We made it to dinner in time. I didn't put on any make up really because of my sun burn and that saved time. There was little I could do with my hair, so I didn't bother. I pulled it up still wet into a mass on top of my head. It looked good. I tugged on a little black dress and one pair of the Manolos and I felt like I could handle dinner.

Ranger looked waaaay better than I did. He put on off white linen slacks and a white linen shirt. Oh my God. I thought I was going to have to change underwear before we left the cabin. I watched him slide his bare feet into open back shoes and sighed. He looked…exotic and sexy and hot and Cuban. That last part was probably because he was born that way, the rest of it just was.

"Ready," he raised a brow.

I swallowed, "yea."

"Let's go," he said reaching out to take my hand.

We found Carol at the maître d table and identified ourselves. She smiled big and asked us follow. Ranger put his hand on the small of my back and let me follow Carol. She wove through the tables big and small to a large table near the window. There were six guys sitting there when we arrived. Two of them looked pleased to see Ranger and the other four, not so much.

"Ranger," one man grinned and held his hand out in greeting.

Ranger put his hand into the man's hand with his biggest 400 watt grin, "Stone…it's good to see you. How's the restaurant?"

"It's great. Business is booming. I was very excited when I got the invitation. I haven't even seen Tank yet. I have to tell you man, I'm more surprised that he's getting hitched than if you were. Speaking of which," he grinned at me. "I'm Mike Stone and you are…"

"Stephanie Plum," I smiled.

"Not Manoso," his brow went up. "Come sit by me beautiful. That man you're with is no good."

"Hands off," Ranger shook his fist good naturedly. He leaned over the table to shake another man's hand, "Steve…you look good. How is Janet?"

"More beautiful than the day I married her."

"I can't believe how big the kids have gotten. The pictures in your Christmas card were scary. How fucking old are we man? Won't Dylan be starting High School soon?"

"Next year," he sighed. "Thanks for bringing it up you bastard."

"Why isn't Janet here?"

"Somebody had to stay with the kids. They're not to be left alone. She does send her love."

"They are your kids," Ranger reminded him.

"Yea," he sighed.

Ranger pulled out my chair and seated me beside Mike before sinking down in the empty chair beside me.

"Ranger…I'm hurt," another man at the table sighed. "I can't believe you just pretend I'm not here?"

"How could I do that Score," Ranger said sardonically. "How have you been?"

"A Mercenary's job is never done."

"I've heard," he nodded.

"I heard you were getting out of the business," the man beside him raised a brow.

"I'm not getting out of the business Points," Ranger said coolly, "I'm out of the business. My contract with the government is no longer as call. I pick and choose. I choose to stay out of those kinds of situations."

"Man I don't blame you," Mike sighed. "If I had a girl like Stephanie at home I'd never leave the house."

Ranger grinned, "I mean it Stone…hands off. Watch him Jolt."

"You got it," Steve nodded. "Stephanie how long have you known Ranger?"

"About five years," I smiled.

"And you're still around," another man said tossing back the contents of his liquor glass. "That's got to be a new record for you Ranger."

"I'm sure it would be for you Hunter," Ranger said quietly.

The man just scowled at him.

The waiter took our orders and brought drinks. Ranger had the wine just as he had done the night before and just as I had done the night before, I limited myself to one glass.

The tension at our table could be cut by a knife. So to entertain myself I looked around the room. I recognized Vinnie and Lucille first. Then I saw some other people. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a mass of blond hair and did a double take. No way. Marilyn Dinks was on the ship.

I tugged at Ranger's sleeve and turned to follow my gaze.

"Who's she with? I can't see over Lucille's big hair," I groaned.

"Oh…Hal," he said shaking his head.

"Hal," I blinked at him, "Our Hal?"

"Yes, our Hal," he grinned. "I thought you knew about this?"

"No," I sighed.

"Oh…you work for him," Hunter grinned.

"I do now," I nodded. "I started working for him last summer."

"Oh," he blinked. "Is he an ass to work for?"

"Only if you sneak donuts into the building," I smiled. "But he's easing up on me about that."

"Stephanie," the last man shook his head, "oh…I'm Drake Hess. They call me Cable. Don't you know that refined sugar will kill you?"

"Something's got to," I shrugged.

Mike grinned and patted my hand.

"She's her own person," Ranger shrugged.

"Wow…he must really love you if he lets you get away with eating sugar," Steve grinned.

"He even brings it to me sometimes," I grinned.

"Oh wow," he blinked.

"Babe…my rep," he grinned and kissed my head.

"Right…sorry honey," I nodded with a smile.

"I have to admit I'm surprised to see some of you guys here," Ranger said casually. "I believe the last time we were all together in the same room Tank told you that he'd kill you if he ever saw you again," he raised his wine glass and sniffed. "Oh Babe…you can smell the smoke in the wine." He waved the glass under my nose.

"Hmmm," I sighed. "It smells good."

"Look," Score shrugged, "I got the invitation. I figured Tank was letting bygones be bygones if you know what I mean."

"Do you really think he would do that Score?"

"It's a free cruise man. He should have told his woman that not all his old Army buddies were friends."

"I'm sure he would have if she didn't mean to surprise him. She did put a note in your invitations telling you that it was a surprise?"

"That's what mine said," Mike shrugged.

"Me too," Steve agreed.

"Well, I try not to look a gift horse in the mouth. Things were getting hairy in Thailand. I needed to get out. This was a good chance to lay low and take the time to make some moves."

"Right," Ranger said. "Consider retirement Score. How much money do you really need?"

"All of it," he grinned. "You telling me that you're ready to retire?"

"I could retire," he nodded. "I won't retire because I'm young and I've just bought a business and I'm happy to be able to get up every day and do my thing there. I don't have to lie in mud or explain in three languages that I'm not there to hurt anyone. I like my life."

"With her in it," Drake waved his wine at me, "I'm not surprised."

"Thank you," Ranger nodded.

"So you're saying we shouldn't go to the wedding," Points grinned.

"I'd say that you should make sure that Tank doesn't know you're on the ship," Ranger said seriously. "He's going to kill you."

"He can't bring a gun on the ship," Hunter slurred.

"He can and I'm sure that he did," Ranger said seriously. "We're licensed to carry…everywhere."

"Fuck man…you must be important," Drake laughed.

"No…just trusted," he said quietly.

"You're carrying," Score blinked at him.

"What do you think," Ranger asked.

Score and Points blinked at each other.

"Babe…I think I'd like to eat in tonight? Do you think we could just…"

"Cuddle up and forget the rest of the world," I purred.

"Perfect," he smiled against my lips.

"I'd like nothing better," I sighed.

"Gentlemen," he said getting to his feet. "As scintillating as your company is, we're going to forgo the experience tonight for some one on one time. Have a good evening."

"You too," Mike frowned.

Ranger slid napkins to Mike and Steve and we left the dining room.

"What was that all about," I hissed as we left the dining room.

"Bad blood," he grimaced. "I mean seriously bad blood."

"Tank wouldn't really shoot them on his wedding cruise, would he?"

"I don't know," he said. "He might."

"You know you're going to have to feed me, right?"

"Of course Babe," he nodded.

"As long as you know," I nodded and let him lead me to our cabin.

An hour later he was on the phone with Juliet and I was eating pie. I thought it was an even trade off.

"Juliet…these guys are bad news. I want every piece of information you can find on them and it won't be easy. It will be like searching for me." He paused, "just do the best you can." He hung up the phone and sank to the couch and put his hands through his chair.

I picked up my pie and walked around to sit beside him curling my feet under me. "What happened?"

"A lot of bad shit," he sighed. "They gave away our position. They gave out information when pressured. They…turned on us. And no I can't prove it because everyone that was involved in that situation is dead now but us."

"Have a bite of pie," I encouraged. "You'll feel better."

"How in the world can pie make me feel better?"

"You haven't tried it yet," I said raising a brow.

"Fine," he opened his mouth and I shoveled a forkful into his mouth. He chewed and then just let it sit in his mouth before moaning, "oh my God. That's good pie."

"Yea," I grinned.

"Go order us a whole pie," he said.

I laughed, "You're losing it."

"Order the pie," he took the plate from me. "If you don't order the pie, you get no more pie."

"Asshole," I growled and went to the phone and ordered a whole pie.

"You won't regret it," he sighed as the last bite disappeared into his mouth.

"I'm going to hurt you," I growled and flung myself on top of him pretending to strangle him.

He laughed and rolled me under him, "you have all this pent up frustration. What are you going to do about it?"

"I was going to eat pie," I said breathlessly glaring up at him.

"Babe…a whole pie is coming. You can tamp down that sexual aggression with a couple of pounds of caramel and a drizzle of chocolate. By the time we finish the pie, you won't even know I'm in the room."

"Right," I rolled my eyes.

"You won't care," he grinned and kissed me.

"Foul," I said as soon as he lifted his head.

He grinned, "It's a small one like off sides though right? I mean it wasn't like I was sacking you or anything."

"You better not sack me," I said with a raised brow.

"I told you…not without an invitation."

There was a knock at the door and we both assumed it would be Cindy Sue with our pie.

"Come in," Ranger called.

"Shit dude," Mike laughed. "Why do you say come in when you mean get the hell out?"

"We thought you were pie," he grinned and sat up.

"I've never been accused of that before, have you Jolt?"

"Nope, that's a new one on me."

Cindy Sue stuck her head in the open door. "Here's the pie."

"Told you…pie," Ranger grinned. "Just put it on the table if you would Cindy Sue."

"That looks good," Mike groaned.

"Ranger," I whined.

"Can you get us another one," Ranger grinned at Cindy Sue.

"Sure," she laughed. "There are forks and plates in your bar."

"You're a doll Cindy Sue," I sighed and went to get the plates and utensils.

Minutes later we were all filling up on pie.

"Why did they come," Mike finally asked licking his fork.

"I don't know," Ranger sighed, "but I've had a bad feeling about this since we left port. Have you guys heard anything?"

"Nothing," Steve shook his head.

"Me either," Mike shook his head. "This is really good pie. I wonder if I can adapt this for my restaurant."

"Should be easy enough," I said absently. "I think some sweetened condensed milk and some melted milk chocolate and a graham cracker crust could do it. But you know…you could experiment with the crust. You could use a chocolate Graham cracker crust instead. And I'd top it too with maybe some whipping cream with a touch of cinnamon in it." I blushed, "I mean…if you wanted to."

"That's a good plan. Why don't you cook professionally," Mike asked.

"I just learned how to cook last year," I sighed. "I regret wasting all that time."

"I regret it too. She's an excellent cook Mike."

"I'd love to get you into my kitchen," he said seriously.

"Dude…hands off," Ranger warned.

"I mean it…my kitchen," Mike laughed.

"It'd be fun," I smiled.

"Call me when we get back to Jersey. We'll get together and cook. You can come too, mean ass," he nudged Ranger.

"You better believe I'll be there."

When they left at eleven o'clock, there was half of one pie left.

"So," Ranger asked covering the pie and putting it into our refrigerator, "did you get enough pie to calm your Ranger cravings?"

I rolled my eyes and headed for the bedroom to change for bed, "more than enough, thank you."

"Good," he said dramatically. "I would hate to wake up in the middle of the night with you crawling all over me in sexual desperation tearing at my clothes and grabbing at my dick."

"I'm sure," I called from the closet. I was giggling inside. He was getting desperate now.

"But you know…I'd just have to take it like a man," he called.

"Wow…I really appreciate that Ranger," I said pulling on my fleece pajamas. "I mean…you're certainly a team player in this venture. I had no idea just how unselfish you really are."

"I am," he said seriously.

"It sure sounds like it," I said climbing into the bed.

He came into the bedroom and sighed, "You're going to sleep?"

"Yes," I nodded and did my damnedest not to laugh out loud.

"And you're not going to attack me, are you?"

"Nope," I said serenely.

"Okay," he sighed and hurried toward the door where someone was banging.

"Ranger…boy…Jean Luc, Tank and I need a fourth for poker. You know you want to play," my father said laughing.

"Yea," Ranger sighed. "Steph…I'm going to play poker."

"Have fun honey. Good night Daddy," I grinned.

"Goodnight Pumpkin," he said as the door closed behind them.

I flicked off the lights with the remote and sank down into the bed. I'd be willing to bet that Ranger would have a hang over again the next morning. I called Cindy Sue and ordered breakfast in, but this time I told her to wait until about ten am. We had no shore excursion. He could sleep in. Then I slid down in the bed and closed my eyes. I was full of pie. I was fine.

Yea…I missed him. Are you happy now?