AN: So this is the end. I didn't really realize it until I was half way through writing it, but there you have it. I have enjoyed this story so much, but mostly because of all of you who took the time to read it and let me know your thoughts. You all are the bomb and make this whole writing experience twenty times more enjoyable.

I might come back from time to time with an update on where Steph and Ranger are in their lives, but for now – this is the end of their story.

Thanks again for reading along.

As always, I do not profit in any way shape or form – I only get to play with Ranger for fun.

MILD SMUT WARNING…..

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Anger, jealousy and regret exploded out from every pore of my body and then collided all together into one riotous emotion when I pulled into her parking lot and immediately spotted Morelli's green SUV. I whipped my Porsche into the empty space next to it but didn't cut the engine. I sat rigid in my seat, the car idling and my grip on the steering wheel growing quickly painful.

I should have known that son of a bitch would weasel his way back into her bed the second he smelled an opportunity. In that regard, Joe and I were very similar. I would have done the exact same thing had I been walking in his shoes.

It didn't stop me from wanting to charge up those stairs and beat the ever loving shit out of him.

It's my own fault, I realize that. I should have told her a long time ago. I should have told her the second I met her, but I waited too long and now the cop is back in her bed. You know what? Fuck Morelli. I don't want him anywhere near her ever again and its way past time I let her know. If I have to rip their naked bodies apart to get that done, then so be it.

I turned off my car, grabbed the box from the passenger seat beside me and slid out from behind the wheel. After I quietly shut the door, I glanced up at her window. The living room light was on and it was still pretty early so I was hoping they would be watching TV and not fucking but I needed to be prepared for either scenario.

When I hit the stairs I got out my phone and made a call. Normally I would call Tank for back up but he's had enough drama for one night. Hector answered on the second ring.

"Si?"

"I'm about to go talk to Stephanie."

"And?"

"Morelli is there. He's not going to like what I have to say."

"It's about time," Hector said softly.

I ignored him because he was absolutely right. "Are you available?"

"Ten minutes."

He disconnected and I tucked my phone back in my pocket and continued climbing to the second floor. When I reached her apartment, I took a few calming breaths to curb my anger. If they were naked beyond that door, it was going to take all of my self-control not to go completely ballistic. And probably Hector was going to have to get involved. Morelli had a short temper and this was going to light his fuse.

Hector would make sure Morelli survived.

I waited five minutes and then reached for my lock picking tools which of course I didn't have because I was in a fucking Armani suit. Shit. Well at least they'll have time to cover up. And since I knew she had company, I probably shouldn't let myself in anyway. I extended my hand and did what I've only done one or two times - I knocked on Stephanie's door.

A few beats passed before I heard the security chain slide back and then she was standing in front me, her blue eyes dancing with what looked like happiness.

"Hey," she said. "You feeling okay? You never knock." And then those turquoise orbs traveled down the length of me. I felt my cock twitch in response. After she'd had her fill she met my gaze and her eyes had darkened to an almost navy blue. "Shit. You look sexy as hell in that suit."

Again - fuck Morelli.

I grabbed her with my free hand and pulled her to me by the front of her tiny white tank top. I covered her mouth with mine and kissed the daylights out of her. Half of my mind was waiting for Joe to rip her from me and the other half was thinking if I didn't stop I was going to pull her shorts off and take her right in the threshold of the door.

I finally pulled away and rested my forehead against hers. "God, I missed you."

"So I noticed," she murmured and took a step back as I released my grip on her shirt. "I missed you too. Are you going to come in or are we going to scandalize the neighbors by getting naked in the hallway?"

"That's temping, but maybe I should come in."

She swung the door wide, holding it open so I could get by. The first thing I saw was Morelli's dog, looking like he was about ready to hurl.

"What's up with Bob?" His stomach was distended and he was panting like crazy.

"Oh shit," Steph said. "Don't you dare!" She pointed a finger at him and grabbed his leash hanging on a hook by the door. She quickly attached it to his collar and began tugging him toward the door. "I'll be right back."

I set the box I was holding down on her kitchen counter. "Babe," I said taking the leash from her. "Let me, you don't have any shoes on."

She glanced down at her feet and then back up at my face. "Are you sure? It's going to be bad."

"I can handle it." I ushered Bob out into the hall and we hightailed it to the stairs. Because I knew Stephanie would love it, I buckled him into the 911 and drove as fast as possible to Joyce Barnhardt's. I pulled up to the curb and her house was dark so I opened the door to let him out and he rocketed onto her lawn and proceeded to dump the biggest pile of shit I've ever seen. It looked like there was part of a tennis shoe, more than one cardboard Chinese food container, and a pair of panties in there. The dog had a serious eating disorder.

When he was done he trotted back to the Porsche and wagged his tail. "Good job, buddy." I buckled him in and we headed back to Steph's.

Hector stepped out of the shadows of the building when I unloaded Bob in the parking lot. He looked at the dog and gave me a raised eyebrow.

"Don't ask," I said.

He smiled and if I didn't know him, I would have found it a little terrifying. "I thought I would have to keep you from killing each other, but instead he has you walking his dog?"

Fucking Hector. "Alright, stop busting my chops. I'm pretty sure Morelli isn't even here."

Hector cuts his eyes to the green SUV and back to Bob. "The car and the dog, but no cop?"

"Looks like."

"Hopefully he's not on his way back here now."

"Yeah," I agreed and looked up at her window again. "I'm going to go find out."

"I'll hang for a while and send a message if I see any sign of him."

We bumped fists and I took Bob up the stairs. Stephanie was on the phone when we stepped inside her apartment, pacing the living room with a confused expression on her face. I listened to her half of the conversation, hoping it wasn't Morelli she was talking to.

"Okay….I won't…..yeah I promise…..are you sure you're okay?...right…..yeah, I'll see you tomorrow."

She disconnected and met my eyes. "That was Tank."

I felt my eyebrows shoot up. I figured he would have passed out by now.

"I know it isn't possible because you guys never lose control, but he sounded drunk."

Oh boy. "Yeah, he had a few too many tonight. What did he say?"

Bob trotted over to her and leaned against her legs. She bent down and scratched behind his ears. "I'm not really sure," she said, looking back at me. "He mumbled a lot but he did say, 'has he told you yet?' And 'don't let him leave without telling you'. Do you know what he means?"

Yes, yes I do. "I have a general idea."

She shot me an expectant look. "Have you eaten dinner?" I asked, not quite ready to spill my guts.

She narrowed her eyes but answered anyway. "Yeah. Bob and I had Chinese earlier."

"Well that explains the takeout boxes. And are you missing a shoe?"

Stephanie laughed and scratched Bob's head again. "Yes. And a pair of panties." She looked up me and smiled. "Bob has an eating disorder."

"A bad one," I said. "Speaking of Bob…where's Morelli?" Better get that out in the open before this goes any further.

Stephanie shrugged and plopped down onto the couch. Bob settle onto the floor at her feet. "I don't really know. He brought Bob by a couple of days ago and asked if I would watch him for a while. Said he had to go out of town for an undercover assignment."

Interesting. I hoped he would be gone indefinitely. "You watching his car as well?"

Stephanie made a face and tugged on her ponytail. "Well, mine blew up last week so he said I could use his until he got back."

I'd lost count of the cars she destroyed but I thought it had to be close to a dozen by now. "You could have called Tank," I said. "He would have brought you a car to use."

"Yeah, he offered actually, but I feel bad taking your cars, Ranger. They always end up in car heaven."

"No price, Babe. Remember?"

She smiled again and my heart may have skipped a beat. "I remember. What's the box about?" she asked pointing to the counter. I wondered how long it would take her. Stephanie is nothing if not nosy.

I grabbed it and walked it over to her. "I saw this and couldn't stop picturing you in it." I set it in her lap and she fingered the black bow holding it together as I sat down in the chair across from her. Bob popped his head up and sniffed but didn't smell food so he settled it back onto his front paws.

"You didn't have to get me anything," Steph said softly, looking up from her lap.

"I wanted to. Open it."

She untied the bow and lifted the lid. She stared at it a long time before meeting my eyes again.

"This is an Armani dress," she said incredulously.

"Yeah, I know," I answered with a small laugh. "It matches my suit."

Her eyes cut to my suit and then back up. "Why are you in a suit? I've never seen you dressed like this."

"I was at my sister's wedding."

"Oh. I think I remember Lester saying something about that. Is that where Tank got loaded?"

I smiled at her. She was just so curious about everything. "Put on the dress and I'll take you out for dessert."

She was the only person I knew whose eyes lit up at the mention of dessert. "Really?"

"Yeah, Babe," I laughed and she hopped up off the couch and practically ran to her bedroom.

"Give me fifteen minutes," she called over her shoulder and I sat back in the chair, happy to wait for her forever.

True to her word, she emerged fifteen minutes later and my mouth went dry at the sight of her. The dress was a halter style, the same deep charcoal of my suit with a slit down the front cut so low it almost touched her navel. There were two strips of material strategically covering her breasts and absolutely no back. I let my eyes slowly travel down her chest to her legs where the skirt part of the dress stopped just above her knees. My gazed raked over the bare skin of her calves to her feet encased in simple open toed dark silver heels. She did a little pirouette in front of me. "You like?" she asked when she spun back around to face me.

She'd let her hair down and it fell in soft curls around her face and she'd lightly touched up her make-up adding a layer of shining light pink gloss to her lips. Liking it wasn't the issue. I liked it so much I couldn't wait to get her out of it. I don't know what my face looked like but color tinted her cheeks under my gaze and she murmured, "I guess that's a yes."

I looked at her for another minute and then finally said, "Let's go before I make you take it off." She smiled and I took her hand and led her out of the apartment after she said good-bye to Bob and asked him not to eat her couch while we were gone.

We were quiet on the drive to Rossini's and I held her hand the whole way. She rubbed little circles on my skin with her thumb and just that small gesture had my cock standing at attention behind my zipper. I still can't get over how much she affects me.

When I pulled into the parking lot and cut the engine, I brought the hand I'd been holding to my crotch and settled it over my rock hard dick. A small gasp sounded from her throat and she turned to look at me. "Just wanted you to know how much I want you right now," I said and then moved her hand back to her own lap as I opened my door. She hadn't moved so I went around the front of the car and opened her door.

"You coming, Babe?" I asked and held out my hand for her.

"Not yet," she said under her breath and it made me falter for a second. We didn't really need dessert and in the 911 I could have us back to her place in less than ten minutes. It would only take me a second to get her out of that dress and I then I could be inside her where I've wanted to be since she opened the door to me tonight.

But then she was taking my hand and stepping out of the car. I didn't want to, but I could wait.

Mr. Rossini showed us to a mostly secluded booth at the back of the restaurant and I ordered her the tiramisu and also their house specialty - boysenberry cheesecake - just in case. We talked a little bit about what she'd been doing since I'd been gone but when she was half way through her tiramisu, I abruptly changed the subject.

"Is Morelli back in your bed, Steph?"

Her whole body went still and an impressive blank look that would rival any I could give fell into place. She stared at me for almost a full minute, her normally expressive face not revealing a thing.

Finally, after setting her fork down slowly, she said, "Does it matter?"

Here it is, the moment of truth. "Yes, it matters. Nothing else matters as much to me right now."

"Why, Ranger?" she whispered, her expression still not changing.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly before answering. "Because I want you in my bed, exclusively." I paused too long before finishing that statement and she opened her mouth to respond so I quickly cut her off. "Not only in my bed, Stephanie," I said shooting down the objection I knew was one her tongue. "In my life….and in my heart – permanently."

The blank face finally broke. Her eyes fluttered closed for a second before they opened again and met mine with a burning intensity. "What took you so long?" she asked.

A smile started at the corners of my lips. "I'm an idiot" I said.

"Undoubtedly. Morelli is not in my bed. Hasn't been for a while now. Won't ever be again."

"That is excellent news," I said and I'm sure she could hear the relief in my voice. "This is pretty big," I added.

"Huge," she agreed. "You love me."

"I do," I confirmed. "And you love me."

"Always have," she confessed.

"I know."

"Was this what Tank was talking about earlier?"

"Yes."

"Tank is a smart man."

"Don't tell him that. He'll be impossible to work with because of the constant gloating." I looked down at her half eaten dessert. "Do you want to finish that, or can I take you home now?" I really wanted to take her home and take her out of that dress and take her – completely.

"To go box?"

I laughed out loud. "Naturally." I had our waiter box up her cheesecake and tiramisu and we left the restaurant holding hands. As soon as we stepped outside Stephanie pulled me into her arms and kissed my like she hadn't seen me in months.

"Wow," I muttered when she eventually pulled away. "What's in that tiramisu? Maybe I should go back in and get you some more for later if it's going to have that effect on you."

She actually glanced back at the restaurant as if she really wanted me to do just that but then grabbed my arm and pulled me to the Porsche. "Let's go," she demanded and I was more than willing to comply.

We buckled ourselves in the car and I took off for her apartment with my cock throbbing and Stephanie's hand on my thigh. When she moved her fingers to the distinct bulge between my legs I almost veered off the road. I cut my eyes to her but she was staring straight ahead and failing to hide the smirk on her face. I will immensely enjoy paying her back for that.

I screeched into her parking lot and the noise caused a couple of neighbor's heads to poke out of windows. Stephanie waved at them as I took her by the hand and practically dragged her to the elevator.

As soon as the door closed I hit the stop button and pulled her to me, covering her mouth with mine. She opened willingly to my probing tongue and as soon as mine touched hers I hiked her legs up my body and slid my hand under the skirt of her dress.

"Jesus, Babe," I muttered when I encountered nothing but bare skin. It was going to require monumental effort not to take her right in the elevator.

"The last few times I wore panties in your presence, you destroyed them so I figured I'd go commando."

I slid a finger inside her and muted her moan of pleasure with another kiss. "I approve," I said into her ear after dragging my mouth across her jaw. "In fact, I don't think you should ever wear underwear again."

A small laughed sounded from her throat and I hit the button to release the hold on the elevator. I kissed every inch of her I could until the door opened on her floor and then I scooped her up and onto my shoulder and carried her to her apartment.

Bob gave us a cursory glance when we got inside but went right back to sleep when we didn't stop to greet him. I took her directly to the bedroom and unclipped the hook at her neck holding the dress in place.

"I love this dress," she said as I slid it down her body, stopping only to taste a hardened nipple on my way down.

"It looks amazing on you," I told her, "but I'm more interested in what it looks like on the floor right now."

We glanced down together and the pool of material gathered at her feet and then I took in every part of her naked skin until our eyes met again. "Looks good on the floor," I said

"Let's see if your suit looks good there too." She licked her lips and then slid her hands inside my jacket and pushed it off my shoulders. I let if fall off my arms onto the floor and then she began slowly unbuttoning my shirt. When they were all undone, her hand glided over my chest, her nails dragging across my skin. I inhaled sharply when she bent over and kissed each of my nipples, gently biting each in turn.

"Do you have any idea how much I love you?" she asked touching my cheek briefly.

I buried my fingers into her silky curls."Probably as much as I love you," I told her running my hand through the length of it.

My shirt joined the jacket and her dress on the floor, I kicked off my shoes and socks and then we worked together to free me of my pants -no boxers, I was going commando too.

She kissed my chest running her open mouth over my hardened nipples and then she found my mouth again, plunging her tongue in quick and deep. I wrapped my arms around her and fell back onto the bed, pulling her on top of me. She anchored her knees on either side of my hips and without any warning, used her hands to guide my rock hard erection inside her. My back arched up off the bed, trying to send myself as deep as possible into her.

My hands raced over her shoulders, her breasts, her thighs, silently coaxing her into a rhythm.

I could feel her arousal building as she increased the tempo and then she collapsed against my chest placing fervent kisses across my lips, my nose, my eyes.

I grabbed her hips holding her tightly as I speared deeper inside again and again.

Her fingers curled into the flesh of my shoulders as her orgasm began to shoot through her body, she convulsed over and over and the constant contraction quickly brought about my own release on a barely contained groan of ecstasy.

We held each other, tightly pressed together for a very long time, but gradually moved apart and she rolled onto her side. She kept herself flush with me, her head resting on my chest and that's how we stayed as we drifted off to sleep.

#####

A raging hard-on and Stephanie's lips pressed to my neck awoke me from a deep and dreamless sleep the next morning.

"I want you," she said and then licked my neck. "I want you bad."

I made a vow to myself to always give her everything she wants so I rolled her onto her back and thrust into her balls deeps in one stroke. I dragged my open mouth across her jaw and nuzzled her neck. "Morning, Babe."

"Mmmmm," was her only response as I began to move inside her. It didn't take me long to get her to the point where she was chanting my name and demanding more strength and speed. Never one to disappoint, I complied until we came together is a rush of liquid heat. I didn't think I would ever get enough of her. I kissed her deeply and rolled to the side so I wouldn't crush her under my weight.

"What are your plans today?" She asked after our breathing leveled out.

"I hoped to stay naked in bed with you all day and fuck until we can't walk anymore. Why? Did you have something else in mind?"

"That's a good plan," she said with a laugh. "But Bob will have to go out eventually and I thought maybe we should check on Tank. I can't even imagine how much alcohol it took to get him that shitfaced so I'm guessing he's going to have a really gigantic hangover."

"You want to take him "the cure", don't you?"

"Yeah," she confessed, sitting up and staring down at me. "But I'm not sure how much he'll need. I'm guessing at least two large fries and maybe three cokes."

I couldn't help smiling at her. She was just so freaking awesome and I loved that she was worried about Tank. "Yeah, that's probably about right. Do you want to go now?" I looked at my watch and saw it was just after eight. I hadn't slept that late in years. It felt pretty good.

"After a shower," she said.

"Together?" I asked hopefully.

A little half grin tilted her lips. "That will probably be counter-productive, but I'm going to say yes."

I jumped out of bed, picking her up along the way.

The water ran cold long before I finished everything I wanted to do to her in the shower so we were dressed and heading out with Bob sooner than I thought. I was going to have to talk to her about moving into my apartment where there was an endless supply of hot water.

"We're going to have to take Joe's truck," Steph said when we hit the stairs. Can't fit Bob and us in the Porsche."

Damn. I did not want to be anywhere near anything that belonged to Morelli, but she was right. And then I thought about fucking Steph in that truck and that made me smile. That would piss the shit out of Joe. Awesome.

"You just got a really wicked look in your eye. What are you thinking?"

"How you will look naked and draped across the back seat of Morelli's car," I said. I'd never lied to her before, why start now?

"Ranger!" Steph exclaimed and she unlocked the Tahoe. "We are not doing it in Joe's car!"

"Wanna bet?" I challenged and then snatched the keys from her. I was going to drive his car too. That would also piss him off. This was going to be a fun day.

We drove Bob back to Joyce's house and let him do his business on her lawn again and then picked up a shitload of fries and coke for the hung over Tank. When I pulled up to the curb at his house, I cut the engine, hauled Stephanie into my lap and proceeded to get started on defiling Morelli's vehicle.

I almost had her top off before she came to her senses and extracted herself forcefully from my embrace.

"You are an evil, evil man," she said as she adjusted her clothes.

"Yeah. But you still love me."

She couldn't stop the grin from forming. "Yes, I do. And you're lucky about that."

"I know, Babe. Believe me I know."

As we got out of the car and headed up the walk to Tank's door, I thought about how right she was. I was one lucky fucking bastard that she waited until I got my head out of my ass and finally took one of the many opportunities afforded me to tell her how I feel about her.

And I was going to spend the rest of our lives proving I was worth the wait.