Sequel to "Secrets and Smoldering"
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Slowly waking waking from a deep sleep, Penelope's mind wandered a bit before she opened her eyes. A massive headache was forming in her forehead, and she remembered the three-too-many glasses of wine she had drank the night before. Groaning lightly, she rubbed her temple and let her eyes open to the far too bright room that was certainly not her own.
Oh! I'm at Rossi's… Oh we drank too much last night… and… I'M ENGAGED! Her thoughts slammed the memories of David's proposal forcefully into her minds eye and she sat up ubruptly and looked down at her hand. Yep, it wasn't a dream, there was a massive diamond formation on her ring finger.
A groan from behind her made her jump. "Oh, jesus… you scared me…" Holding a hand to her quickly beating heart she looked down at her now fiance.
"It's too early, kitten… lay back down with me…" David put his bare arm around her naked middle.
"I need to use the bathroom…" Wrapping the sheets around her she scrambled out of the bed before he could use his charm to keep her trapped there forever. This was bad, or was it good? Was this really happening? This is what she had wanted, wasn't it?
Carefullyl shutting the bathroom door behind her she rested her throbbing forehead against the door. Okay, Penelope.. calm down, think…. She turned on the shower and made the water extra hot. A good shower should rinse some clarity into her foggy and hungover head.
This is what I wanted… I wanted him to tell me he loved me… granted I didn't expect that he wouild propose… with a Franco Martinee ring from fucking France… how the hell did he know about that.. A quick image of her not so carefully hidden magazine from the desk drawer flashed into her mind. Of course, I had it circled. That sneak… She smiled fondly as she stepped into the shower and looked down at the three-stone compilation on her finger again. God, but it was gorgeous.
I said yes. I said yes… and we're going to Belize to get married… Letting the hot water spray her hair and face she smiled again. This wasn't so bad? A bit shocking, yes…. But not bad. She would just have to insist on a long engagement. Yes.. a very long engagement. I'll just tell him that I need a while to plan my dream wedding. Which never included plans for a beach wedding in Belize… Not in one month, no… I can't do a wedding in Belize, my mother… "MY MOTHER!" Penelope squealed aloud. "Oh no, oh no… She hasn't even met him!" She whispered to herself.
"Pen? You okay in there?" David was knocking impatiently on the door, a dangerously worried tone to his voice.
"Fine. I'll be out in a minute!" She sang fake-sweetly as she poked her head around the shower curtain.
"Oh fuck… oh fuck… he's got to meet daddy… he has to ask permission! Daddy's gonna shoot him…. And Timothy! Oh Timmy's gonna shoot him after daddy does…" Penelope frantically whispered, looking blindly around the shower stall for some sort of answer to her new predicament.
Outside the bathroom door Dave threw on a pair of jeans and made his way downstairs to start breakfast. His fiancé deserved breakfast in bed, and a mimosa, he was sure she hadn't escaped their wine celebration unscathed.
Grabbing his phone from the charger he hit the speed dial and held it to his ear between his shoulder and used his free hands to open the refrigerator and pull out some eggs and orange juice.
"Good morning Dave." Hotch sounded like he'd been awake for a while already.
"She said yes, Aaron." Dave smiled triumphantly into the phone.
"Wow… well congratulations… I'm happy for you… I didn't realize you were going to do this so soon…"
"I couldn't wait, Hotch. Having the ring was like being a kid at Christmas and not being able to open the presents." Dave chuckled his confession to his best friend.
"Dave… I don't mean to burst your bubble, but… Penelope is still going to want you to do it the traditional way, you realize this right?"
"What are you talking about Aaron? I got down on one knee…" Dave lit the stove and put a pan on it for the eggs.
"I mean her father, Dave… her parents, you'll want to get their blessing."
Rossi left an egg half cracked in mid-air as the yolk slowly escaped over his fingers.
"Dave?"
"Shit, Aaron… I didn't even think of it… ah shit."
"Yea, shit is right. She and her brother might be adopted, but her parents are very traditional Latino Catholic. Her father is from Aguascalientes, Mexico. I advise you meet him first, make a good impression, wait a while, then ask. They are living in Arizona currently. Belize may have to wait."
"Thanks Aaron. I gotta go, I'll keep you posted." Trying not to get the sticky egg mess on his cell while clicking it shut his excited mood was immediately deflated. How had he forgotten such an important detail? "Goddamnit." He threw a pile of eggshells in the trash.
"What's the matter?" Penelope entered the kitchen in a lacy, short pink bathrobe while hand toweling her hair dry. Dave smiled at the site of her, if this is what he could look forward to for the rest of his life he was a very happy man.
"God you look delicious." Taking in her in his arms he buried her face in her neck and began kissing the exposed skin while finding her ass with his hands.
"Oh no you don't." She swatted his wandering fingers from her buttocks. "We need to talk." Gently pushing him away from her, she looked at his squarely.
"Okay, but not until after a mimosa. I have a headache. I'm betting you do as well." He grabbed a champagne bottle from the wine rack and popped the top while she gathered a couple of glasses.
"I have a confession to make, Pen, and I'm not proud of it. I just called Hotch to tell him the good news…. He reminded me that I haven't spoken to your parents yet." He finished pouring the beverages and handed her a glass.
"Yea… I came to that conclusion as well this morning. And it added to my headache." She made a sarcastic face and raised her glass mockingly to his. After taking a long sip and savoring the bubbly liquid she continued. "We need to visit them in Arizona. Daddy has to meet you … Momma too. And my brother Timmy. And…. I …." She looked down into her glass, not knowing how to tell him she needed time, that this was happening a little too fast.
"What, kitten? You can tell me…" Dave put a finger under her chin and pulled her face to look at his.
"This is wonderful. It's all wonderful. I want this. I love this.." She looked down and fingered her ring.
"But?" David felt his heart sink… Was she already having cold feet? Would she say that she couldn't be with him unless her father approved?
"I just want to take it slow. Or, a little slower. I love the idea of Belize but I don't know if I want to be married there… It isn't exactly how I had always imagined it…" She felt ashamed to ruin his well made plans and the beautifully romantic thing he'd done for her last night.
"Baby that's perfectly fine…. Whatever you want, princess. Whatever you want." Dave smiled and relaxed marginally, time he could give her, any wedding she could dream of, he could give her. He leaned down and tenderly kissed her plump lips, slowly and lovingly, using his tongue to sweep along the edge, tasting her.
"Really? That's it? No argument about why wait?" She giggled as she wormed into his arms, teasing him about his usually boisterous mannerisms and always getting his way.
"Don't hurt my ego, sweetheart. I don't think you understand that when I say whatever you want I mean it, and I know you could fully take advantage of that if you got a mind to. Call your parents today, we'll leave whenever you want."
"Well right now, I want to drink this, take an advil and eat some breakfast… and Dave, Thank you. It means a lot to me that you meet my parents." Penelope stood on her tip toes to kiss him back, a gesture that warmed him to his chore.
"Your wish is my command. How do you want your eggs?" Turning his attention back to the stove, David Rossi smiled broadly. This was a picturesque glimpse into their daily future, having breakfast together and living in married bliss. He couldn't wait.
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Thank you for reading! More to come throughout the day, as I'm traveling and have nothing else to do. Haha! :D