Page 49 of Ranger's Rise

At least she’s laughing. She finishes eating telling me all about what sounds like Gilligan’s island. I nod and smile, thinking it must have been some good hash Moonlight and Marley were smoking. Finally, she’s done and wanting to go meditate over leaving. I hope the universe gets rid of her stress tonight. She’s done everything just looking for happiness. I think she really misses Moonlight and Marley and this will be good for her. People avoid her and that will only get more noticeable over time. She deserves happy too. A home with likeminded people would be the kind of place that she’d find that happiness.

I hug her before she leaves and tell her I love her no matter where in the universe she is. She cries all the way to her car then yells about a crystal she left me. I wave with a smile. Another crystal. Cool.

I check my phone, but Ranger hasn’t texted. Cleaning the kitchen, I think about Victory leaving. I’ll miss her, but I want her happy. I am. Smiling, I fall onto the couch. I hope she finds a man and gets to feel this. I should have asked if they were nudist. Shaking my head, I yawn then laugh. I don’t want to know. Closing my eyes, I think about the man I like seeing naked.

~*~*~

Ranger

Freedom didn’t text me back. I knock on her door and wait. When she opens it, she sways and I pick her up. “You’re wiped.”

“Yeah.”

Closing the door, I turn and carry her upstairs. She’s sleeping before I make it to the bedroom. She's exhausted. She sits so I can get her undressed then falls back making me smile. Fixing her on the bed, I kiss her head and tell her I’ll be right back.

Running home, I get my gear bag and an extra uniform. I lock her door and run up the stairs. She hasn’t moved. I undress and wrap myself around her. Home. I’ll have to talk about claiming her tomorrow. I smile.

Today was so fucking long. It had some really good parts and some bad, but the As loved the ride and market. They bought chips and hot chocolate. I found their choices funny, but they were so taken with all the food, I bet they couldn’t focus. We walked up and down every aisle. They were cute.They all loved the balloons and Freedom. I do too so it made me happy when Web said it.

Cort and VP are crazy with the new expansion plans. These are smart Brothers. They have a place for a Club already decided on and plan on Falcon running it. Cort is like Tito with his plans for the future. You can feel his words. I didn’t say a word but felt everything he said as if Tito were agreeing that it is a good path to take. Everything about being here fits. Including the unconscious woman in my arms.

I yawn. I need to work out tomorrow or I’m never going to make it to see the chopper Flight School, new compound or town with a school for Brothers’ kids. Cort is exhausting. I wonder how Seren keeps up. Yawning again, I kiss my girl’s head and her arm squeezes mine for a second.

“Ranger,” she whispers.

I feel myself falling deeper and close my eyes with a smile.