I lose track of Natasha when I change my contact information to go on covert missions. She must have changed hers to accommodate her lifestyle, too. I assume our paths will cross again. We have a connection, which was evident when we met. It's a shame we couldn't risk our covers by reaching out to have a drink.
The military hires me to assist with an apprehension. Clint Barton meets with me at the local bar. He buys me a drink, and I sense someone sneaking behind me. I turn before the woman can hold a knife to my throat. "Natasha?" I ask, surprised to see the gorgeous redhead at the bar.
"Hey, Steph. I see you still have impeccable reflexes. It's been a few years," she teases, sitting on the stool beside mine. Clint laughs and slaps his thigh in amusement. "What's up, Barton?"
Natasha's eyes dance in amusement at Clint's reaction. "I never realized you two met before now. Stephanie is Bomba," Clint explains. Natasha's lip twitches before she grins.
"You're the one getting kicks out of making things explode?" she teases. I glare at Clint. He looks at me sheepishly before grinning. "Have you briefed her?" Natasha asks Clint.
He speaks Russian to explain the case. I agree to assist with distracting a man they believed to work for Hydra, a group set on ruling the world with super soldiers like James Buchanan Barnes.
We leave that night to carry through our plan. It takes me less than ten minutes to bring the man to Hawkeye and the Black Widow. They take him away for lockup and interrogation. I'm paid handsomely for my role in the man's capture.
Rick and I never cross paths after our first deployment. I'm sad when we don't run into each other on or off base. It seems he gets deployed whenever I'm home. I decided to continue my employment with the Army, assisting wherever my skills are needed.
Another organization attempts to recruit me through my close friend, Natasha Romanoff. I listen to her spiel and learn everything I can about how SHIELD operates. Natasha started working for SHIELD after they sent their best recruit, Clint Barton, whose code name is Hawkeye, to kill her. He didn't want to kill his friend.
She remembered everything I told her about choosing her path and decided to explain she was hunting the Winter Soldier, a man working for Hydra. According to SHIELD, Hawkeye and Natasha became friends as they fought together to end Hydra's influence in Budapest. I'm not about to tell them differently.
Nick Fury, SHIELD's director, wanted me to use my abilities to take out the evil men in the world. He has to follow the council's guidelines, which oddly reminds me of the Red Room and the Black Widows, which is how Natasha described her experience. I can't entirely agree with the premise of the organization. Joining them meant divulging every intimate detail of my life. Keeping all that intel with one company felt wrong.
Instead, I join Stark Industries, working in the security sector for his company. When the Army needs me, I can complete my mission while maintaining my position at work. I met Tony's assistant, Pepper Potts. The woman is secretly in love with Tony Stark. He's too preoccupied in his philandering to notice.
Pepper Potts and I become close friends. She's adept at her job to keep Tony Stark on schedule as his personal assistant. I work with her at times to manage the other aspects of her job by keeping the female Mrs. Stark wannabes away from the building.
Tony and Pepper are clueless at times. I can see they are developing feelings for each other, but are too afraid to act on them, fearing the other will not accept them. Watching them skirt their feelings makes me miss Rick.
I decide it's time to find Rick. Dad tells me he's in Miami, visiting with his grandma before leaving for Rangers training. I'm happy for Rick. Becoming a Ranger is hard work. He's obviously wanting a career in the Army. I will support his decision. However, I want to see him before he's gone for training.
Hoping for the best, I call Bobby's number and pray it's still active after learning Lester Santos and Pierre Sherman changed their numbers. "Hello," Bobby answers.
"Hi, it's Steph. Do you remember me?" I ask, praying he recalls our time in boot camp.
"Of course I remember you, Bomba," Bobby laughs. "What's up?"
"I tried to call the others, but their numbers have changed. It seems Rick has a new number, too," I reply, feeling oddly nervous about our conversation.
"That's why I kept my number active," Bobby announces. "The others kept getting hounded by unwanted female attention." My heart sinks, thinking Rick found someone else after making me promise to wait for him.
"Oh. Is Rick dating?" I ask.
Bobby sighs, "No, Bomber. He's waiting for you." I feel a sense of relief until he says, "One woman, Rachel Smith, is adamant in trying to get Rick into her bed. He avoids her whenever he's in Miami. Steph, they have known each other since he moved to Miami."
"Has he ever dated her?" I ask. My heart races as I pray he isn't leading the woman on with false promises of a someday.
"Never," Bobby says. "She wants to marry a soldier to take advantage of his medical coverage while fucking every man while he's away."
"Oh. She's one of those women," I giggle. I've met my share of military groupies. The women often became desperate and threw themselves at unsuspecting, horny men. It's always worse once the men come home from an overseas instalment.
"What are you doing these days?" Bobby asks. "I heard you turned down SHIELD and the unmentionables crusade."
"You seem well informed. I have to abide by the unmentionable council's laws and not use my skills unless I'm apprehending a criminal or protecting myself and civilians from harm," I reply.
"And SHIELD?" Bobby asks.
"I don't agree with their mission statement or ideals," I answer. "I'll be working for Stark Industries for the next few years."
Bobby laughs for several minutes. He calms down to ask, "Why are you calling?"
"I'm in Miami for the weekend. Would you and the others like to meet in Little Havana at the club?" I reply.
"You bet your sweet ass we do. I'll call the others and forward a list of their phone numbers. I look forward to seeing you on Saturday night. Be there at 2100 hours. Bye," Bobby answers and hangs up. I shake my head and continue cleaning my apartment.
My phone chimes within five minutes. I have Rick's phone number and those of the other men. Bobby asks if he can share my number with the others. I give him permission.
I'm cleaning my bathroom when my phone rings. "Hello," I answer, placing the call on speakerphone.
"Hi," Rick answers. His voice is deeper and sexier than I recall and resonates deep in my core. "Will I see you on Saturday?"
"Yes," I breathily reply, making him chuckle.
"I've been waiting for you."
"Me too," I confess. "Why haven't we seen each other since I left Afghanistan?"
"My CO explained the Department of Defence wanted to keep the enhanced soldiers segregated from the regular ones. He said it was for our protection," Rick replies. "There could be another reason, but I wouldn't know what that could be."
"Maybe I should ask my dad. He might provide me with more details," I offer.
Rick chuckles, "General Plum is my CO."
"Oh," I reply. It seems Dad is keeping me away from Rick. What does he want from me? I hope this isn't Dad's way of getting me to return to the military full-time. He needs my skills, as does every other organization. It's my life, and I must be comfortable with my chosen path.
I work with Harold Hogan, known as Happy, as Tony Stark's personal bodyguard. We are only on duty if he isn't with Stane and his guards. Pepper Potts and I have an arrangement where I accompany Tony on his trips to keep the vipers away from him and his money. It's a trying task, primarily when Tony uses his creations to slip away under our noses.
Happy and I meet Tony at the hangar concealing his private jet. We cleared the plane when Tony arrived with the other bodyguards and Obadiah Stane. Something about Obadiah sets off my spidey sense. Happy raises a brow, but I shake my head, silently telling him not to draw attention to my reaction to the man.
I accompanied Tony to his presentation on the newest technology developed by Stark Industries. Obadiah is on his phone, talking to someone. The vein in his neck is pulsing rapidly, indicating he's losing his patience. I motion to Happy to keep an eye on Obadiah. Unfortunately, Obadiah ends the call and returns to the stage. He stands beside Tony, claps him on the shoulder and whispers in his ear before dismissing him. It's too noisy for me to catch the conversation.
Tony goes to the bar to grab a drink. A blond woman approaches him. He quickly exited and texted me that he had to leave immediately. Tony speeds away in his car before I can stop him from leaving the conference.
Pepper Potts arrives within minutes. She tells me it's okay to leave since my charge has left the building. I ask her to call me if anything happens.
I found a McDonald's bag on my nightstand when I got to my hotel room. Inside the takeaway bag, I see two cheeseburgers, an extra large order of fries, a cola and two apple pies. It reminds me of the meals Rick sent me during college.
Smiling, I text Rick, thanking him for the food. He replies with, "De nada."
I dial his number to speak to him while eating the greasy fast food. "How did you know where I was?"
Chuckling, Rick replies, "I was watching the conference on television and noticed you left. Stark Industries always reserves the top two floors of the Mandarin Oriental. It didn't take much convincing the front desk to give me your room number to deliver the food. One of the security guys took the food to your room. He wouldn't let me deliver it."
"Stark Industries' security protocol," I say, giggling. "Mmm. It's been a while since you sent me McDonald's."
"We've been out of touch," Rick teases. We talked for a few more minutes before I yawned too much to continue our conversation. He wishes me pleasant dreams and ends the call.
I dream about Rick as I remember him from our last encounter. His gorgeous face often lingered in my mind. It's a shame we haven't got together before now.
Saturday drags until it's time to leave for the club in Little Havana. I take a cab to the nightclub, hoping I can catch a ride back to the hotel with one of the guys. I'm excited to see Rick again.
I find him at the bar. A beautiful, busty blond has her arm around his neck. She's kissing him, and he seems to enjoy her company. He looks at me and winks before removing her arm from his neck. "Not now or ever, Rachel," he barks.
Rachel glares at me. She leaves in a huff as I sit on the barstool Rick vacates. I accepted the drink and guzzled it before going to the dance floor. Rick and I dance a few songs. I'm horny and need some relief. My bladder screams for release, and I excuse myself from him to use the washroom.
A few women enter after me. I see Rachel's blond hair through the crack in the door. She applies her lipstick and tells the brunette about having sex with Rick. I listen as she goes into detail about his chest and perfect skin. It doesn't bother me until she mentions the birthmark he has on his left testicle. How does she know about it? I only know because of his medical report for the Army. They have every tattoo, scar and birthmark recorded in their files. Rick has a birthmark shaped like a crescent moon on the underside of his left testicle. Rachel spent time describing it to her friend.
I leave the toilet stall and politely smile at Rachel as I wash my hands. I'm not wasting my time arguing with a liar. My spidey sense tingles, indicating something is wrong. I have to find Tony. Before leaving the nightclub, I locate Rick and tell him I must go. He kisses me and accompanies me to my hotel. After I booked a flight back to New York, which leaves in five hours, Rick and I spent time between the sheets. He's a thorough lover.
"Stephanie, Babe," he moans as he climaxes.
"Rick," I cry, shaking uncontrollably from the orgasm ripping through my body.
"Babe, please call me Carlos," he whispers between kisses as I attempt to catch my breath.
"Are you changing your name?" I tease.
"It's my middle name. Only my immediate family calls me Carlos. I want you to have the same rights as I allow them," he replies. I kiss his chest and climb from the bed. "Babe, where are you going?"
"I need to shower," I reply. Carlos grins and follows me to the washroom. We share a sexy shower before it's time for me to catch my flight.
Carlos is quiet as he drives me to the airport. He smiles when we arrive. A man approaches us. I look at Carlos in wonder. "I'm coming with you," he whispers.
"Why? Don't you report for duty in a few days?" I ask.
"Yes, but we have unfinished business," he growls. His eyes scorch my flesh. I'm feeling wonderful things in my body parts that he thoroughly loved in my hotel room. I want to strip him bare and ride him right here, right now.
The unfinished business left me tongue tied and happier than I have ever been in my life. Carlos is unbelievably romantic. We catch our flight, which someone, I suspect Pepper Potts, changed to a chartered flight. Carlos and I took advantage of joining the mile high club.
A limousine is waiting for us when we arrive in New York. Happy exits the driver's seat to open the back door. I find Pepper sitting inside, wearing the largest grin I have ever seen. She hugs me and shakes Carlos's hand.