Author: Feather (Flightf)
Warnings: Spoilers all the way through Twelve Sharp.
Disclaimers: I own nothing…JE owns it all….I will return everything when I am finished. I am basing the strip aerobics on two programs Shelia Kelly's the S Factor and Carmen Electra's Aerobic Striptease.
Rating (K-M) M
A/N: This is the 1st story in my Pole Dancers Diary Series. Reviews and comments always welcome. Special thanks to Christie and Elissa for helping figure out where I wanted to go with this.
Chapter 10: Ready, Set, Go...
"Stupid ass men really know how to ruin a good moment." I muttered to myself as I laid on my bed trying to come up with a plan to get away from Ranger as quickly as possible. I had no doubt that he would walk through the door when my five minutes were up- Ranger was nothing if not punctual. I glanced at the clock on my nightstand and realized that I only had two and a half minutes left before he came back. Sitting on the nightstand beside my clock was my cell phone, and then it hit me. My phone call to Lester, that's why Ranger was here. Shit, Shit, Shit...I reached over and picked up the phone. I hit speed dial number 4 and was relieved when she picked up on the second ring.
"Girl, you had better not be calling trying to get out of this afternoon. I will stun your ass if you aren't at the curb waiting on me." She answered in full rhino mode.
"Lula, pick me outside of my apartment in five minutes." I whispered into the phone as I yanked open a drawer.
"I can't hear you. Why are you whispering? Speak up, girl. Hey, did Super Cop come home last night?"
"Just get here. Five minutes. I'll tell you about it then. Hurry!" I hit the end button not waiting for her response and stared into the drawer that I opened. I pulled out a pair of black yoga pants and a sports bra. I slipped on the yoga pants and struggled with the bra. I grabbed a baby blue tank top out of the drawer and pulled it over my head. I did a quick time check and I was down to a minute. I went over to the pile in front of the closet and near the back was tennis shoes; I picked them up and coughed as a cloud of dusk surrounded me. I paused at the door catching my breath and quickly shoved my feet into the tennis shoes. With my hand on the door knob I took a deep breath and then forced myself to open the door. I stood frozen in my doorway right as his watch beeped.
Ranger was sitting on the couch with his head back and his eyes closed, his body screamed relaxed but I knew better. As the door opened and his watched beeped he slowly raised his head and opened eyes until we were staring at each other. For a split second I would almost describe his face as weary but then he opened his mouth.
"Babe, why are you wearing gym clothes?" With every word his mouth turned up a little bit. By the time that he finished that six word sentence he was wearing a full blown smile.
Come on Stephanie, I gave myself a pep talk, you can do this. Your plan is simple. Grab the evil bag and get out of dodge before he even realizes that you left. I forced myself to move into the room, once my feet started moving I couldn't stop them. I headed straight towards the kitchen hoping that I could grab the bag out of the oven before he would follow me in.
"Lula talked me into taking an aerobics class with her." I called over my shoulder. Please don't ask me where! I thought as I reached the kitchen and tried to quietly open the door to the oven. Just as I reached inside I felt him lean over me.
"Babe, why is your gym bag in the oven?" He chuckled out as he put a hand on the back on my neck.
Damn, what am I supposed to say now? I settled for a half truth. I can't lie to batman. "I hate it; the oven is the closest thing to hell in the apartment." I pulled the bag out and let the door slam shut and turned right into Ranger.
His lips were still twitching and the hand that was on my neck slid down my body and rest on my hip. He brought the other hand to my other hip and pulled me into one of my favorite paces on earth- his embrace. He rested his head on top of mine. I enjoyed the comfort and peace that being wrapped in Ranger brought me until I heard the heavy bass signaling Lula's arrival.
"Lula's here! I gotta go." and I reluctantly pulled out of his embrace. I grabbed the bag and walked out of the apartment. For once I took the stairs just in case Ranger decided to follow me. As I walked out of the stairwell several things hit me at once. It was January and I am wearing a tank top, I forgot to grab socks and I just walked out on batman. I debated for about half a second going upstairs to grab a sweatshirt but I knew that Ranger wouldn't let me get away if I gave him another chance. I knew that unless I wanted to explain everything I needed to suck it up and brave the cold. I opened the door to the building and the cold hit me like a slap in the face. I made a run to Lula's Firebird and was instantly in rhino mode when I realized the door was locked. Lula was sitting in the driver's seat staring right at me in a daze. I knocked on the window and she jerked the beads in her hair sounding like wind chimes.
"Girl… why are you standing out in the cold?"
"LULA, unlock the doors." I yelled through gritted teeth. I crossed my arms in a feeble attempt to warm myself up. I finally heard the tell tale sound of the locks engaging so I quickly jumped in.
Shit, I wasn't sure this day could get any worse.
Bonus
(Ranger's POV)
I could count on one hand the number of times in my adult life that I have been dumbfounded. This one would certainly take first place. I wasn't sure what just happened but I was pretty sure that my babe just walked out on me without telling me what was really going on. I picked up my cell phone and hit the number 1 button. As soon as it started ringing I could hear I keep telling you to Loosen up my buttons baby blasting from the bedroom, I shut my phone and headed towards the sound of the Pussycat Dolls. I stood in the doorway and scanned my babe's domain. My instincts were screaming that Stephanie was up to something, she claimed that I had ESP and this is one time that it would have been useful. She has a knack for attracting all the psycho's in the greater Trenton area and I can only hope that this isn't one of those times. A dresser drawer was open clothing half in and half out, the bed was rumpled with the pillows being the only evidence that two people had slept there, and on the nightstand was a pink cell phone that was now silent except for an occasional beep telling her that she missed a call and a untouched large coke sitting in a pool of condensation beside a bag with an unopened straw peeking out with the golden fries which were now ice cold.
My phone buzzed at my hip, seeing that it was the control room, I took a second to switch to work mode ad hit the talk button.
"Yo"
"Boss, Washington called about a project that they would like our assistance on." Tank boomed at me.
"I'll be there in 10." I shut the phone and took one last look at my babe's bedroom and I headed towards the door. Just as I reached the front door, I turned and memorized every detail. Knowing that I was probably headed out on assignment did nothing to re leave the screaming in my head that something was off. I was going to have to trust my men to ensure my babes safety. Her wellbeing was not something that I took lightly, and my men understood that. As I turned the lock on the deadbolt I debated on who was going to be the lucky man. Because unfortunately it wasn't going to be me this time.