I got the idea for this story while listening to the song 'Beautiful With You' by Halestorm. To me, this one-shot is like a Stephanie version of another one of my stories 'The Time For Truths'. Everything familiar belongs to Janet. All mistakes are mine.

I was sitting in the lot of my apartment building, wiping the last of the stupid tears off my cheeks, when the passenger door on my latest and most hated POS car swung open.

"What's wrong, Babe?" Ranger asked after closing the door, continuing his uncanny streak of popping in at the worst possible moment.

"Isn't it obvious?" I said, trying to get all of my emotions turned off quickly. "I caught Emit Sandeck, but not before the asshole body-slammed me into a dumpster."

"That explains the lettuce," Ranger said, pulling a half-brown, shriveled leaf from my hair.

I grimaced. I couldn't make myself look in a mirror so I didn't know exactly what Ranger is seeing right now, but I'm betting it's bad after what Morelli had said about my appearance twenty minutes ago. Like Joe should talk. He looks pretty funny himself, what with his head stuck up his ass and all.

"I know," I said to Ranger. "I'm a mess."

I moved as far away from him as I could in the car, which wasn't easy considering how Ranger's presence fills up any space he enters. Me pulling away was solely for Ranger's benefit. God only knows what I smell like right now, since my nose stopped working seconds after Sandeck tossed me.

"I don't see a mess when I look at you, Babe. I see a woman who worked hard today to make another woman's life safer for one night at least."

"I did nail the abusive bastard. As soon as I climbed out of the trash that is. While Emit was busy laughing his non-existent ass off, I kicked him in the side of the knee and then dropped him with an elbow to his neck."

"Proud of you, Babe."

"I'm glad someone is."

"And I repeat ... what's wrong?"

I sighed and steeled myself for an I told you so.

"I went back to Morelli's after I got my check from Connie ..." I said, and noticed that Ranger suddenly tensed up.

Interesting.

"And?" He asked, and I could detect a slight edge to his voice.

"And ... Joe happened to be there. I didn't see his vehicle so I thought the only one home was Bob. Mooch had apparently borrowed Morelli's SUV for the day, something I really wish I would've known, then Joe and I could have at least parted on relatively good terms. But no, I had to freeze in the entrance way when I realized that Bob had company besides me, and Joe started on me the second he saw me standing by the door. I only stopped at his house in the first place because I'd already had a crappy day, and I thought I might as well top it off by getting the rest of my stuff out so I could leave his key ..."

"Why?"

"Because we broke up last week. I figured I could just sneak in, get my things, and get my ass out before I ran into him again and got into yet another argument."

"But you got into one anyway," Ranger said.

"Yep, we did," I said, feeling the fucking tears again. Damn.

I wasn't upset about us being over, I was upset that Joe couldn't resist just one more jab at my job, and my skill level doing it. I should have just let Mary Lou go tomorrow like we'd planned. Again, I made the wrong decision. Story of my life. Stephanie Plum, fuck-up extraordinaire.

"Come on, Steph," Ranger said, opening his door again. "I'll walk you up and you can take a shower and then tell me what Morelli did now."

"He was an ass," I told Ranger, following him up to my apartment.

"He's always an ass where you're concerned, Steph."

I offered Ranger the only smile I could manage at the time. Yeah, I'm pissed at Joe, but I'm really more mad at myself. For years I let him treat me like crap because I myself believed what he was saying. But after today, I'll show Joe - I'll show everyone - that I'm a kickass bond agent. And when I bring in my next skip, both of us clean and unbruised, I'll tell Joe to kiss my skip's ass, because Morelli sure as hell won't be getting near mine ever again.

"That's a scary look in your eyes, Babe," Ranger said.

I blinked and saw that Ranger had moved so he was standing right in front of me.

"It's not directed at you," I told him, feeling a little better.

Ranger can usually make me feel better. Well ... when he wasn't telling me he's not relationship material. I swear he'd be the perfect man otherwise.

"Go on, Tiger," Ranger said to me. "Get cleaned up and then we'll talk."

That reminds me.

"Hey, what were you doing in my parking lot?"

"Isn't it obvious, Steph?" Ranger said, turning my words back on me. "I was waiting for you."

Hmm ... he could mean anything by that. Ranger could want me to do a job for him, he could've heard that I had a few issues with Sandeck, or he could be waiting to profess his undying love for me. Whichever one it turned out to be, I knew I wasn't going to be discussing it with half the trash of Center Street dangling off of me.

"You're staying?" I asked him.

"Yes," he said, with a finality that had my heart suddenly beating faster.

Don't get your hopes up, Stephanie, I told myself. Jeez. I'm barely out of a dysfunctional relationship with a cocky cop, I really shouldn't be contemplating a new one with a man who is twice as hot and three times as complicated.

"I'll be right back," I told Ranger. "You can keep Rex company."

"Rex is fine on his own, but there's no rush. Unless there's an emergency, I've got time."

Great. Now I have time to get my hopes up again. Like my day hadn't sucked enough already.

I walked down the hallway from my kitchen to the bedroom, and locked myself in the bathroom. Not that it'd matter. If Ranger wanted to join me in the shower, the cheap handle lock on the bathroom door, and my own shoddy judgement, definitely wouldn't keep him out.

Instead of heading straight for the shower, I stared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror. God, I was pitiful. Not only do I look like the leftovers of a fast food burger - lettuce in my hair, ketchup on my shirt, and what I prayed was a mustard-soaked bread chunk next to the rip across the thigh of my jeans - I stayed with a guy who desperately wanted a commitment because I couldn't let myself fall for the man who didn't want one at all.

Why?

Did I put up with all Morelli's shit to avoid getting my feelings hurt by Ranger? What's the worst thing he could say to me now? That he didn't want me? I know that isn't true. Ranger's made it clear that he wanted me on more than one occasion. Maybe Ranger would tell me that he's not interested in a relationship? Been there, heard that. Has that changed my feelings for him at all? No.

They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Maybe it's time to change my approach and actually ask Ranger what he is able to give me. Didn't I just ditch what I had with Morelli because I don't want a commitment? Or did I just not want one with Joe? I'm a freakin' disaster, and I'm going to have to decide real quick how to clean up both my professional and personal lives before they got worse.

I closed my eyes and rested my forehead against the glass. I got to wallow for a whole three seconds in self-pity before Ranger knocked on the door, forcing me to open my eyes and face myself again. Crap.

"What?" I called out.

Looks like I won't get to stay in here forever. I supposed that's actually good, this really is a hideous bathroom.

"I don't hear the shower running yet," Ranger said.

"I thought you said there was no rush."

"Babe."

I sighed. Loudly.

"I'm turning it on now," I told him, hoping that there's enough hot water left to wash the nasty parts of this day off of me.

I scrubbed my hair three times, and my body twice, before I decided I was clean enough to go toe-to-toe with Ranger. And I'm sure the last thing on his mind is sex after seeing me earlier with puffy eyes, a runny nose, and with the final remains of a large dumpster covering me. The upside is, I can only look better after that.

I picked up the pj's I'd left in here this morning, back when I thought I'd be enjoying an early, uneventful night with Ben & Jerry. Instead, I got trashed - literally - had a final blowout with Morelli, and now had to decide what the hell I'm going to do with Ranger.

I left my sanctuary/bane of my existence and found Ranger sitting on my couch in the living room. Damn, he's hot. I'm still not exactly sure what's so special about me that made Ranger put up with my crap as long as he has.

I took a detour to the kitchen to pour us each some wine, and then curled my legs underneath me as I settled myself next to Ranger on the sofa. We weren't close enough to touch, but the option's there if one of us wanted to change that.

"So ... what brings you to my part of Trenton?" I asked Ranger, taking a healthy slug of courage.

I'm not going anywhere tonight. And, truth is, if I had my way neither would Ranger.

"You do, Babe," Ranger said, picking up his own glass.

I was momentarily distracted watching his lips and throat work on the wine.

Crap. Joyce was right about me. I am a slut. I just left my ex-boyfriend's house and I still could've happily freed Ranger from his cargos at that moment and then spend the rest of the night on him, and around him, finally calling his name out loud instead of only in my head.

Yep, I'm pathetic with a capital P.

"Are you done stalling?" Ranger asked me. "Or are you going to tell me what happened to cause you to sit inside your car crying?"

"There's not much to tell," I told him. "It's over, Ranger. There is absolutely no more Joe and Stephanie. I made sure of that."

"And how exactly did you accomplish that?" He asked me. "Nothing has done the job in the past."

I could feel my face heat up. I really didn't want to answer that. Unfortunately, Ranger wasn't going to let me out of giving him one.

"I'm waiting, Stephanie."

"Umm ... I might have told Joe that we slept together."

"Babe."

"Joe was acting like an asshole so I was a bitch right back. I'm not proud of it, but at least we can both move on now. Morelli's not going to forgive me for getting naked with you. And I may have also mentioned that it was more than once."

"I'm going to have to put extra security on my building, and yours, tonight."

"I don't think you'll need it. Joe's always been jealous of you so he's used to that feeling by now, but I can't remember seeing him that angry at me before."

"You two weren't officially together when we slept together, Steph."

"The sad thing is, I don't think Joe would've cared if I slept with someone while we were off again, as long as it wasn't you."

"I'm flattered," Ranger said, his lips twitching. "But in case you're wrong, I'm staying here tonight."

I got the distinct impression that my permission isn't required here.

"Because of Joe?" I asked him.

"No."

"Then why?"

"Don't ask if you're not ready for an honest answer to that question," Ranger said.

"And if I want an answer, will I be happy with it?"

"Depends."

"On what?"

"On exactly why you torpedoed your relationship with Morelli."

"Do we really have to discuss him?" I asked.

"I think we should, Babe."

"Why now? You didn't seem to care what I did or didn't do with Joe for years."

"That was a defensive maneuver on my part," Ranger said.

"Defensive maneuver?" I echoed. "I'm not a freakin' military strike, Ranger."

"No. Those are much easier to figure out," he said, causing my jaws to snap together.

Time to bring out the big guns. Wine wasn't doing it for me right now. I got up, headed to the freezer, and grabbed two spoons from the drawer so I wouldn't appear rude even though I know Ranger wouldn't touch the rocky road ice cream I'd picked up yesterday. It's almost like I knew what was coming. No smooth sailing, or undramatic breakup, for me. B&J's Rocky Roadish turned out to be an appropriate choice.

Ranger watched me walk back into the living room, and I suddenly felt like a defenseless mouse with a raptor quickly closing in.

His eyes flicked to the carton in my hand. "You don't need ice cream, Babe."

I sighed. "I need something," I told him.

I shrieked when his arms snaked out. He scooped me up and sat me down in his lap, his arms now around my middle holding me in place.

While I'll admit that it's nice to feel all that muscle surrounding me, I was cautious in letting myself get too excited about it. Ranger's the king of sexual build-up. He'd make me boneless and brain dead, only to step back and watch me fall on my ass when he got tired of playing. It was always frustrating. And truth is ... it hurt.

I leaned back in his arms and put the spoons and my pint of ice cream down on the coffee table next to our wine glasses. I wasn't sure if I'd be getting back to either of them tonight. Ranger really is better than Ben, Jerry, and Häagen-Dazs combined, with about the same staying power as well. My time spent with ice cream or Ranger never lasted long. Either I hit the bottom of the carton, or an alarm rang in the morning. And I'm usually alone when one of those happened.

I pushed the thought to the back of my mind and focused on the man whose lap I was currently occupying. Damn. That didn't sound good at, since Ranger's is the only lap I want to occupy for the rest of my life.

"Did you come all the way over here tonight just to tease me?" I asked him.

"No. I came over to find out why you were back at Morelli's house after steering clear of it."

"My tracker's again?"

"Yes."

"Don't you guys have more important things to monitor than me?"

"No," Ranger said again.

Okay, I'm important to him. That's good. But not good enough anymore. And I know the only way for me to get what I want is to find my balls and spit out exactly how I'd like our relationship to change.

I turned my head slightly and looked straight into the dark eyes that have haunted me since the day Ranger told me that he was going to ruin me for all other men. He succeeded. Morelli wasn't cutting it, no guy at Giovichinni's made my body throb, and not even the testosterone treats at Rangeman - the ones Ranger passes off as security experts to the general public - made my blood heat up and my breathing stop.

Nope, only this man did all of those things to me, with very little effort on his part I might add. Now, I can either fight for him or get over him. And my current Morelli mess proved that getting over Ranger isn't likely to happen any time soon.

Fighting it's going to have to be.

"Now you know why I was at Morelli's, does that change anything?" I asked him.

"Yes."

"Do you think you can use more than one word for this particular answer?"

"I could," he said, his mouth hinting at a smile.

"Ranger ..."

"Sorry, Babe. What would you like to know first?" He asked, his arms tightening, slowly drawing me closer.

"I know how good you are in a crisis, in a bed, and in the shower," I said to him. "Would you like the opportunity to prove that you're good for more than just one night?"

Ranger didn't look away from me, nor did he have to think about my question for very long.

"Yes."

Sure, it was one word again, but what more did I need? We can always iron out the details after I had a few opportunities of my own to ravage him.

I shifted in his hold and straddled his thighs, finally giving in to the needs of both of us. Ranger didn't hesitate when my mouth covered his. His hands went to my hips, pressing my body tightly to his as he slanted his head to deepen the kiss.

I'm the one on top, and Ranger's still the one in control. Go figure.

When my hips started moving steadily against his, Ranger stopped kissing me and drew his head back.

"Not again," I whispered, not hiding my irritation with him or the situation.

I thought this was a sure thing this time.

"Don't worry, Babe. I plan on taking you into that bedroom and not letting you out of it until I'm sure you're too exhausted to even think of running back to Morelli again."

"You know I'm not likely to run anywhere, Ranger, least of all to Joe. And besides, if you're in my bed I'm not going to leave it for any reason."

"I wouldn't say that just yet if I were you, Steph. You have no idea what I have in store for you," Ranger said, gently biting my ear after whispering his threat into it.

"Bring it on, Batman," I said, leaning in to kiss him again.

He evaded my lips before I could make contact, and I blew out a very frustrated breath. He definitely came over here to tease me today.

Ranger's mouth grinned, but his eyes were dead serious.

"If you want to ask me anything else," Ranger said, "now would be the time. Once we leave this couch, your mouth will be otherwise occupied."

"Big talk," I said, pressing a kiss to his jaw now that he decided to hold still for a minute.

"All true, Babe."

Having Ranger naked and to myself for more than a night wasn't a scary proposition anymore. It's now like a dream come true. The only thing, aside from Morelli showing up, that would freak me out is if Ranger left me in the morning. Hmm ... maybe there is one thing I needed to know. Maybe even two.

"Will you still be here when the sun comes up tomorrow?" I asked Ranger.

He stilled, his body language no longer playful.

Uh-oh.

"Is that what you're worried about?"

"Yeah," I told him.

"Did you forget that you've left me a few times yourself?" Ranger said to me. "You were the one to walk out of my apartment a couple of times after sleeping with me."

Shit. He was right. I was guilty of fucking up a couple of our chances to be together, too.

"God, we're stupid," I said to him finally, hiding my face in his neck.

His hands came off my hips as he hugged me to his chest.

"Yes, we were," he told me.

I lifted my head and looked at him again.

"Do you love me?" I asked him point blank.

He opened his mouth to say something, but I covered his lips with my hand.

"Before you say anything," I told Ranger, "I want you to know that I do love you, and not just as a friend or mentor. I love the man you have finally let me get to know. I want you to be able to say that you love me in the same way, but I'm willing to be patient to hear it back if you believe it is possible. I refuse to throw myself at you, but I am okay with trying to make a real relationship work between us if you're serious about me."

"You don't have to wait for anything, Stephanie. I have loved you that way almost since the day I met you. And nothing has been able to change that."

"Did you want it changed?" I asked him.

"Honestly ... yes. There was a time when I thought it would have been easier for both of us if it could. Now I'm glad my feelings towards you haven't changed at all. That's why it was important for me to know if Morelli had weaseled his way back into your life."

"He hasn't," I told Ranger. "And he won't. I have room for only one man in my life now and you're it."

"Good, because I will take Morelli out if he tries anything with you."

"What would have happened if you came here today and found out that Joe and I were back together?"

"I would have killed him, and then I would've spent every minute I had free with you so I could keep you from mourning the loss."

I narrowed my eyes, trying to decide if he was serious or not, but I gave up after a couple of seconds. I really didn't want to know if he was anyway.

"See, now I have to stay with you," I said to Ranger, going back to kissing every bit of his skin I could reach, "for Morelli's own good and all."

"Is that the only reason?"

"No," I said, smiling as we did a replay our earlier conversation. "But feel free to give me another reason to stay with you."

"It will be my pleasure, Babe."

"I have a feeling that it'll be my pleasure," I said, sliding my arms around his neck.

"That, too," Ranger told me.

He wrapped an arm low around my waist and stood up, carrying me towards my bedroom. Guess we were done talking.

I lost my tank top en route, and as soon as I wound my legs around Ranger's waist to keep myself from sliding, Ranger's fingers started creeping up the legs of my shorts. I was already wet for him when we reached the door of my room. Ranger dropped me onto the bed and removed my shorts in one smooth move.

I was left flat on my back on the mattress with Ranger - who'd been nice enough to toss his shirt after I lost the last of my pj's - looking his fill. Usually when I'm naked, I'm either under the covers or under somebody, so I wasn't completely comfortable with Ranger flat-out staring at my body considering the perfection of his.

I made a move for the blanket, but Ranger stopped me.

"You don't have to hide anything from me, Stephanie," Ranger said, his gaze moving from my skin to my eyes.

"I ..."

"Babe," Ranger said, interrupting what was no doubt going to be a stupid explanation, "there is no part of your body, or your mind, that I have a problem with. Your body, your scars, your attitude, and your horrible eating habits are what make you the woman you are now. The woman I want and love. My woman."

"Was that a compliment?" I asked. "I mean, I like the 'my woman' part because I am your woman, but what you said about my attitude and snack choices didn't sound very complimentary to me."

"I can come up with at least five compliments off the top of my head for every inch of you, Stephanie," Ranger said to me. "But I think you'd rather I use the time to show you just how much I do love you instead."

"You know me so well," I said, tracing his lips with my fingertip.

Pretty words are good, but I know from experience that Ranger's actions can top every one of them.

Ranger bent his head and started kissing the parts of my body that I'd always felt were just average. My mouth was okay, but not memorable in my opinion. Ranger obviously thought differently, because he spent a good amount of time kissing the hell out of it. My breasts were good, but no one would ever accuse them of being fake. That didn't give Ranger a moment's pause. The tops of them, the undersides of both, as well as my nipples felt well compensated for not being totally perfect. And Ranger kissed, licked, and soothed the new bruises I'd acquired today, along with the scars on my arms and lower body that I'm forever stuck with that have, in the past, made me feel a little self-conscious. By the time Ranger lowered his body onto mine and came into me, joining our bodies finally, I felt beautiful, understood, and most of all ... loved.