Trouble in Paradise

By Dayoh

Chapter Two

Stephanie moaned into the pillow as the sun radiated through the glass door of the private balcony, warming her face. With her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth, she lifted her head off the pillow and peeked at Ranger. He was sleeping peacefully. Between the beach and dinner the prior evening, Stephanie and Ranger had indulged in too many drinks. And now her head was pounding from the combination of too much sun and too much alcohol. She couldn't even remember what had happened after dinner, but she figured it was good because she didn't have a stitch of clothing on.

Crawling out of bed, Stephanie shuffled to the bathroom in search of an aspirin. She pulled open her jewelry bag and dug out a travel packet holding the wonder drug. Tearing open the package, she popped the aspirin in her mouth and filled a small paper cup with water from the faucet. Then she padded back to the bedroom, flopping back down on the bed, pulling the covers over her naked body. Ranger wasn't one to get drunk, but he'd kept his promise to indulge while on vacation. And now he seemed to be in a semi coma like state, softly snoring. Stephanie scooted close to Ranger, threw one leg over his hip and closed her eyes to think while the aspirin went to work.

Two hours later, Stephanie opened her eyes to find Ranger's side of the bed empty. But her nose told her that he was close, food in hand. She pulled herself into a sitting position and smiled lazily up at Ranger. He was wearing black Adidas Bermuda shorts and a white, sleeveless T-shirt. His hair was damp, and he wore a gold stud in his ear. Ranger didn't look hung-over at all. In fact, Ranger looked good enough to eat.

"You're too good to me."

Ranger passed a plate of deep fried, home style potatoes to Stephanie, along with a glass full of ice cold cola.

"This is as close to fast food as you're going to get at this resort."

"This is fine," Stephanie said, forking up a mouthful of the potatoes. "How come you're not suffering from a hang-over?"

"I feel it, believe me. I haven't indulged like that in a long time, Babe."

"What time did you get up?"

"About a half hour ago. I haven't slept past eleven a.m. since I was in college."

"Feels good doesn't it?"

Ranger nodded his head in the affirmative. "And speaking of feeling good," Ranger said, sitting next to Stephanie on the bed. "Your tongue did some heavy exploring last night, Babe. You're a freak when you're drunk."

Stephanie's froze with her fork half way to her lips. She gave Ranger a side glance and raised an eyebrow. "Do I really want to know the details?"

Ranger smiled a megawatt grin and said, "Not until you're done eating."

"Oh, my God, was I that bad?"

"Yes, and I loved it."

Stephanie narrowed her eyes. "So, you took complete advantage of my body while I was in a vulnerable state?"

"There was nothing vulnerable about your state last night."

Stephanie filled her mouth with potatoes and grinned sheepishly, thankful that she couldn't remember the details. Changing the subject, she asked Ranger, "What's on the agenda today?"

"Bus tour at one, and then the rest of the evening is ours. You up for it?"

Stephanie polished off her potatoes while nodding her head. "Give me thirty minutes to shower and get dressed."

The bus ride through the Mayan Ruins of Yucatan, Mexico was almost five hours long. A bus load of vacationers traveled one hour from Cancun to the Mayan Beach Garden. And then there was another hour of travel to the Chaccoben Ruins where everyone was allowed to get off the bus and tour the pyramids. And between the two tours, the bus driver stopped at a quaint, Mayan restaurant where the group enjoyed a mid-day meal. The weather was hot and the day was long, but Stephanie and Ranger enjoyed every minute of it. By the time they made it back to the hotel room, they had just enough time to shower and change for their dinner reservation.

At seven p.m. they strolled into the Bodizio, a Brazilian restaurant nestled inside the resort, not far from the main lobby. Ranger had reserved a table in advance, making sure they were scheduled for the first seating. Second seating was held between nine and ten-thirty p.m. for the guests preferring a late dinner. Stephanie had on a red V-neck, halter top sun dress with matching three inch, Michael Kor sandals. Her hair was swept off her neck in a sexy up-do. Ranger was wearing a button-down, short sleeve, grey shirt with a black blazer and dress pants. His smooth skin had darkened from their time on the beach, and Stephanie's sun kissed complexion now held an olive undertone. They were definitely an eye-catching couple, turning heads as soon as they walked into the restaurant.

One of those heads just happened to belong to the bronze skinned beauty who'd accosted Ranger at the beach. Serena's eyes followed Stephanie and Ranger as the maitre d led them to a small, dimly lit table, handing them two menus. Ranger didn't notice Serena's gaze, but Stephanie locked eyes with the woman almost immediately. Out of three main restaurants on the resort, they'd ended up and the same eatery as Serena. Stephanie did a mental eye roll and blew out a sigh as Ranger pulled out a chair for her.

"What, you don't like the seating arrangement?" Ranger asked, sitting across from Stephanie, his back to Serena.

"Your friend is here. She's on the other side of the restaurant."

Ranger looked at Stephanie with a raised eyebrow, clearly confused about who she was talking about. He'd already forgotten about Serena. "Who's my friend?"

"Serena."

Ranger laughed softly and picked up the menu. "Maybe I can get you drunk again, and then we'll invite Serena back to our room. I'll keep a watchful eye; make sure you two play nice with each other."

Stephanie gave Ranger a light kick under the table. "You have a dirty, dirty mind."

"I'll make the suggestion again, after you've had a few glasses of wine," Ranger teased, eyes scanning the wine list.

"Don't bother. I'm not going to drink myself into a stupor tonight."

Ranger smiled mischievously and signaled for the waiter. A middle-aged Caucasian man arrived at the table a few seconds later. "Good evening," the slender man said. "Would you like to start off the evening with a cocktail?"

"We'll try the Bouchain Pinot Noir," Ranger said to the waiter.

"Excellent choice, sir. I'll return in a few minutes with your wine and to take your order."

"You're the devil disguised as a sexy Cuban guy," Stephanie said after the waiter left the table.

A cocky smile twisted his lips. "I've been called worse, Babe."

Thirty minutes later, Stephanie and Ranger were elbows deep into a feast of steamed lobster coated in butter, grilled shrimp, tossed salad, and mashed potatoes. And, half the bottle of wine had magically disappeared. The restaurant was full of patrons who were drinking and eating and conversing loudly. But Stephanie and Ranger were in their own little bubble, enjoying each others company.

Ranger poured more wine into Stephanie's glass and she shook her head. "No more after this glass."

"That's very disappointing to hear. I was really looking forward to getting you drunk tonight."

Stephanie eyeballed Ranger's plate, licking her lips. "If you give me your last two shrimp, I'll give you a sober repeat of last night."

"Deal," Ranger said, placing his shrimp on Stephanie's plate. "But, I still haven't shared the details of last night."

"Humor me."

Ranger topped off Stephanie's wine glass. "Drink up, Babe."

Stephanie opened her mouth to protest but stopped short, eyes glued on Serena's child bearing hips swaying towards their table. She was wearing a royal purple, strapless tube dress that fit her body like a glove. Her dark hair was slicked back into a tight bun which showed off the well-defined features of her face. Her breasts were round and perky; Stephanie guessed she could fill a D cup bra with no problem. And an ass that would make Jennifer Lopez run and hide trailed behind her.

Stephanie sighed inwardly. She was not in the mood for this shit.

Serena sauntered up to Stephanie and Ranger's table, giving Stephanie a dismissive glance. Then she fixed her eyes on Ranger. "How are you enjoying Cancun?"

Ranger's face was stoic as he looked up a Serena. He grabbed a napkin from his lap and wiped his mouth, taking his time before answering. Finally, he said, "I'm having a lovely time with my fiancé. Thank you for asking."

Stephanie's eyes traveled to Ranger in surprise. She'd almost forgotten the lie she'd told Serena yesterday. The corners of Ranger's mouth twitched lightly and he looked at Stephanie pointedly, throwing the ball in her court, hoping she would do the honors of getting rid of their pest. Stephanie sighed softly and offered Serena a tight smile, trying to maintain her composure. It really pissed her off that this seemingly desperate woman had the nerve to interrupting their meal, just to flirt with Ranger.

Serena returned the artificial smile, her eyes traveling to Stephanie's chest. Her smile suddenly turned into a smirk and she placed her hands on her hips. Sticking out her lips in a mocking pout, she said, "Oh, sweetie, you've dribbled butter down the front of your dress."

Stephanie looked down at her dress, and sure enough, there was a blob of melted butter resting on her boob.

Shit!

"Don't worry about it, Babe," Ranger said, jabbing back at Serena. "You won't be wearing the dress much longer. I'll make sure of that."

Serena threw her head back and belted out a dramatic laugh. "What a lucky lady," she said, eyes scanning Ranger's lap seductively. "You obviously have what it takes to please a woman."

A deep crimson hue spread across Stephanie's face and her blood simmered. Throwing a death glare in Serena's direction, she narrowed her eyes into slits.

"You have a lot of nerve," Stephanie hissed. "You think you can just sashay your fat ass over here and disrespect me in front of my boyfriend?"

A hush spread throughout the restaurant, all eyes settling on Stephanie. But she was oblivious to the sudden onset of attention. The burning anger bubbling in her stomach was causing a severe case of tunnel vision. She focused her attention exclusively on Serena who was standing over her, smirking at the butter stain on her dress. And to make matters worse, Serena didn't seem to rile easily. She barely flinched at the 'fat ass' comment.

In an exaggerated move, Ranger glanced at his watch. "Look at the time. We should probably take off. They'll be seating for the nine-thirty crowd soon."

Ranger's words didn't penetrate Stephanie's ears. She sat motionless, eyes locked on her nemesis. And if Serena was in any way intimidated by the glare, she didn't show it. She held Stephanie's gaze, hands resting on her hips.

"Stephanie," Ranger said, moving from his seat. "Don't waist your time. She's not worth it."

This got Serena's attention. She snapped her head in Ranger's direction and glared at him as if she were devil possessed. "You have no idea what I'm worth, vato. But if you ever want to find out…"

In a heated rush, Stephanie stood to her feet, picked up her wine glass and threw the burgundy liquid in Serena's face before she could finish her sentence. And in a taunting voice, she said, "Oh, sweetie, you have wine all over your dress."

Astonished guests looked on as surprised gasps filled the room. There were a few chuckles mixed in, too. Serena stood like a statue, eyes bugged out of her head, mouth open in surprise. Wine dripped from her hair and face, soaking the front of her dress. Then, without warning, she suddenly screamed like a banshee and lunged at Stephanie, grabbing for her throat in hot, blind anger. Ranger moved swiftly, wedging his body between the two women as three waiters dashed to the rescue, apparently coming out of hiding to assist in the skirmish.

"I'll snap your neck like a twig, punta!" Serena spit out, punching her fists in Stephanie's direction, the waiters holding her firmly in place.

Ranger grabbed Stephanie by the waist and pulled her towards the front of the restaurant while she yelled, "Bring it, bitch! I'll wedge my foot so far up your fat ass!" She tried to wrestle her way out of Ranger's arms to prove her point, but she couldn't get away from him. Stephanie was no match for Ranger's strength, not even pumped up on a dose of rage. Ranger smiled wide, locked Stephanie in a bear hug and carried her out of the restaurant, kicking her feet, daring Serena to meet her outside.

He carried her all the way to the elevator as Serena yelled profanities their way. Placing Stephanie on her feet, Ranger pushed the up arrow and glanced over his shoulder, making sure Serena wasn't hot on their heels, but she was no where to be seen. He assumed the waiter's were tossing her out the back door right about now. She had clearly been the instigator in the confrontation, interrupting their meal to garner attention.

"Shit!" Stephanie huffed in a frustrated breath as the doors of the elevator opened. She wiped the sweat of her brow and arranged her dress, straightening the material twisted around her body.

Resting his hand on the small of her back, Ranger guided her inside. "Are you okay?"

"No! I'm not okay," Stephanie said, panting like a dog. "I just made a complete fool of myself. I don't know why I let a complete stranger get to me like that. And I'm missing a shoe!"

Ranger glanced down at Stephanie's shoeless foot. "That must have happened when I picked you up. I'll come back down for your shoe later."

Ranger looked at Stephanie and smiled. "You were in total kick-ass mode. I'm proud of you, Babe."

Stephanie narrowed her eyes in anger, but Ranger couldn't see the death glare. The up-do she'd been wearing had fallen out of its hold and curls were dangling in her face, covering her eyes. Ranger gently pushed a couple of curls away from her forehead and smiled even wider.

"Don't look at me in that tone voice. I'm not puffing out my chest because two chicks were fighting over me. I'm just proud that you stuck up for yourself."

"I didn't embarrass you, did I?" Stephanie asked, her face softening a bit.

"Not at all," Ranger said around a grin. "Girl fights turn me on."

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "I could have taken her down."

"I know you could have taken her down," Ranger agreed. "But she wouldn't have been worth the effort."

The elevator opened to the tenth floor and Ranger hooked his arm around Stephanie's neck, tugging her down the hall. Stephanie, walking with an uneven gate, stopped halfway to their room and took off the lone shoe. "I really want my shoe back."

"I'll go back down in an hour or so to get your shoe," Ranger said as they reached the door to their room.

Just as he pulled the access key out of his coat pocket, a tall, thin Hispanic male employee, who looked to be in his early thirties, walked down the hall in their direction with Stephanie's shoe dangling from his hand. His name tag said he was an assistant manager and his name was Pedro

"Hola," Pedro said with a smile, passing the shoe to Stephanie. "I was told this belongs to you."

"Yep, that's my shoe. You're not here to throw us out, are you?"

The assistant manager shook his head emphatically. "Oh, no, senorita. Serena is always in the middle of some kind of disagreement with our patrons. I watched her pick a fight with a senior citizen last week. She's out of control. The waiter's were actually glad to have a reason to throw her out. We all hate to deal with Serena. She's a real Prima Donna."

"She's a regular here?" Ranger inquired.

Pedro nodded his head and rolled his eyes. "Unfortunately, she's a close acquaintance with the owner of this resort, so she thinks she owns the place because she gets free room and board whenever she vacations in Cancun. She always comes by herself, doesn't seem to have any friends."

Ranger and Stephanie shared a knowing look. That certainly explained Serena's aggressive demeanor, and need for attention. She carried a false sense of entitlement on her shoulders because of her connections. Once she set her sights on Ranger, she'd expected immediate reciprocation. And when that didn't happen, she decided to take it out on the girlfriend.

Pedro focused his attention on Stephanie. "Do you and Serena have some kind of history?"

"No, I met her yesterday on the beach. It seems she's taken a strong liking to my boyfriend."

Pedro nodded his head in understanding, glancing at Ranger. "Yeah, Serena seems to always want what doesn't belong to her. If she causes you anymore problems, let me know."

Ranger reached into his pocket and pulled out a ten dollar bill. "Thank you for the shoe and the information."

Pedro pocketed the money, smiled at Stephanie and Ranger, and sauntered down the hall whistling a Coldplay tune. Ranger slid the access key in front of the sensor on the door and pushed it open, ushering Stephanie into the hotel room.

Are you sure you're okay, Babe?"

"I'll be fine, Stephanie said, throwing the shoes on the floor. I could really use that glass of wine I wasted on Serena's dress."

"Yeah, Serena ruined my plans for the night," Ranger said teasingly.

Stephanie raised an eyebrow and looked at Ranger. "You know, Serena might have done you a favor, because I now have all this built up aggression I need to get out. So, tell me about my tongue exploration last night."

Ranger studied Stephanie for a beat, a reminiscent look on his face, as if recalling the experience. "Maybe I'll show you instead."

"You know what I think?" Stephanie mused, cocking her head. "I think you're trying to trick me into doing some kind of freaky sex act with you."

Ranger, pretending to be offended by Stephanie's declaration, said in a sarcastic manner, "Babe, do you think I'd really do that?"

"Yes!"

Ranger laughed softly, pulling off his jacket. "You know me too well."

Stephanie pulled the red dress over her head and stood in the middle of the room, wearing a red thong and a smile.

"So," she said, looking at Ranger impishly. "What are you going to show me?"

Ranger's eyes seemed to burn through her skin as he closed the distance between them. Cradling Stephanie's face in his hands, his mouth covered her soft lips and he gave her a deep kiss, pushing his tongue inside her mouth. Stephanie leaned into Ranger's body, cupped the back of his neck, and deepened the kiss, caressing his tongue with hers.

After a couple of minutes, Ranger pulled away and covered Stephanie's breasts with the palms of his hands, rubbing his thumbs over the erect nipples. Then he looked at Stephanie with an intense gaze. "I want you down on your hands and knees," he said in a soft voice.

Hooking his thumbs under Stephanie's thong, Ranger pulled the thin material down over her hips. "And I want your ass in the air."

Oh, boy.

TBC…