Baby Girl

Morgan and Garcia

Chapter Four

July 2000

Derek and Penelope exchanged cell phone numbers before saying good night, standing on a street corner as she was about to get in a cab.

He gave her a hot, but short, kiss and said "Tomorrow night. Don't stand me up, girl. I very much want to see your gorgeous smile again."

"I already promised, handsome, and I will happily keep this promise to you." She ran her hand down his chest. "After all, its not every day I meet a hot stud like you."

He chuckled. "Its never that you met a stud as hot as me. I'm one of a kind, so make sure when you get home and see Jay you remember that."

"Jay would fight me to have a chance to ride you so I don't think he's going to be giving you a run for your money with me."

His eyes widened and she giggled.

Derek said "Well, good! Cause I didn't like the idea of sending you home to another man's arms."

"Don't think I haven't tried to get him to switch teams a hundred times but to no avail."

"Stop it, woman, you are just so bad. I can't believe you're getting in a cab without me right now. What's up with that?"

"I have my rules and I don't break them even for a hot cop with a great ass. Sorry, Charlie, a girl has got to do what a girl's gotta do."

"Well, girl, you go ahead and do your thing. You got me hypnotized doing it just like you have been all day so don't change a thing. Even if I'm gonna go home and spend the next few hours thinking about how good it would feel to have your long blonde hair brushing over my chest or thighs, depending on how you like it, girl."

"With you, I bet I'd like it every which way you could think of."

"Mmm, woman, get in that cab before I cause a scene on this street."

She wrapped her arms around his neck, gave him a tongue tangling kiss, and then slipped into the cab. He watched as it disappeared.

With a small grin on his lips he wiped at the corner of his mouth. Damn, he hoped he got to see that chick again. Derek looked at the key chain she had bought him and his smile grew.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

The agreed to meet at Starbuck's coffee shop downtown. Derek waited inside the blissfully cool building. Outside it was another scorcher of a day, which was the norm in this city in the summer.

He was feeling really good- with memories of the day before in his head- but anxious to see Penelope again. He had been off work an hour and a half already and it seemed like his wait was rapidly turning into an exercise in torture.

He had showered at the station and changed in the locker room so he now wore jeans and a t-shirt, instead of his uniform. He also had on cologne. He looked good, smelled good and was wound tight as a drum waiting on his date.

His baby girl.

In that moment, cup of cool ice coffee halfway to his lips, he paused and realized that term of affection felt so right when he thought of it in regards to her. It was something the guys in his neighborhood called chicks they liked or were seeing. It was also a more intimate nickname then just sweetie or honey.

It meant real feelings. And he wanted to call Penelope it. Whoa. He knew he should be worried right then and there. She was leaving Chicago in three days. So what the hell was he hoping they could have?

He didn't know but there was still today that they could spend together. And if she could only be his baby girl for today then that would have to be enough for him. He wasn't giving up this day with her though just because she lived on the other side of the country.

She made him feel too good to wanna miss a moment he could share with her.

When she came into the coffee shop Derek jumped from his seat and then forced himself to try and act cool. He couldn't race to her side and wrap her in his arms and kiss her like crazy. He'd look like a love sprung fool.

So he stuck his hands in his pocket, put a grin on his lips, and greeted her, as her eyes fell on him, "Hey there, baby girl."

She smiled sweetly. "Did you think I forgot about you, sug? Sorry I'm late. Jay made me change three times before I could finally escape his place. Do you approve?"

She had on pink sun dress that was sexy in an innocent sort of way. Her heels today were super hot though. They had straps that wrapped around her leg.

"Very much so."

As soon as she reached his side, he bent and brushed a kiss on her cheek before he murmured "Mmm, glad you made it. Lets get you a drink."

They went to the counter and Penelope ordered a cool caramel coffee drink with whip cream. As they sat and chatted Derek watched her licking at her lips to get little drops of whip cream off them and found his pants tightening more and more each time she did that.

Derek reached over, took her hand and squeezed it, before bringing it to his mouth and kissing it. That was just the first of many intimate touches and kisses through their afternoon and evening together. He would kiss her neck, intertwine their fingers, kiss her palm, caress her cheek, and nibble her ear. He couldn't seem to get enough of loving up on her.

They went to the art institute first and walked around for over an hour. Then they grabbed a cab and headed to the Chicago River, which ran through the heart of downtown, to take a sunset cruise. Next it was off to a steak house for dinner and then to a blues club for drinks and music. Derek got them a booth and sat cozied up to Penelope the whole time.

He could feel their time together ticking away and he hated knowing that. While he didn't want to consume her whole vacation, when she had come to town to see a friend, he did want to see her again. They shared a long, hot kiss before leaving the booth and heading outside.

Penelope turned an looked at Derek. "Its getting pretty late. I better get back to Jay's place."

Derek swallowed. He drank in her face. "I'll get you a cab, girl." He hailed the cab and paid the drive enough to get her to her friend's house and cover the tip, then he asked the driver to wait a moment.

Penelope's eyes searched Derek's face. "Thank you for a lovely date...today and yesterday. It was magical." Then she spoke in French and Derek felt his whole body go hard. Damn that was sexy.

"I don't know what you said but whoa, mama, I'll never forget the way it sounded."

"Good," she said in a very cute voice before growing serious. "I truly enjoyed meeting you."

"I got your number. This ain't good bye for good."

"I won't be in town that much longer. So, Derek, I guess this is probably the end of the oh so sweet and special road for us. I shall remember you always as the best part of Chicago. And my proof that heroes still walk among mere mortal men."

He gave her a tender kiss and found tears stinging his eyes. He hugged her close for a long minute and then let her go. With a grin he kissed her forehead "You stay beautiful, baby girl, and if you ever come back this way make sure you give me a call."

"Oh, I'm sure you'll have ten more girlfriends by that time, handsome."

He held under her chin. "None like you though and I'd forget them in a second if you came around again."

He didn't know why but this chick had so gotten under his skin. It was kinda of scary but he was too busy feeling other emotions to concentrate on his fear of letting any woman too close or come to mean too much to him.

Penelope purred "Such a sweet talker. I shall miss you eternally. Good bye, my sweet summer fling."

With that said she slipped into the cab and it drove away. Hands shoved in his pocket Derek turned his back on the sight of the tail lights disappearing and looked down at the sidewalk.

So that was it? It felt so incomplete but maybe he would just have to accept he wasn't gonna see his hot blonde ever again. What had he really expected to happen anyway?

Though he craved her body and would forever wonder how good and powerful it would have felt to be with her he respected the fact that she just wasn't into jumping into bed right away. Too bad though. Because he had a feeling they would have been pure fire together.