"Is it just me, or does it actually get better every time?" Derek asked.

"Oh, it's not just you," she answered. "That was definitely…" her voice trailed off. There really weren't any words to describe what had just happened.

Derek chuckled. "At this rate, we're gonna be soaring through the clouds within a week."

Penelope laughed as she threw a hand over her head and studied his living room ceiling. They hadn't quite made it to the bedroom…but then again, they hadn't tried. "I'm hungry now," she said.

"Of course you are. Anyone would be after that." He turned to look at her. "Nice job with your tongue, by the way."

She grinned. "I know, right?"

"Where did you come up with that?"

She shrugged. "Spur of the moment," she admitted.

"Well, don't forget it," he growled. "I'm gonna want that to happen again."

She laughed. "My pleasure," she said, her eyelids fluttering closed.

When he didn't say anything for a minute, she opened her eyes. Her cheeks began to blaze under his stare. "What are you doing?" she asked nervously. He was up on his side, his head resting on his hand. His eyes were unblinking as he studied her.

"Nothing," he said with a grin.

"Stop looking at me like that," she said in a squeaky voice.

"Like what?" he asked with a chuckle.

"I don't know! Like that." Penelope suddenly wished she had a blanket that she could cover herself up with. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Derek reached over and put his hand on her waist, pulling her up onto her side. He ran his fingers down her flesh to rest his hand on the curve of her hip. "Because," he said softly. "I know I'm gonna see you tomorrow. And the day after that, and the day after that, and the day after that."

Penelope grinned. OK, so that made her feel a little bit better. He was thinking about tomorrow. "But not the day after that. I got to D.C. every weekend," she teased.

"What's in D.C.?" he asked.

"One of my brothers and his family," she told him.

Derek frowned. "Well, I don't think that's fair. I think we should have shared custody of you. I should get you at least one weekend night."

Penelope laughed. "I'll see what we can work out."

"What do you want to eat?" Derek asked, changing the subject.

"At this point, anything will do," she said as her stomach growled.

Derek stood up and began getting dressed and Penelope did the same. When she reached for her shirt, he snagged it away from her. "I think you should eat with no clothes on."

Penelope laughed as she grabbed it back. "I think you should control those hormones. For crying out loud, you just got laid." She pulled her shirt up over her shoulders.

He sighed. "I'll try," he teased, grabbing her shirt and pulling her to him. He buttoned it up, and then wrapped his arms around her. "You're just so damn sexy I have a hard time holding myself back."

She laughed. "Well, I like that."

XXXXX

Penelope sat down at the kitchen table as Derek looked for something to eat, finally settling on Special K with strawberries. Penelope raised her eyebrows. "Impressive," she teased.

He grinned. "Sorry. I haven't had time to shop yet." And even though Desiree had been there, she was into this weird vegan thing—great for her, but he had no interest in it. He'd thrown her tofu away the second he'd arrived home from dropping her off. He served Penelope her bowl of cereal, then grabbed his off the counter and sat down next to her. They ate in silence for a few moments.

"Your house is cozy," she said as she looked around his kitchen.

Derek grinned. "That was all Desiree. I was content with paper plates and plastic cups, but she freaked out, made me give her my credit card, and decorated the hell out of the place."

Penelope laughed. "At least she kept it masculine."

"That's true. She could have gone pink."

"You would have killed her."

"Ahhh…she's family. I would have let her live, but I would have made her life miserable." Derek looked up at the sound of scratching at the back door and stood. "I forgot about Clooney," he said.

"Ahhh, yes. The new dog."

Derek grinned. Clooney wasn't so new anymore, but he was impressed that Penelope had remembered. He opened the back door and Clooney flew in, stopping at Penelope's side to sniff her. Derek walked over after closing the door and grinned. "Penelope, Clooney. Clooney, Penelope," he said, introducing them.

Clooney looked at his owner and barked twice.

"Right," Derek said to him, then lifted his eyes to Penelope, his lips lifting in a crooked grin. "Clooney says it's nice to meet you. He's heard a lot about you."

Penelope laughed as reached out to scratch the dog behind his ears. "Ditto," she said solemnly.

He sat down beside her, his eyes closing as he enjoyed her petting him.

"I think I'm getting jealous of my own dog," Derek teased.

She lifted an eyebrow at him. "I have two hands," she reminded him.

He grinned at her. "So you do."

Penelope sighed as she stood up, but it turned into a laugh when Clooney barked in protest. "I have to go," she said.

"And just where do you think you're going," Derek said, grabbing her wrist as he stood and pulling her against his chest.

She laughed. "Home."

"Why?" he pressed.

"We have to work in the morning," she said breathlessly as he buried his face in her neck.

"I think you should go home, get your clothes, and then come back here."

Penelope laughed. "No way. If I start doing that, people at the office are gonna think I'm all kinds of slutty."

"Who cares what people at the office think?" Derek asked with a frown.

"I do," she said. "For all everyone else knows, we just met."

He shrugged. "Well, we'll solve that by telling them we've known each other for years."

Penelope laughed. "No," she said, pushing him away.

"So…we're a secret?" he asked.

"Just for now," she said.

"Well, for how long?" He wasn't sure he liked this.

"Just for now," she repeated.

He studied her face.

"Derek, I can't walk into a new job and then fall into the arms of the player who works there," she said quietly.

"I'm not a player," he said.

"You had me in bed within a half hour of introducing yourself to me," she reminded him.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. You were the one who invited me up," he shot back.

"Are you saying you wouldn't have suggested it if I hadn't?"

"Oh, no, I definitely would have suggested it," he admitted. "But that wasn't a typical night for me, Penelope. I don't usually go home with a woman I don't know. But there was something about you…" His voice trailed off.

She stepped into him and wrapped her arm around his waist, lifting her face to look at him. "There was something about you, too," she agreed. "But…I've been here before…the girl who's dating the hot guy at work. It…didn't end well and I just need a little time. Is that OK?"

He smiled softly at her. "I didn't hear anything else after you said 'the hot guy at work.' I'm the hot guy at work?" he teased.

She squeezed her arms around his waist. "Derek," she scolded.

He sighed. "Fine. We'll do it your way. For now."

"Thank-you."

He nodded. "But now that I know you have a history of dating the hot guy at work…well…if we hire anyone who's as good looking as I am, we're going public."

Penelope laughed. "There isn't anyone as good looking as you are," she informed him.