The boss is back," he grinned. He pulled my chair out and waited for me to sit before walking around to the other side of the table. He sat on Ranger's right hand. I sat on his left hand. It was the way it was.

Ranger approached the table and put his folder down in front of his chair. The room immediately went silent.

"I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas," he said with a smile.

There was some chatter then as they answered him.

"I'm glad to be home. I wanted to be the first to let you know that things at Rangeman are changing effective immediately. As of six AM this morning, Rangeman is owned solely by Tank and I."

A huge cheer went up through the room. I was stunned.

"Thanks to everyone's hard work we've shown a phenomenal profit this year especially since Stephanie took over sales. I didn't know I was doing so badly at it until she showed me," he said sadly. "No matter…she made record sales in the last half of the year…and all the numbers aren't even in yet. It gave Tank and I enough clout to sign off on the deal. So thank you to everyone."

I endured a lot of whistling and back clapping for a while after that.

"But we have more news. I'm sure that many of you know that Rangeman has had a contract with the government to perform, shall we say…special missions, for them. We have renegotiated that contract and now we'll only be doing missions that are less dangerous and less black op unless we so choose to take one of those assignments. And I don't know about the soon to be married man…but I'm getting too old for that shit, so we're probably just going to decline the opportunity in the future."

You could have knocked me over with a feather. There were no more black ops? There was no more Mrs. Manoso in Chile? He wasn't going to lay his life on the line anymore? And what did that mean to his life not lending itself to relationships? What a… I wanted to scream. I friggin moved on and he… My blood pressure was boiling and then it crashed. I thought I would just burst into tears and cry till I was devoid of moisture. He didn't want me. I knew that on one level. But this was the final… I was devastated.

I sat there blankly staring at the pad in front of me as his voice droned on. I didn't hear what he was saying any more. I couldn't focus on anything except staying dry and staying calm. I wouldn't make a fool out of myself again. I'd done it enough for him. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of doing it again.

Tank got up and Ranger handed him a stack of envelopes. The two men circled the rooms handing them out to the employees. They were our annual bonuses I was sure. A lean brown hand reached in front of me and put the envelope face up on my notebook. I could smell Bvlgari and my eyes almost drifted closed as I started to get lost in the smell. Then I saw it. There underneath the black long sleeve of his tee shirt was a glimmer of gold. He was wearing my bracelet.

He was wearing my bracelet.