DISCLAIMER: None of the characters are mine, they all belong to J. Evanovich, I'm not making any profit, etc.

A/N: An attempt at smut ahead. Slight OOC. There's also a song-fic quality to this chapter, you'll see why. Oh, and please, please, review!

As I walked into my apartment, wobbling with the beautiful flowers in tow, I realized Ranger had been busy in here too.

The lights were all off, clearly intended to be replaced by the sheer multitude of unlit candles carefully placed on almost every flat surface in the apartment. Tall, short, pillar, fat candles of many different colors lay strewn about.

The path to the bedroom was marked with scattered red roses and as walked towards the door, I felt it. That utterly unnerving feeling down my spine that always let me know he was around. Pushing the door to the bedroom open, my breath caught in my throat.

My sheets had been swapped out for black satin, the candle and rose theme continued in here too, and the enticing aroma of tiramisu pervaded the air. But all of that paled in comparison to the man who was reclining ever so seductively on my bed.

Ranger had pulled the ties out of his hair, so his dark silky hair framed a strongly chiseled, mocha latte face with deep chocolate eyes and a mouth made for kissing. He stretched his hand out and I started walking towards him. As I got closer, I realized for the first time, I was scared around Ranger. It had nothing to do with a fear of my life being threatened though, more like a fear that my heart might never recover if something went wrong between us.

Turns out that was an unnecessary concern though. When I was at the edge of the bed, Ranger gave a swift tug and I felt onto him. I was flush against him and the contrast of textures I was experiencing was overwhelming. He was wearing a charcoal gray sweater so soft that it had to be cashmere. The sheets were so smooth I thought we might slip off. And he was obviously enjoying my closeness, because he was hard… everywhere.

Sailors sail, cowboys ride, lovers love

When they get the chance

Take it slow, Turn down the lights, Soft and low

Let the shadows dance

Baby don't hold back

And here's where I made my mistake. I should've stopped and talked to him about the note and the flowers and what that might mean for us. But when his tongue unexpectedly darted out to trace a slow line across his lower lip and his eyes pooled dark, I couldn't hold back. I leaned down and kissed him like he was the very air I needed to live. Groaning, he kissed me back, his tongue dueling with mine and taking me higher until I was dizzy.

Flipping us over, Ranger broke the kiss and started moving down my face, peppering my neck and shoulders with hot open mouth kisses. He pulled my shirt off and licked a warm line from the hollow of the throat to the top of breasts. Staring down at me, he reached around me to loosen the clasp on my bra and let out a whispered, "Babe".

That one word seemed to touch something inside me. I reached up, pulling his shirt over his head, throwing it on the floor, ready to do the same with his pants -only I never got the chance. He reached for my pants at the same time and we got all tangled in each other, bumping heads and twisting about until we both pulled back and started laughing.

It always hit me hard when I saw him laughing- it was like there was this instantaneous transformation, making him look years younger and even more striking if possible. I reached up to stroke his cheek, and the smile faded to a look of unadulterated desire. He pounced.

One minute I was staring into the rich depths of his eyes; the next, we were both naked and I was trembling from the feel of his hard length pressed against my core. Ranger moved down my chest, pulling my nipple into his mouth, making me moan. Suddenly, he bit down and it was like he'd pulled a trigger I didn't even know I had. I could feel my head thrashing from side to side as he continued to lave my breasts with the attentions of his sinful mouth when I felt him slide two fingers inside of me. He crooked his fingers in that come-here gesture and the pressure on my g-spot made me explode.

Kiss me in the dark, Roll me through the night

Hold me like you'll never let me go

Hit me with your heart, Till the morning light

Let your skin talk to my soul

Kiss me in the dark

I was still seeing dark spots when I felt Ranger settle in between my thighs and replace his fingers with his lips. He separated my folds and slid his tongue between them. A set of lips meeting another. When I cried out, he laughed and plunged his tongue in further. He was merciless once he found my clit, sucking until I came once, twice, thrice. Only then did he pull back, softly whispering, "Dios Babe, you're so beautiful when you come. I could watch you forever."

But I wasn't content to have him just watch. I want to touch and taste him too! When I finally got my breathing back to a semi-normal state, I pushed him onto his back, holding his hands above his head against his protests.

I licked a quick path down his stomach, following that thin line of dark hair that ran straight to his thick cock. I continued down, finally taking him into my mouth, swirling my tongue around the tip of his shaft and moving my stacked hands up and down while he moaned above me. I drew him in as much as I could, alternating between flicking my tongue and grazing him with my teeth and then turned my attention to his balls beneath. I tugged slightly and his hips rocketed off the bed while he let out a groan deep in his throat.

Strip away, everything, Tonight there's nothing

Getting in our way

The ties that bind, the where's and why's

Take 'em off and leave 'em all outside

Lock it all outside

"Dios mio Babe. No puedo respirar cuando estoy contigo", Ranger ground out, moving his hands to tangle in my hair.

I could tell he was close- his breathing had changed to short puffs and his hips were swiveling as I continued to suck him. I quickened my pace, wanting to watch him lose control. With one last squeeze, he came in hot, steady spurts down my throat. His muscles corded, his entire body jerking off the bed, and it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.

Without a single word, baby we can say so much

Reveal everything with just one touch

Kiss me in the dark, Roll me through the night

After he came down from his high, he reached for my hand, pulling me up to kiss me deeply. I was running my hand down his sweat covered body and when I got inches away from his rapidly recovering cock, he broke the kiss, moving my hand away.

"Turn over Babe," he told me in his new, gravelly voice.

"Nuh-uh. You know I don't do that stuff," I reminded him.

"Trust me amante," he said as he ran his hands down my hips. And then he pulled out the big guns by adding, "Please?"

He knew I could never refuse him when he said please. So I let him roll me over onto my stomach and felt him move to straddle me. Just when I was about to protest, I felt him reach across to the bureau and pick something up, but couldn't see what. I was going to ask him when all of a sudden, I felt something on my back that made me yelp. It was hot and thick, but actually didn't burn. It smelt wonderful too- like sandalwood and plums and roses. And the longer it stayed on my back, the more I began to think the sensation wasn't entirely unpleasant.

Then, Ranger started rubbing it into my back and I realized it was melting. I craned my neck around and found that he was dripping a black wax candle onto my back and that it was changing into something like oil with my body heat. He started to push the liquid up and down my back, making long, strong strokes and I just dissolved into the pillows. I moaned when his fingers went to work on my shoulders and discovered all the other knots on my body. After a while though, the massage stopped being relaxing and the feel of his fingers gliding up and down just started driving me wild again.

"Please Ranger," I begged.

"Please what, amante? What do you need? Tell me."

"Oh god! I need- I need you. In me, right now! Fuck me damn it!"

He let out a fierce growl before complying. I was so wet he slid into me in one slick thrust and we both moaned at the contact. He gave me a minute to get accustomed to his size and then he pulled almost entirely out before thrusting back into me. Our hips rocked against each other and my hands grabbed onto his ass, pulling him tighter to me. Our coupling was so frantic all it took was a few more thrusts and I was falling over the edge, pulling him with me.

We lay sprawled together for a while after we were done, Ranger muttering soft Spanish into my hair and my hands over his chest. The last thing I remember was Ranger whispering "Te amo" as the edge of sleep overtook me.

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A/N II: If you're interested, the song is called, "Kiss Me in the Dark" and it's by a fabulous country group called the Randy Rogers Band.

Dios mio Babe. No puedo respirar cuando estoy contigo- My God Babe. I can't breathe when I'm with you.

Te amo- I love you.