AN: Okay...I am being totally honest here...I missed writing heat recently (I'm an M girl most of the time!), so I went out and wrote a two shot of pure passion to appease myself...Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1

Penelope was very edgy as she drove Esther home down interstate 95. She hadn't been kidding when she'd told him earlier she needed cool down laps; going from zero to sixty in a less than ten seconds was tough for any fine tuned machine, much less a brilliant techy with colorful glasses on. Add to that her hours at the counseling center tonight, she was now officially running on empty.

Truth be told, the zero part of the equation bothered her more than the multiple requests. Derek had been so busy with work and side investigations, he hadn't stopped by, he'd barely called her. Lately, he'd been a miserable boyfriend.

And yet that last word still made her smile from ear to ear, even on a night like tonight.

Turning off on her exit, she heard her phone ring. It was Derek's ring, his Hot Stuff ring she'd used for him for years now. She changed her ring on his phone all the time, depending on the season, the time, or even her hair color, but his ring stayed the same on her phone always.

"Is this my sweet and sexy chocolate mechanic?" she answered. She'd been teasing the entire evening about being a finely tuned race car, a Lamborghini to be exact.

She heard his chuckle. "In the flesh, baby. Still need that cooling down?" he asked, his voice a deep and low caress sent shivers up her spine that had nothing to do with the cool October air.

"Oh, definitely," she replied. "I'm overheating from doing one-sixty on the information superhighway, lover."

"Are you?"

She clucked her tongue in disapproval. "That's what happens when you take me out without priming my engine, and then run me ragged."

"I've been that remiss, huh?"

Her answer was only a slight, "Hmm..."

As she turned down her street, she heard him say, "Well, I am sorry about that, pretty girl."

"You should've known when you acquired this sexy racer three months ago," she teased, " that I need proper maintenance."

"That is good to know.."

"I need to be treated and spoiled and lavished and loved...and given the right kind of fuel," she added. "No cheap low octane brands for me."

"Never, angel."

"Don't you...forget...it..." she said, her voice trailing off as she pulled her car up to her parking spot.

He was standing there, carrying a bouquet so huge, there had to be thirty plus red roses, and a bottle of red wine in one arm. He was leaning against the wall of the parking garage, still holding the phone to his ear with his other hand.

He met her eyes, and even through her windshield she could see his glittering intent. His million watt grin caused her heart to beat erratically, as he said, "I think I got the exact cure for my negligence."

Derek loved to surprise her. There were very few things that pleased him more than surprising his baby girl and making her blue eyes twinkle like they were right now. He walked over to her car, placed the flowers on the hood of her car, and then he opened her door.

"Is this the right brand, momma?" he asked, holding the bottle of her favorite Pinot Noir for her inspection.

She glanced at the bottle, and then looked back at him and swallowed. The pale, smooth skin of her throat rippled with the movement, and he wanted to kiss every inch of it. "That'll do."

He put the bottle next to the flowers, and then reached a hand out to her. As she stepped out, he hauled her into his arms. Her balance wasn't the best in her patent leather fuck me heels she was wearing; the kind she'd teased him with for years. As a result, she went careening into his chest, her soft body melding against his harder one.

Everything about her hit him at once: her heady, sweet smell, fruity and exotic, along with a hint of desire, her pleased and excited eyes, the part of her plump, kissable lips, and the softness of her breasts. It summoned what was feral inside him, made him want to consume her, remind her that she was his.

"Welcome home," he growled, before leaning down to take her mouth in a heated kiss. There was no prelude; there was no need for that tonight. He simply kissed her the way a man kissed a woman that was his, with power and possession and his entire soul.

Her soft moan of acquiescence increased the want inside of him. He licked her lips softly, knowing she would open for the intrusion of his tongue. There was no doubt; Penelope wanted to please him as he wanted to please her. It was one of the most beautiful things in their relationship—a need to pleasure and care for each other. He reached his hands to her ass, drawing her upward as he plunged his tongue deep into her mouth.

She gasped, clutching him with her hands, her head tipping backwards under the force of his kiss. He hadn't had time to shave, and knew that he'd leave pink whisker marks against her pretty pale skin. Still, he couldn't stop himself from kissing her, from devouring her.

On and on they kissed, grinding against one another. Derek knew that he should end this, take this somewhere they could finish it, but the fire in him was roaring and need was nearly outweighing his common sense. He gave himself one more minute to experience the soft brush of her tongue against his, the feel of the erect tips of her breasts against his chest, the warmth between her legs pressing against his thigh, before lifting his mouth.

He smiled at her protesting whimper, and how she tried to drag her lips back to his.

"Come, sweetheart," he murmured.

"I'm trying to," she grumbled truthfully.

Chuckling, he clarified, "Come inside. I have lots more for you inside."

"Okay," she grumbled. She stood back on her own two feet and adjusted her skirt and shirt. "But so far, you are doing nothing to cool me down."

He smiled wickedly. "Trust me...I will."