Chapter 9

Ransom

Turning the shower off, I sigh as I step out, letting the steam surround me. I'm almost positive a shower has never felt so good before. I'm a little reinvigorated, but I'm also hungry as hell and want to spend this time with Stella. I make quick work of wiping my body off, running the towel through my hair, and putting on a pair of sweatpants.

"Hey." I smile at Rambo who lays outside the door to my room. "Did you decide to come hang out with me?"

He whines before laying his head on his paws and then looking up at me with the most pitiful look I've seen him give in a while. "I know, you're hungry, but if you eat when you're too hot, you puke – and bub, tonight we gotta keep impressing her."

It's funny, since I was paired with him, I've always talked to him like he's another human being, and I swear, sometimes he understands what I'm saying as if he is one. Tapping my hip, I whistle low. "Let's get you some food."

Turning the corner into my kitchen, honest to God, my chest aches when I see Stella sitting at my breakfast bar, playing on her phone. She lifts her head and gives me a smile that goes right to my gut. Immediately all the shit I'm sick of today is gone, and all I want to do is find out what's been going on with her since she left me last night.

"Feel better?"

Looks like she's found my paper plate stash and she's set out a couple of drinks for us. The pizza sits unopened as I watch her set her phone down.

"I feel like an entirely new person," I admit, walking over to give Rambo his food. When I see that he's happily chomping away on it, I walk over to where she sits. "And now I can do this too."

Opening my arms wide, I wrap them around her, hugging her tightly. This is something I've never had. The type of relationship where you just need a hug at the end of the day to make it all better. But I can't not give her one. Not while she's sitting there, making the place beautiful just by being herself.

"I needed that." She leans in, kissing my cheek.

"Me too." I reluctantly let her go, before reaching over to the pizza box. "Did they give you any trouble?"

"Nope." She shakes her head. "But when I realized you get absolutely everything known to man on your pizza, I ordered myself a personal pepperoni and sausage."

My laugh is self-indulgent. "Hey, I lose a lot of calories going around with that one all day." I nod to Rambo. "I have to eat to keep up with it, and to build muscle."

"Oh I'm not bashing you, because whatever you're doing-" she looks me up and down, "-is working fine as fuck. Thank God for sweatpants season." She purses her lips.

"You're good for my ego, Stelle."

"I'll be good for whatever you need me for." She winks.

This woman is a pro at flirting, and damned if I'm not slightly blushing. Having a seat next to her, I pull my pizza to me, opening the lid and inhaling the meats, veggies, and spices all mixed together. My stomach growls loudly as my mouth waters.

"You gonna eat it, or make love to it?" She gives me a look.

"I can eat it and make love to it." I let loose with my own little wink, before taking a bite and then licking my lips. "I'm talented in most things I decide to do."

I watch as she rubs the pearls in her ears. "I just bet you are, Ransom. Anybody have a nickname for you?" She takes a drink of the can of Coke she got out of my fridge. "Like handsome?"

"Because it rhymes with Ransom? Haha, you think you're the first person to say that?"

She finishes chewing her own bite. "Nah, but I think I'm probably gonna be the last."

I like this, the little claim she's laid on me, the gauntlet she's kind of thrown down. Stella's a lot like her dad. When he makes his mind up about something, there's no changing it, and it seems as if she's made up her mind about us. Thank fuck, because my mind was made up a long time ago. "You can call me whatever you want, sweetheart. Ransom, handsome, God as you're coming – I answer to it all."

She giggles. "I just bet you do."

"Get called God a lot? Hasn't happened in about eight months or so, but maybe soon?"

There's a glob of pizza sauce at her mouth, I lean in, brushing it off with the pad of my thumb. When I do, her tongue snakes out, wetting my flesh. It sends a tremor through my body, and I do my best to keep my shit together.

"Play your cards right, handsome. We'll see how long it takes."

We stare at each other – for how long, I'm not sure – but eventually Rambo barks, breaking the mood between us. "You need out, bub?" He prances around, letting me know he does.

"You're good to him." She watches as I slide the back door shut, filling his water dish.

"He's good to me, we make a good team. And just so ya know, we might be on the lookout for a third. Tryouts are tough, though."

She slides off the stool, throwing away her paper plate. "I think I'm up for it."

I hook my arm around her neck, kissing her cheek. "I think you are, too."

* * *

"How many times has your boss asked you out?" I'm resting with my side against the couch, Stella curled up on the other side, Rambo between us. We're watching something on TV, barely, instead we're talking about anything and everything.

"Like ten times, probably." She runs her hand through her hair.

I'm trying not to notice the way her shorts ride up her thighs, but she's changed and fuck they're short. "And you've always said no?"

"Yeah, he's never been my type, not ever. He left me in that examination room when that guy was in there. Fuck, the other day, there was a spider and I killed it while he screamed. I want my man to be a man, like you."

"There's plenty of shit I'm scared of." I run my hand up and down Rambo's head, enjoying the way he snores. It's one of those sounds that reminds me of home.

"Oh me too." She plays with his tail. "But I mean when it's time to get shit done, even the scary stuff, you just do it. Fear waits on no one."

"That sounds like a Renegade saying." I grin over at her.

Her answering grin is soft, tired. Her eyes are heavy and I can tell she's close to giving up the ghost of trying to stay awake. "That might be some Ryan Kepler wisdom right there," she confirms. "Or he stole it from Mason, but ehh." She shrugs.

"You tired?" I ask as I yawn widely.

"Yeah, it's been a long day."

Disentangling myself from Rambo, I get up off the couch and reach out my hand to her. Pulling her up so we face each other, I put both palms on her cheeks, forcing those blue eyes of hers to meet my green. "I'm gonna let Rambo out to do his business, lock up, and check everything. You go on to bed. Whichever bed you want to get into is totally and completely up to you. I'm not pressuring you for anything. I'm fuckin' wiped tonight if you want the truth. All I want is you to be comfortable."

A sleepy smile spreads across her face. "Okay," she whispers. "Goodnight, Ransom."

Not gonna lie, there's a place in the pit of my stomach that's a little disappointed. I lean in, kissing her on the forehead. "Night, Stelle."

She walks down the hallway while I coax Rambo out the door and make sure he does his business. After that, I use both our key fobs to make sure our cars are locked, then check the doors, before arming the security system that came with the house. Turning out the lights, I tidy up the rooms as I go through them, checking to make sure everything is where it needs to be. As I get to my room, I tell myself it's okay she didn't want to be with me tonight.

Except when I walk over the threshold, Rambo at my feet, we both stop. There, sitting on the side of the bed, her hair down around her shoulders, those short shorts of hers off, and wearing only a long t-shirt, is Stella. She shrugs, looking sexy, cute, innocent, and a siren all at the same time.

"Didn't know which side was yours and where he sleeps." She tilts her head to Rambo.

Fuck. This woman, caring about my dog. "He sleeps in the corner." I point to his bed. "I sleep on the left."

She walks around the mattress, pulling the sheets and comforter back. "Then I'll sleep on the right."

Those words? Best I've ever heard.