Navigating Nine Chapter 03
Disclaimer: No Janets were harmed in the writing of this fic. Ranger belongs to Janet, and so does the Plum Universe. Good luck getting Moonbeam to give it back though.
Note: This chapter is total fluff and bedroome time and did not come out the way I wanted it, despite 2 rewrites. So I'm giving up and letting Moonbeam and Ranger have their bloody way. There's no arguing with both of them… And anyway, I'm blaming Lois, since she posted those inspirational pictures, lol. You can safely skip this chapter, as even this edited version gets a bit racy.
To Heather. Happy Birthday, Babe!
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I gave up trying to get a response and sat back in the seat, figuring he'd get around to letting me know what the hell was up when we got wherever we were going. I just hoped it didn't involve a gun, a shovel, and some deserted locale.
Trying to distract myself from my imminent demise, I decided to just watch the world go by. Outside the business district faded into the 'burbs, and the houses gradually got larger.
I didn't even recognize the neighborhood until I saw the misplaced villa that sat more or less next door to Ranger's place. The place. Sort-of our place? Hell, I can't even use my own language anymore… Why were we here, though? He did realize blood was a bitch to get out of carpet right? Of course he did. He had to.
Maybe I wasn't going to get killed after all. That was a cheerful thought.
I risked a glance at him as we pulled into the garage. It was mostly empty since the others were at work, with the exception of the Mercedes. The Porsche was at Al's, getting the transmission worked on.
The truck pulled into its usual space and I sat still for a few moments, debating what I wanted to do. I kind of thought staying in the truck might be a good idea…
My door opened and I was looking into a pair of very dark, very unreadable eyes. Um, maybe not. Just nod your head and don't make any sudden moves. That would be a good strategy.
I trusted Ranger with my life, and I was pretty sure he would never do anything to me, but I had a thing about large angry men. The thing was I had an intense desire to run whenever one entered the scene.
As long as he didn't yell, I told myself. I'd probably get by fine as long as he just didn't yell…
I slid out of the truck and Ranger shut the door. There was a heartbeat of quiet as the echo died away, then I found myself hauled into a bear hug that might have made even Tank proud. Ah, so it was going to be death by strangulation…
"Babe," his voice was low and soft. "Don't ever do that again."
I frowned. "Do what?" His chest was hard, solid muscle like the arms around me and I was losing brainwave activity because of the faint scent of Bulgari, or maybe it was just pheromones and I was blaming the Bulgari.
"Moonbeam," he said, sounding heavily annoyed.
I clamped my jaw shut on my automatic answer. The shut-up filter might not work, but when it came to self-preservation, I wasn't completely stupid. Better explain myself, quick.
"Well, something's obviously been wrong. I figured if it was your thing you'd tell me, but you didn't so it must be me." Plus, you are a guy.
"Christ," he swore violently, and the arms around me tightened. Eep, come on Ranger, Care Bears need oxygen too… "I'm sorry."
Okay, forget the oxygen. I'm already hallucinating. It's too late to save me now.
"Sorry?" I managed. He relaxed his grip. Ah, sweet air…
"Yeah. Lo siento," he whispered, kissing my hair, his hands beginning to move over my back and arms. Focus brain, focus. Do not become distracted by the… umm, that feels really nice…
I smiled. I wasn't going to stay mad at him. It was too cute, damn it. He was ruining the whole big lecture I had planned. It was going to be this big Scarlet and Rhett showdown…
"Does this mean I'm not too fat?"
"Babe," he said with an odd half-laugh. "You are perfect. I don't care what you weigh or don't weigh."
"Even if I looked like Mrs. Apusenja?"
His laugh was real now. "I'd have to see you in a sari."
"I used to have one, somewhere. Mom went through a Hindu phase." But whether that was in this universe or Somewhere Else, I didn't want to think.
Ranger released me, but kept his hand at the base of my neck as he steered me out of the garage. The temperature was rising and I was pretty sure it had nothing to do with us for once.
"Speaking of your mother, Moonbeam—" he said when we reached the kitchen. I gritted my teeth.
Despite the fact that the guys had spent most of the last six weeks calling me that, I still wasn't overly fond of it; although it was, in a way, a step up from Stephanie. I'd never thought of myself as a Stephanie. In my version of my life, it wasn't even a part of my name; everyone had called me Alyssa. So I guessed I was going to have to get used to Moonbeam from the guys even if it made me feel that much closer to being a Care Bear. Oh well, my goal in life had never actually been to be taken seriously.
Ranger caught my look and grinned. "Babe, it suits you."
I narrowed my eyes dangerously. "Back to your question. What about my mom?" A hideous thought drifted through my mind. "Oh, Goddess, please don't tell me one of the guys has a crush on her…"
It had happened. I had the dubious fortune of having what my ever-poetic male friends termed a MILF. Actually, come to think of it, mom was probably closer to Ranger's age than I was…
"No," he smiled. "I think she scares them."
Easy to understand. Mom scared a lot of people, most of them male. I blew out a sigh of relief.
"My question," Ranger continued, his gaze serious again, "is how old are you?"
"Don't you know it's rude to ask a lady that? And what does this have to do with Mom? How old are you?" I was going to babble. Yeah, that might work…
"Thirty-two." Mom was forty-one, nine years older than he was. I was ten years younger… "Answer the question."
Uh-oh. "I'm younger than you."
"Babe."
"Twenty-two." Actually, by my count I was twenty-one, but mom had said twenty-two and I figured that made a better answer at this point in time, anyway.
It was safe to say Ranger was staring now, complete with a raised eyebrow. "You were nineteen when you started working at Vinnie's."
He closed his eyes and looked like he was asking for patience. "Why aren't you in college?"
Good question. "I got bored," I guessed.
"Nineteen…"
Ranger was kind of hung up on that. I knew there was a reason I hated numbers. "So? You checked my records. You knew I didn't take Spanish in school. You had to have seen my birth date."
"I wasn't looking for that information." He looked like he needed to be distracted before he did something stupid. Like give me an age gap speech. Probably the one thing worse than a go-back-to-Morelli speech.
"Tsk, tsk, Batman. Getting sloppy in your old age?" Yikes. What the hell was with me today?
His head shot up and his eyes pinned me. "What was that?"
"You heard me." I swallowed hard as he moved closer. He was a millimeter away from touching me, his eyes staring down into mine. I tried to keep my mouth shut, but it just wouldn't shut up. "It's okay, Higgs. Lots of guys lose their edge when they get older."
"Losing my edge am I?" his voice was silky and dangerous.
"Of course not. Did I say that? Look, just because there's a little more flab in the middle…" Right. Ranger getting soft in the middle was about as likely as me becoming a nun.
"Babe, you sure you want to bait me?"
I thought about that. I could feel his body heat, and my own body was heating up pretty fast. Adrenaline rush. Let's see how far I could push him before he did something uncontrolled… hopefully in a good way.
"It's too much fun not to." I grinned and threw caution to the next convenient breeze as I reached up to wrap my arms around his neck. "Would you prefer me to try the cowering thing again?"
He laughed, his hands catching my hips to pull me against him. "Never," he whispered. Then he kissed me, putting his lips against mine gently. I opened my mouth as his tongue traced my lips and as usual he didn't take the opportunity.
"You're too young to cower properly," he said, pulling away. "Inexperienced."
My jaw hit the floor. "Excuse me? Inexperienced?" His eyes were glittering with amusement. I tossed my head like any good impetuous young heroine. "Well, I suppose that beats being a Victorian antique, Professor Higgins."
"Victorian huh? Guess there's only one thing to do then," he said with a very wolf-like grin.
I didn't have time to move as his hands tightened on my waist and lifted. I screamed as I was unceremoniously thrown over his shoulder, although I had to admit the view of his backside wasn't so bad.
"Hey! Unhand me you villain! Professor Higgins is the good guy, remember?"
"Professor Higgins took too long," he said, reaching up and smacking my butt. "Quit moving."
"Hell no."
"Babe, if you don't stop moving I'm going to have my way with you on the stairs and the guys are due home in forty-five minutes."
I did some quick calculations, or what passed for them in my un-mathematical brain and I quit moving. I didn't mind the idea of stairs, but Lester would never let me hear the end of it. And Tank would bring it up at awkward moments because he and Ranger shared a demonic sense of humor.
"Have your way with me, huh?"
"It's the antique euphemism isn't it?"
I loved it when he said big words. Actually, I loved it when he said words at all. Ranger could have read the dictionary and made it better than phone sex. I hoped he never tried poetry on me. I'd probably turn into goo.
We made it to his room in what had to be record time and I found myself tossed on the bed. I had barely stopped bouncing when Ranger pounced on me.
"You need to be naked," he said, leaning over me and pressing his lips to a spot just below my ear that sent shockwaves through my body. I closed my eyes to savor the feeling and I heard the sound of cloth tearing. The cool air washed over my bare skin.
"I liked that shirt," I sighed, opening my eyes to watch him as he slid my jeans off. He didn't even have to undo the button, sadly. I had dropped a bunch of weight and hadn't had time to buy a new wardrobe. So maybe it wasn't that I felt too fat, exactly. Maybe I felt too skinny.
Ranger's body covered mine, and he kissed me, this time sliding his tongue into my mouth, teasing me until I was moaning. "You owe me, Babe," he said, gently biting my lip.
"Mmm?" I wasn't feeling too verbal now. I arched up against him, and concentrated on getting my hands under his shirt. If I had to be naked, he could at least lose a couple items.
"I've lost a lot of sleep, recently, Goldilocks," he said as I tugged the shirt off over his head.
"This mean you're finally collecting on your night?" I suggested hopefully as my eyes drank in the sight of his naked chest. I touched a small scar that slashed horizontal, just under his navel. Knife wound?
"With interest." The words pulled my attention back to the matter at hand, so to speak.
Janet, I take it back .Maybe you aren't so bad after all. I looked up into his eyes, which were almost black with desire, and scorching hot. Suddenly very aware of the hard, toned body pinning me to the bed I did what any good little heroine would do.
"Please be gentle with me?" I asked, batting my eyes and attempting to look innocent.
He threw his head back and laughed, his hair falling down around his face as I finally snagged the leather thong. "Maybe later..." his grin was predatory, "Much, much later."
And it was much later- Ranger was a master of scheduling.
Doomsday orgasms were apparently going to become de rigueur, I decided as I gradually started to wake up. I opened my eyes as a familiar hand brushed a few stray locks of hair away from my face and turned to look at the man lying next to me. His mocha complexion was darker than it had been, and his usually black hair had been touched with light brown from the sun.
I lifted my hand to trace the lines of his face, all hard angles and forbidding planes. Well, if planes could be forbidding. Maybe it was just he way he spent so much time not smiling that made him look forbidding. When he smiled, people did tend to walk into walls. Right now he didn't look forbidding, he looked… Relaxed. Yeah, I could second that emotion.
"Hey," I said, my voice heavy with exhaustion.
"You okay?" he asked, his eyes concerned. I smiled.
"Okay doesn't even begin to cover it. I'm just wondering about the encore."
Ranger's eyes gleamed with an unholy delight. "It'll be a challenge, but luckily I found something you might be interested in." There was a slight clink of metal as he held up a pair of handcuffs lined with black plush fur. I grinned.
"Where'd you find those?"
"Someone left them in the closet."
"Oops." I tried to look embarrassed and failed miserably.
"I found them this morning when I was unpacking. I've been thinking about you in them all day."
"Must have been rough."
Ranger smirked. "Paybacks, Babe," he said softly. My nipples contracted as all kinds of images flew through my head. The effect was not lost on him, and his laugh was quiet. "Anything you want to share?"
I smiled. "Yeah. Have I mentioned that I love you?"
"Y te amo, Moonbeam," he smiled.
"I hate that name," I said, all warm fuzzy feelings evaporating.
"Why?" Ranger looked genuinely puzzled, as if he thought it was a perfectly understandable name.
"Dude, must I reiterate? It's very hard to be an actual person named Moonbeam. The only worse thing would have been maybe Strawberry." Mm, strawberries sounded good, though. "How about lunch and then more playtime?" I asked hopefully. As much as I wanted to do the whole month long thing in bed with Ranger, I didn't want to pass out from low blood sugar in the middle of it.
Ranger gave me a steady, measuring look before he nodded his agreement. "Better get dressed, the guys are home."
"How did you—oh my god, did they hear?" I was suddenly horrified. In the dorms it was one thing, because you couldn't sneeze without two floors of people knowing about it, so people hearing sex was just like a thing. But housemates? Eeek.
"Relax," Ranger smiled. "They got home while you were passed out."
"You know, if you weren't all about killing me every time, I wouldn't pass out…"
His smile was arrogant. "The effects of experience..."
I sat up and glared at him. "Just you wait, Henry Higgins." I was rewarded with another laugh from my nemesis and being pulled back down to be pinned to his chest.
"Don't worry, I'll teach you everything I know," he chuckled with an annoying superiority.
"You are so egotistical!" I yelped and grabbed at the nearest pillow. He blocked it with his arm but he had to let me go. I took the opening and rolled away from him.
"Babe, you sure you want to play this game? I'm going to win." He had the predatory look again. But I was not feeling inclined to be a fluffy bunny.
"As if, old one."
He lunged and I shrieked as I dodged, flinging myself to the other end of the bed. Unfortunately I got tangled up in the duvet and didn't make it quite as far as I meant to. Ranger laughed and grabbed my legs, hauling me back.
I grabbed onto the edge of the bed and pulled against him. No way was I getting caught now. I was doing fairly well until his fingers brushed my instep, lightly. Oh no, breathe, ignore it…
I couldn't. The tickling wasn't going to stop. I yelped and let go of the bed frame as I desperately tried to curl up and get my feet out of danger.
"I knew it," Ranger said with a grin.
"Stop it!" I shrieked between tortured giggles. "Ranger! Stop! No!"
"I'm open for negotiations." He had me pinned. I couldn't even kick him. Damn it. Never get in a fight with Rambo.
"I'll…never…make fun…of…your…age…again," I gasped. "Please, stop it! I give up! You win! Surrender!"
"That's better." He released my foot and I shot up, nailing him with the pillow and rolling off the bed.
I made it two steps before I was swept up into a familiar pair of muscular arms and deposited back on the bed. Ranger straddled my hips, and with the ease of way too much practice, secured my hands over my head with the cuffs.
I pulled, but they were attached to something… oh, crap, the slats in the headboard… My eyes met Ranger's and his smile was one of pure lust. "Paybacks, Babe."