Need You Now

Chapter Four

December 29, 2009

"You wanna come in?" Penelope asked Derek when he brought her home from dinner.

"Are you gonna try and get me naked?" he joked.

"Chances are good."

"Then, yeah, lead the way."

She chuckled and opened the door. After a few minutes they were out of their coats and settled on the couch with some drinks. She asked him "TV or music?"

"You," he said, his eyes brushing over her body in a heated up way. He knew he was playing with fire and she was newly single but spending time with her was making him hot and hard.

"Oh." She lit up. "Me. Always the best option, if I do say so myself."

He chuckled. Putting his arm on the back of the couch he got more comfortable and let out a soft sigh as his body relaxed.

A moment passed and Penelope cooed at him "I bet that body of yours could use a little TLC."

He raised an eyebrow. "What you got in mind?"

"Turn around."

He gave her a squinted eyed look but did what she said. Her hands went to his shoulders and massaged them.

"Mmmmmm. That's heaven, baby girl, but you don't gotta do that."

"Quiet. I have my hands on a chocolate God right now. I'll have to return your call later."

He laughed. "You're crazy but I do adore you from head to toe."

"Oh, I should hope so because the feeling is very mutual." She kicked off her shoes and got on her knees so she was higher up and could work out the knots in Derek's shoulders better. "You need to take better care of this work of art."

"The plane had no leg room. I was twisted in there like a pretzel."

"You're just used to traveling like a rock star."

He chuckled. "I keep telling you there is nothing glamourous about the jet but you just won't believe me."

She kept massaging him. "You're used to it. Some of us still get a thrill from all that leather and luxury. The things I could do to you if I had you up there alone."

Knowing that his body was only getting more and more turned on from her caresses and words Derek captured her hands and said "Enough," as he twisted to face her again. "Thank you very much. That did the trick."

"Anytime, sug."

He shifted around a little and hoped she didn't notice he was hard as rock at that moment. Derek downed his drink. "Could you get me a refill?"

She joked "Am I the waitress and you've been a very bad customer?" before she headed for the kitchen.

Derek let his head rest on the back and the couch, closing his eyes, and tried to relax some. Her home smelled just like her. It overwhelmed his senses. Tonight he wasn't thinking about any of the pain that happened in this apartment two years before. Instead he was completely in the present and thrilled that Penelope wanted him there.

When she got back she asked "Baby, did you fall asleep on me?"

His eyes popped open and he sat up. "Nope, I was just resting my eyes. That flight really left me more wiped than I realized."

Penelope gave him his drink. "Thank you for coming out with me tonight."

"Best night I had all year."

She beamed. Penelope sat down next to him. She crossed her legs. He gulped at her sexy thighs that were slightly revealed when the dress rode up. Derek had to drag his eyes away and gulp down more of his drink.

She said "If you can stay awhile maybe we can have a talk."

He'd rather take her in the bedroom, peel her dress off, and show her just what she did to him by looking so hot, sounding so sexy, and giving him so much sweet attention and care. But he knew that it was too soon to expect her to want that when she just broke it off with Lynch.

"Sure, baby girl. What's on your mind?"

"What ever happened between you and Tamara?"

Talk about throwing ice water on Derek, he jerked to attention. "Where is that coming from?"

"I want us to be able to talk about everything. We need that. So talk to me. What went down?"

He ran his hand over the back of his neck. "That was just a friendship. For a while we were there for each other but then she healed more from her brother's death and she didn't need me to talk to as much. She tried to be there for me after Haley died but, you know how it was, we were busy with Strauss' investigation into it and then more cases came along."

"And you didn't let her in."

"She wouldn't have understood. It wasn't the same as her brother dying. I had a responsibility to catch Foyet and I didn't."

"Baby, you did your best. I know you did. We all did. Let yourself off the hook. I know Hotch doesn't blame anyone but Foyet and that's the way it should be."

"Hotch probably blames himself too. I know I would if you...I would if I was in his position."

"Damn Foyet for doing this! Haley should be here! Jack should have his mother!" Tears welled in her eyes.

Derek pulled Penelope close and hugged her. "Shhhh. I got you, sweetheart."

"Love is the most important thing. Never forget that, Derek. That's the only thing we can do for her now. Never forget."

"Hey, I promise you that I won't go forgetting that. I won't let you forget either." After a minute he let her go and then wiped away a stray tear that had escaped her eye. "You know what else I won't forget?" He grinned at her. "My best night of 2009."

"There are two nights left," she purred at him. "Don't go giving the title away just yet."

He chuckled. "You're so silly."

"Sexy, did you say? I know."

"That too."

"Why thank you, Sir Derek. You too."

"I know."

She laughed. "There is the ego I met in 2004. Five and a half years and its still going strong."

"You can't keep feeding it if you want it to stop growing."

She pouted. "So this is all my fault?"

"I am what you made me, baby girl. Just ask anyone."

She ran her hand over his shoulder. "I'll take credit for all this, gladly."

He took her hand and put it on his heart. Then his eyes got serious and he felt like he could barely think for the sound of his own fast beating pulse resounding in his head. "For all this too."

She got a tender look on her face. Derek let her hand go and moved away. He said "Uh, I should get home. I'm wiped out. Call me tomorrow about dinner, okay?" He got up and got his coat.

Penelope stood. "Okay," she said, her voice kinda hoarse.

Derek crooked his finger at her. She walked over and he took her in his arms. Hugging her close he said "I don't tell you that I love you enough. That's never been all that easy for me to say to anyone but my Mom and sisters. And after the first time I told you...I guess...I figured you would know it counted for every day after that but I need to say it more often. So get used to hearing it come off these lips all the time. I love you, Penelope."

She sniffled and squeezed him tighter. Whispering, her words rushed out "I want more than friendship, Derek."

He jerked back and gave her huge eyes.

She spit out "Crap! I meant to say that in a few months when I wore you down more. I got caught up in the moment."

"You don't have to wear me down, woman," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "Look in my eyes....hear me...." he took her hand and placed it on his heart again "feel me....I am so very much in love with you and I have been....too long to get into right now."

Her lips quivered as she stared at him for a long moment. "Say it again."

"I'm in love with you, baby girl." He cupped her face and gave her a gentle kiss. "Believe me, Penelope." He kissed her again with a little more force. "Believe in me, please."

She looped her arms around his neck and made it clear she wanted about a million more kisses, by the way her kisses became feverish and she let out soft moans. After a few minutes Derek broke away, took her hand and led her to the couch. He sat down and pulled her onto his lap, not having her straddle him but instead her back rested on the arm of the couch. He thrust his fingers in her hair and held her head so that their eyes were locked on each other.

In a deep voice filled with emotion he told her "I'm the man who loves you and that can never change. Not on my part. We will have more than friendship and we'll also keep our amazing friendship going strong and we'll have our talking dirty at work....we will have it all, woman! You hear me?"

She nodded and caught his lips in another kiss. For a long while they were kissing and talking to each other as they showed just what this meant to both of them.