Scent of a Woman

By Latetolove

Most characters in this story are the property of Janet Evanovich. I owe my obsession to her. I borrow them for fun, but eventually they return to star in her next masterpiece.

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Chapter 1

September had been unusually brutal. Not only was the weather hot and humid, but also Stephanie Plum's on-again off-again relationship with Joe Morelli had hit the skids big time. She was looking forward to October with its cooler nights, sunny, colorful days and all the possibility of change it could bring. It was an early start to her morning. Typically she never made it into the bail bonds office before 9:30 or 10:00, especially on a Monday, but the weekend had been rough and sleep had evaded her for most of Sunday night. Finally near dawn she gave up, showered, and dressed in a t-shirt and jeans. She quietly lifted Mr. Wolesky's newspaper from his door step down the hall and read it while downing a nice cup of coffee containing an abundance of cream and sugar. Steph then fed Rex, locked up her apartment, and returned Mr. Wolesky's paper, none the worse for wear. On her way in to the office, she stopped at the Tasty Pastry, picked up a dozen donuts and arrived by 8:45.

Connie, the Vincent Plum Bail Bonds office manager, was just adding the final coat of blood red polish to her perfect nails, and she glanced up when Stephanie walked in.

"Hey, Steph."

Stephanie gave Connie a weak 'good morning' head nod and deposited the box of donuts on the counter with a sigh. "I know it's early, Connie, but you don't happen to have any skips for me do you?"

Connie gave her a sympathetic look. "Sorry, Steph, nada, but thanks for the donuts. After the weekend I had I'm going to need at least four of those." She shook her nails to make them dry more quickly.

Lula struggled to get up from where she was sitting on the floor. She'd been filing in the bottom drawer, and Stephanie had to suppress a giggle as she watched Lula, in her tight fluorescent orange spandex dress and four-inch heeled boots, try to maneuver to a standing position without tumbling over, or mooning the room.

"Girl, let me tell you, there must have been some evil anti-sex curse goin' around cause I'm going to need at least six of those plus a bucket of fried chicken to erase the memory of my miserable weekend." Lula joined Stephanie and Connie at the desk and grabbed a donut. "I was all by my lonesome 'cause Tanky Bear was working all kinds of overtime trying to re-work some contract for a hot shot RangeMan client."

"I hear ya!" Connie agreed. "I was supposed to have a date with Robbie Marcuso Friday night, but the jerk stood me up! Then on Saturday, my cousin Theresa and I saw him at the movieplex with Lucy Donacelli, and they weren't paying too much attention to the plot, if you know what I mean. She must have eaten all the Twizzlers, because he had his tongue down her throat trying to get a taste."

Stephanie made a sour face. "Thanks for that image, Connie."

Connie sighed heavily and gingerly picked up a donut so it wouldn't mess up her nails. "Where are all the good guys?"

"So, girlfriend, how many of those donuts do you need? You sho' don't have that satisfied afterglow 'bout you neither."

"Lula, I don't think even a whole box of Boston Crèmes could do it for me this time."

"Steph, what happened?" Connie's voice was full of friendly concern.

"I know!" Lula interjected, "you and SuperCop are still off. Ain't you?"

Stephanie slumped her shoulders with another heavy sigh. "We're off and over for good." She sounded resigned to the reality of her statement.

"White Girl, you and Officer Hottie have come and gone more times than a ho's best customer. You know it's never over with him."

"Lula, Joe and I had a long, serious talk Friday night. You know we broke it off again two weeks ago. Well, we finally both agreed that it isn't going to work for us. We have different ideas for the future, and we just keep bumping heads; then we try to fix it, and a month later… we're doing it all over again. I just can't do it anymore, and Joe can't either." She looked over the donuts, but didn't choose one. "You know, I've never really been convinced that he doesn't still have some kind of feelings or interest in Terri Gilman." And if I'm being honest with myself, I definitely have a lot of feelings for and interest in Ranger as well. Steph thought. "I drove over to Joe's house yesterday and packed up everything of mine that was there. We're really over for good!"

"Wow this is serious, Steph. Are you okay with it?" Connie took another donut.

"I'm sad, lonely, and I ate two boxes of Tasty Cakes and four candy bars on Saturday. I'm really tired from not sleeping enough and thinking too much. But I'll be okay. I'm actually looking forward to making some changes in my life after this. I need to redefine myself post-Joe. We've been part of each other's lives for a long time, and I have definitely learned what I don't want in a relationship. Now I just have to define what I do want in one."

"Well when you have the answer to that little mystery of life; let us know, will you? In the meantime have a donut!"

"Sure, Connie, you and Lula will be the first to know after I figure it out!"

"Well if it's really over, you can just move your ass on and get you some of that Batman action. He is the finest man on the planet, next to Tanky of course! And b'sides, everybody knows that you and Batman are just magic waitin' to happen."

"Ranger doesn't do relationships!" Stephanie blurted in exasperation.

"You don't need no relationship to get some of that girl! Just tap it."

'You know me better than that, Lula. I need more from a guy than just his…his package! Oh God," she slapped her forehead. "I sound like my Grandma Mazur."

"Girl, you and Ranger have been dancin' round this thing for almost two years. You need to just do it and be done with it."

"Maybe you're right, Lula, maybe I should just open myself up to the possibility of…" Stephanie had no sooner reached into the box and grabbed a particularly scrumptious looking Boston Crème, when she felt a familiar warm tingle at the back her neck that could only mean one thing. The glazed looks on Lula and Connie's faces confirmed it.

"Good morning, ladies." Ranger's smooth deep greeting resonated behind Stephanie, and she froze as he sidled up to the counter next to her. "Connie, do you have any FTA files for me today?"

"Ah… yeah…right here." Connie had to brush the sugar off her fingers before picking up the stack of files set aside for RangeMan.

"Thanks." Ranger turned to Stephanie. "Babe, can I see you outside for a minute?"

"Yeah." Stephanie quickly picked up a napkin to wipe her hands and then followed Ranger outside. Ranger threw the files onto the seat of his Porsche, grabbed Stephanie's hand, and pulled her into the alleyway between the bonds office and the bookstore, where they always seem to hold their 'private conferences'. Ranger stealthily maneuvered Stephanie between him and the wall and made full body contact.

"Babe, I need you." Ranger ground out in a low and suggestive voice.

"Really, Batman? How badly?" Stephanie knew she was playing with fire, but damn she hadn't eaten her donut, and there was no sugar in her system to suppress the building urges of her, more than two week, dry spell.

"If you only knew." Playful Ranger was suddenly gone, and Intense Ranger was now front and center. His chocolate brown eyes held hers, and for a brief moment Stephanie caught a glimpse of sadness in them, and then it was gone. She decided to push her luck a little further.

"Explain it to me." There was a long pause as they continued silent communication with their eyes. Finally Ranger spoke.

"Not here." Now his eyes were pleading her to back off. So she did.

"Okay." She weakly replied. He noticeably relaxed when she gave in. Wait! Did she just win a round of 'Flirt Shamelessly' with Ranger? Stephanie had never won one before. She typically blushed or freaked out and pulled back first. Inside her mind she was doing the happy dance.

"I have a job for you, Babe."

"What, when, where and how slutty do you want me dressed?"

"That's a loaded question, Babe. Who says I want you dressed at all?" Playful Ranger had returned.

"You're a funny man, Ranger. You had better be careful, or your tough guy image could take a beating if it gets out that you can make jokes."

"Who said I was joking?" He leaned in and brushed his lips lightly against hers. Stephanie was getting a little weak in the knees, and she was finding it hard to think straight, as Ranger was running hot and cold and hot again. Damn why does he do this to me!

"Um…what kind of help do you need, Ranger?"

Ranger stepped back and glanced toward the alley entrance. "I have a client that could use a little persuasion in choosing the right kind of security. His name is Daniel Patrick. He brokers high-end real estate, and he's quite successful at it. There have been several break-ins at his offices over the last month. He called us initially to install an upgrade to his current security system, which we did. At first it was typical breaking and entering with some office equipment going missing, but lately the crime has been escalating to a more personal, violent nature against Mr. Patrick himself. Graffiti on his car, threats in the mail, and disturbing phone calls. Things our current system can't prevent. I've been trying to convince him to step up his security to include bodyguard protection and possibly putting a man on the inside to investigate further. He's balking at what he perceives would be an intrusion to his life. I was hoping you would come to our next meeting with him and use some of your skills to influence his decision."

"Does he have a stalker?"

"We don't know. We don't have the authority to investigate yet. That's why I want him to change his contract to include those aspects of our services."

"And you think I can persuade a successful, educated business man to change his mind? Come on, Ranger, this isn't me luring some drunken FTA out of a bar with a smutty outfit and the promise of hot, dirty sex. What mad skills do you think I possess that make me right for this job?"

"You're good with people, Babe. They listen to you because you read them so well. You look past appearances and see them on the inside. You see their needs and what motivates them. I see it when you interact with my men. Hell, in the three years since I hired Cal, I've never seen anyone, man or woman, voluntarily approach him in a friendly way. It's why I hired him…he's damn scary. But you never saw that. You actually hugged the man out of concern for his possible injury after a rough take down. It didn't even occur to you to be scared of him. Babe, you have a 240-pound guy, with a flaming skull tattooed on his head, wrapped around your little finger. You have no idea how powerful you are, do you?"

Wow, Stephanie thought. There was no one in her life that professed that kind of confidence in her abilities. Joe never saw her that way. He valued her body, her skills in the bedroom, and her quick wit. He even acknowledged that she was strong-willed and independent, but he always considered that an inconvenience to their relationship; not an asset.

"Ranger, I don't know what to say, I'm…I'm…stunned. I appreciate your confidence in me, but I'm just a girl from the burg. What could I say to make your client change his mind?"

"Babe, I have faith in you. Would you come to the meeting and just listen. Even if you don't say anything while you're there, maybe you can give us some insight afterwards that will be helpful."

Okay, I'll go with you, when is the meeting?"

"It's scheduled for eleven."

"Today!" Ranger nodded. Stephanie sighed. "All right, but I can't go dressed like this. Do I have time to go by my apartment and change?"

"Sure, Babe. Go home and change. I'll come by and pick you up at 10:30. Will that work?"

"Yeah, that's plenty of time."

"Thanks, Babe" He leaned in once again and deposited another warm but chaste kiss on her lips, and then he was gone.

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Ranger and Stephanie arrived at the offices of Daniel Patrick precisely at 11:00 am. Tank had already arrived and was waiting for them. Back at her apartment, Stephanie had changed into an old, but still fashionable, business suit that she used to wear as a lingerie buyer for E.E Martin. It was cream colored with a pale pink blouse underneath and she paired it with ivory, three-inch heels. It had been a long time since she felt so professional. In the car, on the way to the meeting, she mused that it was a good choice because Corporate Ranger had come to pick her up. He wore a black Armani suit with a fitted silk shirt and silk tie; both black. He looked absolutely delicious. If she had to rank the sexiness of all the different Rangers, Corporate Ranger would land third on the list behind Naked Ranger and shirtless, sweaty Workout Ranger. It had been a while since she'd seen Naked Ranger…. hmmmm. Her thoughts left her feeling a bit… frisky. Damn I never finished that donut.

When they entered the meeting, Ranger introduced Stephanie as his colleague, and Mr. Patrick warmly welcomed her. She was offered a seat in one of the two chairs sitting in front of the desk and, once the meeting began, she listened attentively as Ranger proceeded to reiterate his reasons for believing that Mr. Patrick required the additional security he was proposing in the new contract.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Manoso, I just can't get comfortable with the idea of having bodyguards or planting one of your men amongst my staff. I have a business to run here, and I don't want anything to hinder that. I've worked hard to provide my family with the best in life, and I can't afford to scare away clients who might feel threatened by me bringing along an entourage of protection to every meeting."

"I assure you, Mr. Patrick, that my men can be very discrete. Your daily routine will be impacted very little. It will be their job to blend in and still keep you protected."

"I still don't know." Daniel shook his head. "Do you really think the trouble will keep escalating to the point of requiring this kind of action?" He lifted the proposed contract up in illustration.

Stephanie had heard enough. She knew enough about stalkers and other dangerous scum to know that they were unpredictable at best, deadly at worst. Being Queen of Denial Land herself, Stephanie recognized a fellow countryman. She hadn't intended to say anything but she just couldn't hold back. She just hoped it would work.

"Mr. Patrick, you're already in that kind of trouble and RangeMan can help." Stephanie stood up from her chair and leaned over the massive desk. From his desktop, she picked up a framed photo of whom she presumed to be his wife and two young daughters; then laid it right in front of him. "Daniel, you have three of the most beautiful reasons in the world to make it home safely every night. As of now, the personal attacks directed at you have all been here at your office. Believe me, the next time it could very well be at your home. Don't let this go any further. Sign the contract." She put her hand on his and gave him a warm, but sincere, look as his eyes filled with emotion gazing at the photo.

He signed.

Ranger picked up his copy of the signed contract and shook the man's hand. "Mr. Patrick, Tank will make all the arrangements for your protection to begin immediately. He will stay and discuss the details with you on how we plan to keep you safe with the least amount of disruption to your life as is possible. If you have any questions, he can answer them. Have a good afternoon."

"Thank you, Mr. Manoso, and you also, Ms. Plum. You have been very patient with me, and I appreciate it." He followed them to the door. "Goodbye."

Stephanie shook his hand, and they left the room, walked down the hall and entered the elevator.

"Babe, you did good. I'm proud of you. Thank you." He leaned toward her as he reached to push the elevator button for the lobby. The doors closed. Their faces were inches from each other; eyes locked. Stephanie held her breath and waited. She so desperately wanted him to take her in his arms throw her up against the wall and have his way with her right there. She could she the struggle he was fighting for control.

"He just needed to be reminded of what is really important in his life." Steph whispered.

The doors opened to the lobby, their private world disappeared, and they exited the elevator. The ride back to her apartment was tensely quiet.

Ranger pulled into the parking lot; they exited the car, entered the apartment building and walked upstairs. He took her key, opened the door and did a quick scan of the rooms to make sure Rex hadn't lured in an unsavory villain wishing to do Stephanie any harm.

"All clear." Ranger announced.

"Thanks. My hero." She dramatically exclaimed. Stephanie headed for the kitchen and grabbed two bottles of water out of the refrigerator. She handed one to Ranger.

"Today, Babe, you were my hero."

"Well, I am glad for once that I could return the favor. You've never failed to help me more times that I can count. It's nice to feel useful for a change." Stephanie slipped into the bedroom to change her clothes, leaving the door ajar to continue with the conversation.

"Babe, you have saved me... more than once." She slipped out of the suit and heels and put on a much more comfortable sundress with a lightweight sweater and sandals.

"I don't think it counts when I'm the reason you were in trouble in the first place."

"Just the nature of the job, Babe. You just happen to attract danger a bit more frequently than the average bounty hunter."

Stephanie came out of the bedroom and headed to the living room where Ranger was leaning up against the doorframe leading to the hallway. "A bit? You think that might be a little understated?"

Ranger grabbed her arm as she passed him and turned her to look directly into her eyes. "Stephanie, you saved my daughter. I can never repay that enough."

"There's no price for that, Ranger. Julie's a great girl." She broke the eye contact and continued on into the living room. "How is she, by the way? Have you seen her lately?"

"She's good. She's doing well at school. She has a real knack for math and science. I saw her back in July when I flew down to Miami for a long weekend. I may get to see her next month at Thanksgiving. Maybe she can come here."

"Oh that would be wonderful! I would love to see her again. Would that be alright with you?" Stephanie hoped she didn't sound too presumptuous.

"I'm sure Julie would love that, Babe. She asks about you all the time."

"She does?"

"Yeah, she thinks you're… I think the word she used was 'awesome'." He smiled.

"Well, I like her too. We've emailed each other a few times. She's a very special girl, Ranger. She reminds me a lot of you. But if I was really 'awesome' you wouldn't have ended up getting shot by Scrog." Stephanie sighed and sat down on the couch. "Should I give it up, Ranger? Bounty hunting, I mean."

"Babe…" Ranger started to speak, but Stephanie cut him off to continue.

"I know I severely lack the traditional skills required to do this job. Joe tells me that all the time. I know he loves me, and he just wants me to be safe, but maybe he's right. Maybe I'm dangerous to work with. You were almost killed! Hell, the first time I worked with Tank, he broke his leg. And Cal, the same day, got a concussion. I seem to leave a trail of injury and destruction in my wake. Have you ever counted the number of cars I've ruined?"

"I believe there's an up to date tally that exists somewhere at RangeMan and at the Trenton PD." He chuckled. Ranger sat down next to her on the couch and got serious. "Stephanie, Scrog was insane. There was nothing you could have done differently. You were there for Julie. You were there for me." Ranger was almost imploring her to believe him. "And you are good at what you do. You may do it a little unconventionally at times, but you never give up. Your tenacity and your ability to improvise, because of your lack of traditional skills, are what make you stand out. It's what makes you…'Bombshell', as my men affectionately refer to you."

"I've never been convinced that that particular term of endearment should be taken as flattery."

"It came about from nothing but respect for you, Babe. It means you're one of the guys. You should be honored. They've never given Jeanne Ellen a nickname."

"Ha! Respect… maybe. Your men have always been very good to me, Ranger; I'll give you that. But boys will be boys, and you'll never convince me that there isn't a good-sized dose of entertainment value thrown into that nickname as well. Besides, the only nickname I could envision for Jeanne Ellen would be…unspeakable in mixed company."

"Okay, I'll admit that you do play a major part in keeping RangeMan morale at an all time high, but my men admire you and would do anything for you. You're very special to them."

"Hmmm. There's not much I wouldn't do for them either. I've become very attached to my boys at RangeMan."

Stephanie's stomach took advantage of the pause in the conversation to make its needs known.

"Hungry, Babe?"

"Starving!"

"Let me take you to lunch, I owe you for today. And maybe we can talk about another job I have in mind for you while we're out." He stood, took her hand and lifted her from the couch.

"A distraction?"

"Not exactly."

"Well, Mr. Manoso, you have me intrigued. Let's go."

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