(RQFic Challenge #113 ~ 3/2/06)

Stephanie slipped into the Jacuzzi-size bathtub with a sigh.  The lights were dimmed, vanilla scented candles cast a soft glow around the room and Kenny G was on the sound system.  She leaned back and rested her head on the foam pillow.  Heaven.

It had been three months since she moved into Ranger’s apartment.  After the Stiva incident, she and Morelli had the mother of all fights.  They raged and they yelled and the neighbors came out on their stoops to watch the showdown. Morelli was tired of her “antics” and she was tired of his ultimatums.  The end result was that they were both tired of trying to keep something together that neither was sure they even wanted anymore. 

True to his word, Ranger was in her bed within the week.  That was almost 10 months ago now and things between them got better every day.  He opened up his life to her, introduced her to his crazy Cuban family (where she fit right in since her family was just as crazy, if not more so) and she’d met his daughter. 

When she and Ranger decided to pursue a relationship, she left her job at Rangeman and returned to Vinnie’s.  Being the Boss’s bed buddy was not something she wanted to be known for, so she resigned and went back to bounty hunting.  But it was different.  The Rangeman crew had adopted her, more like a baby sister than a stray puppy.  Now when she went to capture a skip, there was usually a black Expedition shadowing her.  A few months in, one of her FTAs had put up a fight and kicked the crap out of her.  So many ex-Rangers showed up, you would have thought it was a military invasion.  Her FTA is still in traction at St. Francis – the doctors aren’t sure if he’ll ever remember his own name.

She slid down a little in the tub and rested one of her feet on the edge.  She gave a little sound of pleasure.  She loved bath time and Ranger’s bathroom was the perfect place to relax.  She closed her eyes and thought about his hands on her body.  It didn’t take much imagination as his hands were on her pretty much all the time these days. She could feel the low-down tingle she got whenever she felt those firm muscles pressed against her.  She moaned softly as she remembered what he had done the night before that had her writhing under him and begging for mercy.   No doubt about it Ranger Manoso was a Sex God. 

Her breath caught as she felt a shudder of pleasure run through her.  She was starting to sweat a little but she wasn’t sure if it was the steam from the bath or the thoughts she was having.  Another jolt of sensation ran up her spine and she whimpered; then cried out softly as an orgasm washed over her.  The water sloshed over the sides of the tub with her movements but she was too blissed-out to care. 

There was a splash and then a masculine chuckle and she opened her eyes to find Ranger sitting in front of her with a wicked grin on his face and his wet hair falling across his broad shoulders. 

“See, I told you I could hold my breath for five minutes.”