Chapter 10

AN: Thanks for the warm support, everyone. Building the backstory here, please bear with me. Posting a little before midnight here, so I am a touch early...not sure if I will get to post tomorrow...

When Penelope jogged back over to where the blanket was laid out, Derek was flat on his back with his arms folded under his head. He had a scowl on his face, she could tell under the black sunglasses he wore, it was that severe, and about five women staring in his general direction. He had an open Corona, complete with a slice of lime in the neck, and a bag of Doritos open. He popped a chip in his mouth, and still scowled up at the sun.

"Did you get sunblock on yet?" she asked, coming up and standing next to him on the blanket.

"Don't spill my beer," he growled, putting a hand out to steady the bottle.

She gave him a wary look, but couldn't tell if he had his eyes open or not. She didn't want to upset the apple cart, judging how cranky he was sounding already, so she decided to be cautious. Glancing at the blanket, she gauged the distance to lay down, opened a Corona for herself, and laid on her side, as far from him as she could.

"I don't fucking bite," he snapped. "You don't need to put yourself in China."

Penelope sat up immediately. "I am going home. I will find a ride."

"Oh, yes," he said sarcastically, "I'm sure Scott will take you."

A second later, Penelope figured it out. She was thunderstruck. "Derek. You're jealous."

"Don't be ridiculous."

"Why, yes; yes, you are," she said, then began to giggle. "Sweetie pie, I've watched you hook up with chicks on this very beach for six years, and never said a damn thing. I finally get a phone number-"

"You could've had a lot more."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Please. You have more than the yellow pages, but I never got one. No one even looked."

"Oh, hell, yes, they looked. I saw them, but they didn't ask. You were taken by Lynch, that's why." He rolled over onto his stomach. "Men can tell that sort of thing."

"What?" She laughed, grabbing the sunscreen. "I had a big sign saying No Vacancy flashing over my head?"

He laughed, she could see his shoulders shaking. "Yeah, kind of like that."

She smiled and squirted the lotion on his back, giggling when he jumped from the cold. "Well, for some reason, I got someone this time. He's nice, and very friendly. Cute, too. It feels... good. Really good."

"Good for you," he mumbled into the blanket.

"Quit being pissy."

"I'm no-," he began, then stopped himself. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay." She knew how it felt, so she didn't pick on him too much for being jealous. She rubbed the lotion over his back and shoulders. It soaked into his skin quickly, so she poured some more on. She tried to reach the other side of him, and nearly fell over onto him.

"You can sit on me. If it would be easier," he suggested.

She swung her leg over his hips and sat on the hard curve of his butt, then started rubbing the lotion up to his neck. He let out a light groan when she rocked upward to get to his neck.

"Sorry," she murmured, feeling somewhat self-conscious. "I know I'm heavy."

"You're fine."

She rubbed a little bit more, enjoying the feel of his smooth muscles, the strength evident in every rounded peak. His skin was supple, but the muscles underneath were taut, tight. It was strange; she was touching him, and yet, she could feel the tingles in her body, could feel herself warming up. She had the oddest desire to lay herself on him, rub her body against his, and just breathe. She'd never had that feeling with anyone else before.

"Are we interrupting something?"

Penelope jumped off of Derek when she heard the man's voice, and knocked over his bottle of beer. A little puddle went under his belly, making him yelp in surprise.

"Aw, baby, I told you not to do that," he said, rolling over and sitting up. He was grinning, big time, at her first and then at the man standing there. "Wentworth! It's been ten years, you're still the same. How are you doing?"

"Not as good as you, I see," Mike said, returning Derek's grin. "Getting a massage on the beach, you lucky bastard."

Derek winked at Mike and gave Penelope a hug.

"We brought the little grill, so quit noshing on the chips, Morgan," Mike stated as Belinda snatched up the bag. "You always were a chip person."

"Hey, I'm starving!" he pouted, then pulled Penelope so she was sitting in his lap. "Fine. I'll snack on something else then." He kissed the side of her neck, and then pretended to bite it, just grazing her with his teeth.

"Gonna share there, Morgan?" Mike asked as he was lighting the charcoal. "You know that's my favorite snack."

"No," he said, wrapping his arms around her middle to keep her sitting. "Been there, done that, won't do it again."

Belinda helped herself to one of the beers in the cooler, and gave one to Mike, too. They exchanged a quick kiss before she plopped down on the blanket.

"Teeny blanket, here, you two!" She scooted closer to them. "How are we all going to fit?"

"It was perfect for two," Derek muttered, lifting Penelope a little bit. She moved off his lap, and he stood. "I got a spare one in the car."

Penelope gave him an incredulous look. The man had lied to her. He had packed two blankets after all. Cozier, indeed! He was a cuddle bunny at times, liked to cuddle during movies, but on a hot day at the beach? She glared at him, but he just winked at her.

When Derek took off at a jaunt to the car, Belinda asked, "So, how long have you two known each other?"

"Six years," Pen said, drinking the last of her beer and reaching for water. "Want one?"

"No, thanks," Bel said. "Where'd you meet?"

"Work. We work together at the FBI."

"Hmm, that's not like Derek." Belinda looked down at her perfectly painted toes, crossing her slender ankles. Penelope had chipped polish on her big toes; it had been a while since she had a pedicure. She crossed her legs under herself.

She took a sip of the water, and then asked, "What do you mean by that?"

She shrugged. "Derek likes to pick up his girls where he can hunt for them. He's a hunter, lives for the chase."

Penelope couldn't argue with that one.

"And six years is a long, long time for Derek." Belinda looked at her perfect nails now, and fixed the string on her bikini. "Don't you think, Mike?"

"Oh, yeah. He used to be much worse than me. Once he catches them, he lets them go after a short time." Mike flopped a bratwurst on the grill. It made a hiss, like a snake. "Yep, that's Morgan. Love 'em, satisfy 'em, then leave 'em."

"You must be very special for him to have kept you that long."

Penelope thought for a moment. What they were saying was the truth in a lot of ways. Derek changed girlfriends like he changed underwear. Once he got his groove thang on, as he called it, he prowled. She'd seen it so many times in six years.

"Miss me?" he asked, interrupting her thinking. He tossed the blanket at Belinda. "There you guys go."

Belinda rolled her eyes. "Such a gentleman."

After spreading out the blanket and setting up the food, they shared the meal together. There was a lot of chatting, a lot of laughing, and Penelope started liking the couple.

Nonetheless, she still thought something was off. They weren't very cozy with one another; like they tolerated each other's presence, but didn't really like each other. It was the polar opposite of her and Derek. He had mentioned ten years since he saw them; she wondered how well he still knew them.

After lunch, Mike clapped Derek on the shoulder. "Come on. Let's throw some passes in the water."

"That alright with you, sweetness?" he asked, one brow arched.

"Go ahead," Penelope said, sitting up.

He scrambled to his feet and ran off after Mike, who was nearly waist deep in water. He thew a perfect spiral pass to Mike, who dove for it and went under. A moment later, he came up from under the water with the ball. Derek ran into the water then, about knee deep.

"He really thinks you're something," Belinda said, shaking her head. "I don't know how you did it. I tried, and I couldn't keep him, but he looks like he can't get enough of you."

Penelope frowned in confusion. "Didn't you leave Derek for Mike?"

She scoffed. "No. He dumped me. We dated for three months. I wanted to get engaged someday soon, wanted to bring him home to my mother. He flat out refused."

"I'm sorry." Penelope didn't know what else to say.

"It's fine. Mike was there to pick up the pieces, and the rest is history."

P sensed it wasn't history. There was still a part of Belinda that wanted Derek. She wondered what the true story was, why he was being so protective, and decided to believe in Derek.

And she wondered why Derek was still friends with these two in the first place!

Penelope looked over at the water where Derek was. "It all turned out fine. Derek is a good man, and Mike seems nice, too."

"He is." She shrugged. "We just have our differences. You two will someday, too. It all gets old for them. Especially to players like Mike and Derek. They need adventure, change, excitement."

Before Penelope could comment on that, Belinda laid down on the blanket and removed her glasses. "Enough talk. Time to tan."

For a moment, Penelope pondered everything again, all that just happened and scoffed at herself. Stop being stupid and remember it's just friendship. Nothing else.

Still, if Belinda or Mike hurt her Hot Stuff, she'd scratch their eyes out. Even though she was just a friend.

Sighing, she laid down, flipped onto her tummy, and let the sun wash the worry away from her.