I unlocked my door and stepped aside, allowing Lula to stomp into my apartment ahead of me. 

“Can you believe those two?” Lula huffed. “Running! That was their idea of doin’ something fun together!  Tank outta know better.  The only exercise that doesn’t make me want to wash my mouth out with chocolate is sex.” 

“Men!” I shouted. Really, would it kill either of them to do something romantic once in a while? Maybe not flowers but they could do something. Candy! Something! I mean really, a girl needs some romance in her life and I knew just what I’m gonna do to get it.

I looked at Lula and narrowed my eyes. “Lula, I think it’s time we educated our men on the meaning of romance.”

“I'm with you girlfriend.” Lula glanced my way, nodding her head enthusiastically. “You gotta plan?  You look like you gotta plan!”

I grinned. “I think I may have just come up with the perfect plan!”

****    ****

Four hours later, Lula and I were standing outside my apartment building, waiting for our men to arrive and watching the stars twinkling above.  I glanced down at my basket and prayed that Ranger wasn’t going to mind some of the things I’d packed.

I was about to ask Lula what time it was when Ranger’s Mercedes purred into the parking lot and pulled to a stop in front of us. 

As our two men emerged from the dark interior, I looked directly at Ranger and began tapping my foot impatiently, giving him my best Burg pout. “Unlike you to keep me waiting Ranger. I thought you’d be here sooner.”

Tank looked extremely bewildered as he took in my not so happy demeanor. “You said it wasn’t life and death, but that it was urgent, so we finished up the day’s reports and then headed over.”

Ranger glanced down at the basket in Lula’s hand and then the one in mine. “You got plans for us Babe?”  He asked looking back up at me.

I was tempted to roll my eyes, but then I realized that I had been sort of vague when I’d called him earlier asking him and Tank to come pick us up. “Yeah, we got plans for you…for us.  Not sure you’re going to like them but if you go along with them I can promise we’ll make it worth your while.”

 “You boys ain’t gonna know what hit ya’.”  Lula glanced briefly at Ranger and then turning her attention towards Tank, licked her lips seductively. “Tell ‘em, girlfriend. Tell ’em what we’s gots in store for them.”

Rolling my eyes, I mentally chuckled to myself.  I had half-expected Lula to spill the beans, but was secretly glad she left the explaining to me.  Lula can get a little carried away, and I didn’t want the romance of the idea to get lost in her ‘enthusiasm’.  “Well, earlier today you and Tank came up with something that you thought would be a fun activity for the four of us to do together.  We disagreed.  It wasn’t fun… it was torture.  So, Lula and I did some talking and we came to the conclusion that you both needed to be taught what being a couple is all about.  The result being that Lula and I decided it was time for us to show you two what romance is all about.” I smiled and glanced briefly down at the picnic basket in my hands. “We’re going to have a moonlight picnic on the beach.”

I suppressed a laugh when I saw Tank and Ranger exchanging raised eyebrows.  They might be concerned now, but once Lula and I were done teaching them the meaning of romance, they were going to end up extremely satisfied.

Lula placed her hands on her hips, well as best she could with a giant picnic basket on her arm. “You two better not be think of backin’ out or you’ll not be gettin’ any from either one of us for a long time.”

Ranger shrugged “I’m game as long as it includes separate blankets.” He motioned his head towards Lula and then Tank. “I'm not into voyeurism”

“Neither am I.” I moved closer to Ranger and, standing on my tiptoes, whispered into his ear. “I also don’t want to share you with anyone.” Pulling back I smiled. “So yes, separate blankets and separate alcoves on the beach.”

Lula linked her arm through Tank’s and nodded enthusiastically. “That’s right. We got it all planned out, right down to the best beach locations.”

Tank glanced over at Ranger, I guess hoping that Ranger would find a way to get them out of this.  Ranger, however, gave Tank one of his ‘don’t argue, just do it’ commanding looks and Tank sighed.  Tank then led Lula over to Ranger’s Mercedes, and held the door open for her. 

As Tank climbed into the backseat beside Lula, Ranger turned towards me, offering me his arm. “Ready?”

I nodded. “More ready than you could ever know.” Then, when Ranger let go of my arm and opened the door for me, I felt like grinning like the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland.  As I climbed into the front passenger seat and watched Ranger walk around the front of the vehicle, my grin mentally grew. Tank and Ranger were in for a lesson they weren't going to ever forget and Lula and I, well we were finally going to get the romance we deserved.  And since we planned it, we knew it was going to be perfect.

END