All familiar characters belong to Janet. I apologize in advance if there are more mistakes than usual.
"Do you need someone to spot you?" I asked, after trying to walk as quietly as I could into the Rangeman gym.
He sat up on the weight bench I've had many dreams of straddling him on. "What are you doing here, Babe? It's five-thirty and you're voluntarily walking into a gym without a gun pointed at your head. Are you feeling alright?"
"I was feeling like I needed to say … 'Happy Birthday, Batman'. I don't know your specific plans for today, but I knew you'd hit the gym first thing no matter how the rest of your day played out."
"Knowing you'll be in my bedroom tonight would make the remaining hours easier to get through, but I'll take what I can get. I can switch to cardio since you're here."
"I came here to keep you company. Not to use any of those myself," I said, pointing to the wall of treadmills, stair climbers, and elliptical machines.
"We could make it a friendly competition."
I scanned his Rambo body. No freakin' way would I win anything except a hot dog eating contest against him.
"Nope. No dice. Try again."
The temperature in the gym suddenly skyrocketed as he switched from a lightly teasing tone to his irresistible flirty one.
"What if I offer an incentive for every ten minutes of running you complete?"
I glanced around the still empty gym. "Are you hiding doughnuts somewhere in here?"
"No. I was thinking of something more satisfying."
"What can make me happier than doughnuts?"
He decided to go with a different oral argument than listing everything he'd consider better for me than bakery items. His hand curled along the back of my head under my ponytail, and he brought me close. Real close. His mouth covered mine and his tongue did things that had me forgetting all about tasting anything except him.
"What were we talking about?" I whispered, gasping for breath when he eventually let my lips go.
"Compensation for working out."
"Does it get better than that?"
"Start running and find out," he replied without giving me a real answer.
Whether he was talking about me physically running or just how I've been trying to run from what we both know I feel for him. Either way, my feet moved to the treadmill I've named 'Torture Ted' before I realized I was in motion. Ranger is many things, but he's hands down the master of persuasion.
I kept one eye on the clock and the other on Ranger, who was running beside me. As we agreed to, when my ten minutes were up, I clicked off the treadmill and stood on the now still machine.
"Well?" I said to Batman who had been running at an annoying 'run for your life' pace and isn't even breaking a freakin' sweat.
I was breathing heavily from trying not to half-ass my workout even though I was coerced into it. But as I watched Ranger turn off his treadmill and slowly walk over to me, my heartbeat was triple timing. He didn't stop when he reached me. He stepped onto my machine, turned my body until my back was pressed against the controls, and planted one hell of a lip lock on me.
Had I retained any ability to think, I would've hit the timer before his lips settled on mine just to have scientific data on the length of the kiss and the oxygen-storage capability his lungs have when desire outweighs his need to breathe.
"Holy crap," was all I managed to get out.
What he can do with his lips, tongue, and very busy hands made me hotter than any kind of exercise could.
"You ready to see what happens after twenty-minutes?" He asked.
It's interesting that although he's not panting like I am, our lip-to-lip contact had his breathing sounding a little more erratic.
"Are the cameras on?" I asked, only now realizing the uncomfortable position I'd put myself in.
The guys are good people, but none of them can resist an opportunity for some innocent teasing among each other and me when I'm working with them. They seem to agree that Ranger and I should be together, and they could decide to use filmed make out sessions to prove their point.
"I scrambled them as soon as I heard your voice."
I was so happy to hear that, I grabbed his ears and pulled him back for another kiss. He let me control this one, but purposely drew back faster than I would've liked to achieve the outcome he wanted.
"You up for twenty minutes?" He asked me.
I bumped my hips against his, physically feeling how much he wants me. "I don't know, but clearly you are."
He grinned and stepped back. "Unfortunately for you, I've battled through all kinds of discomfort to accomplish a specific goal." I made a face at him which actually inspired a genuine Ranger-laugh. "See you in ten."
He went back to his treadmill and fired it up. I had no choice but to do the same. I glared at the wall clock the entire time, willing it to count my progress faster. But just as I was closing in on the nine-minute mark, Zero walked into the Rangeman gym.
"I'm not shocked to see the Boss here, even with it being the big day, but I didn't expect he'd have company," Zero said to me, walking over to us.
"I'm surprised a building-wide alert didn't go out saying I'm here," I said back.
"It's possible it circulated throughout the control room, but I came from the fourth floor and didn't think I'd be interrupting anything."
"Oh, you aren't," I lied. "Ranger has parents, grandparents, and a ton of siblings who'll want time with him today, so I thought this was my only chance to say Happy Birthday to him in person." I noticed that Zero did a cringe/grimace thing. "What's with the face? You hate birthdays or something?"
"I can take 'em or leave 'em. It's the idea of a big family that weirds me out."
"You come from a small one?" I asked, jumping at the chance to learn more about him.
"It's non-existent now. My parents died years ago. It's just me and an older brother left."
He did that cringing move again. "Let me take a wild guess here, you and your brother don't get along?"
"I'll put it this way … when we were kids, I was basically just one of the toys he was allowed to damage or destroy at will. These days, his dick acts like a divining rod for douchebags. Pardon the language."
"No pardons needed. A few people in my past have a similar dick disorder."
"I'm glad you two are bonding. You can both change into semi-dress wear this afternoon and meet me in the lobby at five," Ranger informed us. "If I have to suffer, you should too."
Zero's eyebrows went waaaay up. "You know where we both came from. Haven't Steph and I suffered enough?"
"Yes. But you'll be the reason I can avoid trips down memory lane and the cake I'll be talked into eating."
"I call dibs on Ranger's cake slice," I said without thinking. "Crap, wait. That's not what I meant. I don't think I'm …"
"Too late," The Boss decided. "If you're not here at five, I will go looking for you."
The stupid girl part of me is squealing with excitement that for whatever reason, Ranger really wants me with him tonight. The everyday Stephanie is starting to panic at being in a room full of Ranger's family.
In a total mic drop moment, Ranger gave me a pointed look and then cut his workout short so I couldn't argue with him.
"What just happened?" Zero asked me.
"Damned if I know. But it looks like we were given our marching orders."
"No shit. And I'm not about to see what he does if I don't follow them."
I hate to admit it, but I also don't want to see what Ranger will do if I stand him and his family up. Plus, I'm still riding a hormone high knowing he wants me to spend his birthday with him. As soon as I was back into my car - I sure as hell wasn't going to continue my run when my motivation literally walked out of the gym ten minutes ago - I sent an emergency 'Get to my apartment! STAT!' text to Mary Lou.
We spent a solid two hours after we both reached my place, rummaging through everything I own, trying to pick out an outfit that'll make me look good, but not slutty or like I'm not 'meet the Mama Manoso' appropriate.
"I think you're worrying for nothing, Steph," Mare said before she left. "Ranger doesn't let anyone talk crap about you."
"Yeah, but this is his family," I shouldn't have had to point out. "I know from experience how families can sabotage relationships. I can't have his hate me."
"You're impossible to hate," she replied. "I know, because I tried on the way over here. I mean … Ranger Frickin' Manoso tells you he loves you all the time and he now wants you to meet his family! Not many people can brag about that."
She has a point. If I can't win over the Manosos, he and I can probably still see each other. Trenton is almost an hour away from Newark, and we've already lived parts of our lives separately. I don't subject him to Burg bullshit, and I don't know the specifics of where he goes or what he does when he has to leave town for a job outside of Rangeman.
In the end, I went a Goldilocks route for what to wear to Ranger's birthday party/dinner/whatever we're doing. Mare and I picked a sleeveless sapphire blue dress that isn't too short or too long and skimmed my body just right without being skintight. I stepped into my favorite black pumps on my way out the door. No surprise, Zero and Ranger were already in the lobby ready to leave.
"Am I late?" I had to ask. "I thought you said be here for five." I picked up his arm and checked his watch. "I'm actually four minutes early for probably the first time."
"You're right on time, Babe," he replied, brushing his lips against my temple. "Are you ready to go?"
"Yeah, but ummm … what are we supposed to say?" I asked him. "Should I tell people I came with Zero so me or you won't be asked a ton of uncomfortable questions?"
I barely finished asking that before Ranger was reaching out and tugging me into his personal space. "No. You're all mine."
My entire body flushed from the inside out because it sounds like he means that for a lot longer than tonight.
"Ooookay," was all I managed to say.
"Tank is Zero's 'date'," Ranger informed me. "If he doesn't make an appearance, my mother will drag him to Newark by his ear."
I cut my eyes to Tank, who had just stepped out of the stairwell in time to hear that comment. He didn't disagree with Ranger's assessment/prediction. Disappointing Mama Manoso must be as big a no-no as pissing off Ranger, because Tank is in a similar black-suit-minus-the-suit-jacket that Ranger's wearing. And Tank doesn't dress up for just anyone.
The Rangeguys drove to Newark in a separate vehicle than ours, with Lester and Bobby coming in right behind Tank and Zero. I'm guessing them being Rangeman's core members, and his closest friends, they would also be treated to his mom's show up or regret it threat.
The difference between Ranger's mother and mine, is everyone seemed happy to be heading to Newark. Time spent with Helen Plum feels like being given an Algebra test that you didn't study for and are just trying to get yourself out of ... or have to stumble your way through. It sorta makes me feel sorry for her, that no one chooses to be around her, only showing up out of a twisted sense of obligation. And these days, that family tie is getting more frayed by the second.
I was quietly freaking out on the drive to Newark, but Ranger reached over at every stop sign or red light to squeeze my hand or knee in reassurance. His fingers lingering a little longer on my leg did a lot to relax me, up until we made it to the Manoso Manor. Turns out, he wasn't the one who got surprised on his birthday once we got to party central.
"Stephanie?" Mrs. Manoso asked after Ranger opened the door to his parents' home, walked me in with a hand resting low on my back, and introduced me. Her eyes shot straight back to her son. "Does this mean what I think it does?"
"Yes," Ranger told her. "My goal is by this time next year … you'll be able to officially call Stephanie your daughter-in-law."