Disclaimer: I don't own Plum characters. A nod of respect goes to Janet Evanovich and her imagination for creating these characters.

Challenge: Court's TBC Challenge- Drew a Deep Breath.

Rules: This phrase must be used to qualify as a challenge piece.

Original Posting Date: December 1, 2007

..::Honesty is the Best Policy::..

I drew a deep breath. This wasn't going to be as hard as I thought it was going to be. I was just going to go in there and I was just going to explain.

Not so hard, I told myself. I could do this. I'd put my big girl panties on this morning.

I swallowed hard. Okay, maybe the churning in my stomach was an indicator that I was fooling myself.

But I couldn't let that hold me back.

I hit the stop button of the elevator and instantly Tank's face came onto the monitor. "Yo. What's the problem Steph?"

"I need a moment." I said, pacing. God, I was a fool. I couldn't do this.

I heard snorts of laughter in the background. The guys at their finest. Assholes.

"Turn the damn monitor off!" I looked up and narrowed my eyes. "Or so help me God, I will punch the number five for the control room and make your lives hell for the next few hours. Remember the Playgirl incident? I'm not above doing that again."

Hector was the only one to cheer in the background and Lester came into view.

"Adios, Steph. I will not sit through another six hour session of best banana hammocks."

And the screen went blank.

What to do. What to do. I breathed in and out of my mouth. My heart was racing. The butterflies in my stomach increased.

I had to do it. I just had to get this over with and it would be all downhill from here. Or at least I hoped it would.

Oh God! What if it wasn't?

"You're already in the elevator, idiot. You just have to suck it up." I smacked the ominous flashing red button and the elevator resumed the slow ride up to the seventh floor.

Slowly the floors passed. I thought about stopping on five just to give the guys a scare and figured my nerves wouldn't hold out that long. I just pressed myself into the far corner away from the monitor and resisted the urge to twirl my hair around my finger like I'd see Connie do a million times while she was bored.

Finally when the elevator slowed, and the doors magically slid open as they've done so many times before when the fate of my world wasn't about to come crashing down, Ranger was standing there in all his mocha latte goodness. Naked from the waist up, black sweatpants riding low on his mouth-watering hips, his hair still damp from the shower he obviously had just stepped out of. I felt my whole body in anticipation of what those hips could do in action.

I licked my lips, really more out of nerves than wanting to jump on Ranger and ride him like a mechanical bull. Ranger's eyes darkened and I felt my cheeks flush pink.

"You're blushing babe." The full tilt grin made an appearance, flashing me a hint of a dimple in his cheek. It was so few and far between that I saw him smile. I wanted to smile back by my face wasn't cooperating. "Thinking about something that you want?"

I took a step off the elevator and maneuvered myself into the foyer beside the entry sideboard. Easy to duck away from him and jump back onto the elevator and made it seem like I was just the same ole Stephanie.

Which wasn't the case. I was never going to be the same. Not after this moment.

"Ranger." I croaked out. He raised an eyebrow and I cleared my throat. Jeez, this was hard to do. "There's something I need to tell you."

He leaned against the door. His posture screaming to me that he was relaxed and comfortable, but I knew better. I knew the look in his eyes, the wariness that creased the little wrinkles around his mouth. And I was the center of all that worry and stress. I couldn't have it anymore. The truth had to be known. Loud and clear.

I made sure I could still jump on the elevator and blurted out, "I love you."

Time stood still for what seemed like eternity. In all actuality, it was probably 30 seconds before Ranger reacted and I darted into the elevator. I smacked the close door button and prayed that the door would close but the damned thing didn't move.

"Shit." I squeaked, smacking the button over and over again. "Hurry door. Hurry door. Hurry-"

Ranger took two quick steps and stopped the door from closing. He stepped into the elevator, calm as you please, and hit the close door button. In a last ditch effort, I dove towards the doors hoping to slide out before they could enclose me in hell.

Ranger grabbed a hold of my upper arm and hauled me up against him. The heat from his body was almost too much but I managed to keep my wits about me. I fought like a hellcat instead.

"Don't do this, Ranger," I pleaded.

He smiled, a purely feral one at that, and pushed us against the wall. "Don't do what babe."

"Toy with me."

His head dropped and his lips felt so warm against the hollow my collarbone, "I'm not playing." His tongue darted out, tasting the skin that was at his mercy and my knees went to jello. His slid a hand around my waist and ground his hips into my own. "Does that feel like I'm playing a game Stephanie?"

His lips traced a sensual line from my collarbone to my ear, playing with the outer shell and taking the lobe and nipping at it playfully. His fingers were drawing hypnotizing circles along my hip bone, his hips still pushing into my own and I was dancing to his tune.

"No. God, no." I turned my head to look in his eyes and he brought his lips down onto mine. It was a demanding kiss, all pent up passion and years of emotion all tied into one kiss. And I loved it. I loved everything about this man.

"I've waited a long time babe."

I looked up into his eyes and my heart skipped a beat. I'd finally done it.

"Me too, Ranger. Me too."

.:End:.

Secondary Posting Date: October 5, 2011