DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of Janet Evanovich's characters, although I'd really love to have my shot at Ranger. I'm not making any profit on this story, etc.
Warnings: Slight TS spoiler. Btw, this is a Babe story! Please feed me reviews
She had been on his mind all day. He had run into an old friend from his Special Forces days yesterday, and they had taken some time out of their respectively hectic lives to have lunch and catch up. Todd McCullen had been his eyes and ears on more missions than he could count, and had never been the type of person to stray from the truth. So when Todd spoke, he had listened.
:Flashback:
Their conversation had started out relatively innocuous. They had spoken about what they'd been doing since their days in the Forces: T had started his own demolition company, near Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where he gleefully specialized in the destruction of old buildings, while Ranger had been toiling to build RangeMan Inc. They had talked about how happy they both were their military contracts had been fulfilled; they had exchanged the banal small talk about the city, food, cars, the weather, families…
And then, Todd had recalled hearing about a mishap with Ranger's daughter? And a brunette bounty hunter from the area, dubbed "Bombshell"?
Did Ranger know her?, Todd had queried. At T's first mention of her, Ranger had felt the smile stretch across his face. Sure, he had wanted to hide it, but he couldn't. His Babe, was after all, famous.
She's a yellow pair of running shoes
A holey pair of jeans
She looks great in cheap sunglasses
She looks great in anything
He had thought of the way she looked this morning when she had rushed into his office, flushed from hurrying to make the staff meeting on time. He thought of the way she eyed his neck and lips like she was ready to feast on him, and the look of embarrassment in her eyes when she realized he'd caught her staring. He had laughed as she turned her attention towards the donuts Ella had laid out on the conference table, and then as if debating on the better choice, swung her eyes between the plate and his face, then sighed.
She's I want a piece of chocolate
Take me to a movie
She's I can't find a thing to wear
Now and then she's moody
He had recalled with bone aching clarity every distraction she'd ever worked for him- and how every time he'd seen her, she had taken his breath away. He had never grown immune to her effect on him, and quite honestly, he hoped he never did. He wanted her to forever remain his beautiful, vivacious, honest-to-God-friendly Babe.
She's a Saturn with a sunroof
With her brown hair a-blowing
She's a soft place to land
A good place to knowing
She's a warm conversation
That I wouldn't miss for nothing
She's a fighter when she's mad
And she's a lover when she's loving
He had remembered just how soft her body had been under his, the one time they'd been together. The way his slightest touch had elicited the shortening of her breath, her surprised gasps, her quiet pleas. The way she had tasted- smooth and heady- just perfect. That night, he had committed every inch of her body to his memory. He had thought if he couldn't have her in reality, he would at least be able to have the memories. But here they were, almost a year later, and he was finding those memories weren't enough for him anymore.
She's a bubble bath and candles
Baby, come and kiss me
She's a one glass of wine
And she's feeling kinda tipsy
She's the giver I wish I could be
Stealer of the covers
She's the picture in my wallet
My unborn children's mother
And she's everything I ever wanted
And everything I need
I talk about her, I go on and on and on
Cause she's everything to me
She's the voice I'd love to hear
Someday when I'm ninety
She's the wooden rocking chair
I want rocking right beside me
When he finally came out of his thoughts, he saw that his friend was staring at him like he'd never seen him before. It was only then he realized, that like his Babe usually did, he had said all of that aloud. Figuring T would see this as the perfect opportunity to rag on him, he groaned. But the mocking never came.
Instead, the only expression in Todd's normally stoic face was the profound sadness in his eyes. Todd had then explained to Ranger that the girl he loved had gotten married and moved away before he could ever tell her how he truly felt. All these years later, he still carried his love for her in his heart. At this, T took to setting Ranger straight, telling him that guys like them, should above all others, know that life was short, and happiness even more elusive. When they found it, they should hold tight, because they may never get another shot at it.
And suddenly, that was all the push Ranger had needed. He couldn't lose her; he wouldn't. She was his whole world, what with her gun-fearing, sugar-craving, ever-so-resilient charm.
Everyday that passes
I only love her more
Yeah, she's the one
And she's everything I ever wanted
And everything I need
She's everything to me
Yeah, she's everything to me
Then, like the besotted fool he was, he had said his goodbyes to his friend, and thanked him for the sage advice.
:End Flashback:
So, here he was, at a quarter to 1 in the morning, shimming the locks to her apartment open. Tonight, he was going to tell her she was his everything. And come morning, he hoped they'd have something to celebrate.
A/N: If you're interested, the song is "She's Everything" by Brad Paisley. Yes, it's country. And yes, I did switch the order of some of the verses, but didn't change any of the actual words (at least not on purpose, since I don't have a Beta).