Stranded for Christmas

Morgan and Garcia

December 2009

Chapter Four

Penelope had fallen asleep on the couch, in Derek's arms. She woke up to hear him humming Christmas tunes as he rustled around the kitchen. The smell of fresh brewing coffee filled the air.

Sitting up on the couch, she watched him flipping a pancake. He seemed in a much better mood with lighter spirit than he had for the last few months.

Smiling, she greeted him "Morning, handsome. You cooking up a Christmas feast?"

"Working on it, sleepy head."

"You know I always sleep good in your arms. You can't blame my sleeping in on me when it was your strong, muscular, beef cake bod that lulled me into such a restful haze."

"I'm flattered, I think."

She chuckled. "Oh, trust me, it is a compliment."

"If I was really all that you wouldn't get a wink of sleep, woman," he flirted.

She blushed as she stood up, adjusting her purple robe over her pajamas, which had pictures of reindeer on them. "If not for the firm line of friendship between us I'm sure I'd find out you are all that and much, much more."

With that said, she headed off for the bathroom to freshen up.

XXXXXXXX

"So any plans on our agenda today?" Penelope asked, as they ate breakfast. "I don't suppose the road is clear?"

"Afraid not but it's not snowing anymore so I was thinking we could slap on the snow shoes in the hall closet and go for a walk."

"Snow shoes? I don't suppose they have glitter on them, huh?"

He chuckled. "You're out of luck with that. They're made for utility, not fashion."

"Walking out in the creepy woods?"

"I brought my gun but I don't think we've gonna come by any unsubs. Maybe a deer or two, that's all."

"I can handle a cute little deer, I guess."

Brushing a finger over her nose, he said "Cool." After a moment, Derek added "I'm really glad you're here, baby girl."

Her eyes lit up. "Me, too."

XXXXXXXXXX

A couple of hours later, Derek and Penelope had made it to a bluff that overlooked a gorge in the mountain.

"This is really beautiful," she said.

"Wow," he said, staring out at the scenery before them.

"I wish I brought my camera."

"You don't need a camera if you keep this moment in your heart forever, just like I will."

She looked up and into his eyes. Their gazes locked. It seemed like he was leaning down closer to her and she started to lean up but then a rustling in the woods spooked Penelope and she jumped slightly, looking that way.

There was a deer running away from them through the snowy foliage.

"Just a deer," Derek murmured.

"Scared the crap out of me," Penelope complained.

"Come on, lets head back. I've got a good idea for how we can warm up."

"I hope you're thinking about hot chocolate with lots of whipped cream."

"Better."

"Better? I doubt it. You know how I feel about chocolate."

XXXXXXXXXX

Derek led Penelope to the master suite and motioned at the corner of the room. "Now tell me that ain't better than hot chocolate? And there's plenty of room for two."

Looking at the tub, she asked "You wanna take a bath together?"

"No, silly. It's a Jacuzzi."

"Oh. Um, I didn't bring a bathing suit but you feel free to indulge, Hot Stuff."

"Garcia, it's me. You don't need a bathing suit."

She arched an eyebrow at him.

He said "Besides, a bra and panty is just like a bikini."

"Ha."

"Fine. Wear a shirt over it. Come on. We're on vacation. Let loose a little."

"I don't know..."

He gave her puppy dog eyes and she caved, adding "Oh, all right. But I'm gonna need some wine!"

"Coming right up," Derek said, leaving the room to go pour them some drinks.

XXXXXXXXX

Penelope finished putting her hair in a ponytail, as she stood in the master bathroom, and then looked down at her bra and panty set: red satin with hints of lace. She had borrowed a black t-shirt from Derek to put over it.

Sliding that t-shirt on, she let out a sigh. It certainly would be nice if she felt like she didn't need the shirt but they were just friends and she wasn't exactly an exhibitionist so the shirt was a must. Slipping out of the bathroom she didn't make it two steps before she froze in her tracks and gulped at the sight before her. Derek was sitting on the edge of the Jacuzzi, his back to the wall, decked out in a pair of blue shorts.

It was obvious he had sat in the tub already before getting back out because his shorts were dripping wet and plastered to his body.

She had seen him before without a shirt on- the image had certainly sped up her heart and left her mouth watering- but there was something even more enticing about the way he looked now with water droplets sliding down his firmly chiseled abs and pecs, leaving her momentarily speechless and stunned.

"Mmm, errr," she mumbled, losing her train of thought "Morgan..."

"Yes, sweet angel?" His eyebrow cocked up.

"Is it hot?" she asked, just spitting out the first thought that came to her fuzzy mind.

He dipped a finger in the water. "Pretty hot. You ain't afraid of a little heat, are you, Garcia?"

Crooking his finger at her, he motioned her closer. She shuffled over to the tub and hesitantly crawled onto the opposite side from him.

Derek asked "Never been in one of these?"

"I have but just not with a hunk of man meat like yourself. You could send a woman in perfect health to the emergency room from stroking out at the sight of you."

Smiling, Derek slipped into the tub. "Your turn."

She slowly slipped down into the scorching water, trying hard to not brush against him but her foot momentarily touched his leg, sending waves of pleasure pulsating through her at the feel of his hair roughened skin, taut with muscles.

Reaching for the bottle of wine, she quickly poured herself a glass and gulped it down.

Derek asked "You okay there, Garcia?"

"Yeah, fine, absolutely uber fine. I just need to keep reminding myself that you're just my good friend, Derek, the same as yesterday and the day before, and there is no more reason to jump your bones right now than there was then...just because you're dripping wet...mmmm."

"Well if I had known that all it would take was me being dripping wet then I would have gotten wet in front of you a long time ago."

She quickly poured another glass of wine and downed it. When she went for a third, Derek stopped her, putting his hand over hers and taking the bottle away from her.

Murmuring, he told her "Relax."

She lay her head back and closed her eyes.

Derek said "Much better," as he got comfortable on his side of the tub. "Now this is more like it. I really needed this after the last few months. Every time I would think it couldn't get worse...it did."

"I know what you mean. Everything fell apart all around me, too." Emotion clouded her voice as she recalled the way she had been struggling lately- with Kevin dumping her for someone else, Derek messing around with Tamara and their boss' wife, Haley, being murdered.

"Let it go, baby girl," Derek said, in a soothing and comforting way. "The future is what we make it, right?"

"Right."

They spent the better part of an hour soaking, and talking, before Penelope said "The heat is getting to me so I think I'm gonna get out."

She stood up and so did Derek. As she was gaping at his body, he got out, grabbed a towel and reached for her hand, helping her out and then gently wrapped the towel around her. The moment sizzled with an ever growing tension as she felt his hands adjust the towel to hold it up, tucking it in over her breasts.

Her hands focused on his hands until he was done and then she looked up and into his eyes. His eyes seemed darker than ever and, for a moment, she even believed they were just as filled with want and need as her thobbing body was.

Sucking in a quick breath, she moved around him. "Mind if I use your shower?"

"Go for it," he said.

"Thank you so much, you mocha God of goodness." She slipped into the bathroom and leaned her back against the door, breathing hard and fast, knowing she had been close to throwing herself at him and reminding herself that all she would do was embarrass herself if she did that.

Derek Morgan had always been hot and he would forever be hot. As his friend she could appreciate that but it wouldn't be right to make him uncomfortable by trying to throw herself at him...even though the bed had been just a few feet away and plenty of thoughts of how good it would feel to have him toss her on there had been clogging up her brain during their time in the Jacuzzi.

It was okay to think about it but she had to use all her willpower to not go there.

"He's just a friend," she whispered to herself. "Just a friend, Garci. Just a friend."