Beautiful Man

A not so happy or romantic but short love story. The road to true love can be crooked, tricky and challenging. Stephanie Plum may be a coward but is she really that foolish? And what exactly is the Man of Mystery thinking? Theme Song: Somebody That I Used To Know by Gotye.

Title: Beautiful Man
Category: Books » Janet Evanovich
Author: Two Guns and a Knife
Language: English, Rating: Rated: M
Genre: Drama/Romance
Published: 07-28-12, Updated: 07-28-12
Chapters: 1, Words: 670

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Chapter 1: Bleak Night

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Bleak Night

She unlocks the door of her small shabby untidy apartment and steps inside. She has just brought in a vicious biting kicking screaming skip, and for once everything is peachy and fine. Her t-shirt and jeans aren't torn. She's not bruised or covered in food and trash. Her current crappy car is still very alive, and she now has enough money to pay her rent. She thinks about doing a happy dance, but quickly decides she's too tired and wretched for that. She's got enough fun for one day even by her unorthodox standard. She sticks her head into the kitchen to check on her pet and continues her journey to the bedroom. Her cold murky lonely bedroom. She lets out a sigh and lies face-down on the squeaking narrow queen-size bed. She's all for being a tough strong woman. But she will be shamelessly lying to the whole Goddamn world and herself if she says she enjoys her solitude and independence. She hates being alone. She hates having to be on her own. She hates her too empty and complicated life. She hasn't kissed or been kissed for 91 days. She hasn't had sex for 1896 hours. And now she's dying and aching to feel a warm body next to her. A warm muscular body. A naked perfect body. An all too familiar body with smooth flawless Mocha Latte skin. The body 

belongs to the man she desperately wants but dares not have.

Because the price will—may—be too high.

She hides her face in her pillow and tries not to cry. She can't help feeling sorry for herself. Even though she knows she's the only one to blame. She has made too many irresponsible excuses. She has made too many foolish—no, idiotic decisions and stunning mistakes. And now it's too late. Her pride and dignity are the only things she has left. And they are stubbornly standing in her path. She's going to be 34 years old in less than 5 months, but her life is still a tangled mess. She doesn't have a decent car. She doesn't have a house of her own. She doesn't have food in her fridge and cabinets. She doesn't have money in the bank. And she doesn't know what to do or where to go. She has lost her way.

She closes her eyes and listens to the deafening silence. Loneliness. Helplessness. Hopelessness. Worries. Fear. She hates feeling weak. She always wants to be brave. But sadly she's never been smart and courageous enough to break free and break away from all her restraints. She just stood aside and watched herself become a prisoner of routines and old habits as time went by. She needs help. She needs love. She needs company and guidance. She wants happiness. But she also needs and wants to stay in her comfort zone. She doesn't want to cut ties with her small familiar world. She's not sure if she's ready for for amazing adventures. She's too scared to find out if she really has it in her to jump off the cliff and fly and soar.

What if she falters?

What if she stumbles?

What if she fails?

What if no one is there to catch her when she drops and falls?

What if she gambles and loses it all?

How can she live if she can't have him?

How can she live if he doesn't want her?

How can she handle and deal with his rejection?

She tries not to think. She tries not to feel. She tries and tries to ignore the persistent longing in her gaping heart. She tries to pretend. She tries to deny. She tries to try and her tears finally fall as her heart cracks and breaks like a melting iceberg.

She sees no hope in her dim future.

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Chapter 2: Cold Light

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Cold Light

The worn pillowcase quietly absorbs her tears as her crying gradually ceases. She takes a moment to calm and collect herself. This is exactly the reason why she usually tries to avoid thinking about her future and life. It's way too depressing and always ends up in tears. Because once she opens the gate, the merciless flood of negative painful distressing thoughts, memories and facts will swallow her whole. She'll then be trapped in a swamp of self-pity, self-loathing and a sense of worthlessness for hours, days, or even weeks. A trip to the Land of Denial, on the contrary, is much more pleasant and easy. This is such a beautiful summer day, after all. No one should lock herself inside her small shabby rented home. Everyone should go to the beach and enjoy the sun and the smell of the sea instead of weeping like a child and feeling extremely sorry for herself. All your troubles will cease to exist the moment you turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to the world. She used to do that all the time, but now somehow she has gotten tired of the same meaningless trick.
It all started the day when Joe's kiss lost its charm.
It was just another typical pizza-ball game-beer-sex night. She had just finished her beer and second slice of pizza when Joe drew her into his arms and pressed his mouth against hers. She felt the touch of his parted lips. She felt the touch of his exploring tongue. She felt his desire. She felt his lust. But her heart, her soul, and the core of her being remained calm and numb. She felt no excitement. She felt no anticipation. She felt no passion. His kiss deepened. His eager hands moved under her shirt. He cupped her breasts. He pushed her down onto his chewed up couch. She, as always, didn't have to be a genius to knew what he wanted. Both the light and the TV were on, and she was torn in two. Her body wouldn't mind having an orgasm. But her brain simply wanted to watch the Yankees game. It didn't take long for her to make the obvious choice. She let Joe have his way. She didn't want to start another fight. And she had to fake in the end because she couldn't concentrate.
She closed her eyes to hide her true thoughts and real feelings. A part of her listened to Joe's moaning and ragged panting. A part of her kept focusing on Michael Kay's voice and cheering for the Yankees. She thought of Derek Jeter's charming smile. She thought of A-Rod's nice body. She thought of the ever so cute Eric Chavez. She inhaled and tasted the beer and garlic in Joe's breath and suddenly thought of Manny, Curt Schilling, Josh Beckett, and David Ortiz. She almost laughed out loud. And then it dawned on her that somehow their once enchanting kissing and magical lovemaking had become an almost boring routine. As if they had been married to each other for a thousand years. As if they had done both zillions and zillions times and thus lost interest. As if sex was but a duty and obligation to fulfill. Like taxes. Fucking annoying taxes. She quickly found an excuse afterward and did not spend the night. The first thing she did when she got home was taking a shower. A long, hot, thorough shower. She was in the middle of brushing her teeth when she realized she didn't initiated kisses or kiss Joe back. Not even once. And for some reason it made her feel a little bit gleeful and eerily relieved.
That was 91 days ago.
Of course Joe did not stop kissing her the very next day, and she didn't actually turn her face away whenever he leaned in. But she did stop counting them as kisses. Because they did not count. Not anymore. They were but a contact of tongues, teeth, and lips. There was no feelings or affection involved. She had no idea if Joe'd taken notice of her lack of response. She didn't even bother to try to close her eyes and pretend he was someone else. Her body was in his arms. Her heart was never there. It was away with that someone else. The man she desperately wants but dares not have.
Ranger.

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Chapter 3: Brave Wind

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Brave Wind

Ranger...
Silently she whispers his name. Her body shivers. Her heart aches. She hasn't seen him in a too long while, and now all of a sudden she misses him like Hell. She wonders if he's in Syria fighting side by side with the rebels against Assad. She prays he is safe. She wishes she knows when he will be back. She longs for the feel of his body. She misses the touch of his lips. She wakes up remembering the mornings she woke up in his arms. She recalls the nights they lay tangled in each other before falling asleep. She will always remember the beautiful intensity of his deep, almost black eyes. She will always remember his soft husky voice in her ear. Till the day she dies. Till her tears run dry. But will she ever have the courage to be completely honest with him? She feels like laughing at herself. Her stupid, old self. Her dim-witted and cowardly self that was so used to lies, excuses and denials. Maybe she should go have a shower. She slowly sits up and sighs another sigh. The weather is too stuffy. Her face is a mess. Just like her life.
She turns on the water and lets it run down her face. Too bad it can't wash away all her woes and sorrows. Maybe a new shower head will help lighten up her mood. But it will have to wait. She needs the money for food, gas, shoes and rent. And she has just replaced her locks and security chain not long ago...1908 hours ago. 79.5 days ago. The day after the very last time she had sex with Joe, to be exact. And that night's event gave a brand new meaning to break-up sex: the sexual activity that leads to a final break up between 2 unhappy friends with benefits. You can't be referred to as lovers when, in fact, there's no real love involved, she dries herself with a towel and again insists.
She had been trying to slowly drift away from Joe ever since her sudden realization. She let him hook his finger into her collar and peek at her breasts. She let him wrap his arm around her waist. She let him "kiss" her lips. She stepped back to break the contact after 8 to 10 seconds. She always had other plans when he suggested pizza, beer, ball game and sex. She's never good at confrontation and has problem expressing her true feelings. Because she, just like her mother and sister, is afraid to upset and always willing to please. Shirley, her whiner of a cousin, never ever stops whining about anything and everything, but she does make her feelings extremely clear, on the other hand. Now Shirley is happily living with Eddie and their kids, while both she and Val are still struggling to cope with their lives. And they used to roll their eyes and snort when they thought about Shirley and her ridiculous nickname.
She puts on the clean clothes, shakes her head at herself in disgust, and start blow-drying her hair. And then that night Joe came and let himself in. She was already fast asleep. He got undressed and climbed into bed. And it was too late when she finally jerked awake. She blinked. She gasped. She pushed and shoved at the weight on top of her. Her fingers felt hair. She recognized the familiar mixture of cologne, garlic and sweat. She felt shocked and ashamed at her body's betrayal. She sensed his smile in the dim darkness. She became anger. She was enraged. Tears did not flow down her face. Her voice didn't crack. She knew everything had come to an end.
"Get out." She calmly—if not coldly—said. "We are done"
"Cupcake?" His smile faltered as he frowned in confusion, "Steph?"
"Get out, Joe." She said again, no longer feeling like slapping him across the face with all her strength. "It's over between us. Now get out. And don't come back."
"Oh, come on," He laughed. "You know you enjoyed it too."
She turned on the bedside light and got out of bed. She picked up his jeans, threw them at him, and pointed his gun at him. Her little tank top was still there. But she was not wearing her panties. "Get out. Now."
Something in her flat emotionless voice registered in his brain. He realizes his mistake. He didn't understand her fury and contempt. He became angry, felt humiliated, and left. Without leaving her keys or a backward glance. She went for another shower. She scrubbed herself clean. She made herself coffee. She didn't add sugar and cream. She drank the hot liquid. She felt hungry. She couldn't eat anything. She felt cheap. She felt easy. She felt sad. She felt relieved. She thought of all the time she had wasted. She didn't shed a tear. She was glad of it.
And she changed the locks and security chain the very next day.
She exhales a long breath. She can hear Rex running in his hamster wheel. She stops thinking about Joe Morelli and his boiling anger. It's no longer her business. She goes into the living room and turns on the TV. She watches the international news in silence. She thinks of Ranger. She wonders if she will ever be brave and smart enough to decipher the conflicting and confusing messages he gave her over the years. He's not exactly family material. He doesn't do relationship. His love doesn't come with a ring. He loves her in his own way. He doesn't share. There's no price for what they gave each other. And once she's in the Batcave, it's forever. She closes her eyes and thinks of the things he wants and doesn't want in life. Porsches, Mercedes, BMWs, badass trucks, and fine red wine. The unspoken words in his amused, serene gaze.
She was dreaming about Ranger that night. They were together in his heavenly king-size bed. Naked. The shock and disappointment she felt. The hurt and pain she experienced. The gaping hollow in her heart when she looked up and saw Morelli's grin. Why the freaking Hell is her life so complicated? She holds her head in her hands. She knows she'll probably start crying any minute. She widens her eyes and almost sprains her neck as she turns to look at her front door.

"Deep thoughts, babe?"

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Chapter 4: Frozen Breath

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Frozen Breath

Is he thinner? Is his hair longer? Did somebody shoot at him? Is he hurt? Where has he been? Is everything OK? Is he OK?
Thousands and thousands of questions rush into her head and make her dizzy. She's almost overwhelmed by her raging emotions. She's so glad he's back. She's so glad he's here. She's also afraid of the questions he may ask. What has he heard? What will he say? Why is he here? What should she do? What should she say? She tries to remain calm and assertive(like Cesar Millan, the Dog Whisperer, said) as Ranger starts walking toward her. She can't take her eyes off him. He doesn't appear to be hurt. She's grateful he's not walking with a limp. She doesn't want to burst into tears in front of him. Even if they are happy tears. Lord, how she's missed him. How she loves him. How she needs him. Ranger sits down beside her. She blinks and winces as her crappy couch squeaks like a startled zombie under his weight. The corner of his mouth twists up a bit. "Hey," She gives him a feeble smile and finally says. He looks like sin in black. And he, as usual, smells like Heaven. "How's business?"
"Got a call from Morelli when I got back this morning." Ranger says in a tone she can't decipher.
She turns her eyes away. She doesn't want to talk about Morelli. She doesn't want to think of Morelli. Why can't Morelli just evaporate into thin air without a trace and cease to exist? So that she can forget about him, about that night, about everything. She still startles awake from her nap. She still feels ashamed. She still feels unsafe. She still feels unclean. She keeps her bedside light on all night long, and has started thinking about having her niece's old softball bat within reach. And she hates herself for being weak, scared and silly. She knows Ranger is still waiting. But she has no idea what or how to tell him. It's not that she was raped or assaulted. Joe did have her keys. And they were still in a relationship. Well, sort of. She was still trying to figure out a way to break up with Joe without causing any hard feelings, resentment, drama, or complicacy. And he did not actually hurt her. At least not physically. But still.
She wonders what Morelli said. She's dying to know but is afraid to ask. It wouldn't be anything pleasant, she's sure of that. It was probably a threat or warning. Or even heated accusations. She wants to know how Ranger feels about it. She needs to know what he thinks. She knows it sounds stupid, but her future does rely on his thoughts and decisions. She musters whatever courage she has left and turns to lock eyes with Ranger. It's now or never. She whispers to herself silently. She takes a deep breath. She opens her mouth. She hopes her voice won't break or crack.
"I was dreaming about you." She didn't mean to cry. But suddenly her tears are here. "And he...and I..."
She stops talking. She can't say another word. She tries, but she just can't. It's too much. Too painful. Too foolish. Too brainless. Too Jersey Shore. Too Stupid Stephanie. Quietly she weeps. She doesn't turn her head away. She doesn't resist when Ranger wraps an arm around her and rests her head on his shoulder. Together they sit in silence. Rex has stopped running. She feels better. And braver. But has she become smarter? Will she start making better choices? Does she know how to make the right decisions? Can she stop making mistakes? She dries her tears and blows her nose. She wishes she knows all the answers. She has had enough of the uncertainty of future.
"I pointed his gun at his head and told him to leave." She continues in a tiny, shaky but not totally unsteady voice. "But I didn't...I didn't...I didn't tell him that I...I...I love you." She falls silent. She doesn't close her eyes. She stares at the buttons of Ranger's shirt instead. They are all black, of course. Ranger's breathing doesn't change. He doesn't draw her near. He doesn't push her away. Somehow she still feels comfortable and safe. "And that I couldn't be with him any more. I didn't want to." She finally adds and starts to wait. She's never good at waiting. She has basically no patience. And she's also never good at taking "No" for an answer. She's terribly, extremely and fatally scared of being rejected. It seems that her failed marriage has left her forever scarred.
"You pointed Morelli's gun at his head?" Ranger asks, his voice even and smooth.
She gives her head a nod, not over-vigorously. Her heart jumps at the hint of slight amusement she detects. It wasn't my fault! She feels a strange urge to say, but doesn't get the chance to as Ranger starts to laugh. She can't help but smile. She simply loves it when he laughs. "I love you." Without thinking she says it out loud. "I really do."
"Babe," Ranger says, and kisses her. "I know."

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Chapter 5: Clear Dream

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Clear Dream

The kiss is brief. But tender. And sweet. She relaxes against him and feels like sighing. Once upon a time she persuaded herself all she ever needed from him was sex. There would be no love involved, no strings attached. Just an unforgettable night of ultimate pleasure. Just a brief moment of intimacy. Passion, lust, and indulgence. Nothing more. Nothing less. When the morning came, they would go back to their separate worlds and remained friends. Everything would be the same. Nothing would be changed. It would be no more than a pleasant memory, a little secret they shared. And her thirst would be quenched, her yearning fulfilled.
But her love for him had grown like Jack's magic beans over the years. The root dug deep into her soul. The branches clutched at her heart. The leaves whispered and teased her mercilessly in her dream. And she started wanting and longing for more, more, and more. Suddenly she wanted more than his perfect body. She wanted more than his beautiful eyes and soft full lips. She wanted him whole: his body, his love and his soul. She didn't give a damn about his dark secrets. She didn't give a damn about Joe Morelli's feelings. She didn't care what people—or her mother—would say or think. She wanted happiness. She deserved happiness. But she was—and still is—too afraid that he wouldn't want her. She was never brilliant and smart or drop dead gorgeous. She was far from perfect. Would he be able to love someone like her? Would she ever find the way to the Batcave? Would he slam the gate in her face or lock her in forever?
And now the truth is out. There will be no more cat and mouse game. There will be no more running away pretending. There is no turning back. She already has burned the bridge. Does it really matter if he's no family material? Does it really matter if his love doesn't come with a ring? Maybe. Maybe not. All she wants now is to be a part of his life. All she wants now is his love. All she wants now is his trust. All she wants now is to stay by his side till the end of time. But she will have to ask Ranger the question and accept his decision no matter what. It's not just about her. It's his life, too. A tiny smile finds its way to her face. The Queen of Denial has forfeited her throne. Who would have thought? She looks straight into Ranger's eyes. She has never felt this brave. She has never been this scared.
"Do you love me?" She quietly asks.
The heat radiating off his body is flat-out soothing. There's always something about him that makes her want to cling to him and purr like a cat. She blinks as he starts to smile. She suddenly realizes her hand is placed on his chest and right above his heart. He is so strong, so beautiful, and so alive. She almost sighs.
"I do." Ranger says.
"In your own way?" She faintly and hesitantly asks. He holds her prisoner with his enchanting gaze. The look on his face reminds her of the Sphinx. Serene. Enduring. Mysterious. Powerful. Amused.
"Babe,"

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Chapter 6: Star Dust

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Star Dust

What's the next step of their life's journey together? Should she keep her apartment? Will they move in together? Living arrangements. Everyday life trifles. Changes and adaptations. Adjustments and compromises. She thinks nearly dazedly to herself. Love versus reality. Batman meets Magnet for Disaster. Mr. Perfectly Organized and Well Prepared against World Famous Domestic Imbecile. Can it work? Can they make it work? Can she really take that almost casual "Babe," as a confession of love? Is that a love confession? Does he do love confession? Of course she's not expecting a red, red rose and a romantic dinner under the silvery moon. But it would be nice if he could be a little more specific. He's an enigma wrapped in a mystery hidden in a puzzle. And she gets confused so easily that someone should give her a gold medal or something...
Love is a strangest and most unpredictable, sneakiest thing. It drops upon you at a most unexpected moment and gives you no time to react. And he doesn't even know when he actually fell in love with Stephanie. He wonders why he can always read her mind and sense her need. He has, more than once, thought about walking away from their messed-up tangle of a relationship—the relationship that might not even truly exist. He's always been there. Helping her. Saving her. And loving her. But lately he has grown bored watching her going back and forth between him and Morelli. And he knew he would have no problem letting go and moving on even though he'd remain emotionally attached to her. Love is never that necessary for him, truth be told. He's a mercenary. A soldier of fortune. An active opportunist. He's not the kind of man who allows himself to be trapped in memories and impossible dreams. He will concentrate and survive with or without the woman he loves...
"What the hell has been going on between you and Stephanie?"
He thinks of the dozens of messages Morelli left him. He recalls the barely suppressed anger and growing frustration in Morelli's voice. He never really understands the on-and-off unhealthy relationship between Morelli and Stephanie, and he never likes their twisted, ugly history. He didn't return any of the calls because he had been busy. He had business arrangements to make and jobs to do. Besides, he knew everything—Stephanie, that is—was peachy and fine back here in Trenton. He wasn't interested in wasting time and energy on an Italian Stud Muffin who chose to stay oblivious to an undeniable fact all these years. But he was curious and intrigued enough to decide to pay Stephanie a visit when Morelli left yet another furious message this morning. He looks into her clear blue eyes and almost smiles.
What now? Her vulnerable and uncertain eyes silently and anxiously asks.
All is fair in love and war. He cups her face in his hand. And he's glad he didn't change his mind at the last minute. "Congratulations, you have found the Bat Cave, Stephanie."
And once she finds the Bat Cave, it's forever.

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Chapter 7: Bright Dawn

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Bright Dawn

He sits behind the wheel of his dark silver Honda Pilot fuming. He has every right in the Goddamn world to be pissed. Life as a police detective is not easy. Facing violence and danger has become a part of his daily life. Anger, distress and frustration pile up too quickly. And criminals walk away without paying the right price too easily. Sometimes he just want to give in to the temptation and shoot those scums between their eyes to avenge justice. Sometimes he just wants to drown his sorrows with cigarettes and beer. Sometimes he just wants to hide in someone's arms and forget all the cruelty and darkness he has witnessed. He tries his best to rein in his temper and raging emotions every day. His mother and aunts lighten his invisible burden with homemade cuisine and home-baked goodies. His brother and cousins ease his mood with jokes, funny stories, and small talk. His dog wiggles its tail and happily licks his face when he comes home after a long day's work. But his on-and-off relationship with Stephanie is simply not helping.
He wonders why he bothers to love her. She's not exactly the woman in every man's dream. She doesn't cook. She doesn't clean. She hates being told what to do as much as she hates doing laundry. And though she's cute, sexy and pretty, somehow she just can't live under the same roof with him for more than 3 months. She becomes antsy when the "deadline" is near. She intentionally starts a fight with him over nothing, grabs her rat and things, and storms back to her shabby apartment. Then when her narrow queen size bed becomes too cold and too lonely, she will suddenly come back to him as if nothing ever happened.
But this time it's different. Something in her has changed.
She kicked him out of her bed for no apparent reason at all that night. She changed her locks the very next day. She wouldn't return his calls or answer her door. She turned around and marched out of the door the moment she saw him at her mother's dining table or at Pino's. And when they ran into each other at the police station or on the street, she treated him as if he doesn't exist. She wouldn't even talk to him. And way she behaved made everyone in the whole Trenton believed that it was something he'd done. Soon his limited patience ran out. His confusion morphed into anger. He did nothing wrong, he was sure of that. And that left only one possible explanation.
Ranger.
He stares at the space in front of him but sees nothing. He will be lying shamelessly if he says he knows nothing about Ranger and Stephanie. He sees the attraction between them all the time. He sees the blush on Stephanie's face whenever Ranger smiles that annoying barely there smile and says "Babe". He hates that blush. He hates that Cheshire Cat smile. He hates that "Babe" with all his heart. So he made a stupid mistake one night and decided to call Ranger and ask for an explanation. He knew he was being foolish. He knew he was being ridiculous. He knew he was being pathetic. But he was too angry and too humiliated. He had been losing sleep. He felt restless and agitated. He couldn't concentrate on his job and life. He hated Ranger for not returning his calls. So like a stubborn child he kept calling Ranger and leaving messages. He stopped coming over for the Plums' Friday dinner. He was this close to stopping going to Pino's for pizzas and subs. But he couldn't stop wanting, loving and needing Stephanie Plum. And he couldn't stop hating himself for that.
"What the hell has been going on between you and Stephanie?"
Joe Morelli thinks of the message he left this morning and once again feels like an idiot. He can still taste the burning bitterness on his tongue. The despair he felt has corroded a gaping hole in his exhausted bleeding heart. He exhales a resigned sigh and starts the car. Sooner or later he's going to have a face-to-face chat with the thief who has stolen Stephanie's heart. But he'll have to confront Stephanie first. They need to talk things through without lying to themselves or holding anything back like rational adults.
And what time is better than now?

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Chapter 8: Blazing Sun

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Blazing Sun

He sits on her couch talking into his cell phone while she packs. Yes, he has the rest of the day off. No, she really doesn't need his help packing her lingerie, thank you very much. They are moving in together. She doesn't know if she's more excited or nervous. She wants to be wherever he is. She loves his 7th-floor apartment. He wants her to give up her apartment. They both know it's not safe here. She agrees to his demand. She doesn't want to be his burden. She doesn't want him to constantly worry about her safety. She won't miss her ugly bathroom or the wobbly elevator. She can't wait to get rid of her narrow queen size bed. She recalls the night she tackled him to the floor and the passionate, demanding kiss that followed. She recalls the silent, powerful emotion in his almost black eyes when he proposed the deal. She recalls the first night they spent together. She recalls the mornings when she woke up tangled with him. This small apartment holds so many memories. She's going to miss having her own place. But there are also things she wants to forget.
She almost died the night he walked in and got shot.
She had sex in the very same bed with another man.
She needs to have a clean start and leave all the unpleasant memories behind, she has decided. For tonight will be the first night of the rest of their life.
She's neither naïve nor delusional. She knows they'll have some trouble fitting seamlessly into each other's life. They will do their best and make it work, she's sure of that. He will be a part of her life. She will evict the insecurity and uncertainty she always feels from the core of her being. And maybe she should take his advice: just pack an overnight bag and come back for the rest of the stuff. She's not a good organizer. She's never good at packing. She gets tired and distracted too easily. Now she feels like a chipmunk preparing for winter. All the bottles of makeup and hair products and shoes and clothes are making her dizzy. Or maybe she's just so happy that her head won't stop spinning...
The doorbell rings. For some unknown reason her heartbeat quickens. She becomes more uneasy as the sudden sinking feeling in her stomach grows. She stands up and walks out of her bedroom. She hears the door open. She stops dead. Joe Morelli, the last man she wants to see, is standing right here at her apartment door staring poisoned daggers at Ranger. The air is thick with tension. The silence is deafening. Anger and panic rise inside her at the same time. She clenches her fists.
What does she need to do to make him go away? What does she need to do to make him understand? They are over now. There is nothing left. She has already let go. Why can't he just move on? Why does he always have to come back and haunt her? Why couldn't he stay in the Navy? Why didn't he move to Guam or Japan or permanently after he left the Navy? Why Couldn't he join LAPD or NYPD? Why did he have to come back to Trenton? Why couldn't he leave his nest and find his sky? And why the hell did she yield herself to him over and over again so easily? Why the hell was she so stupid? How could anyone be that stupid? She tries to take a step forward, her blood raging in her ears. She wants to scream in Joe's face and tell him to go away. She wants to run back to her room, jump onto her bed and pull the blanket over her head. She wants to smack Joe hard on the head. She wants to hide behind Ranger's back. She narrows her eyes and thins her lips as the cold but familiar voice sounds.
"So," Joe Morelli says through clenched teeth. "You have been cheating on me, Stephanie."
Then he draws back his arm and swing his fist at Ranger with lightning speed.

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Chapter 9: Perfect Storm

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Perfect Storm

He knows it is a stupid move. He knows it is a foolish mistake. He knows there will be a consequence and the consequence won't be pleasant. But he doesn't care. He's too angry to give a damn. Something inside him exploded the moment his eyes fell on the all the familiar shining black Porsche in her parking lot. He will never be able to afford a car like this. He will never have his own company. He will never have that perfect body or that much money. He will always be himself. He can only be himself. He's always the hunter. He will never be the loser. He can't and won't change for anyone else. Not even for the woman he thinks he loves.
The woman who has been cheating on him.
The woman who left him no choice but to admit that he has been cheating himself.
The truth has been staring him in the face for a long, long time. And now he can no longer look away and pretend there's nothing there. So he draws back his arm and swing his fist at Ranger with lightning speed. He wants a taste of revenge. He wants his little triumph. It's about pride. It's about trust. It's about love. It's about hurt and betrayal. It's about sharing your goddamn life with an dishonest woman like Stephanie Plum, the Queen of Denial. His fist is blocked. His feet are kicked from under him. He lands hard on the floor face down with his arm twisted behind his back. He tries to struggle when the first wave of numbness and shock ebbs but can't break free from the knee pressing against his back. Humiliation slaps him. Reality sinks in. He raises his eyes and finds that he can't even look at Stephanie straight in her eyes. At least she's still fully dressed. He thinks to himself and almost laughs. How he wishes she had the guts to tell him the truth. How he wishes he can stop loving and wanting her right now. Why did he lure her into his father's garage? Why did he talk her out of her panties and take her virginity? Why did he write about her on bathroom walls? Why did he intercept her pizza and come knocking on her door? Why did he let her in his house when she needed a place to stay? Why the hell did he crawl back to her after Eddie Abruzzi burned her arm with a hot poker? He knew something had happened between she and Ranger. He knew he should've had let go and walked away. But he was distracted by the hot steaming balls-to-the wall sex and thus chose the wrong path.
He should have listened to his mother. He should have dumped her and started seeing other woman, obedient, cooperative, traditional women who are willing to stay at home giving birth to babies and taking good care of their husbands. But just like his father, he never ever listens to his mother. And now here he is, pinned to the floor like a brainless ordinary two-bit criminal at Stephanie's door by her lover. He closes his eyes, feeling tired and empty inside.
"You can let go of me now, Manoso."
He can hardly recognize his own voice. He sounds like a man who has just been drained by a famished vampire. The pressure on his back and arm suddenly disappears as Ranger stands up. Slowly and and gingerly he gets back on his feet. He looks into Stephanie's flaming blue eyes for a long minute and turns to leave without a word. No, he won't wish her good luck or says something meaningless and stupid like "Have a good life". She has made her choice. From now on she's no longer his business. He'll walk away and let her face the consequence. She's someone else's burden now. She's Ranger's woman now. Whether that cold-blooded crazy bastard will break her heart into a million tiny pieces is not his concern or business. Not any more. He will find himself a good, competent woman and settle down. He will be a great dad and an honest husband. He will be surrounded by family and friends. He will be happy and contented. He hears the sound of the door closing behind him. The gaping hole inside his chest grows larger. He forces himself to focus on the steps before him. He gets in his car, starts the engine and drives away. He doesn't cast Ranger's Turbo a second glance.
And no, he will never ever have any remorse or regrets.
Never.
Never.

---

Chapter 10: Moon River

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Moon River

He closes the door and turns around, his breath even and calm as if nothing has happened. She stands there looking at him, her eyes fixed on the growing smile on his perfect face. She has seen him slamming people into walls more than a million times, but still she marvels at his cool and almost casual composure every time. Unlike her, he's always confident and sure of himself. Unlike her, he never ever panics and loses control. Suddenly she starts shaking slightly with anger and a little self-disgust as he walks toward her. Yes, she has made some stupid mistakes. Yes, twice in her life she had chosen the wrong man. There were nights when unpleasant memories and shame came back to haunt her and made her toss and turn till dawn. There were days when reasonable and unreasonable doubts and fear clouded her mind and made her feel that there was no redemption and no escape. The consistent pressure from her mother. The constant indifference of her father. The borderline rude prying eyes of her snickering relatives, friends and neighbors. The suffocating atmosphere she always feels. Not to mention her own inability and incompetence.
She closes her eyes and sighs as he gathers her in his arms. She knows she's too much trouble. She knows she's a magnet for disasters. But no, she'll never have the courage or decency to tell him it's not too late to back off the deal and go find someone perfect. Maybe she's being treacherous and selfish. Maybe she's being a coward. For the very time in her life she finally knows what she really wants. She loves and needs him so much that her heart may burst. She wraps her arms tightly around his waist as he kisses her on the top of her head. The comfortable silence eases her mood. His sole existence gives her strength.
He picks up her overnight bag. She grabs Rex. He opens the door. She stops and turns to look around her small silent apartment for one last time and say goodbye. She will come back for the rest of her stuff in a day or two. But it won't feel the same. Her status as a divorced single woman has just been updated and permanently changed. She closes the door and locks the locks and smiles up at the man she truly loves.
Their new life has just begun.

~The End~

Naughty 19

Title: Naughty 19
Category: Books » Janet Evanovich
Author: Two Guns and a Knife
Language: English, Rating: Rated: M
Genre: Humor/Romance
Published: 06-01-12, Updated: 08-20-12
Chapters: 49, Words: 19,568

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Chapter 1: Just Do It

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Carpe Diem. Take the risk. Live your life. Grasp the chance. Seize the day. Life is too short and too precious to live in regret or dream away. Stephanie Plum, the 30-something blue-eyed wild-haired bounty hunter who wanted to be Wonder Woman when growing up, nods to herself in the dim darkness, and, with steel determination, reaches out a shaking hand toward the all too perfect Promised Land, and bravely grabs hold of it.

"Babe," Ricardo Carlos Manoso, aka Ranger, the former elite special-forces officer who's still indisputably the elite of the elite, the best of the best, eats drug lords, human traffickers and their thugs and minions as snacks, slams villains and criminals into walls for pleasure, with one single punch knocked one certain hairy Italian Stallion out colder than a dead frozen fish and smashed his jaw into many tiny pieces, and who now, finally, does relationship, half whispers, half sighs as his live-in girlfriend gropes his butt. "We're inside Joyce Barnhardt's closet."

And? Silently the twinkling, dreamy turquoise blue eyes he loves so much whisper back. He almost never denies her anything when she looks at him like this. So he caves, and gives in.

~End of Kiss 1: Just Do It~

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Chapter 2: Three is Company? ? ?

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"Aloha, Mr. Joseph Morelli." The 6' 5", 250-pound, Samoan version of pure male perfection who looks just like The Rock flashes a 350 Watt white-tooth smile at the extremely depressed and frustrated hairy haggard Jersey man sitting rigidly on the cheap plastic chair in front of him. "Have a nice trip back to your little town Trenton, and don't forget to say thank you to Mr. Manoso for kindly agreeing not to press charge against your sorry ass." The pair of beautiful yet steel-cold onyx-black eyes then hold Morelli prisoner for 10 uncomfortable seconds before the Hawaiian police detective softly continues. "And keep in mind that we do have laws here in Hawaii, Detective."

And just like that, Joseph A. Morelli, the Italian Stallion whose badly broken jaw still hurts like bloody hell and who, from time to time, still feels dizzy because of the concussion Ranger gave him, books himself an economic class seat on the next indirect flight back to Newark Airport while burning with rage, fury and indignity, and swears to revenge.

~End of Kiss 2: Three is Company? ? ? ~

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Chapter 3: It's Alright to Snicker, You Know

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Maria Angelica Giovanni, the 43-year-old hard-working, law-abiding brown-eyed blonde born and raised in a small conservative Catholic Italian neighborhood, takes both her life and her job very, very seriously. She prides herself immensely for never ever one day being late for school and work in her life, as well as for being a most vigilant TSA agent at Los Angeles Airport. Over the years, she has pulled aside God knows how many angry, upset, embarrassed, frustrated, outraged and extremely indignant female and male passengers for a pat-down in the name of National Security. Yes, Agent Giovanni does believe without a trace of doubt that everyone should make sacrifice for the Greater Good, and personal inconvenience is nothing compared to the importance of protecting your own country from all kinds of criminals, terrorists and aliens. She was also born with great instincts, and has no problem whatsoever smelling anything and anyone suspicious and fishy from 100 miles away. Therefore, it is all righteous and natural that she spots the tall, dark, lean, haggard and dangerous-looking man in the noisy and busy crowd right away.

And the moment Trenton police detective Joseph A. Morelli snaps out of his Great Plan of Revenge and unconsciously reaches inside his pocket for his Id and badge, the always extra-alert female TSA agent has already shouted out warnings to the security guards and, in a blink of an eye, our most favorite Italian Stallion is face down on the floor with his arms pinned behind his back, and thus is forced to spend another 22 hours sitting on a cheap, hard, uncomfortable plastic chair inside a small windowless interrogation room in the bright, beautiful City of Angels. And yes, his still broken jaw did hit the floor and is once again hurting like Hell.

~End of Kiss 3: It's Alright to Snicker, You Know~

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Chapter 4: Everything I Do, I Do It For You

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The long, extremely unpleasant history between Stephanie Plum and Joyce Barnhardt is way beyond complicated, twisted and ugly, and now it has almost become one of the Burg's greatest legends. It was hate at first sight for both little girls, and over the years, much to the joy of the eager excited audience, the mutual resentment has grown even stronger. And the two of them have never ever once stopped competing, elbowing, kicking, and stunning each other since what happened on Stephanie Orr's dining table. However, at this moment, Stephanie knows without a trace of doubt that she is the authentic ultimate winner after all. She's so happy that she almost purrs as she holds the old rusty round cookie box with both hands and leans back against Ranger's delicious muscular chest, and with a sweet happy smile admits to herself that it was not the box that made her want to purr, actually.

~End of Kiss 4: Everything I Do, I Do It For You~

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Chapter 5: Fee Fi Fo Fum

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Life as a gold digger here in this city can sometimes be a real mean bitch. The 30-someting red-haired curvy sexy woman lets out a tired sigh and unlocks her front door. The cost(makeups, costumes, props, toys, plastic surgeries and all the other kinds of baits) is high, the work is boring and tedious, and the profit is simply not as satisfying as it should be(so far she only gets 4 diamond rings, 6 diamond necklaces, 1.5 dozens or so rings and jeweled bracelets, 2 houses, 3 cars, some bonds and some cash). She does think about moving to the Big City from time to time, but she hears that the competition is much, much tougher there, so she makes up her mind and decides to stay in her home town and tries her luck.

She kicks off her scarlet ankle high-heeled boots, drops her shopping bags onto her bright red zebra-print couch, goes into her crimson leopard-print kitchen to grab a bottle of Bling H2O, enters her Gone With The Wind style bedroom, yawns, freezes, and sniffs the air suspiciously. Yes, something smells different in here. Something sweet, something tasty, something elegant, enchanting...and familiar...

Must be that new cheese cake factory opened not far from here last week. Yum. Joyce Barnhardt licks her lips, strips herself naked, and goes into her pink Hello Kitty themed bathroom for a long hot shower.

~End of Kiss 5: Fee Fi Fo Fum~

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Chapter 6: One Day in Batman's Life

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Ranger drops Stephanie off at her best friend's house and gives his head an almost undetectable shake as Mary Lou gives out a happy shriek at the sight of the old cookie box in Stephanie's hand, and both women start laughing and jumping up and down like a pair of little girls. A tiny smile sneaks onto Ranger's face as he drives back toward RangeMan. Sometimes he simply can't believe he and Stephanie are the same age. But, nevertheless, he loves to see her so happy. To be honest, he still feels guilty from time to time for not being able to give her a ring, and he's still unsure if he will ever be family material or feel comfortable enough to make that leap, but he's trying his best. Moving in together was not a part of their original deal. But after the incident with the human trafficker, he realized that he really didn't want to take any more chances. So, with one soul-melting kiss and that ever so powerful "please", he successfully made a dreamy-eyed, flushed-cheeked Stephanie nod her head, pack her bags, grab Rex, and moved in with him. All in under 11 minutes.

He parks his car at the usual spot, heads towards his 5th floor office and quickly focuses his thoughts back on his busy schedule and all the things on his To-Do list. He is not a successful businessman and top-notch mercenary for nothing. He always thinks, plans ahead and is well-prepared. He also has eyes and ears everywhere. He knows Morelli is on his way back here, and he is ready to deal with the battered Hairy Italian Stallion.

~End of Kiss 6: One Day in Batman's Life~

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Chapter 7: Bad Luck Never Comes Alone

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The battered Hairy Italian Stallion buys himself yet another cup of thin overpriced airport cappuccino and yet another greasy overpriced airport cheeseburger, and once again sighs his signature irritated sigh. He sits down at a corner table, bites into his lukewarm cheeseburger, and immediately moans in pain as his teeth meet the crunchy pickles. Damn! How many times does he have to tell them not to put pickles on his burger? He wipes away his tears and puts a hand over his now twitching eye. Yes, he's still at the Los Angeles airport. And yes, his jaw still hurts like hell whenever he chews something hard or speaks for too long. Thanks to that annoying, crazy, overreacting TSA agent, he missed his original flight, and had to book another seat on the next plane back to Newark. And guess what? His plane is delayed.

Joe Morelli takes a sip of his tasteless cappuccino to hide his frustration and all of a sudden feels like crying. He has never felt so tired and helpless in his life, And now he is THIS close to start feeling like he's cursed, or something even worse. He misses his mother's Fettuccine Alfredo. He misses Pino's pizzas and subs. He misses his lovely cozy two-story little house. He misses his big goofy playful orange dog. Hell, he even misses his mad Grandma. A drop of tear falls down Morelli's cheek. And this time he makes no attempt to wipe it and just lets it fall.
Oh God, please have mercy on him and let him go home.

~End of Kiss 7: Bad Luck Never Comes Alone~

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Chapter 8: Treasure Island

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Miss Annabel Lee Valentine, Stephanie and Mary Lou's—and sadly Joyce Barnhardt's, too—old high school literature teacher who passed away at the early age of 59 more than 16 years ago, was a hopeless romantic. She loved all kinds of adventures, adored every single pirates, and introduced the wide-eyed girls not only to the amazing world of classical and modern literature masterpieces, but also to the enchanting universe of cheap paperback romance novels. She was especially fond of Stephanie, always chuckled at her unique point of view, and awarded her with encouragement and good grades. And then one day, just after Joe the Rat Bastard Morelli wrote about Stephanie on the walls of a public bathroom and skipped town like the shameless rat that he was, Miss Valentine gave a crestfallen, puffy-eyed Stephanie a sealed round tin cookie box and told her that there was a treasure map inside. She then gave the girl a warm hug and asked her to keep her chin up and go find a way to open the box and search for the treasure.

But sadly, neither the both of them took notice of the red-haired girl hiding in a shadowed corner eavesdropping their conversation. And when Stephanie opened her locker after school, the small tin box was already gone. The kind-hearted Miss Valentine died of heart attack that very night in a fancy French restaurant when her long-time fiancé surprised her with a diamond ring and a proposal. And thus Stephanie Plum never knew what was inside the box, nor what the treasure was...

~End of Kiss 8: Treasure Island~

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Chapter 9: Don't Worry, Be Happy

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Being a mother is never easy. Helen Plum winces and suppresses the compelling urge to do an eye roll openly, and quickly goes back into her kitchen for the two plates of chocolate chip cookies served as dessert. She really hopes her elder daughter Valerie, now a mid-thirty, 179-pound mother of 4 young girls, can stop babytalking sweet nonsense to Albert the Clown like they are the last two human beings on Planet Earth in front of the whole family—no, not the whole family, Helen reminds herself with a frustrated sigh as she feels the familiar headache building behind her eyes. Stephanie is not here.

Helen hasn't seen or heard from her younger daughter since the day Stephanie dropped the bomb on her and escaped like Hell was on fire. And she's been hearing all kinds of crazy stories and rumours about Stephanie and her new...boyfriend for the past several weeks. Helen absentmindedly picks up a cookie and starts eating. She actually thought about telling Stephanie to come back and take that pineapple upside down cake away after her talk with Frank, but she decided to eat it all by herself instead. It wasn't her fault, really. Helen thinks defiantly and fights the sudden pang of guilt creeping into her conscience. She was the one who'd spent all the time and effort to bake the cake, and she was still in shock and very depressed at that time. Besides, being a daughter, mother, and wife at the same time is so darn hard. Isn't she entitled to some happiness, goodies and luxury once in a while? Does she not even deserve one single perfectly baked tasty homemade cake?

"Stop worrying. It's her life to live". Helen Plum picks up a second cookie and put it into her mouth as she remembers the tenderness and understanding in her husband's eyes that afternoon. "Everything will be just fine". She lets out a long breath, squares her shoulders, picks up the plates and heads back toward the noisy dining room. She hopes Frank was right. She prays that Ranger is the right man for her younger daughter. She just wants Stephanie to be happy. And she really, really needs everything to be more than just fine.

~End of Kiss 9: Don't Worry, Be Happy~

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Chapter 10: Everybody Has A Story

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Joyce Barnhardt tosses and turns on her antique four-poster bed as if she's having a most terrible nightmare, and wakes up abruptly screaming in fury. She jumps out of bed and runs toward her huge walk-in closet without pulling the red silk robe over her naked body(like every other devoted follower of Marilyn Monroe, Joyce wears only 5 drops of Chanel No. 5 to bed every night). She finally recognizes the sweet familiar scent she smelled hours ago in her bedroom. It was not peach cheese cake. It was not lemon cheese cake. It was not chocolate and blueberry cheese cake. It was her sworn enemy. It was her lifetime rival. It was Stephanie Plum.

With a sinking, panicking heart, Joyce starts throwing all her belongings out of her way until she reaches a shaking hand into the secret compartment in the lowest drawer of the antique handmade Venetian bureau once owned by her ex-great-grandmother-in-law. She then lets out a raspy sob when she finds her treasured tin cookie box gone, leans back against the closet wall crying like the 13-year-old frightened, heartbroken red-haired girl who lost her virginity one moonless summer night on a patch of green grass behind the gym to the most popular and dangerous 15-year-old boy famed for his melted-chocolate eyes and lizard tongue, and all of a sudden becomes furious and craves for blood and revenge.

19 hours and 43 minutes later, a bone-tired Joseph A. Morelli tumbles out of the red eye plane, hails a cab, arrives back at his sweet lovely two-story home, and freezes like a zombie as his exhausted bloodshot eyes fall on his beloved castle. He doesn't know when he drops his luggage. He doesn't know when he opens his mouth like a dying eel. He doesn't know when he crumbles to his knees. He doesn't know when he breaks out in snots and tears and whines "Why Me?" like the perfect, standard Burg housewife he always wants to marry.

Someone had just written "Rat Bastard" all over the front of his beautiful house with blood red paint in big ugly letters. And the one and only true love of his life, his ultimate pride and joy, his treasured Ducati, is now but a lifeless pile of crumpled metal on his doorstep...

~End of Kiss 10: Everybody Has A Story~

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Chapter 11: If Only It's That Easy

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Who did it? Joseph A. Morelli sits on his chewed up couch and racks his brain trying to find an answer to the Million Dollar Question.

He can't eat. He can't sleep. He is now more paranoid than Melman the Giraffe, and more jumpy than Peter Rabbit. Who hates him this much? Who holds such a grudge against him? Is it someone from the mob? Is it someone from the street gangs? Is it someone he arrested? What has he done to deserve this? And what kind of heartless beast could do this? He thinks of his beloved Ducati and once again feels like crying. He blinks hard to force back his burning tears. He hates feeling like crying. He hates feeling so tired. He hates feeling so exhausted. He wishes he can find the answers to all his questions. He wishes he can stop feeling so damn hopeless. And he hates himself for feeling so helpless.
Get a grip! He orders himself. Stop whining and bitching like a woman in her period. You are Joseph A. Morelli. You're a highly-trained police detective. You're good at what you do for a living. You will find whoever is responsible for this. He nods to himself bravely and feels new hopes rising inside him. Yes, Joseph, you will make that person pay. You will find justice for your Ducati...

A single tear rolls down his cheek. Another one soon follows. And it doesn't take long for Joe Morelli to once again break down and howl like a newborn baby. Damn. He really, really doesn't want to cry but, alas, he simply can't help it.

~End of Kiss 11: If Only It's That Easy~

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Chapter 12: Let the Fun Begin

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Miss Valentine might be a dedicated and beloved high school literature teacher, but she sure was no master craftsman. The tin cookie box was simply sealed first with hot glue and then in layers of tapes. And the only reason Joyce Barnhardt did not pry it open by force after she took it home was that she too, just like Stephanie and the rest of the class, adored old fun goofy Miss Valentine. It may be hard to believe and contrary to common belief, but truth is, Joyce Barnhardt was not born an evil Skank. She was just an unhappy teenage girl extremely jealous of Stephanie Plum. Joyce hated—and still does, mind you—Stephanie for having a caring, if not constantly nagging, mother. She hated Stephanie for having a father who always came home on time for dinner. She hated Stephanie for having so many friends around her. She hated Stephanie for always, always having the spotlight and everyone's attention. And most of all, Joyce hated Stephanie for being the one Joe Morelli wrote about on the public bathroom walls. If she couldn't make the boy she always wanted smile or even look at her, no one else could have his attention. No one.

So it didn't take long for Joyce to decide to steal the box. She then chose not to damage it or throw it away, and kept it hidden in her closet. Sometimes, when the night was too dark or life was too much, she would take it out of its hiding place, held it close to her lonely heart and pretended she was Miss V's favorite student, and thus its rightful owner. And then the mere thought of the desperate, sorrowful look on Stephanie Plum's face that day would bring the needed smile to Joyce's too pale tear-stricken face and grant her a good night's sleep.

But of course, Stephanie, poor Joyce's much-hated enemy, is oblivious to all of these. And both she and Mary Lou frowned in confusion the moment they managed to open the tin cookie box and saw the piece of paper lying inside.

PR4167J32000

What the heck is that?

~End of Kiss 12: Let the Fun Begin~

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Chapter 13: The Man Of Mystery

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PR4167J32000

Stephanie stares at it until her eyes grow sore and decides to go to sleep. Who knows, she yawns and stretches, maybe her dream will give her a hint. She turns off the light in Ranger's small office, goes into the spotless bathroom to brush her teeth, and remembers just in time to squeeze the toothpaste tube from the bottom like Ranger always does. Sometimes she can't help thinking that living with a man like Ranger is not easy. Everything in his life is simple and systematic and has its reasonable and rightful place. He likes his living space tidy and orderly instead of comfy and cozy. He never ever kicks off his shoes in different directions and leaves them there on the floor like a pair of roadkills so that he can trip over them the next morning. He never ever drops his shoulder bag and purse and wallet and phone and keys wherever he feels like dropping them and goes to take a nap and then wakes up totally forgetting where he put these things. And he doesn't snore. He doesn't drool. He doesn't even talk in his sleep. Stephanie puts on her pajamas, casts another glance at the sleek black bedside clock, blows a mint and green tea scented sigh, and slides under the heavenly soft, warm blanket. And even though Ranger never admits it, he's definitely a workaholic.

2 hours and 36 minutes later, Ranger picks up the piece of thick fine yellowed paper and looks at the code written in elegant handwriting for a brief minute, and smiles his trademark maybe-there-if-you-look-closely-enough smile. He places the paper back inside the cookie box, closes the lid, and pulls the blanket over a slightly snoring Stephanie. Once again she's sleeping on his side of their bed with one arm wrapped around his pillow in the cute little black pajamas he likes a lot. He bends to give her a soft tender kiss as she mumbles something in her sleep. She sometimes reminds him of a family cat. Curious, adorable, and trusting. "Good luck, have fun, Babe." He whispers and goes to take a shower.

And yes, he knows what PR4167J32000 means.

~End of Kiss 13: The Man Of Mystery~

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Chapter 14: Eureka!

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Being a full-time stay-home mom and housewife at the same time can be really complicated. Mary Lou Stankovic sighs and wishes her building headache can just turn around, go away and leave her alone. It's only a few minutes after 6 in the morning, but she's already up to prepare breakfast and lunch boxes for Lenny and their elder children. Yes, Mary Lou knows all about the problems with school lunch today as well as what calorie-laden fast-food lunch will do to a middle aged man's waist size, and she honestly prefers to have healthy school-age children and a just-slightly-out-of-shape husband. Besides, she's a pretty good cook. She knows how much her family will enjoy a tasty balanced homemade lunch, and a few hours' shortage of sleep is not such a big deal compared to the smiles on their faces. But still. She sometimes forgets how many kids she really has, and more than sometimes looks at one of the kids and then all of a sudden forgets the poor child's name—NO! it's definitely not that she's not a good mother. She just gets too busy and too tired sometimes and gets a little bit confused in return—and she can't help secretly hoping that her life can be as exciting and full of surprises as Stephanie's when she has to get up in dark freezing winter mornings.

Mary Lou hopes her best friend can solve the mystery. It was sheer luck that she overheard Joyce Barnhardt and one of her few close friends' conversation that day in the newly open café. She still can't believe she actually suppressed the urge to cheer and do a happy dance on the spot and raced out immediately to her car and called Stephanie instead. She wonders what the code really means as she puts the chopped vegetables into the hot pan. It rang a bell to her somehow...Lenny Stankovic jerks awake, falls out the bed, and blinks wildly in confusion as his wife's shrill happy scream wakes up their children and several neighbors.

Yes, Mary Lou Stankovic, Stephanie Plum's loyal and best friend ever, just realizes what PR4167J32000 means.

~End of Kiss 14: Eureka!~

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Chapter 15: Jane! Jane! Jane!

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PR4167. J32000.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. The ultimate romantic classical novel of all time. A woman's struggle and quest to find her true self and true love. A great, touching, and sometimes frustrating story with a HEA. Trenton Public Library has 8 copies, and every one of them has a slip of the same thick, fine, yellowed paper stuck between the pages where the heartbroken heroine heard the man she loved calling her name. Stephanie looks at the familiar beautiful elegant handwriting on the paper slip and smiles as she thinks of all the happy time she spent in that particular classroom.

She's not surprised that none of the paper slips are missing, though. People here in Jersey are not very big on reading anything other than horse race tips, and several parents actually complained when Miss Valentine insisted that all her students needed to have a Trenton Public Library card, so that the kids could broaden their horizons and benefit from great writers' wisdom as well as learn from their mistakes. Mary Lou, a most faithful reader of classical romantic novels, used to ask Stephanie to accompany her to the library every Saturday, until the good-looking, nice, and ever-not-so-bright Lenny finally caught the drift, asked Mary Lou out for a date, and then officially took over Stephanie's job the very next weekend. Stephanie quickly wipes away a drop of tear and takes a hardcover copy of Jane Eyre off the shelf. She has no idea she misses the kind old teacher this much, but she knows it will definitely be fun to read Jane Eyre while snuggling next to Ranger in their king size bed and humming the special song.

The paper slip in Stephanie's hand simply reads "But it's a game of give and take". And this time, she knows perfectly what it means.

~End of Kiss 15: Jane! Jane! Jane!~

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Chapter 16: A Game Of Give And Take

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"'You can't hurry love. No, you'll just have to wait'. She said, 'Love don't come easy. It's a game of give and take.'"

Stephanie sings in between yawns. She always loves Phil Collins's voice, and You Can't Hurry Love is one of her all time favorites. She's in a really good mood right now, as a matter of fact, despite the ugly fact that she was woken up at an unholy hour by a happily excitedly screaming Mary Lou and nearly went deaf the very moment she took her cell phone from Ranger and pressed it to her ear. How can life be any better? Stephanie sighs contentedly. She has not only solved the puzzle that had been buzzing in her mind for more than 16 years, but has also found her very own tall, dark, handsome, mysterious Mr. Rochester who has the amazing ability to melt every single bone in her body with one soft lingering kiss or a plain gentle "Babe". Stephanie yawns again and smiles widely. It seems that life sure can be even better. She has just spotted the topping on her sundae. She will be the one who brings home lunch today, and even Ranger can't say no to Pino's Pizza Margherita.

She parks the Cayenne in the parking lot and goes into Pino's to place her order, sits down at Carl and Big Dog's table and accepts a slice of Pizza Quattro Formaggi, talks about weather and all kinds of gossip, grabs her pizza, pays her bill, waves goodbye to her friends, and comes face to face with a pissed Joe Morelli. Oh yes, Stephanie suddenly remembers, Joe is back in town, and someone painted Rat Bastard in blood red paint all over his house and destroyed his beloved Ducati.

Morelli narrows his eyes and tightens both his lips and fists as he sees the beautiful ocean blue Hawaiian sea glass ring on Stephanie's ring finger. And then BANG! all the unpleasant memories of one particular morning outside a hotel room on a far away island called Oahu rush back to him. Yes, he knew Stephanie is inside Pino's the instant he spotted the sleek black expensive German car owned by that crazy bastard in the parking lot. Yes, he's determined to confront her right here in front of the lunch crowd in the famed pizza place. And yes, he's totally ready to make a scene and let the Burg Grapevine and Mrs. Plum eat Stephanie alive. He will make her pay for cheating on him with Ranger. He lets his anger boil and with all the malice of an enraged Italian Alpha Male spits out "Cupcake..." and drops onto the hardwood floor unable to move or even groan as Stephanie's knee gets in touch with his Bob and boys.

The stunned customers and staffs gape and watch a wide-and wild-eyed Stephanie run out of the door and drive away without a backward glance. Too bad none of them caught the moment on their camera phones. They could have made a fortune on YouTube.

~End of Kiss 16: A Game Of Give And Take~

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Chapter 17: Femme Fatale

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The moment the Cayenne charges into the underground garage and screeches to a stop at its usual spot, Stephanie has already calmed down enough from her shock and immediately starts feeling a lot better as she finds Ranger waiting by the elevator with a slight subtle smile on his perfect lips. She's still not quite sure why she kneed Morelli in front of half the Burg, though it sure felt pretty damn good watching him lie paralyzed like a neutralized zombie on Pino's hardwood floor. She, as a matter of undebatable fact, has never been a violent person. So what triggered the Femme fatale inside her exactly? Stephanie wonders. The open resentment in Morelli's cold furious eyes? The undisguised contempt in his clenched fists and contorted face? Or the fact that he thought he had every right in the world to sneak up on her in her favorite pizza place and called her "Cupcake" in a voice generally reserved for half-witted brainless and extremely confused woman?

She sometimes thinks maybe she really needs to go have her head thoroughly examined. Why did she waste so much time fooling around with someone she herself knew was totally wrong for her while Ranger was always there helping her out and protecting her? Because he flat out told her that his life didn't lend itself to relationships and that his love didn't come with a ring? Or was it because of her always being too much a lying coward to confront her true feelings? Whatever. Stephanie throws all her thoughts behind her as she leans further into Ranger's warm embrace. She doesn't really care that much. She smiles into Ranger chest upon hearing the soft, amused "Proud of you, Babe". What really matters right now is the fact that she is finally having a serious relationship with the man she truly loves. And yes, she will absolutely trick him into coming to Hawaii and put that ring around his finger all over again if necessary.

~End of Kiss 17: Femme Fatale ~

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Chapter 18: Little Cat Feet

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No. Helen Plum doesn't regret pouring her stash of liquor down the kitchen sink. Not for one minute. Really. But the now too familiar headache did return when phone calls from hysterically laughing friends, relatives and neighbors started pouring in. She cuts herself another piece of the fresh baked apple pie and eats it up in 3.5 bites. Yes, Helen knows she's been putting on a little weight, but Frank sure is not complaining. So what's the point denying herself some much needed happy? Besides, everybody knows apples are very good for health, and she did cut down the amount of butter and sugar in the recipe, didn't she? She pours herself another cup of the fragrant Earl Grey. All her friends, relatives and neighbors think the blue sea glass ring on Stephanie's ring finger is so special and really beautiful. And as usual they also subtly imply that they are still dying to know when and where Stephanie's second wedding will be held.

Helen wills the annoying headache to go away and goes back to stare at the phone. She knows she's a good daughter, a good wife, an excellent cook and baker, and definitely not a bad mother. She always tries her best to keep her family warm and fed. That's the reason why yesterday in the supermarket, like a most ferocious gladiator, she elbowed her way through the crazy crowd and actually walked on several screaming people and successfully swiped all the buy-one-get-two-free Earl Grey on the shelf into her shopping cart in one fluid move. She's tough. She's strong. She's Stephanie's mother. And now if only she has the energy and courage to pick up the phone and call her younger daughter...

At the same time in a different part of the city, Stephanie Plum whines pitifully as a determined Mocha Latte hand comes out of nowhere and firmly takes the remaining half of Ella's heavenly whole wheat half-sugar rhubarb pie away from her grasp and places it in the refrigerator. Nothing uglier than a fat old white woman, Babe. Stephanie sighs defeatedly as she reads the unspoken message, and jumps out of her chair as a sudden realization hits her. "You knew." She says accusingly to Ranger.

Of course he knows PR4167 .J32000 is the call number of Jane Eyre. Stephanie thinks vaguely to herself as Ranger turns to look at her for a brief second and slowly and purposely approaches her with a small amused but oh so powerful smile on his face. For a clever man who back in his school days spent so much time in the library that he can recite Carl Sandburg's poem as if it was McDonalds price list, Old Miss Valentine's secret code is not exactly a mystery at all...

~End of Kiss 18: Little Cat Feet~

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Chapter 19: Wayne, Bruce Wayne

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The cell phone rings just as Stephanie is about to melt into Ranger and start purring. She buries her head into his chest and moans helplessly instead. It's Avril Lavigne's TIK TOK, the perfect ringtone for her mother. She wraps her arms tighter around Ranger's waist and tries desperately to pretend she doesn't hear a thing except for her own frantic heartbeat. Why does her mother call? To berate and scold her for maiming and almost castrate Joe Morelli in public? It wasn't her fault, really. Morelli had it coming. He only has his stupid self to blame on this. He should've known better than trying to intimidate her in front of so many people and treating her like an imbecile. And the way he spit out "Cupcake" as if she was something cheap, easy and contaminated offended her big time and enraged her immediately...Yes, it's exactly what made her snap and knee that jerk and probably change him into an Italian Gelding, now comes to think of it for a second time.

It's not like she cheated on him with Ranger back in Hawaii. How can you cheat on someone when you are no longer together? The moment Morelli told her he'd like them to try an open relationship, she knew whatever they had between them was finally and officially over. Free to come, free to go. Isn't it what open relationship really means? Besides, "Let's keep our options open" and "Feel free to go out with someone else" is simply and definitely not true love. That much she knows for sure. She's a grown woman. And she has made her decision. She has wasted too much time and energy on Morelli. And whether he likes it or not, he's already history as far as she is concerned...
Stephanie is suddenly pulled back into reality by Ranger's polite calm voice. She then watches on in wide-eyed gaping-mouth terror as her very own personal Batman tells her mother they will be there on time for dinner this very evening and ends the phone conversation.

And he just said goodbye to her mother!

~End of Kiss 19: Wayne, Bruce Wayne~

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Chapter 20: With Or Without You

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Stephanie feels like a cat on the way to see the vet. And no, she cringes as the Turbo pulls to a smooth gentle stop in front of her parents' house, there's no escape. She casts another last minute pleading glance at Ranger and finally gives up when he unbuckles his seatbelt. "I hate you." Bravely she tells him. And it takes everything in her not to let out that dreamy moan and drool like Bob the dog as the divine fragrance of Bvlgari and warm Ranger engulfs her whole the moment he leans over to place a feather light kiss on her slightly parting lips and undoes her seatbelt.

"Liar." Ranger smiles against her lips and gets out of the car. And yes, he remembers to take the car key with him. Stephanie blows out a defeated sigh and reluctantly leaves the safety of the shining Porsche when he opens the door for her. Both her mother and Grandma Mazur are waiting on the front porch. And all the nosy neighbors are now watching from behind their floral curtains, she's sure. At least Grandma is smiling and winking at her...or Ranger? Val and her clan won't be here tonight. Her father will enjoy the bottle of good(and more than probably pricey) red wine Ranger brings with him. She herself likes it pretty much. It tastes fruity and just a little bit sweet, a perfect gift for a small family dinner. She tries again but still can't decipher the look on her mother's face. She knows she can't stay away and hide from her family forever. She has no idea why she's so scared of her mother. Ella is undoubtedly a great patissiere, but somehow Stephanie still misses her mother's pineapple upside down cake like Hell...She takes a long deep breath, grasps hold of Ranger's hand and laces her fingers tightly with his, feeling eerily like a frightened rookie gladiator facing a ferocious tigress. It's now or never.

"For a lifelong supply of pineapple upside down cake." Stephanie murmurs under breath.

"Babe,"

And together they march forward.

~End of Kiss 20: With Or Without You~

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Chapter 21: The Italian Gelding

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Swollen, bruised, and hurt like Hell. That's the state Joe Morelli's Bob and boys are in right now.

It's only March, but he has already been chosen the biggest laughing stock this year, he's sure of that. And now everybody in Trenton is mercilessly laughing at him. His friends, colleagues and acquaintances didn't bother to hide their gleeful snorts, hysterical snickers and choking laughter in front of him. Someone—most probably Carl, or Big Dog...or Eddie...or anyone else—cut off the R.I.P Linsanity from the paper, changed it to R.I.P Bob and Boys and post it on the TPD bulletin board. He knows there's another one on Pino's men's bathroom door too. And he has been avoiding his mother's, godmother's and aunts' calls ever since.

He has somehow lost Stephanie without his own knowledge. He tried to punish Ranger but ended up being beaten up and locked up instead in Hawaii. He got detained at the airport on the way home. Someone destroyed his precious Ducati. And now this. He feels the raging anger burning inside him. He wants revenge. He wants justice. He wants Stephanie to feel his pain. He wants Ranger to taste his humiliation. He wants the whole world to know that you don't mess with Joe Morelli. He looks at his watch and sees the time. 5:57. His sister just called to tell him that she heard Stephanie and her new boyfriend are having dinner at the Plum residence. Perfect. He stands up from his messy desk and reaches for his jacket.

He will start his revenge with confronting Stephanie in front of her whole family.

~End of Kiss 21: The Italian Gelding~

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Chapter 22: Human

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Jeanne Ellen Burrows still hates her life.

She hasn't had a decent date for a long, long time, and she's a healthy woman, she has needs, both physical and emotional. And it's so damn hard trying to stop loving Ranger, and even harder not to envy Stephanie Plum. Yeah, the perfect Jeanne Ellen Burrows envies the Bounty Hunter from Hell who blows up cars, houses and anything flammable and inflammable. She knows she's being irrational and immature, but she can't help it, she doesn't want to help it, truth be told. She's only human, of flesh and blood she's made, and born to make mistakes. She hums along with her iPod while toying with the straw of her Mountain Dew. She likes 80's and 90's songs, and Human League's Human is one of her all time favorites. She's lonely, miserable and angry with herself. She wishes and hopes and prays she can find someone else to love, or be brave and smart enough to live her life on her own without depending on something unpredictable and unreliable as love. But let's be honest, she admits sadly to herself, that's a mission impossible. It's not easy to get over a man like Ranger, and you just can't help wanting to have someone fill the void...

Jeanne Ellen looks up from the empty bottle as the song ends and frowns when she spots the car in her rear mirror. She then smiles brightly as she makes a sudden decision. Her garbage of a target can float with the flow and waste his meaningless life away for another day. She waits patiently until the driver limps out of the car and goes into the store, pulls out her gun, takes aim—the silencer is already screwed on, as usual—fires twice, and quickly and quietly drives away. Well, she may not be able to have the man she loves as her own, but she sure can vent her anger and frustration on someone who's definitely responsible for her misery, don't you agree?

~End of Kiss 22: Human~

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Chapter 23: Вячесла в Миха йлович Мо лотов

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Joyce Barnhardt hates her life.

She has lost her keen interest in luxury life, high-end food, Vinnie Plum, and Hello Kitty ever since she lost the only treasure she has ever had to her crazy-haired wild-eyed nemesis. Well, almost. The limited edition cherry pink Hello Kitty handkerchief she just bought this afternoon most certainly has the potential to rekindle all her passion and zeal for everything money can buy. But still, she's not happy. Now that the old tin cookie box is forever gone from her life, all her old nightmares have returned to haunt her again. Her 16-year-old elder and only brother's sealed bronze casket...her grieving mother's quiet sobbing echoing in their lonely, empty house and years later in the halls of the asylum...her father's tired indifferent, impassive face under the dim kitchen light...and the leer on that young handsome uncaring face...

That's exactly the reason why she made a sudden decision when she learned about Stephanie Plum's small family dinner.

Joyce just had a taste of raw revenge a couple days ago, and like a vampire driven by eternal thirst she now craves for more. Those who hurt her the most must pay for their every single stupid, cruel mistake, she silently swears. Contrary to general belief, she's quite clever, and she knows her enemy well. She has done plenty of homework over the years, and she now knows her enemy's thinking and behaving pattern like the back of her pale, too white hand. She follows her enemy's car carefully and discreetly and stops half a block away when the car pulls to a stop in front of a convenience store. She waits patiently until the driver limps out of the car and goes into the store, and jumps a little in the driver's seat when an unmarked sleek black Audi parked on the other side of the road quickly and quietly tears away from the curb and melts in the dusk. Joyce takes a deep calming breath, restarts her car, throws the Molotov cocktail at her enemy's car, and speeds away.

And by the time Trenton police detective Joe Morelli hears the explosion and half runs, half limps out of the store with the six-pack of beer and bags of chips and Doritos he just bought for the upcoming celebration following Stephanie Plum's destruction, his dark blue Ford SUV—whose two front tires were shot flat by Jeanne Ellen Burrows' bullets, is already engulfed in merciless raging flames...

~End of Kiss 23: Вячесла́в Миха́йлович Мо́лотов~

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Chapter 24: Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend

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Joe Morelli freezes in stunned surprise as he watches his car burn to a crisp. He can't believe his eyes, or his luck. His trip and prolonged stay in Hawaii cost him a lot of money. He had to hire his cousin to repaint his house. He hasn't heard from the insurance company about the loss of his Ducati. His broken jaw is yet to completely heal. The most crucial parts of his body is hurting and (hopefully not too severely) damaged. He has become a laughing stock. And now this. Oh yes, a memory strikes him like a lightning-bolt as he hears the sirens of police cars and fire engines coming closer and closer, he also wasted too much money on Stephanie's would-be diamond wedding ring.

What's not to like about this quiet and perfectly mannered young man? Helen Plum asks herself as Ranger excuses himself and answers his phone. She can tell both Frank and her mother like him, too. His skin color may be a little bit darker than she prefers, but he's certainly nice-looking, polite, and owns a very successful company. Every mother will fight to death for a son-in-law like this, she knows that for a fact, and he apparently cares very much about Stephanie. Helen thinks about all the cars and help Ranger gave her younger daughter over the years, and casts another longing glance at that bare Mocha Latte ring finger.

Now if only Stephanie can put a ring on it...

~End of Kiss 24: Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend~

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Chapter 25: The Charm Of The Wizard

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What's not to like about Ranger? He's a man of steely determination and many talents. He's smart and brave. He's effective and efficient. He's always ready and prepared. He never jumps to conclusion. He never makes hasty decisions. He always remains calm and cool under whatever stress and pressure. He has a unique sense of humour and perfect phone manners. He has read Jane Eyre, not a fan ofWuthering Heights, and can recite Carl Sandburg's poems. And he knows his enemies better than themselves. Stephanie sneaks another peek at Ranger and can't help smiling to herself. He asked Grandma Mazur a right question and made her talk about funny stories from the good old days instead of open casket viewings over dinner. He made her father look up from pot roast, extra gravy and mashed potatoes to actually get involved in the conversation. He has somehow earned her mother's approval and helped restore a lifelong supply of pineapple upside down cakes and chocolate layer cakes.

Stephanie jumps in the passenger seat of the Turbo and lets out a startled yelp as Ranger suddenly reaches out a hand to ruffle her hair and says in a cool collected voice, "Yeah, I'm a really likeable guy."

And most important of all, he's now hers and hers alone.

~End of Kiss 25: The Charm Of The Wizard~

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Chapter 26: Be Careful What You Wish

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Whether Joseph A. Morelli is an exceptional police detective is yet to be decided, but he sure is a very persistent—if not annoyingly stubborn—person who wants to make something out of his life. And sometimes he's almost like a typical, cliché, stereotyped and most boring badly-written character straight out of a bad paperback romance . He's a has-been bad boy who desperately wants to prove to the world that he's no longer the troubled 8-year-old who fingered little younger girls in his father's dark garage, nor the irresponsible teenager who coaxed innocent curious girls into giving him their virginity on cold hard marble floor or bare grassless ground and then walked away without a backward glance 6 minutes later. He's hardworking and hot tempered, rude and loud when angered, and he tends to stick to his views and opinions—sometimes regardless to clear and objective evidence—concerning certain people and things.

Now as Morelli stands dazed and frozen by the roadside watching the firemen put out the fire, a same thought keeps repeating itself over and over again inside his brain like a broken track record. Ranger. It must be Ranger who's behind all this. Morelli tells himself and clenches his fists as a sudden pang of rage possesses him. As if stealing Stephanie away from him and openly humiliating him in Hawaii is not enough, now that crazy cold-blooded calculating mercenary is out to destroy and torture him slowly, like a cat would a rat. And he, a mere Trenton police detective, can only rely on his wits, skill, and courage to thwart the enemy's evil plan. He knows he shouldn't have told Stephanie he wanted them to try an open relationship. He did and yes, still loves her, but he just had that strange choking feeling whenever he thought about buying an expensive diamond ring, dropping onto one knee and actually asking her to marry him. And when he finally, finally mustered enough courage and determination to go all the way to Hawaii to propose to her, she flat-out cheated on him with Ranger.

Morelli shakes in the cool night wind. He's hungry, cold, and mad with anger. He wants to revenge. He will have his revenge. He doesn't know how, he's not sure when, but he will definitely and eventually get what he wants and make them pay. He swears.

~End of Kiss 26: Be Careful What You Wish~

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Chapter 27: True Love's Kiss

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Ranger drops his keys onto the silver plate, picks up Stephanie's cell phone from the sideboard and hands it to her. He has tried his best to make sure she has everything ready and prepared before going out, but sometimes she just can't help forgetting a thing or two. He's glad she forgot her phone this time, though. He knows her voicemail is already filled with messages from all her excited and nosy friends and relatives. Their dinner was not interrupted and disturbed by phone calls only because Frank had thought ahead and unplugged the phone. And now he wants Stephanie to hear the news from him.

Their life together is gradually settling into a a comfortable pattern, and they are still trying to learn more about each other's likes and dislikes while making compromises and adjustments. They never talk about Morelli, and Stephanie never asks about the women in Ranger's past. He knows she's always curious about everything concerning him, but now that they are finally together, she has become more refrained—if not cautious—and patient. She knows he will reveal more about himself to her everyday, and she also realizes and understands that there are certain things he will and can never be able share with her. Ranger wraps his arms around Stephanie and gathers her close.

Communication, trust and acceptance. The three keys to any successful and healthy relationship. The three treasures he and Stephanie now share. And the three reasons why she and Morelli were never meant to be.

"Someone firebombed Morelli's car." Ranger whispers softly against Stephanie's lips after the sweet tender kiss, and raises his brow at her when she doesn't respond. "Babe?"

Stephanie blinks slowly after a long minute as if waking up from a long slumber, her twinkling eyes never leaving his, and whispers back dreamily. "What Morelli?"

~End of Kiss 27: True Love's Kiss~

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Chapter 28: On Second Thought

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A patrol car drops Joe Morelli off at his two story house. He waves thank you to the officer at the wheel and walks into his dark empty home. His mother has called to ask about his car and told him she would bring him dinner. He can smell the faint scent of her trademark cheese and tomato sauce in the air. He sits down and eats his late but still a bit lukewarm dinner in silence. Bob is staying at his mother's place. It's safer for him there. Morelli shoves the pasta into his mouth and somehow thinks of his relationship with Stephanie, and all of a sudden loses all his appetite. He puts down his fork and takes the diamond ring he bought for her out of his jeans pocket. He doesn't know why, but he has made it a habit to carry the ring with him all the time.

What happened? What has gone wrong between them? Joe Morelli looks at the small diamond on the ring and asks himself. He can't say he believes he and Stephanie are meant together. He can't say he never thinks about walking away to find himself a better woman. And he always, always has doubts about her relationship with Ranger. Maybe that's the reason why he told her "Let's keep our options open" and "Feel free to go out with someone else". He didn't plan to date anyone else, truth be told. The open relationship was actually a test of Stephanie's loyalty. And when he heard that she went to Hawaii alone, he knew it was then or never. So he made up his mind, spent a substantial portion of his savings on this ring and the round trip plane tickets, and flew all the way to Hawaii. Only to find she was cheating on him with Ranger. And then came back here all alone with his bruised pride and male ego and a lot of anger.

Free to come, free to go. Isn't it what open relationship really means? A small voice, not unlike Stephanie's, sounds quietly but piercingly clearly in the back of his mind.

He blows out a sigh, puts the ring back into his pocket, heads upstairs to bed, and stubbornly shrugs off the voice. Several hours later, he wakes up covered in cold sweat. He just had a dream, a very scary dream, in which Eddie Abruzzi's greyish pale deadman's face and unseeing empty eyes haunted him. He sits in bed numbly for a long time, and finally goes to the bathroom for the much needed long hot shower. And tries as he may, Joe Morelli just can't get rid of the doubt whispering in his mind. Does he really have that in him to stand up against the cold-blooded calculating mercenary who successfully eliminated a crazy mobster and all his thugs in under 5 hours? He honestly has no idea...

~End of Kiss 28: On Second Thought...~

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Chapter 29: Wonder Woman's Mind

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Stephanie wakes up just a few minutes before dawn and somehow can't get back to sleep. She turns a little to look at Ranger's peaceful sleeping face. He always looks so tough and strong. She wonders if he ever has nightmares, or if any of his dark secrets left him scarred. There are things she doesn't know about him. Things he himself told her she wouldn't want to know. She knew he was not joking. So she never asks. Maybe someday Ranger will finally tell her. Maybe he won't. Stephanie will respect his decision. Because there are things she doesn't want him to know, too. But still she can't help being a bit curious from time to time, she admit. She wants to snuggle closer to Ranger's side, but she's afraid she will wake him up. He more than often works long, insane hours, and she doesn't want to disturb his sleep. And how come Ranger's eyelashes are longer than hers? It's so unfair. He already has better skin and hair.

Will she and Ranger finally get married? Stephanie wonders. Her heart beat fastens whenever she thinks of the moment she put the simple platinum ring on his finger under the full Hawaiian moon. She almost died of nervousness and overjoy when he took her hand and slid on the sea glass ring he chose for her. Too bad Ranger doesn't like wearing rings. He has great taste in jewelry. Even the gold and silver necklaces and chains he wore in street Ranger mode are unique and tastefully designed. And what happens to his diamond stud earrings? They looked so good on his ears...Stephanie smiles and then thinks of her To-Do list. She needs to get another tube of her new lip gloss. Ranger likes this color. She has only one skip left and she knows where to find him. Piece of cake. She will have lunch at Mary Lou's. All her closer girl friends want to know every single detail about last night's dinner and so do Connie, Lula and Val... Stephanie yawns and closes her eyes, and gradually falls asleep. No, she has no idea who's out there messing with Morelli. And honestly, she really doesn't care...

~End of Kiss 29: Wonder Woman's Mind~

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Chapter 30: Keep The Faith

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Joe Morelli parks and locks his brand new navy blue Ford SUV and walks toward the police station. He doesn't bother to hide the bright smile on his face. He always likes sunny days, and one of the perks of being a police detective is that you know just the right people who know just how to pull the right strings. His insurance company has been very cooperative, and his Escape came with a small but satisfying discount. Though he couldn't get back to sleep after that nightmare this morning, the pre-dawn shower did make him feel much better. His jaw didn't hurt during breakfast, his You-Know-Where is still bruised but thank God the swelling has reduced a little, and Abruzzi's face has stopped popping up in his mind at some point.

Maybe Ranger is not the one who's trying to ruin our life, a small but rational voice in the back of Morelli's mind whispers. He will simply put a bullet through our brain in the dead of the night and make it look like we immigrate to Canada or New Zealand or some God-forsaken island in the middle of the ocean. And no one, NO ONE will ever know the truth and find our decomposing dead body...

A cold shiver crawls down Morelli's spine. A sick feeling suddenly appears in his gut. And he grudgingly admits that this has a point. Yes, Ranger doesn't seem like a guy who enjoys torturing people till they die slowly in great pain. Besides, just like every other good cop in the world, Morelli has better things to do and more pressing matters to tend to. He has people to protect and law to uphold. He has crimes to solve and criminals to arrest. His time is too precious to waste on that crazy bastard. But if it's not Ranger, who is it? Morelli frowns and tries hard to think. He has his fair share of enemies. But who hates him this much? Who wants him to suffer so bad? Who—

Wait! That's it? The Italian alpha male inside Morelli yells furiously. We are gonna drop it? We are gonna walk away with our tail between our legs? How about our revenge? How about Stephanie? How about our injured pride? How about our hurt feelings? Don't we want pay back? Don't we want justice? Aren't we entitled to something after all these years? She CHEATED on us!

Joe Morelli narrows his eyes and clenches his fists as the familiar rage once again starts burning. No. He can't just let go and move on. It's not that simple. This is not about his bruised ego or ruined reputation. This is about his dignity and principles. He needs to do something. He needs to take action...Morelli steps inside the door and then immediately freezes as he comes face to face with Ranger. He looks into those cool, calm and indecipherable dark brown eyes and the world stops. He can't hear his own breathing. He can't hear his heart beating. But he does hear that clear, soft and almost indifferent "Morelli," as his tall dark handsome and very successful rival raises one perfect brow slightly at him and leaves the building.

No, no need to overreact. We have to deal with life's difficulties and disappointments like all matured grown ups do. And no, we can't really say Stephanie cheated on us. Free to come, free to go. That's the basic of open relationship. Firmly and silently a slightly trembling Joe Morelli tells himself.

And no, we are just being reasonable, not being a coward...

~End of Kiss 30: Keep The Faith~

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Chapter 31: Baby Give It Up, Give It Up, Baby Give

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Let it go and move on. Walk away and save yourself. You are too young to give up hope for real love, real life, and real happiness. The pale and tired looking red-haired woman in the mirror once again tries to persuade Joyce Barnhardt. She has been doing this every morning for the past few years, but Joyce never listens. Joyce wants revenge. Joyce wants to avenge all her unhappy and heartbreaking memories. Joyce wants to have a lot of money in her bank account. Joyce wants to own spacious houses and fancy cars and luxury jewelry. Joyce wants to be rich. Joyce want to be safe. Joyce wants to be free of fears. Joyce wants to be in control of everyone and everything in her life. Joyce wants her childhood back. Joyce wants to have her family back. Joyce wants her virginity back...Joyce wants to stop being unhappy and lonely...

Joyce Barnhardt slaps her forehead hard and immediately groans in pain. She simply hates it when she thinks so much. She narrows her eyes and stares at her reflection in the mirror, and wills it to shut up. No, she's not done yet. She's a woman of her words. She's a woman with a purpose. And she knows how to hold grudges. Nope, she won't do stupid things. She still doesn't like Stephanie Plum, but she always treasures her life, and she knows it won't be wise to mess with Ranger. But now she does hate Joe Morelli more, and she wants nothing more than to pay him back for that moonless summer night 20 years ago. The patch of green grass behind the gym. The most popular and dangerous 15-year-old boy in her school and neighborhood. His melted-chocolate eyes and lizard tongue. Yes, she craves for the Italian Stallion's blood. Pure and simple.

~End of Kiss 31: Baby Give It Up, Give It Up, Baby Give It Up~

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Chapter 32: Time Is Money

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One thing is crystal clear: Whoever destroyed Joe Morelli's Ducati and firebombed his car is out to do him real serious harm, and that person is also saving Ranger some trouble and time.

Ranger starts his 911 Turbo and allows himself a small amused smile. He has met, and knows men like Morelli well. They are never difficult to read. Hard working and stubborn. Proud and loud. Confident and smug. Traditional and self-centered. Conservative and predictable. Ambitious but reluctant to take chances or risks. One step away to win everything but too afraid or unsure to step up the plate. Too much ego and too much talk. Too little or all the wrong kinds of actions. Not exactly bad persons. But boring. And selfish. They all have hot temper. Only care about their wants and needs. Only see what they choose and wish to see. Tend to hold grudges. Have a thirst for revenge. And sometimes their bites are indeed a lot worse than their barks.

Morelli's fiery Italian temper will certainly demand him to avenge his humiliation and vent his frustration. Stephanie will undoubtedly be the main target, and he won't be decent enough not to abuse the power of his police badge to harass her. He will also want to get all their families, mutual friends and neighbors involved. Of course Morelli knows he'll have to deal with Ranger should Stephanie get hurt, but he's certain that she will try she best to leave Ranger out of this. Stephanie simply hates to become a burden or liability to those whom she loves, and Morelli will use her "weakness" to his greatest advantage. And this is the reason why Ranger has Morelli under surveillance. He won't allow Morelli to harm Stephanie.

Ranger is not into giving free lessons to reluctant students. He thinks it's best for people to find out about their follies and flaws on their own and come face to face with their own devils. But he is ready to teach Morelli one of life's most important lessons. For free. If necessary. It's one thing to have a police-issued gun, a shining police badge and a tough-guy look. It's totally another to actually pull the trigger or stab the knife deep enough to kill someone. Ranger never ever likes Morelli. He knows Morelli is secretly afraid—or scared—of him. He REALLY hates it when Morelli calls Stephanie "Cupcake".

And he's simply glad that Joyce Barnhardt is out for Morelli's blood. His time is too precious to waste on stupid people.

~End of Kiss 32: Time Is Money~

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Chapter 33: Babies, A Lot Of Babies

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"Do you want to have kids?"

Stephanie almost drops her box of doughnuts upon hearing this. Her heart thunders in her ears as her face pales and blushes at the same time. She knows she's now gaping like a gold fish, but she can't help it. She's way too stunned, startled, nervous, hot, happy, and bothered. Does she want to have kids? She tries hard to search for the answer, but her brain suddenly shuts down and turns empty. She tries to take a deep even breath to calm herself down but just can't concentrate. The joyful sound of a baby's giggles pops out of nowhere and keeps running around in her head. Baby. Ranger's baby. Growing inside her belly. She starts feeling dizzy and excited. A little girl? Or a little boy? With Ranger's smooth skin, super long eyelashes and dazzling smile? And her hair and eyes? No, not her wild crazy and unruly curls. That will be the cruelest torture for any teenage boy and girl. And she loves Ranger's eyes. So calm. So deep. So enchanting...

"Well, you're not getting any younger."

The almost casual tone puts Stephanie on the verge of panic overload. Yes, she has thought about having her own children when Val gave birth to baby Lisa a couple years ago, but soon gave up. She couldn't help remembering the moment Val's water broke and sprayed all over Cal, and thus knocked him out. And everybody, EVERYBODY, knows that giving birth hurts. And she really doesn't like pain. And dirty diapers. And non stop crying baby. And what if she becomes a whale just like Val? And what if she, too, remains a whale? They are sisters, after all...

"The clock won't stop ticking, you know."

The not so subtle warning stops Stephanie from hyperventilating and snaps something inside her. Yes, she knows she'll be 35 in a couple years. But still, she is the rightful owner of her damn body. Whether she wants to have children with Ranger or not is none of other people's business. It's her decision to make. It's her choice. It's her life. It's her future. It's all up to her. No one, not even her own mother, has the right to tell her what to do! She turns around, all ready and prepared to give the nosy person a piece of her mind, and finds that the strange 40-something woman is talking to the person on the other end of her iPhone. She stares and gapes at the woman for several long embarrassing seconds, and runs out of Tasty Bakery without a backward glance...

~End of Kiss 33: Babies, A Lot Of Babies~

---

Chapter 34: Love Me Tender, Love Me True

---

Helen can't help feeling nervous. She always wondered what it would feel like to ride this car, and now she finally got her wish. She likes it. She really does. It's all sleek and smooth and smells good inside, and it also makes her feel safe and powerful at the same time. This car is very expensive. But it's worth every penny paid for it. And that's exactly what worries her. It's not that she doesn't trust her own husband—everyone knows Franks Plum is a careful and discreet driver—it's just...it's just...well, Helen knows it's her birthday and Frank and Stephanie want to make it special for her: A single ruby red rose. A trip to Point Pleasant in the fancy German car. A walk on the beach. And a romantic dinner at a cozy restaurant. She's greatly touched and deeply moved, but she has not a clue what to do should anything happen to Ranger's Porsche. She used to go straight into the Land of Denial and pretended everything was perfect and fine whenever Stephanie destroyed Ranger's cars, but now it's no longer an option. Stephanie is with Ranger now, and the last thing Helen wants to do is to cause any possible damage to her younger child's relationship. Besides, She and Frank may have to sell their house to buy Ranger a new car. And that may not even be enough. Geez.

Frank stops at the red light and turns to take hold of his wife's hand. He laces their fingers together and gives her an assuring smile. "Everything's going to be fine." He knows how much Helen likes to worry about everything, and she looks cute when she frowns. "Trust me."

Helen locks eyes with her husband for a long second and gives him a small smile and a tiny nod. Frank is never a man of many words, and she always trusts him. And maybe Ranger won't let them sell the house to buy him another 911 Turbo. He's actually a very decent and considerate young man after all...Helen wills herself to focus on the pleasant day ahead of her as the Porsche speeds forward. And neither she nor Frank takes notice of the navy blue Ford Escape that abruptly pulls over at the curb not far behind.

~End of Kiss 34: Love Me Tender, Love Me True~

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Chapter 35: Like Frankie Said I Did It My Way

---

Joe Morelli kills the engine, rests his head against the steering wheel of his navy blue Escape and closes his eyes. He knows exactly what he was thinking. He knows perfectly well what he was doing. And now he simply wants to punch himself for being such an idiot. Doing stupid things—such as putting the Kojak light on the top of his car and pulling over Ranger's Porsche—is not going to change a thing. It won't bring Stephanie back to his side. But he wanted to try it. He wanted to do something. He wanted to make Stephanie feel guilty. He wanted to punish her for leaving him. Because he couldn't just let go. Why? He searches his brain and asks himself. Why does he want her this much? Why does he need her this much? Is it love? Is it lust? Or is it just an old nasty habit that flat-out refuses to die? Morelli lets of a sigh. He's suddenly tired. Tired of his job. Tired of himself. Tired of everyone and everything in his joke of a life. Tired of searching for the answers of too many questions.

He has always been proud of himself. He has always enjoys being a cop. He has always likes the style of his life. But now all of a sudden his world becomes too comfortable, too familiar, and too small. And it's starting choking him. Maybe it's a sign. Maybe it's time for him to find something new in his life. Maybe it's time for him to meet someone else for a change. But does he have enough strength to walk away and move on? He honestly has no idea. He wishes he knows how to stop feeling sorry for himself. He wishes he knows how to stop loving and hating Stephanie Plum at the same time. He wishes he never finds out that he, Joseph Morelli, is afraid or Ranger. It's not a good feeling. It makes him feels like a coward and stupid. And maybe, just maybe, it's the real reason why he stopped his car and watched them go...

Morelli wills himself to stop thinking and restarts the car. He has no time for soul searching. His life is too busy and too complicated. He stops at Pino's for a large double cheese pizza with extra garlic and beer, and when he and all the other cops hear the explosion and run out to the parking lot, his brand new Ford Escape is already engulfed in flames.

~End of Kiss 35: Like Frankie Said I Did It My Way~

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Chapter 36: It's My Life

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The other cops inside Pino's parking lot widen their eyes and try hard to ignore the two rivers of tears flooding down Joe Morelli's stubbled cheeks. No one says a word. Because nobody knows what to say. So they just stand there in awkward silence watching the Escape explode into a huge fireball. Some of them want to giggle. Some of them wonder who hates Morelli this much. And the majority of them start contemplating the possibility of a brand new betting pool. It seems that Stephanie's Cayenne is here to stay. Joe Morelli's motorbike and cars, on the other hand, are a totally different story now. Being a police officer can be really distressing and frustrating. They all need a few laughs and a vent for their anger, stress and pressure on a daily base, and betting on Stephanie's blown up cars have helped them through a lot. However, they probably won't give Morelli a cut of the money, though. He may be one of their own, but he sure can be too cocky and arrogant sometimes. And they all like Stephanie. It's only fair that they give her a share of the jackpot.

The firefighters soon arrive. They, too, try hard not to listen to Detective Morelli's heartbroken sobs and focus on putting out the fire. They feel sorry for the battered Italian Stallion. They really do. But still they can't help feeling like sniggering at his incredible bad luck. It's a part of human nature, they guess. And yes, they'd love to join in the new betting pool. Life as a firefighter is full of stress, too.

Joe Morelli takes a ride back to the police station. He didn't finish his pizza and beer. He's exhausted and bone-tired, and has somehow lost all his appetite. He hears his new Escape weeping. He sees the ghost of his beloved Ducati. He has lost Stephanie to a most scary invincible rival. He has lost another battle to a still unknown enemy. And he has just found out how empty and lonely his 2-story house is without Bob last night. He doesn't know what he has done to deserve this. How can someone hates him so much? He's Joe Morelli. The only Morelli man who beat the Morelli curse. The only Morelli man who successfully makes something out of his life. He's a highly trained and praised police detective. He's fun to be with. He's handsome and sexy. He's Grandma Bella's favorite. Everybody, EVERYBODY, loves him. And he really, really wants his peace and quiet back. He just wants a normal life. A wife. A dog. A house and 6 cute kids. 3 boys and 3 girls. Is that to much to ask?

The uniform cop behind the wheel winces and cringes as Morelli starts mumbling and crying at the same time. And inside a small café not far from Pino's Joyce Barnhardt smiles a happy smile. God, she loves her life!

~End of Kiss 36: It's. My. Life~

---

Chapter 37: Someday

---

Stephanie Manoso.

Stephanie whispers the name to herself and blushes a little. She recalls the phone conversation she overheard inside Tasty Bakery and blushes even more. She toys with her sea glass ring and thinks about her and Ranger. They are both in their 30s. The invisible clock won't stop ticking. And Ranger, the always calm and assertive Master of Control, doesn't do stupid things. Love. Ring. Condoms. No price. No strings. No relationship. The cars he loaned her. The money he spent for her. The blood he bled for her. He loves her in his own way. And she's now living in his apartment. With him.

Marriage and babies. Every—well, not every, but surely a lot of women's dream. A tall dark handsome husband. A sweet cozy home. A dog. A cat. Or a hamster. And a couple cute kids. Was she...is she one of those women? Does she share the same dream and want the same things? Why did she marry Dickie? Why did she start her unhealthy relationship with Morelli? She thought she loved Dickie and expected him to love her back. But instead he cheated on her with Joyce Barnhardt. She thought she shared something special with Morelli. But the sad truth is it was nothing but a lot of bad judgment and an ugly history. And they simply couldn't commit themselves to each other no matter what. She'd never seen past Dickie's facade as an ambitious fun-loving charming young lawyer until it was too late. She'd talked herself into believing she and Morelli belonged to each other because he was her first in just about everything. She thought she knew what she really needed and wanted. And both times she was wrong. Terribly wrong. Yes, she had been happy for a while in the beginning. But reality caught up with her eventually and laughed out loud in her face.

And Ranger is different. She trusts him like no one else. She loves him like no one else. It thrills her that he loves and trusts her too, and that he will never lie to her or hurt her. And it feels so good to be loved. protected and cherished...

Stephanie Manoso.

Ranger ends the call and silently whispers the name to himself. Yes. he's aware they are both in their 30s. Yes, he understands the invisible clock won't stop ticking. He's happy with his life right now. He still doesn't do stupid things. But he always does the right things and is almost never allergic to changes. And Stephanie Manoso does sound cute. He's more than certain he'll have a lot of fun teaching Stephanie to pronounce the family name. He unlocks the door and steps into the apartment, places his keys onto the silver plate and smiles as he sees the dreamy look on Stephanie's face. He's not ready for a second marriage. But he knows he does love her deeply. And he has a surprise for her. What has to come has to come.

5 minutes later, Stephanie widens her eyes and starts hyperventilating. She's going to meet Ranger's family. On Grandma Rosa's birthday dinner. This coming weekend.

And she has nothing to wear!

~End of Kiss 37: Someday~

---

Chapter 38: Batman!

---

Stephanie can't decide. Her fingers linger on the soft fabric as she sighs. One of her eyes is going to start twitching in any minute, she's sure of that. How come her life is always so full of difficult choice? She wonders. She looks good in the cute little cocktail dress. She looks good in the elegant knee-high evening dress. She also looks good in the sleek pant suit. But she needs to choose one. She can't buy or wear all of them at the same time. Once again she debates with herself, but still can't reach a decision. She turns to look at the man she loves with pleading eyes. Her heart skips a beat as Ranger gives her a rare full-on smile, and she's pretty sure she just heard the saleslady moaned dreamily beside her.

Stephanie forces herself to concentrate back on the task at hand. She's glad Batman is having fun, but she's desperately in need of his help. She simply has no idea what to wear to Grandma Rosa's birthday dinner. She wants to leave a good impression. She wants to be beautiful and smart and fun and clever. She wants the Bat Family to like her. She doesn't want them to think she's not good enough for Ranger. Her anxious eyes follow Ranger as he goes to a rack and picks out a dress.

A perfect dress.

Stephanie gapes at her own reflection in the mirror and feels faint. Ranger does know everything. Everything. The creamy ivory dress fits her perfectly. And she looks just like Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday...

~End of Kiss 38: Batman!~

---

Chapter 39: I Dream A Dream

---

The whole room falls quiet the moment they enter. Stephanie looks around and officially becomes frightened. Familiar faces. Friendly smiles. And all those mischievous and curious eyes. She grabs hold of Ranger's arm(yes, in a death grip) and nervously blinks. She tries very hard not to feel small or scared. They are Ranger's family. They are not going to eat her. They will probably just bury her with tons of questions. And the problem is she doesn't know if she has all the answers.

She knows her smile must look more like a grimace, but that's the best she can manage at this moment. She hopes her eyes are not twitching. She hopes she looks smart and competent. She hopes she won't knock over and smash something and make herself look stupid. She hopes Ranger's family will like her. She hopes they will approve of her. She hopes she can remember all the names and the faces. She hopes she knows what to do if they decide she's not good enough for their Carlos. She leans into Ranger's side and feels his warmth. She relaxes and calms down a little when he wraps an arm around her. They now share a life and are in this together. And the fact that she knows he won't let go of her helps her breathe more easily.

Stephanie soon forgets her awkwardness once the dinner begins. The food is amazing and delicious. She laughs along when someone tells a joke. She raises her glass and drinks to the toasts. And it doesn't take long for her to find that she really, really likes Grandma Rosa and Ranger's parents—Isabela reminds her of her always worrying mother, and it's apparent that Ranger got his smile from Juan Carlos. Grandma Rosa is so stern but so sweet. And Stephanie also knows that Ranger's elder brother and sisters and aunts and uncles and cousins are all trying their best to refrain from asking her all kinds of most interesting but embarrassing questions. Maybe it's because they are being kind and thoughtful and considerate. Maybe it's because Ranger is sitting beside her with a charming yet somewhat intimidating smile on his face. She appreciates their efforts anyway.

She actually jumps in joy when Sofía and Ariana—Ranger's elder sisters—hand her a large box of leftovers and a giant chunk of the birthday cake and falls asleep on the drive home. When she wakes up the next morning, she's all alone in the 7-floor apartment. Ranger, as usual, has already gone to work. Stephanie lies in the heavenly king-size bed thinking. She has no memory of Ranger carrying her from the Turbo to their bed or undressing her, but she remembers her dream vividly. She blushes fiercely and covers her face.

She has just dreamed of their wedding. And their baby, the Batbaby...

~End of Kiss 39: I Dream A Dream~

---

Chapter 40: The Look Of Love

---

Joyce Barnhardt walks into Pino's and comes face to face with Stephanie Plum. She never ever likes Stephanie Plum. They have been sworn enemies ever since they were both little girls. And she flat-out hates those wild crazy curls. She almost died of jealousy upon hearing the news of Stephanie's marriage to Dickie Orr, a smart and sly budding lawyer with a bright future. So she intervened and smashed Stephanie's happiness—or saved her from a life worse than Hell, depending on your point of view, she guesses—right on the beautiful dining table(oh yes, by the way, it's actually the wedding present from Mr. and Mrs. Plum). Joyce thinks of all the grudges between them and smiles to herself as Stephanie frowns. She raises her eyebrow and looks straight into those narrowed blue-eyes, and for the very first time in a long long while feels nothing. Nothing at all.

No adversary. No resentment. No dislike. No jealousy. No nothing.

Joyce can't help feeling a little bit surprised. Maybe she has finally moved on. Maybe she has finally grown up. The woman whom she has spent so much time to hate is right in front of her eyes, and somehow all of a sudden it doesn't matter anymore. The smile on her face widens into a grin. She grabs hold of Stephanie's free hand and shakes it, and then walks into the dining area to find herself a table.

Stephanie gapes. The diners and the waitresses gawk. And Joyce smiles while studying the menu and remains oblivious to the world. Weird things do happen everyday, everyone soon decides and moves on with their busy life. 22 minutes later, a deflated and red-eyed Joe Morelli walks in and sits down at his usual table with his shoulders slumped. He orders his usual large pizza with extra garlic and cheese and his usual beer in a quiet and still shaky voice. He nods to his co-workers and acquaintances but doesn't speak much. He looks up to see if his late lunch is ready and sees Joyce. She's eating alone. She looks happy and eerily beautiful under the bright light.

And at that moment, Joseph A. Morelli falls in love.

~End of Kiss 40: The Look Of Love~

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Chapter 41: Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart

---

Not many people know this, but Pino's actually serves very good salads. Joyce Barnhardt closes her eyes and almost moans in pleasure as she enjoys the taste of the greenish golden extra virgin olive oil. She likes extra virgin olive oils. She likes ripe tomatoes and crunchy lettuces. She likes the wonderful sweetness of the mango. And now she also likes her life. She has money and cars and real estates. She has Apple stocks. And she doesn't hate Stephanie Plum any more. She wishes Stephanie has a good life and lives happily ever after with Ranger. Joyce spears a piece of fried potato with her fork and smiles a merciless smile. Oh yes, she wishes pain and jealousy stab through Joe Morelli's heart whenever he sees Stephanie and Ranger together. She wishes Joe Morelli lives in regrets and loneliness and dies in agony and sorrow.

She's no longer the lonely frightened heartbroken 13-year-old girl, but she still hates the now 35-year-old man who took her virginity and tossed her away. Joyce takes a sip of her iced tea and calms herself. She's a smart woman. She always gets what she wants. And now she wants her revenge. She wants Joe Morelli to pay for what he did to her 20 years ago. She wants him to suffer. She wants him to have a taste of her pain, her fear, and her humiliation. And she will let go and move on when justice is served. Or when she has had enough fun...Joyce feels a presence at her back and turns her head. She narrows her eyes at a nervously smiling Joe Morelli and frowns at the smell of sweat and cheap cologne.

Joe Morelli looks at the red-haired woman he has known almost all his life with longing and fear. He has never ever felt this way toward a woman, any woman. Not even Terry. Not even Stephanie. He always has his way with women of all ages and backgrounds, but now he's sudden unsure. There's something different with Joyce, he notices. She's no longer the man-eater who always, ALWAYS flashes a seductive smile and licks her blood-red lips upon seeing him. She seems colder and much more distant. But he likes the change in her. It makes him want to be with her and to know about her. The real her. The woman hides inside the notorious Joyce Barnhardt.

His smile becomes braver as he remembers he's her first. Women can't get over their first. Look at Terry. Look at Carol. Look at Amy. Look at Jamie. Look at Maria. Look at Kim...Look at Stephanie—well, it did take her years to break away from their unhealthy on-and-off relationship and move in with Ranger, did it not? Maybe he can help her recall the memory and rekindle whatever he had between them...

"Fuck off, Muffin."

People inside Pino's stare and gawk. Joe Morelli starts to twitch and froth and drop to the floor. Joyce Barnhardt puts her taser back into her Grace Kelly Bag and pays her bill. And for the very first time in her life, she leaves the waitress a huge tip.

~End of Kiss 41: Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart~

---

Chapter 42: Every Breath You Take

---

Stephanie frowns and thinks really hard, but still she can't make a decision. She's going to buy Ranger something. Something beautiful, nice and special. Something unique and suits him perfectly. His birthday is coming up in a little more than a month, and she has never ever given him anything, not even a birthday card. The birthday cake she bought him didn't count. He only had one very small slice, and she somehow ate the rest all by herself...Stephanie's eyes glaze over as she recalls the memory of Ranger kissing the lemon cream cheese filling off her lips...and the cake did say, "Happy Birthday Stanley". Stephanie grimaces a little as she sobers up. And now the problem is she has no idea what that "something" is.

What will be the perfect gift for someone who already has everything? Ranger already has more than enough Swiss-made military watches as well as state of the art cell phones and computers. He owns office buildings and other real estates in different cities, and has a fleet of powerful sexy cars and a lot of guns. He no longer wears earrings or necklaces. And he's still allergic to rings. And Stephanie doesn't want to give Ranger ties and cuff links. Ties and cuff links are the kind of gifts people give their fathers or grandfathers on Christmas.

She blows out a defeated sigh. For the very first time in a long, long while, she actually has savings in the bank, and she no longer has to worry about rent money and bills and budgets for new crappy cars and groceries. Because Ranger takes care of everything. And Stephanie can't help feeling awkward and a little embarrassed about it. She never wants to become or feel like a liability. She wants to be Ranger's equal, independent and capable partner. She wants to pay her share and make some contributions. She has tried to discuss it with Ranger, but he just looked at her in the eyes, reached out a hand to ruffle her hair and said, "Babe," with a small smile on his face before gathering her in his arms and kissing her senseless. And when Stephanie woke up next to Ranger the next morning, she realized it was his way to tell her "End of discussion, Babe".

Maybe it's a Latino male thing. Maybe it's an alpha-male thing. Or maybe it's a Ranger thing. Stephanie didn't bring up the subject again. But it doesn't stop her from wanting to do something, anything, for the man she loves. Thanks God she has a month's time to find the most perfect birthday present. Too bad she can't sell her hair to buy a platinum fob chain. Ranger doesn't have a pocket watch. And she's pretty sure nobody will want to buy her wild crazy curls...

~End of Kiss 42: Every Breath You Take~

---

Chapter 43: Can't Believe You Are Mine

---

The weather suddenly changes and cool rain starts to fall. A flash of lightning lightened up the late night sky. A distant thunder roars. Stephanie lies alone in the heavenly king-size bed with her eyes wide open. She listens to the raindrops and the wind. Ranger is out there somewhere trying to bring in yet another dangerous vicious and maybe crazy criminal. He probably won't be back until tomorrow morning. She can't sleep. She's just a tiny little bit lonely. She can still see the beautiful intensity in his almost black eyes. She can still taste the gentle lingering good-night kiss he placed on her lips. But she misses the heat of his perfect body. She misses the firm touch of his tender hands. She misses him. The apartment is too quiet and too empty without him. And she's now officially worried. Another week has flown by. She's still in search of the perfect birthday gift.

Stephanie lets out a defeated sigh, wraps Ranger's pillow in her arms and starts to think. Maybe she can give him an unforgettable memory. Maybe she can put on a skintight black leather suit and dress up as Catwoman? Nope, bad idea. Skintight black leather suit reminds her of Scrog. Catwoman reminds her of the ever so perfect Jeanne Ellen Burrows. Eew! and double eew. Maybe she can put on some sexy lace lingerie and get a pair of those hot pink leopard print fluffy cuffs? Wait...lace lingerie and leopard print fluffy cuffs? Stephanie's eyes start to twitch as Vinnie's smirking face suddenly pops up in her mind. She's not that into bondage anyway. Geez.

Or maybe she can buy him a bottle of massage oil and wrap herself in nothing but ribbons and bows? She sucks at tying ribbons and bows, but Ranger did show interest in the bottle of cherry-flavored massage oil...Stephanie's eyes glaze over at the memory of the tip of Ranger's tongue on her oiled palm. Yes, she believes she has found the perfect gift for Ranger. Now if she can learn a few tricks and tips about full body massage...and won't pass out from over-excitement...

Yum.

~End of Kiss 43: Can't Believe You Are Mine~

---

Chapter 44: We Don't Need Another Hero

---

Joyce Barnhardt takes one last look around the modest empty 2-story house that holds a lot of memories for her. This is where she swore to herself that one day she would be rich and sexy and powerful and strong. This is where she decided to throw her pride and dignity away and sell herself to the Devil. This is where she first experienced joy, happiness, pain, and torment. This is where her only brother died at the young age of 16 one winter dawn. This is where sorrow and depression silently and gradually consumed her heartbroken mother. This is where her always tired and distant father sealed himself away from the whole Goddamn fucking world. This is where she grew up. This is her childhood home. This is the piece of real estate she has just sold to a nice couple from Brazil. Joyce's hand lingers on the wooden door frame for a fraction of a second. It's time to move on and let go.

Her father lost his battle with liver failure and was buried next to her brother years ago. Her mother died in her sleep several months later in the asylum. She has no family left. She's all alone. She will be lying if she says she is not lonely, but she does enjoy the feeling of being on her own. And now she has also admitted to herself that she has many regrets. She knows she's not exactly a good person. She doesn't have many friends. She knows she has never been a good wife or daughter-in-law. She has never hesitated to hurt or manipulate people to get what she wants. She chooses not to have a pet because she's afraid even her own dog or cat won't trust or like her. But things are going to change now. Joyce closes and locks the door and firmly assures herself. She's a different woman now. She's thinking about starting a new career, and she won't rule out the possibility of moving to a new city. A new state. Or a new country. Joyce walks toward her brand new silvery green Lexus and abruptly stops as her eyes fall upon the tall dark movie star handsome and a bit nervous man standing across the street by a blue Ford Escape.

Joe Morelli.

He has been following her everywhere like a lost puppy. She has tried all her best to get rid out him. But just like an extraordinarily annoying persistent fly, he simply wouldn't go away no matter how many times she tasered him or kneed him in the groin. Maybe it's time to change strategy and be creative. Joyce narrows her eyes and quickly decides. She won't be able to move on with her new life with unwanted baggage. So she does an standard Burg eye roll, lets out an audible sigh and puts on a barely there tiny smile, as if she has finally given in to his charm. Her smile grows wider and sweeter as Joe Morelli comes toward her with shining sexy eyes and a big happy grin. Men are so easy. Joyce tries hard not to snort. She knows what he's thinking. She can almost see his tail wagging. Yes, she will go home with him. Yes, she will get him naked. Yes, she will run her hands through his dense chest hair. Yes, she will stop to admire his eagle tattoo.

And yes, she will make the most of his police issued handcuffs...

~End of Kiss 44: We Don't Need Another Hero~

---

Chapter 45: The Truth Will Set Us Free?

---

"Silk is boring and not very animal friendly. They have to boil silk worms alive to get silk, so you'll be covered in zillions and zillions of silkworms' dead bodies, White Girl. The ghosts of the dead worms are gonna demand revenge and haunt somebody, and you can very much be that somebody. Now how romantic is that?"

Awkward silence drops like a bomb. No one can utter a word or make a sound for a whole uncomfortable minute. Both Connie and the elegant-looking sales lady of the high-end lingerie boutique gape and cringe. And Stephanie's left eye starts to twitch.

"Geez, Lula, that's too much information." Connie finally says and puts a hand over her heart. She winces as she desperately tries to wipe the disturbing picture of cooked worms from her mind. "You need to stop watching Discovery and National Geographic already."

"What? No way. I loooooove Discovery and National Geographic. They provide us with the newest knowledge every day. And I also have to watch Animal Planet. I am trying to become a cat person. Because nothing good is gonna happen if you force your man to choose between you and his cats. And we all know Stephanie will look like a vampire chick in that silk nightie." Lula raises both her eyebrows and stubbornly insists. "Black is not her color. She's too white. She needs to wear something cute and fluffy. And she's not exactly the sexy kitten type, if you know what I mean."

Stephanie narrows her eyes and crosses her arms in front of her chest indignantly and defensively as the three women's attention suddenly and not so subtly focuses on her 100 percent genuine but sadly sort of modest breasts. WHAT? Stephanie fiercely thinks. Ranger has never ever complained about her...assets. He is not the shallow kind of man who judges a woman by her body. What they have between them is much, much more than sex and lust. Though she herself is not all that happy about the unpleasant fact that she's in need of the help of push-up bras sometimes. But everyone knows beauty is only skin deep. Right?

RIGHT?

The sales lady soon regains her composure and once again puts on her polite professional smile. Luckily they also have some most exquisite lingerie and nightwear made in France with the finest organic Egyptian cotton. And they come in all shades of beautiful colors. Stephanie happily sighs as she and her loyal friends leave the store a little more than an hour later. She has already bought a book about full body massage. Now all she has to do is go get some ribbons and bows and choose a perfect bottle of flavored massage oil...

And hopefully Ranger will like his new black organic cotton boxers.

~End of Kiss 45: The Truth Will Set Us Free?~

---

Chapter 46: C'est la Vie

---

Joe Morelli tries his best to remain calm and positive. He is a smart and strong man, a fearless police detective. He has been through a lot of difficult situations, and he realizes the importance of the ability to contemplate his options with a clear and fully functioning mind under stressful conditions. He's now facing an extremely tough, tricky and challenging predicament, and he can't afford to make one single mistake. Too much is at stake. He has his reputation, his ego, his pride and dignity to consider. He doesn't want to spend the rest of his life as the laughing stock of the whole Trenton. This is, after all, real life, not another stupid, tacky episode of Jersey Shore, for crying out loud.

He thinks of the events of the previous night and blows out yet another grim, defeated sigh. Life can be a cruel joke sometimes. He knows perfectly well he has two choices. But neither of both looks appealing. And time is running out. He doesn't want to be a loser. He doesn't want to be a wuss. He always, always wants and needs to be in control. He doesn't want to face public humiliation. He doesn't want to taint his family name. He's a Morelli! For God's sake. But he has ever never felt this way before...

All of a sudden the menacing gleam in Joyce's beautiful twinkling eyes pops up in his head, and her hearty throaty laughter rings in his ears. He knows he should be angry with her. He knows he should demand revenge and have her arrested. But he also knows he's under the spell of her charm. He obeyed her order happily and eagerly without questioning. Her evil scheming mind turned him on. Her cold resistance and merciless rejection only made him want her more. He's still willing to be her slave. He's dying to taste the sting of her whip again. He can't wait to be trampled upon by the sharp heels of her blood-red boots. And he moans as he recalls the pain and pleasure she gave him when she cuffed him and waxed his chest with duct tape...

Joe Morelli snaps himself from the happy memories. He has to deal with the problem at hand before he figures out a way to have Joyce in his bed. His body is stark naked. His chest is currently as hairless and smooth as a plucked turkey. Both his hands are cuffed—yes, by his police-issued handcuffs—and chained to his own shower curtain rod. And his cell phone is within his sight but sadly out of reach. He uses all his strength to pull at the rod, but has to give up again as it remains firmly bolted to the wall. Where was he? He tries hard to concentrate and think. Oh, yes, he has two choices. His fellow cops will eventually come check on him when(He's supposed to show up for work 3 hours ago). His mother(or one of his aunts) will probably drop in to do the cleaning and laundry and fill his refrigerator with homemade pastas and cakes in the afternoon. He can wait till they arrive and then ask for help. His nosy gossiping neighbors don't have to know. They already have enough excitement in everyday life...

Or he can start screaming for help right now. Beads and beads of sweat fall down Morelli's brow as he frowns and thinks. He's really not sure if his mother or aunt will come over today. And there's great possibility that his brothers and sisters in blue won't give a damn about his absence...until the swarm of flies show up and his dead body smells and all his neighbors start to protest...

No! He can't die like this! He wants to have a future with the red-haired woman he's in love with! What if one of the scumbags he arrested breaks in and kills him? What if a fire breaks out and burns him alive? What if a massive destructive earthquake comes, destroys his house and buries him alive? He doesn't want to die! He frantically struggles against the handcuffs and bravely opens his mouth.

"Help..." Joe Morelli whimpers. "Somebody help..."

Outside the nice cozy 2-story house, dogs bark, butterflies fly, birds tweet, humans laugh and cats meow. No one is really paying attention to the timid, uncertain calls of help...

~End of Kiss 46: C'est la Vie~

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Chapter 47: Happy Birthday, Batman

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Ranger walks through the silent apartment to the bedroom. He takes off his clothes and yawns, and goes for a shave and a shower. He turns on the water, closes his eyes, and exhales a sigh as soothing hot water streams down his tired body. He just had a busy but fulfilling day, and he hasn't slept in 32 hours. He and his team had been working around the clock tracking down a couple extremely elusive high-bond skips. And, luckily, one of the FBI's most-wanted fugitives happened to take a wrong turn and run straight into them on the way to TPD. Everybody—except for the 3 probably still unconscious criminals, of course—is happy. Vinnie is thrilled and greatly relieved. The police is actually grinning. The grim-looking FBI agents are practically giddy. His partners and employees will benefit from RangeMan's profit...

And somehow all his black silk boxers are missing.

Ranger stands frozen in the walk-in closet and stares at the empty drawer for a full minute. Stephanie. He gives his head an almost imperceptible shake and smiles. He knows Stephanie is up to something. She's never good at hiding secrets from him. She keeps on sneaking peeks at him whenever she thinks he's not looking, and she looks exceptionally cute when blushing fiercely. He knows his birthday is coming. He will turn 34 this coming Sunday. And he finds the dreamy, longing, expectant look in her shining blue eyes most intriguing. But what happened to his boxers? What do they have to do with the birthday surprise she's planning for him? She's not going to wash, iron and then fold them perfectly, is she? She's going to give him a full body massage. He's sure of that. Did she change her mind at the last minute? He will have to wait and see. She does remind him of a curious, playful and affectionate cat from time to time. And maybe he fell in love with her when he looked at her pretty, serious face and saw her courage and determination the first time they met...

He closes his eyes and immediately falls sound asleep. The afternoon sun shines through the windows and dances across the floor. A small smile steals its way onto his lips as he smiles in his dream. The woman he loves leans against the bedroom door as her heart skips a beat.

How can you love someone this much? Silently she asks herself, but she honestly has no idea...

~End of Kiss 47: Happy Birthday, Batman~

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Chapter 48: Somebody That I Used To Know

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Joyce steps on the gas and drives toward New York City. She's going to have a bagel once she gets there. Cream cheese and blueberry, her favorite. Yum. Maybe she will also visit the place that sells all kinds of peanut butter sandwiches. And do some sightseeing on top of the Empire State building. She always likes New York. It's so glamorous, so alive, so indifferent, and so free. Just her kind of city. Maybe she will do some shopping at the farmers' market. Maybe she will try her luck to see if she can dine at a fancy restaurant without reservation. Maybe she will buy something from a street vendor. Maybe she will leave Trenton and move here, and finally meet her Mr. Right and start her own family. Who knows? Joyce smiles and and starts to whistle. Life is full of chances and possibilities. And now she is a totally different girl. The moment she tore the duct tape off Joe Morell's no longer hairy chest and heard his painful scream, something snapped inside her and all her lingering affection and longing for him disappeared. She had been secretly in love with Joe ever since she was 11 or 12, she suddenly realized, but now her love was gone without a trace, just like melted snow. Kids, dog, white picket fence. All the things that had ever haunted her dreams ceased to matter in a blink. She looked into Joe's beautiful teary melted chocolate eyes and thought of the night she gave herself to him, and then turned to leave Joe's lovely 2-story house without a word or a backward glance.

He surely is handsome and attractive in a bad boy way. He surely is someone you want to brag about in front of a bunch of silly, lonely housewives that have never ever left Jersey. But he is not the man she wants to have in her life. He's not the man she wants to love for the rest of her life. He's more like an old, unhealthy addiction. He's just the stupid arrogant boy who took her virginity without even stopping to kiss her waiting lips. He's but an entry, an event of her history. He's the the illusion she once thought she wanted and loved. He's but somebody that she used to know. The things he did to her. The things he did to all the other girls and Stephanie. The fact that his mother and grandma never give a damn to his behavior. Joyce breathes deeply and shakes her head. She's glad she woke up in time and finally saw through the magic trick. She drives on and feels happy. Yes, she will sold her house and Hello Kitty collection to the nice polite Japanese couple. The price is better than right. She can use the money to restart her life.

Or buy herself a hot pink Lamborghini.

~End of Kiss 48: Somebody That I Used To Know~

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Chapter 49: Oh Boy

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He sometimes dreams of the time when he was sent to Miami to live with his mother's family. He was a silent, angry kid. His grandparents, uncles and aunts, on the other hand, had a world of time, love and patience. They took him to little Havana. They bought him his first ever cup of authentic Cuban coffee in a small but crowded diner. They took him to the beach and other beautiful places only known by the locals and less frequented by the tourists. His grandfather introduced him to the world of literature and poetry. His grandmother taught him how to cook. Uncle Xavier, his mother's older brother and an instructor at the Ranger School, taught him how to fight. He went to movies, concerts and parties with his cousins. He made new friends and went to school. He grew stronger and felt confident and happy with himself and his life. He graduated with decent grades and was accepted by Rutgers. He left home and headed to Jersey. He dropped out of college and joined the Army. He returned from his first overseas deployment and went back to Miami to attend his grandfather's funeral. He ran into Rachel, a sweet neighborhood girl who'd been having a crush on him ever since the first time they met, at the New Year's party. He was sad, lonely, frustrated, and a little drunk. And that night Julie was conceived...

A lot of things happened after that. A rushed wedding. More overseas deployments. A quiet divorce. His father's scowl. His mother's tears. His grandmother's sigh. He grew into the man he now is. He'd had enough of death and war. He left the Army. He slept on cold bare floor and lived on tree bark and twigs. He contemplated about his life and future. He started bounty hunting. He teamed up with Tank. He made good money. Connie did him a favor, and then he met Stephanie...

"Babe," Ranger says with his eyes closed, "you are groping me." The pair of warm, sneaky, exploring hands freeze. Not very far from a very sensitive part of his body. He opens his eyes and smiles. It doesn't take long for him to make the woman he loves forget everything in the world but him. Including the fact that she forgot her pill this morning...

~End of Kiss 49: Oh Boy...~

~~The End~~