Been pretty sick lately. Add the fact that it's finally cold here in So Cal (it's high fifties and low sixties - don't laugh, that's cold for us, lol), which means I throw three blankets over myself and simply knock out in my cozy cocoon. I'm officially on vacation until mid Dec, so I hope to get back to regular posting this month. I have a handful of updates in the works. The final installment for 11PM will be up tomorrow night. Here's a lengthy oneshot to hold you over until I can post again.
Disclaimer: The Plum universe belongs to JE. The typos are mine.
Stephanie's POV
"Ohh! Mmmm!" The female moan was audible even as the rhythmic thumping of the headboard against the wall continued. "Yes, yes, ye-ooohhh!" The moaning reached newer decibels after several intense seconds.
"It can't be that good." I muttered under my breath as I turned on my left side, pressing a pillow over my right ear in hopes of drowning out the sounds of passion coming from the room next to mine.
"Mmmm…" Even with my added layers, the muffled sounds of passion were crisp and clear. In fact, it became glaringly obvious that it wasn't just a two person thrist. Nay, nay. It was clearly two distinct female sounding voices and one male. Oh great. I'm stuck sharing a wall with a group sex-capade.
"Ugh!" I groaned as I bolted up into a sitting position. My gaze flicked to the wall, glaring at the beige tones in annoyance as I kicked the covers off of me. I had tossed and turned in bed for at least two hours until I inevitably fell asleep, only to be awoken a short time later thanks to my neighbor's nighttime arduous activity.
"Si, Papi! Más duro!" The female moans escalated in volume once again, male groans intermingling for a change in tone.
They're just getting started it seems. Ah, it's gonna be a long night.
"Oh come on!" I groaned with a shudder when it became apparent the festivities were nowhere near done. I may not be fluent in Spanish, but I've been around the Merry Men long enough to know that 'duro' means 'hard'.
Or maybe it means 'harder' in this context.
Eye-freaking-roll.
After five minutes of continued noisy activity, I gave up. Surrendering in defeat, I dragged myself out of bed. My migration out of the bedroom and into the den/kitchen area drowned out the noise considerably. Closing the bedroom door, as well as turning on the TV, completely snuffed the sex marathon currently taking place next door.
When I travel, I normally shove my dirty clothes into a plastic bag. Or if I'm in a haste, I simply stuff everything into my luggage to worry about sorting when I'm back home. Since it seems like sleep isn't happening for me tonight, I figured being productive was an acceptable use of my middle of the night time.
The short trip I made back into the bedroom to gather my bags and clothing blasted that the neighbors were still very much going at it. It's going to be a long, long night. I snickered at my own unintended pun.
The TV droned as a Scooby-Doo, Where are You! episode unfolded on screen. I kept my hands moving as I followed along with the re-run. I've never seen this episode despite it being from the original show. It's pretty good. Checking the channel guide confirmed this was one of the first episodes in the series. A 1969 cartoon hits differently, especially at night. Despite the decades, Scooby and the gang have stood the test of time.
Once all that was left to put away were my toiletries, which I had to hold off on until my morning shower in a couple of hours, I deemed my self-imposed impromptu task complete. Selecting my next day's outfit to wear before we flew back to Jersey and leaving it to the side, I zipped up my suitcase. For once I won't be rushing around just before check out, stuffing my luggage at the last possible moment and risking leaving something behind.
I propped my suitcase next to the coffee table to make it a smoother departure several hours from now.
As the episode wound down, Velma removed the mask to reveal that the 'monster' turned out to be a human yet again. Shocker? Not. I snorted, because it was the truth. More often than not the real villains walk among us. I should know, having been the recipient of seemingly endless targeted attacks since becoming a bounty hunter.
With the next episode starting and my drowsiness notably absent, I decided to tackle my purse. Since this smaller crossbody purse isn't my everyday use one like my shoulder bag back home, I completely cleaned and reorganized it in minutes.
With not much left to do, and even Scooby and the gang weren't holding my wandering interest for more than a moment's time, I flicked my eyes around to see if there was anything else that I needed to tackle before checking out. Spotting the coat I wore earlier during my outing, I figured I could go through the pockets and neatly drape it over my luggage. I'm flying back to New Jersey tomorrow, so I won't be needing the warm and fuzzy material to keep me cozy in the daytime. The weather here tends to be chilly and windy at night, yet hot and dry during the day. I guess it makes sense, seeing as this place is literally in the middle of the desert. Knowing what the temperature will most likely be in the morning, I figured I could just put said coat into my suitcase when I put away my remaining items in the morning.
The episode hit its climax, pulling my attention back to the flat screen in front of the couch. My hand made contact with a handful of tiny foil packets in one of the coat pockets as my gaze tracked the pursuit of the newest mystery villain. Yet again my attention deviated from the action on TV.
"Oh, yeah." I snorted, chuckling at the absurdity of finding a handful of condoms in my pocket when I'm currently all alone in a Las Vegas suite. How ironic. I'm watching cartoons in the middle of the night during my last handful of hours in Sin City.
Three weeks ago I was approached by Ranger to assist on a case. Rangeman was contacted by the FBI Las Vegas Field Office to request their services. At first, Ranger only assigned me the task of virtually tracking down our target. I ran searches for a week straight until I was able to pinpoint a handful of potential locations. I presented my findings to Ranger and the Core Team, who then asked me to do the same thing for the FBI liaisons via video conference call.
"Damn, Beautiful!" Lester's whistle plus his appreciative full body glance told me that the extra tight midnight blue shimmery dress was the appropriate choice.
"You look very beautiful, Bomber." Sweet Hal added, possibly to balance out Lester's more sexualized appraisal.
"Si, muy hermosa." Hector flashed me a rare smile as he explained the techy features he embedded into my masquerade style mask.
"Babe." Ranger's breath tickled the side of my neck as he helped me fasten the ornate mask. It's all black, with lots of details and fits perfectly snug on my face. We all know I'm less likely to take it off halfway through this distraction job if I'm one hundred percent comfortable wearing something foreign on my face.
A full body shiver wracked my body when Ranger's fingers brushed against my skin.
The spell was broken when Ranger abruptly stepped back, bringing the rest of the team into my partially blurred vision.
With a discrete clearing of my throat, I found my voice and wiped my dirty thoughts. I need to keep my head in the game, not let my mind wander to potentially dangerous territory. To do so, I asked Hector to help me run through the tech features one more time. The mask has an intricate feather and flower petals design that sits on the left side of my head, close to my ear yet not obstructing my view. Hector said it was to help fully conceal my earpiece despite me not opting for an updo for tonight.
"Okay, so the mask has a mic here?" I turned to watch my reflection through a hand mirror Lester passed me. I wanted to be able to accurately point to the section of feathers hiding the mic feature to show I understood Hector's rundown.
"Si." Hector assured it would capture sound clearly despite high noise levels around me.
I nodded at his simplified explanation. "Cameras here and here?" I pointed to the center of the mask and the flower. Hector nodded then flipped his laptop over so that I could watch the video feed on the screen. I moved my head experimentally to get a better understanding of how the set up worked.
"Babe." Ranger's breath ghosted along my nape as he swept my hair aside. The necklace he fastened felt cold against my skin, his fingertips sending shocks of electricity skittering along the length of my spine as they brushed my nape. I willed my hormones to calm down, as I had a job to do. Easier said than done, that's for sure. "Panic button." Ranger breathed in my ear, being quick with fingering the blue pendant that rested between my collarbones.
"Got it." I had to clear my throat several times as he showed me how to use said discrete device. This man can make even the most mundane tasks extra sensual.
"Trackers." Ranger added as he passed me a set of silver earrings.
"All bases are covered." I joked as I quickly fastened the earrings. "Video, audio, trackers and panic button." I flashed my team a bright smile as I told them that I was ready to go. So off we went for me to infiltrate an underground high stakes gambling circuit. I dug up the existence of what's supposed to be a highly secretive ring and it was thanks to Hector that I got an invite to this weekend's prestigious high roller event.
The distraction was pretty standard. I located our man within the first five minutes of my arrival. He was pretty hard to miss. Standing at six foot six, with shoulder length wavy red hair and light green eyes, Conor O'Boyle was easy to pick out in the moderate crowd. He's good at hiding, sure, but his gambling problem no doubt made it his downfall. Blending in myself, I played a few hands of Baccarat. After I got a feel for my target's game strategy, I ambled over to join the next round starting at the Blackjack table he'd been camped at since my arrival.
A small smile escaped as I remembered how I deliberately crushed his chances at winning every round. The Merry Men ribbed me over breakfast this morning, because none of them knew how good I am at card games. Who do they think Grandma Mazur practices with before every Atlantic City weekend trip? What Grandma and Grandpa Mazur called a 'winning strategy', the casino calls counting cards. Despite having a winning hand that would net me a cool seventy five thousand dollars, I knew that these underground dealings were risky. No way would they have let me, a newcomer, walk away with so much in winnings. Nope. It's bad for business. One of their regulars winning wouldn't raise suspicions, however, I would have garnered myself the wrong kind of attention. Instead, I purposely lost. Knowing my mark was out of cash, I batted my eyelashes in my best seductive temptress impersonation as I suggested we went outside for some fresh air. My target accepted in a heartbeat, allowing me to lead the way out a side door. The chilly night breeze had barely grazed my bare shoulders by the time that Lester and Hal had our man tagged and bagged, fully taking advantage of the cover a deserted dark alley provided.
All in all, it was a pretty smooth operation. As far as the illegal gambling circuit? I dunno. That's someone else's problem.
My overstimulated mind made me think about Ranger, inevitably turning my thoughts into very dirty territory. We've always had this back and forth pull, but it's been off the charts lately. I want him and I want him bad.
My eyes flicked to the door that separated my room from Ranger's. All I had to do was open that door, ending this self-imposed torture once and for all.
To hell with it. I was going to go for it. What's the worst that could happen?
Sin City is about to watch me burn…
S&R
Ranger's POV
It's late, yet despite the bustling several days we've had I still can't seem to shut off my brain and go to sleep. Not only did Babe accomplish luring our man out of the underground high stakes gambling circuit, but she also spotted one of the FBI's Top Ten Most Wanted after our celebratory dinner with the two FBI agents serving as our liaisons here in Las Vegas. Special Agent Juarez was very impressed with Babe's ability. Agent Juarez noted that during our brief visit to the field office, Babe gave the wanted posters in the lobby a quick perusal. She was definitely in awe of Babe's detailed visual memory. Because of that, Agent Juarez submitted the request for Babe to receive the one hundred thousand dollar reward for the capture of Ivan Acosta. It'll be a very nice surprise for Babe, who not only recognized Acosta despite his attempts to change his appearance but also managed a smooth takedown dressed in high heels and a sinful little black dress.
Because of the team's hard work, I decided to extend our stay for an extra day. We'll be heading back to New Jersey tomorrow afternoon. I gave each member the same cash amount to splurge on whatever their heart desired as a bonus for the great work they accomplished. I predict the men, no doubt led by Santos, are out partying it up. Babe? I'm not sure. After the Acosta takedown and the added paperwork with the FBI because of it, it was quite late. Babe and I parted ways in the hotel lobby when I had to handle an emergency at the Miami branch. By the time that fire was out, I couldn't spot Babe in the casino. Eventually I took the elevator to the twenty-ninth floor and headed to my room. Ignoring the urge to use my tools to track Babe's whereabouts, I called it a night.
Or at least, I tried to.
Earlier in the day, we had a group breakfast near Downtown Las Vegas. It was our small private celebration for a job well done the previous night. After we ate, Babe wanted to walk down Fremont Street. The men agreed, which meant we spent a good portion of our morning walking in and out of souvenir shops. Stephanie may have just bought little nick-nacks and gifts for all of her friends back home. I'm sure every one of her Merry Men is getting something small, but personable from her upon our return.
"I got you this." Babe shared that she wanted to give me my gift while we were here. "Why wait?" She'd joked as she handed me a neatly folded pair of Batman themed pajama pants. They were all black with the Batman logo across the crotch. "It glows in the dark." Babe had added, possibly in hopes that I'd wear it at least once.
Now, as I lay wide awake I can't help but think about Babe. I know she didn't stay out late taking in the Strip at night, yet I wonder what she's up to. Surely she didn't just go to sleep.
Looking down at the glowing emblem over my dick, a small smile escapes as I picture her wearing the little Wonder Woman themed corset like top with attached cape and tiny panties I saw her eyeing during our Downtown Vegas outing. I didn't see her buy it, so I bought it for her. Unlike her, I've decided to give her my gift when we finally have a conversation to resolve this insane sexual tension that has taken permanent residence between us throughout the last several months.
After laying awake for hours, I decided to hell with it. I made sure to request adjoining rooms for Babe and I. Primarily for safety reasons, or so I claimed. Unable to contain myself any longer, I bolted out of bed.
I strode out of the bedroom and across the mini living room space in a handful of long strides. By the time my hand closed over the only barrier separating me from Babe, my heart was hammering in my chest.
I nearly backed off, but the sound of footsteps approaching on the other side snapped me out of it. The overwhelming urge to turn the door handle was impossible to ignore.
Yanking the door open brought me face to face with Babe. Her hand was still in the air, presumably on her way to wrench the door open herself. Her hypnotizing blue eyes darkened into a deep blue as she raked her eyes over my bare chest. The heat of her stare settled below my waist, further igniting the flames of desire as she zeroed in on my awakening dick.
In turn, I raked my eyes over her form. If I thought the mental image of her in that little Wonder Woman outfit was a sight to behold, Babe's current sleepwear is next level sexy. The tiny white tank top is nearly see-through, giving me an inviting peek of her curves. The tempting fit of her shirt hypnotized my full attention as it tantalizingly outlined the swells of her breasts. Scrawled across her chest in a flashy script was the phrase What happens in Vegas… My gaze trailed down her abdomen until I could take in the tiny shorts that complete the ensemble. The remainder of the phrase catches one's attention below the elastic waistband. Somehow, reading the final part of the phrase irks me. The realization that I don't want our connection to stay here unleashed my restraint like never before. All I could think about was reaching out, wrapping my arms around her and never letting go.
"Babe." I croaked out as I crossed the threshold, sliding my palms around her waist to settle on her lower back. In one fell swoop, I had her front plastered against mine. The soft feel of her sensual curves fitting perfectly against the hard planes of my muscles was intoxicating. We're meant to be. We both know it, yet valiantly fight a losing battle.
"Ranger." Stephanie gasped just before her arms looped around my neck. With my help, she was able to wrap her long, smooth legs around my waist. Her luscious lips crashed against mine, quickly morphing our initial kiss into a tongue-dueling affair.
While we kissed, devouring the other's mouth in the process, our hands set out to re-explore all the places they're intimately familiar with. Her short nails scraped against my nape and shoulders as she desperately tried to get closer and closer. I resorted to roaming my hands everywhere. Across her back, her breasts, hips, thighs, ass… Anywhere and everywhere I could get my hands on, I squeezed and caressed.
Babe was on board, matching my lustful energy as she too touched me. Trailing her fingers over my shoulders, down to my biceps only to slip between our pressed torsos drove my need into desperate territory. She knows just how to push my buttons, effectively ensuring that we both drown ourselves in immense pleasure. Over and over again for as long as we're able to.
We broke for air, breathing hard and focusing our gaze on the other. Our eyes made promises that our mouths haven't been able to put into words. I want her, sure, but I also love this woman. I should know better than to allow myself to make promises that I know are damn near impossible to honor given who I am. Yet, I want to be with her. I want to be Babe's just as much as I want her to be mine. Fully mine. No bullshit qualifiers, stupid conditions or idiotic restrictions. I want it all with her. And I want it forever and for always.
"I do, too." Babe surprised me by speaking out loud what we were both so clearly thinking. We want this. Both of us want to be together. If Babe's okay with accepting me and my less than perfect self, then to hell with all the outside hurdles that tell me this shouldn't be.
"Te amo." I couldn't keep myself from expressing how much I love her, not just with actions this time but also with words. Her eyes shifted to a bright indigo just before Stephanie leaned closer, kissing me with such emotion that it left out kiss swollen lips feeling raw.
"I love you." Babe murmured against my lips just as the spell broke and I snapped into action.
Our hands continued their exploration as my mouth peppered kisses along the column of her throat. One second I was closing my mouth over a nipple, plastering the wet cotton to her soft skin, and the next I had her completely naked and laid out on the couch. Babe flashed me that crooked smile that drives me wild just as I covered her body with mine. Her hands were quick to tug on the waistband of my pajama pants, freeing my nearly painfully hard dick in the process as she roughly pulled my pants down past my hips.
"Shit." I cursed on a moan when her small hand closed around my hard as steel erection. Obviously thinking things through I did not, because now that we're both ready we're missing a very vital necessity.
"Mmmm…" Her moan was low and throaty as I skimmed my fingers along her opening while she helped me shed the only article of clothing keeping us from being pressed skin to skin from head to toes. I kissed her harder as she stroked me insistently. Babe isn't looking for a slow and sweet type of coupling this round. I'm all for it, but we're going to have to put a slight pause on things.
"Condom…" I growled against her parted lips as she immediately clenched around the finger I plunged into her tight entrance. "Babe." I groaned, despite trying real hard to contain my desire. Stephanie's not making it easy, grinning at me from ear to ear while she strokes me just right. Her powerful grip is going to derail my plans if I don't act fast. "Steph…" My protest was derailed when I watched her face give me the heads up that she was close. I haven't been able to deny this woman much over the years, so why start now?
Our tongues tangled briefly as I continued to pump my fingers inside of her. The addition of another digit was just what she needed and within moments she was tumbling over the edge, moaning my given name while the powerful orgasm barreled through her.
Babe finally let go of my dick to spear her fingers through my hair as she pulled my head down for another kiss. Her smiling lips felt heavenly as I continued to pump my fingers in and out, allowing her to ride out her pleasure as I coaxed out even the tiniest bit of her orgasm. Her responsiveness to my touch has always been one of the driving forces that pull me to Stephanie. There's just something so magical, so right, whenever we're together.
Still in her pleasure filled haze, I watched with curiosity as Babe reached over her head. Fisting her coat, I saw as she quickly dug through the pockets. It became obvious what she was looking for when her slim fingers emerged holding a foil packet.
"Babe." I arched an eyebrow, wondering why she had a condom in her coat pocket. Stupefied, I watched as she opened the package and then proceeded to roll the condom on me. "Glowing pleasures?" I asked when she was done. Not our usual choice, but beggars can't be choosers. She's got me hard and ready. Babe's not getting much protest from me right now.
Stephanie shrugged, inadvertently brushing her heated skin against me in the process. "Lester passed them out after dinner." Babe smiled sheepishly as she recounted that Lester looked indecisive when he turned to face her. He'd already given the others a handful of condoms by the time they were face to face. "He said he was an 'equal opportunity' friend, shoved the handful of 'gifts' into my pocket and then told me to shoo along because I was, in his words, scaring off the other hot babes."
Fucking Santos. I'll deal with him accordingly once we're back in Trenton. He won't see daylight for weeks with all the monitor and graveyard shifts he's going to do. What the fuck was he thinking?!
Babe, being her usual self, quickly pulled my attention back to us. Snaking her arms around my shoulders, along with placing nipping kisses along my jaw while she squirmed her lower half was all the invitation I needed to act.
Her lips had just pressed against mine when I entered her in one slow thrust. Rocking against her, I gave Stephanie time to adjust. It's been a while for us and I'm not small by any means. When Babe gave me the okay to move, my hips began a steady rhythm between her thighs.
Our kissing and caressing ratcheted up the heat between us, to the point that I felt myself nearing the finish line way too soon. Babe noticed, flashing me a mischevious smile just as she began a torturous clenching of her inner muscles.
"Stephanie…" I warned that if she kept that up things were going to end sooner than I wanted, but she didn't listen. Instead, she touched and kissed me in all the places she knows tend to throw me over the edge. Of course, with Babe it doesn't usually take much. One look or touch has me ready to spontaneously combust.
Her arms tightened around my neck as I picked up the pace. Our ragged breaths intermingled as we held each other's gaze, further intensifying our strong connection. We blocked everything out, focusing on the sounds of our flesh slamming against each other and the nearly overwhelming sensations engulfing us. Her second orgasm of the night barreled through her just as it did through me, tumbling us both into a blissful hurricane of pleasurable feelings with our combined powerful release.
I'm not sure how much time passed as we stared at each other, breathing heavily, when the outside world popped our bubble.
"And I would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for you meddling kids!"
Whipping my head to the side, it finally sunk in that Babe had been watching cartoons. A bark of laughter bubbles out of my chest as we both set out to watch the conclusion of the episode, inadvertently helping simmer our scorching bodies in our post orgasmic haze. Tangled and naked, we held each other while indulging our inner child.
"What?" Babe asked as she fumbled for the remote, turning off the screen a moment later. As she explained that there wasn't anything good on TV, my heart thundered under my ribs. Even with all the horrors she's had to endure, Stephanie still retains a certain innocence about her that's both comforting and wholesome.
"Come on, my Mystery Inc." I explained that if we're finally starting our Someday, we should move our private party to the bedroom. It's only fitting that we start our forever with a bang.
S&R
Lester's POV
"Lester, party of five!" The cute hostess called from her perch next to the front door. I signaled to her so she wouldn't think we left due to the wait time. "Is everyone in your party here?" The cutie asked.
"Uhm…" From the corner of my eye I saw Ranger's rented truck swing into an open parking spot next to our SUV. "Yes."
"Great." The hostess grabbed the paper menus and utensils as Hal, Hector and I waited for Ranger and Beautiful to make the short walk to join us.
"Table's ready." I shared with the two newcomers. I didn't miss the fact that they seemed to be nearly pressed together from shoulder to hip. Interesting.
We settled in a corner booth next to a window. As always, Ranger took a seat with his back to the wall. Beautiful scooted into the bench seat right next to Bossman. Again, they were nearly pressed together. Her left shoulder was definitely rubbing against his right shoulder. Hmm…
Hector sat next to Beautiful, effectively sandwiching her in the middle. I sat opposite Ranger and Beautiful. Yes, I may have taken a bit of extra space but Hal didn't seem to mind. Besides, I had a pretty active night with two contortionist mamacitas. I'm feeling a little sore, so sue me. I need the added room to stretch.
"Hi, my name is Charlie and I'll be your server today. Can I get you started with any drinks?" A man who couldn't be older than his mid twenties and way too perky before noon, animatedly engaged our group in conversation. "Five coffees, alright." Charlie said he'd be back with our drinks so we could have more time to look over the menu. When Beautiful asked for extra creamers, Charlie said he'd bring her a container of half and half. According to him, it'd be easier for her to pour into her cup than having to open a bunch of little creamer cups.
"Okay, Les, since you suggested Egg Works for our late brunch, what's good here?" Beautiful got right down to it, quickly perusing the menu as she waited for my suggestion. She's ready to eat and I'm here for it.
Smiling wide, I recommended a skillet. "Though any of the options are great, my favorite is the Santa Cruz." My grin widened, knowing full well that I had a captive audience. "It's got it all: a nice and hearty option to revive you after a long night of fun, arduous activities."
As expected, a noticeable blush creeped up Stephanie's chest and neck at my innuendo. I knew it! Those two definitely fucked.
"Uhm, yeah that sounds good." She had to clear her throat somewhat discreetly.
Charlie chose that moment to bring our hot coffees, slicing through the start of our potentially spicy convo. "Are you ready to order or do you need more time?" Charlie's peppy personality was quite refreshing after the seedier parts of the city we had to infiltrate on our short visit to Sin City.
"I'll have an Italian…" It was Hal's turn to turn tomato red when I burst out laughing.
"Santos." Ranger gritted out an obvious reprimand for my propensity to turn everything dirty. It's not that I like to see the world burn, yet I can't help it. Sometimes they make it too easy for me to insert a suggestive spin to a previously innocent remark.
"One Italian skillet breakfast. Got it." Charlie unknowingly breezed past my joke, focusing his attention on Hector. I sense a vibe that Hec has caught the eye of our server. Hmm…
"The Works Omelette for me." Hector gave his order while perusing a completely different snack that wasn't on the menu.
"I'll have the Santa Cruz skillet…" Beautiful settled on my suggestion, making me interject to let Charlie know that I also wanted the same thing. "...and…" Beautiful gave me a pointed look, signifying that she wasn't done ordering. I briefly felt the need to give her the heads up about the serving size. The skillets have enough food for two average build people. For me or any other Rangeman, meh. For Steph? She might finish it all if she's really hungry, but adding something else on the side will make it quite a challenge to fully consume completely. "... strawberry cream cheese stuffed french toast. Can I add fresh strawberries and banana on top?" She asked hopefully.
"Absolutely." Charlie assured as he scribbled down her order. Of course she'd add something sweet as part of her sustenance meal. "And what would you like?" Charlie focused his attention on Ranger. My cousin chose a boring vegetable heavy meal, opting for egg whites to further take care of his 'temple'. "Coming right up." Charlie smiled warmly before he left to submit our order to the kitchen.
"Damn, Beautiful!" I gave her some good natured ribbing. "I love a woman who can eat." Of course I took the opportunity to flirt with her, knowing full well that it would irritate Ranger. Instead of a punch, all I got was a scary Ranger glare. Again, that's interesting. These two have been off the charts horny for each other, going as far as to create a thick sexual tension atmosphere in their wake. It got so bad that you could literally cut said unresolved sexual tention with the knife Ranger keeps strapped to his leg.
As we ate and chatted, I cataloged the lovebirds and their body language. She's leaning slightly towards him without even realizing it. He's attuned to her every move. And that sexual tension? It's there, yet it's not as overbearing as it's been recently. Smirking to myself, I took a sip of my black coffee. Oh yeah, these two for sure spent a good chunk of their night going at it repeatedly. No one can change my mind.
As expected, Stephanie couldn't finish her skillet. At my arched eyebrow, she quickly explained that she'd be taking her leftovers for later. I raised my hands to show that I wasn't judging.
Conversation had circled back to Beautiful's outstanding capture last night. Acosta has eluded the FBI for a long time. Stephanie was quite impressive. We're all extremely proud of how far she's come. Having her join Rangeman full time would be an amazing addition to our team.
"I dunno…" Beautiful shrugged as she used her fork to one-handed cut off a corner of her deliciously looking stuffed french toast. "I saw Acosta and simply acted." She made it sound like it was no biggy, when in fact it was a huge feat. Impressive skills indeed. Beautiful totally kicked ass.
Taking advantage of her partial distraction, I aimed my fork intent on spearing a chunk of her food. It looks really good and those little satisfied moans of delight are doing nothing to deter me from snagging myself a piece.
"Hey!" Before my fork event cleared the edge of the plate, Stephanie's left hand shot up from underneath the table. The slap she gave my hand was pretty solid. In spite of that, my center of attention zeroed in on the sparkly rings on her finger.
"What the fuck!" My fork clattered loudly against the table as I released my hold on the metal utensil, quickly taking hold of the small hand I just now realized had been strategically kept out of view this whole time. "You got married?!" My voice may have sounded like a screeching howl, but I didn't care. This is huge! Me planting the seed and shoving a handful of condoms in Beautiful's coat pocket did not prepare me for this astonishing turn of events.
Stephanie and Ranger shared a look, having a full blown private conversation with their eyes. That's not necessarily out of character for them as it's something they do often, whether they realize they're doing it or not. Still, there seems to be a connection that runs a lot deeper between them now.
Beautiful slipped her hand out of my grasp, reached for Ranger's left hand and brought their intertwined fingers to her mouth. "Yes." She admitted simply, kissing my cousin's ring finger just below his wedding band.
Holy shit!
"Congrats, Bomber. Boss." Hal grinned widely, a rarity for him, as he congratulated the couple.
Hector took advantage of his proximity to be the first one to give our Bosswoman her first congratulatory hug. He whispered something in her ear that her grinning a beat later.
"When?" I somehow managed to ask despite my shock. I'm pretty sure they were not married when we parted ways after dinner.
"Last night."
"Babe."
"Well, I guess it was technically this morning."
"How?..." To say that I was left speechless would be an understatement.
Again, they shared a look where they interchanged a full blown convo.
"You've waited this long, how come you didn't invite us?" I asked, genuinely wanting to know. We've been witnesses to their years long back and forth dance. Naturally we'd be ecstatic for their union. I for one would've dropped everything to be a guest at their wedding.
"We were finally on the same page." Beautiful shrugged, stating that they didn't want to wait. I mean I get it, but come on!
"Got any pics or a video?" I pouted, milking my good looks and charm to get a tiny morsel of evidence of a moment years in the making.
"Yeah." Beautiful reached for her cell, quickly flipping her screen so that we could see what I had already mentally pictured was a simple ceremony.
"Beautiful." She was. Standing in a simple long sleeve lacy dress, Stephanie looked every bit as gorgeous as I always knew she would. Beautiful made a breathtaking bride. My cousin, as always, had his eyes firmly locked on her. It felt true to themselves. I liked their style, even if I felt a little left out of their big moment.
The short, yet heartfelt, ceremony was documented on Stephanie's cell phone. Their vows were honest and so very them. Just as they shared their first kiss as husband and wife, a group of visibly drunk party goers walked behind the enclosed gazebo. One of the inebriated last call stragglers shouted to Ranger in Spanish, urging him not to be an idiot and get married. Hector chuckled while I full blown laughed at Ranger's pissed off expression on screen. If only that random stranger knew the hurdles these two had to overcome to make it to see the day they officially became husband and wife.
"Aww, you just tied the knot. Congrats to the newlyweds." Charlie circled back to our table, excitedly congratulating the happy couple before asking if we needed anything else.
As we waited for the check, my eyes raked over a rare sight. Watching Beautiful and Ranger being so openly affectionate felt right. I caught Stephanie's gaze when she leaned her head against my cousin's shoulder. The bright smile she flashed me told me everything that I needed to know. They've found what most of us spend our whole lives searching for, both holding tight and not willing to let the other go ever again.
