Title: The Next Step

Author: Robin L

Disclaimer: The characters belong to JE, the obsession is mine.

A/N: This is a short set after "The Dating Game – Alternate Ending."

Rating: PG-13

Lester's POV

I stood outside her door, palms sweating, my hands fisted at my sides. I was glad the hallway was empty, because I'd been staring at her door for what felt like forever and I didn't want one of the old folks calling the cops. After standing here for endless minutes I'd finally realized three things: the little five of the brass numbers labeling her door was a slightly crooked, the knob wasn't turning itself and I was a coward.

How hard is it, Santos? It's only a door. I lifted my hand to knock. Again. I'd done this at least five times now and each time I did, the winged creatures in my stomach started flapping around. Too big to be butterflies... I'm thinking I swallowed Dumbo. Whatever they were, they started doing the mambo and my hand dropped back to my side.

Man, I'm pathetic, I thought with a head shake. I can go in the home of a wanted felon, no problem, but stepping inside her apartment is paralyzing. It's not like I haven't been here before, I thought with a sigh. I've let myself in on more than one occasion. This time I've got an invitation. This time she chose me.

The fluttering feeling started up again. She chose me.

And this was the problem.

Today in front of my best friends, the entire staff of Rangeman, and Ranger too if my suspicions were correct, Stephanie Plum declared that she wanted to be with me. She wanted me. And you'd think that it would make it easier, but, you'd be wrong.

It had taken an hour or two after we'd left the conference room and gone back to work for the doubts to set in, but they had. With a vengeance. And now my stomach was cha-cha-ing because the next move was mine, and I wasn't sure if I could do it.

It's not that I didn't care about her. Hell, I'm in love with the girl. I heaved a sigh and rested my head against the door.

I'm in love with her and she wants to be with me. So what's the problem?

Of course, I knew what the problem was. The little voice in my head that sounded an awful lot like my father and usually inventoried my inadequacies was telling me. I was gonna screw this up. I'd been given a gift today and I was gonna blow it. I just knew it.

What the hell did I know about being in love? It hadn't happened since Mary Anna Bonida in the tenth grade and that had been an unqualified disaster. The only thing I had any actual experience in was lust. I had a lot of experience in that department. And with Stephanie there was lust aplenty, but there was also more. I was in love. Or I had food poisoning.

The door opened and Stephanie stood there, smiling her sexy, shy smile at me. She was stunning, and for a moment she stole the thoughts right out of my head. No, this was love, I was sure of it. I realized how stupid I must look, standing in her hallway, dumbfounded and I gave her a smile in return. She grabbed my hand and tugged me into her apartment without a word. And I went willingly into uncharted territory.

I knew how to swagger and I knew how to flirt and I knew how to get most women to fall into my bed, but I didn't know the first thing about how to be in love. I didn't know how to be in a relationship with somebody I respected. I didn't know what the next step was.

But I guess I'd find out.