Kitchen Kapers
Damn, she was gorgeous. Look at her moving around his kitchen with such ease and grace. A sense of satisfaction permeated Derek Morgan as Penelope Garcia bustled about his kitchen, unaware of his lustful and possessive thoughts. Derek allowed himself a small, satisfied smile. His home, his kitchen, his woman. Except she didn't know it yet. She thought they were doing the "friend" thing.
Derek chuckled to himself. "She" was doing the friend thing, his sights were set on being much more than being friends. He was no longer going to sit on the sidelines when everything he ever wanted was here in front of him. He had been patient for far too long. If Kevin Lynch didn't appreciate the beautiful and special woman he had in his life, Derek certainly did. He could kick himself for not realizing it before Penelope was shot. Seeing her lying so helpless in the hospital almost destroyed him. He had to acknowledge to himself just how important she was to him.
She was necessary to his existence. She brightened all the dark spaces that dwelled inside of him. Going from crime scene to crime scene, the almost endless parade of sadistic, soulless killers could deaden a profiler's soul. Penelope kept that from happening to Morgan. Her sunny disposition helped him stay on an even keel. He found himself at her doorstep more than once, needing to see and hold her in his arms before his off-kilter world righted itself through her touch and her smile.
Derek promised himself that he would never take her for granted again. He had wanted to make his move long ago, but somehow Lynch had made his move on Penelope. He had mistakenly thought it would be better to allow Garcia a chance to heal from her injuries, both physical and emotional. He had planned to take things slowly, carefully showing her how much he wanted to be the man in her life. She had told him that a guy like him would not walk across the room for her. Hell, he would walk through fire for her.
"Derek.."
"Hmmmm?", he said distractedly.
Garcia left the frying pan on the stove, walking until she was directly in front of Morgan.
"Earth to Morgan." "How do you want your eggs?"
"It doesn't matter," he responded, his thoughts elsewhere.
Garcia chuckled. "Ummmmm, hello?" "Who are you and what have you done to Morgan?"
"What?"
"Hello, Mr.-I-need-all-my-food-prepared-to-my-exact-specifications?" Garcia grinned, "You are finicky, Mr. Morgan."
"Am not!"
"Are too!" Garcia paused, obviously thinking. "Ok, remember that time I used another brand of popcorn during our last Movie Night?" "You would have thought I was trying to poison you, Mr. Secret Agent Man!" she teased.
"Baby, that popcorn was just not up to par. My brand is better," Derek responded in a supremely confident tone.
"Ahhh, of course! Everything of the magnificent Derek Morgan is better," she laughed.
Derek leaned back in his chair, slumping slightly and letting his eyes slowly roam down Garcia's body before he leisurely met her eyes once again. "I'm glad you realize that, it's about time you recognized that fact," he purred.
Penelope's smile faltered slightly. She sensed that somehow Derek's statement held a deeper meaning. She felt uncertain, out of her depths. Why was Derek looking at her like that in a hungry way? What? Hungry? For her? "Get a grip, Garcia," she admonished herself. Derek just had a natural intensity. "Don't read anything into his behavior."
Garcia turned back to the stove, breaking the disturbing eye contact with Morgan. Attempting to restore normalcy, she cracked eggs in a bowl, keeping her back to him in an effort to regain her composure. She didn't want to think about or acknowledge her response to "The Look".
"So, how do you want your eggs?," she asked in a falsely bright tone. "I have the fixings for an omelets," she continued, placing butter in the frying pan to melt.
"An omelet is fine, baby." "Whatever you want to cook is alright with me," he said in a satisfied tone.
Derek was very pleased that Garcia was just a wee bit flustered by his regard. As she was facing away from him, he let his eyes hungrily roam her form to his heart's delight. Her startled response to his heated gaze had helped him to discovery that she was aware of him as a man, not just a friend. Derek attempted to calm his natural male aggression. He had waited for far too long to make his move, halted by the fear that she would reject him. His instincts were clamoring for him to let her know in no uncertain manner that he wanted her. At his side, in his home, in his bed. He was not used to waiting for what he wanted. He was very focused, so when he set a goal he accomplished what he set out to do. It had always been that way for him. Until now. He couldn't scare her away. He was going to move ahead with his campaign, but carefully. He knew he could not wait any longer, he was truly at the breaking point.
Penelope tried to calm her frazzled nerves. "It's just Derek," she told herself countless times as she prepared the toast, eggs and set the coffee brewing. She did these actions automatically, her familiarity with Derek's kitchen helping her to regain her composure. She could concentrate on the task at hand until she got her wayward emotions in check again. There was a companionable silence in the spacious kitchen, only the sounds of the coffee maker and the sizzling of the eggs to accompany the distracted thoughts of Penelope and Derek as they processed the emotions coursing through them.
She slid the divided omelet on each of their places, and added the buttered toast. She walked over to the small kitchen table and placed a plate in front of Derek, admiring how handsome he looked in his jeans and blue T-shirt. She smiled secretly to herself. Derek Morgan liked to dress conservatively with a monochromatic color scheme. She had persuaded him to buy several colorful T-shirts on their last shopping excursion. Well, her last shopping excursion.
Esther was being temperamental that day and she naturally called Morgan requesting a drop off at the mall. He insisted on going shopping with her, stating that she would need a ride home with all the bags she was going to have. At first, she felt a bit uncomfortable looking for clothes with him, but his natural, relaxed behavior soon loosened her inhibitions and she soon found herself pulling him into her favorite stores and modeling her intended purchases for him. Derek had sprawled lazily on the plush chairs located just outside, giving her his approval or disapproval of the dresses she was modeling.
Until the moment, when she emerged from the dressing room wearing a very fitting ice blue dress.
Derek seemed to snap to attention, his eyes raking her form. "That one."
"What? I think it is a little too…," Garcia began to tug a bit at the bodice. "I don't know, Derek, it seems.."
"I'll buy it," Derek muttered, not taking his eyes off of her.
"Derek…"
Derek got up quickly and strode over to where Garcia was standing. He took her by the arm and turned her towards the dressing room and gave her a slight nudge.
"No arguments, woman. Come on, I'm starved. I need to replenish my strength from these bags of yours that I have been carrying."
When she emerged from the dressing room, Derek commandeered the dress from her and went directly to the counter to pay for the dress, despite her protests to the contrary. It hung in her closet unworn, she just couldn't seem to find an appropriate occasion to wear it.
Garcia was yanked from her reverie by Derek was waving his hand in front of her face.
"Penelope..welcome back," he laughed. "What in the world are you thinking about? You had the strangest look on your face. I asked you a question."
"Oh, I'm sorry, honey. What was your question?"
"What are you doing tonight?"
"T…tonight…uh..nothing," she stammered.
"Good, I'm taking you to dinner…wear that blue dress…"
Garcia was speechless…the blue dress…the one HE bought.
"The blue dress?"
"Yes, that one, it will be perfect," he replied with a lazy smile.
That smile and the look in his eyes set Garcia's heart racing.
"Down, girl," she cautioned. She didn't understand what was happening, Derek was different somehow, and it was affecting her senses. His intent gaze was giving her butterflies. She gave herself a mental shake. "Stop it, it's just Derek." Still butterflies. "You've had dinner together countless times before, stop imagining things."
"Sure, sounds like fun," she agreed. "What time?"
"I will pick you up around 8 tonight. Ok?"
With that, Derek got up, took Garcia's hands and walked her to the front door. As she accompanied him in a daze, he saw that keeping her off-kilter made her so much more compliant. Derek decided right then and there that he had many more surprises in store for Miss Penelope Garcia.
As Derek walked the still silent Penelope to her car, he felt a great sense of satisfaction. He had been patient, but finally he was making a move to claim what was his.
He opened the car door and gently helped Penelope inside, making sure that she fastened her seat belt. As she stared the engine and turned to him to say goodbye, her mouth opening, Derek leaned forward and gave her a swift peck on the cheek.
"See you tonight, pick you up at 8," he smiled, still gazing at her in that intent way.
"Oh, ok," she responded, mesmerized by his intense expression, uncertain of what to say next.
"Hey, sweetheart, about tonight…,"
"Ye…yes?"
"Panties are optional," Derek informed her with a rakish grin.
TO BE CONTINUED
Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this…I do have more planned for Derek and Penelope. Who knows what could happen at this date? I'm open to suggestions about what should happen next…If you like, please let me know!
