Best Wishes
By: amkp
Chapter 29-Kaboom!
Disclaimer: Not mine, they're hers, only the characters you don't recognize from canon are mine. I may not have Ranger, but Raphael is all mine! Hey, he's Ranger's brother…that ain't bad!
Author's note: Okay, I'm in shock. Last week's chapter was my best reviewed so far! Yippeee! Ironically, it was also the most difficult to write. Thank goodness, this week went better and I didn't have to learn how to type while hanging upside down by my toes. (Reviewers know what I'm referring to. LOL!) Thank you for all the reviews and tremendous support I received through PMs. I treasure each one!
My plot-players were all over the place with their opinions on this week's questions. That intrigues me. I'll be reviewing all of them again before I write that chapter. Thanks and a special shout out to: CB60, bgrgrmpy, concetta33, Milenab, ty93, rangerslee, Barb117, AmandaBabe, Dikent, Rangemansbabe, bitte-d'amour, hapshepsut25alc, financebabe, forever babe and Girliegirl1179.
An acknowledgment for my Super-Beta Jenny, aka Smut Queen. She wrote the pool scene smut in this chapter. I'd planned to write it, but in early edit, she volunteered. I decided to let her flex her muscles and show everyone why I consider her the Smut Queen. All hail the Queen! Love ya, Babe! Thanks for the great job you do for me every week! You've truly made this story so much better.
RPOV
I checked the bedside clock. Twenty minutes until 0500. Stephanie's leg was thrown over mine, her head rested on my shoulder, and her arm lay across my waist, a mere three inches from my morning wood. I relaxed and enjoyed the feeling of her holding on to me as if I was her lifeline.
Today was Monday, the first day back to work after our vacation. We'd had a great time. Stephanie kept telling me how much she'd enjoyed being on the boat and all the little side day trips we'd taken. That reaffirmed my plan for our honeymoon… It was going to be perfect.
Julie and Annie were a lot of fun to have along, too. We got to spend time with them, and having them with us hadn't made it feel 'crowded' or not allowed us to have some alone time together. I'd been very pleased by the entire trip, and wouldn't have changed a moment of it.
After we'd dropped the girls off, we had come home, unpacked, and fallen into bed. Stealth mode had been deactivated. Her cries of pleasure, and a few of mine, had echoed off the walls. Fuck, being with Stephanie was off the charts. I'd never had a woman who did it for me like she did. I knew that my emotional attachment played a sufficient part of that, but honestly, I'd been attracted to her sexually from the moment I'd met her, and that had only gotten stronger over the years.
It was time to get out of bed, before I didn't have the willpower and took her like I was dying to do. I wanted to get my lifting routine in before I woke her for our morning run. Yeah, she wasn't going to be a happy camper about that, but we had to get back on our schedule. The holidays had everything out of whack; it was time to buckle down.
I slid out of bed carefully, placing my pillow in the vacancy my body had left. She curled around it, murmured my name softly, and drifted back to sleep.
As I walked to the bathroom, I realized this was the start of our 'normal, everyday' life. Right, Manoso, like anything in your life is normal. What I'd meant was that, for the first time since we'd moved to Miami, we didn't have something going. It had been a whirlwind of activity the whole time. Between Julie's accident and the holidays, we hadn't really had just our work and each other. I was actually looking forward to settling into a routine.
Speaking of routines, I needed to get downstairs to the gym. After about an hour, I was ready to go running. Time to wake up Sleeping Beauty.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, I traced gently down the side of her face, pushing several strands of hair behind her ear before leaning down to whisper, "Babe, time to get up."
She groaned, but didn't move.
"Stephanie," I said a little louder, and rubbed down her back firmly.
Still no response.
Time to get more aggressive. I pulled the sheet down and exposed her naked breasts. My cock rose to attention. I kissed a trail down her neck, then circled a nipple with my tongue. It hardened into a tight nub. She moaned. I licked my way over to the other breast and gave it the same treatment, only ending with sucking the nub into my mouth. She purred and buried her hands in my hair.
"Good morning, Batman."
"Morning, Babe."
"What time is it?"
"It's running time. Let's go!"
"Arrgghh." She groaned her complaint, and tried to roll to her side, away from me.
"Oh no, c'mon, Babe, you're not getting out of it." I grabbed her shoulder, stopping her movement.
She flopped onto her back and cracked one eye open, shooting a death glare out of it.
"That's not going to work. I'm not scared of you."
Stephanie's eyes flicked to the bedside clock, then she squeaked, "Six a.m.! You should be scared. It's too early, and I haven't had any coffee!"
"We have to get an early start. We need to be at the office for the Monday morning meeting by eight. How about we only run five miles?"
"Two," she countered.
"Four."
"Three." She wasn't giving up.
"Three and a half, final offer."
"Fine!" she snapped sarcastically, then threw back the covers on the bed. She stomped into the bathroom, and I went to go grab her running clothes, giving her a few minutes alone to collect herself.
When I walked into the bathroom, she was at the sink, brushing her teeth. I laid the clothes on the counter, then massaged her shoulders and neck.
"Babe, I just want you to stay healthy."
"I know. I'm sorry I snapped at you. I hate early mornings!"
She leaned back into my chest, and I absorbed her weight, wrapping my arms around her waist. I pressed a kiss to her temple, then stepped back.
"I'll wait for you downstairs."
Stephanie nodded her head, and I left the room. Fifteen minutes later, we were jogging down the beach together. As often happened when I ran, I used the time to center myself and collect my thoughts. I decided to distract her by bringing up a few subjects we needed to talk about.
"We should probably start finalizing some of the plans for our wedding."
"Yeah, I've been thinking about that," she panted the words out.
"Do you want to hire a coordinator?"
There was a long pause while she considered. "I don't know, do you think we need one?"
"Up to you, Babe. We could plan it, and then have Michelle and Ella follow it through."
"Okay, let's give that a try. I'll start looking for caterers and photographers this afternoon."
"I'll talk to Raphael about a band, and look for an officiant."
We continued to discuss plans, agreeing to each take a couple of items to research, then talk about them when we got home. By the time we arrived back at the house, we'd run nearly five miles.
"That was longer than three and a half, wasn't it?" She turned back to me on the pool deck, hands placed firmly on her hips.
"Yeah," I said, flashing her a wry smile. "You did all right, didn't you?"
She shook her head. "I shouldn't say this, because I'll regret it, but I hardly noticed. This morning's run wasn't that bad."
"It's all about distraction, Babe."
Stephanie grabbed the front of my shirt and pulled me to her. She rubbed her breasts seductively against my chest, then ran her hands under my shirt. When she pinched at my nipples, I groaned, closing my eyes to enjoy the sensation. In the next instant, I was falling backwards into the pool. Stephanie's laughter got drowned out as I went under the water.
When I surfaced, she teased, "I'm an expert at distraction, Batman."
"You are, Babe. You are," I agreed as I stripped off my shirt and tossed it onto the deck. Next, I removed my shoes and socks, throwing them on top of my shirt. By the time I was naked, Stephanie's eyes had glazed over.
"Care to join me? The water's warm. You can strip right there. I won't turn my back."
Stephanie chewed on her bottom lip thoughtfully, then she glanced down to the beach.
"No one can see you but me. I made sure the landscaping protected the privacy of the pool. Lose the clothes, Babe."
She toed off her shoes and pulled her socks off, then reached around to the side zipper of her sports bra and slid it down. As soon as it was off, she wiggled out of her shorts and panties.
I got a flash of her naked body before she dove into the water. I swam over to her, kissing her firmly on the mouth when she surfaced. Her hands moved from my shoulders, down my chest until they arrived at my cock. One hand wrapped around it, while the other pulled lightly at my balls.
She stroked me for several long minutes, until I couldn't stand not being inside her any longer. I quickly moved us a bit further to the shallow end, and when she wrapped her legs around my waist, I slid deep inside her.
She wound her fingers in my hair, and I used one hand on her hip to help raise and lower her on my cock. Being surrounded by the water kept our pace slow. Gentle. Our movements created small waves, which helped rock our bodies together even more.
As I leaned forward to capture her lips with mine, her nipples brushed against my chest. We both moaned into each other's mouths at the contact. With one hand still on her hip, I moved the other between us to tweak at her nipples, pulling another half-whimper, half-moan from her.
"Carlos," she moaned softly, her voice trembling with the same desire I was feeling.
I moved my hand down from her breasts until my finger was circling her clit. I sucked hard on the spot right behind her ear and rolled her clit between my fingers, wanting to feel her come around me. She stiffened in my arms, her heels digging into my back as she came apart.
Her whimpered cries pulled me over the edge with her. I lost the tentative hold I had on my control and thrust hard one last time, my orgasm shattering me. I growled her name, then began murmuring in Spanish. "Cristo, bebé, usted siente tan bueno. That' s, viene para mí. ¡Dios, usted es hermoso! Te amo, Stephanie." (Christ, Babe, you feel so good. That's it, come for me. God, you are beautiful! I love you, Stephanie.)
We stayed floating in the water with me inside her, wrapped in each other's arms, for several long minutes, Stephanie's forehead was resting on my shoulder, until our breathing evened out. Finally, she pulled away slightly and kissed me once before speaking.
"I love you, too, Carlos," she said softly. Then she smirked and continued, "I can't wait. My Spanish lessons start next week!"
We both laughed, the movement jostling us enough that I slid from her inside her. After a moment, I said, "Unfortunately, as much as I would love to hang out and have a repeat performance, it's time to get ready for work, Babe."
She nodded, then wrapped herself around me and kissed me once more. I scooped her up in my arms, chuckling when she squealed, and moved us through the water to the pool steps. When I got to our clothes, I leaned down enough that Steph could grab them, then continued on through the house and up to the bathroom so we could shower off quickly and get dressed for work.
We had five minutes to spare when we parked in the garage. I needed to talk to Raphael before the meeting, and return the keys to his boat. I kissed Steph's cheek and told her I'd meet her in the conference room at eight.
I knocked once on Raphael's door, then stepped inside. He was sitting at his desk, lost in thought.
"Hey, bro," I greeted. "Thanks for the boat. We had a great time. I'm going to go ahead with my plans."
"Huh?" His voice was laced with confusion. He stared at me for a long moment, then his eyes brightened in understanding. "Oh, yeah, right."
We briefly discussed several points on the agenda to make sure we were both on the same page.
Before I turned to leave, I asked, "Is something wrong?" He wasn't acting right.
Raphael shrugged his shoulders. "I don't think wrong is the right word. I'm... confused."
"Confused about what?"
"I had a date with Isabella on Saturday night."
I nodded my head. Stephanie had told me that he'd mentioned it to her before we'd left with the boat. "And?"
"It's weird. We went out, had a really nice time, and didn't end up having sex. In fact, that won't be happening with her at all," he paused, raised his eyebrow, then added, "unless I marry her." He cringed at that thought. "Anyway, there's something about her that doesn't make getting her into bed my sole objective." Raphael finished by muttering under his breath, "Which means my celibacy will be lasting a lot longer than thirty days."
"Did you just say celibacy? In reference to yourself?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
Raphael nodded and groaned. "How did I get myself talked into this?"
"Talked into what, exactly?"
"Stephanie and I made a deal. I wouldn't have sex for thirty days, and she'd get me a dinner date with Isabella." Raphael shook his head in disgust. "Stephanie seems to think all I want out of a woman is sex."
I couldn't stop the slight grin. Nice job, Babe. Pick his most vulnerable spot! "Wonder where she got that idea?"
"Look who's talking. My brother, the monk," Raphael quipped.
"I went nearly two years without sex, waiting for Stephanie."
"You expect me to believe you didn't have sex for two years? Carlos Manoso without a woman that long? No way."
I didn't respond, just cocked my eyebrow at him.
"Fuck, bro, if that is what's going to happen to me with Isabella, just shoot me now and put me out of my misery. I'll never last that long!"
Stephanie's head peeked around the door. "Ooohh, did I hear Isabella's name?"
Raphael looked up at Stephanie. "This is all your fault," he teasingly accused, pointing his finger at her.
"Is not," she defended.
"Is, too," he countered.
"Children," I warned. "Don't we have a meeting we're now late for?"
"That's why I came to get you," Stephanie said, then turned and mouthed 'later' to Raphael.
My brother's and Stephanie's antics always lightened my mood, as long as a remote wasn't involved, that is, and just added another layer of contentment to my life.
They'd turned into great friends, and already had a comical sibling relationship. Raphael was used to dealing with sisters. In our family, it was the two of us against them, but Stephanie had never enjoyed that kind of relationship with her sister.
Now, like everything else she did in her life, she'd plunged into it with gusto. I had to respect that. As far as I could tell, Stephanie's relationship with her sister was strained at best, even during the good times. Stephanie seemed to do a constant comparison with her sister, and always managed to find herself lacking in some way.
I figured this was mainly because of the way Helen constantly beat Stephanie's spirit down, while praising Valerie's. Stephanie's relationship with her mother had improved, and I credited our move to Miami as one of the many motivators.
When we walked into the conference room, all the other RangeMan locations were on the video screens. As the first meeting of the new year got underway, I was filled with a sense of purpose and accomplishment.
RangeMan was successful; last year's bottom line reflected an all-time high. The restructuring plan was taking shape as Raphael prepared to shoulder more of the business end of the company, allowing me more free time.
There'd still be trips to the other offices and long hours when I worked, but I'd have a lot more flexibility with my personal life. I could also do most of my work via phone or the computer, so no matter what we did, I'd never be out of touch or unable to keep a handle on things. Plus, Raphael wouldn't hesitate to tell me if he needed help.
In June, Stephanie would be my wife, something that seemed completely unfathomable to me a year ago. But now, my bright future with her lay ahead. I couldn't be happier about it.
It's a wonder I didn't walk around with a permanent smile. All my years of practicing the blank face, as Stephanie calls it, has paid off. Behind the bad-ass, ex-Black Ops, Army Ranger lay a perfectly content, blissfully happy man.
SPOV
It was always a little surreal to sit through these meetings. First, I was the only female in attendance. While that would make most women uncomfortable, it didn't bother me. Carlos sat to my right, and Raphael to my left.
The screen which showed the Trenton RangeMan office reflected a room full of tough guys that were as close to me as brothers. I knew that any of them would lay down their lives for me without hesitation. That was a powerful type of love, one I'd never known before meeting Carlos.
The success and volume of business RangeMan did a year was staggering. Sometimes, the reality check of who I was marrying startled me. Ranger, and later Carlos, had always been a friend, and while I knew he was wealthy, I didn't realize how much we were talking about until I started working full-time at RangeMan.
He'd never made me feel small or unworthy because I didn't have a lot of money, only offered his support when things didn't go my way. And after our first night together, all that help came with no price. Sure, we'd had some bad moments and misunderstandings, but he'd always been there when I needed him the most.
Objectives for the coming year were presented by each location, then Carlos and Raphael offered recommendations on how to achieve each of those items. Carlos closed the meeting with thanks to all his employees, and said pay raises would be in effect the next payroll period.
The room cleared for the most part. I spoke to the guys from Trenton for a bit before they signed off. Carlos leaned over as their video feed screen faded to black.
"Babe, I've got a meeting with the accountants in fifteen. It'll probably last until three. I'll catch up with you when I'm done, okay?"
"Yeah. I'll work on the wedding stuff during lunch."
"That's good. Let's grab a pizza for dinner tonight, then we'll look over what you find."
I nodded my head. He cupped my face in his hands and guided our mouths together. I moaned softly as his tongue slid past my lips. I clenched his shirt in tight fists, holding him to me.
As it always did, the world around us disappeared. We lost ourselves in each other. When we came up for air, our eyes locked on one another. I was vaguely aware of someone drumming their fingers on the tabletop.
I flicked my eyes over my left shoulder and found Raphael's smiling face.
"Don't mind me," he teased. "I like to watch."
"Raphael," Carlos threatened in a deadly quiet tone.
"Chill, bro. I have to take my fun where I can find it. Thirty days might as well be eternity."
I felt my mouth fall open. "You told him about that?" I asked Raphael, who nodded his head.
Swiveling back around to face Carlos, I found one sexy eyebrow arched up. I gave him a not-so-innocent grin.
He shook his head. "Babe."
Shrugging my shoulders, I said, "Hey, he needs a time-out. He has an unhealthy addiction. Think of this as an early intervention."
"He asked me to shoot him earlier. It was a hard opportunity to pass up, but I decided watching him suffer would be much more gratifying. The way it sounds, thirty days is just the beginning."
Carlos rose from his seat with a chuckle. "Bro, I'll see you in a couple minutes." He pressed a kiss to my temple, then whispered, "Love you, Babe."
When the door shut behind him, I turned my chair back to face Raphael. "Soooo… how was your date on Saturday night?"
Raphael smirked. "It was fun and… uneventful at the end, which I'm sure makes you very happy."
"My happiness isn't the issue. Will Isabella be going out with you again?"
He flashed that beautiful Manoso smile. "Yes. We're going out Thursday night. She has to work this weekend, and I have a gig with my band."
"What does she do? I heard something about a club the other day."
This question caused Raphael to laugh out loud. "You're never going to believe this, but she and her brother own a strip club called Illusions."
I'm sure the shocked expression on my face was priceless. "Seriously? Please tell me she doesn't strip."
"I wish," he sighed, and I thumped in the arm, hard. "Ouch!" he exclaimed, rubbing at the spot I'd just hit. The big baby. "No, she runs the business end of things. She'd never go on stage. Ever." He muttered under his breath, "Damn the luck!"
"I'm telling you, you have a sickness."
"Whatever," he mumbled.
Deciding to switch topics, I asked, "Has she lived in Miami her whole life?"
"For the most part. She went to college at Harvard, but other than that, she's been here. Why?"
"Do you think she could recommend some people for our wedding? Caterers, photographers, and things like that. I'm not familiar with who to use down here yet."
"I think she could do that. She said something about the two of you going shopping sometime."
"Yeah, we talked about it. Do you have her number?"
Raphael reached into his pocket for his Blackberry. He scrolled through his contacts, then wrote her number down on the legal pad in front of him. He tore off the piece of paper and handed it to me. "I'd better get going. Don't want to piss off the boss. He's mean when he's mad. My ribs still hurt!" He winked at me, then left.
I gathered up my papers from the meeting and headed to my cubicle. Carlos had discussed plans to provide me with a small, private office between his and Raphael's. I didn't think it was necessary. I was happy in my cubicle, but he insisted, so I didn't argue about it anymore. I guess in a month or a little more, I'd be moving into an office.
While my computer booted up, I sorted through my inbox, separating the work from the most to least pressing. At one o'clock, I stopped, stood up, and stretched my sore muscles before heading to the breakroom for lunch.
Pulling open the refrigerator, I glanced at the contents with disgust. Of course, there wouldn't be any of my favorites. I selected a grilled chicken salad with low-fat dressing, yuck, and a fruit cup. I grabbed a cup of ice, then headed back to my desk.
I took my purse out of my desk drawer, and dug through it until I located the can of Coke I'd brought from home. I'd also packed a Tastykake from the supply Mary Lou had sent me for Christmas. I love her! They didn't sell them here in Miami. The butterscotch cake was lined up to be my mid-afternoon snack. Yum!
Before I started searching for caterers, I decided to call Isabella. I dialed her number, and she answered on the third ring.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Isabella. It's Stephanie Plum. We met at Raphael's."
"Yes, Stephanie. How are you?"
"I'm good. We're starting to make wedding plans, and I have no idea who to call down here. Ya know, caterers, florists, and photographers. Would you be interested in making some suggestions?"
"Oh, I'd love to! How about we have lunch tomorrow? We could go shopping at my friend's place afterwards."
"That sounds great! What time?"
"Noon work for you?"
"Sure. I can adjust my hours here at RangeMan. Carlos and Raphael are working late tomorrow night on an apprehension anyway, so that'll work out great."
Isabella named a restaurant I was familiar with, and I agreed to meet her there. Before we got off the phone, she asked, "Will you see Raphael today?"
A smile spread across my face. "Yeah, probably," I answered vaguely.
"Tell him hello for me, will you?"
"I can. By the way, I'm interested in hearing how your date went with him the other night."
"He told you about that?"
"Not since you went out, but he told me he had a date scheduled with you on Saturday. So…" I lead her along.
"Let's just say it turned out better than I expected," she said, and there was a hint of surprise in her voice. Her tone dropped as she added, "It was an intriguing experience."
"I can't wait to hear more about it. I'll see you tomorrow at noon."
"Yeah, see you then. Bye, Stephanie."
I told her good-bye, disconnected, and leaned back in my seat, smiling broadly. Oh boy, Raphael had met his match.
The remainder of my lunch hour was spent looking at invitations. The ones I liked the most, I printed and put into a binder to show Carlos later.
We stopped at my new favorite pizza place on our way home. It wasn't Pino's, but they still had great pizza. After dinner, we sat outside and looked through the binder. We selected the invitations and wording we wanted from one of the online companies I had found. I'd place the order tomorrow.
Carlos had the names of two bands that Raphael had recommended. We made plans to go listen to each of them at their respective gigs this weekend. I told him about my plans with Isabella for lunch tomorrow, and how I was going to adjust my hours.
"Babe, you know what has to get accomplished at work. You can set your hours however you want." He twisted one of my curls around his finger while he continued talking. "If you can't get something done, pass it to Spike. He'll help you out."
"Okay, I will, but I'll just work late tomorrow night, since you're out anyway."
"I hope to wrap up by ten, but it could be later. Just come on home if you're ready to go back and I'm not there yet."
"I'll take the Lamborghini tomorrow morning so I'll have a car."
He nodded, then asked if I'd like to go for a walk on the beach. We left hand-in-hand, walking along the surf with only the moonlight to guide our way. It was a wonderful way to wind down the day, and when we got back home, we went straight upstairs. We snuggled into bed. One thing lead to another, and several orgasms later, I sighed deeply and fell asleep.
Isabella was waiting for me the next day at a table by the window. She waved when she saw me. We exchanged pleasantries and placed our lunch orders. After the waitress walked away, Isabella reached into her extra large handbag and withdrew a folder. She passed it across the table to me.
"I put this all together for you. I thought it might be simpler that way."
I flipped the folder open and gasped in surprise. She'd listed at least three recommendations for every possible thing you'd ever need for a wedding, along with numbers and locations. Some of the items even contained personal notes.
"Wow!" I said, clearly impressed with the information plainly presented in a logical, straight-forward manner.
Isabella's cheeks colored slightly in embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I might have gone a little overboard."
"No, not at all. This must have taken you quite a bit of time. Thanks!"
"It didn't take that long. I'm pretty quick with computer work. Besides, it was fun! I've helped a few of my friends with their wedding plans, and I found I really enjoy it."
"Carlos will like this, too. He's an organized thinker like you."
"And how about you?" Isabella rested her head on her hand while she waited for my response.
Laughing, I said, "I'm more a 'fly by the seat of my pants' type of woman."
"Ah, you're like my brother, Juan. Which I guess balances the running of our club. You have to be able to think quick on your feet when something happens, or all hell can break loose."
I grimaced as I envisioned some of what might go on in an evening at their club. "Do you like what you're doing?"
"Honestly, I'm not out on the floor that much. Most of the time, I'm behind the scenes, keeping everything running. Juan's better suited for out front. Believe it or not, I'm really shy." She shook her head. "I know that sounds insane, considering I'm part owner of a strip club, but it's true. That's why I don't know how Rafe and I will work out. I mean, does he have a shy bone in his body?"
That caused me to laugh out loud. Raphael was a lot of things, but shy wasn't among them. "No, I don't think he does, though that isn't a reason why you can't have a relationship with him. Carlos and I are very different, and we make it work. It's all about balance and friendship, I think."
"He's really a nice guy. We had fun on our date the other night. He has all the qualities I've always looked for in a man. And when the date was over, I didn't have to worry about dealing with the tension that always seems to happen at the end, when the guy realizes I'm not going to bed with him. Raphael promised me he wouldn't even press for a good night kiss, and he didn't. I feel like I can trust him."
I nodded my head in understanding, because I knew exactly what she was talking about. I'd felt the same thing the first time I met Ranger, and he'd never let me down.
"You should trust him. The Manoso men are nothing if not honest."
"Well, I've agreed to go out with him again on Thursday, and I have to say, I'm looking forward to seeing him."
She picked up her wine glass and signaled me to do the same. "I propose a toast," she said, as we raised our glasses. "To relationships that balance each other."
And so began a new friendship with Isabella. We differed in a lot of ways, but we found we actually liked that. We finished our day with shopping. She had excellent taste. I came home with two new outfits that looked great on me, but were not something I'd normally pick out for myself.
I was so excited to have a girlfriend here in Miami that I was bouncing off the walls when I returned to RangeMan to finish my day. Carlos and Raphael strolled in around ten o'clock. They came right over to my cubicle.
"Babe, you didn't wait for me, did you?" he asked as he leaned down and dropped a kiss to the top of my head.
"No. Well, yeah, maybe a little, but mainly, I'm trying to find the bottom of my inbox. Only one more search to go, and I'm there!"
"You do that, and I'll go complete the paperwork for the take-down tonight. Let's plan to head home in twenty, okay?"
"Sure, Batman."
Carlos walked towards his office, and Raphael propped a hip on my desk.
"What are you doing tonight?"
"Normally, I'd hit a club. However, since I'd still have to go home and sleep alone, I think I'll save myself the trouble. Besides, I kinda want to see where this is leading with Isabella first. Have you called her?"
"Yes, and I had lunch with her today. I think we're going to be great friends."
Raphael's eyebrow arched. "Should I be worried about you two ganging up on me?"
"Me?" I asked, innocently holding my hand to my chest while batting my eyelashes at him. "Why would you worry about me?"
"Oh shit, what do you have planned?"
"Hmmm, I guess that's for me to know and you to find out."
"Stephanie, I told you I was sorry. I'm already doing the thirty day no sex thing."
"Yeah, but that has nothing to do with me and everything to do with getting Isabella to go out with you. She says, 'Hi,' by the way."
"What else did she say?"
"I'm not telling you anything but that. The rest was girl talk. Now scoot, I need to get this search finished so I can leave with Carlos."
Raphael mocked a sad expression, hung his head, and slumped his shoulders. "Have fun. I'll just go home all alone to my big empty bed."
"Poor baby," I cooed, patting his knee and rolling my eyes.
He moped away from my desk at a slow pace. I called to him, "If you're looking for sympathy from me, I'm fresh out!"
Raphael's laughter rang out as he left the office. Carlos came to my desk ten minutes later, and we headed home.
The next few days fell into an easy, comfortable pattern as we balanced our home and professional lives. At night, we'd work on the wedding plans, which were coming together well. All the big decisions were made. The florist and caterer were booked on Friday afternoon. Saturday night, we hired the second band we went to see. We had an appointment with a photographer on Monday. We'd already seen her work, and both liked it, so I suspected we'd sign a contract with her after our meeting.
That only left my dress; it was something Carlos wouldn't be helping me with. Even though we weren't following all the traditions, I still wanted to keep my wedding dress a surprise for him. But I didn't want to meet the designer by myself. I wanted an honest opinion from an outside source. It came on Sunday night.
Raphael called late Sunday afternoon to invite us over to his house for dinner. After we agreed, he said he was going to call Isabella and see if she'd like to stop by when she got off work.
We'd just sat down on the deck with drinks when she arrived. Raphael went to get the door, and when he returned holding her hand, I smiled. They made a cute couple.
The evening passed with friendly conversation and a delicious meal. Isabella and I had been surprised that it had been completely prepared by Raphael. Maria Manoso had trained her boys well. They were both excellent cooks.
Isabella squealed, "I'd love to go!" when I asked her to help me with the design of my wedding dress.
I told her of my appointment on Tuesday afternoon. We decided to meet at the same restaurant we'd used before, and go together from there.
On Tuesday morning, I was grabbing my purse and turning to leave when Raphael stopped me. He dangled keys from his fingertips.
"I'm going to let you take the Spider," he said with hesitation, "because I know how much Isabella loves my car. I thought riding in it will remind her of me."
I rolled my eyes.
"Anyway, BE CAREFUL! She's not the only one that loves that car."
"I'm always careful," I defended as I plucked the keys from his fingers. "I've driven it once already and nothing happened, remember?"
"Yes, I do. Just make sure that pattern repeats itself."
"Yeah, yeah. See you later," I called to Raphael. After a quick trip into Carlos' office for a kiss, I took the stairs to the garage.
When the engine roared to life, I gave a little shudder. I'd gotten used to the sensation since I normally drove the Lamborghini now, but still, it always got my attention.
Isabella was clearly impressed as I told her Raphael had given me the car for the day because of her. "He's a sweetheart," she whispered, more to herself than me.
I parked the car at the curb, and we went inside Marco Dananti's studio. We spent the next three hours pouring over sketches until we finally had a finished drawing.
Isabella had been a huge help. Honestly, I didn't know what I would have done without her. She gave straight-forward advice and opinions, instead of just agreeing with whatever I suggested. I was in love with the dress already, and knew it was going to look perfect.
The first fitting was scheduled for the third week in February. The receptionist gave me an appointment card, while Isabella entered the date and time into her Blackberry, because I'd insisted she come back with me to see it.
We were walking out of Marco's studio when two cars collided together in the intersection. We watched in horror as they slid towards Raphael's Porsche.
Isabella screamed, "Nnnooooo!" as they slammed into his car.
The drivers of both cars jumped out and began cursing at each other.
Then I heard that all too familiar 'whooshing' sound, and I knew what was about to happen.
"Everyone, get down!" I yelled, and pushed Isabella down on the sidewalk, covering her with my body as the Raphael's Spider went, KABOOM!
TBC
Author's end note: This ending scene, of the car blowing up, was a plot question response from rangerslee, (aka the 'real' Isabella). Thanks, Babe!
Please review! I'm riding a high after last chapter and I'd love to stay on it. Thanks!
