Hard Eight

mercenary mentality, had quoted his price for assistance as a night of his choosing, spent together. The whole night. And he got to pick the night’s activities. Not exactly a hardship, since I’m attracted to Ranger in a moth-to-the-flame sort of way. Still, the idea was scary. I mean, he’s the Wizard, right? I practically have an orgasm standing next to him. What would happen with actual penetration? My God, my entire vagina might go up in flames. Not to mention, I can’t figure out if I’m still attached to Morelli.

As it turns out, I’d needed Ranger for the takedown. And it had been an okay takedown except for a couple small hitches… like DeChooch getting his ear shot off. Ranger had hauled DeChooch off to the lockdown prison ward of St. Francis Hospital, and I had retreated to my apartment and crawled into bed, not wanting to think too hard about the day’s events.

What happened after that is still vivid in my mind. At one o’clock the lock tumbled on my front door, and I heard the security chain swing free. I knew a lot of people who could pick a lock. I only knew one man who could release a security chain from the outside.

Ranger stepped into the doorway to my bedroom and knocked softly on the jamb. “Are you awake?”

“I am now. You scared the hell out of me. You ever think about ringing a doorbell?”

“Didn’t want to get you out of bed.”

“So what’s going on?” I asked. “Is DeChooch okay?”

Ranger removed his gun belt and dropped it on the floor. “DeChooch is fine, but we have unfinished business.”

Unfinished business? Omigod, was he talking about his price for the takedown? The room whirled in front of my eyes, and I involuntarily clutched the sheet to my breast.

“This is sort of sudden,” I said. “I mean, I didn’t think it would be tonight. I didn’t even know if it would be any night. I wasn’t sure you were serious. Not that I’d go back on a deal, but, um, what I’m trying to say is…”

Ranger raised an eyebrow. “I make you nervous?”

“Yes.” Damn.

He sat in the rocker in the corner. He slouched slightly, elbows on the arms of the chair, fingers steepled against each other.

“Well?” I asked.

“You can relax. I’m not here to collect on the deal.”

I blinked. “You’re not? Then why did you drop your gun belt?”

“I’m tired. I wanted to sit and the belt is uncomfortable.”

“Oh.”

He smiled. “Disappointed?”

“No.” Liar, liar, pants on fire.

The smile widened.

“So what’s the unfinished business?”

“The hospital is holding DeChooch overnight. He’ll be transferred out first thing tomorrow morning. Someone should be present during the transfer to make sure the paperwork is handled correctly.”

“And that would be me?”

Ranger looked at me over his steepled fingers. “That would be you.”

“You could have called with this information.”

He picked the gun belt off the floor and stood. “I could have, but it wouldn’t have been as interesting.” He kissed me lightly on the lips and walked to the doorway.

“Hey,” I said, “… about the deal. You were kidding, right?”