A/N: This story is meant to be a sequel to Lingerie, but it is not necessary to have read Lingerie before starting on this story. As always I make the disclaimer: I use these characters for fun and not profit. I will post in two chapter segments and I will respond to all reviews, hopefully in a timely manner. I want to thank jago-ji and latetolove for their support, guidance and corrections of my ridiculous mistakes…they didn't edit this author's note as you, the reader, can probably tell!

Part One: Bunch-a-Bunch of Burnin' Love

Chapter 1

I stared at the bottle of beer with increasing irritation. Tiny rivulets of condensation dripped down the long neck and over the label to puddle on the table. Tank's large square-tipped fingers wrapped around the brown bottle and brought it to his lips. His Adam's apple bobbed as he downed half the contents in one huge, thirsty gulp.

I was pregnant and very happy about it, but I missed the occasional bottle of beer. I missed the daily donut, or three, and I missed Tastykakes. The sacrifice I was making was worth it. I had changed my eating habits and was consuming a mostly healthy diet, free from sugar, caffeine and alcohol. My body was a temple. I was channeling Ranger. I just thought other people could be a little more considerate.

I looked over at Lula, my friend and former wheelman, gnawing on a fried chicken drumstick. Ranger sat next to me eating a broiled chicken breast identical to the one on my plate. He drank water and I drank milk. I was more than four months pregnant, so I just had to stick to these healthy eating habits for another few months. I was irritated, partly with the knowledge I'd give up a week's worth of broiled chicken for just one bite of fried chicken, or one swallow of beer.

The rest of the irritation came from my mother's constant warnings that pregnancy would derail my inherited Hungarian metabolism that allowed me to eat donuts and fried chicken and not gain weight. My real fear was after the baby was born I'd be on a junk-food-free diet forever, or I'd never get back into my favorite jeans.

I sighed with the realization that impending parenthood had already started changing my life. My diet wasn't the only thing that had changed. My occupation had also been modified due to my pregnancy. I was no longer employed by Vincent Plum Bail Bonds as a BEA. I did a little work for RangeMan and I was pursuing my own business venture. Stephanie Plum, BEA, was part of my past and Stephanie Mañoso, successful business woman and mother, was my future. Life was good, but in a weird state of stasis and change all at the same time.

I found myself thinking after the baby was born, I'd make a change in my diet; after the baby was born, I'd drink a beer. Many parts of my life seemed to be on hold 'til after the baby was born. Other parts were changing so rapidly I could barely keep up.

"Babe." I looked up to see three pairs of eyes on me.

"Where are you at?" Lula asked. "You looked like you was a million miles away. Didn't you hear us talking to you?"

I shook my head. "No, I'm sorry. I didn't hear you. I've been a little preoccupied, thinking about finding a space for the store." It was a plausible excuse. I didn't want Ranger to think I was resenting the pregnancy, because I wasn't. I was resenting all the changes I'd had to make, while he'd made none. I drained my glass of milk and forced my thoughts back to the present.

"Well, what I said, is we got to go to the ladies' room, right now!" Lula rolled her eyes toward the back of the restaurant. "Move your ass, Ranger, and let Stephanie up." Ranger's eyes widened, but he was silent as he stood to let me slide out of the booth. Lula grabbed my hand and led me at a slow trot to the restroom at the back of the restaurant.

"What is going on?" I asked her. "You're acting like a nut."

"I saw Joyce Barnhardt," she said. "She's here spying on you. She was wearing a trench coat and she had the collar turned up to hide her face. Just like in a James Bond movie. She was lookin' straight at you. She had her hair pulled up under a black hat, but I saw a strand of the red and there's no mistakin' that Lady Clairol copperhead, number 86. It's the exact color of that strand of red hair hanging off Ranger's shirt."

"What? That's crazy," I said. "I haven't seen Joyce since she got arrested for shooting at us. What would she be doing here? And why would her hair be on Ranger's shirt?"

"I surely don't know," Lula said. "But when I started staring back at her she ran down this hallway. She's hiding in the ladies' room and we're gonna go in and find out what's going on." Lula's hand shoved the door open and we walked inside. The stretch denim of her jeans was working at maximum capacity as she bent in half to look under the stalls.

"Hunh," she said, "All empty. She straightened up and pushed each door open to make sure the stalls were really empty. No Joyce. "How'd she get outta here?"

"It probably wasn't Joyce," I said. "She's not the only woman in Trenton with red hair. It must be someone who works in the kitchen. Come on. Let's get back to the table." We walked back to find our plates had been removed and the men were ready to leave.

"Well, I got to get back to work," Lula said. "Connie hardly ever calls in sick, so I'm not used to being in charge. You want to come back to the bonds office and keep me company this afternoon, Stephanie?"

I looked at Ranger. "You didn't have anything for me at RangeMan today, did you?"

"No, not today. Tomorrow I was hoping you'd ride with Howdy. He's got a couple of skips he's going after in the Burg. I thought you could be of help to him, with one in particular."

"I can do that," I said. The idea of spending the day informing Howdy about all the whys and wherefores of the Burg would be fun. And spending the afternoon with Lula would be fun, too. We missed working with one another, although, if I actually got the lingerie shop up and going, she insisted she'd be my right-hand woman.

Our lunch date had been impromptu. Lula and I were originally planning on eating with Connie. When she'd cancelled due to not feeling well, Tank and Ranger joined us. As the four of us walked from the restaurant, Ranger pulled me close to his side. My hand ran up his sleeve and I found the red hair. I sighed as I plucked it from his shirt. It wasn't Joyce Barnhart hair. "Spend some time with Howdy this morning?" I asked, my smile widening at his answering nod. Howdy was the newest addition to the RangeMan staff. His red corkscrew curls had earned him his nick-name, and he took the mild mannered teasing from the other merry men with a good nature.

"Your day is open today, so go have fun with Lula, but I do have plans for the evening," he said softly. "I'll swing by and pick you up about closing time. Or call me sooner if you want to leave. If I'm not available, someone will be by to get you."

"Okay," I said. "I thought we'd just stay in and have an early night."

"That's exactly what I'd planned," he said twisting my shoulders so we stood face to face. He lowered his head to mine and gave me a leisurely kiss. "Is it a date?"

I smiled up at him, but my response was interrupted by the sound of a loud horn. I looked to see Lula in her Firebird, one hand motioning me to come and the other impatiently blowing her horn. I sashayed over to the Firebird and slipped in buckling the belt beneath my growing belly.

We arrived at the bonds office to find it open and Connie sitting behind her desk. One hand was resting on the keyboard, the other idly moving the mouse back and forth. Her gaze was unfocused, her eyes casually scanning images on her monitor.

"Hey," Lula said. "I thought you were sick."

Connie's head turned toward us and I saw her pull her mind back from wherever she'd been.

"I'm feeling better now. I was just a little wobbly this morning. I couldn't seem to get my legs under me. I slept for a couple of hours and I felt good enough to come in. Vinnie is out of town until tomorrow, so I'm the only one who can write a bond, if need be."

I looked carefully at Connie as I plopped my ass down on the sofa. I knew exactly what it meant to feel wobbly in the morning, although my morning symptoms were decreasing now that I was well into my second trimester. "What kind of sick are you?" I asked. I knew things were hot and heavy with her and Bunchy.

She looked across the desk and smiled at me. "It's not morning sickness, if that's what you're thinking. I'm not pregnant. Bert can't have kids. I'm happy for you and Ranger, but no way would I want to be in your shoes."

Lula picked up a stack of files off the corner of Connie's desk. "Bunchy can't do the nasty?" she asked. "I'm glad I broke up with him and started seeing Tank again. Tank can be real nasty, and I like it."

"There's nothing wrong with Bert," Connie said in an exasperated voice. "He's had a vasectomy. He doesn't want children."

"I get it," Lula said. "His gun's fully loaded, but he shoots blanks."

"He shoots just fine," Connie said. "That's enough talk about Bert, and about me not feeling well. What about the little mama here? How're you doing, Steph?" she asked, effectively turning the conversation away from her love life.

"I'm fine," I said. "I'm not even thinking about getting ready for the baby. I'm just trying to figure out how to get my business off the ground. I need a location and a name and right now I've got neither."

"I may have some help for you," Connie said, picking up the phone and punching in a number with the end of her pencil.

"Hi, it's Connie. Stephanie is here in the office right now. Can you come over? Great." She disconnected and smiled.

"Who was that?" Lula asked.

"Do you remember Mary Maggie Mason?"

"Do I ever. She's the mud wrestler who lost my shoe, and she owns the bookstore across the alley." Lula frowned as she remembered her less than successful attempt at mud wrestling.

"Yeah," Connie said, "and she's moving her shop. Her business is doing so good that she's moving into the old Woolworths' store down the block. She owns the building across the alley and she's looking for a tenant."

The door opened and Mary Maggie Mason walked in. She was wearing fitted blue slacks and a white blouse. Her plain black leather shoes matched her belt. With her hair pulled back into a ponytail and tortoise shell glasses perched on her nose, she looked the part of bookseller. It was hard to remember that she'd almost drowned me in mud at the Snake Pit. I took a closer look at her. I could still see the remnants of the wrestler's body underneath the tailored confines of her slacks. She glanced around the room and stuck out her hand as her gaze settled on me.

"Stephanie, it's good to see you again." We shook hands. "I heard you were expecting. When are you due?"

"In about four and half months," I answered. "Connie said you're giving up your store?"

"Not giving it up, exactly. I'm moving to a bigger place. Business has been so good I'm expanding. I'll be opening at my new location in a week and the store across the alley is available immediately if you are interested."

I was interested. Ranger had agreed to provide start up money for a new business for me. It was going to be set up through a lawyer and all very business-like. That was my idea not his.

"Would you like to look at the store?" Mary Maggie asked. "It's almost empty so you'd get a good idea of the space."

"Sure," I said turning to Connie, "I'll be back in a while."

"Me too," Lula said, forgetting all about the filing. "Hey, Mary Maggie, are you retired from mud wrestling?"

"Yeah, I am," she replied. We were walking the short distance from the bonds office to the book store and Lula scurried around me to walk side-by-side with Mary Maggie.

"Why'd you give it up? Seems like there was good money in it."

"There was," Mary Maggie agreed. "I made enough to open this bookstore. I never planned to make a career out of it. It was just a means to an end. I got a call, just last week, asking me to wrestle again. Pinwheel Soba is re-opening the Snake Pit. I told them they'd have to find someone else. I sometimes miss the wrestling, but my bookstore is keeping me busy." I lagged behind as I listened to the conversation.

Mary Maggie glanced at Lula, and I saw her appraising Lula's outfit of bedazzled stretch-jeans and a red spandex tank top. Lula was a big woman, but she had an attitude that helped her carry off her skin-tight jeans and spandex.

"I could probably get you a gig, if you're interested. It can get rough though, especially if you're not a fan favorite."

"I'm real nice. I bet everyone would like me just fine. I'll think about it," Lula said.

I caught up to them at the door of the shop and waited while Mary Maggie unlocked the door. As the door swung open a cold shiver ran down my spine. I spun around, but didn't see anyone behind me. My spidey senses were kicking in, but there was absolutely nothing unusual going on. I made a quick scan up and down the street.

A dark green Jaguar pulled smoothly away from the curb at the end of the block and drove past the shop. The windows were tinted and I couldn't get a clear picture of the single occupant. I watched as the car drove down Hamilton Avenue and out of sight. I had no proof, but I knew the person in the green car had been watching me. And while I was used to having a merry man shadow, I didn't think RangeMan had anything to do with the green Jaguar.

"C'mon. Get in here and look at your new shop." Lula's fingers wrapped around my wrist and pulled my mind back to the present, as she pulled me into the empty store. "This is your future, Stephanie, and I'm going to help make your store as famous as Frederick's of Hollywood."

"That's exactly what I'm worried about," I said as I walked inside.

Part One: Bunch-a-Bunch of Burnin' Love

Chapter 2

Half an hour later, Lula and I opened the door to the bonds office. I had a key to the shop in my pocket and a plan to meet with Maggie and her attorney to sign a lease agreement within the week. I pulled out my cell and called Ranger.

"Yo."

"Hey, I found a shop location thanks to Connie. It's Mary Maggie Mason's old store, just across the alley from the bonds office. Do you know where I mean?"

"Yes, I'm familiar with the alley." Ranger humor.

I smiled. "Well, can you come and look at it when you pick me up later?"

"I can, but this is your business. It should be your decision."

"It will be," I said. "But I'd like your opinion."

"I'll look, Babe," and he disconnected. I'd been going to tell him about the green car, but the line was dead before I could get the words out. I shrugged and filed it away to share with him later in the evening. I turned to Connie. Her elbows were propped on the desktop with her chin resting in her hands.

"Connie, thanks for the help," I said. "That place will be perfect. Now all I need is a name."

"What about Unmentionables?" Lula asked.

"No, I think that's taken."

"Mentionables?"

"I think that's taken, too." I said.

"Whispers?" Connie asked.

"Taken."

"Not Your Granny's Panties."

"Taken."

"Thongs R Us."

"Ugh!"

"Hunh, well it's not taken," Lula huffed.

"What about Stephanie's Secret?" Connie asked. "I think that's a good name."

"No," I said looking over at Connie. "I don't want my name on the shop, and it's sort of taken, too."

Connie's chin had slipped and she was cradling her head in her hands. "Are you okay?" I asked. "Maybe you should have taken the whole day off. You look pale."

"I'm okay, just tired. I haven't been sleeping much and it's starting to catch up with me."

"Why not," Lula demanded. "Bunchy been keeping you up all night?"

Connie hesitated. "Something like that."

Lula snorted. "What? Does he snore? You'd better get earplugs. A girl needs her beauty sleep."

"Lula," Connie said, irritation creeping into her voice. "Don't make fun of Bert. As a matter of fact, he doesn't snore and he's, well…" Connie rolled her eyes and sighed. She straightened her posture and turned toward Lula. "He's a wild man in the bedroom," she said. "He's almost more than I can keep up with. It's got me worried. I haven't been in a relationship for awhile and it's taking a little getting used to." She clapped her hand over her mouth and her eyes widened in amazement over what had come out of it. Connie didn't share much about her personal life, so this news was big.

Lula's eyes widened too. "Bunchy? You saying Bunchy is a hunk of burnin' manhood?"

"Yes, that's what I'm saying," Connie said. "And usually, I'm happy about it. But last night… I passed out."

"Bunchy made you pass out?" Astonishment made Lula's voice crack. "How'd he do that?"

Connie looked for a long moment at Lula and then turned her attention toward me. "Do you guys have time for a little 'girl talk'?" she asked.

"Sure," I said. Connie, Lula and I were friends and they'd been there for me recently, when I was struggling with letting Ranger back into my life. If she was having trouble adjusting to a man in her life, I would be there for her. I'd known Bert Bronfman, aka Bunchy, longer than Connie, but I was thinking Connie knew him way better. It might be interesting to hear what she knew.

"He knows a secret sex trick," she blurted.

"Huh? Secret sex trick?" Lula's eyes narrowed as she considered it. She shook her head. "Un uh, I ain't buying it."

Connie shrugged her shoulders. "I'm just saying it was a new experience for me."

"No way," Lula said, shaking her head back and forth. "My former profession taught me just about all there was to know about secret sex tricks. And mostly, they don't exist. They're some of them urban legends, started by men who are trying to pick up women. I just don't believe it."

"I don't care if you believe it or not." Connie glared at Lula. "All I know is Bert's the only man who has made it happen like that for me. Maybe you don't know as much as you think you do."

The conversation was on the verge of becoming heated and against my better judgment I joined in.

"Lula knows all about making men happy," I told Connie. I turned to Lula. "But maybe there's a man out there that knows a thing or two most men don't, about making women happy." I smoothed my hand over my rounded belly and smiled thinking of my husband.

"Yeah," Lula said. "But Bunchy?" She turned to Connie. "How many times he make you sing the Halleluiah chorus?"

"How many times isn't important," Connie said. "It's more a case of how long I'm singing."

"How long?" Lula demanded.

"Almost an hour…before I passed out."

"Damn," Lula said.

"Damn," I said.

Lula rested her ass on the edge of Connie's desk. "How'd Bunchy learn a trick like that?" Connie rolled back her chair and looked into Vinnie's office. It was empty. She pulled open her desk drawer and rummaged around through pens, paperclips, and half-empty bottles of nail polish. She shoved the drawer shut and ran her fingers under the front edge of the desk. She sighed.

"I know Vinnie's got this place bugged. And even though he's out of town we can't talk here. Let's lock up for the day and go next door to look at your new shop, Steph. We can talk there."

Lula and I stood and watched while Connie shut down the computer and readied the office for closing. We made our way across the alley to my future lingerie shop. Connie was locking the door to the bonds office as I was unlocking the bookstore. Little bells jingled against the door as we opened it.

Mary Maggie Mason was almost completely moved to her new location. All that remained was the service desk, bare except for the small stack of used books sitting haphazardly on the far edge of the counter. The store had a faintly musty smell, which was reminiscent of the library. It wasn't an unpleasant smell, but it had the effect of reminding me how much work it was going to take to turn this empty space into my new shop.

Lula was anxious to hear the details from Connie. I was trying to act unconcerned, but I was curious in the way people are when they pass by a car wreck, and look when they know they shouldn't. I didn't need to know, but I was going to get the scoop anyway. Connie looked from side to side making sure we were the only three in the deserted space. She acted as though she was going to impart the secret for world peace.

"This is confidential. Before I can tell you, you have to promise to keep all this information to yourself."

Lula pointed her French-tipped nails to her chest and made a 'cross my heart' motion.

"Damn skippy, we'll keep this information quiet."

Once again, Connie scanned the empty room. I was starting to get very curious.

"Before Bert was in the FBI he used to be a spy. He was Special Forces sort of like Ranger and Tank."

"No!" Lula and I exclaimed in unison. Connie looked unsettled at our surprise.

"It's true," she insisted. "He did electronic surveillance. Bert spent two years in Eastern Europe. He gathered background information that made it possible for guys like Tank and Ranger to be successful on their missions. He was part of the team, just as much as the guys who work the ops. After he got out of the Army he went right to the FBI academy."

"Well that's interestin' and all," Lula said, "but what does it have to do with him bein' so studly you passed out? That's what I want to know."

"I'm getting there." Connie voice was hushed and Lula and I gathered in close to hear what I knew we shouldn't be listening to. "You can't tell anyone. I promised Bunchy. He could get in big trouble if this got out. It's called the Romanian Rapture. It's been passed down through generations of gypsies from the middle ages. It's like a secret weapon that certain men know about. It's related to the Venus Butterfly."

"Not the Venus Butterfly," Lula exclaimed.

"What's the Venus Butterfly?" I asked. They ignored me.

"Yes," Connie told Lula. "It's a variation. And almost all Special Forces guys know the secret. It's a rite of passage they share with one another. They're the elite part of the armed forces and they're the best at everything they do. It's a secret weapon they use to enslave their women."

My ears perked up. I'd heard Ranger use those words. He'd said, on the occasion of our first time together, that he didn't need handcuffs to enslave a woman. Was that because he knew about the Romanian Rapture?

"Ranger and Tank probably know all about it," Connie continued, as if she'd read my thoughts.

"Hmmm," Lula said, clearly giving this new information some thought. "I'm mighty satisfied with Tank, but you say an hour?" Connie nodded her head vigorously.

"Damn," Lula said.

"Damn," I said, still not entirely sure what we were talking about.

The bells above the door jingled and we turned to see Bert walk in. "Here you are," he said. "I went to the bonds office and saw it was all locked up. I thought I'd missed you."

He walked to Connie's side and leaned down to give her a peck on the cheek. Lula's eyes were scanning Bert from head to foot and everywhere in between. She made a slow circle, checking him out from all angles. He looked uncomfortably from Lula to Connie.

"Did I interrupt something?" he asked.

"Nah, "Connie said, making a surreptitious zipper sign across her lips. I got the message. Lula missed it. She continued staring at Bert, muttering under her breath.

"Let's go, Bert," Connie said, grabbing her purse in one hand and Bert in the other. As she pulled him toward the door she shot a warning look at Lula and said, "Remember girls, what happens in this shop, stays in this shop." She pointed a finger at me. "And that's why you're gonna name it Stephanie's Secret."

Lula turned to me as they left the shop. "It's hot in here and not just from the sunshine comin' in the window. You think she's telling the truth? Bunchy just don't look like he's got it in him."

"I don't know," I picked up a tattered book off the stack on the counter and thumbed through it idly. My mind was swirling back to the time Ranger and I'd first made love. I'd been nervous, because I knew we weren't in the same league, experience wise. "I don't know why she'd lie." I realized I was holding a well worn copy of a literary classic, The Scarlett Letter, and I smiled. "You know what they say. You can't judge a book by its cover."

"Hunh," Lula shook her head. "Sometimes, when your nose itches, it feels real good to sneeze, if you know what I mean. But an hour of sneezing? It would make it pretty hard to catch your breath. I guess I might pass out too."

The bells above the door jingled again and Lula and I turned to see Ranger and Tank enter the shop. They were both dressed in RangeMan black. Two hard bodies that looked like they could deliver exactly what they promised.

Lula looked at me and said, "Some books are just like their covers." She advanced on Tank and punched him in the shoulder making Tank look down at her in surprise. Ranger, astutely sensing trouble, walked to my side and put his arm around my shoulders.

"I got two words for you, Pierre," she said, her words tumbling out with a speed and volume that showed her agitation. "Romanian Rapture and Venus Butterfly. You heard them words before?"

I saw Tank's eyes widen in surprise and Ranger's attention focus on the conversation.

"You know what I'm talking about, Tankie?"

"Uh, well, yeah, I do."

"Well how comeI don't know what I'm talking about?" she demanded. "What's holdin' you back?"

"I, uh, geez…where'd you hear about that?"

"It makes no never mind where I heard about it. When am I gonna see it?" She punctuated her words with her finger. Tank grabbed her hand before she could assault his chest again. "The Romanian Rapture," she said. "You ever been to Romania?"

Tank had a deer in the headlights look. He shot a quick look at Ranger who was fighting to keep his blank face on. I saw the blank face too, but I also saw the small lip twitch that meant he was thinking about smiling.

Tank leaned down, his lips near Lula's ear. "I was saving it for our anniversary, baby." His whisper echoed through the nearly empty store.

"Hunh. Which anniversary is that? I think it's the anniversary of something today. C'mon, we need to leave. My nose is itchin' something fierce." She grabbed his arm and dragged him through the door.

I turned to look at Ranger. He took a step backward, raising his hands, palms out. "Babe, I don't think it would be safe for a pregnant woman."