Title: Drive Me Crazy
Author: Robin
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: None
Disclaimer: Wish they were mine, but they aren't.
A/N: Babe fluff set after the HEA. I wrote this last year, but I never posted it here. Hope you enjoy it!
"Go around that guy," I said finally, through gritted teeth, my foot pressing into the floor on an imaginary acceleration pedal as if I could somehow control the car from the passenger seat. The guy in front of us was puttering along just below the speed limit. Arrgh. Why were we following him?
Ranger didn't respond, firmly in his driving zone. But he slid the Turbo into the passing lane and edged past the blue station wagon, then hit the brakes to stop for a red light.
I blew out a big sigh as we stopped and looked at my watch. It was 5:55. We would never make it on time; we were at least 15 minutes away. The pot roast would be dry, the gravy would be lumpy, the vegetables would get cold, and I'd get the blame.
But it wasn't my fault!
I tapped my fingers against the armrest and stared at the light, chanting silently, green, green, green, green. "Green," I said aloud as the light changed even though Ranger was already moving forward. We drove two more blocks only to have the next light turn yellow in our face.
I groaned. "We need to get off of this road. When you hit one red light, all the rest are going to be red. I don't know what idiot planned it like this. Turn right and we can go the back way."
Ranger was staring resolutely ahead, completely ignoring me and my instructions. Or maybe he didn't even hear me. I wasn't really sure if the driving zone came with audio. He continued down Hamilton, dodging around slower vehicles, maintaining a steady but not excessive speed. I glanced at the speedometer and rolled my eyes. What was the point of having a car like this if you weren't willing to break a few laws?
I pleaded, "Ranger, turn right and go a block over to Liberty Street, there aren't as many lights." As an afterthought I added, "Please?"
Again, no answer.
"Come on, we're gonna be so late."
Finally, he slid his gaze over to me. "Babe, do you want to drive?"
"Yes!" I exclaimed.
He was silent for a moment before saying, "Well, you can't. And I'm not willing to kill us to get there any faster."
"Oh don't be so dramatic, Batman." The look on his face, was priceless: 'Me? Dramatic?' I could hardly keep from smiling despite my anxiety. "I'm not trying to get us killed but you've never been late for a dinner at my parent's. Really, a trip to the hospital is more fun."
"We always go this way to your parents, Babe."
"Yes, because we normally have plenty of time. But, believe me I've mapped out all the alternative routes between your place and theirs for cases where speed is of the essence. This is one of those times. At this time of day, under these diving conditions and with this type of traffic flow, Liberty Street is faster by a few minutes." Yes, I had put a lot of thought into this. Dinner tasted better without a double order of guilt on the side. Since I'd been living in sin without showing signs of wedded bliss in my future, I usually got more guilt than I could stomach already.
I looked up at the road and noticed that another light had turned yellow in our face. "Step on it, maybe we'll make the light." Instead of accelerating, he pushed on the brake and we glided to a stop as the light changed red.
"You totally could have made that," I said, my exasperation evident in my voice.
"I know," he said calmly. He looked over at me, face blank. Inwardly I cringed. Perhaps I'd pushed him a little too far.
"Do you know what this button is for?" he asked, pointing to one of the many mysterious buttons on the dash of the Turbo.
"No," I said as calmly as I could muster.
"Ejection seat. I use it on bossy passengers." After a moment, his straight face broke into a smile. I rolled my eyes. Ranger humor. Funny. "Now, shush," he said, "We'll be there soon. Besides, we're late because of you."
"What? We're late because when you… well… you know." I felt the color creeping up my cheeks as I vividly recalled exactly what he'd done… twice. "This is totally your fault."
One eyebrow slid up toward his hairline. "My fault? I believe you were the one that came into the bedroom and dropped your towel. An invitation if I've ever seen one."
I crossed my arms over my chest "Just because I was naked and in the bedroom didn't mean I wanted to fool around. I was getting dressed." Okay so that wasn't true. I had been teasing him and I only had to be in the same room with him to want to fool around.
"Babe, you shouldn't start something you don't intend to finish."
The car in the lane next to us began to move through the now green light and I cleared my throat delicately and pointed ahead to indicated that he ought to start moving. Ranger shook his head in disbelief and started again, accelerating quickly then whipping the car to the right into a narrow alley squashed between two squat office buildings. This wasn't what I'd had in mind. "No, Ranger, this doesn't go anywhere, I need you to turn right at the next cross street."
He pulled the car to a stop behind one of the deserted buildings, threw it into park and cut the engine.
"Ranger! What are you doing? We have to go."
"Babe. I'm losing my patience. Now I'm going to have to find a way to shut you up." As he said this, he slid his seat back, reached across the console, unfastening my seatbelt and then hauled me over onto his lap.
I felt my cheeks flame either in irritation or because of his nearness. Maybe both. I opened my mouth to respond to his highhanded behavior when he kissed me, stopping the words before they could form on my lips.
He kissed me soundly, thoroughly, until my limbs felt like liquid and a sense of lethargy suffused my entire body. I'd completely forgotten why I was in such a hurry.
When he lifted his lips from mine, I'm sure my eyes were a little vacant. I felt dazed and shook my head to clear it.
Ranger lingered just millimeters from my lips, his deep eyes holding mine. "Will you be my sweet Babe now, or do I need to kiss you some more?"
Dry pot roast or Ranger kisses? No contest. "Uh, I think you need to kiss me some more."
"What about dinner?" he asked with a sly grin.
I flashed him a wicked smile in return and twined my arms behind his neck. "Ranger, you shouldn't start something you don't intend to finish."
"Good advice, I think I've heard that somewhere before."
"Hmm. It did sound familiar. But, I think you need to be quiet, now, and kiss me." With that statement I pulled him back to me and claimed his lips with mine until we were both panting.
"You know you're kind of sexy when you're assertive," he murmured against my lips as he slid a hand up my bare leg and under the edge of my skirt.
"Good to know," I said as I rained kisses on his face and neck. And since I was on a roll, I added, "Call my mother. Tell her we'll be late… tell her were having car trouble."
"Flat tire or total engine failure?" he asked as he whipped out his cell phone.
"Definitely total engine failure," I said, slowly unbuttoning his shirt and then sucking his lower lip gently between my teeth. "I'll need a little time to remind you how good it is... when you let me do the driving."
And so, we didn't make it to my parents' house until dessert.
The End