Mr. Fix-it
Chap 2
Stephanie and Carlos walked hand-in-hand back down the beach. "Well, Mr. Fix-it, how are you planning on renovating when you've never done anything like this before." Stephanie knew he would probably have a plan in place.
"Well, when we get back to the hotel, I'm going to try and find a local home inspector to come and evaluate the house, so we know exactly what needs repaired or replaced in the house. Find a painter to paint the outside of the house after we decide on a color."
"I hope you'll let Daddy help you. He'll be able to tell you exactly the right type of tools like a circular saw, nail gun, and drill. I'll mix the cement."
"Babe, you holding out on me? Sounds like you have some experience."
"Grandpa built the deck one summer and I helped pour the cement for the footers so the posts could sit on them. You'll find my initials in one of them. We'll also need a building permit. I've been known to use a hammer or an electric drill when needed. This will call for a trip to Home Depot?"
"Babe, what's a Home Depot?"
"It's a do-it-yourselfers dream store. It has everything you would need in one place. They sell lumber, tools, garden supplies, appliances, nails, paint, and everything. A man's store. Just don't buy out the store."
"Babe, would I do that?"
"Yes."
After calling a home inspector found in a hotel telephone book, they did some shopping in Point Pleasant. Stephanie stopped in a linens store and bought new sheets and pillows for the bed, a few new towels, a sundress for dinner, then Ranger insisted on visiting the lingerie department where Stephanie picked out a teal silk short nightgown and matching thong, a two-piece camisole set, and lavender-mint bath gel. Ranger even bought new jeans and a short-sleeved henley. Next stop was the grocery store.
Parking the Porsche in the carport off the deck, they carried the packages and groceries onto the screened in porch. When Stephanie opened the door, Ranger picked her up and carried into the house.
"What are you doing?"
"Carrying you over the threshold."
"We aren't married."
"That's a technicality. We bought a beach house so I carried you in for the first time," kissing Stephanie as they stood in the kitchen.
"I think we should get the groceries."
Putting the groceries away, Stephanie opened a box from the store bakery. She bought chocolate chip cookies for the cookie jar. Ranger took one when she handed it him. Next, he followed her upstairs, where she took the old sheets off the bed and they made the bed with the soft ones like they had in his apartment. Stephanie threw a new pillow at Ranger and got him in the head. He in turn came around the bed and caught her before she could run and deposited her in the middle of it, following her so he was on top of Stephanie. Every time they moved, the bed springs squeaked.
Looking out the bedroom window. A light rain was beginning to fall. "I guess we're not going down to the beach right now."
"You don't seem to be in a position to go anywhere, Babe," Ranger was resting his weight on his arms as he laid on top of Stephanie.
"I think we need a new bed. This one's too noisy."
"Why?" Using his weight, he was bouncing both of them on the squeaking bed. "If we had company, they'd know what we were doing."
A light pink color was rising in Stephanie's cheeks. "And, you would like that wouldn't you," giggling at her man.
"Of course." Ranger's hands were softly brushing the curls off her face as his warm lips claimed hers. "You're mine."
Her hands had found their way under his t-shirt and she could feel the taunt muscles of his back. Rolling them so they were facing each other side-by-side, the bed squealed. Neither one had to say a word, their eyes held their emotions--love, trust, and contentment. Stephanie and Ranger were together and the world only existed in their small beach house. At some point, their clothes miraculously disappeared and it was skin to skin. Her lips sought his as his sought hers. Fingers, hands caressing each other. Exploring. There was no hurry to their lovemaking. Touching, feeling. Two were one. Carrying each other to the edge and beyond.
"Love you, Babe."
"I love you, Carlos."
Stephanie opened her eyes having fallen asleep in Ranger's arms. Having felt her stir, Ranger opened his to look in her crystal blue eyes.
"I like these lazy afternoons, but we missed lunch."
Smirking at her, "I had mine," running his finger down Stephanie's shoulder and arm. "But if I have to feed you, then we better get dressed."
"You bet you do, Mr. Manoso," poking Ranger in the chest for emphasis. "I'm going to take a shower, you coming."
"Try and stop me," growling after Stephanie.
Walking into 'A Piece of Italy', the restaurant wasn't crowded with people yet. "Stephanie, Carlos. Just the two of you."
"Yes, Mary Ann," Stephanie told her.
She set them at her Grandfather's favorite table again. "Honey, you know how I told you the beach house was for sale. The real estate sign was removed from in front of it. Someone must have bought it. I'm sorry."
Ranger and Stephanie looked at each other and laughed.
"We did," Ranger told her.
"That is such good news. Wait till I tell Cliff who our new neighbors are! I'll be right back," hugging Stephanie.
A few seconds later, Mary Ann came back, followed by her husband carrying a bottle of wine and four glasses.
"Stephie, I'm so happy to have you back," Cliff said sitting down at the table beside Mary Ann.
"No one ever called me Stephie but you and Grandpa."
He poured four glasses of her Grandfather's favorite wine, "A toast to our new neighbors and I'm glad you're coming home, Stephie."
"It does feel like coming home in some ways, but it also like I never left. Most everything is still the same from the last time I stayed there."
"But, I saw a black car there all afternoon."
Ranger explained, "That's mine. When the owner knew Stephanie and I were buying the house, she had the real estate agent give Stephanie the keys."
"So it a done deal that fast."
"Mary Ann, just like that we bought a house. Carlos called his attorney to handled the transfer of money and we just have to sign papers for the deed."
"Damn, I like how you do business!" Cliff said to them as they all laughed.
"He calls and things happen," Stephanie kissed Ranger on his cheek., "my own personal Batman."
He gave her one of his raised eyebrows, "At your service, Babe."
"What will you be having for dinner so I can go had harass the cook."
Stephanie looked at Ranger, "Don't laugh, but want one of your delicious steak salads."
"Fries and cheese. How do you want your steak, Stephie?"
Yes. And medium rare with your famous house dressing."
"Carlos, for you?"
"Give me the same."
"Ok. I'll send out some fresh bread with dipping sauce."
"Boy, that temple is coming to come tumbling down. French fries and cheese."
"I'll work it off later, Babe."
A young man brought a basket of warm Italian bread with dipping sauce to the table.
"I love this stuff," Stephanie dipped a piece of the warm bread in the olive oil sauce and held it up to Ranger's mouth. Surprised, he took a bite.
Nodding, "That is good."
"Mmmm," Stephanie ate the remainder of the piece. Until their salads arrived, Stephanie and Ranger feed each other the bread, unaware of other customers watching them.
"Babe, this salad is excellent."
"See, add some fries and cheese, Carlos, and you're eating normal," giggling at the squinty eyes he gave Stephanie.
"How is everything?" Cliff came to check on them.
"Great. That is some of the best salads I've ever eaten," Ranger told him. "Would we be able to get a bottle of her Grandfather's wine to go?'
"Sure. I'll be right back. Any dessert?"
"Cheesecake to go, Cliff," Stephanie replied.
"Make it two," Ranger added.
"Fries, cheese, and dessert. You are living on the wild side this weekend."
Ranger smirked at her, "I'll show you wild, Babe, when we get home."
"I like the sound of that, home."
Cliff brought a bag over to them. Ranger handed him his credit card, but Cliff shook his head. "Consider it a welcome to the neighborhood."
"Thank you," Ranger said, "but you didn't need to."
"I wanted to, Mary Ann and I didn't have any children. I had the pleasure to watch Stephie grow and so she's like our own child. I can treat her and her fellow if I want. Don't argue."
"Ok, I won't." Ranger put his credit card back in his wallet.
"So, what are your plans for the house?"
"Well, Cliff, Carlos made an appointment with a home inspector tomorrow to look at the house," Stephanie explained.
Ranger added, "Depending on what he finds, then we'll go from there. The real estate agent thought the house needed new windows and maybe a deck."
"It's a well built house so I don't think it will be too major. When will you be back?"
"Next weekend. Maybe, I'll see if the boss will let us leave early on Friday," Stephanie giggled at Ranger.
"It depends on how good you are?" Ranger told her.
"Carlos, then you must be the boss?" Cliff asked noticing the exchanges between Stephanie and Ranger.
"I own Rangeman Security in Trenton, Boston, and Miami. Stephanie is a security analyst for me."
"Stephie, you aren't a bounty hunter anymore?"
"I pretty much gave it up when I went to work full time at Rangeman. It's a much nicer commute from his 7th floor apartment to the 5th floor in his building. And good fringe benefits," she was laughing thinking of them, the best one was holding her hand.
"Mary Ann and I are so happy you're back. We've missed you."
"I've missed you both. I'll probably see you tomorrow before we go back to Trenton."
"Good night, Stephie. Good night, Carlos."
"Good night," Ranger and Stephanie told them.
It was raining lightly again. "It looks like no fire on the beach, Babe."
"Oh well, it will be torturous spending the evening snuggled with my Cuban sex god."
"And I'll enjoy every minute."
Stephanie walked into the kitchen finding Ranger looking in the cupboards for wine glasses. Without thinking, she walked over to a corner cupboard near the sink, "Here." She placed two wine glasses on the counter and a bottle opener.
Ranger's eye grew dark when he saw the short teal nightgown,
"Babe, you starting the torture all ready?"
"You like it," spinning around so he got a glimpse of the thong.
"Do you want dessert?"
"Oh, yeah," an evil grin on his face.
"I was talking about the cheesecake, Ranger."
"Ok."
Ranger enjoyed looking as Stephanie reached into another cupboard for plates and the nightgown rose up exposing her rounded ass cheeks and the thong. "Killing me, Babe."
"Enjoying the view."
"You know I am."
Stephanie carried the plates with the cheesecake over to the island, while Ranger carried the wine and glasses. Stephanie was looking around, then down at the plates, "We need to go to an appliance store."
"For what?"
"A dishwasher. I'm at the beach. I don't do dishes."
Ranger started laughing, "You don't do dishes anyhow."
"And, I'm not going to start. Also, a TV."
"Ok, is there someplace near by that will deliver them next weekend?"
"Elmer's is outside of Point Pleasant."
"Go there tomorrow while I'm here with the home inspector and have them delivered."
"If they can be delivered during the week, could I give Cliff and Mary Ann a key to let them in. They live in the ranch two doors up across the road."
"Do that. They seem like very nice people."
"They are. They moved here the first summer I came when I was six. That's when I had my cast on from jumping off the garage, and Grandpa and I were flying a kite on the beach when me met them. Grandpa liked to steam shrimp on the beach and invited them. They've been friends ever since."
Ranger grabbed a pillow off the couch and a blanket he found. He and Stephanie spent the evening cuddled on the hammock listening to soft sounds of the rain and the ocean. "I could stay here forever with you, Babe," kissing her forehead. Stephanie was nestled in the crook of his neck. The hammock was gently swinging back and forth.
"Me, too," letting out a sigh.
Returning from the appliance store, Stephanie purchased a portable dishwasher, a TV, and a grill. Ranger was talking with a man about forty.
"Hey, Babe. Get everything we needed?"
"Yes and some. What is the verdict on the house? Are you going to hate me because it's a money pit?"
Ranger laughed as Stephanie still had no idea he would spend every penny he had to make her happy. "This is Ben Johnson and it's not that bad."
"I would recommend replacing the windows with more energy efficient ones and replacing the deck because there are some rotting boards. This is a well built house and you're quite lucky to have found it. Beach houses are hard to find in Point Pleasant," the home inspector explained. " As soon as I compile my report, Mr. Manoso, I'll fax it to you."
"Thank you, Mr. Johnson. I'll wait for your report."
"I'm going over to Mary Ann and Cliff's to check if they can let the deliveryman in the house on Wednesday. Good bye, Mr. Johnson."
"Ok, Babe."
Stephanie found her friends on their breezeway. "Hi, I'm not disturbing you am I?"
"No, we were reading the newspaper and drinking lemonade. Want a glass?" Mary Ann asked her.
"Sure," sitting down in a patio chair. "I came to ask if Wednesday morning you could let a deliveryman from Elmer's in the house. Carlos and I bought a dishwasher, TV, and a grill? I'll leave a key with you."
"Yes, Stephie," Cliff said handing her a glass of lemonade.
Mary Ann looked at her for a second, wanting to ask something but trying to find the right words, "Stephanie, I remember reading about you helping someone find his daughter who was kidnapped. Is Carlos that really tough bounty hunter known as Ranger?"
"Yes, Carlos is him. Does it make you uncomfortable to be around him?"
"No, honey. He's so different from how he was reported to be."
"Ranger needs to keep-up the bad ass image. He's put a lot of skips in jail and he can't appear weak. When we're here, he just Carlos. If anyone in Point Pleasant recognized him, they didn't say or do anything to indicate it."
Cliff wanted her to know they liked Ranger, "Stephie, he's very nice and we can see how much he loves you. And, here he comes up the driveway,"
"Looking for me?" Stephanie called as Ranger was coming onto the patio.
"Hey, Babe."
"Carlos, would you like a glass of lemonade."
"Yes, Thank you, Cliff."
"Mary Ann and Cliff will let the deliveryman in on Wednesday for us."
"What did you buy today?'
"A dishwasher, TV, and a grill."
"Is that all?"
"Isn't that enough?"
"You should have bought anything we need for the house. That's what the credit card is for."
"Stephanie, can I have his man," Mary Ann laughed. "If Cliff told me that, I'd be gone for days."
"And that's why I won't," Cliff kissed the top of his wife's head and gave Ranger his lemonade. "I couldn't function if you were gone that long."
"Sorry, Mary Ann, he's mine," giggling, Stephanie's blue eyes were watching Ranger. She loved this man.