previously-

"I'm sorry Babe."

"Don't you do this. Tank and Lester are rearranging the Boston office as we speak and having a good time doing it!" He grinned a little.

"Ranger?""Yes Babe?"

"In case you don't know it, I love you." I kissed his hand.

"I know." His eyes were sleepy and he closed them.

I whispered, "I won't leave you."

"I know." Then he was asleep again.

Chapter 15

His nurse came in and woke him. "Mr. Manoso, I need to check your vitals and talk about pain and we'll get you bathed and ready for breakfast.

I said to her, "Do you mind if I do that for him? You could just bring me a new gown and wash bin with supplies."

She smiled and nodded and checked his vitals first then went to get me the items I needed.

I took the bin and filled it with warm water and gently washed his face and shaved him. I washed his chest and under his arms and his privates and down his legs and his beautiful feet. It wasn't sexy. He had a catheter and tubes and bandages. I washed him like you do someone you love and deeply care about. His eyes never left me as I washed every part of him.

He squeezed my hand. "Ranger, you would do the same for me. No price right?" He smiled and nodded.

I gently removed his hospital gown and replaced it and helped him brush his teeth. "Feel better?"

"Yes Babe. Thank you."

"Good. I'll get your breakfast in here and then the nurse can give you some feel good medicine."

I helped him to eat and then the guys began coming in. I left and gave them some room.

I was sitting in the waiting room when Tank came up and sat down next to me.

"Are you two done playing games?" I was sort of stunned.

"Well, I would like to be. It's not up to me Tank. He's so complicated, but I love him so much."

"I know and he loves you. That's what's so frustrating and makes us want to lock you up together and throw away the key until you hash your shit out so you can get on with your lives and be happy. You are perfect for him Bomber and you care about Rangeman and us. You're coming to work for us. We need you."

"I think I might need all of you too Tank. I've been feeling a little lost lately, like I've changed and I don't really fit where I'm at in my life right now."

"Your place is with us little girl. Lester has lined up two women for you to interview here before you leave and then when we get back you and Lula are coming to work for Rangeman. We'll take care of Vinnie."

The next morning Ranger was more awake and a little frisky with his hands. "You just want another one of those sponge baths don't you big boy?" He growled at me.

"Well, unfortunately you can't leave and you can't have any fun until you use the big boy potty."

He grumbled. "The food here sucks. It's inedible. How am I going to get back to a normal evacuation schedule on this shit?"

"Wait. Are saying that you do ah…that on a schedule?"

"Of course I do. Don't you?"

"Nooo… I go when I gotta' go. Is this a military thing?

"Yes, and it works in civilian life too. Makes you healthier and more productive."

"Jeez, you military guys are weird. They teach you how to wipe too?"

"Actually they do. A mans' pack contains one roll of paper and supplies have to last on a mission."

I screwed up my face. "Ewww. Somehow I can see Gordon scaring some poor young recruits into...when ordered, but…"

"Babe, no need to go there."

He grinned at me. "My evacuation time is at 0900."

"Gross! I so didn't need to know that."

"Yes you do because we are going to be cohabitating when I get out of here."

"What makes you so sure about that?"

"Because you said you love me. You love the good, the bad and the ugly that is me."

"That last part was so true except for the ugly part. Why don't we make that stubborn and add a few more adjectives to that list. I'll come home with you to help you recuperate. Would that make you happy?" I was trying to forgive him and love the flawed and complicated man he was and maybe accept what he could give me. He had been trying to let me know he was there for me too. We were a messed up pair.

"Yes Babe."

I kissed him. "Make friends then with the big potty so we can go home." He grinned at me.

Two days later, the doctor was signing the orders to release Ranger to Bobby's care at Rangeman. Lester was still staying behind to jerk some knots in some Boston Rangeman tails and I felt sorry for them because Lester was like Ali. He could 'float like a butterfly and sting like a lethal bee'. When he got done with them, the only ones left standing would be the real men and they would be loyal and good employees.

I packed a couple bags and Rex and moved in with Ranger to take care of him. His housekeeper Ella and I worked together to make him as happy and comfortable as possible. In less than a week he had gone from glad to be out of the hospital to a grouchy bear and now this morning he was being overly frisky.

"Ranger, your doctor said no physical activity like sex for two weeks."

He pulled the cover down and exposed himself. "How about just touching? A little kiss?"

"Jeez, your pain meds must be really good. That's very impressive Mr. Manoso. Behave." I still licked my lips a little anyway. I loved this man's perfect penis. I needed to do something to tame the beast. Then I got an idea. I covered him again and kissed him. I looked at the tent and pointed at it. "Put that down and be good in case Ella comes in. When I get back I'll deal with it." A big boyish grin spread across his face. It was not innocent. No sirree..it was youthful and naughty.

I went to my apartment and grabbed a bag of goodies I had not used yet and put it all in a plain sack and drove back to Rangeman. I walked into Ranger's bedroom and his eyebrows furrowed and he grouched, "It's about time you got back!" The grouchy Ranger was back. I just ignored him and set about getting things ready.

I pulled a 'do not disturb' sign out of my bag and hung it on the outside of the doorknob and then walked over to the bed and pulled the Pleasure Treasure's bag out of the plain sack and sat it on the bed. I began laying out my tools. "Little ring (check), warming massage oil (check), lube (check), little vibrator (check), big vibrator (check), pinwheel (check), clamps (check), soft flogger (check), ostrich feather (check), glad I thought to grab a few of these after that fight, and beads (check), one tube of 'cold as ice' (check)." Probably won't need all this, but a girl needs to be prepared. I looked at Ranger. "Okay bad boy, let's pull that sheet down, put those knees up and get to work."

"Babe?" Both eyebrows were up and he had a worried look on his face.

I whistled while I worked. Poor Ranger went from moaning to breathing hard to yelling and then came the growling and some whimpering, soft cries and maybe there was one little scream. Yikes, where did that voice come from? Back it up, back it up. Here we go, more whimpering and then another long loud yell and a big sigh and I think that's a light snore I hear now. I cleaned him up, tucked him in, cleaned my tools, packed them up and put them away and patted myself on the back for a job well done. I grabbed the sign and switched knobs and walked out and rubbed my hands together.

Tank, Lester and Bobby turned to look at me with wide eyes. Tank asked, "Fuck Bomber, Is my boy still breathin'? What did you do to him?"

"He was a little testy and a little too frisky today. I took care of it and put him to sleep."

Lester went to the door and looked in at his sleeping form and his smiling face and then he said, "Please do the same thing to me that you did to him…"

"Bobby came walking to the bedroom doorway, "Do I need to check on him?"

"Yeah, you might just give his vitals a quick check. He should be out for a while though." All three guys were standing in the doorway with raised eyebrows and half grins. That eyebrow 101 class must come right after the toilet paper lesson in basic training.

That night when I brought in Ranger's dinner tray, he was sitting up with a big smile on his face. I kissed him. "Feeling better?"

"Yes, Babe and thank you."

"Lester took one look at you and begged me to do the same thing to him." He laughed.

"Speaking of Lester, who needs one when we have you and your torture kit. We should just send you to straighten out the Boston crew and bring them to their knees."

"Yes, but my discipline came with some pleasure too. I'm pretty sure Lester just left them in pain."

"I'm pretty sure you're right Babe." I got a tray for me and sat next to him on the bed and we ate and chatted and then I cleaned up. He went right back to sleep in about hour. I pulled on one of his soft t-shirts and snuggled in next to him. Greg's tragic death was still raw for me, but it felt good to be close to Ranger again.

A couple days later, Ranger was up and doing light work in his apartment office on his computer. He was getting around fine and Ella and Bobby were taking good care of him. I went in and put my arms around his neck and gave him a hug. He squeezed my hand and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

"You are doing really good now and I'm going to go home today and leave you with Ella and Bobby."

He turned to look at me. "Please stay."

"Ranger I can't. I need some time. We both do." He took my hands.

He took my hand and led me to the living room and we sat down on the couch. "Babe, I was wrong before and I was being a coward. Everything you said back then was right on. You were already in my heart and I made a terrible mistake by letting you go. We did have a relationship already and it was a good one."

"It was good. It was almost perfect except it was temporary."

"I want more this time. I can't even describe to you what it felt like to find out that you were going to marry another man. I never want to feel that way again."

"I'm sorry. I waited for you and I made him wait for a long time and he was patient. How much more do you want?"

"I want it all. Life partner in my bed for as long as we breathe."

"Because why…?"

"Because I love you Stephanie Plum and I don't want to be without you. My heart knew that you were for me. My head was just too stupid to accept it."

"Ranger, I love you too."

"I know and I'm a lucky man."

Six months later, I was living with Ranger in a very happy partnership and working for his company full time. Lula was also a full time employee and effectively shaking up things in this previously all male company. Work was being done to convert the company to a full fledged equal opportunity work place. The men were actually happy about it. The leaders were happy, the employees liked this lighter side of Rangeman and the business was thriving with the help of two women and a feminine touch.

Ranger sent me a dozen roses one day and one of the guys brought them to my office about lunch time. A card was included asking me to dinner that night. When I walked into the apartment, there was no one there. However, soft music was playing and there was a sexy blue designer sheath dress with low back and slit up to there on the bed with Manolo Blahniks and matching clutch bag, sexy thong, thigh high hose and a little jewelry box with a sapphire and diamond bracelet. There was a note:

Babe,

Be here to pick you up at 1900 for

dinner.

Love you,

R

My man of so many words. I showered and lotioned and put on minimal makeup with pink lip gloss, and put some shine product in my curls and finger dried them. The dress fit perfect and so did the shoes. When I walked into the living room, I gasped. Ranger was wearing a slim fitting Hugo Boss suit with his hair slicked back and Ferragamo shoes and he looked like a man straight out of the 1960's era. He looked like a male model. Wow, this was my man. All six foot of brawn and latin hot. Mine...

TBC

FYI or TMI-The evacuation thing and the toilet paper lesson in military basic training is absolutely true. I had to sit through the TP lesson a couple time because my Dad never forgot that training and grouched that we always wasted too much. LOL