Disclaimer: Not Mine
A Mistake On Tuesday
I have been walking on air since Ranger left Monday morning. He had back to back meetings that day and he said he didn't want to leave me. I didn't want him to leave either, but I really needed to work on my book. I worked all day while the nanny helped with Sophie. When Ranger called Monday evening and he was going out of town to Miami for business, I told him okay and to be careful. He said he would, I hung up and went back to my book. Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday was just wonderful. Ranger is the perfect lover. So attentive and sweet and at the same time rough and demanding. It makes me hot all over again just thinking about it.
It's Tuesday morning and I have been working on my book all day. Sophie has been very fussy today. She is running a slight fever and started coughing about an hour ago. I called Alexa and she agreed when she got off work, she would stop by and check Sophie out. I love that my child's doctor is my best friend. I hate taking her to the those germy doctor's offices. Amelia, my nanny has been here all day with her and I think I'm going to send her home. I believe she isn't feeling well either because she has been getting easily frustrated today and that is unlike Amelia. The doorbell rings and I leave my office to go answer it. I open the door and a little man with grey hair and bushy grey eyebrows is standing on my doorstep.
"Yes, can I help you?"
"Ashley Monroe?" Since meeting Ranger I was a little afraid to confirm that but he was just an old man.
"Yes?" He hands me a brown manila envelope heavy with paper.
"You've been served." I took it from him and shut the door. I went to the kitchen and grabbed the letter opening. My phone rings as I'm pulling out of the papers.
"Hello."
"Hey." I smile as I start reading.
"Hey Ranger. What's up?"
"I just got back into town and I was going to come see you." I don't know what to say, the papers in front of me are custody papers. Custody papers that a Ricardo Carlos Manoso had wanted filed.
"Ashley?" Tears blind my eyes and I try to find my voice.
"Ranger, what is your name?" Its stupid I know but we never discuss it and I call him Ranger.
"My full name is Ricardo Carlos after my father but everyone close to me calls me Carlos. Why?" I can't answer. I choke back a sob but it rips out my throat.
"Ashley, what's wrong? Ashley?" I drop the phone on the floor, drop the papers on the island run upstairs to Sophie. I tell Amelia to leave. I shut and lock Sophie's door, slide down it and cry.
Carlos POV-
This weekend was wonderful. I spent every moment I could with Ashley. Laughing with her, eating with her, watching tv with her and making love to her. I don't think we left any surface of the house untouched. My favorite was on the kitchen counter, spread out before me like a sweet all you can eat buffet. My cock hardens just thinking about it. I had to go to Miami Monday night to pick up a high dollar skip, it was an easy FTA to pick up. He never saw us coming. He was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon against a cop.
It's Tuesday morning and I just got into town. I'm in Newark and on my way to Ashley's. I wanted to hear her voice even though I'm on my way over. After 4 rings, she answers.
"Hello."
"Hey." I hear papers rustling.
"Hey Ranger. What's up?" I hear more papers.
I just got back into town and I was going to come see you." I hear a sharp in take of breath before silence.
"Ashley?" The next question she asks has me stumped.
"Ranger, what is your name?" I feel kinda stupid, everyone calls me Ranger so my birth name just never came up. She really needs to start calling me Carlos.
"My full name is Ricardo Carlos after my father but everyone close to me calls me Carlos. Why?" Silence greets me before I hear sob. It nearly breaks my heart. Did I say the wrong thing?
"Ashley, what's wrong? Ashley?" I hear the phone drop to the floor before it goes dead. My heart is beating fast and I can't believe that I'm having trouble breathing. I tried to call again, but it goes to voicemail. About 20 minutes later, I pull up in front of Ashley's place. I walk up to the door and turn the knob. The door is unlocked. That's so not Ashley. I step into the foyer and call out for my brown eyed vixen. Silence greets me. I shut the door and lock it then set the alarm. I walk into the kitchen and spot the phone on the floor. There is paper everywhere. I pick up a piece and start reading. 5 minutes when I'm finished, my blood is boiling and I want to hit something or someone.
As I'm walking the stairs I dial my lawyer.
"Mr. Andrews' office, this is Penny. How may I help you?"
"I need to talk to David Andrews. Now."
"Sir, I'm sorry but he is in a meeting and can not be bothered." I grit my teeth.
"You interrupt his meeting. You tell him that Ricardo Carlos Manoso is on the phone. You tell him that if he doesn't want a million dollar lawsuit on his hands to get on the fucking phone."
"Y-Y-Yes Sir, Mr. Manoso. One second please." I reach Sophie's door and I feel my heart being ripped out of my chest. I can hear Ashley crying, her heart breaking.
"Ashley. Open the door honey." I hear movement for just a minute but its silent.
"Mr. Manoso, I hear you have a problem." My voice turns deadly.
"No, you have a problem. Would you like to explain to me why my fiance received custody papers this morning?" Why I said fiance, I'll never know, but it just rolled off my tongue.
"Sir, I'm afraid I don't understand."
"Custody papers were served to Ashley Monroe this morning. Papers that were per se filed by me." This guy was only pissing me off further. I start to pace.
"Can you please hold, Mr. Manoso?"
"Yes I'll hold." I hear a click and then music. My back is facing Sophie's door, but I still hear the lock click and the door slide open. I wait.
"Ranger." Her voice nearly does me in. Its raspy and hoarse from crying. I turn to look at her and I think I might kill my lawyer. Her eyes are red and swollen and so is nose. I stride over to her and gather her in my arms. She starts crying all over again.
"Please stop crying, Vixen. I promise this is all a mistake." She snuggles deeper into my chest but her sobs subside.
"Mr. Manoso?" My hand rubs up and down Ashley's back and she sighs.
"Yes."
"I am terribly sorry for this mix up. My assistant made a mistake with the paper. The papers were to be served to Mr. Menoso, not filed by Mr. Manoso."
"Mr. Andrews this a major fuck up on your part."
"Mr. Manoso, I understand completely. How can we fix this?"
"Get it removed. Out of the court system."
"Yes Sir, of course."
"Mr. Andrews?"
"Yes Sir."
"Fire your assistant." Ashley looks up at me and shakes her head.
"Mr. Andrews, hold on a minute." He agrees and I put the phone to my chest. I run my fingertips down Ashley's face.
"What?"
"You can't have him fired, Ranger. He made a mistake, it happens." I'm beyond shocked. This stupid assistant just caused her a lot of heartache, but she doesn't want him fired.
"Mr. Andrews, I hope that the assistant will be dealt with promptly, however please do not fire him. That request is from my fiance." Ashley stiffens in my arms and I hold her tight to me.
"Understand, Mr. Andrews, this is a serious mistake, don't ever let anything like this happen again."
"Yes Sir." I close my phone and stick it in my pocket. I wrap my arms around Ashley and hold her to me. She wraps hers around me.
"I'm very sorry, my sweet little vixen." She looks at me and smiles. With a blotchy nose and red swollen eyes, she's still a very sexy woman.
"Its okay. I understand it wasn't your fault. I just thought..."
"Thought what?"
"That you got what you wanted from me and decided to take Sophie." I put my arm under her knees and pick her up. "Ranger, what are you doing?" I walk into her bedroom and place her on the bed. I sit down beside her.
"Ashley, it never crossed my mind to take Sophie from you. Not even from the beginning when I barely knew you. Sophie is your daughter. In every way that matters. As far as getting what I want from you, I can't get enough. You're in my system. You're in my blood. I crave you. I crave your touch. I crave your kisses. I crave your body. I crave your words and advice and encouragement." I draw her face closer to mine and gently run my tongue along the seam of her mouth. Her tongue peaks out and touches mine. So sweet and so innocent. I tangled my hands in her hair and angle her head better so I can delve my tongue deeper into the depths of her sweet mouth. I pull back breathing hard.
"Ranger."
"Yea."
"Thanks."
"For what?"
"For Sophie." I smile at the beautiful woman in front of me.
"You're welcome, Ashley. And thank you."
"For what, Ranger?"
"For being Shannon's friend. For taking care of Sophie when Shannon wouldn't."
"You're welcome, Ranger." I look at her and smile. God, how I love this woman.
Author's Note: That wasn't too bad was it?