Chapter 6

Stephanie's POV

The fact that Lester stopped me from making a mistake that could change us says a lot about his character and his friendship. He's not the person that he leads most people to believe he is. He's a good man and I love him a lot. He's been respectful and tender and caring through this whole…what?

What is this game we have been playing? Why has he invested so much of his time in me and the game with little satisfaction for himself? Ranger holds a special place in my heart. He might be Batman, but I'm just a woman. Waiting for him to decide if he wants to let me in is wrecking my life and my well-being. I'm just going to end up alone if I don't go on with my life. I have a lot to think about.

I rolled over in my empty bed and closed my eyes.

I opened my eyes to the phone ringing. It was Saturday and I snatched my phone off the nightstand.

"Lo?"

"Sorry if I woke you Stephanie. It's Brian."

"Hey Brian. What's up?"

"I was wondering if you'd like to jump with me today and have a picnic afterward."

"Hell yeah I would! That was one of most fantastic things I have ever done. I have been a little bit of an adrenaline junky lately. It'll fill that need you know. Sugar usually helps to tame the beast but not lately." He chuckled.

"How about say 1100 hours?"

"Jeez, I'm already on Lester time, Tank time and Ranger time. Now I have to be on Brian time too?"

"Stephanie, did you say Ranger? As in Manoso?"

"Yep, that's the one. Why? You know him?"

"That I do. Damn it's a small world. Met him on a mission a long way from home. I know Tank too."

"Brian? Did you save them on a mission?"

"It's classified, Precious."

"Oh. Well I understand."

"We'll chat later. Meet me at the airport. We'll have a fun day."

"Kay Brian; bye."

I hopped out of bed and fed Rex and made coffee. "Well Rex, this is now very interesting." He backed his little butt out of the soup can and waggled his whiskers at me. "I know buddy. What a conundrum."

I showered and dressed and headed to the airport to meet Brian. I couldn't wait to feel the wind in my hair and the feeling of flying. That is, without the stress of impending doom that Lester had put on me the last time.

Brian was waiting on me outside the hangar grinning. He was more handsome every time I saw him. He put his arm around me. "Let's get you rigged sweet girl."

In a few minutes he had me in a jumpsuit with gear and ready to go. He took my hand and led me to the plane. After the plane took off we put our helmets on and he strapped me to him.

The pilot signaled that we were at the right altitude and Brian grinned at me. "Ready to fly?"

"Oh God yes! Let's fly!" He laughed. He opened the door and gently pushed me and we were out and away free falling. The first almost heart stopping punch of adrenaline when you first step into nothing but thin air is like nothing you could ever imagine. Then the free falling. I spread my arms out. I really am Wonder Woman for just these few minutes.

He encouraged me. "Yell, scream, go for it Precious!"

"Woohoo! I really am Wonder Woman. Take that Batman! Look at me flying. Look at me Mom and Joe. You said I could never fly. I am fucking flying!

Then Brian pulled the chute and we flew upwards for a few seconds before slowly starting toward the ground again. We were laughing and Brian was pointing to a spot on the ground. When we got closer I could see there was a blanket and a picnic basket on ground.

I looked back at him. "You're kidding me Brian?" In a couple of minutes we softly landed about ten feet from the blanket.

He was grinning. "Chicks like this. It's really impressive huh?"

I started giggling. "Yes Brian, It's way impressive."

He unbuckled us and we sat on the blanket. About that time one of my beasts woke up and my stomach grumbled loudly.

He looked at me trying to keep from laughing. "Well, I guess we made it in the nick of time."

"Brian, please don't tell me you eat twigs and berries and bean sprouts and Tofutti like Ranger or my beast will bite you." He barked with laughter.

He opened the basket and I looked in and was pleased, very pleased. I looked at him. "Italian subs and cannoli? Brian, I love you." I reached in and grabbed an Italian sub and went to work on it. He gave me a wicked grin.

Half way through my licking and sucking on my second cannoli Brian cleared his throat. "What?" "You're killing me Precious. Nobody eats like you do and no woman eats the amount you do.

Where the hell does that food go? Shit, I could watch you eat for the rest of your life and not get tired of it."

I was a little embarrassed. "I'm sorry Brian. People that know me are used to it. I tend to forget that I have this effect on new people I meet."

He beamed. "It's not bad. It's just kind of really special."

"Really?" "Yeah, really."

"Tell me about how you met Ranger," he asked.

I sighed. I told him about the story of my lingerie buying job and loss and my blackmailing Vinnie the perv to give me a job as a bounty hunter. I told him Vinnie's secretary had mercy on me and called Ranger to mentor me. He smiled.

"I don't know why he stayed my friend Brian. All I did was screw up and call him for help. I have blown up so many of his cars and hurt so many of his men that he calls me a line item in his entertainment budget." He was grinning widely now.

"Stephanie, I know why he wanted you close to him. You're the light that balances his darkness. War leaves us with extreme darkness and it's not easy for some of us to land safely back on our feet. War is literally hell on earth. Some of us never will make it back home even though we breathe."

"Oh Brian. Your brother-in-law. I'm so sorry."

"No I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you sad. This is supposed to be a date and I should be charming, not morbid." He kissed my cheek and then gently kissed my lips.

"Okay Bombshell let's go."

"What? How did you know?"

"Trenton newspaper. I looked you up on the internet. It was easy."

I groaned. "Does it matter if I say I hate that name and being a publicly humiliated figure? They never say what I did right. Always what I did wrong."

"It does matter to me," Brian said with a quiet tenderness.

I looked at him. "What was your call sign anyway?"

"I was known as 'Liberator'."

"Come on Mr. Liberator. I bet Tank would be really happy to see you." We packed up our picnic basket and blanket and I took his hand and we walked back to the hangar.

I was going to drive us in the Porsche and Brian whistled when we got close. "Oh, not mine. It belongs to Ranger. Mine went to car heaven a while back. I should have already replaced it. It's just that driving this car makes me feel close to Ranger and he's been gone for a while. I always miss him when he's gone."

"Do you mind me asking about your relationship with him?"

"Definitely complicated Brian. His life doesn't lend itself to relationships. But he has been my best friend and my mentor for a long time now. I trust him more than anyone and I care about him. He is just always there for me."

"What about Lester?" he asked.

"Oh, I was afraid you were going to ask that one. That's complicated too. He is my friend and I care about him too. I can't lie to you because I know what you saw that day. We have had a semi-sexual relationship for a little while now."

"Define semi-sexual. You gave me that much information. So, now I'm intrigued. I was more turned on than pissed that day. You were the most beautiful thing I've seen in the air that way. Passion and excitement in your face. Damn, I'll never forget it," he said. I sighed.

"I'm not saying it wasn't good but I didn't plan that and I'm mostly embarrassed. Let's just say I have a need and Lester is filling that need right now. However, we don't take it further than second base. Get my meaning?"

"What a guy." I couldn't really tell if that was sarcasm or not.

"Brian, I trust Lester with my life. I have real love for all of my guys. I would lay down my life for them just as they have saved mine. I feel no shame about the comfort Lester and I have given each other." He nodded.

I key fobbed the gate and pulled into the parking space. Then I called Tank's number. "Yo."

"Yo to you. I have a visitor I wanted to bring up."

"The visitor?"

"Goes by 'Liberator'."

"No shit?"

"No shit. Permission to come up?"

"Come." He disconnected.

"Damn these guys' phone manners", I mumbled. Brian chuckled.

We got in the elevator and I punched level five. When the doors opened about ten guys in black were standing there. I was thrown back by the huge grin that Tank sported on his face. It was blinding. I had never seen Tank smile like that.

Tank didn't even speak. Not a big surprise there. He just threw out his hand and then they hugged. They kept slapping each other on the back and then Bobby threw himself in and the hugging and slapping began again. Tank finally said, "We never know what little sister here is going to drag in. How the fuck are you man? You look good."

"Your little sister dragged my ass off to jail a few days ago. That's how we met."

"You were one of her skips? Tank and Bobby both bent over laughing." I looked past them to see Lester leaning up against the wall with a shit eating grin on his face.

Bobby said, "We should call and reserve our table at Maxim and a bunch of us go out tonight. We can tell some lies and catch up and I can show off my moves."

Tank said, "If your moves were that good Brown, Liberator here wouldn't have had to save your sorry ass. Make the call Bob. We gonna' have some fun tonight. Everyone not on duty can come and bring your girls." The room erupted in whistles and high fives.

I rolled my eyes. "We need to go before I get singed by the high level of excited testosterone in this room." Brian chuckled.

"How about meeting at the club at about 2000 hours Bomber?"

I rolled my eyes again. "You got it boss." "Smartass," he grinned.

We got in the car and I looked at Brian. He had a huge grin on his face. "What?"

"I didn't really understand your words until I saw you with those guys. They are all in love with you. You can see it in their eyes."

"They are my guys Brian. My ex-boyfriend never understood. He called them thugs and it was a constant point of contention. I refused to give in to his demands that I stay away from them and Ranger. They are heroes and have given up a lot for people that don't even know what they have given. People look at them and judge them. I look at them and see beautiful men with loving caring hearts."

He smiled at me. "You're a special woman Stephanie Plum. Ranger is a fucking idiot to not snatch you up and make you his.

Are you going to wear something sexy tonight? I can't wait to see your sexy legs on the dance floor."

I grinned. "I might be able to find some old thing to throw on."

TBC