Okay, so I'm finally posting! Yay! Trust me, I'm just as excited as you are. Hopefully the muse has enjoyed the time away because I'm ready to start writing again!

As usual, none of this is mine. All I own is the plot. Janet owns the rest.

Please enjoy!

My favorite time of the year is fall. The leaves are changing; the weather starts to cool, and of course, Halloween. Grandma Mazur and I go all out with decorations and outfits. Last year, Grandma was a Pussycat Doll. I didn't even know she knew who they were.

My mother wasn't happy at all. I'm pretty sure she was drunk the entire night.

Anyway…

Winter, however, is my least favorite.

Don't get me wrong, I love the snow, the chilly nights by a fire with a cup of cocoa, and Christmas. But when you set off three car alarms trying to get to your car without slipping on the ice (grabbing for dear life is NOT fun), that's where I draw the line.

My name is Stephanie Plum. I'm currently working as a bounty hunter and nothing is changing any time soon. I'm getting pretty good at it, and working my way to almost great. I put a few more swipes of mascara to make my blue eyes pop, stuffed my curly brown hair into my pink hat, pulled on my fake Uggs and coat and headed out.

"Hey girl." Lula said when I walked through the Bonds office door. Thankfully the new building was finished before winter hit and we could move out of Mooner's bus. Mooner is a nice guy, but he was making so many brownies, we were getting a contact high. Lula's hair was a natural color of honey blond, which matched her skin and gold tube top, fuzzy jacket and black spandex pants. Oddly, that worked for her. Connie and I are always worried that the spandex will bust, but it hasn't happened yet.

I dropped the Tasty Pastry box down on Connie's desk and hung my coat on the back of the chair. "Damn snow." I grunted.

"Rough morning?" Connie asked. She was putting a nice blood red polish on her nails. Connie was Vinnie's secretary. She was the front line to his bookies, hookers and his father in law, Harry the Hammer. She was all Italian with more hair, more bust and more Family connections than I could ever hope to have.

"You could say that." I took a Boston Crème and plopped into the chair across from Connie's desk. "I set off a few car alarms and a few of the residents called the police. It took me an hour to get them to believe me."

"Dumb ass cops." Lula huffed. She came over and picked up a glazed. "What are they actually good for, when they go after innocent people?"

"They go after the bad guys with guns. You know, the ones we run away from?" I said to her.

"Hunh."

"Great," Connie sighed. "There's another big storm coming our way."

"How much snow this time?" I asked.

"Twenty inches."

We all groaned.

"I don't know how much more of this I can take." Connie sighed.

"This is Trenton in January." I looked at Connie hopefully. "Any skips for me?"

"Nope. Snow's kept crime down. Anyone who did have a court date is sitting in jail trying to keep warm."

We all sat there, silent.

"What we need is a vacation." Lula said.

"And how do we do that?" Connie asked. "Vinnie has me chained to this desk."

"No one is going to miss their court date in this weather, so keeping this place open is actually costing more money than it would be closed. If we're not here, then Vinnie doesn't have to pay us."

"She's got a point." I said.

"How are we going to get this past Vinnie? He won't shut this place down."

"Talk to Harry. He's still got his steel toed boots on Vinnie's nuts, right?" Lula asked. "Tell him that it would be good to let us take a few weeks off, you know, for morale or something and cheap. He won't have to pay anyone."

We all thought about this. After Vinnie was caught with the hooker, it was a miracle that he got back together with Lucile. Now Harry knew his every move and has more of a say in the office.

"That's really not a bad idea." Connie said after a minute. "Vinnie's not going to want to go against Harry. All we have to do is get Harry on our side." She picked up the phone and called him.

"I can't believe she's doing it now!" Lula was bouncing in her seat. "Just think about it. Two weeks on the beach. Just men, alcohol, and no skips!"

"If we can get his approval, how are we going to pay for it?"

Lula's face dropped a little. "Damn, I forgot about that."

Connie put down the phone with a small click. Her face was pale.

"Well?" Lula asked. "What did he say?"

"He said he liked the idea. I don't believe it. We can go."

"Woohoo!" Lula was dancing around the office.

Me, being the voice of reason, asked, "And how are we going to pay for this?"

"Pay for what?" A voice behind me asked. I felt the tingle running up my spine. Ranger was behind me.

Ricardo Carlos Manoso, aka Ranger to everyone, Carlos to his friends, was one of the small complications in my life. He's my mentor, my sometimes boss, and my lover. I don't like to talk about the last one because it's a little embarrassing and it gets me all hot and bothered. He loves me in his own way and his jar of black secrets that keeps us from anything more than described. I think he's trying to protect me and himself but for now, we have somehow settled into an easy friendship that we're both happy with.

He was dressed in all black today with a black pea coat hanging on him just so. Ranger looked sexy. But the man could pull off anything.

"We're going on vacation!" Lula exclaimed.

Without turning around, I knew there'd be a hint of a smile on his face.

"As soon as we figure out a way to afford it." Connie said. "Damn, and I was getting excited."

"I have a time share in Miami that you can use."

"Really? And you don't mind?" Lula looked hopeful.

"How much for two weeks?" Connie asked, pulling out a calculator.

I wasn't sure I'd be able to cover any share of the cost. I bit my lip and counted all the money I had.

"Nothing. Some of the guys were already going to head down there so it's already covered. I was going to go, but we're getting some new clients that I have to be here for. Now it won't be going to waste."

"You're sure? We don't want you to change your mind and end up in a third world country." Lula said.

Ranger just smiled. "I'm sure. Its better if you guys use it if I'm going to be stuck here. Plus someone has to keep the guys in check."

I just rolled my eyes. Like the guys would ever go off the deep end. Of course with Lula there, they might think about it. I snickered for a moment on that picture then rejoined the conversation.

"I don't know." I said. I didn't like that Ranger was just offering us this. I trusted Ranger and knew there was no catch, but I'm a very independent person. I liked to take care of myself, thankyouverymuch. And him just giving us this gift seemed like too much for nothing in return.

Connie and Lula were googling the house and not paying attention to Ranger and me.

"No price, Babe." Ranger whispered in my ear.

I raised my eyebrows. "How…?"

"It's all over your face." He kneeled down in front of me. "You deserve a vacation. There are no strings so don't worry about owing me."

"I don't want a free ride just because you have money and I don't want you to think I'm only your friend because of your money and…"

He put a finger on my lips. "Just go, Stephanie. You know you want to."

He was right. I did. So bad in fact that I would've taken the strings. That's the problem with Ranger. He knows just how to push my buttons to make me do whatever he wants.

Not that I was particularly complaining. We're talking Miami here.

"Girl, come look at this house!"

I went around the desk and looked over her shoulder. "Wow that is really nice." I looked at Ranger. "You're absolutely sure?"

He nodded.

Connie and Lula looked at me. I knew they had already decided to take Ranger up on his offer. Now they just needed me to say yes so they wouldn't feel guilty.

I bit my lip, then sighed. "Okay. Let's go."

"Woohoo!" Lula yelled. "This is gonna be great. Miami here we come!"

Connie and Lula were dancing around the office. Again.

I sighed.

Ranger came over to me, grinning. He put an arm around my shoulders. "I knew you'd cave."

"How?"

He looked at me blankly. "Babe."

I sighed again. "Because you knew that I couldn't pass up the trip?"

"Yup."

Figures. I'm so easy.

His grin widened. "I wish."

I just rolled my eyes.