Beefcake for Charity Ch. 3
A/N: As usual all mistakes are mine and the story is just for fun not profit.
RANGER POV
"Morelli isn't her future," Tank's words rang through my head, as I absent-mindedly rode the elevator up to my apartment. I was taking the rest of the day off to prepare for my dinner date with my babe. It was a date right? She had been kind of vague. She wouldn't give me the brush off too, would she? What was she up to? Dammit, what a time to not be able to not be able to read her expressions or catch her thinking out loud.
I stepped inside my bedroom, pulled the gun out from the small of my back and set it on the nightstand and toed off my boots. Before I knew it, I was laying on my back on the bed with my feet on the floor in Stephanie's 'thinking position'! I decided not to question it; maybe it would help me get into her head. I chuckled to myself at how scary of a place that might turn out to be. I'd probably find candy wrappers and dried donut residue.
I closed my eyes and replayed our phone conversation through my mind. What were her exact words?
STEPHANIE POV
Juggling a couple of grocery sacks as I entered my apartment, I groaned hearing the voice on my answering machine. "What is this I hear about you breaking up with Joesph for a giant thug?"
Sigh. Sorry Tank, I told you. I made a mental note to do something nice for him.
I sat the bags down on the counter and fished out the two bottle of wine to chill them. I got a red and a white wine. I wouldn't be surprised if Ranger brought a bottle himself. He is classy like that. The thought of Ranger made me smile.
"Margery Caputo's daughter doesn't associate with thugs. How do you expect to marry Joesph before all your eggs have dried up if you are constantly picking fights with him and breaking up? Honestly Stephanie..."
"Well Mom, I don't intend to marry Joe not now, not ever," I mumble as she continues on her tirade.
I get the groceries put away; find the new wine glasses and plates I bought last week when I was feeling domestic. I even picked up cloth napkins to match. Yep, we are going all out tonight.
As Mom finishes her message I dig through the menu drawer and choose one to call just before Ranger gets here.
Once Mom was done with her verbal assault I hit the delete button and turned off the ringer and sound and headed in to the shower.
RANGER POV
I wish I knew what Babe was up to. You'll know soon enough Manoso. I looked at my watch but the time didn't settle the butterflies in my stomach. I don't remember the last time I was nervous about anything. Dios, the things Stephanie Plum does to me. I sighed and ran a hand over my face to refocus my energy on something productive.
I pulled my damp hair into a leather tie and slipped into a pair of dark gray jeans and a charcoal gray cashmere sweater with a v neck. I know how she likes seeing me in an open collar. I grinned as I put my diamond stud earring in thinking about the liberal amount of Bulgari I used in the shower not just to relieve some tension but knowing how my shower get drives her crazy. Just for good measure I used the aftershave too. I remembered Ella mentioning something about layering a scent.
I grabbed my keys and headed down to the garage and to the turbo.
With a few minutes to spare, I parked in her lot and glanced down at the bottle of wine, the flowers and the small bakery box filled with dessert; all sitting in the seat next to me. It feels like a first date and I'm not exactly sure what to do with all this nervous energy. I am looking up at her window when my phone rings.
"Yo."
"Hey Boss, whatcha doin'?" Lester teases.
"Santos, I'm offline, why are you calling me?" I demanded.
He chuckled. "I was driving by and saw you parked and not exiting the car. Is Beautiful in danger?" My expression softened a little- he was concerned about Babe not just busting my balls.
"No, she's fine. I'm early for dinner, the rest is need to know and you don't!" I said in a tone that let him know to drop this questioning.
"Okay, enjoy your date," Santos sang and hung up. Before I could put it away my phone rang again. "Yo."
"Yo yourself Batman. You coming up or are you going to beam the food down?" Stephanie teased. I thought for a second about correcting her that Batman doesn't beam stuff up or down but thought better of it. "Coming up now," I said.
"Good," she replied, a smile in her voice as she hung up. I just looked at my phone realizing she hung up on me. She is always complaining that I hang up without saying goodbye. Now she is doing it, or is she playing with me?
Oh Lord. I don't know what she has planned but I hope I am prepared to handle it. I grabbed the items off the passenger seat and took the stairs to her apartment two at a time. She was standing behind her front door. I could sense her there waiting for me to knock. I took a deep breath and rapped my knuckles lightly against her door. The door swung open. She looked stunning from head to toe. Her blue eyes sparkling as she grinned at me. I could feel her eyes travel over me. There was a sense of satisfaction when her little pink tongue slid over her lips as she took in my appearance.
She shook her head abruptly regaining her composure. "You look amazing," she said taking the flowers from me and bringing them to her cute little nose.
"You look stunning, Babe," I grinned following her in and closing and locking the door behind me. She glanced back over her shoulder. "Thank you. The flowers are beautiful," she said softly.
"They don't hold a candle to you, Babe," I said bending to place a light kiss on her cheek.
She grinned and placed the flowers in a a vase and set them on the table next to a candle and what looks like new dinnerware and wine glasses. No Sponge Bob juice glasses tonight.
"I brought some wine, I thought for maybe after dinner," I said, "Since I wasn't sure what we would be dining on."
I knew what I wanted to be dining on, but this wasn't my show and I needed to be patient and let Babe play this out as she sees fit. I just hope she doesn't plan to torture me. She has me so far off kilter now I'm not sure how much of my famous self control I've got left. I feel fairly certain from the look of everything that this isn't a 'sayounara Monoso'; but I still don't know what she is up to.
Before I could think about it further there was a knock at the door. I pulled the gun from the small of my back and stalked silently to the door looking through the peephole. Stephanie rolled her eyes. "It's the food," she said and pulled open the door. I eyed the kid as he stepped forward, but since he was holding two large bags of delicious smelling food I put the gun away and reached for my wallet. "Allow me," I said pulling out some cash. She glared at me. "No," she said, "This is my treat. I invited you, I will pay," she said as she handed the kid some cash. I nodded once and grabbed the bags carrying them into the kitchen. It smelled like Chinese food. I hoped it wouldn't all be grease laden fried everything.
"Don't worry, Batman. I ordered plenty of rabbit food so you could maintain your girlish figure," she said with a smirk.
"Smartass!" I said giving her butt a playful swat.
"You're fun to tease," she said and raised up on her tip toes and pressed a friendly kiss to my lips. It was warm and soft and didn't last nearly long enough. My hands slid down her sides and rested on her hips. Her eyes paused on my lips before she pulled away.
I couldn't take my eyes off of her. She was sexy as hell in that rose colored wrap around top and jeans that hugged her ass just right. She wasn't wearing any shoes but I noticed the tips of her toes were about the same color as her blouse.
She brought the food to the table. "There is a bottle of red and a bottle of white in the fridge, would you choose one and pour us some?" she suggested.
"Be happy to, Babe," I said wondering what brought about this change in her. She is confident and seems to know what she wants and how to get it. It is strange how quickly this all happened.
STEPHANIE POV
Damn, Ranger looks HOT! Mmm Mmm. Hold it together Plum. This is a treat. Ranger in civilian clothes, the base of his throat exposed and all that delicious mocha latte skin showing. His sweater sleeves are pushed up his sculpted forearms. I find myself staring at his big strong hands as he opens the wine. The muscles in his arms flex as he worked the cork out. My mind played images of how he's used those hands, those fingers to play my body like it was a Stradivarius. Luckily, he didn't see me lick my lips at the thought.
RANGER POV
I wonder exactly what Babe is thinking right now? I don't have to look up to know she is watching me closely. I can feel the heat of her stare as she catalogs my body in her mind. I've had hers memorized longer than I care to admit. I know when something is off with her before she can open her mouth. I wonder if she replays our times together in her mind like I do. Of course she had a stand in- a substitute for me for a long time. Too damn long but I was the idiot who told her to fix things with the cop. That poor substitute is out of the picture now...what does that mean? "She only has eyes for you," Tank's voice replayed in my head.
I wasn't ready before; am I now? I wasn't sure I could give her anything but friendship. A friend who wanted her writhing under me, riding me, running her sweet little mouth over...for the love of God Manoso, pull it together! I felt my cock twitch at the memories and took a deep breath trying to refocus and not embarrass myself like teenage boy. I don't even know yet what she asked me here for. For all I know she could be... "Ranger?" she said touching my shoulder from behind. "Everything alright?"
Her touch sent an electric shock through my body. It was like a small hand print burned through my sweater, to my skin and sent the energy skittering through my system. I jerked away like I'd actually been burned.
"Sorry," she said, "I didn't mean to startle you. Way to be aware of your surroundings Batman!" she grinned.
When she smiled it went to her eyes and they sparkled reminding me of crystal blue ocean waters and sandy white beaches. Beaches I want to take her to. I can see her tiny, barely there bikini that I'd be peeling off her, exploring every inch of her skin and exploring...
The clang of the corkscrew hitting the kitchen floor brought me out of my fantasy. Damn, I really needed to get a grip!
"You okay?" she asked bending down to pick up the item I dropped.
"Yeah, sorry about that, it's been a weird day," I said offering her a hand to stand back up.
"Tell me about it," she said.
I shrugged, "Maybe later, I'd like to hear about your day." I said leading her to the table and holding her chair out for her. It may be a fairly casual dinner but no reason I can't be a gentleman.
We dished food out onto our plates. "How was your day Babe? Tell me about it," I urged pouring us each a glass of wine.
A/N: I know you wanted more. What is Stephanie's plan? Why did she invite Ranger to dinner? I am still working though what happens next. Update should be soon! In the meantime leave me a note and tell me what you think. :)