Before Its Too Late
Morgan and Garcia
Chapter Three
August 2010
Penelope was completely relaxed as she sat in Derek's downstair study on the computer. That evening they had shared a wonderful dinner, a few glasses of wine and had chocolate cake and coffee for dessert. It wasn't uncommon for her and Derek to have dinners in his home together this summer.
He had taken her in and given her a safe haven to heal from her broken heart. Kevin had cheated on her and left her a wreck. She had put so much into making their relationship work that at first she couldn't see any light left in the world when she found out he was stepping out on her. He swore he would stop and they could make their relationship work but Penelope knew she deserved better than being with a man who had betrayed her.
Derek opened up his home to her and every day he was in town he took care of her- distracting her from the pain until the pain slipped away and she was ready to face the world again with her bright, shiny personality in tack. She'd never be able to thank him enough for all the kindness he has shown her.
Their friendship deepened even more after the last seven weeks, following into this tranquil and lovely place that made it feel so comfortable to be around Derek. He even called his home "their place", making her always know she had a home with him no matter what happened out in the world to hurt her.
When Kevin and her had first broken up she didn't think she'd want to date again for months or maybe years but just six weeks later she had felt ready. The last week she had spent on a dating website specially aimed at nerds and geeks. Its where she felt most comfortable starting her search for Mr. Right.
Derek didn't like the idea very much though. Her hooking up with someone she met online didn't sit right with him. After everything that happened with Jason Clarke Battle it wasn't surprising that Derek wouldn't want Penelope dating a stranger. But she had never let Battle and what he did to her run her life in any way, shape or form since the shooting and she never would. That was her way of saying Battle hadn't broken her or scarred her internally for life. He didn't get to affect her life today like he had affected it on the day he had attacked her.
She just might find the man of her dreams on Nerd Encounters. Who knows?
Derek flat out scoffed at the idea. "Really? That's the type of man you want for yourself?"
Looking at the profile on the screen, for a software designer named Aidan Franklin, Penelope smiled and said "He's very intelligent and successful. Plus he has a wicked sense of humor. You wouldn't get his jokes but believe me, to a hacker, they are priceless."
Derek rubbed her shoulders as he asked "Garcia, can you answer me something? What do you need those guys for when you got me right here?"
"You're gorgeous and delicious," she typed away "but we are oh so strictly platonic."
What happened next she never saw coming. She felt him lean forward and figured he wanted to get a better look at the screen. She shifted a little to allow him access but his mind wasn't on reading up on her potential date. Instead Derek, her good buddy, nipped at her earlobe.
His warm breath flayed over her throat and caused a shiver to whip down her spine. What in the world was he up to? Penelope stiffened and gripped the desk for dear life. He shouldn't be doing this. They were just friends.
But, dear God, she couldn't find the words to tell him to stop. Not quite yet.
His tongue smoothed over where he had nibbled on her earlobe, and then he blew a stream of air right over that cool, slick spot. Her back arched and her fingers loosened on the desk. The slightest of moans escaped her lips, as she licked them and then took the bottom one between her teeth.
She could feel the stubble on Derek's face scraping her neck, his warm breath making her skin prickle, and that talented mouth of his was now exploring down her throat.
"Trust me," he told her as he reached out and closed the lap top "you have all you need right here."
Penelope was caught in a war between her mind and her body. Her mind said she needed to stop him. He might be drunk or just overly emotional for some reason today. He might not know what he was doing and she, as the more sober and emotionally stable one this evening, had a responsibility to not let this get out of hand. But her body was not hearing those logical arguements.
Her body was only feeling. And what it was feeling was making every part of her tingle. What kind of idiot would stop the first rumblings of what was sure to be a sensual explosion that would leave her weak, panting breathlessly, sweaty and satiated? That would make her feel the kind of bliss she had never known before.
She'd have to be a fool to stop him now. Or a really good friend.
Raising her hand to caress his face, feeling his warm, flushed skin under her fingertips, and then she murmured "I think you're getting a little carried away there, handsome."
Derek stilled for a second. Then he moved so that he could cup her face, turning it sideways to look at him. Their eyes met. Hers widened at all the unmasked lust she saw shimmering in his. She swallowed hard.
Damn, it was not an easy thing to turn this man down. She might not have it in her, desire to be a good friend aside.
"Do you?" Derek asked "I don't think I've gone no where near far enough."
One of his hands moved to hold the back of her head as he, at the same time, leaned forward until their noses were brushing. Penelope fought the urge to let her eyes flutter close, let her body sagged against his, let him take over this moment and give her the kiss he wanted to. A kiss she had always been so curious to know what it would feel like to get.
He murmured "Don't you know..." his mouth moved almost against hers "how much you're wanted by me?"
Penelope's senses returned in a flash. She quickly moved her hand up to cover his mouth. "Not a good idea, sug. Trust me on this one."
He went from being the hunter on the prowl to totally deflating. With a heavy sigh, he moved back from her.
Nervously, with wide eyes, as she watched him plant his hands on his hips and shake his head in misery, Penelope declared "We will laugh so hard about this tomorrow."
Derek shot her a dirty look.
Penelope corrected "Maybe not tomorrow but one day. We're gonna laugh our heads off over this. Ha, ha, ha..." her words died out in a breathy manner. She realized she was breathing seriously hard at that moment. Her heart was still racing like she had ran a couple of marathons and her skin was still on fire from his kisses against her throat.
"I gotta get some air."
"Wait a minute, please, Derek!" Penelope bounded out of her seat. Derek had stilled but he was looking away from her. She slowly turned him around. Resting one hand on his chest and the other against his cheek she said "Hooking up while wasted is a really bad idea for two friends, especially friends as good as us. Whatever is going on with you tonight lets sit down and talk it out. Cause as amazing as it would feel to be with a chocolate God like you...I don't want to mess up everything we have. I love you too much to let that happen."
His hands were shaking when he cupped her face. Moving his mouth near her ear he breathed out a broken sounding whisper, saying her nickname, "Baby girl..."
"Please talk to me. What's bothering you? Me dating again? You won't lose me. I'll always need you just as much as I do right now. You don't have to go to extremes to prove that to yourself, if that is what you were doing. I promise you tomorrow, when you're sober, you're gonna see that we dodged a real bullet...wow, I never knew I had this kind of self control. I'll probably be kicking my tech kitten behind for years after this...so close to nirvana and I let my pesky good sense get in the way. How I wish I was as drunk as you right now. Just once I'd love to know the deliciousness of being ravished by my perfect and amazing noir hero."
"Do you think once would be enough?"
"Never. I'd surely become addicted to you. You could have me whenever and wherever you wanted. Day or night. We'd have the hottest fling known to man, or at least known to this tech kitten. It would go down in infamy."
"You're gonna seriously pass all that up?" He wrapped his arms around her and smashed her body against his. "Feel me. I'm here. I want you more than I want my next breath. There's no man on this earth that can want you more than I do right here and now."
