TWENTY-ONE
The alarm on Ranger's cell phone woke me Friday morning.
"Normal people don't get up this early," I grumbled as he slid away from me. The bed felt instantly colder.
Ranger had nearly a full day of work-from-home planned. Ranger possessed work ethic. I possessed an achy burnt hand and a few more hours remaining on my internal sleep clock.
I finally swung my legs out of bed around eight. I managed a half-assed shower, blew dry my hair and ran a brush through it. The impossibility of putting hair into a ponytail one handed became painfully obvious, so I let it fall to my shoulders in curly waves. I put some lipstick on, but still didn't feel I could handle mascara left handed. I slipped on a freshly laundered pair of well-worn blue jeans and stretchy black t-shirt, then padded into the kitchen.
Ranger had an assortment of fruit available. I grabbed a left-over donut from the day before and poured myself a large cup of coffee, mixing in milk and sugar. Ranger reclined on his sofa, laptop open and a blue tooth earpiece in. I could hear him talking to Tank through it. It sounded like Tank had found a promising female candidate to replace my role in Rangeman.
I finished my doughnut and coffee while standing in the kitchen, giving Ranger privacy to finish his call. I dropped a little piece of doughnut into Rex's cage, along with a carrot stick from the refrigerator. Rex rushed out of his soup can and gobbled up the doughnut. He ignored the carrot stick. That's my boy.
Ranger met me half way between the kitchen and the living room.
"Good morning," he said, putting his hands on my waist and kissing me softly. "Any big plans for the day?"
"I need to run a few errands," I replied. "I can go myself, if you let me borrow a car."
Ranger gave me a long look.
"I'll be fine," I insisted. "I just need to pick up my dress from the dry cleaners and stop to get a wax and pedicure at the salon in the Quaker Bridge mall. You don't need to assign me a babysitter."
I could see him weighing the pros and cons of having to devote one of his guys to watching my back for the next few hours.
"Look, in the grand scheme of people who've tried to kill me, this isn't all that serious. I haven't even gotten any death threats this time."
Ranger shook his head. "There was nothing comforting about that sentence, you do realize that, right? Someone nailed your window shut and set your apartment on fire. That's a little more serious than a phone call or note."
A half hour later, I had a fresh bandage on my hand, my purse riding shotgun in a black Chevy Equinox, and a relatively recent Rangeman hire named Scott trailing me through Trenton traffic. Scott looked like the stereotypical all American boy, who also happened to use steroids. He stood an easy six foot, with blond cropped hair, blue eyes, and muscles out the wazoo.
I stopped at the drycleaners and picked up my dress before heading to the mall. The drycleaner had big, clear plate glass windows facing the parking lot, so all Scott had to do was sit in his black Ford Explorer and watch me walk in, pay for my dress, and walk out. He'd have no such luck at the mall.
The mall's parking lot was half empty. Everyone's credit cards were still recovering from Christmas and most folks were at work at ten in the morning on a Friday, attempting to pay off Santa's gifts. I purposefully parked in the single open space between two long lines of cars, so Scott had to circle around and park all the way at the end of the next row.
I pushed through the mall's double doors and walked past two store fronts before Scott finally caught up to me, huffing and puffing slightly.
"Drew the short straw today, huh?" I said to him.
"I'm looking at it like an initiation ritual," Scott replied enthusiastically. "Low man on the totem pole, and all that."
So Scott equated guarding me to an initiation ritual? I smiled. Messing with Scott would be fun.
I made a bee line for Victoria's Secret, not because I needed anything, but because I knew for certain it was the one store that could make a man the most uncomfortable. I felt Scott linger as I crossed the threshold to a sea of multi-colored thongs and bras. The signs in the windows advertised their big semi-annual sale.
"Aren't you coming in?" I asked him.
"I'll just wait out here," he replied, gesturing to an empty wooden bench.
I shook my head. "You're new at this, so I'm going to help you out. You need to come in with me. All these stores have back rooms with emergency exits. What would Ranger do to you if you were waiting out here while someone dragged me out the back door?"
Scott paled slightly, but followed me into the store. I shopped around for close to fifteen minutes, digging panties and bras out of sale bins, and just generally wasting time. In a bin of clearance bathing suits, I discovered a nice bikini: black bottoms with a black top embellished with little rhinestones around the edges. A silky cover up also found its way into my bag.
The clerk rang up my order and placed everything in a big pink bag. I paid with the gift card Grandma Mazur gave me for Christmas, mentally noting to thank her and show her the bathing suit. She'd get a kick out of helping me buy something for my "honeymoon." And it would annoy my mother.
Scott followed me around the rest of the mall like a lost puppy. I arrived at the salon and turned to Scott. "You can wait out here for me," I indicated an empty bench between two fake plants. "And here, you can hold my bag." I shoved the vivid pink bag into his arms before flouncing into the salon.
Normally, I don't do the waxing thing. It's embarrassing and it hurts. But any attempts to shave with my left hand would likely look more like a suicide attempt than personal grooming. I got assigned to a perky little Asian woman, who looked to be my mother's age. She turned out to be a talker. There is nothing worse than having to engage in small talk while a stranger rips the hair off your crotch. After the waxing, I got a quick pedicure and a manicure on my left hand, for which they only charged me half price after hearing how I burned my right hand.
Scott still sat on the bench where I left him. He quickly offered me my Victoria's Secret bag back. We passed Auntie Anne's pretzels on the way to the exit.
"Are you hungry?" I asked him, my mouth watering from the aroma of freshly baked pretzels.
"No, thank you."
I bought a pretzel, but seeing as I only had one functional hand, I couldn't eat it and carry the Victoria's Secret bag at the same time. Okay, I probably could have hung it over the bandages on my right hand, but it was more fun to shove it back into Scott's hands. I ate the pretzel as we walked out.
Scott walked me to the SUV and eagerly handed me back my bag full of underwear. I gave him a smile. "Thanks. I'd say you passed the initiation." To be honest, he'd gotten off pretty easy, compared to some of my bodyguards in the past.
Scott's face perked up at this and he jogged back to his vehicle. I cranked the engine over on the Equinox and drove back to Rangeman, Scott tailing me the whole way.
I unlocked the door to Ranger's apartment and found him in the kitchen.
"Ella just dropped off lunch," he said.
I sniffed the air. Something smelled wonderful. I plopped the Victoria's Secret bag on the counter, slung my dress over the back of a chair, and went over to investigate. A steaming pot of chicken soup simmered on the stovetop, with half a loaf of what appeared to be freshly baked wheat bread on the counter.
"How did it go at the mall?" Ranger asked, eying the Victoria's Secret bag.
"No one tried to kidnap, rob, burn, or shoot me. So, all in all, very dull." I selected a thick slice of bread, covered it in butter and took a bite. I chewed, swallowed, then continued, "I don't know what you pay Scott, but you probably owe him a bonus or a raise."
Ranger's eyebrows rose. "What did you do to him? Am I going to have a letter of resignation in my e-mail?"
"If he resigns over a brief foray into Victoria's Secret I'm not sure he's Rangeman material."
"You didn't make him hold the bag, did you?"
I grinned innocently. "I told him he passed the Stephanie Plum initiation rite. You should probably give him his Greek letters, or whatever fraternities do after they've finished hazing new members."
Ranger shook his head, but he smiled.
We ate lunch, then began packing. Our flight left at five, and we'd need to be at Newark Liberty International Airport by three for all the pre-flight fun. I especially looked forward to all the extra security screenings a burnt and bandaged hand would surely warrant. While Ranger took the suitcases down to the car, I made sure Rex's water bottle was full.
"I'm going away for a few days, but Ella is going to come feed you every day," I told him as I dropped a few grapes into his cage. Rex gave me a brief look before stuffing every grape into his mouth and retreating into his soup can. That's why hamsters were so great.
Our flight landed at Miami International Airport a little after eight in the evening. We retrieved our bags and headed for the rental car counter. Ranger received a set of keys and we ventured outside. A wave of warm humid air hit me the moment we exited the airport doors. I could feel my hair frizzing instantly, but I didn't care. It felt so good to be out of the cold Jersey winter. Ranger led me past a string of economy sedans and family sized minivans to a row of sporty convertibles. The lights flashed on a black Ford Mustang convertible. Ranger hoisted the luggage into the tiny trunk and slid into the driver's seat. He pressed a button on the dash and the roof folded itself up, exposing us to the warm night air.
"Nice," I remarked as I buckled myself in, grinning at Ranger. He shot me a genuinely happy smile in return.
Ranger turned into the hotel parking lot at half past nine. A huge illuminated sign read Acqualine Resort and Spa, under which a waterfall cascaded into a small pool. The hotel sat on the edge of the beach, inside a towering skyscraper. Several liveried resort employees waited under a covered car park. One opened my door and offered me a gloved hand as I stepped out. Another retrieved our luggage as a valet accepted the rental car keys from Ranger.
Our room looked out toward the sea from the eighth floor. A massive king-sized bed, piled with satin pillows, dominated half the room. A sofa and curved arm chair circled a small, rectangular glass coffee table. A large, flat screen TV hung on the wall opposite the bed. At the far end of the room, a glass door with gauzy white curtains opened to a private balcony overlooking the ocean. The marble covered bathroom boasted matching his and her sinks, walk-in shower, and an oversized whirlpool bathtub.
A porter carried our luggage in and placed both suitcases by the foot of the bed. Ranger slipped him a twenty as he left.
"I like your cousin's taste in wedding venues," I quipped as I crossed the room and threw open the balcony door. A gentle sea breeze buffeted the curtains, carrying the sound of crashing waves and the tang of salty air. I stepped out onto the balcony and leaned on the railing. Below, a luxurious crystal blue pool shimmered, bathed in lights. Several people swam and enjoyed an adjoining hot tub. Beyond the pool, a manicured green lawn faded into darkness. The beach was barely visible. Every so often, I caught a quick glimpse of a white capped wave breaking in the moonlight.
I felt Ranger approach me from behind, wrapping his arms around my waist so that he was pressed against my back. He nuzzled the side of my face and kissed me gently behind my ear.
"I want to be inside you so badly," he whispered in my ear and lava shot through my body, heading south.
I could feel exactly how badly he wanted me, his erection pressing into my spine. I also caught the hesitation in his voice, the unsaid "but" that finished his thought. He wanted to be inside me, but he didn't feel strong enough yet. Heat and wetness pooled between my legs. I wanted him inside me as well.
I gently turned to face him, pulling his lips down to mine as I ran my hand through his hair.
He pulled away from the kiss. "Babe." His eyes shimmered apologetically.
I put my hands on his chest and forced him to take a few steps back. "I'm going to drive tonight," I said, forcing him back into the hotel room and closing the balcony door behind us.
His eyes grew wide and dark. I rarely took charge in the bedroom. I always played the part of a very happy passenger, letting the men in my life steer when it came to sex. It had nothing to do with being subordinate, I just liked letting them do most of the work while I reaped the rewards.
I pulled Ranger's shirt over his head and he returned the favor. With one hand, he unclasped my bra. I shrugged and it fell to the floor. He pulled me into him for a long kiss, tongue swirling against mine, coaxing forth a moan. His hands fondled both my breasts as I worked on unbuttoning his pants. It's wasn't easy to do one-handed.
After a few minutes, Ranger finally broke the kiss. With an amused half smile, he stepped in and unbuttoned his pants, pushing them and his boxers to the floor simultaneously. He did the same to my pants and panties.
I took a shaky breath and pushed Ranger gently onto the bed. He lay on his back, his eyes watching me intensely. Cripes, I hadn't felt this nervous since our first night together. It didn't help that the room light seemed blaringly bright. This would be easier in the dark, but it felt awkward to turn off the light now.
I climbed onto the bed and straddled Ranger, lowering myself gently onto him. He groaned and I stilled.
"You need to tell me if I hurt you."
"That was a good groan," he replied, pushing down on my hips with his hands, forcing himself deeper inside me.
"I'm serious," I warned.
"You could kill me right now and I wouldn't stop you." He tugged at my hips, trying to get me to raise them. I complied, sliding up a few inches then back down on him. His fingers dug into my waist. I repeated the motion, building a rhythm.
"Faster, Babe," he moaned after several minutes. I increased the tempo slightly. My body wanted to go faster still, but I tried to cling to control.
Ranger moved a hand up my back, leaving little trails of fire in his wake. He pushed against my neck, forcing me to bend so that he could kiss me roughly. It shifted the angle he entered me and I gasped. It felt good before, but this seemed exquisite.
His mouth moved from mine to my collar bone then to my breast. I groaned as I felt his teeth bite down ever so softly and pull gently against my nipple. First my left side, then my right. His hands slid down my waist and back onto my hips, telling me to quicken the pace again. I could feel myself getting close as I tried to fight the feeling, trying to make this last. But an orgasm overtook me and I cried out his name.
His hands stayed on my hips, urging me to keep going as I felt his body tense. His hands slipped away to grab fistfuls of the sheet as he groaned, his head thrown back with pleasure. His body relaxed and I slowly stilled my hips. My arms shook like jelly from the effort of holding myself over him. Carefully, I rolled off him onto my side, snuggling against him.
"We are going to do that again," he said gruffly.
"Now?" I squeaked, trying to get my heart rate to drop out of the stratosphere.
Ranger chuckled. "No, not now." He snaked an arm around me and I rested my head on his chest. I could hear his heart racing, though not nearly as fast as mine. "But definitely again."