My name is Stephanie Plum and I am feeling down. Why, you ask? Well it's Christmas time again, and once again I have yet to buy a single gift or even put up the first decoration. I should change my name to Ebenezer Scrooge.
I have finally decided to get my ass to the mall and start shopping though. I have the means to shop for my gifts, just been too lazy. I have been working for Ranger for the past 9 months now.
Yepp I'm adding a new title for the "man of mystery". Now he is Batman, my best friend, my mentor, my boss, and yes my lover. We have been trying out a relationship for the past 4 months. Nothing bad there.
He has started opening up some now, telling me about his past (what he can reveal without having to kill me), taken me to meet his family, and Julie and I are closer than ever. Not to mention the unlimited Ranger induced orgasms. Yeah, that's the best part. Wink.
I decide to try to get into the holiday spirit on the way to the mall by listening to Christmas music. Playing on the radio now is Kelly Clarkson's "My Grown Up Christmas List". This song gets me to thinking, maybe I should write up my own personal Christmas list.
After I park my latest POS at the mall, I take a pen and a piece of paper out of my purse. I then begin to think of what all I want to add to my list.
1. - happiness for all my friends and family.
2. - peace on Earth and no more war. Hey it's worth a try.
3. - I write this one down and try not to blush. It involves Ranger, a Batman costume, a sexy song, and a big red bow. Damn ruined my panties thinking about this one.
4. - a year's worth of Boston Cremes from Tasty Pastry, or Tastey Kakes will do.
5. - Lester to quit trying to get the better of me with his damn pranks.
6. - a special large area in my closet full of shoes.
7. - my mother to stop nagging me about my job and lack of husband and kids.
I think I should stop here for now. I stuff my new list into my purse and climb out of my car to get some shopping done.
Three grueling hours later I have most of my family and friends covered. The only ones left are Ranger and Les. Why are the Manoso men so hard to shop for?
I'm thinking of getting Lester something practical, like a gross count box of condoms. (That's 144 for those of you who are bad at math.)
Well that's settled, now what to get for the man who has everything and needs nothing? Yepp that's Ranger. Sigh, I guess I'll figure that one out later. Although it's December 14th so I am running out of time.
I crank the car back up and head out to a tree lot to try to find a tree to brighten up my miserable excuse for an apartment. I really should re-think Ranger's question about moving in with him. Ella and his luxurious sheets would be worth it.
Hmmmmmmmmmmm ... maybe that's what I can get Ranger for Christmas, I'll move in with him finally. That just may make his Christmas.
I arrive at my apartment parking lot a short time later. I drag all my new purchases up the stairs. I know what you're thinking. No way is she using the stairs. Well yes I am ... the elevator is broken. Ha! Yet another reason to move into Rangeman. Sigh.
I fumble my way in the door and drop off my packages where ever they fall, locking the door up behind myself. I dig the wrapping paper and tape out of one of the bags and start the job of getting all of the stuff wrapped and tagged.
I am busy wrapping my Dad's new pocket watch when the locks on my front door tumble. Only one person has the key to my place, Ranger. My suspicions are confirmed when the back of my neck starts to tingle. I look up from my work to address him.
"Hey Batman, what brings you by?"
"Babe." He replies. The master of the one-word answers is at it again.
"Ranger." See I can do it too.
Ranger barely shakes his head. He is amused again. But he does say more than one word in reply.
"I was looking for the file on Joshua Woods. It wasn't in your cubby. We have a lead on him and I want to pick him up."
"Oh yea, sorry. I brought that file home with me. I thought maybe one of my Burg connections could help me locate him for you. It's in my purse." I tell him.
I watch Ranger strut over to the table in my foyer, where I always drop my purse. I take this opportunity (him being engrossed in the file), to take a potty break.
RPOV
I am busy reading the file when I notice Steph has left the room. I turn to go to the kitchen for a bottle of water when I notice a slip of paper falls out of the file. I bend over to retrieve it. What is this? "My Grown Up Christmas List" is written across the top in my Babe's handwriting.
I can't help myself I have to read it. This is interesting. My eyes darken and my cargos get tight when I read number 3 ... 'I can make that happen for you Babe.' I think to myself. I have a huge grin on my face now. I will definitely make that happen for my Babe.
And number 5 is just laughable. There is NO way my cousin is going to stop trying to out prank her. I chuckle at the thought. But I think 4 and 6 will be part of her Christmas too. I slip the paper back in her purse for her.
Just then she walks back into the kitchen to join me.
"Thanks for the file Babe. I'm taking Tank, Les, and Bobby with me for the take down. I'll be back in a few hours." I say as I give her a good-bye kiss and then walk out the door.
After I get to my truck, I start making some phone call to make part of my Babe's wish list come true.
SPOV
11 days later ... Christmas Day
Ranger and I spent yesterday with his family, now today it's my crazy family's turn. I am so not looking forward to this. My Mom can be such a bitch sometimes. Maybe if she sees how serious Ranger and I are about each other, she'll start to accept him. Yeah I know wishful thinking. But it is Christmas and I can hope for a Christmas Miracle. A girl can dream.
Lunch with the family went pretty well considering. Val, Albert and all 4 girls were there, Grandma decided to dress for the occasion in a short red velvet dress with white fur trim. Chaos ensued.
I am so glad it's over and we are headed back to Haywood for dinner and to exchange our gifts.
When we reach Haywood and 7, I see that Ella has out done herself, as usual. Not only has she decorated Ranger's apartment, but she has an amazing spread of food laid out for us. Even if it is healthy, it smells divine!
As I walk nearer and get a closer look I see that it is mostly Carlos' favorite Cuban dishes. And I love them all! I moan out loud before I even take my first bite, that moan is closely followed by my stomach making itself known.
"Ready to feed the beast babe?" Carlos teases.
"We better do that before we do anything else. I may not have the strength for you later if I don't get some nourishment." I giggle.
Carlos just looks at me with that feral look in his eyes. Yum!
We sit down to Ella's wonderful feast and I moan through every single dish. Carlos can only squirm in his chair and keep adjusting himself accordingly.
After most of Ella's delicious food is gone. We go to the living room where the tree is set up. Well I more like shuffle lazily. I then collapse onto Carlos' comfy leather couch.
He looks down at me and asks.
"You ready to open some presents?"
"Sure, just don't ask me to get up, I'm too comfortable." I sigh.
"Don't worry I got you covered." He tells me.
He then walks over to the tree and starts bringing the packages back to me. I only got him two, great, now I feel bad.
"Stop it, Stephanie! I enjoy spoiling you. And I don't expect anything from you really. I have too much fun shopping for you." He chides.
When all the gifts are with us on the couch, we dig in; or at least I do. I am really like a kid at Christmastime.
As I am ripping into my second one, the first was a beautiful diamond watch; I see that it is a gift certificate for Tasty Pastry, a years worth of Boston Cremes. Yummy!
I look up at him. He is grinning broadly.
"Thank-you. You sure know what I like Batman." I say.
"Yes I do, Babe." He answers, with a mysterious twinkle in his brown eyes. I wonder what that's about?
"OK your turn, open one please." I ask.
He picks up the smaller one, I'm glad. As he slowly lifts the tape and unfolds the wrapping paper I can only shake my head. He is too patient. After he lifts the lid, he looks up at me and smiles.
"Thank-you Babe, I love it."
Inside the box is a 14K gold chain with a bullet charm. The charm has engraved on it in script, "Babe". I figured it would be masculine and personal at the same time.
After that I opened a couple more. First a gift card for Macy's shoe department in the mall. It was for $2,000!
"Carlos, this is way too much, even for my shoe obsession!"
"Come with me Babe." He orders.
He walks me back to his bedroom and to the closest off of the changing room. He points to a huge area that is totally bare. There are shelves upon shelves there now.
"I expect you to use that card and fill these shelves with new shoes. Please for me." He adds.
I can hardly speak because my throat is so tight with tears. I barely squeak out.
"How did you know?"
"Know what Babe?"
"How did you know what my big gift to you was going to be this year?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Your big gift," I look up into his eyes and pour my heart out. "I love you and I've decided to move in with you. We can start our someday now."
He doesn't respond. He only wraps me in his arms and kisses me passionately. When we finally come up for air, he looks down into my eyes and tells me.
"That is the best Christmas present I have ever gotten. I love you too querida. Now sit down on the bed while I bring out your final gift."
I wonder what he is up to now? I sit back on the bed with my back leaning against the headboard and wait.
A few minutes later my eyes bug out of my head and my jaw drops to the floor when Carlos walks out of the changing room; or should I say Batman walks out of the changing room!
He walks over to the dresser in the corner of the room and starts up a CD in the radio that I didn't notice was there until now. The bass beat of LMFAO's "Sexy and I Know It" starts to play. I barely hear Carlos' voice over the music.
"My cousin isn't the only one with moves Babe. And this song describes both of us to a T."
"Damn Skippy!" I agree.
Then he proceeds to gyrate, shake, and pump his gorgeous body at me while he works his clothes off at the same time. I am a drooling, hormonal mess after only a few seconds of this torture. But I absolutely LOVE it!
As he gets down to what I am shocked to see is a red, green, and white G-string that looks vaguely familiar; I notice that he has added a red ribbon tied at the base of his manhood. I am truly in love with my final gift!
He stands right in front of me as he rips the last piece of cloth from his body, the G-string. I am literally drooling by now as I see him in all his "erect" glory. And let me tell you, it is glorious!
Since I am already drooling, I lean forward and lick the head of his gorgeous cock. My right hand moves up and unties the ribbon from the base, don't want to impede his pleasure any. Wink, wink.
As I take as much of him as I can into my mouth, I hear Carlos groan his approval. This makes me moan around him. I then proceed to lick and suck him with everything I have in me.
As I reach down and caress his balls in my hand, he gets impatient and jerks me up too my feet.
He then proceeds to kiss the living daylights out of me. I almost don't notice he is trying to remove my shirt. We break for air so he can remove it, along with my bra.
When my breasts are free, he attacks them with his mouth and tongue, making them even harder, it that is possible.
As he is torturing my nipples with his talented mouth and tongue, his hands are working their way past my jeans. He easily removes them and I kick them to the side. Of course Batman is adept at multi-tasking. Duhhhhhhh!
He starts to deftly lower me to the bed. He takes a deep breath of air and tells me.
"Dios lo que me haces Estefania, te amo Babe." *
He then starts to stoke his hands up and down my sides and hips. He slowly tucks his fingers under the waist band of my lace panties and pulls them down and off of my body.
He then trails wet, open-mouth kisses from my breast down my stomach. He pauses at my mound to inhale deeply, growling at the scent of my arousal. His control must have snapped, because next thing I know he is feasting on my juices.
I am spiraling into my first powerful orgasm immediately. He brings me down tentatively with his mouth. After I am completely down from my high, he removes his mouth from my pussy and works his way back up my body.
He stops briefly to kiss my lips tenderly. He looks down into my eyes with such love and tenderness that I am forced to tears. They drip down my face. I am not ashamed.
As he slowly enters me he tilts his head down to my ear and whispers. "I love you Stephanie, always have, always will. You are my heart and soul. Let me show you."
He pauses for a brief time to regain his composure. He only starts to thrust gently when I urge him on with my hips. It is pure Heaven being connected to him this way. I lay my hand gently on his cheek and urge him to look at me as I admit.
"You are my heart and soul too, Carlos. I love you so much, always have, and I always will. Para siempre."
My slipping into Spanish as I say "forever" has Carlos trembling as his hips move faster. My moans only force him faster and harder still. I am quickly working up to my second orgasm. I feel him pulse inside of me as he screams my name with the jet of his seed.
We collapse beside each other in the after-glow. I sigh deeply as I rest my head on his sweat-slicked chest. It's then that I realize something. I find my voice as I ask him.
"How did you know?'
"Know what Babe?"
"About the Batman fantasy mister!" I scold.
He pales for a brief moment before his black face falls down.
"You remember a week or so ago when I came to get that FTA file from you."
"Yea, so?"
"Well, when I took it out of your purse, a piece of paper fell out too."
It finally dawns on me then. He saw my list. I hide my face in his chest in embarrassment. I groan.
"Oh. I had forgotten I wrote that."
"I found it very insightful. And very useful. Although you can forget about number 5. Les will never stop with his pranks." He laughs.
I can only laugh with him. I know it's true. But then I wonder about something else.
"Hey, I was wondering about something else too."
"What's that Babe?"
"That red, green, and white G-string looked vaguely familiar. Isn't that the one that I bought for Les when I got back at him last year?"
Carlos chuckles lightly.
"Yea, Babe, it is identical to that one. But I bought this one. I would never wear something that's been that close to Les' dick, not even after bleaching it 20 times!"
We both dissolve in a fit of laughter. I wouldn't touch it either!
After catching my breath, I am suddenly exhausted. I snuggle into Carlos' arms and drift off to sleep, thinking to myself. 'I'm so glad that I wrote "My Grown Up Christmas List!' ###############
* "God what you do to me Stephanie, I love you Babe."