Thanks for the awesome support to the first chapter. It seems explaining the different meanings for mañoso was really necessary and I'm glad I decided to throw that in there. I know it seems confusing that one word would have so many different meanings. Trust me, when I came to the States it was a real pain in the ass.
I've been working on this chapter for two days, so it's sort of a coincidence that I ended up posting todayXD Happy Valentine's day. I'm currently wearing my 'I heart Ranger' tee for the 'special' occasion.
Disclaimer: The Plum universe belongs to JE.
Even as a child certain things needed to be done a certain way. That's just how it had to be. And that gained me fame amongst my family as 'little mañoso'.
By the time I reached my twenties the 'mañoso' fame referenced my skills with the ladies.
My mother once told me that one day I'd find the perfect woman, one that would put the mañoso streak to an end. I remember shaking my head at her, firmly believing that the perfect woman for me didn't exist.
Boy, was I wrong. She does exist. She's Jersey all the way with an Italian-Hungarian background. Her eyes are a mesmerizing shade of blue and her hair is brown. Her name is Stephanie Plum. When I first met her I wasn't sure what she was made of, but soon enough she showed me that what she lacked in experience and skill she more than compensated with luck and ingenuity. If I had to use one word to describe her, I'd have settled for 'mañosa'. Somehow, I thought that wouldn't fly too well with her so I started calling her Babe. She never complained and it sort of stuck.
For years we had this sort of dance, where we would inch closer and then quickly put distance. It doesn't matter anymore, because in the end it all worked out. We put the bullshit excuses and fears aside and cannon balled into the water. There are no regrets.
Returning to Haywood after being away on business and indulging in a hot shower is nothing compared to the knowledge that she's also here. It didn't take me long to figure out she was standing outside of the shower watching me. And well, the mañoso in me tends to flare up whenever she's around.
I was inside of her wet heat before we reached the bed. Her arms and legs were deliciously wrapped tight around me and she didn't ease not even a tiny bit when we landed in bed. The connection intensified as I picked up the pace and our bodies adjusted to the increasing rhythm. The kisses and caresses turned desperate, frantic even, as we neared the peak of pleasure. Amidst moans and groans we climaxed together, vocalizing the pleasurable sensations the powerful orgasm delivered.
S&R
I awoke to her sleepy murmurs as she snuggled against my right side. Automatically, I wrapped my arms around her and whispered soothing words. Babe sighed, rested her head on my shoulder and relaxed.
I tried to doze off, but was unable to conceive sleep. Carefully, I extracted myself from her hold to get some work done.
I was sifting through my inbox of files when Tank entered my office. With a nod of acknowledgement he sat down in one of the chairs across from my desk.
"Groff requested our services for the weekend."
In response, I raised an eyebrow for him to continue.
"His wife is dragging him to a couples retreat."
I nodded. That meant Rangeman would go undercover to watch his back. Again. "Maybe we can send Santos and Jeanne Ellen..." She doesn't technically work for Rangeman, but her services are available to us when we're in need of a woman for certain assignments.
Tank shook his head. "Groff wants you and Stephanie."
I sighed. Nicholas Groff is a technological genius. His work has given great advantage to Rangeman. But his genius brain is also a bit paranoid. The last time Babe and I guarded him was at an award ceremony dedicated to his wife. The event was very standard and nothing out of the ordinary happened. "I'll talk with Stephanie." Unsaid went the fact that if she didn't want to do it, then someone else would have to go and Groff would just have to suck it up.
"You would have to leave in a few hours and won't return until late Sunday night." Tank passed me a manila folder so I could check out the details.
I just got back last night and instead of spending the weekend alone with Babe, we're most likely going to have to work. Since Babe was still in bed when I left the apartment I decided to go back up to seven and let her know the plan.
She was eating breakfast, leaning against the counter when I found her in the kitchen. "Ranger." She flashed me a soft smile as I approached.
"Babe." I took the opportunity to kiss her smiling lips.
S&R
Of course she wouldn't say no. She really hit it off with Elisa, Groff's wife. So, a couple hours later we were packed and ready to hit the road towards Delaware.
"It says here that by the end of this couples retreat communication and trust will no longer be an issue." Babe read off as I took the ramp for Interstate 295 South. "Didn't they move to Virginia?" She rattled off the address to the ranch we were headed to in Magnolia.
I nodded. "They have a longer drive from Richmond than we do."
"Mmmhmm…" Babe kept reading and I focused my attention on the traffic around us.
After meandering down different roads we finally found the entrance to the ranch. An old, battered sign by the entrance gate read 'Keeping marriages happy since 19…' the last two numbers were missing. Great.
There was a small parking area adjacent to a building at the end of the small road. I parked, grabbed our duffle bags and followed Babe to the entrance.
"Welcome to Keeping Marriages Happy." A young blond woman stood behind the reception desk. Her greeting was cheery, but it didn't detract our attention from the fact that she was very naked. "I'm Emily and you must be the Manosos." She flashed us a smile, informing us that we were the last to arrive.
"I'm sorry." Babe shook her head at Emily. "Why are you naked?"
Emily smiled politely. It was obviously not the first time someone had asked her the same question. "This is a nudist retreat." She waved a hand at the brochures on display, making her breasts sway with the movement.
"Uhm…" Babe shook her head as she snatched one of the brochures. "Ours didn't mention anything about being naked." She fibbed as her eyes scanned over the brochure's contents.
"Nude." Emily corrected as she typed on her computer. "Your room is number 5." She pointed to a hall off to our left, giving us directions. "At four we're having a short orientation followed by a quick ice breaker activity." She finished off by saying that dinner would be at five.
We nodded and I took the key from her before we headed to our room.
"I'm going to look for Groff and propose an alternative solution." The whole nude thing is way over the line. I know it probably sounds barbaric at best, but the idea of some asshole getting a good look at Babe in her birthday suit is not okay with me.
"Okay." Stephanie took the key and bags from me, quickly disappearing inside our room.
My plan was to send Groff a quick message so we could meet up in person, but I was quickly intercepted in the hall by a skinny kid in his early twenties.
"Sir." He said clothes were prohibited. I shot him my best intimidating glare without giving his naked form a glance. The idiot had the audacity to stare me down. "That's not going to work, honey." He was used to people giving him killer glares, I guess. "But if you need help…" It was a very well practiced tease, but the gleam in his eyes said he might just do it.
"No." I turned and headed back to room five.
Five minutes later Groff still hadn't replied to my text. "Fuck!" It was initially meant for Groff, but Babe exited the bathroom in that moment. "Babe?" She was completely naked and it was very sexy.
"We're stuck here, aren't we?" Her blue eyes scanned me from head to toe and it made my pants feel a bit too tight in the crotch area.
"Groff hasn't replied." I told her some skinny kid is enforcing the nude rule out in the hall.
"Oh boy." She inhaled and then slowly exhaled. Babe was mentally preparing herself, but the way her breasts rose and fell with her breathing exercise did some interesting things to my libido.
With a wicked grin, I stalked towards her. "I need help taking these off." I said, tugging on the hem of my T-shirt. My tee hit the floor and seconds later the rest of my clothes joined it. I placed my weapons on the nightstand next to the bed and from the corner of my eye caught the lustful glance Babe shot my hard dick.
"You can't go out like that." She licked her lips, eyes trained on my erection.
"Babe." I flashed her my best grin. I use the nickname Babe to mean almost anything and this time it meant that we should do something about my current predicament. Her palms tapped my shoulders and I willingly fell back onto the bed. She crawled over me and as soon as her tempting lips were within reach I kissed her very thoroughly.
A loud knock on the door interrupted the moment. I cracked the door open after two more knocks, only poking my head out so I could effectively hide an enlarged piece of my anatomy. "Yeah?" I growled, annoyed with the interruption.
"Since everyone has already arrived orientation was bumped up." Emily said it would start in twenty minutes. And with that I closed the door.
"Twenty minutes?" Babe was standing in front of me when I whirled around to face her.
"We have time." I scooped her up to rush us back to bed, loving the sound of her startled yelp.