A/N: I had this idea this morning, and I was hoping to get it posted as a general Valentine for the Babes, but I couldn't get it finished. I'll hurry, I promise!

Disclaimer: Not mine, I just like to play with them. Especially Ranger.

If there's a female equivalent of blue balls, I've got it.

It's been nearly six months since I've had sex, and it's getting to me. I couldn't remember the last time I'd gone so long -- unless maybe right after my divorce. But since I'd been doing okay at my job, my social life had gone downhill. Maybe it's like that saying about gambling, lucky at cards (or in my case, catching skips), unlucky at love.

Six months ago, Ranger got a call and went 'in the wind' for three months. Tank and the other Merry Men were around and always offered their help if needed, but I missed seeing Ranger. I also couldn't keep from worrying about him. I knew Tank would tell me if something bad happened, but I guess this trip was one of those where Ranger couldn't check in, and not hearing anything from him, even second-hand, had me on edge.

Maybe that somehow contributed to the final demise of my relationship with Joe, but I doubt it.

At the time I'd been pretty tight with Joe Morelli, and spent several nights a week at his house. Joe was always up for sex, and it was nearly always great. But we never could agree on some important things like my job, marriage, children, and my friends – sometime specifically Ranger - so our relationship was always a series of ups and downs.

It didn't end in a blaze of anger, the way I'd sometimes imagined it might. No, it was a quiet, sorrowful talk.

Joe had been a little withdrawn for a week or so. I hadn't thought much of it, he got that way sometimes when a case was bothering him, and unless it concerned me he didn't share his work with me. So when he muted the TV and turned to me it took me completely off guard. He'd been doing some serious thinking, he said, and he'd come to some unhappy realizations.

He loved me, and he knew I loved him. He knew that - I'd even finally been able to say the words. But he'd seen me fall apart when Ranger was shot and he realized my feelings for Ranger were much deeper than he'd imagined. He'd tried to dismiss it when I seemed to be back to normal the next few days but it hung in the back of his mind. It had prompted him to do some soul searching and he'd realized a few things.

He loved me, and the sex was great, but he was ready to settle down. He wanted a stable relationship and children. He admitted he couldn't see me wanting the same thing any time soon, if ever. He realized he would still care for me even if he married someone else - even if I was with someone else - and although it would hurt at first maybe it would be best if we just let ideas of a future together go and just be friends.

It hurt. Oh, god, it hurt, but I couldn't argue with anything he said. It was all true. I wasn't ready to marry again - honestly, the idea gave me panic attacks - and I wasn't sure I'd ever want to have children. I knew I didn't want them now. So, Joe and I kissed goodbye, and we went our separate ways. Joe was still friendly and showed up to check on me the few times I've run into trouble since then, but he's also dated several women. So far I don't think any of them have lasted past a couple of dates, but I wish him luck. He's a good guy and he deserves to be happy.

Ranger came back a few weeks after the split. He even called me to let me know he was back and okay. He'd never let me know personally before but evidently Tank told him I had worried. The conversation was Ranger-short but I appreciated the effort. Since then I've run into him a few times at the office or the cop shop and we spoke in passing, but that was about it until he called me this morning asking if I could do a distraction job for RangeMan.

I'd agreed, of course. I never turned down jobs for Ranger, even when they scared me.

Now I was re-thinking my decision.

It was late, and here I was at one of the nicer bars in downtown Trenton, wearing the requisite little black sexy dress, dancing with a skip that was good looking but faced major jail time for some serious white-collar crimes. I would probably have been okay if he was ugly or smelled bad, but as it is I've got problems.

The dress is halter-style with a wrap front that shows lots of cleavage, made of thin silk that makes the short, full skirt nice and swishy. I actually don't remember buying it (I found it last week while searching my closet for something else) but I liked it and everything was fine until Ranger started to wire me. I seriously underestimated the effect of his fingers brushing my breast in my current 'condition'. The dress didn't allow for a bra and the thin silk of the dress did nothing to hide the effect Ranger's hands have on me. Luckily, most of Ranger's concentration was on Tank as they worked out a few last-minute kinks in the take-down plan, and he didn't seem to notice.

Unfortunately, once my hormone switch turned 'on', I couldn't get it to turn back off. The guys, as usual, made a few complementary but slightly-lewd comments as I waited for my signal to go in, and the slow throb of want started up down low.

My condition may have made it easier to get the skip, because my jelly-bean impression got his attention as soon as I went in. The guy was a charmer and actually did most of the work for me, coming to me and chatting me up. But he was also not the kind to rush things and wanted to buy me drinks and dance. He also knew how to use touch to arouse without being obviously handsy, and the silk wasn't much of a barrier. So I was slow dancing, held close to a nice body that smelled good, with enough alcohol in my system to make me warm and relaxed. My body was enjoying it way too much. By the time I got the skip out the back door I was aching.

As soon as the guys grabbed him I took a few steps backward and turned away, pulling the tape and wire out from under my breast before I even turned it off. I turned back around, hugging myself slightly, to find Ranger watching me.

"You okay, babe?" he asked quietly as he reached me. I just nodded and handed him the wire.

"I'm a little chilly. From the air conditioning, I guess," I said, hoping I sounded normal.

Ranger slipped off the thin windbreaker he wore to cover his gun and pulled it around me. I wrapped it over my chest gratefully but Ranger must have caught my slight shiver. He frowned slightly and stepped closer, rubbing his hands up and down my arms.

Ranger's hands on me anywhere was so not-helping my situation.

I must have shivered or something because he pulled me to his chest and wrapped his arms around me, tucking me in close to his body. I automatically put my arms around his waist and his warmth and scent enveloped me, tempting me. I nearly moaned. Great, now I was wet, too. The urge to rub myself against that hard body was almost irresistible. I got a grip on myself and pulled back slightly

"I think I just need to go home. Can someone drop me off?" I mentally crossed my fingers. Usually on distraction jobs I just waited around until Ranger was done, and he took me home. Sometimes he'd walk me up, and sometimes he'd drop me off at the door - and sometimes he kissed me. I'm not sure I could handle a kiss without climbing his body right now. So I hoped that he'd have Tank or Hal drive me home.

No such luck. Of course.

I know what you're thinking. Why didn't I just give Ranger an invitation? He'd always made it clear that he was an opportunist and would take advantage of any chance to get back in my bed. I might have considered that if I hadn't been so freaked about my lack of control that I couldn't think straight.

"I'll take you. Come on." He caught Tank's eye and did some hand sign I'd never seen him do before. Tank nodded and turned back to getting the skip secured, and Ranger led me to the Turbo.

I leaned back and closed my eyes as soon as I got buckled in, but I felt Ranger glancing over at me more than once on the drive. Just before we reached my building he spoke.

"What's wrong, Steph?"

I didn't answer, mostly because I had no idea what to say.

A moment later Ranger tried again, and his voice sounded different...more controlled.

"Did he do something, Steph? Did he touch you?"

Little warning bells went off in my brain. I couldn't just ignore this question. Someone might 'accidentally' damage the skip if Ranger thought he'd hurt me.

"No," I said quickly, looking out the window to see we'd reached my lot. "Nothing like that."

As soon as we glided to a stop I had the seatbelt off and I managed to leave his jacket on the seat as I hopped out of the car. "Thanks for the ride, I'll see you later," I said quickly, and made for the back door. The elevator was right there waiting, and the doors were sliding shut as Ranger stepped into the lobby.

TBC...