Here's another short story that has been sitting on my comp. This long chapter sets up the scene. Next and final chap revolves around the action.
Disclaimer: The Plum universe belongs to JE. The typos are my bad and I post as I can.
Stephanie's POV
"Hey, do you know what happened to the girl that used to stand on the second corner of Stark?" I asked Lula once I flipped through the new files Connie handed me, all of which were Vinnie regulars. This is something that has been bugging me for weeks, so I figured I'd ask if Lula knew anything. Maybe she moved on to greener pastures or pulled a Lula and got to leave the 'ho life behind once and for all. Maybe she's back on her feet and doesn't need to provide sexual services for a living. Maybe I'm just being paranoid.
Maybe...
"Whatchu mean?" Lula arched her perfectly plucked left eyebrow, giving me the once over in detail.
It took me a moment to realize that the way I count the working intersections of Stark Street aren't necessarily the same as everyone else, especially someone who used to work those streets. So, I explained clearly which corner I was talking about.
"Which one?" Lula asked me to clarify which working girl I was referring to, making Connie set her new nail polish aside. Lula's serious demeanor isn't an everyday sight, instantly making the pit in my stomach grow heavier.
"I don't know her name." I shrugged, explaining who I'm asking about by describing instead the woman's usual getup. "She typically wears a bright pink wig and has the light up heels." That's actually what caught my attention when I first saw her long ago, the glowing platforms. You could see her from a mile away, especially at night.
"Oh." Lula nodded as she snapped her fingers with recognition. "That's the White Gurl Sandy." Lula then asked why I was asking about her.
"Well, I haven't seen her on Stark for a couple weeks. I've just been wondering if she left the area or…" I shrugged, because I didn't really know why I was asking.
"You getting some favors down on Stark, White Gurl?" Lula teased, asking if neither Batman nor Officer Hottie are able to keep me satisfied.
"No." I shook my head at her joke, knowing full well it was just that: a joke. "Morelli and I called it quits months ago." I reminded the two.
And Ranger? Well, he hasn't technically made good on his promise that he'd be in my bed once it was empty. I mean, sorta. I'm still waiting on Batman to snap into action to fully declare himself as mine and I his. Sigh. We were sort of on the right track before he had to leave abruptly to go in the wind.
Anyhow, Sandy was always helpful whenever I needed some info for a skip that called Stark or its vicinity their home. Even if I never knew her name, we'd built a sort of relationship. She was always grateful for the snacks too.
"Mmm." Lula mulled over my concern, digging up her phone from her newest knock off purse. She swears it's a legit Michael Kors, but we all know she gets it from the guy who sells stuff from the back of his van. No hate to him, because his stuff are pretty good knock offs. I have a few pieces myself.
"Gurl, how you doin'?!" A shrill female shriek floated out of the also fake iPhone. Again, it works so I don't see the problem with it. At the rate I go through phones, there's been times when I've resorted to getting myself one of those cheap devices. They don't last very long, but it's better than nothing.
"Hey, Macy, gurl, how are ya?" Lula greeted, slipping into a lingo neither Connie nor I were fully able to understand.
Macy went dead silent the instant that Lula began inquiring about Sandy. The shift in the atmosphere literally had the tingling on the back of my neck going off the charts.
"Who wanna know?" Macy asked suspiciously, her tone changing considerably from the previously friendly one.
"Ma gurl, Stephanie." Lula replied, flicking a weird look my way. She too picked up on the change from Macy.
"The bounty hunter?" Macy's weary tone carried over to me, growing in volume as she asked why I wanted to know the whereabouts of Sandy.
"Hi, Macy. This is Stephanie." I said into the phone's speaker, taking over the conversation before she shut us off. I explained that I was used to seeing Sandy on a specific corner with her signature pink wig and glowing heels. I just wanted to know if she was okay, because I haven't seen her in weeks.
The silence stretched on so long that I was starting to think that Macy had hung up the call. Before I could tap the screen to illuminate it to check if the call ended, Macy spoke.
"About damn time someone starts asking the right questions around here." Macy sneered, quickly proceeding to confirm my suspicions that Sandy didn't just vacate her corner willingly.
"Gurl!" Lula screeched, getting that faraway look in her eyes that I know so well. I've been around the Merry Men long enough to know the thousand mile stare and how a shell shock or PTSD episode can unleash quickly and unexpectedly. Despite the outward persona she likes to portray, Lula's survival of Benito Ramirez and his sadistic brand of crazy left its unforgettable mark.
"How much, baby?" An unknown male voice was heard in the background before Macy gave her pricing.
"I gotta go." Macy said to us before disconnecting, most likely off to service a John. Just thinking about it makes me shudder. Eww. Macy, Sandy and all the other women working on Stark have a stomach of steel, because I could not.
Connie, Lula and I all remained rooted to our seats when the call ended. A shiver ran up the length of my spine as the feeling of dread settled low in the pit of my stomach. My Spidey Senses are going off, telling me that this is important.
After several minutes of awkward silence, I said goodbye to the girls as I stuffed the new FTA files into my shoulder bag. Despite trying to distract myself by running a few errands before I went home, it didn't work. Sandy was engrained in my mind.
The moment I got home, I busied myself by putting away the groceries I so desperately needed to restock. As I munched on a peanut butter and olive sandwich, I gave Rex the rundown. He stared at me with wide eyes as his whiskers twitched in appreciation of the goodies I dropped into his food bowl.
"Yeah." I said to Rex, determination setting in. A little background research couldn't hurt, right? It maybe be something or it may not. Regardless, I'm going to find out what happened to Sandy.
For hours, I used the various search softwares I had access to, thank you Rangeman by the way, as well several online community platform threads. Using my connections on the street, I made notes of the recurring theme that kept popping up. I gathered from my in depth research that an unidentified man with an old model white pick up truck has been roaming Stark, offering a hefty pay to select working women. No one seems to know who he is, or is able to give a clear description of him because the only women who have seen him up close haven't been seen or heard from since they got in his truck. So far, Sandy seems to have been the first, followed by Lusty Strawberry a week after. Another sex worker is potentially missing, but I don't have solid confirmation that she's really missing. It's too early to know for sure.
Reaching for my cell, I called Eddie. We got through the pleasantries pretty quickly as Eddie was fast to notice my serious tone.
"Steph…" Eddie sighed, possibly scratching his head in frustration. "No one's officially reported them missing." He said there wasn't anything he could legally do.
"Well then, I want to report Sandy missing." Before he could interject, I gave her description and when I saw her last. "After talking and digging around, I discovered that Sandy went missing the same night I saw her last, possibly minutes apart." My explanation of my research didn't seem to impress Eddie.
"Stephanie…" Eddie, being a good friend, didn't dish out the nasty condescending remark another police officer would have thrown in my face. Instead, he patiently explained that it was going to be hard for me to prove that the last time I saw Sandy was also when everyone else saw her last. "Listen, I'll see what I can do, okay?"
"Thanks." I said dejectedly, hanging up and gripping the device forcefully as an outlet for my anger.
Ugh! I hate red tape!
I tried going about my days like I normally would, tracking and catching skips. In fact, I even did a few shifts at Rangeman to help with their backlog of searches. By being in the building, I got to use way more sophisticated search engines to get more intel. Still, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't forget about Sandy because deep down I knew that she wasn't safe. Sandy had dreams, sure, wanting to have a little farm and live off the land eventually, away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Yet, sadly there is no indication that Sandy got her happily ever after in the country. No, something very bad had to happen to her to keep her from reclaiming her corner on Stark. I knew it in my bones that the whispering rumors about a potential serial killer were probably true. And of course the sick fuck is targeting vulnerable targets, women that don't technically have a voice due to their line of work.
Drained both mentally and physically, I dragged my tired self up the stairs of my apartment building. It was another heavy, long work day in a long list of many this past month. I wanted a shower, a hearty dinner and then my bed. In that order.
"Hey, Rex." I greeted in passing, telling him I was going to take a shower and then I'd be back in the kitchen to feed him and chat some more.
My shower was quick, the hot water nearly non existent this late in the day. Ugh!
Missing Ranger, I threw on one of his Rangeman T-shirts I stole from his closet long ago. It's my favorite.
"Ranger." I sighed, nostalgia hitting me full force. He's been in the wind for over two months. It's safe to say that I miss him like crazy. I may just tackle and devour him with hungry kisses when I see him again. We started by circling each other quite blatantly once Morelli and I finally called it quits for good. Joe moved on very quickly, going through several potential matches in the couple weeks it took Ranger and I to finally be on the same page. Joe eventually began a more serious relationship with a court clerk and they've been going strong since despite the Burg's pesky meddling. I've bumped into them a time or two in town. She's really nice and seems to be keeping him on a tight leash. I'm happy for them. As for Ranger and I, we started officially our Someday, taking it slow and enjoying our new us before he had to go save the world. Okay, Someday is kinda on pause until he gets back.
Wearing my nightly pajamas consisting of comfortable cotton panties, fluffy socks and one of Ranger's T-shirts, I ambled out of my bedroom and towards the kitchen. Food was my next target.
Munching on my reheated dinner, courtesy of the recipe I dared to make yesterday and didn't burn or completely ruin, my mind kept racing. My brain has been running pretty much nonstop since I confirmed that Sandy has in fact been missing.
"What do you think?" I asked Rex as I ripped the thin foil package off the pop tarts we were going to share for dessert.
Rex took the corner of pop tart I gave him, hightailing it back into his soup can. He needs his solitude to really enjoy the delicacy. Can't judge him too much, because I'm the same way when I've been really craving something.
"I don't think hiding is going to solve this grave issue." I murmured to Rex even though he was totally not listening. He's currently shaking his little booty as he munches on his treat.
Popping the last of my sweet pastry into my mouth, I migrated towards the living room, too wound up to go to bed right now so I plopped down onto my couch. Even Ghostbusters didn't soothe my nearly all consuming pent up energy. I'm literally vibrating, unable to control the insistent need to do something... anything.
Channel surfing was futile until I landed on some cringy wannabe erotic movie. The acting was horrible, but something about the male lead effectively had me immediately thinking about Ranger. He's been on my mind more and more the longer he's been away, to the point where I'm either thinking about the missing women or my Batman. There hasn't been no other real topic occupying my mind these past several weeks.
For the first time in days, I was solely invested in sexy thoughts of my Batman. Remembering our last tonight together before he had to go in the wind had me hot and bothered nearly instantaneously. The vivid memories of our intimate time together unleashed a fire in my belly, spreading rapidly and consuming me utterly completely and deliciously in a matter of nanoseconds. My body was on fire, need and want coursing through my veins as Ranger in all his mouthwatering naked glory dominated my thoughts.
"Ohhhh…" I moaned, clenching my eyes shut and drowning everything and everyone out. For the first time in weeks, nothing else mattered except this moment with my Batman. Okay, fine, my imaginary moment with Batman.
I could vividly envision all the sexy things Ranger would do using his big, strong hands. His talented tongue would join the mix once he was sure I was nice and wet for him, coaxing me higher and higher until he was ready to end the teasing torture, plunging into me with one swift stroke. Mmmm, yes!
Horny, lonely and frustrated isn't a good combo for anyone, much less for me. Trouble seems to find me regardless of what I'm doing. Not wanting to jinx myself and ruin the perfectly good fantasy I was enveloped in, I opted for a solo performance. Nothing can top a steamy time with Ranger, but I can give myself a close second.
Since I was alone in my apartment and Ranger is in the wind, I focused on delivering the same scorching caresses I needed. I slipped a hand under the waistband of my Rangeman embroidered cotton panties, allowing my fingers to inch closer and closer to my doodah.
"Mmmmm…" My loud moans tumbled past my lips freely, touching myself expertly as my excitement grew. I kept up the expert touches, knowing exactly how and where to touch myself to get closer and closer to tumbling over the edge. My thumb moved to my sensitive bundle of nerves, torturing myself by avoiding it, and gasping with pleasure as the familiar inner clenching began. I was so, so close.
"Ranger." I was working myself towards what promised to be a satisfying orgasm, the first in what feels like an eternity, concentrating on the mental images of Ranger flashing through my mind, when my cell phone rang.
"No!" I growled in annoyance at the inopportune interruption. Because of it, the delicious beginnings of the mother of all orgasms ebbed away, leaving with the almost satisfaction. Argh!
In defeat, I sat up and reached for my cell with my left hand. My dominant right hand was, uhm, a little moist from my activity.
"Hello?!" I growled, frustration turning to anger with the unresolved tension. Jeez, can't I get a solid moment in peace to have some self love? Is that too much to ask for?! Cut a girl a break. Sheesh!
"Stephanie…" Macy calling me by my name instead of referring to me as the Bombshell Bounty Hunter like most others on Stark do, had me snapping back to the present, forgetting all about my almost pleasure.
"You sure?" I asked, wanting confirmation to the horrifying news.
"Yes." The lack of slang and boisterous tone was a stark reminder of the seriousness of what's currently happening in this town. "I just seen the same white truck doing a slow lap around the block."
My heart thundered under my ribs, wondering if this is our opportunity to get answers. White Truck Guy has kept a low profile since the the last girl went missing. He's smart not rocking the boat, but he's never had to deal with someone as stubborn, nosy and tenacious as me.
S&R
Ranger's POV
My clenched jaw probably ruined my practiced blank face, but I couldn't help it.
Storming into the interrogation room, the dark, small one tucked so far down the hall that not many think it's still in use, the pressure in my chest eased minutely when my eyes landed on the woman who had her back to me.
Placing my hand over her nape, I delivered two tight squeezes. The immediate stiffening reaction dissipated the instant her vibrant blue eyes met my dark ones over her bare right shoulder.
"Babe." I murmured low enough that no one else could hear the command but her. Astutely, she kept her lips pressed tightly as she stood.
"Gracias." Babe mumbled in gratitude as I handed her the Rangeman hooded windbreaker all fleet vehicles carry in case of emergencies.
Silence reigned as I watched her shrug on the windbreaker. The jacket was too big on her, effectively covering her from her chin down to her knees, doing a phenomenal job of concealing her extremely revealing outfit.
Once again locking eyes with me, Babe remained silent. With my hand resting protectively on the small of her back, I guided her out of the interrogation room, leaving my lawyer behind to smooth everything out as if this never happened. I already spoke to the Chief to make this go away, yet it never hurts to have my attorney enforce a legal order.
My contact in the TPD created a less traveled path for us, meandering through deserted hallways at this time of night so we could emerge out to the parking lot through an unused back exit. With a curt nod, we parted ways once we stepped out into the chilly night and the door closed with a heavy thud behind us.
Because of the flamboyant heels she's wearing, Babe and I are the same height. If we were face to face rather than standing side by side, there'd be no way she could avoid staring into my eyes.
"Cuh-cupcake?" Morelli for some reason is still on the premises. Given the lipstick smeared on the collar of his cream colored button down shirt, he's likely not back here having a smoke. "What's going on?" Morelli asked, scanning Babe from head to toe, blatantly lingering on her bare legs before shooting his gaze back up to focus on her beautiful face.
Babe flashed a disgusted look at Morelli, easily picking up on his guilty demeanor. The female trying to stay hidden in the partial shadows next to Morelli's green SUV to our right cowered further back by Babe's nonverbal declaration. Thankfully it's just us four out here. Clearly, Morelli didn't think anyone was going to catch him playing hooky this late.
"Ahem." Morelli cleared his throat, quickly scrubbing his hands across his jaw. "It's not what it seems." Was his cheap excuse.
"You don't have to explain yourself to us." I bit out, not caring at all that the idiot detective can't seem to keep his shriveled salami in his pants. Really, some assholes just don't get it.
"Cupcake…" Morelli's insufferable voice faded into the background as I kept us moving towards my truck.
The drive to Haywood was done in complete silence. I'm not one to be talkative, yet typically when I've been away for a sizable period of time I'm quite eager to listen to Babe's never-ending chatter as she fills me in on everything that happened in her life while I was away. Typically, I'd sneak into her bedroom to watch her sleep if I came back in the middle of the night. On more than one occasion she groggily pulled the covers back in a silent invitation for me to join her in bed. Even if we weren't going to have sex, it always felt right to simply lay in bed and hold her close as I basked in her unique scent. In fact, I've spent every free moment in my time away thinking about Babe and all the things I'd like to be doing to and with her. Yes, there was a nearly overwhelming need to be back by her side since this time around I left with us in an official relationship, obliterating the chains holding us back for good. This time there was no uncertainty of if she'd be back with Morelli when I returned, no matter how long my mission was extended. I knew she'd be waiting because Someday was a reality we explored before my departure. Sure, we didn't get to enjoy it for very long, but the connection was made.
So imagine my shock when I'd just all about landed in Newark when I received the heads up from my TPD contact that Stephanie had been picked up by an officer in deep Stark. A quick call to the control room while I sped towards Trenton confirmed my sinking suspicion that Stephanie had gone to Stark alone, sans backup of any kind, didn't have any trackers on her nor did she have her gun. Worry merged with anger and frustration as I had to weave between unexpected traffic on I-95. Every second I was stuck behind the wheel allowed the dark thoughts I try to curb on the daily to take over, consuming my already jumbled mind. I nearly went mad with worry on the drive.
An unexpected mix of relief and anger washed over me when I finally spotted Stephanie, her back ramrod straight as she faced away from me and the interrogation room's door. In that moment I wanted to kiss her, but I also had the urge to spank her gorgeously tempting ass cheeks for doing something so reckless. Again, because it's not the first time that Stephanie puts safety on the line on her self appointed quest to help someone else. Babe's got a huge, generous and caring heart. I understand that her kindness is genuine, I do, yet it's infuriating that time and time again she puts herself last.
Perhaps she was thinking of making a run for it once I parked in the Rangeman underground garage, but I truncated that fleeting plan before it could even mold into a viable option. With my hand holding her right upper arm securely, I effectively directed Stephanie to the elevator. I didn't loosen my hold even as we made the short ride up to seven. In fact, I didn't let go until we were inside of my penthouse and I relocked the door behind us, blocking the only exit with my body.
Turns out, Babe was still going to actively try to put some distance between us as an avoidance tactic. Tough luck, Babe. Whenever she goes, I'll follow.
"Babe." I gritted out when she avoided meeting my gaze, turning around to walk deeper into the apartment, moving quickly towards the kitchen.
"Fine. Just get it over with." She muttered under her breath, shrugging out of the windbreaker and tossing it on the nearest stool.
Because neither of us turned on any lights in our wake, I couldn't see her beautiful face clearly. The dancing shadows obscured most of her face even as she shifted her weight from foot to foot, sending LED light flashes bouncing against the walls all around us. The fucking glowing shoes were a clear reminder of what she'd been doing tonight. Alone.
Stephanie is used to the berating and screaming matches. After growing up with her family, marrying Orr and then being on and off with Morelli, Stephanie is accustomed to the yelling. In fact, she's already shaking her head in the negative and crossing her arms across her abdomen in that protective posture she's adopted over the years as a form of survival. Nothing I say right now is going to infiltrate the reinforced walls she's erected as her safety mechanism. My words will literally go in through one ear and out the next. For this reason, I'm going to choose a different way of getting my point across.
Babe wasn't expecting my plan of attack, a surprise gasp slipping past her parted lips when her mostly bare back hit the wall next to the kitchen island. Stephanie was too busy shaking her head in the negative, working to actively block whatever I was about to say to register how quickly and efficiently I forced her to retreat, leaving her with nowhere to escape.
Without the restraint we valiantly tortured ourselves with in the past, my body kept hers pinned to the wall. There's nothing that can hold me back or keep from Stephanie. Not anymore.
As Babe shifted her stance once again the flickering lights in her heels gave me a minute peek of her scrunched up facial expression. On account of the fact that she's already on the defensive, words won't penetrate.
"Babe." My name for her fell from my lips and into hers as I leaned closer, effectively trapping her soft body further between the hard wall and my harder body.
I'll never be known for my words. I tend to be more effective in a hands on approach, especially where Stephanie is concerned. I've said so many idiotic phrases through the years, further driving a wedge between us. Finally, I was able to align my words with my actions so that we could both be on the same page not just about how we feel about each other, but also what we want to build together. After a lot of heartbreak and unnecessary self imposed torture, we made it to that previously elusive Someday. Based on all the obstacles we've had to overcome, I'm extremely protective of my Babe, to a fault at times.
Because my actions have always spoken louder that words, I opted to show Babe how I'm feeling, what losing her would do to me.
Cupping her face with my hands, I crashed my mouth over hers. My ardent kiss was full of raw emotion, desperation mingling with my love for her as I nearly lose my mind trying to convey how I feel right now. Need drove my movements, nearly overwhelming us both with my intensity.
Babe's arms automatically wrapped around my shoulders as she reciprocated anguish fueled kisses.
"I can't lose you, Stephanie. It would completely wreck me." I found myself murmuring against her lips when we wrenched apart to suck in lungful after lungful of much needed air. "Babe, don't leave me alone in this shitty world without you. We're finally living our Someday… don't fucking go. How can I survive such a devastating loss?" Fear replaced the anger I originally felt when I was informed of her carelessness, going undercover on Stark and posing as a sex worker. Without back up! Yes, I nearly lost my mind, worried that something horrible would happen to Stephanie before I could get to her. It was her falling into the Delaware all over again for me.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean…" Babe cut herself off, clutching my face between her hands and scoring my skin with her nails as she kissed me fiercely.
All the heightened emotions we were feeling clashed, creating an explosion and leaving the air feeling heavy. Our surroundings were thick with our raw need to be with each other. It's a vital necessity to become one, entwining not just our bodies but also our souls.
"I need you." I reinforced my love for her, kissing back just as demanding. Babe murmured back that she too loves me, hugging me tightly.
Our coupling was raw and needy, culminating in an unexpected detonation that rocked us both. Just minutes after entering the penthouse, we found ourselves clinging to each other in a tangled mess on the floor next to the kitchen island where we've shared many a meal.
"Di-did I hurt you?" My voice cracked as I feared that I was too rough during our uncontrolled moment. She's so much smaller than me that I always worry whenever our passion overtakes us suddenly, too desperate to slow down.
Reaching above our heads, I flicked the light switch to bathe us in light. Our clothes were scattered everywhere. Babe's minuscule dress was hanging over the back of one of the nearby stools while her tiny lace thong, or should I say the little remnants of it, was tangled around one of her clear heels. The glossy, bright colored wig she'd been wearing was nowhere to be seen. Oops! So I like her curly brown hair. It's not a crime.
Stephanie shook her head to assure me that she was fine even as she rolled her shoulders. Automatically, I used my hands to massage her upper back and shoulders. Scooting further up my lap, Babe wrapped her arms around my waist and rested her head on my right shoulder. Leaning back against the wall, I continued my soft caresses while I peppered kisses on the top of her head.
"I'm sorry." Babe pressed her face to the side of my neck, apologizing. "I…I…get it. I understand." Her mumbled words left the heat of her still labored breath across my neck, her lips brushing against my damp skin as she confessed that she feels the same way when I'm in danger.
"Babe." My squeeze plastered the left side of her body to my torso as I placed a kiss on her forehead. I'm glad we're on the same page, understanding that we are a team and being alone is not an option. Not anymore. We're both going to fight for as long as we have to in order to keep our unique connection intact. Before this all consuming love and lust, there was a friendship that I never want to lose.
"I was reckless, yes…." It takes a lot for Steph to admit that her impulsiveness is what sometimes lands her in the middle of dangerous, chaotic situations. See, we've both grown and matured significantly over the years. "…but there's at least four women missing. The cops don't give a fuck!" Stephanie pulled back, resting her hands on my chest to have leverage and keep herself upright in our awkward positions. She went on to give me a quick rundown of the situation, quickly filling me in.
"I believe you, Stephanie." Cupping her face in my hands, I tugged her closer for another kiss. This kiss was soft and sweet, a promise that I'll always be her partner.
"No one else seems to care that some sick asshole is out there targeting…" Babe's choked sob demonstrated how deeply she feels about this, always there to be the voice of those who don't have one, even at the cost of her own safety.
"Babe." Tucking a few curls behind her ears, I then slipped one arm across her back and the other under her thighs.
"Whe-where are we going?" Steph wiped at the moisture in her eyes, her waterproof makeup remaining intact, as I walked towards my bedroom.
"Let's get freshened up so that you can give me a full rundown of your findings." I explained as I reached the en suite, setting Babe on her feet next to the glass encased shower so that I could adjust the water to her scalding preference.
"Yeah?" Her eyes became glassy once again as she choked up with emotion.
"Babe." I nodded, hooking an arm around her neck to pull her close.
We stood wrapped in each other's arms for long moments as steam filled the shower, simply basking in each other before the ugliness of the world reared its ugliness into our lives once again.
"I've really missed you." Babe avowed as we stood under the multiple shower sprays, her fingers busy tracing the outline of my pecs.
"Babe." Kissing those luscious, tempting lips, I demonstrated how much I've missed her as well.
Our shower took longer than originally planned, engulfing ourselves in seemingly never ending kisses and touches as a way to consciously prolong our mini escape. It wasn't until after we came together for the third time since our reunion that we finally moved on to actually lathering ourselves.
"Babe." I hissed when her nimble fingers found a particular tender spot on my lower back. Because she's standing behind me, I can't see her yet I'm able to decipher her mood simply by her soft touch.
"I worry about you too." Stephanie placed a kiss between my shoulder blades as she wrapped her arms around my waist from behind, pressing herself against my back. "You have to be careful as well." Placing a kiss on my triceps, Babe loosened her hold so that I could turn around to face her.
"Babe." Holding her gaze, I assured that I was fine. "Just a scratch." The corners of my mouth tipped up even before the scrunched up look cross her pretty face.
"Mmm." With a dubious look, Babe reached around me for her special shampoo. Smiling, I too got down to business.
"Show me." I urged once we were out of the shower and dressed. Technically, we're partially dressed. I threw on a pair of sweats while Babe snatched one of my T-shirts. Why cover up more when we're going to end up naked again? We've got a lot to catch up on.
"YO!" Babe grumbled when she felt the whoosh of air announcing the impending smack my hand will deliver to her tempting bare ass cheeks as she exited out of the walk in closet before me.
"Babe." Flashing her a pointed look, I conveyed that she wasn't fully off the hook. Stephanie's not getting out of the punishment she deserves for her little stunt tonight.
"Nah, you already spanked me. Hard. See!" She stopped walking, halting her movements abruptly as she lifted the oversized T-shirt to show me the reddened skin.
"Doesn't count." My grin was wide as I pointed out that her fair skin is very delicate. The red handprint on her ass looks worse than the smack I delivered and she's very much trying to use that to her advantage, the little cheat.
"Damn, Batman." Stephanie muttered under her breath that she can't get away with nothin' when I'm around.
"Babe." Hooking an arm around her neck, I pressed her to my right side so we could walk the rest of the way to my home office in close proximity.
"Fine." Babe sighed dramatically, unable to hide her smile. "I'm really glad you're back, Carlos." She confessed. sobering up as we reached my desk, her blue eyes sparkling with emotion.
"I'm glad to be back here with you, Stephanie." Kissing her lips, I gave her ass another small smack to get a move on it. We have a sick monster to get off the streets.
