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'Actually, I was hoping I could sleep on your couch.'
Ranger pulled me into his apartment and locked the door. 'You can sleep anywhere you want, but I'm not going to be responsible for my actions if you fondle me again when I'm sleeping.'
'I didn't fondle you!'
We were at the breakfast table, and Ranger was watching me eat a croissant.
Tell me the truth,' Ranger said. 'Were you really freaked out last night? Or did you just want my sheets and my shower gel and my food?'
I smiled at him while I chewed. 'Does it matter?'
Ranger thought about it for a long moment. 'Only minimally.'
I'd slept on his couch, wrapped in a down comforter, my head on one of his pillows with the wonderful smooth pillowcase. It wasn't as comfy as his bed, but it had been guilt-free.
'I got some bad news while you were in the shower this morning.' Ranger said. 'Junkman tagged his cop.'
My heart stuttered. 'Anyone I know?'
'No. He was a member of the State Police Street Gang Unit. He was working locally, but he was based out of north Jersey.'
I was next up.
'Junkman will get taken out,' Ranger said. There are a lot of people looking for him. In the meantime, I want you to stay in the building. If I don't have to worry about you, I can have two extra men on the street tracking Junkman.'
Fine by me. I wasn't anxious to be part of Junkman's coronation ceremony. And staying in Ranger's apartment wasn't a hardship.
I poured more coffee into my mug. 'You have a lot of overhead here. How can you afford to have men following me around and looking for Junkman?'
'Junkman just killed a state cop. There's a big enough reward for
Junkman to justify assigning some manpower to search for him.
There's no monetary way to justify a security detail to watch over you. I bleed money every time you need protection.'
I didn't know how to respond. I'd never really thought about
Ranger as a businessman. He'd always seemed more like a superhero, recruiting men and cars from a parallel galaxy. Or at the very least, from the mob.
'Jeez,' I said.`I'm sorry.'
Ranger finished his coffee and stood.I said there was no monetary way to justify your security. The truth is, you're a line item in my budget.'
I followed him into the bedroom and watched while he got his gun, checked it out, and attached it to his belt.
'I have you listed under entertainment,' Ranger said, sliding money and credit cards into his pants pocket. This is a high-stress business, and you're comedy relief for my entire team. Plus, I get a tax break.'
My eyes opened wide and my eyebrows shot up an inch into my forehead. This didn't sound flattering. 'Comedy relief?'
Ranger gave me one of his rare full-on smiles. I like you. We all like you.' He grabbed me by the front of my shirt, lifted me two inches
off the ground, and kissed me. The truth is, I love you... in my own way.' He set me back down and turned to go. 'Have a nice day. And remember, you're on camera the instant you leave this apartment. I've given orders to stun-gun you if you try to leave the building.'
And Ranger was gone.
I was totally flummoxed. I had no idea when Ranger was serious and when he was kidding. There was no doubt in my mind that I amused him. In the past, the amusement always felt affectionate, never malicious. Being a line item under entertainment was pushing it. And what the heck was I supposed to think about the I love you that was qualified by in my own way? I was supposed to think it was nice, I decided. I loved him in my own way, too.
The front bell chimed, and I opened the door to Ella. She had the basket of clean clothes I'd left in the fourth-floor room.
