Disclaimer: I'm not making any profit, just having some fun. The characters belong to Janet Evanovich as do any recognizable settings.

I try to edit closely but there will be mistakes. Since this is just a hobby I don't worry too much about small mistakes.

Spoilers for up to book 20 just in case

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"Do you want a bottle of water?" Ranger asked.

"Ummmm...no."

"You don't sound too sure about that."

I ignored Ranger standing in the kitchen and walked across my apartment to the bathroom. I caught a glimpse of him putting a gun on the counter before I closed the door. I lowered the lid of the toilet mindful of Ranger's excellent hearing and sat down. The theme song from the Twilight Zone kept playing through my mind. It seemed fitting considering Ranger and I had just caught Lindy and Joe kissing behind the police station when we dropped off Sanchez.

When Joe realized they'd been caught he'd looked a little worried. I also noticed Lindy looked completely glassy eyed and head over heels. I understood how she felt Joe had effect. I'd been unable to resist him for years. In some way I think he'd always have a hold on me. I like to think he felt the same way. Was that what was bothering me? I thought it over for a minute and decided that wasn't it.

My problem was in the next room. My problem was Ranger. I was confused by his behavior. What was going on with him? He'd been showing up here at night for a couple of weeks. At first it was just to visit and maybe steal a kiss. More recently the visits had been sleepovers. An image of Ranger in boxer briefs walking across my bedroom flashed through my mind. There was a smug look on his face. He was cocky, sure of himself.

"Oh my god. He's doing it on purpose," I said smacking my forehead with the palm of my hand.

He had been planning that whole little scene. Ranger didn't wear underwear. Ever. He did occasionally wear silk boxers to bed when we spent the night together but not always. When we'd shared the bed in Atlantic City he'd been naked. Of course he planned it. Ranger planned everything. He wasn't like me. I relied on luck. Ranger was calculating and always prepared.

I leaned forward and rested my arms on my knees. I was missing a piece of the puzzle. It wasn't complete. Ranger wouldn't work this hard without a clear objective. I squeezed my eyes shut and thought about my most recent encounters with Ranger. Last night he'd shown up at a little after midnight and crawled in bed. He said there was a break in but I knew that Ranger very rarely went to these calls. Usually he'd follow up with the customers but he didn't answer the alarms.

Then this morning we'd been so close to having sex. He'd been frustrated when we were interrupted. It was different from the night on the couch when we'd been watching Star Wars. He'd been controlled, he announced the takedown at the pawn shop with out remorse. It was all a part of his plan. Applying pressure he called it. This morning it was different he hasn't expected that call from the Control Room. He hadn't planned it. I got the feeling he hadn't planned anything that happened this morning.

My Spidey-sense was working double time. Something was going on with Ranger and I was about to find out what. I reached into my back pocket and pulled out my phone. I paused a minute remembering Ranger had given me this phone. That meant he could access the data from it anytime he wanted. That only slowed me down for a couple seconds I figured Cal had a Rangeman issued phone too. So no matter what Ranger had free reign over monitoring our communication.

I scrolled down to Cal's name and opened the text window.

Did Hal get stuck in the elevator yesterday?

A few seconds later the phone vibrated in my hand indicating I had a text.

Yes. Manny has it on tape. He tried pushing buttons and jumping up and down before he called for help. Tank and Ranger had to pull him out because he started to freak.

A knock on the door startled me and I jumped up from the toilet dropping my cell phone on the floor. I saw a small pieces of glass scatter across the floor and a in a moment of panic I bent forward trying to gather them together out of sight. When I bent forward I lost my balance. This resulted in my landing on my knees bracing my upper body on my hands. a couple of seconds later I saw blood staining the bath mat I'd tripped over.

"Shit!"

The door slammed open and a second later Ranger was on the floor in front of me. "You're bleeding. Where are you hurt?"

I heard him talking but I was staring at my hand. It was throbbing and I could feel my heartbeating across my palm. Ranger said my name with a little force. This time I managed to focus my eyes on his. He took a deep breath and I imitated him we did this a couple more times before I lifted my hand to show him the injury.

"I broke my phone," I said.

"I'll buy you a new one," Ranger responded taking it from my other hand a pitching it in the trash can. "There's a lot of blood. Let's clean it up you might need stitches."

I shook my head furiously and bit my lip in an attempt to hold back tears. Ranger helped me stand up next to the sink. He grabbed the towel off the hook and dampened the corner. The touch of the towel to my palm stung and yanked my hand back giving him a death glare.

"Let me see," he said in a soothing voice.

I have him a skeptical look but didn't move. When he reached out to take my hand I jerked it away tucking it close to my chest. I realized how silly it was and I sighed offering my hand to him.

"I won't hurt you. I swear." Ranger wiped away some of the blood from the cut. "You may not need stitches but I'm not sure. A trip to the ER would be a good idea."

"No I think its okay. It's just small cut," I argued.

When I looked at my hand I noticed the spot that was clean a few seconds before was bloody. I blew out a breath and nodded. "Yeah I guess it wouldn't hurt see a doctor."

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"Stephanie Plum!"

"Wha-"

"Relax they're calling you back," Ranger said.

"Oh," I said realizing we were in emergency room's waiting area and that I'd fallen asleep on Ranger's shoulder. I looked down at my injured hand still wrapped in the stained hand towel. I remembered how gently he'd held my hand when he helped me wrap the towel on tight to stop the bleeding. Then when I couldn't fill out the hospital forms he did it for me. That must have when I fell asleep. I glanced at Ranger's face he looked tired too.

"You don't have to stay I can call my Dad or catch a cab home."

"It's two in the morning. Your Dad is asleep and it's too dangerous to take a cab alone this late."

"Two? How long have we been waiting?" I asked looking around for a clock.

"Just over an hour and a half," Ranger said.

"Stephanie Plum?" The nurse called out again.

Ranger pressed a quick kiss to my temple and stood. He made eye contact with the nurse in the doorway. She locked eyes with him and glanced at her watch. When we reached he door she stepped aside directed us into one of the exam rooms.

"I'm Doris the lead nurse tonight."

Doris was all business. She was a plump middle age lady dressed in bright purple scrubs. She had bottle blonde hair styled in tight curls. She wore a pair of leopard print reading glasses on a hot pink cord around her neck.

"So Ms. Plum what seems to be the problem?" she asked me flipping through some papers on a clipboard.

"I cut my hand and I think I might need stitches."

Doris sat clip board on the counter and walked over to the exam table where I was seated. Ranger was hovering over me one of his hands squeezing my shoulder. She gave him a glare and he took a step back. Doris took a step forward and glared at him again. Ranger took another step back. Doris sighed and took another step closer to me.

"Mr. Plum maybe you'd be more comfortable in the waiting room."

"I'm fine waiting with Stephanie," Ranger replied.

"Then I'll have to ask you to have sit over there," Doris said pointing to a chair in the corner of the room. Ranger stepped out of the way and to my surprise he sat where he was directed. Doris gave me a little wink and slid her reading glasses. She pulled a pair of gloves from the pocket of her smock, snapped them on and went about the business of cleaning the blood from my hand.

"It doesn't look too bad," Doris said. "I'll get the doctor in here and we'll get you fixed up."

As soon as the door swished closed I looked over my shoulder at Ranger. He was sitting obediently in the corner. He gave a quiet chuckle and shook his head.

"She called you Mr. Plum."

Ranger pushed out of the chair and came to stand next to me. He took my injured hand in his inspecting it carefully. He kissed my wrist and gently sat it back on my thigh.

"She thought we were married," he said. "If I'd pointed out I wasn't Mr. Plum she would have sent me back to the waiting room."

I didn't like the idea of Ranger leaving me alone. I looked down at my hand and wondered how many stitches I would need. The nurse said it didn't look too bad. Maybe I'd only need a couple. If they did the stitches I'd have to have a shot to deaden the spot. I felt a big tear run down my check. I just wanted to go home and curl up in bed with Ranger.

"Babe'," Ranger whispered.

I looked up into his handsome face. He was so brave and kind. I wondered what he saw in me. What was it that made him want to spend time with me?

"Don't worry I'm going to stay right here," he said. "I think they can just use Dermabond. It's a lot less painful than stitches and it won't itch as it heals. When the doctor comes in we can ask."

The door swung open and Doris rushed inside followed by a kid in a white coat that looked more like a senior in High School than a doctor. He went to the sink and washed his hands. Doris walked toward me and Ranger took a big step back. She nodded her approval and turned to me.

"Oh dear, now don't cry," she said patting my shoulder. "He's a good doctor. It'll be okay."

"Hi, I'm Dr. Smart. Let's have a look," he said taking my hand in his. He turned my hand from side to side. He reached up and flipped on the big light over our heads. "It's a long cut but not very deep. Doris said you cut it when you dropped your cell phone?"

I nodded my head yes.

"I don't see any glass stuck in it. I don't think you need stiches. You did a good job stopping the be blood flow. Doris said it was wrapped in a good tourniquet.

I looked at Ranger over my shoulder. No doubt if he hadn't been with me I wouldn't have known what to do. Once again he was my hero.

I mouthed thank you to him and he gave me a gentle smile.

"Doris do we have any Dermabond in this exam room?"

Doris shuffled to the supply cabinet on the other side of the room and expertly pulled out a small tube. She handed it off to the doctor and smiled at me.

"If you don't need me Dr. Smart I'll go check on rooms three and five."

"Thanks Doris," Dr. Smart replied never looking away from where he was working on my hand.

"Goodnight Mr. and Mrs. Plum," Doris called as she hustled out the door.

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The sound of a phone ringing woke me the next morning. I felt Ranger shift off the bed. Then a few seconds later heard his muffled voice as he answered it walking into the next room. I cracked one eye open and looked at the clock. It wasn't quite eight o'clock. Ranger walked back into the room and I took a few seconds to admire his bare chest before I rolled over one the 1000 thread count sheets and squeezed my eyes shut.

"I saw you Babe," Ranger said sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"No you didn't."

"How's your hand?"

"It's okay; a little stiff."

"Think you might want breakfast?"

I was going to answer no but my stomach let out a huge growl first. Ranger laughed and pulled the covers off my head. He picked up my hand inspecting it the kissing it gently.

"I'm going to shower. Call Ella and ask for breakfast. I'll have my usual."

He went in the bathroom. A couple minutes later I heard the shower door close and the sound of water on the tiles. I knew he'd be done in five minutes so I rolled over and used the house phone to call Ella. After I ordered the usual Ranger breakfast I looked down at the black t-shirt I'd slept in and wondered if I could sneak it out to add to my collection.

My fingers kept getting stuck as I tried to comb them through my hair. That could only mean my morning look was complete. I'd needed to pull it back in a ponytail or risk scaring Ella to death when she brought up breakfast. I scurried into the living room and grabbed my purse. Then bolted back to the bedroom hoping Ella wouldn't catch me running around in my underwear.

The bathroom door opened and the scent of Bvlgari wafted across the room. A couple beats later Ranger walked out of the bathroom with a small white towel slung dangerously low across his hips. I watched him walk across the room. When he was just inside closet he dropped the towel giving me an excellent view of his delicious ass.

I checked my chin for drool and dug deep into my restraint to keep from jumping him. The door opened and Ella called good morning into the bedroom from the kitchen. I jumped from the bed and ran into the bathroom. It took a couple tries to jab my arms into the robe I always wore when I spent the night. I splashed water on my face and checked my hair, still scary. I yanked the ponytail down and managed to do a little better the second time. Convinced I look presentable I walked out to the kitchen. Ella was standing at the bar pouring coffee. When she saw me walking out of the bedroom she smiled and pored a second cup of coffee. She put the sugar and cream in front of the empty plate next to Ranger and hummed a little tune.

"Good morning," I said to Ella.

"Stephanie it's wonderful to see you again. Ranger said you had a little accident last night. How are you feeling today?" Ella asked.

"I feel fine. I just cut my hand. No big deal."

"We'll it's a good that you have such a nice young man to take care of you."

"Yes it is," I agreed.

Ella loaded a few dishes back on the tray and hurried from the apartment. When the door clicked closed Ranger lowered the newspaper and leveled a looked at me. I stopped smearing cream cheese on a bagel and looked back.

"I'm not nice."

"You're right you're a badass."

Ranger gave small nod and folded the newspaper. I finished smearing cream cheese on my bagel. We ate breakfast quietly. Ranger seemed distracted by something in the newspaper while I was plotting my walk of shame from the building. I knew no one would comment about our sleep over in front of Ranger. It wouldn't be acceptable. Punishment would be swift and direct. But, that wouldn't stop them from talking when we weren't listening.

"Earth to Babe."

"Huh?"

"There are some of your clothes in the closet. Try to be at your desk by ten."

"Okay."

"And Babe," Ranger grabbed the lapels of the robe and lifted me until my butt was no longer touching the barstool. "One more thing I'm also an opportunist."

He dragged closer to his month and kissed me. It felt like liquid heat traveling through my body straight to my doodah. When he pulled away I slid down his body back to the seat. My breathing was strained and I was seeing stars. Before I was fully aware of his absence I heard the keys clink against the silver dish.

"I have to go," he said. Then the door swished open and closed and I was alone.

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Thanks to everyone who asked about or wished me well with my wrist. I saw the orthopedic surgeon last week. He said I didn't need surgery but I needed to take it easy for a couple weeks. I hope you're all doing great. Fall is finally arrived here and the leaves are starting to change. This is by far my favorite season of the year. Until next time…