Not Mine.
As The Burg Turns
Stephanie was sharing breakfast donuts with Lula and Connie at the bonds office. The door opened and the electricity immediately filled the room as Ranger stepped in. Tight black t-shirt molded to his body with each ripple defined, mirrored sunglasses. Utter manly perfection. Mouths dropped as did the donut crumbs.
"Ladies. Babe. These mine?"
Connie couldn't speak, only pushed the files for Rangeman his way.
"Thanks. Babe, can I see you outside?"
Oh boy! Ranger had been dealing with a contract problem in his Boston office for the last few days and wasn't expected back until the week's end, but made it back early.
"Babe."
Her back immediately made contact with the bricks warm from the summer heat and her lips searing from the warmth of the Cuban lips on hers. Her fingers rumpling a little of the black material they could grab from the tightness on Ranger's body. During the kiss Stephanie felt all the way to her toes, she kept on thinking "You wanted the use of my body. You have it after that." She was putty.
When finally each could speak, Stephanie was raspy, "When did you get back? You weren't expecting to get back so soon."
"Finished up last night and flew back late. Bobby and Lester flew down to Atlanta to bring back a skip for Vinnie yesterday afternoon, so the office is short. I'm booked for the rest of the day. Have dinner with me tonight?" Ranger's hands were resting on the bricks with his forehead touching Stephanie's. She could see tiredness in the lines around his dark smoldering eyes.
"I can't. My Mom is baking me a pineapple upside down cake dangling a carrot in front of me to take Grandma to a viewing tonight. She thinks it's a closed casket and those always cause trouble for Grandma."
"Babe." The corners twitched up on his lips knowing how Grandma has tried to peek into previous closed caskets and the havoc she has caused including one funeral home gone up in smoke.
"It's pineapple upside down cake, Ranger!" Her blue eyes were wide and innocent, "You could escort us. With you there, Grandma wouldn't try anything and we could get out quicker so you could take me for after-the-funeral-home dessert and drinks."
His eyebrow went up when they heard the new theme from her phone. It was the Grinch song.
"Hi, Mom. Yes, I'm still taking Grandma to her viewing. I asked Ranger to go with us, but I don't think he is. Really?" Stephanie moved her phone to the side to talk with The Bad-Ass in Black. "My Mom will even have salad with the roast chicken and remove the skin off some for you. Daddy's going out to cut the back yard as we speak to get some extra mulch for you."
"He is not, Stephanie!" Ellen Plum was yelling in the phone that they could hear. "I said I would have him get bean sprouts to add to the salad! It's not the same! Even fresh green beans from the Farmer's Market. I don't want to be the one with an elderly mother in jail for risking a public catastrophe. The jail won't survive! Her picture could be hanging up at the Post Office! We can have some fresh fruit too! Maybe I can slip Mother something in her Metamucil to keep her calm." Stephanie's mother was going on and on.
"Pick you up at 5:30, Babe," shaking his head and shoving himself off the wall. "Too much information."
"Mom, don't tell Grandma Ranger's driving us. She'll just think up something else. Bye," closing her phone and giving the sweetest smile. "Thank you. You saved pineapple upside down cake for me for this week."
"You owe me." With a quick kiss, Ranger was gone.
Calling after him, "You're my hero, Batman."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Stephanie heard her locks tumble at 5:22 when she checked the clock bedside her bed. Almost instantly she felt the tingle, Ranger was casually leaning against the door frame in her bedroom wearing grey pants and cream dress shirt with the cuffs perfectly rolled up showing his mocha latte forearms. His shiny silk hair tied back in its usual ponytail and looking absolutely delicious. "Grandma will be pleased with her escort service," smiling at him. Pushing off, he sauntered over and walked around Stephanie in her clingy summery teal tank dress that rested a few inches above her knees, a white belt around her waist, slip-on wedge sandals, and large hoop earrings also in white. Just a hint of a roundness of her breasts showing at the scoop neckline. "Babe," Ranger produced a coral colored rose from behind his back which he brushed over her glistening lips touched with pink gloss. "Thank you," taking the rose. "I'm ready," grabbing a white clutch off the bed and soft pale teal wrap if she got cool. The black Mercedes pulled up in front of the Plum's. Even from the street, Stephanie could see the big grin on Grandma's face when they pulled up, her mother looked tense. "Is The Package coming to the viewing?" Grandma was out on the porch bouncing up and down with excitement. "Does he know Ida Marcoloftski? I didn't think they hung out in the same circles." "Ranger is escorting us, Grandma." Glee written all over her face, "Hot damn! It's going to be a humdinger of a night. I'll be the talk at Cut n' Curl tomorrow, just don't hang all over me too much. There should be a lot of hotties there tonight because Ida was a regular bingo goer and drank down at the Falcons. I'm looking to get lucky!" Ranger looked at Stephanie with mirth he was trying to hide, "I'll try not too." He handed Ellen Plum a bouquet of pink flowers. "Thank you, Ranger. Stephanie, you look nice when you dress up," ushering them in the house. "I just have to get the roast chicken." He held out Grandma's chair, and then Stephanie's before sitting next to her. "Ranger, are you crazy going to a viewing," Frank asked with his fork and knife ready for action, "with the crazy old bat?" "Listen here, Sonny," Grandma waved a fork, "he'll be glad he didn't miss it tonight. Ida's kids are fighting over her stuff already. The son, I think he's at the button factory, wants the Caddie. Gloria wants her mother's jewelry but can't find it because she thinks her other brother's wife stole it and used it to get a boob job. Those knockers can be used as floatation devices." Grandma leaned in her granddaughter's direction, "She always wore a wig. I bet they're Eva Gabor's, real life like. But, I don't know so how can I get me one?" Stephanie saw Ranger's eyebrow go up, but never said a word. Ellen set the platter with the roast chicken in front of her husband, "The part with no skin is for Ranger," pointing to a leg and thigh with no skin. "That's the best part," Frank took the other leg and thigh. Grandma was putting dressing on her salad when she noticed the bean sprouts "Are these sperm?" Holding up one. "Mother! They're bean sprouts and good for you. I was hoping for a pleasant dinner since Ranger is here. Will you please be good? "I bet these bean sperm are full of protein just like the real stuff if you swallow. My jaws always hurt." There was a clatter of silverware dropping around the table. Chicken fell out of Frank's mouth. Ellen Plum downed two glasses of wine without taking a breath between them. Ranger was trying his best to keep a blank face. Stephanie was stunned and afraid to look at the Cuban man next to her. "These are good," Edna was chewing her salad. "Little slippery suckers." After the pineapple upside down cake, Grandma took her plate to the kitchen. "I'll be right back. I got to change." "Grandma, you look fine." "I'm too underdressed," pinching her flowered blouse, "if he's going to be on my arm I need to be on the same page as my arm candy. I won't be long. I want to get a good seat." Ranger leaned over to Stephanie whispering in her ear, "I'll always do my duty and there's no price between us, but, Babe, this is coming close. You owe me big time." She batted her blue eyes at him, "You volunteered for this soldier." His response was lost when Grandma stepped back into the dining room in a pale green ball gown right out of 'Gone With The Wind' and a tiny Cinderella tiara in her curls. "Where are you going? It's not Halloween yet," Frank almost choked on his coffee. "This is special. I'm out with Ranger. I got to look the part," Grandma picked up her purse. "Grandma," Stephanie stopped her pointing to the purse, "is there anything in there that shouldn't be?" "No! I'm with him. No one messes with Ranger. We better go so we can get good seats." Ranger was just shaking his head. Before going out the door, Stephanie's father patted him on his back, "I feel your pain, but Im glad its not me." "Thanks," he said watching Grandma hike up her skirt to avoid tripping going down the steps.