I'm just going to leave this here.

*Sigh* they're not mine. But this plot is.

SPOV

It took all of thirty seconds to fall in love with Ranger's car. I've never been one to drool over a fancy car, but holy crap, this thing drove like a dream!

I zipped into my parking lot and hustled inside, dropped a few cheerios in Rex's bowl and dialed my mom.

"Hi, I need a hamster sitter for a few days. Can I drop him off with you?"

"Sure. Where are you going?"

"Atlanta and I'm not sure where else. I'm scouting out some new office space for work."

"They're already sending you on business trips?" She sounded impressed. I was definitely going to leave out the personal aspect of the trip. She'd blow a gasket if she knew I was banging my boss. Actually there felt like way more than 'banging' was going on, but I wasn't in a hurry to define us yet.

"Yep." Best to keep it short and simple right now. I'd deal with the fall-out if I ever introduced Ranger to her.

"When are you leaving?"

"This afternoon I think. Is it okay if I drop him off now?"

She replied in the affirmative and I rushed around, piling things in a small suitcase. I threw extra hamster food in a tote bag, heaved his cage under my arm and struggled to open my door. I was rendered breathless at the sight of a big man in my hallway and realized too late that I had left my gun at work.

He reached towards Rex's cage and I kicked out at him, catching him in the shin.

"Ow! What the fuck! You're really pretty violent, Cupcake. I was just trying to help you."

"What are you doing here Joe? How do you know where I live?" I asked, swallowing down my panic.

He rubbed his leg and stared up at me from his half-crouched position. "My mother told me. Can I talk to you inside?" He gestured toward my door with his head.

"Yeah, I don't think so. You're lucky my gun is at work."

He stood and looked down at my Rangeman shirt. "Oh man! You're doing your boss? You work for him?"

"None of your business asshole." I pushed past him and started towards the elevator.

"Is that any way to talk to your first love?" I froze and flushed with anger.

"That wasn't love moron; that was two minutes of awkward fumbling. I hope for the sake of the woman you've had sex with since then, that you've developed some skills and endurance."

He gaped at me for a second, before his face creased into a grin. "Wanna find out if I've gotten better?"

"Ugh! Get out of here. I don't have time for this."

"Fine. Sorry." He muttered, contrite enough to give me pause. "Look, I really need to talk to you about something important and I'd rather not do it out here in the hallway."

"No." I turned to leave again, but he brought me up short with his next words.

"I need his help."

"Whose?"

"Your boss."

"You're kidding me right?"

"Unfortunately, no." He looked around us, not nervous, just cautious. "Can we take this inside?"

I took a second to think. I'd known this man almost my entire life. He was an asshole womanizer, but I'd never felt he was really dangerous. I hadn't been exactly shocked that he had killed someone in the line of duty and was relieved for him and his family when he was acquitted of the murder charge last year. However, I was genuinely surprised to see him hanging with those scumbag bikers last night. I took a deep breath and hoped I wasn't making a giant mistake.

"Fine, you have two minutes." I fumbled with the keys in my hand and he gently pulled Rex's cage out from under my arm. I let him this time.

He hobbled into my apartment and settled on my couch.

"What part of 'you have two minutes' are you not getting?" I asked from just inside my front door.

"Give me a break, my nuts are still killing me from last night, you made me throw up by the way. And now my leg hurts." He whined.

"What do you want Joe?" I asked again.

"I need you to talk to your boyfriend for me. I know he won't speak to me otherwise."

"You know he has no interest in what you guys are into right? He was just bringing in a bail jumper when he brought your friend in."

"Yeah, I know. This is something else."

"What?" He stared at me silently for a minute. Somehow the quiet mystery man thing didn't work for him like it did for Ranger. "If you're not going to talk then I'm leaving. I have a flight to catch."

"I can't talk about it openly. I feel like I can trust you, but I still can't tell you." He stood and walked over to me, stopping slightly too close. "I need his help with something I'm working on."

I resisted the urge to back up a step at his proximity. "As far as I know, he's not into selling guns, drugs, or women." I replied snidely.

He looked pained for a second. "Look, I know I was an asshole to you when we were kids, but do you honestly think I would do those things?"

What? "What?" I was confused, was he telling me he was undercover, without telling me he was undercover.

"Can you just ask him to get in touch with me?" He handed me a scrap of paper with a phone number scrawled on it. "This is a burner cell. He can reach me on that. Oh and that gun you're talking about, you need a permit to carry concealed in New Jersey."

"What, all of a sudden you're all law abiding citizen?" I asked, pointing to his biker cut. "I'm getting one through the company."

"Good, carry your weapon then. Your boyfriend has a lot of enemies. They'll go after you as well." Geez. "Have him call me, cupcake." He smiled and raised his hand to touch my cheek. I backed out of his reach and he let his hand drop. "It was nice to see you again. Next time do you think I can see you without getting hurt?"

"Sure." I wasn't planning on ever seeing him again, so it wouldn't be an issue.

What the fuck just happened here?

I stood rooted to the spot for a few seconds after he pulled the door closed behind himself. My phone buzzed a text in my pocket slapping me out of my daze.

Flight is out of Newark at 5:00-C.

I tapped out a quick reply. Be there in 30-S.

I hustled to my parent's and dropped off Rex, grabbed a few cookies for the road, dodged a few questions and was back at Rangeman in no time. I got a few funny looks on the way to Ranger's office, but I had bigger issues to worry about right now.

He looked up and smiled when I tapped a knock on his door frame. "Babe, come in." I pulled the door closed behind me.

"I have to tell you something." He flicked his eyes to the door and then back to me, eyebrows raised. "Something really weird happened when I was leaving my apartment."

"What?" He sat up a little straighter in his chair. I settled my butt on the edge of his desk, close to him.

"I ran into Morelli."

"What?" He stood abruptly. Sometimes it was hard to tell what was going on in his head. This wasn't one of them. He was pissed. "What did he do? I'll fucking kill him if he hurt you."

No doubt.

"He didn't hurt me, relax." I placed my hand on his chest, and felt him soften a bit. "He asked me to give you this." I handed him the number. "He said it's a burner and that he needs to talk to you, that he needs your help with something he's working on. I told him that you weren't into that shit they do, but, and this is going to sound crazy and he didn't actually say it, but I think he might be undercover or something." I blurted, feeling monumentally stupid. I didn't know anything about this kind of stuff, except what I'd seen in movies.

"I had the same thought last night." He said quietly, pulling me close. "You have really good instincts, Babe." He kissed me just above my ear. "I just hope that none of his biker buddies do or he'll get dead, fast."

I shivered involuntarily. I mean yeah, I hit the guy with my car once in a fit of rage, but I didn't actually want him dead.

"I'll talk to him later. We have an hour before we have to leave. I need to finish up a few things before we head out."

"Me too." He gave me one more squeeze and released me. Stopping on the way to his door I said, "Some of the guys were looking at me weird on my way in here. Did something happen after I left?"

"Um… Not yet." He replied, carefully avoiding my gaze.

"What does that mean?"

"Check your email when you get to your desk."

He was irritating sometimes. "Why?"

He heaved a sigh. "I rescinded the non-fraternization policy. The whole control room was watching us when you left before. I think there are some mutinous grumblings going on."

I felt the color drain from my face. "They know?"

"They suspect." He clarified. "Is that a bad thing?" He asked carefully.

"No! I just don't want them to think… I don't want them to think that I slept with you for any other reason than…" I waved my hand up and down his body.

He grinned that grin. "You just want me for my body?" He stalked closer.

"I think we talked about that in the shower this morning, no?" I smiled, feeling warm from his nearness.

He cupped my cheek and kissed me softly. "Yes we did. Don't worry about the guys. They'll come around, they love you already. It's me they're pissed at."

"Why doesn't that make me feel better?"

He tucked a curl behind my ear and backed away. "Don't worry about it. Go finish up so we can get going."

I huffed out a sigh and headed to my office, Les fell into step with me on the way.

"Hey Steph, what's goin' on?" He asked slyly.

I walked into my office and gestured to the guest chair in front of my desk. "You tell me."

"Well, obviously I figured it out last night. Everyone suspected something was up when Ranger first sent out that email last week, though."

"I figured that. What is everyone saying? I know you guys are a bunch of gossips." They were mostly all sweet and funny, but the Rangeman men loved to dish dirt in the break room.

"Nothing bad about you, if that's what you're thinking. Whatever you two were up to before you left earlier got them grumbling a bit. It'll blow over before you guys get back. Maybe."

"What's being said?" I asked again, pulling up my email. Clapping my hand to my forehead reading the wording of the new policy reversal.

To All Employees of Rangeman Inc.

Disregard the non-fraternization policy instituted September 22nd, 2014.

C. Manoso,

Rangeman Inc.

Unh!

Les sighed and shifted in his seat. "You have to understand, Ranger has always been a fair employer. Tough, but always fair. Him instituting that policy was very out of character and it ruffled some feathers, but nothing cataclysmic."

I gnawed on my lip. "We're going to look at those offices together and it's going to make things worse."

"It'll be okay. Stop worrying." He waved his hand dismissively and changed the subject. "Your permit will be in by the time you get back. I'll practice with you if you want, or Tank or pretty much anybody, but Tank, Ranger and I are certified instructors. Also, my offer for lessons in the gym still stand. I think with a little work, you can add something other than testicle rearrangement to your self-defense repertoire. Although, that was pretty bad-ass, Steph, you really impressed me. You kicked him so hard that I felt it, but I was still very impressed." He jumped up and called out, "Have a good trip." On his way out the door.

I might actually take him up on those lessons. I had reacted on pure instinct last night. Seeing Morelli going after Ranger like that, sparked something in me that felt a little insane. My foot had swung out without any input from my brain, next thing I knew Morelli was fetal on the ground.

Even though he didn't pose a threat to me today, I didn't like the feeling of helplessness that accompanied the thought that I was unarmed in the presence of a man who could very easily hurt me if he chose to.

RPOV

I was starting to get used to the surge of protectiveness I felt around Steph, but the strength of my reaction when she told me that Morelli had been at her apartment, surprised me. I wasn't lying when I said I'd kill him if he hurt her.

With that in mind I called the asshole.

"Hello?" He answered.

"It's Manoso."

"Oh." He seemed surprised I'd called him. "I need to meet up with you."

"This is a burner?"

"Yes."

"Then the line is secure."

"This would be better in person."

"I'm leaving town for a few days."

"Taking Stephanie somewhere?" He asked.

"You're walking a fine line here. You might want to shut the fuck up about Stephanie. And if I find out you're near her again, I'll find you and even your own mother won't be able to recognize you."

"Geez, sorry." He didn't sound sorry at all. Asshole. "Can I meet up with you before you leave? I have some information I want to share with you."

"No, I'm leaving in 5 minutes." If he wanted something from me, he was going to have to work harder than this.

"Are you holding that sucker punch against me?"

"Ha! No. Steph took care of that last night. How're you walking today by the way?"

"Very carefully." He said with a snort.

I sighed, "Is there a point to this or what?"

He was silent for a beat before finally continuing. "I've got some shit going down here. I have no back-up. I'm sure you've figured out by now that I'm still on the job. There's a huge shipment coming in two weeks and the task force is snagged in red-tape."

"And what do you want me to do about it?"

"I thought maybe you could spare some men. I know you have a whole platoon at your fingertips."

"And you think that by harassing my…Stephanie, I would be willing to help you?"

"I didn't harass her, she fucking kicked me when I tried to help her carry the tons of shit she had in her hands." She did? My Babe was all kinds of bad-ass.

I burst out laughing, "You need to learn to stay away from her, before she does some serious damage to you." He sighed and waited out my laughing fit. "Can you think about it? If I don't get this organized, I'll be stuck here for another six months."

"I'll think about it, but no promises."

"That's all I ask. One more thing. Watch her back."

"You didn't need to tell me that." I told him.

"No, really. I went to see Maggot this morning at lockup, he was going on and on about his arm and how the prison doc says he might need to have surgery. He's not happy with you and he'll send one of his boys after you or anyone close to you. I've never seen anyone hold a grudge the way he does. He's a pure psycho. Us showing up last night wasn't a fluke." He warned.

I knew he was probably only saying this to give me incentive to help him. If we helped him and we got the MC locked up, then I would be eliminating any threat to Steph. I had a few contacts that I trusted on Trenton PD, they might be able to verify some of this. Although it was another good reason for us to leave town for a few days.

"I'll let you know when we get back." I hung up without waiting for a response. I headed up to seven and dropped my guns in the gun safe, grabbed my bag, wallet and keys and went to scoop up Steph.

We were at the airport in less than an hour and checked into our hotel in Atlanta by 8:30. One of my contacts had dropped off a care package at the front desk and it was waiting for me in our room.

"I'm going to shower, Ranger. I always feel disgusting after being on a plane."

"Let me just check this out and I'll be right behind you."

She wandered over and sat on the couch to unlace her boots. "What's in the box?" I pulled it open and tipped it to show her. "What do you need guns for? We're looking at real estate and going out to dinner!"

"I always carry. I have a permit in Georgia, but this was easier than checking the weapons in our luggage." She didn't look happy. "Babe, this is a way of life for me. It's not going to change anytime soon." I knew she didn't like guns, she was shaking when I gave her first lesson.

"I know. I'm going to need an adjustment period on this though. Do you have to take one when we go out?"

"I can leave it in the car, but yes, it's going with us." She gazed at me for a beat and nodded.

She stood and pulled the box out of my hands and tugged me into the bathroom, stopping only to grab her carry-on and to set the box on the dresser. She turned to face me and bumped the door shut with her ass, pulling me closer by my belt loops.

"I've been dying to get you alone all day. We can talk about weapons later." She whispered against my neck. She tugged my shirt out of my pants and raised up on her toes to slide it over my head, running her hands down my stomach. She really had a thing for my stomach and I'd workout three hours a day if it meant she'd keep touching me like she does. She gave me that sexy smile of hers as she worked on my belt, gently scratching my skin as she worked it and my zipper down. I couldn't help but moan when she pushed both hands down the back of my pants, she squeezed my ass and then shoved my pants down. Her smile widened and she crouched down to untie my boots, she slid them and my pants off, until I stood before her completely naked. Rubbing her hands up my thighs, she avoided my dick, which was practically waving at her, and kissed first one side of my hip and then the other. The sensation of the skin of her throat sliding briefly against the head as she moved from one side to the other, had me reaching for the door for support.

"Babe, come up here." I bent and got my hands under her arms and she darted forward quickly and licked the tip of my cock. "Fuck! Up, now!" I hauled her up to standing.

"I don't want to come in your mouth." I growled as I yanked off her shirt, nearly ripping it in the process.

"No?" She asked, coy smile on her face.

"Nope." I tugged her pants and panties off at once and she was finally bare for me. My hands greedily roaming her silky skin. I cupped her breast and plucked at the hard little nipple, kissing her throat as she arched backwards. Lowering down, I sucked it into my mouth and gently licked it. She moaned brokenly and clamped her hand on the back of my head. The sound so fucking sexy, I was rubbing my cock against her hip just for some friction. She reached behind her and blindly searched through her bag, finally emerging with a condom in her hand. She pushed me backwards until I sat on the edge of the bathtub, rolled the condom on and straddled me, sinking down quickly.

"Ahhhhhhhh!" She moaned. My hands were splayed low on her back and I was trying my best not to take over and set the pace. Using her legs, she lifted almost all the way off me, before slowly sliding all the way back down. The slip of her skin, the softness of her tits and the tiny scrape of her nipples, driving me fucking crazy, just as overwhelming as the feeling of her completely enveloping my dick. When I noticed her legs starting to shake, I slipped my hands down to cup her ass, helping her pump up and down. She buried her face in my neck and changed her movement slightly, scraping her clit against the base of my cock. Her pussy immediately started to pulse and I knew she was right there.

"You going to come for me, Steph? I can feel it, you're almost there aren't you?"

"Yessss." She hissed, her head arched backwards and her body pressed in even closer, not an inch of space between us. Her nails dug into my back and she clamped down on me, hard. The orgasm she pulled out of me, so intense that I saw stars. Our noises echoing off the tiles, cacophonous.

"Every damn… time." I muttered.

She panted against me for a minute before responding. "What?"

"It gets better."

She locked eyes with me for a second. "It really does." She kissed me, slipping her tongue into my mouth. Her stomach growled and she pulled away, blushing slightly.

I held her hips as she stood on trembling legs. "I'm starving too, let's get moving."

She reached around me to turn on the shower, tugging me in with her.

"You see what you do to me? I didn't even realize I was hungry until after we were done. That's no small achievement with me." She murmured as she rubbed shampoo into my hair.

"Yeah, I've noticed." I said with a grin.

Strange thing was, she was changing everything for me too.

AN: I know it's been a while, but I've been working on another story that I can't get out of my head. I want to get most, if not all, of it written before I post it. I seem to get distracted if I post as I write.

The next chapter of Ranger's Rangers is 90% done. I'm not all that happy with it, but it's a lot of smutty fun, so that part I like ;)

Hope you liked this update. This is the first time that I'm writing something crime-based. I'm going to enjoy this I think.

Let me know what you thought,

Love,

EA xoxo