AN: Thank you so much for the reviews! Now here we go...a little heat, a little clubbing, a little jealousy, and a little dancing, as promised!

Chapter 25

"Hurry," she said, dragging his hand down the street. Sometimes Penelope walked slow, but when his Baby Girl wanted to cruise, she cruised.

"I'm comin'," he said with a chuckle, keeping up with her pace with long strides.

"Not now, but you will be," she shot over her shoulder in a luscious, sophomoric joke that made him shake his head and walk even faster.

Moments later, they were entering the elevator to the hotel, kissing and groping each other in a completely inappropriate way. Their passion was so high, they barely waited until the doors closed. They shared fiery hot kisses that caused him to ache in his suddenly too tight swim trunks. He leaned back, breaking their contact in an attempt to cool off. They were almost in the room, and—oh, man...

"See something you like, sailor?"

Penelope took that second to adjust her swimsuit top... which increased her cleavage... which was already ampfully delightful. To put the cherry on the sensual torture sundae she was serving him, she gave a slight shimmy and licked her lips.

Not one to be shot down easily, Derek quickly regained his control and let his agile brain whirl, thinking of a comback. When he came up with one, he arched a brow. "Sailor, huh?"

She nodded and saluted him. "Aye, aye, Cap'n."

"Good captain that I am, I better get my motorboat." Reaching for her waist, he buried his face in her cleavage and shook his head back and forth.

"Derek!" she squealed, pushing him away but giggling with delight the whole time. She covered her chest and gave him an admonishing glare. "I can't believe you did that."

He wiggled his brows. "Want me to do it again?"

Penelope bit her bottom lip between her teeth and blushed naughtily. "Wait until we get in the room..."

Derek's laughter sounded as the elevator doors opened. They stumbled their way down the hall and through the door of the room and then to the bathroom. After turning on the water, they began stripping their clothes off of each other, kissing and fondling at the same time. Derek half lifted, half propelled Penelope into the shower, where they did more than motor-boating. It was an aerobic blend of sex and shower twister that left them both panting and sated. Afterward, Derek dressed quickly and was now waiting for Penelope to get ready.

"Now who needs to hurry?" he quipped.

"You have no hair," she argued as she worked some sort of hair iron through her long, blonde tresses. "It takes you less time."

Derek couldn't wait to get Penelope out on the dance floor. Although they'd been friends for many years before starting a romantic relationship, Penelope had refused his offers to dance many times. She'd stated that she was too clumsy and she'd step on his feet, or she'd say just liked to watch, like some sexy little voyeur. Yet he'd catch her as he was bumpin' and grindin' in the club, doin' his thang, staring at him with such a wistful look on her face, it had made him want to carry her out to the dance floor and force her to dance.

There was no doubt: he probably should've. He sighed in regret as he watched her putting her makeup on.

Pausing in slicking on her red lipstick, Penelope looked in the mirror at where he stood behind her. "What was that heavy sigh for? Are you really tired of waiting?"

"No, baby, not that." He couldn't argue. In less than twenty minutes, she'd dressed, blown dry that sexy hair of hers and styled it into curls he wanted to finger, and put on some makeup. She was lightening fast, but then again, she was naturally gorgeous; she didn't need much sprucing up.

She smiled at him in her reflection and winked. "Good...because you can't rush perfection."

He couldn't argue with that, either. The truth was the truth.

"There!" she said, capping her lipstick with a flourish and then turning to face him. "How do I look?"

He tugged her into his arms again. "You, sexy momma, are damn fine."

She blushed with pleasure. "Thank you."

He kissed the side of her neck and then murmured, "I am going to have to be your bodyguard tonight... beat them other boys off with a stick."

Penelope giggled, and turned to kiss his lips, but then put her hand on his chest to keep the kiss light, and then twisted out of his arms.

"Not too much," she explained and then gave him a cheeky grin. "I don't want to mess my lipstick."

He arched a brow at her."Really?"

"Mmm hmm..."

"C'mere, you!" He growled and reached for her, but she quickly dodged his grasp, nabbed her purse and headed out into the hallway with a giggle.

Derek followed, certain that sooner or later, that lipstick would be a mess.

The trendy, SoBe club Derek chose was hopping and packed with dozens of men and women, mostly single and on the prowl. He could recognize that in any man or woman; he'd been the king in the game for many years. Looking at Penelope, he knew he was more than ready to hang up that crown.

"Angel, you okay?" he asked her as they stepped farther into the darkness of the club. She looked a touch nervous and a lot excited.

She glanced around the room at the people dancing. "Here's where all the beautiful people come..."

She looked worried, too, but there was no reason to be. Penelope positively owned the place. Men and women were looking her way with appreciation. Especially the men, which Derek unhappily took note of.

He leaned close to her ear. "Then this is exactly where you belong."

A brilliant grin flashed across her face. "This beautiful person is thirsty for something fruity...Maybe sex on the beach?"

The seductive, hopeful look she shot him was adorable and very contrived, like the stage actress she was. She was obviously after something. A rumble of laughter rolled through him, knowing he'd have to deny her—and she knew it.

"Sorry, Baby Girl," he said sadly. "The only sex on the beach you're getting is the kind we had yesterday..."

He'd known she'd want something strong, but Penelope was not a big drinker. She drank a glass of wine with dinner here and there, and every once in awhile she got tanked with the girls—Prentiss, JJ and sometimes even Seaver—but it wasn't very often. Her tolerance was not up to snuff and they hadn't eaten very much today.

She pouted prettily. "Spoilsport."

He tapped her lip with his fingertip."Hang out right here and I'll find you something tasty."

Derek made his way to the bar and put in an order for a sangria—all the fruit and her favorite red wine—and his beer. When he turned back, there was one of the players he'd noticed earlier, moving towards Penelope, holding two drinks. Good looking guy...who was going to be shot down by his girl.

Derek turned back to the bartenders. They were pouring drinks for multiple people, and Derek knew his was farther down the list.

Automatically, he looked back to where P was standing. That man made his way closer to Penelope. He was grinning like a shark at her, but P didn't seem to notice. Derek observed that the guy's teeth looked freakishly glow-in-the-dark white with the black light of the club.

Glancing back at the bartenders, he noticed the drinks hadn't moved...

He heard laughter and immediately looked over to Penelope. Ol' Shiny Teeth got his girl's attention and was holding a beer out to her. She had her hand up and shook her head in a polite decline. Derek wouldn't have been as polite, he was certain of it.

He wished the bartenders would hurry it up.

That douche bag was now standing very close to Penelope, trying to convince her to take the beer.

"That'll be eight-fifty," the bartender said to him.

Derek pulled out a bill—he had no idea which one—and tossed it at the bartender. "Keep the change," he called out, heading towards Penelope at rapid pace, but not before he heard the delighted squeal of the bartender.

"Whoa! Thanks!"

Shit...that was a hundred. At the moment, spending the money didn't burn as much as the fool inching even closer to HIS Baby Girl. He was going to make him eat those shiny teeth, and-

"C'mon, baby...let me show you a dance," the guy yelled.

"No, thank you. I'm with someone," Penelope yelled back.

"Where?" the fool asked, looking around. "I don't see no body."

"Then you are damn blind," Derek snarled, stepping between them and shooting the other man a dark scowl before turning to Penelope. "Baby... here's your drink."

"Ooh, sangria!" Penelope smiled brilliantly at him. "Thanks, lover."

"You're welcome," he said flatly.

The other man had hightailed it, but minutes later, Derek knew he was still scowling. He nursed his beer, glowering in the direction of others in the club.

"Hot Stuff... are you okay?"

"Yeah."

He didn't like being threatened; he was new to having his dream girl, and he'd be damned if anyone was going to take her away. He'd lost her once before, because he'd been a fool himself and didn't claim her like he should've and-

"Okay, Baby Boy," she said, putting her half-drunk glass of wine down. "We're going to dance."

"You got wine to drink," he intoned. A slow song had just come on, one with a swaying rhythm.

"I don't care." She took his beer from him and put it next to hers. "We need to dance...outside."

Penelope took his hands and took him out to the lesser crowded patio. She slung her arms around his neck and lay her head on his chest, and automatically, he folded his arms around her. She smelled so good, like peaches and pears and everything fruity good. He kissed the top of her head, and began to relax, swaying to the music with her.

A long moment later, she looked up at him. "I turned him away, Derek."

He felt his heart pang painfully in his chest. "I know, baby."

When he met her eyes again, they were filled with some sadness and love. "Derek, there is no reason to be jealous, you know that, right?"

He scoffed. No man liked to hear that he was jealous, but he knew he was, so he answered, "I know, baby."

"I am not sure you do," she said softly.

He frowned at her. "What?"

She stopped dancing and peered into his eyes. "D... you are always reassuring me, letting me know how much you love me and care about me. Well, I need to tell you... I don't care who knows, sweetheart—it's always been you."

He smiled. She'd said that before to him. "Silly girl."

"No...I mean that," she said cupping his face in her hands. "Derek... if you'd asked me eight years ago, four years ago, two years ago... it was always you. Always loving you. That's my constant, my lodestone, my one true dream. It will never change. Never."

Her eyes were glossy and brilliant, showing such love. "Now that I am with you simply means I finally got it right."

"I love you, too," he murmured, and then he leaned down, smeared that lipstick of hers, before they went back into the club to dance the night away.

AN2: I think we're heading back to Quantico after this... Anything you'd like to see? Let me know!