Disclaimer: That characters of the Stephanie Plum Series belong to Janet Evanovich and are used here without permission. No copyright infringement is intended.
Notes: 1)I usually don't like making the female protagonist pregnant in my stories, but this idea has just sort of been in the back of my mind for a few weeks. I figured I'd at least start it and see where it goes. 2) For those who have read this before, you can see I’ve changed the format of the story so that both POV’s are included in the same title. Both POV’s occur at the same time.
Rating: Suitable for people over 15 due to adult situations
Feedback: ttsmiscellany@yahoo.com
Prologue
(Stephanie) Stephanie stepped out of the courthouse and took a deep breath of air.
That was all she had time for before reporters started crowding around her, shoving their microphones and cameras in her face and demanding she answer their questions.
Her attorney, who had, unfortunately, not gotten her alimony wrapped his arm around her and ushered her to the car, throwing out “no comment” comments as they went.
Pulling the door open, Stephanie collapsed in the car and quickly buckled her seatbelt, keeping her face directed away from the crowd, she waited for her lawyer to get in and drive them away from that place.
“What was all that?” Stephanie asked.
“Yours wasn't exactly a low-profile divorce, Steph,” Robert, her divorce attorney, advised. “You made the front page when you burned his things on your front lawn, they were obviously going to follow the story.”
“Oh,” she replied. “Are we going back to your office to finish things?”
Robert sighed. “We'll get some lunch and then wrap thing up, go over the billing and everything else.”
“Good,” Stephanie answered, looking out the window. She thought she'd be angry or sad or something to see her marriage end, but, in truth, she was relieved and, oddly, lighthearted about it. She was back to being Stephanie Plum and this time she was going to live her life her way.
In A Bar A Few Months Later
(Stephanie)
Stephanie looked around the nightclub, wondering, once again, how she had gotten talked into this. It wasn't that she didn't want to go out. In fact, she had gone out frequently since accepting the job and moving to Newark one short week after her divorce was final. To go along with the other changes in her life, she'd had her hair straightened and dyed a deep red. It was good to make a clean start. It had given her the courage to go out and start enjoying herself again.
No, it wasn't her presence at the club that was had her wondering.
One of the things that had her wondering was the group of people at the table with her. Glancing around at the faces, she could tell from the haircuts and bearing that the five men had something to do with the military.
The other thing that had her wondering was, simply, the amount of alcohol she had ingested. Somehow, in between dancing and chatting, they had gotten involved in a drinking game. She still wasn't sure how that happened, but it was quickly becoming apparent to her that she had had far too much to drink for her own good. She wasn't quite legless, yet, but knew she would be hurting in the morning. She just hoped she would remember this night.
As she scanned, her eyes were once more drawn to the far, dark corner yet again. She knew there was someone there, she could feel it. A few times the lights from the dance floor had illuminated that area in a brief flash, leaving her breathless.
With her attention focused in the corner, she wasn't really paying attention to what was placed in her hand and absentmindedly took a sip.
Gagging on the taste, she ignored the laughter of the people at the table as she turned and carefully placed the glass on the table. “Wh-what...?” she managed to gasp out before she started coughing.
When the laughter died down enough, her friend, Nancy informed, “It's a whiskey sour. You didn't hear us when we called your name, so we thought we should get your attention somehow.”
“You have it,” Stephanie admitted.
“You need some coffee, Sweetheart?” one of the guys asked.
“Fat lot of good that will do me,” she muttered, knowing that a glass of water would do her much more good right now. Only time would see her sober again. A gasp from Nancy caused her to turn around. As she followed her friend's line of sight, she found herself locking eyes with the man who had been sitting in the corner. Her breath hitched in her throat as she finally saw him. He was the most gorgeous man she'd ever seen and he was coming straight toward her.
On the up side, she'd had enough alcohol that nothing intimidated her, not even a man as hot as him. On the down side, she'd had enough alcohol that she knew she was going to do something stupid with him if he gave the slightest interest since her hormones were up in arms at the mere thought of being with the man.
When he arrived, he stopped just a little too close, but she didn't feel crowded. Leaning back against the table, she rested her elbows on it and smiled. “Hey,” she greeted. She was rewarded with a brilliant smile.
“Dance?” he asked, holding out his hand to her.
“Love to,” Stephanie replied, accepting his hand.
As they stepped onto the dance floor, the fast song that had been playing changed to something with a samba-like beat. The man drew her in close to start with and led her through a very hot rendition of the dance. The music changed to something a little slower and they stayed plastered together, moving as one. The heat that had started building when she first locked eyes with him, was growing and spreading through her.
“I'm Carlos,” he greeted, his voice washing over her like an intimate caress.
She could smell the alcohol on his breath, but she really didn't care. It had been months since her last social orgasm and she wanted him. “Stephanie,” she purred in response, wondering what had happened to her voice. Of course, no man had ever made her feel like this, so, for all she knew, it was perfectly normal.
He tucked some of her hair behind her ear and let one of his hands slide low on her back, drawing their lower bodies together.
Stephanie gasped when he drew her against him. She could feel his hard length pressing into her and a soft moan escaped her.
When he leaned forward, his skin just barely brushing hers, her eyes fluttered shut. His breath caressed her ear as he whispered, “Let's get out of here.”
Feeling her desire overwhelm her, she let another moan escape before allowing her own cheek to brush hers. She opened her mouth and allowed her breath to caress his ear. Slowly, she caressed the shell of his ear with her tongue before she breathed, “Yes.”
A smile of satisfaction appeared on her face as she felt his hand spasm on her back, pushing them that much more tightly together.
She felt him pull his head back and did the same. When she looked into his eyes, she could see they were dark and burning with hunger. She knew hers were the same.
It came as no surprise when she saw him begin to lean forward. She did the same and they met each other equally in the first of what would be many hungry kisses.
A few minutes later, she let him take her by the hand and lead her out of the club.
(Ranger)
Glaring at the glass in front of him, he realized he'd had way too much to drink. He didn't do brooding except when he was drunk. Of course, they wouldn't be here in Newark if his Abuela had stayed in Miami instead of heading up here. The whole family had come up for her birthday and the guys had decided to come along as well. That had been yesterday. Tonight they were just killing time until they could leave.
Ranger signaled for another drink as he watched the dyed redhead with the guys glance over toward his corner, almost as if she could see him.
She was a nice girl. He could tell. Normally he avoided her type like the plague. They had expectations. They wanted things he wouldn't and couldn't give. He'd had experience with that once before. Once was enough.
But, she was exactly what Ranger needed tonight. Someone innocent, someone clean., someone... nice.
Ranger knew on some level he was going to use her, but so long as she agreed, he would be absolved of that guilt.
Nodding to the waitress and flipping a ten her way, he took a deep drink and waited until his thoughts grew less clear, knowing his awareness, his instincts never would.
Ranger had no idea how much later it was, but all thoughts, save one, had vacated his brain. He was going to have the redhead.
Rising from his seat, Ranger stalked over to her.
When he reached her, he was stunned by her blue eyes. There was such light in them, such life.
Long ago he believed his soul had been turned to cold ash. Her touch, as Ranger led her to the dance floor, proved him wrong. He could feel something inside of him glow warmly as he held her in his arms. It was faint and small, but it was alive.
They only danced one dance before heading out.
Neither of them was fit to drive, but Ranger really didn't care. That alone should have told him that he wasn't thinking rationally, but he was hard as a rock for the woman, Stephanie, and was determined to have her.
As they entered her apartment, Ranger pinned her against the wall and kissed her with the same need a dying man in the desert needed water.
As they began shedding clothes, Ranger wondered if he would remember any of this in the morning.
They were unofficially done. This last mission had been worse than the others. The fact that they survived was a miracle. The fact none of them knew what he'd done to get them away was a blessing. This way he would be the only one with nightmares. He would be the only one woo bore that blood. He would be the only one wondering if he were a monster.
Very Early The Next Morning
(Stephanie)
Stephanie turned her head slightly and immediately regretted it.
The soft sound that had awoken her happened again and she barely cracked an eye open.
She didn't initially see anything, but a movement caught her eye and she saw a shirt being pulled across a well-defined expanse of mocha-latte colored skin.
Still tired and somewhere between drunk and hung-over, her eyes slid shut and sleep reclaimed her.
(Ranger)
There was a warm body pressed against his side – a warm, female body.
That wasn't all that unusual, so it didn't disturb him too greatly.
Glancing around the room, he was taken aback by what he found. The room was done up nicely, too nicely for the type of woman with whom he normally awakened.
A slight turn of his head revealed red hair and an angelic face.
“Definitely not my normal type,” he whispered to himself, not wanting to wake her.
Staring at her, he had vague memories of blue eyes filled with life, fire and passion. A few brief flashes of amazing moments in bed and then nothing.
The portion of Ranger that could think past the pounding headache and nausea was desperately trying to memorize the feel of her skin against his own.
He found himself wanting, desperately, to fall back asleep and wake up next to her feeling better, but that wasn't who he was, what he did.
Besides, he decided, that sort of nonsense was jut the hangover talking.
Extricating himself from the woman and her bed, he looked around for his clothes, easily spotting his pants, socks and shoes.
It took a few seconds longer to locate his shirt by the door to her bedroom.
Slipping into his pants and shoes, he made his way across the room. The sound of her shifting on the bed caused him to glance over his shoulder at her, guessing that she was waking up.
He didn't do morning afters. They were messy and awkward, not to mention the fact they opened the door to questions about another time or worse, a relationship.
Right now he didn't need complications.
Yes, he had finished his last mission and yes, he was on terminal leave, but he was just about to start a company and the contracts he and the guys were meeting about today could mean he would be called away with little notice.
His life just didn't lend itself to relationships. It never really had.
Slipping into the outer room he paused by her purse and debated whether or not to check her ID to find out her name.
He could hear her sleepily say his name in the other room and felt a shiver of desire run through his body. Ranger knew he needed to get away. This woman made him want things he was convinced he couldn't have.
As silently as possible, he slipped out of her apartment and headed outside.
Slipping behind the wheel of the car, he glanced back at the building.
“Another time,” he whispered to her window before turning the car on and leaving.
Disgusted, Ranger shook his head. He was turning into a sap. He wondered if it was possible for him to be both drunk and hung over at the same time because he sure wasn't sounding like himself.
The first rays of dawn were just peeking into the apartment when Ranger snapped awake, completely alert.
Much Later That Morning/Afternoon
(Stephanie)
A groan escaped Stephanie as consciousness finally asserted itself.
Her head was pounding and there was nothing she wanted more than to just have it fall off so she wouldn't have to deal with it.
Twisting from her back to her stomach, she noticed she was a little sore down there. That partially broke through the haze that was clouding her thoughts. When she shifted her legs again, the stickiness she felt on her upper thighs broke through the rest of it.
With a gasp and a swear, she sat up in the bed and looked wildly around the room. It was her bedroom in her apartment.
She wasn't entirely sure how she felt about that. Some unknown man had been there with her and knew where she lived.
Another curse escaped as the phrase “unknown man” echoed in her mind.
She'd slept with a stranger. She knew nothing about him, who he was, what he did, nothing. “Carlos,” she whispered aloud. She knew his first name was Carlos. Her memory supplied flashes of his face and body. She could feel her body waking up and taking notice.
Letting out a groan, she flopped on her back and threw an arm over her eyes. Bending her knees, she was once more alerted to the soreness she had felt earlier.
Stephanie felt the blood drain from her face as she remembered she wasn't currently on the pill and didn't have any condoms in the house.
She'd been on the pill constantly since her mother found out about the incident with Joe Morelli at the Tasty Pastry when she was sixteen. But with the new job, the move and all, she hadn't found a new Gynecologist yet and hadn't gotten her prescription renewed before moving.
Forcing herself out of her bed – a move that both her head and stomach protested, she began searching for evidence of a condom. Surely he would have had one on him, right?
Twenty minutes later, Stephanie sank to the floor, her back resting against the bed, and she allowed her head to drop to her knees. She had found nothing.
She'd just had unprotected sex with a complete stranger.
Not even at her wildest in college had she done something so stupid. Her mother's lectures and cautions echoed in her mind - “Don't give the milk away for free”, “if you're going to sleep with someone before you're married, always use a condom”, “there are a lot of things that can happen if you have sex outside the marriage bed and pregnancy isn't the worst”. As disturbing as that discussion had been, everything her mother had told her was only confirmed by what she learned in school.
She was going to have to find a doctor and quick, one that would be able to test for more than just pregnancy.
At that thought, she gasped and her eyes flew to the calendar. A whimper escaped her as she realized exactly where she was in her cycle.
Tears of frustration started to gather in her eyes. One stupid, drunken mistake and her whole life could be changing before her eyes.
(Ranger)
The signing bonus would go to the company in Miami.
A slight twinge in his heart made him want to start the business here, but he quickly pushed it aside, knowing it was the unnamed redhead again.
No, he needed to start his business in Miami. Not only were there better breaks down there for him, it was close to his Grandma and Grandpa. Right now, Grandpa wasn't doing too well, so it was important for him to be nearby.
Maybe someday he would open a branch in New Jersey to be closer to his family. As his eyes fell on the signed contracts, he had second thoughts.
As the official put the papers into his briefcase, Ranger couldn't seem to shake the feeling that he had just been shackled. For the next six years his life would not truly be his own.
Ranger signed the last page and handed it over to the man in charge. This was what he wanted, this contract. It would bring in the money he needed to start his company and it was only for six years. By that point in time, he would be ready to settle in and really grow his business.
About Nine Months Later
(Stephanie)
A loud wail filled the delivery room, and this time it wasn't coming from Stephanie.
“Good job, sweetheart,” Grandma Plum said, brushing a wet curl from her face and placing a kiss on her forehead.
“Thanks, Grandma,” Stephanie said, her voice soft as she smiled up at her grandmother. “Can I see the baby?” she asked.
“Sure thing,” she agreed, stepping slightly aside so the nurse could bring over the little bundle wrapped in a blue blanket.
Accepting her child, Stephanie felt tears of joy gather in her eyes as she blinked. She stroked a finger down his soft cheek. “He so little,” she breathed. Then, flicking back the corners of the blanket, she took in his little body and his perfect fingers and toes, making sure there were ten of each. “He's perfect,” she whispered, placing a gentle kiss on his tiny head.
“We need a name to put on the birth certificate,” the nurse prompted.
Stephanie looked up at her grandmother. “What do you think of Caleb Emmet?” she asked.
“Bold strength,” Grandma Plum replied with a smile. “A good name.”
Looking at the nurse, Stephanie informed, “His name is Caleb Emmet Plum.”
“And the father?” the nurse asked, jotting down the name of the child.
A tense silence filled the room for a second before Grandma Plum said, “Leave it blank.”
“OK,” the nurse said, smiling at the new mother and child, completely un-fazed by the request. After all, in the city it wasn't all that uncommon.
As she left, leaving Stephanie, Caleb and Grandma Plum alone together, Grandma asked, “Are you going to tell your parents?”
The sparkle in Stephanie's eyes dimmed. “No,” she admitted softly. “They would never understand.” Looking up at her grand mother, she asked, “Can we just keep him a secret, between us?”
Grandma Plum smiled and patted Stephanie on the shoulder. More than twenty years ago her husband and son had a falling-out. There had been no communication since. A year ago, when her husband died, Emma Plum had hoped to mend the rift with her son. It hadn't worked. Frank was still bitter about her supposedly siding with his father and refused to have anything to do with her. Ellen, of course, had tried to encourage him to forgive her, but it hadn't happened. “We can,” she agreed. “But eventually, he deserves to know his family.”
“I know, Grandma,” she agreed, her eyes seeking out her son's face. “But they'll never really understand, never accept him,” she said softly, stroking the cheek tinted somewhere between her Mediterranean hue and the mocha-latte she remembered his father's being.
Grandma Plum, squeezed Stephanie's shoulder. “They will in time,” she assured.
“Maybe,” Stephanie murmured, losing herself in the perfect little being in her arms.
(Ranger)
Ranger just nodded and shook the proffered hand.
He knew he had made a good purchase, but the building was going to need a lot of work. The penthouse apartment was more or less ready for habitation, but it would take some time to get one of the other floors converted into apartments.
As he watched the lawyer leave, Ranger shook his head and stared out the window at the skyline.
Less than nine months ago he had opened the first Rangeman office in Miami. They were still growing in Miami, but Ranger kept finding himself drawn back to the idea of returning to New Jersey. In the late night hours when he hovered just on the edge of sleep, he could admit to himself that he was drawn to the state because of her, the redhead, Stephanie.
He wouldn't seek her out, his life was even more hectic now than it had been when he'd been with her, but it was a comfort and a torment to be closer to her.
Of course, he had chosen Trenton for some very sound business reasons, but Trenton wasn't really that far from Newark.
Looking around the room once more, he pulled out his cell phone to call Tank down in Florida. They had the building, they would start looking for a contractor tomorrow.
In the meantime, while the building was being remodeled, he would need to find some office space somewhere in which to work. He would also need to make sure the apartments in the new building were the first things to go in. He would need some of his guys up here if they were going to begin to establish themselves.
“Thank you, Mr. Manoso,” the lawyer said, reaching out to shake his hand. “You've made a wise decision in purchasing this building.”
On To Chapter 1: One For The Money