"So show me all of your sexy stuff," JJ said the next evening as she walked into Penelope's room after work. She flopped down onto her friends' bed with a bag of pretzels and popped one into her mouth. "I'm dying to see Derek's taste."
"JJ, he likes anything see through," Penelope informed her friend.
JJ threw her head back in laughter. "Yes, well, let me see," she said.
Penelope sighed as she walked over to her dresser and opened it.
"Is this…" JJ looked around. "A new bed?"
"Don't even get me started."
"Courtesy of Derek?"
"Yep," Penelope said shortly.
"Wow, these are like…600 thread count sheets. Were these his?" JJ asked impressed.
"Yes," Penelope said. "And of course he has nice sheets. He entertains women in this bed."
"Hey, don't knock those women. You're one of them," JJ reminded her, then grinned. "Possibly the last one if Derek Morgan gets his way."
"JJ!" Penelope said in disbelief.
"I'm just sayin'."
"Well, don't…just say," Penelope said. "For God's sake, he could come home and hear you!"
"Penelope and Derek up in a tree…" JJ said in a sing-song voice.
"I am going to kill you."
"No you're not. I'm your only ally."
Penelope frowned. "I think I could sway Reid."
"Trust me—you couldn't," JJ said. "Show me what he bought for you!"
"OK," Penelope said hesitantly. "But I think he bought them for him."
JJ laughed. "Either way, you're both gonna be happy."
___
"About this morning…" Prentiss said breathlessly.
"I'm sorry," Derek said, slowing his pace on the elliptical so he could cool down. "I should have told you before JJ…threw the beans at you.'
Prentiss grinned. "You mean spilled them?"
"I'm pretty sure she was aiming for your head," Derek said dryly.
Prentiss laughed. "Nice. But I wasn't talking about that. I meant…have you really seen Reid give me…puppy dog eyes?"
Derek laughed. "I shouldn't have worded it like that."
Prentiss nodded.
"I should have said 'lusty looks,'" he said with a smirk.
"Oh, that's better," she said caustically. "And…so untrue."
"Oh, Prentiss. He wants you so bad he can taste it."
"Has he said anything to you?" she asked.
"Dude, you're using me for chick talk!"
"No, I'm not!" she denied emphatically.
"Yes, you are," Derek said. "And…I didn't even know you could chick-chat."
"What did you think the boobs meant?"
Derek shrugged. "The same thing they all mean. Come hither."
Prentiss' jaw dropped and she gave him a dirty look, then picked up her towel and snapped it at his arm.
"Owww!" he said, rubbing the spot she'd hit. "For God's sake, I was kidding."
"No you weren't." They were silent for a minute, each slowing their pace. "Are you in love with her?"
"Penelope?" Derek asked.
"Obviously."
"I don't like that question."
"The fact that you refuse to answer…is answer enough."
Derek sighed. "I don't…know if I'm in love with her. I mean—what does love even feel like?"
Prentiss tilted her head sideways with a grin. "Are we chick-chatting again?"
Derek stepped off his elliptical. "Forget it," he said crossly.
Prentiss jumped off and caught up to him as he reached the mat in the corner, then laid down on her back. He stood above her head and she grabbed his ankles, then lifted her legs. He gave them a solid shove down and she lifted them back up, then they repeated the process. She hated this exercise, but her lower abs had never been in better shape.
"I've never been in love before, Morgan," she said. She groaned as she pulled her legs up again. "I've had lots of hot sex with…too many men, but love…I've never been there. I can't tell you what it's like."
"Penelope has," he said.
"Well, most people our age have," she reminded him.
"Yeah, but she's been married."
"Most people our age have," she said again.
"Well, what's wrong with us that we've never been married?"
"We're holding out for perfection," she said firmly.
"Darlin', it's been right in front of you all along," he told her with a smirk.
Emily tightened her hold on Derek's ankles and pulled with all of her might. He would have gone sprawling backwards if he hadn't thrown his arms out to catch his balance. "You're fuckin' dead, Prentiss," he told her as he returned to his feet.
___
"Oh my God!" JJ exclaimed as Penelope walked out of the bathroom in her light turquoise nighty. It had spaghetti straps and a v neck, and it showed off Penelope's curves perfectly.
"I don't look too…lumpy?" she asked.
"Lumpy?" JJ asked with a laugh as she jumped up off the bed. She walked around her friend. "Trust me—you do not look lumpy. You look…hot! I'm impressed. He put a lot of thought into this."
"Don't…give him…credit. He probably had a sales girl pick it out."
"No way," JJ said, shaking her head. She returned to the bed and sat down. "That man knows every inch of your body."
"Tell me about it," Penelope said dryly.
"He has amazing taste."
"Thanks," Derek said, as he walked into the room.
Penelope jumped as she spun around. "What are you doing here?" she asked.
"I live here," he reminded her.
"I thought you were just staying for a while," she said.
Derek shrugged. "Yeah, until we decide to get something bigger. Damn…" He looked her up and down. "You look hot."
Penelope put a hand on her hip and gave him a dirty look.
"Doesn't she?" JJ said with a huge grin. She was practically glowing. She knew she should leave the room, but she wasn't about to miss this exchange.
He winked at JJ. "And that one was my favorite." He turned to Penelope. "It's like we have one mind, babe," he said, kissing her on the cheek.
"Between us, that's exactly what we have," Penelope snapped. "And guess how much of it is yours?"
Derek chuckled. "That's OK," he teased. "When you're around, I'm not thinking with my mind anyway."
JJ hooted with laughter. "Derek Morgan, you are my favorite SSA," she said.
He looked at her and grinned. "Thanks," he said. He walked into the bathroom and closed the door and the girls heard the water in the sink start running.
"Can you believe that?" Penelope said.
"What I can't believe," JJ said. "Is that you didn't run right after him and kick me out!"
"I'm not gonna kick you out," Penelope said. "You're the only thing that's making him behave right now."
"Oh, right," JJ said. "Penelope, you are so naïve. I may not be good at the dirty talk, but let me tell you about men. I am not making him behave right now. If he wanted you this very second, he'd take you right in front of me."
"That is a gross thought," Penelope said.
"She's right!" they heard Derek yell through the bathroom door.
Penelope walked over and pounded on the door. "Stop eavesdropping!"
The door flew open and Derek grabbed her by the waist and pulled her against him, placing a rough kiss on her lips. "Sorry, baby," he said. He let her go and slammed the door in her face. She took a deep breath and counted to…three. That's as far as she made it.
"Subject change."
JJ nodded. "Will's trying to get a night alone with me. When can you watch Henry?"
The bathroom door flew open again. "Bring him over Saturday night. He can stay with us," Derek said. But Penelope didn't hear a word he'd said. He was standing there in his sweatpants—no sweat soaked t-shirt—and he had shaving cream on one side of his face, a razor in his hand. Those frickin' abs…
"What?" JJ said.
"Penelope and I would love to have him." He looked at Penelope. "Wouldn't we?" he asked.
Penelope finally gathered her wits about her and her insides began fuming. It was one thing for him to weasel his way into her house—she could still keep him at arms length. Well, most of the time. But to weasel his way into her godson's life? That was just too much. If he was good with kids…she shuddered at the thought.
"Really?" JJ asked.
Penelope held back a sigh. "Of course," she said.
"Great!" JJ jumped up and kissed Penelope on the cheek. "Thanks!" She looked at Derek. "Nice abs, by the way."
Derek nodded. "Thanks," he said, closing the bathroom door.
"I am so in love with him," JJ whispered.
"He'll be dead by morning," Penelope said dryly.
JJ rolled her eyes. "Stop threatening to kill all of us. I'll see you tomorrow."
JJ left the room and Penelope caught her own reflection in the mirror. She walked closer to the glass was surprised by what she saw. She did look pretty good. The nightgown was cut low enough so that her breasts were bulging just a teensy bit over the v, and it cinched at the waist, then flowed over her hips to fall just below her thighs.
Penelope sighed. She was pretty sure that though she'd won a few battles, she wasn't going to win the war. And then she rolled her eyes. She was fooling herself. She hadn't even won a battle yet. And, she thought as she headed for the bathroom door. She was about to lose another. She flung the door open and Derek was standing there with a smirk on his face. "What took you so long?" he asked huskily as he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her against him.