A/N: Just a short little thing that popped into my head thinking about Derek flipping houses, and Penelope spending her weekends with him. Ah the trouble one can get into with a hose! :-)


Walking quietly down the veranda steps, adjusting the satin tie on her pale raspberry robe, Pen watched Derek push the hat off his head with his forearm as he wiped his sweaty brow. The muscles in his arms and upper back rippled as he stretched out from his cramped position on his knees. Rivulets of sweat cut through the dirt across his neck and shoulders leaving streaks that ran under the edge of the tank top that was now plastered to his torso. Derek's physical beauty never ceased to catch Pen by surprise, perhaps because he was so unaware of it himself. In a town dominated by power mongers & self-admiration, Derek simply accepted the fact that he had been blessed with photogenic genes and went on to other things.

Deciding it was past time for him to clean up and come spend time with her, Pen tucked the hem of the robe up into the tie at her waist, giving her long smooth legs complete freedom of movement over the soft soil. She moved slowly toward the spigot and the old faded red hose coiled at its base on the side of the veranda. Picking up the nozzle and pointing it away from Derek, she turned on the spigot about halfway. Placing her thumb over the nozzle to make a fine mist, Pen swiftly turned and caught Derek with the cold water on his upper back in mid-stretch.

"What the hell?", Derek yelped. Turning around only made the water splash all over his chest and face, thoroughly soaking his tank, and coursing down his chest to saturate his low-riding cut-offs. "Pen!"

Pen was caught wet-handed as it were and laughed at the look on Derek's face. But as she watched the water's path down his taut physique, her breath caught mid-laugh. God he was gorgeous! Her heart began an erratic pattern, and her body began to pulse beneath the satin robe.

"So you're awake and ready to play are you?", Derek growled as he started to swagger towards her. "I hope you know that you're playing a very dangerous game young lady." "I play for keeps in these battles."

As he progressed towards her with a glint in his eye, Pen bravely stood her ground, keeping the hose on him. Despite her heart pounding erratically and her breath catching in her lungs, Pen tried to pretend indifference to the male animal stalking determinedly towards her. What had started as a simple joke had quickly turned arousing for both of them, and Pen knew it would only end when both of them were equally drenched and at least momentarily satisfied. They might not be in the throes of new love like Spencer and Lila, but she and Derek had the extra benefit of being best friends – which added the greatest dimension of all to their love and passion.

Reaching her position Derek wrapped one long arm around Pen's waist pulling her close to his wet chest, while taking the nozzle from her hand. Leaning down to nuzzle her neck and lick & nip at the sensitive skin behind her ear, Derek whispered, "I wonder what wet raspberry satin will look like on you, sweetheart. Care to find out?"