Note- Thank you to the readers who nominated me for Best New Author in the Profile Choice Awards. That really touched my heart.

Home for The Holidays

Morgan and Garcia

Chapter Seven

December 2007

It was Christmas Eve. Penelope woke up with a headache. She heard Christmas music playing in the living room.

Slipping on her robe, after smoothing down her hair, she stumbled out there, bleary eyed. Leaning on the wall she just stared at Derek, who was sitting on the couch in jogging clothes.

Penelope said "You don't even like Christmas carols."

"But my baby girl does."

She rubbed her head, trying to ease her headache, and stumbled to the bathroom. Starting the shower, she stripped and climbed in, after going to the bathroom, and when she was done she combed out her hair, brushed her teeth and slipped back on her silk robe. Walking out of the bathroom she saw Derek had ordered breakfast.

"Hungry?" he asked her. "Come join me."

"Give me a minute to get dressed."

"You're fine."

"Derek-"

"Get over here, woman. The eggs are getting cold and there is nothing worse than cold eggs."

She came over, sat down and ate breakfast with him. They stuck to talking about his family and the plans they had for the next couple of days to celebrate Christmas. That night they would be having dinner at his mother's house, then going to midnight mass, and then in the morning they would head back over to Derek's aunt house for a day spent with all his relatives.

When they were done eating he said "Listen, baby girl, I was tired last night and I shouldn't have snapped at you. You caught me off gaurd. It won't happen again. You know you're my girl and I never wanna hurt you or treat you bad."

"You're forgiven, my love. We all have our bad moments. Don't give it another thought."

He reached out and covered her hand with his. He lifted her hand, leaned forward and kissed it. Then he cupped his cheek with that hand. He kissed her palm. "You had me mad jealous last night. You know that, right?"

She smiled slightly, as her heart raced hard in her chest. "Turn around is fairplay. I've been jealous over women trying to get their hands on your super stone cold fox body many times before. It's a fine line between friends and lovers and we straddle it so much that of course sometimes we're gonna slip and fall on the other side. Its to be expected but we're adults and can deal with it, right?"

"If I gotta deal with it then I will but I can't tell you it won't break something in me to watch you dating anybody not named Derek Morgan." His eyes held hers- filled with love, longing and a pleading for her to not turn him away again.

She rose up and walked around the table, then sat on his knee and stroked his face with her other hand. "We can't have that. I don't wanna see you broken."

His eyes searched hers. "It wouldn't be too good of a thing."

"You know what would be such a good thing, my prince?"

"What's that?"

She bent and kissed him. Her tentative kiss was nearly immediately taken over by Derek, as he threaded his fingers into her hair and held her steady as his mouth molded against hers. Tingles shot through her body, ricocheting and whipping through every part of her until she was quivering under the sensual assault of his lips on hers.

XXXXXXXX

Another sleepless night of misery for him had led him to decide to put up a fight for Penelope's heart. Derek knew he had her love but he didn't have all her heart. Not if she was thinking of giving part of it away to some guy who was a damn near stranger.

Derek didn't want to know that. To watch that. To live through days of her smiling over sexy things she did with some other guy. He didn't think he could stomach it. She felt like his now. The last month of being together day in and day out made it so just being friends seemed like torture now.

How could he go on not touching her? Not kissing her? If anything he had to tell her that his heart would break if she didn't want him just as bad as he wanted her. He could have sent her flowers and asked her out on dates but he had done things like that before in the past. She just didn't see it for what it was. He hadn't been sure enough and she had sensed his hesitation every time- and kept him firmly in the friend zone.

But this time he told her that he wanted her to be his. No other way to take his statement. He risked messing up their Christmas, if she didn't want him back, but if he didn't tell her then he risked messing up the rest of their lives. And he couldn't risk all that. Not when he wanted to spend his life loving her.

His hands moved out of her hair to gently cup her face as he pulled away from their kiss. Leaning his forehead against hers they both were breathing rapidly. He stroked her face. "Baby girl..."

"I started to think that was never gonna happen, handsome."

He lifted his head and searched her eyes. They glittered with lust but were also filled with questions and amazement, all at the same time.

"Me too," he murmured before their lips came together in a series of short kisses, slowly and sensually exploring each other's mouths. Against her lips he said "So glad it did." He started to lay soft kisses all over her face and neck, then slowly parted her silk gown, just a bit and kissed down her chest, still leaving her breasts mainly covered. "God...do you know how you make me feel, Garcia? Like I can't breath."

Her hand was stroking his jaw and throat. She lifted his head and they shared a long look. Tears welled in her eyes.

"Angel," he murmured, before kissing her teary cheeks and then capturing her mouth in another gentle kiss.

She sniffled, tried to stop her tears but instead of stemming the flow she ended up breaking into sobs, filled with relief and joy at him wanting her.

"Oh, Penelope," he breathed out the words before wrapping her in his strong arms and hugging her close.

Feeling her body shivering in his arms, over the intense emotion of loving him, was a powerful moment for him. She amazed him. She was so forgiving, so open, so good for him. How could he have ever let her doubt his love for her?

Into her ear he whispered "Shhhhhh, I got you. I know. I know."

Penelope pulled back, wiping her face and scurrying from his lap. "I need to get dressed," she yelped and dashed for her room.

"Garcia!" Derek bolted for the door but found it locked. He knocked. "Hey, its okay. Don't hide from me...Baby girl, please, don't run from me...Open this door."

A moment later it opened. He swept her into his arms and kissed her passionately, showing her all his love until she was breathless. Her curvy, sweet smelling body pressed against his, while he plundered her mouth with a possessive kiss, left him hard and throbbing for relief. He pressed her against the wall, pushed his leg between hers, and tore open the top of her robe so his eyes could feast on her lovely, luscious coral tipped breasts. "Damn, woman. So very nice."

Derek gently cupped a breast. Penelope moaned and the nipped at his neck. He fondled her breast while his other hand held he hip. She squirmed against his leg.

They shared a slow, wet kiss.

"Derek," she whispered breathlessly.

There was a knock on the door. They both tensed up.

"Room service."

Derek mumbled a curse word under his breath and moved away from Penelope. "I'm sorry, baby girl. Hold that thought." He shot her a sexy look as he waited till she fixed her robe and then he opened the door.

The man pushed a cart inside. "Strawberries, chocolate sauce and champagne."

Penelope chuckled sexily. "You bad, bad boy. Was this your back up plan?"

"Hush," he teased her and then signed the bellboy's slip and tipped him.

When the bellboy left Derek said to Penelope "This was my just in case plan. Just in case I chickened out of saying anything to you I thought we could still have some fun, maybe, with some after breakfast dessert. Just watching you eat strawberries dipped in chocolate would surely fix my funky mood."

She smiled, picked up a strawberry, dipped it in chocolate, and took a slow bite, teasing him by moaning as she did so.

"Mmm," he said, rushing to pull her back into his arms and kiss her again. The taste of strawberries and chocolate on her lips now. Their kiss sweet and sultry.

Derek lifted her off her feet. "Wrap your legs around me," he ordered and she did so.

Their lips met in a kiss again as he carried her to his bedroom and made love to her slowly, sweetly, and with all his emotions on full display. He never wanted her to doubt it again that he did love her.

Penelope should never doubt that she had stolen his heart.