Okay I know It's a little early but this was a story bouncing about my head that had to be written. I work in a dept store and have been inventing this while suffering the early Xmas songs we're playing. It started off as a wee one shot but has grown. Will post another chapter on in a week on 1st Dec unless you push me for one sooner. Please review and let me know what you think. Oh and don't worry if you happen to be following my other two stories, the next chapter's are well under way and will be posted soon.
Usual disclaimer. This is all Janet's world I'm just giving them some festive cheer!
I walked into the Control Room and noticed how unusually calm and quiet it was today. Not that there is usually much laughter or chatting, but today you could hear a pin drop. But maybe that wasn't surprising, today was Christmas Eve after all and Trenton was hyped up for the festive season. It was a good day to be FTA today. Most bounty hunter's would probably just wait for after their Christmas dinner before trying to apprehend anyone. Or maybe that was just me! I wasn't intending to do much work at all until at least the 27th. I was only at Rangeman today to finish a couple of searches for Rodriguez, and of course for the first ever Rangeman Christmas Party.
Yes you heard me. Festive cheer was coming to Haywood. Although this was probably only due to the fact that Ranger was 'in the wind' and wouldn't be back until after the New Year. Tank has apparently spoken to him and Batman has authorised the party, much to everyone's surprise. I suspect Ranger is possibly 'in the wind' at the North Pole! I can't think of any other possible explanation.
Everything was arranged. The party was being held in one of the larger apartments Rangeman has for housing employees. One had became vacant a few months ago after Cal moved in with his girlfriend. Another surprise for you, Cal the huge beast of a man with a flaming skull tattoo on his forehead, has found a girl who finds him attractive. I've even met her, she had a tattoo of a dagger across her cheek!
So anyway, it was decided to have the party there so we would have the kitchen facilities there for Ella to prepare the food, and the entertainment system in the lounge was second to none, so there would be no problems when it came to playing some festive tunes. It even had a karaoke machine, although I'm not sure I want to go there!
I had also talked everyone into doing a Secret Santo too. I had made up pieces of paper with everyone's names on them and we had picked names a couple of weeks ago. I had picked Tank! Let me tell you it was no easy task choosing a present for him, but in the end Lula had helped me out. Lula and Tank are engaged to be married, eventually. Tank may have to be stun gunned before Lula manages to get him up the aisle! I have no idea who picked my name, but I'm hoping it's someone with taste, and not Hal! As much as I love him, he can barely talk to someone of the opposite sex, never mind buy a suitable present. I would probably be the recipient of a tool box or possibly a pepper spray holder if Hal was my Secret Santa.
Last of all, and probably my proudest feat, was talking a Merry Man into becoming Santa Clause for the occasion. The only problem was I didn't know which MIB was going to become the MIR! They had only agreed if this would be a secret too so I had to make up cards with only one saying the name Santa on it. I also had to agree to be Santa's Little Helper and wear something suitably short and figure hugging. I was now the owner of the sexiest elf outfit ever! I have no idea who picked out the Santa card, but I had a suitably large Santa suit sitting in the men's locker room down in the gym, all ready for the lucky man!
So here I was about to start a couple of hours work, then head up to my borrowed apartment to get myself ready for showtime! I waved to Woody who was sat watching the monitors. This was an indication that things really were quiet in Trenton, there was usually two men sat at the monitors so that nothing would be missed. Walking down the room to my workstation I could hear quiet talking coming from Tank's office as I passed. I couldn't make out what was being said but the low rumbling indicated at least two Merry Men were having a conversation in there. I got to my cubicle at the rear of the room and sat myself down. I looked around my little space and felt that something wasn't quite right, but I couldn't put my finger on it. I fired up the computer and pulled a Tasty Kake out from my top drawer. I sat back and looked around trying to figure out what was setting my Spidey Sense all a tingle. Rangeman's building is as secure as Fort Knox so I knew whatever felt off wasn't life threatening. But a practical joke wasn't out of the question, especially when the Bossman wasn't around.
I looked around my desk. Everything seemed to be in order there. The couple of files I had left yesterday had multiplied but there was nothing unusual about that. I glanced through them and saw that all the files were from Rodriguez. I still hadn't actually met the man but when I did I was going to give him a peace of my mind. I was hoping that was going to be tonight after a few glasses of mulled wine. I mean come on, it's Christmas Eve. Nobody wants to work on Christmas Eve after lunch time. I certainly wasn't going to. I had a body to prepare for partying, an outfit to be squeezed into, and hair that would need to be tamed into respectability. I would need a whole afternoon for that task. I also remembered vaguely that I had promised Ella I would help with the preparations for tonight's party. I hope she was going to limit my tasks to cutting sandwiches or maybe tasting the food to make sure it's cooked correctly. Wouldn't want anyone to come down with food poisoning for tomorrow would we?
I glanced up at the walls of my cubicle but there was nothing astray there either. I had hung some tinsel up and placed a 2ft Christmas tree in the corner to add a touch of festive ambience but it was all looking rather pathetic. I swivelled back around in my seat to start on the first file when I realised what was wrong. My seat was much higher than usual, in fact it was probably as high as it would go.
I remembered the last time this had happened and my heart sank. The last time someone (I suspect Bobby) had hung my stash of cakes and candy from the ceiling, way out of my reach. It was so high that even a Merry Man, who range from 6'2 to 6'7 would have to had stood on my chair to achieve this. But my stash was still safely in my drawer. So what was hanging above me, I knew that something must be up there. I slowly looked up but couldn't see anything. Okay so why was my seat raised. I couldn't think of any other explanation than a practical joke. I stood up and stepped out of my workspace to have another look.
"Hey Beautiful, what's up?" It was Lester, who after Bobby would be my second suspect for pulling a prank on me.
"Something's going on Santos, what have you guys been up to?"
"What's wrong Steph, we're just getting in a Yuletide mood like you asked us all to." He slung an arm around my shoulder and walked me back into the cubicle before turning me around to face him. Or rather turning me around to face his chest!
"What do you mean?" I asked looking around. Everything was exactly as I left it yesterday. I looked up at Lester who was looking up at the ceiling. I looked up to where he was looking and then I saw what I had missed earlier. Hanging on a thin piece of string from the ceiling was a sprig of mistletoe!
I looked back at Lester, who was now standing with his eyes closed and his lips puckered. I did what any good Burg girl would do under the circumstances and punched him in the gut. Not that it made much of an impact. Lester was 6'3" of hard muscle. He feigned pain and stepped back clutching his stomach.
"That was uncalled for, you were the one who said we should do Christmas at Rangeman. We never did Christmas at Rangeman before you came along."
"Yeah fair enough Santos, but this is pushing it don't you think."
"I don't see why Beautiful, mistletoe is as Christmassy as eggnog and candy canes, and I've seen you work your way through loads of that over the last few days."
"But why have you put it above my cubicle, and not Hector's or Ram's?"
"Because I don't want to be kissing Hector or Ram, where's the fun in that?"
Just then Ella walked past carrying a tray of doughnuts. Another benefit of the boss being away, although we had to bribe Tank with first choice of the goodies to stop him from telling Ranger.
"Hey Ella, want to come give Lester a peck under the mistletoe." I looked at Lester grinning but he just grinned right back at me.
"Yeah c'mon Ella, how about a quick smooch?"
"Oh dearies, what are you like? Just let me take this tray through to Tank first. Don't you be telling Louis about any of this though, I've only just persuaded him he doesn't need to be big and muscular like you boys to keep me interested."
Wow probably too much information there. I somehow didn't want to think about the matronly Ella having anything remotely like a sex life. It would be like thinking about my own mom and dad's sex life. I just didn't go there!
"Think you're being clever Steph" Lester said pulling me towards him. "I better go and get Binkie now if Ella is giving away some free kisses."
I raised my eyebrows and tried not to have a hot flash at the closeness of Lester's hot Latino maleness. It had been a while since I had been this close to anyone of the opposite sex, unless you count the ones I've ended up rolling about in garbage with, or wrestling naked on the floor with (the nakedness being on their part, not mine!).
"Yeah Binkie has it bad for Ella, have you never noticed, he's always following her around like a lost puppy."
"Is that not just in the hope of getting some of her cookies, Ella must be about 30 years older than Binkie"
"Binkie has a thing for older women, haven't you noticed he's the only one who doesn't mind Bombshell duty when you're with your Grandma."
Oh my God, Lester did not just say that. But he was right, recently it had usually been Binkie who turned up when something disastrous happened when Grandma Mazur was around. I just put it down to the fact he was the youngest and one of the newest recruits and had always drawn the short straw. Ella was in her mid 50s and at a stretch you could see why a younger man could possibly find her attractive, but my Grandmother! She was in her 80's but looked about 102! Gross! I was going to have to have a serious chat with Binkie.
"So come on Steph, how about a bit of Lester lovin'. Now that's the cat's away the mice will play!"
"What's that supposed to mean?" I backed away from Lester before I got the urge to jump his bones. It wouldn't be the first time Lester had given me this reaction. Lester was almost as hot as Ranger. He was certainly a poor woman's second.
"What, do you think I would be trying it on if Batman was around? I would be down on the mats with him for days if he saw this"
"It's got nothing to do with Ranger who I kiss, it never has been." I said indignantly
"Oh c'mon on Beautiful, as soon as he's back and finds out you're definitely off with the cop he's gonna be on you like Lula on a chicken thigh."
Nice visual there. I've seen Lula eat a chicken thigh so many times it's ingrained on my brain. I've never witnessed Ranger eating a chicken thigh though. If it was anyway near as sensual as Lula can eat one then . . . . . Oh Lord my hormones were going into overdrive!
"So what do you say, just one little kiss. No one will know but us."
"Yeah right Santos, and everyone with access to a monitor."
"I've taken the liberty of switching the camera nearest your cubicle off, no one will see a thing."
I looked up at the camera then to Lester. What harm would it do? One little kiss between friends. And I did count Lester as one of my closest friends. If Ranger wasn't around it was usually Lester or Bobby I called if I needed anything. I knew a hell of a lot more about Lester too. He was as big a chatterbox as I was!
"Who else knows about this."
"Just me, you missed it the first time you looked and no one else has seen it either. It would just be our little secret."
"Don't forget Ella's too."
"I don't care who else knows about it once I've had my one kiss. Hell you could hang it over Hectors' desk next for all I care."
Just then Ella chose her moment to pop up. "I'm ready for you now Lester." I burst out laughing at her eagerness.
"Come here to me hot stuff." Lester pulled Ella towards him before lifting her up to plant a smacker on her cheek. I could have sworn Ella looked slightly disappointed. Lester must have seen it too as he swooped her up for another one, this time squarely on the lips. Ella let out a happy little squeal as he put her back on her feet and scurried away straightening her apron. I waited till she was out of earshot before I burst out laughing again. Lester had just made her day. He was grinning from ear to ear too. "You're turn now" he said pulling me close.
I looked up at him and thought 'What the hell'. Lester would know this was just a one off. Deep down I knew there was something between Ranger and I, and that was the reason it wasn't difficult when Joe and I split up for good. Lester and I had flirted meaninglessly from the get go, but nothing would ever come of it. It was all just a bit of fun.
"Just the one mind, and no tongues!" Lester manufactured a disappointed face and moved in. He kissed me gently on the lips but his mouth lingered on mine. He put his arms around my waist and I instinctively put my arms around his neck. He pulled me closer still and his tongue brushed my bottom lip. I pulled back slightly "No tongues remember" I said breathing heavily. My word he could kiss.
"Sorry" he breathed into my mouth. "You just taste so good Steph." He moved back in for another kiss and this time I let him in. I just couldn't help it. He tasted so good too. Our tongues met and a shot of electricity shot all the way down my spine to my doodah. I pulled back before I did something I regretted, like pulling him up to the apartment I was staying in for the night.
We pulled back from each other and Lester looked a bit dazed. He maybe hadn't expected the kiss to be that good. But his expression soon changed to sheepish.
"What's wrong Lester?"
It took two seconds to find out, when catcalls and wolf whistles filled the control room. I was suddenly surrounded by Merry Men as Bobby, Cal, Woody, Hal, Zero, Binkie, Ram and Tank all appeared out of nowhere. Woody held a small portable screen and I could see Lester and I standing there. The camera hadn't been switched off at all.
"You bastard!" I shouted at Lester, who was still standing there looking a bit shell shocked. In spite of myself though I wasn't that angry. I had well and truly been had, but I only had myself and my hormones to blame.
"Me next" Bobby shoved his way through the throng of black and pushed Lester out the way to stand under the mistletoe beside me.
"Me after Brown" Woody moved to stand behind Bobby and I watched in amazement as the rest of the Merry Men formed a queue behind Woody. I couldn't believe all these men were so desperate to get a peck on the cheek from me. They certainly weren't getting what I just shared with Lester!
Suddenly an idea started to form in the back of my head. It was payback time! I had to get my head straight so that meant I would have to get rid of them for the time being until I could collect my thoughts. I had the beginnings of a fantastic plan but I would need some help. It was time to pull in the big guns.
"Right guys, give me some space. I'm not doing this in front of any camera's and I need some more lip gloss. If you guys move the mistletoe through to the break room, and promise not to have camera's on me, then you can all have the same treatment Lester got, one by one."
They all looked at each other and started muttering. I looked around at Lester who was looking slightly pissed. I think now that he had been on the receiving end of some 'Stephanie lovin' that he didn't want to share. I did the adult thing and stuck my tongue out at him.
Suddenly a hush fell around the men and Bobby was pushed forward. He had obviously been elected spokesman.
"Okay Steph we agree to you're terms, no camera's. We have only one condition of our own."
"You don't need to have any condition's, I'm the one who's agreeing to do this in the first place."
"But if you don't agree to our one condition, then there will be no Santa at the party." Zero stepped forward to put in his 2 cents worth.
"Ooh that's just nasty" I said narrowing my eyes at them. "Okay what's this one condition?"
Bobby moved over and put his arm around me before whispering in my ear "You have to wear your skimpy little elf outfit under the mistletoe."
I looked at all the men with looks of such expectation on their faces. They were just like little boys on Christmas Day hoping for their first train sets. Suddenly my little plan started taking on arms and legs and a smile spread across my face.
"Okay boys you have a deal. I need to pop out for an hour or so. I'll meet you in the break room at 1600 hours. Form an orderly queue outside the door and I'll call you in when I'm ready."
I grabbed my bag and squeezed past them all and headed for the elevator. I was going to have to call in some favours but revenge would be sweet. As hot and sweet as Ella's mulled wine.
