AN: This year for Christmas, I entered the Smut Challenge on Facebook. I decided to do a naughty and nice story. This is a tamed down version of the nice story (Don't worry...I promise it's still hot!)...If you want it in the full glory, it's posted on TWCS...but I wanted to share them with you all here, too!

Chapter 1

So it came to be around that time of year again. Christmastime was fast approaching. The spirit of giving was all around, in the ads on TV and the malls and on the streets. The time when everyone shopped for gifts for one another to show their love and appreciation or made homemade gifts that came straight from the heart.

Derek Morgan knew that his best friend, Penelope, would be one of the first people out, whereas he was one of the last people to shop and give every year. The hustle and bustle of the crowds didn't really appeal to him, either, but Penelope seemed to flourish in it. She dressed like an elf and ran about with a fanny pack stuffed with money, credit cards, and environmentally friendly bags that folded into a tiny square.

It wasn't that he was a Scrooge or anything like that... He just lacked sufficient time to get it all done. But if he were really honest with himself, he knew seeing the maniacal work of deviant serial killers firsthand at work kind of took the feeling of peace, love, and goodwill out of the holiday for him. He struggled with his faith more than he liked to admit.

A doorbell rang, interrupting his thoughts. She opened the door herself, and in walked a Santa hat-clad cutie with cheeks rosy from the wind.

"Hi, Hot Stuff!" she called out cheerfully.

He stepped to the top of his stairs in his split level home. "Hi, baby."

She paused in kicking off her boots. "Got the eggnog and whipped cream?"

It was tradition for them to get together the week before Christmas, drink a little too much eggnog, and watch holiday movies. It was a needed break in shopping for her and a way to get him more in the holiday spirit.

He arched a brow at her and countered, "Got the nutmeg and the iced cake vodka?"

She nodded and grinned up the stairs at him. "Together, we got a party..."

"C'mere, you." He opened his arms to her, and she ran up the stairs, giggling.

"Which movie is first this time?" she asked, locking her arm around his waist and heading with him into the kitchen.

"I got Miracle on 34th Street," he answered.

She giggled. "How drunk do you think I'll be by the end of that?"

He grinned back at her. "Pretty damned drunk."

By the time little Susie was getting her dream house with her mom and Fred, Penelope was feeling pretty dang good. Not stumbling drunk, but her blood was humming happily in her body, and she was feeling extra warm and cozy by the big fire Derek had built. He was by the fireplace, stoking the wood a little so the warmth would radiate farther into the large entertainment room he had set up in the basement.

Penelope cuddled with the slanket she had at his house with her name on it—literally, Derek had her name embroidered on her blanket with sleeves—and watched him as the firelight danced on his skin, the mocha hues turning a beautiful burnished cocoa. He looked positively edible near that fire.

"That ought to do it," he said and then laid the fireplace poker down and returned to her. He wrapped his arms around her and hit play on the remote for his Blu-ray player. The opening piano music started for Charlie Brown and the gang.

Penelope was so cozy, she felt like she was going to fall asleep. She couldn't be more content, wrapped in the arms of Derek, safe and secure. The warm, spicy scent of luscious male surrounded her and added to the cocoon of happiness. She could dream of lovely things in his arms.

"Not dozing on me, are you?" he teased, the warm timbre of his voice causing shivers running down her spine.

"Nope," she said, cuddling in more. "I's close, but nope."

"Oh, sweetheart," Derek said, a low rumble of laughter coming from his chest. "You're plastered."

"Am not."

"Are, too."

She giggled. "D-2. Hee hee, get it?" She giggled more. "Power to the sci-fi geeks!"

He rolled his eyes at her. "Drunk and overheated. You're going to be sleeping in two seconds. Better take that thing off," he said, tugging at her snuggie.

"Not my slanket," she argued as he tugged on it against her hold. "I'll stay awake."

Penelope was dozing before the next song started playing. Derek chuckled, kissed the top of her head, and just watched the rest of Charlie Brown. Poor kid...he was such a little loser. Derek had lacked that growing up. Sure, he'd been the scrawny kid who couldn't get a date for a while, but after he'd gotten buff and joined the football team, he'd had no trouble with bullies or with getting girls.

In fact, he hadn't had an issue with getting girls until the last few years.

Well, the right girl.

The next movie was the girl in question's favorite, so he'd better wake her up. He kissed her temple. She thought he was just sweet like that, to kiss her and cuddle her, but the truth was, he adored getting to do those things with her. The timing was never right, and there were so many obstacles in their way, even after she dumped her dead-weight boyfriend. They were as close as they could be, lovers without the sex, and that was fine with him.

Well, maybe not so fine. He'd love the sex, too—he'd been in a relationship with Rosy Palmer for far too long—but he'd take what he could get.

"Sweet baby," he cooed. "Wake up."

"Don't wanna."

"The Grinch is coming up."

Her eyes flew open. "Ooh! I love that one."

He helped her to a sitting position, and she nearly fell over. "Uh-oh. I'd better get you some food, and you'd better sit up to watch this."

Penelope's head was swirling, but she was starting to come down a little from her eggnog overdose. Derek forced her to eat a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich and made her sit up sans Snuggie before the Grinch took the screen. She was munching the sandwich when the first verse of the Grinch's theme song came on.

It still kind of stung, that Kevin had moved on so quickly after she'd dumped him, and she still hadn't. Not that she didn't want to, she did. She just set her sights awfully high for the man she wanted to be with.

She glanced over at Derek and sighed wistfully.

Really, really high.

Like Mount Everest high.

He must've heard her sigh, because he looked back at her. "You okay?"

"Yeah," she said with a pout. "I was just thinking that's Kevin."

He chucked. "The Grinch?"

"Mmm hmm," she said, noshing her sandwich—it was sooo tasty—and talking at the same time. "I called Kevin that this time of year." She giggled and began to sing in the best Boris Karloff she could muster, "You're a mean one, Mr. Lynch..."

Derek mock chastised her. "Hey. Be nice."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Are you defending him? You? Derek Morgan defending Kevin Lynch?"

"Like you always say, t'is the season, baby." He smirked at her. "Peace and goodwill and all that."

She gave him a disgusted look. "I should've known. You always said he was a great guy."

He arched a brow. "Hold up there, hard head. He was your boyfriend. What was I supposed to say?"

"The truth." She shrugged and took another bite of her sandwich. "Kevin hated your guts."

The look Derek gave her made her start laughing again. It was part shock, part pissed, and a little bit miffed.

"What?" she asked when she stopped giggling. "You didn't know that?"

"No!" he snapped and then crossed his arms and leaned back in his seat. "I knew he liked me about as much as I liked him, but I didn't think he'd say it to you."

"He did."

Derek's scowl blackened. "If I'd have known he was badmouthing me, I would've—"

"Oh, no, lover," she said, interrupting him. "He never badmouthed you. I wouldn't let him."

His mouth curved into a distasteful frown. "Thanks for letting me hide behind your skirts, Penelope."

"Oh, don't get your boxers in a bungle. He just said he hated you," she answered, taking another sip of her eggnog. Lord, the way he made them was like pure alcohol. No wonder she was getting so bombed.

"Little fucker," he growled under his breath.

Penelope cuddled next to Derek. "He was just jealous, that's all."

"Of what?"

"Because you're a gorgeous, sculpted gift from God for all women?" she answered sweetly, blinking her eyes. She brought her fingertips to her mouth. "Oops. Did I say that out loud?"

He smiled at her and winked, then said, "The real reason, angel."

"That's boring." She waved her hand in distaste. "Just the usual stuff. He was jealous of how close we were and how I defended you and called you first when something happened."

He snorted. "He must not have friends."

"Not many," she answered honestly. "At least ones that aren't in his battalion for his warfare games."

"What else was he jealous of?" he asked.

"Oh... His mind would come up with all sorts of things about what we did when we were alone together."

Penelope blushed and hoped Derek didn't take a good look at her. Her mind came up with things, too. Wicked, wonderful things. Just sitting next to him, she'd dreamed of kissing him, seeing if he tasted as good as he looked. Oh, how she'd wanted to kiss him all over.

Derek tugged her back into his arms. "Stupid bastard."

Penelope's heart sank. Yep. Sights wayyyy too high. She needed climbing gear, or a magic wand...

She tried to be nonchalant, to not let him know how much it hurt. "I know, it's ridiculous for him to have even thought that we—"

"He had no reason to be jealous," he said, interrupting her. "I did."

She turned her face and looked at him, seeing the honesty and passion in his eyes that took her breath away.

"Baby...he had you."