-Chapter 4 -

The next few days flew by; the case was a hard one and action packed. It was also the kind of case that Luke excelled at and he was thankful for once to have that to focus on instead of Penelope.

"So, I can't help but notice, you seem different lately, trouble in paradise?" Rossi said, jokingly.

"I don't know what paradise you're talking about, but I wasn't aware I was acting any different lately."

"If I had to guess I'd say you and Penelope had a fight", Rossi smirking as he saw the panic flash through Luke's eyes, only for a second, before he recovered but Rossi had been profiling for a LONG time.

"What would make you think that?"

"Your face just told me I'm right" he replied, "Anything I can do to help?"

"I still don't know what you're talking about, Penelope and I aren't anything and we didn't have a fight"

"uh huh"

— —

Penelope decided that the only thing worse than being Luke's friend-with-no-benefits, was not being around him at all. She missed texting him, and him calling her at the end of the day. She missed his house, and Roxy.

When the team got back, after 4 days in rural Georgia, Penelope was there to welcome them back like normal, but almost everyone noticed she wasn't her normal cheery self.

"Garcia, we need to talk" Luke said, catching her in the hallway as she headed back to her office.

"Not here"

"Your office?"

"Fine" she said, taking his hand and dragging him back to her office.

"Hey" he said, sheepishly after they got back to her office. Now that he was here he wasn't sure what I was going to say.

"I don't want to fight" Penelope said after a few moments of silence.

"I don't either" he replied. "I'm sorry if I crossed over some boundary the other night, I didn't mean anything by it other than I was enjoying your company and didn't want it to end, but I won't do that again."

She was silent, and he couldn't read her expression, so he continued. "What do you say we forget about that evening and go back to our plan, and we'll reign in the non-plan related activities for now. Are you game? Or would you rather just end this?"

"I want to stick to the plan"

"Then look at me, and tell me you are OK with continuing"

Penelope looked him in the eye, and despite the fact that he could see some sadness still there, her energy was coming back. He thought she was going to say something, but instead she kissed him, roughly. Then she said, "I'm OK with continuing, but let's put on a good show", she smirked at him, "next is me sitting in your lap in the conference room, right?"

"Yeah, as long as you are OK with that"

"Maybe we should come up with a signal, since your probably better at knowing when to do it?"

"Good idea, how about if I cough? or rather either of us could as the signal"

"Good thing neither of us has a cold" she said, standing up and opening the door. "Now I have work to do, so scoot"

The next day, they got another case, and everyone was supposed to gather in the conference room, Penelope getting there first. Luke saw her headed in there, so he followed her in. He sat down, and he didn't even need to cough, as soon as she set her files down, she sat down in his lap. He put his hands around her waist, she put her arms around his neck, she was whispering into his ear "I can feel that"

Luke actually blushed, she didn't know that was possible, but she figured he was probably embarrassed to be getting an erection, at the office, just because she sat on his lap. He moved one hand lower, slipping under her dress, up her leg and Garcia went still, whispering "Luke, don't you dare"

At that moment, Reid and JJ walked into the conference room, and immediately Garcia stood up, moving away from Luke, trying to fix her dress. "Oh my god" Garcia muttered,

"Uh, hey guys" Luke said sheepishly

"What? Uh?" JJ was actually speechless

"I think it's pretty safe to say that they are dating now right?" Reid said, as Prentiss, Rossi, and Matt walked into the conference room, "what did we miss?"

"Penelope on Luke's lap, making out" JJ said

"We were not making out!" Garcia stammered, "I uh, better get started, everybody sit down, I direct your attention to your tablets…" she started her normal presentation of the new case, but nobody was paying attention to her. They were all staring at Luke, and then at her, and then back again. Finally, Emily cut off Penelope.

"Hold on, we need to straighten something out first before anyone is going to focus on this case. What is going on between you two?" She looked pointedly at Luke and Penelope.

"Nothing" they both said, almost in unison.

"I don't believe you" JJ said.

"I'm sorry that you don't have enough faith in me, that you would think I'm lying to you" Penelope said firmly, "we're not dating, we're not a couple, I don't know what you think you saw, but I was just whispering a secret to Luke, and no I won't tell you what the secret was about" she was looking around the room authoritatively. "Now can we be professionals and get back to work?"

Everyone was too shocked by this version of Penelope to say anything, instead doing as she said and focusing on the case. This case was local, thankfully, so everyone soon headed towards the SUVs to drive out to Annandale, and as they were exiting the building, JJ said to Luke "What the hell?"

"What?"

"Oh come on, don't tell me the same crap Penelope did. I didn't buy it earlier, I was just so shocked by her authoritativeness that I decided to let it go, but you get no such pass."

"So?"

"She was sitting in your lap Luke, you guys had your arms around each other, that was not a friendly type of embrace and you know it"

Luke shrugged his shoulders, somewhat enjoying this. "What can I say, Penelope's affectionate. I wasn't going to tell her she can't sit in my lap, but I am just as clueless as you as to why she did that"

JJ stared at him for the longest time, but didn't challenge him again. After a long day on the case, they all arrived back at the office to disperse and go home for the evening. Penelope however had already gone home, which seemed a bit strange to everyone, but wasn't totally unusual since she knew they were done for the night.

The next day, they all went into the office before driving out to the crime scene. Luke went by Penelope's office, knocking before he came in.

"Um, do you want to proceed with the plan today or wait a day or two? It seems like it might be a little rushed. Everyone's still pretty freaked out from yesterday." he explained

I'm still on fire from yesterday

Garcia thought back to yesterday, the feeling of Luke's hand going up her skirt was on replay in her mind 24/7, she couldn't get it out of her head.

"Yeah, maybe a day in between is good. How about tomorrow, which is Friday, assuming we're in the office at some point?"

"Ok, sounds good. I'm out, have a good day Penelope"

"Be safe Luke"

The day flew by, and they had a late night combined with an early morning, but they managed to catch the guy and close the case Friday afternoon. Everyone was back in the office, finishing up for the weekend that everyone was hoping would actually be work-free, and after Luke finished his report he went over to Garcia's office.

"Hey"

"Hey handsome"

"Handsome? I like that nickname a lot better than newbie" he said, smiling, walking up to her putting his arms around her.

"Well, don't get used to it. As soon as the plan is over, it's back to newbie" she said smirking.

"Well, I heard Rossi organizing a trip to O'Keefs, so I was thinking that tonight might be a good night we could have some fun dancing, assuming we stay late enough that they put some dance music on"

"Ooh, I like that idea" Penelope replied. "So we'll put off the kiss till next week"

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking, unless you wanted to end it, we could stage the kiss at O'Keefs"

"No, I like the idea of dancing and extending the plan a little further. I'm pretty sure that people still have dates picked out"

"Yeah, I think so too" Luke replied. "So you want to come by the bullpen in 5?"

"Sounds good"

Penelope rode with Luke to O'Keefs because they were still carpooling these days, and when they walked into O'Keefs, they spotted some of the team already there at a nearby table. Seconds later Penelope shrieked, running over to the group. Luke looked over and saw why, Derek Morgan was there.

"Oh my God, you're here!" Penelope gushed, running over to hug Derek.

Luke didn't like the jealous feeling that was coming over him. Or the way his body reacted to the sight of Derek's hand around Penelope's waist. He knew that it was probably a good thing Morgan was here, if he was acting affectionate with Penelope it would strengthen their position of maintaining that they weren't dating.

Luke had heard stories about how flirty Penelope and Morgan had been, but he hadn't really seen it in person. When Morgan had come back during the Ferrell case he'd been out in the field, and when Morgan stopped by the night Steven died all he saw of him was a few minutes in the office so there hadn't been much. But sitting here in the bar, looking across the table from him at the two of them flirting, he didn't like how much if affected him to see them all flirty. He tried not to give away how much that was bothering him, but Derek seemed to pick up on it. When Penelope went of to the rest room with JJ and Tara, Derek came over him.

"So either I've done something to offend you Alvez, or you are into our friend Penelope, which is it?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about"

"Oh come on, you may be holding back the outright scowl that you want to throw my way but one read of your body language and I knew it had to be one of those two things"

Luke didn't reply, he was trying to figure out whether it was good or a bad thing as far as the bet went if Derek thought he was into Penelope. But he didn't really want to admit to himself how much it bothered him.

"Since we've barely spent more than a couple of minutes around each other and I can't think of any other way I could have done something, I'm pretty sure it is the latter. You like Penelope"

"Actually I was wondering more why nobody bats an eye when you flirt with Penelope, but if I do they are all convinced we're dating"

Derek laughed, "Well it was a long time ago, but they thought the same thing with her and I also, I know that more than 1 bet was made about that. It's just been long enough that people forget about it and think of it as normal, and Spencer might be the only one left who was around back then"

"Well then you of all people should recognize that profilers aren't perfectly accurate when detecting that type of thing"

"Fair enough"

When Penelope got back from the bathroom, Luke gestured to her that he'd gotten her another margarita. She came over, sitting on his lap, "is this for me?"

"Of course"

"Thanks newbie"

"Hey!"

Derek chuckled at the two, they could deny it all they wanted, but there was clearly chemistry there. Chemistry that wasn't there between himself and Penelope, they'd done plenty of flirting, but there are some things that can't be faked, or covered up.

With Derek there everyone was having a good time and stayed later than they might normally. As it got later the bar started playing music louder, and there were people who were starting to dance in the back. Before Luke could get around to asking Penelope to dance, Derek pulled her onto the dance floor. A few songs later they came back to the group, Luke looked at Penelope and saw a bit of guilt flash thru her eyes, "I need a break" she said quietly, he nodded and drank the rest of his beer. As she finished her own drink he looked at her and she smiled at him, "You want to dance don't you?" he said teasingly.

"Oh, I don't think you could handle this"

"Watch me" He said smirking as he stood up, putting out his hand to help her up. She took his hand, standing up, trying not to show how excited she was.

JJ moved into Garcia's seat which was next to Morgan, she nodded her head in the direction of the dance floor, "Those two are pretty cute don't you think?"

Derek smiled as he looked at Penelope and Luke dancing, "There is definitely chemistry between those two"

"I think they are dating"

"Really?"

"Yeah, I think they're just denying it because they want to keep it secret"

Derek was quiet for a moment, "I actually think they aren't, or at least not yet. And you know Penelope can't keep secrets. But I wouldn't be surprised if they were soon"

Penelope was having so much fun, it turned out Luke was a really good dancer and while she'd enjoyed dancing with Morgan, there was something about being able to touch Luke that felt so forbidden, and she could feel her cheeks turning red as she felt his erection against her leg. Soon after he said he needed a break and headed for the men's room, she giggled but figured perhaps a trip to the ladies room wasn't a bad idea so she could cool down a bit and collect herself before going back to the others.

The team was called in for a new case the next morning. As they were waiting in the conference room for everyone to arrive, Prentiss noticed Penelope off by herself, "Penny for your thoughts"

"What? oh, ah, well I wasn't really thinking about anything" Penelope mumbled.

"Really? I don't buy that, but you don't have to tell me if you don't want to"

She didn't say anything in response. "So you and Luke seemed pretty close last night, I even thought I saw Derek looking a little jealous" She noticed Penelope blushed slightly. "Anything happen after the bar? I mean Luke drove you home didn't he?"

"Yeah, he gave me a ride home but nothing happened, he dropped me off, I went to bed, then you called this morning before I had even gotten out of the shower to tell me we had another case"

Prentiss sensed there was something Penelope was holding back, but she didn't think it would really help to press further so she left it alone, since by now everyone had arrived and it was time to start the briefing. The team was in Omaha, Nebraska for 5 days. When they got back, just after lunch on Wednesday. Luke hurried to finish his report before going over to Penelope's office.

"Hey"

"Hey Luke" Penelope couldn't hold back the smile, it made her happy to see him.

He came close to her as she stood up from her desk, "You ready for the last part of the plan?" She nodded. There was a part of her that was sad to see the plan ending, but another part of her excited for a kiss.

"So where do you think we should stage the kiss?" he said, his face so close to hers she could feel her breath.

"Why not in here? Prentiss should be coming back to get this report from me any minute. If I close the door we'll have a couple second heads up"

"Sounds like a plan" he walked over, shutting her door, and coming back to the same spot. "But I think we should practice, just to be safe" he said as he leaned down and kissed her softly.

"Good idea" she said, kissing him back more forcefully. He pulled her body close to his, so that they were as close as they could possibly be, and she moaned at the feeling of contact, he used that opportunity as an invitation to explore her mouth with his tongue and their tongues battled for dominance, before Penelope gave in, enjoying letting him set the pace.

Penelope thought she could do this forever, and she giggled when she felt Luke's erection forming. But then he moved his knee in between her legs, and she realized just how wet she was, which surprised her, but she couldn't stop kissing him.