Eyes Seek Hers

The next day at work, Rossi very cautiously made his way to the kitchenette in the bullpen. He could see Penny with Prentiss and JJ, setting up her sandwich lunch neatly on the table.

He had come for a cup of coffee, technically. Really he'd come to see if she was still mad. Even though his black eye throbbed, and so did the bruise on his cheek. Morgan and Hotch were by no means lightweights.

Hotch gave him a dirty look as she went down the stairs from offices to the bullpen.

He was careful not to make eye contact with anyone as he went to the coffeepot and poured another cup. Even Penny. Especially Penny.

"Dave."

He had his back to her, pouring the coffee. 'Penny," he rumbled.

"Have you eaten lunch?"

"I'm on a liquid diet until the swelling goes down," he turned to face her, showing the bruises from the previous day.

She made a face. "Come sit here, sweetie," she patted the seat next to her.

He wasn't going to screw this up. He sat.

She took his coffee and gave him her orange juice. "That's healthier."

"Thank you." And it did taste better then more coffee.

She shook her head. "Too many alphas males on one team."

Prentiss had the good grace to be looking through her one of her files when she snorted.

Penny took out her cell phone and set it on the table. "Change the ringtone," she told him, going back to her sandwich.

He set the orange juice down and picked up the phone. He'd done this once before. Carefully pressing tiny buttons, he went through menus until he came to the one he needed.

He saw the ringer for 'Dave'-a tone from 'The Godfather' soundtrack.

With the most minute grin, he changed it to one of the songs in her library. Now he would be heralded by 'Another One Bites the Dust'.

Backing out to the regular phone, he set it down on the table and slid it to her.

She scrolled through and saw the change. And smiled.

For the first time since throwing the flowers she looked at him, with that evil sparkle in her eyes that made men fall flat at her feet. He felt his breath catch.

"Dave, honey, you need some ice on that."

"I had ice last night. And Scotch."

She laughed, patted his thigh. "I have a feeling it was applied in an incorrect manner," she teased.

"Probably," he deadpanned. "I applied it internally."

"You are hopeless."

"Agreed."

Rossi could see Morgan out the corner of his eye, giving him the evil eye with all its voodoo implications.

Penny leaned over, and he had the urge to find a cold shower, seeing how her posture accented her ample curves. And then she kissed him in full view of God and everybody.

It was shock, not lack of experience, which delayed him. Then he kissed her back properly.

"O-kay," Prentiss got up in a hurry. "Y'all need a room. PG, take him to your office for this."

"She can't be PG now," JJ added as she gathered everything she'd brought to the table. "More like NC-17. Or R."

"Or 'Get a Room!'" was Morgan's advice as they broke it up, breathless.

Rossi paid no attention to them. Ribbing was just another form of acceptance, anyway.

"Miss Garcia, may I invite you over for dinner?" he asked.

"You may, but will you is the question."

"I shall."

"Then I accept. But no deer meat!"

"What's wrong with deer meat?"

"Have you never seen Bambi?"

"Bambi was a deer drawn at Walt Disney studios."

"I hear 'deer'. I think Bambi. That's just how it is."

"Okay. Next time I feel the urge to hunt deer-"

"Dave I swear to God-"

"I will go shot bunnies instead."

She launched herself at him and they were laughing and mock fighting and she was still making breathless death threats if he harmed any animal, especially nice furry ones that never did anything to him, when Hotch came over.

"If you two are finished, I have to drag Rossi to a conference now."

"Aaron, have some compassion. I'm about to be murdered by a very smart and beautiful woman. That's my lifelong dream, and you want me to abandon it for a conference?"

Hotch didn't smile. He never did when he joked. "Yes, Dave. Strauss wants to cover sexual harassment again."

"Dammit!" but they were all laughing again, and even Hotch ventured a small, minute smile and a clap on Rossi's shoulder. For the moment, all was well again.