A/N: So now my promise is that I WILL finish this story. As I said in Insanity "I am kind of stuck in a writer's hump. Yes I said hump, it's not really a block but more a transitional issue from the birthday extravaganza on to the country club job. With some help from CTBabe1202 I am working (well writing) myself out of the hump." So my many THANKS go to CTBabe1202.
Since it's been a while here's what's been happening:
Chapter 1: Steph, Connie & Lula discuss Steph's up coming birthday. Where we find out that Joe is really dirty cause he was doin' Joyce, on the dining room table no less. Ranger comes back after being gone for 6 months, after a brief welcome home kiss in the alley Ranger has a job for Steph and offers to discuss it at his place over dinner.
Chapter 2: Steph comes up with a game plan on keeping her heart protected. Step 1 physical distance, i.e. the not so pretty distraction outfit 'Granny Panties'. Step 2 emotional distance, distract with subjects of Julie, latest skip fiascos and Grandma Mazurs latest hijinks.
Chapter 3: Dinner time, typical Of Steph's life once she figures out on how to make it go one way nit goes another. Ranger is engaging in conversation, and is keeping his hands to himself. Through the conversation Ranger asks to plan her birthday keeping with the Latin theme that the girls picked. Oh yea Merry Men are now invited.
Chapter 4: Awkward relationship talk. Ranger gives Steph his military file in which he is now discharged. He tells Steph that he loves her, no qualifiers.
Chapter 5: She asks for time and a little space to regroup because he has been hot & cold through their friendship. He also asks to be her date for her birthday. They also discuss the upcoming job there seems to be missing money and a little corporate espionage going on in a country club.
Chapter 6: Ranger surprises Steph with a trip to NYC. But first he has bought her a jumpsuit for the drive over. He brings along the girls, Mary-Lou, Connie and Lula and the Merry Men, Tank, Bobby and Lester (in his chauffeur hat) all in a limo. They arrive outside of The Plaza with another surprise the girls have the Royal Plaza Suite that has a butler named Alfred.
Chapter 7: Master of surprises Ranger takes the girls down to the spa and even introduces them to his sister Adonia a.k.a Ada. After getting their serenity on the girls get ready to go to afternoon tea in dress provided by Ranger. They are clueless on their tea destination until they pull up to the Russian Tea Room. After their meal and Steph feeling like Princess Anastasia Romanov they go back to The Plaza for the next part of Ranger's surprises.
Chapter 8: Ada meets them back in the suite; the study has been transformed into a hair salon. Here we meet Rey Lafayette (bonus to those of you who recognize him as Lafayette from True Blood) and team to do the girls hair and make up before they get into their party dresses. After giving Steph earrings to complete her outfit they are whisked off to dinner and dancing. But now they have even more party goers, Lenny, Hal, Cal and Ram. Were else would Ranger take Steph to but The Copacabana. They meet Chef Alex who is also married to Ada. After a whirlwind of a day Ranger brings Steph back to the suit where a bubble bath and foot massage, provided by him, await her.
Chapter 9: The morning after, finds Babe has been changed into a black little nightie by Carlos. Lula & Tank hook up, Hal & Cal share a room, Bobbie & Lester share a room, of coarse Mary-Lou and here hubby Lenny share a room. But guess who had to the walk of shame, is a walk of shame if they're still shaming? Oh yea Ram & Connie, but they decided to spend the weekend thanks to Batman's generosity. After everyone has their bellies full from the breakfast buffet, they say their good-byes to Ada, Chef Alex, Rey and Albert. While the rest of the crew head home in the limo. Babe & Carlos are headed home in the Bat-mobile (Rolls Royce Phantom) driven by Alfred.
Disclaimer: I own not one iota of these characters or the Stephanie Plum Universe, lucky Janet! Not to give anything away but please see Disclaimer #6!
Previous Chapter 9
We walk out of the hotel and sitting there is Rolls Royce Phantom. He closes my mouth as I am stunned again. Then Carlos takes my hand and walks me to the back of the car and helps me get in. I look up to the front of the car where I see Alfred ready to drive us home.
Chapter 10 (a/k/a THE HUMP)
We're heading back to Trenton and I'm curled up into Carlos, with my hand engulfed in his, our fingers intertwined, his thumb rubbing circles on the top of my hand and my other hand resting on his powerful thigh has caused such drastic feelings in me. Safe, secure and at peace but in yet I am turned on and aware of every spot that our bodies touch. All of this is just while we ride in this incredible car.
I start thinking over everything that has happened these past couple of days. It is as my brain has been swept up in a tornado, like the one in the Wizard of Oz, or falling down the hole in Alice in Wonderland. I'm living my day to day life and this extraordinary moment takes a hold of me, I meet all sorts of interesting people and when I get back to my regular life I'm not the same person. This extraordinary moment was when Carlos has let me know that he wants me. How can I keep pulling away from him but how can I know he won't send me back after he is done with me? A certain amount of trust is going to have to happen and while he has always had the trust of my life, I'm now going to have to give him the trust of my heart. I can't be leery and still give him my trust it's and either/or thing. He has certainly wooed me and made many of my dreams come true, plus he has started opening up to me. What with his military folder and meeting his sister. I get pulled out of my inner musings when Carlos says "I smell smoke, Babe"
I just sigh, "I was thinking of the Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland."
"Oh?" Was his response, I think he is wanting more of an explanation then I've figured out so far.
"Yea, there are so many similarities." I know this isn't enough of an explanation but it's all I've got right now.
"The tornado and the hole?" He asked.
I smile knowing that he understands me more than I realized. "Don't forget about the unusual cast of characters."
He chuckled "of coarse not Babe who can forget them."
After a few minutes of us just sitting contemplating those movies in silence I asked "So what's next on the agenda Batman?"
"I have a small surprise for you, and then we will have our meeting about the Wentworth case." He replied.
"Carlos, no more it's not my birthday." I can't believe him, how many times have I told him it's too much?
"Yes I'm well aware of that, but this has nothing to do with your birthday and more to do with us." He explained.
"UGH, then your done right?"
"Done, I'll never be done with you, but I will take a breather." He laughed.
The man is stubborn, people say I'm stubborn, but he takes the cake, if he actually ate any. Hmmm cake, he could be that yummy tres leches cake we had last night. I look out the window and realize we have gone past Haywood and are on the other side of town, the residential section. We pull up to a beautiful red brick home. "Where are we?" I asked Carlos.
Alfred opens my car door, and I get out of the luxurious car. Carlos walks around the vehicle and takes my hand as he guides me into the house. "Carlos, what's going on? Where are we?"
He gives me a brilliant smile, "Surprise, welcome to the bat-cave Babe." He walks me through the front door in to an elegant entry way.
The open stair case is one that could easily be in movies, with the beautiful heroine making their grand entrance at the top, and glide down the stairs as they are curved to deliver the person walking down them to the entry way. This is too incredible. "Are you serious? Carlos, the bat-cave is forever? How long have you had this place?"
"Breath Babe, yes the bat-cave is forever, I wanted to bring you here to show you how serious I am about us. I recently bought this house; I figured I needed to have a place away from Haywood. A place that we could be together without interruptions maybe let the guys handle more without me always being there. You don't have to decide anything about us right now. I just wanted you to have the option; I wanted you to see it. I also thought that this would be a place to meet about Wentworth; we are closer to the country club here. This would make a good base of operations since we don't want to give away Rangeman's involvement."
"Why don't you roam around, while I get things set up for the meeting, everyone should be here in about 10 minutes." He said as he pushed me further into the house.
tbc
Disclaimer #6: I don't own any claim in the fabulous home and vehicles mentioned in this chapter. I've gotta win the lotto! There are links to the previous chapters still up on my profile, please take a look! I've had a blast researching!