Chapter 2: Flirting With Danger

PLAYING WITH FIRE

Stephanie was hungry, no longer for the sweet stuff, which only served as a temporary measure anyway. She was hungry for this man, this sexy hunk of a man who was hers. She was his. How did I get so lucky in the first place? As she pondered this she gave a wistful smile on a sigh.

"Babe?"

"Uh-huh?"

"I lost you there for a few. What's going through that beautiful curly head of yours?"

"Mmm. Just thinking …," and she couldn't help but sigh again. Ranger grinned. She was all discombobulated and flustered with her eyes bright, her lips kiss-swollen and her face flushed.

"So, this pressure? Why? For what purpose? I really wasn't naughty, you know. I just did what the notes said." Her eyes sparkled as she pulled the tiger's tail, looking up at him all doe-eyed and innocent, stretching her neck up to him.

"Notes? You mean, more than one? For how long?"

She was slowly turning the tables on him.

Channelling her inner Marilyn Monroe, she pouted and whispered in her best sexy husky voice, "Well, you did go away for almost a week. I missed you so much, Carlos. I really did."

Oh, man. Dios. He recognised her intentions but went along with her, enjoying this playful banter in which they had indulged a number of times.

"Yes, I did. That's one of the downfalls of being the Boss, it comes with the territory. I missed you too. But you haven't answered my question, Babe." She pouted some more with a little pitiful moan. He found her antics cute and whimsical and he held her closely.

"So, you're saying punishment is on the table tonight?" Her eyebrows rose flirtatiously, using her curly lashes to advantage. She knew she had him. Take that, Batman!

"I did say on the menu, for tonight."

But before he could elaborate, she quickly cut in, with a sigh of disappointment.

"So, you're saying, only the menu, not the table? Huh … I can think of other worthwhile surfaces …"

That was it and she knew it. With a triumphant gleam in her eyes, she had undone Batman as he grabbed her head in both hands and kissed her deeply, slanting his mouth over hers in a toe curling kiss. She smiled as he released her lips, "Gotcha, Batman. I can do pressure, too." Her full-on cheeky grin had him shaking his head and laughing.

As he brushed some wispy curls from her face, tucking them neatly behind her ears, he leaned in and whispered, "Have I told you how sexy you are? You … (kiss)… are … (kiss)… definitely … (kiss)… playing … (kiss)… with … (kiss)… fire … (kiss)… Babe."

But before he could deepen the kiss, his phone rang. He glanced at the display, his face giving little away but she recognised the miniscule Ranger barely visible frown.

"Hold that thought."

"Talk!" He listened briefly before responding tersely, "I'll call you back in five."

Standing with both arms stretched to the wall entrapping Stephanie in this space, he leaned in slowly, brushing his lips against hers lightly.

"To be continued. I'm sure there's a table with your name on it upstairs, and some other appropriate, what did you call them? Ah, yes, … worthwhile surfaces." He smiled smugly and gently took her plump lips in a lingering, searing kiss, his hands in her hair as she too grabbed his loose hair, pulling him down to her.

"So, tonight. On seven. At seven. Ella knows." He reluctantly released her lips with a chaste kiss. "I have to take this call now. I will make up for the lost time. Perhaps, that can be my punishment for being away from you this week. Now go." He patted her on the ass towards the door.

"I'm sure I can consider an appropriate punishment for you then, as well."

He made to grab her with a growl but she quickly leapt for the door with a little squeal and slid through the narrow gap to escape, leaning breathlessly against the closed door, firmly holding the doorknob to keep the tiger from escaping. Taking a deep, composing breath she made to walk to her cubbyhole in a dignified manner, adjusting her T-shirt as she went. Within five paces she bumped into a solid wall of muscle. Lester.

"Damn, Beautiful. You look sexy as hell with your hair like that. That JF look. You know, just fu-"

"Mats! 0500!" Boomed Tank's voice as he and Bobby both clipped him upside before the last word completely escaped.

"You will not disrespect Steph with remarks like that, Santos!" Bobby remonstrated.

"Oh, jeez. Sorry, Beautiful. I didn't mean it crudely. It's just. Shit." He tugged at his hair then swept his hand over his face and through his own hair unwittingly, shaking his head in self-admonishment. "(sigh) I … I was thinking out loud. I'm sorry."

Stephanie stepped up to Lester, slowly walking her fingertips up his chest, to his lips, with the other hand on her hip, conveying real Jersey attitude. Her stance alone, had all three men, and the rest of the Control Room, holding their collective breaths, waiting for the unexpected. Lester was so distracted and mesmerised by her fingers. They had already discovered that Stephanie could hold her own in a male-dominated environment and wasn't easily offended or precious but that she also had a way of giving back as much as they did in return. She took no prisoners either.

"FYI Santos. It isn't a JF look, you know. It's a JBTK look." She tapped him thrice firmly on the cheek. "Gotcha again, Santos. When will you ever learn? Tsk. Tsk. Tsk."

Lester Santos looked perplexed. Some in the Control Room looked confused and mouthed the new, unknown acronym questioningly, looking at each other for clarification. Tank and Bobby just grinned broadly, flashing their brilliant white teeth before bending over with laughter as did the remainder of the perceptive Control Room who worked it out or were in the know.

"JBTK? What the hell is that?"

"Oh, Lester. You know, JBTK … Just Been Thoroughly Kissed," she chastised him like a silly little boy, with a proud smile on her satisfied visage before strutting her way back to her cubicle. Hal high-fived her as he gave her a fresh bottle of water. She winked at him then listened smugly to the buzz of the Control Room as realisation, enlightenment and translation reverberated around her with echoes of laughter. She sat in her chair, enjoying the warm afterglow from her JBTK session with Carlos, leaning back with her eyes closed.

"He's right, you know."

"Oh my God. Carlos. I didn't hear you sneaking up." She startled as he whispered in her ear.

"Proud of you, Babe. You handled that with poise and aplomb. And for the record, your hair does look sexy as hell. I had to investigate the riot in my Control Room. I had an idea that you were involved. Remember, on seven at seven. Don't be late. There's something special for you to wear in your room. We can make it JF tonight."

"Well, I hope you make it worth it. Just once won't cut it!" she countered wittily. Ranger growled in her ear.

With a wink and a quick kiss to her temple, he disappeared into Tank's office.

"Oh, what that man does to me. How am I going to get anything done now?"

Her email pinged with an incoming message.

"My office. Now. Tank."

"What?! This feels very déjà vu. Is it Groundhog Day? But, hey. This was Tank. His agenda would definitely be different from Ranger's." She strolled confidently to his office and knocked.

He opened the door for her still with that brilliant white smile.

"You are so much fun, Little Girl. Are you okay?"

"Sure, Tank. All is fine. All in good spirit."

"Good to know. Why don't you make an early break and get ready for your date tonight?"

"Thanks, Big Guy. I'll just finalise this last search request. It's a doozy. You will like what I discovered. And then I'll go up to six for some girl time with Ella and all that."

"You know, they love you. We all do. You have a way with our Brothers and have given them, all of us in fact, a new perspective. I saw your knowing satisfied grin when the Control Room was all abuzz. You have effortlessly cast a spell over them without any deliberate intention. You have no idea the difference it has made to our lives, Little Girl. You have brought a special kind of light to our lives and I want to thank you on behalf of all the Rangemen."

If Stephanie was surprised at the quantity of words Tank spoke, she was even more surprised by his hug lifting her clear off the ground. She felt humbled by his words.

Ranger strode in and stopped in his tracks in the open doorway.

"Do I need to be concerned?" he asked in mock disbelief.

"Nah, Bro. Just telling her how it is. You know," as he set her down gently, "Cal is right on in calling you Angel. You are our Angel of Light, Little Girl."

Stephanie blushed and snuggled into Ranger's lap as he sat in the visitor's chair.

"Yep. He's right there, Babe. The atmosphere in the Control Room has a spark of energy that never existed before you were here. That spark is special. Ella noticed it first and brought it to our attention. You have made us all feel we belong, like a family."

"Wow. Yeah. Well, to tell you the truth. It's the first time that I feel like I belong. It feels right. And you are all my brothers." At this Ranger jolted but was quickly appeased with her smile. "But, not you, Carlos. You are more than a brother…" which made him grin. Tank nodded.

"Okay. I'd better get going so you can read the good stuff. Then I'll go up to six."

"The good stuff? Is there something else I need to know? I prefer actions over reading, Babe." Tank coughed. "TMI!"

As Stephanie giggled leaving Tank to elaborate, Ranger couldn't help feel the warm glow in her wake. Tonight was going to be fun.