Chapter 10 - Baby Steps
Sheldon had run out of time, he hadn't found a roommate that came close to even a quarter of his requirements, so he had no other choice and decided to make the most logical decision he could render in his situation. Amy started moving her stuff into Leonard's old room the next week. It was Penny who learned the good news one day by answering her door to find a tired Amy standing there holding a box. "Hey Ames, what'ca you doing?"
"I just thought I stop by and chat with you a couple of minutes and rest before I continued moving." She then put her box just inside Penny and Leonard's apartment before completely walking in and sitting down on their couch.
"Moving? You're not moving into 4A are you?" Penny asked with both curiosity and excitement in her voice.
Amy nodded, "It seems that Sheldon won't ride in your car unless it is a matter of life and death, and he thinks riding in your car is a matter of life and death, his. He is also tired of riding the bus but people are giving him a hard time about spraying the bus seats with disinfectant before he sits. He got thrown off the bus just this past Friday."
"Wow, it is just not us that he annoys." Penny commented.
Amy gave Penny a disapproving look, "Anyway, me living with him allows me to drop him off before I go to work, so he decided that the burden of having a woman live with him was surpassed by the benefits." Amy explained, a little smile on her lips.
"Oh Amy, you shouldn't let him treat you like that, you're not a burden." Penny told her sympathetically
Amy just smiled and shook her head, "No it's okay, before he said that he told me he needs me, he never said that before, no man has told me that before."
Penny felt sorry for Amy, she was so desperate for love, so Sheldon just giving her a little scrap of affection made her day. "Well he is lucky to have you, and don't you forget it."
Amy smiled and nodded, "Thank you Bestie. Well I better get going, I want to get all my boxes in the room before Sheldon comes home, so the apartment doesn't look like, what he would call, a trash dump."
Penny nodded and walked her to back to the door, then stopped her before she left, "Hey, I have an hour before I have to get ready to leave, let me help you."
"Really, that would really be nice, thank you." Amy said in surprise.
"Hey what are friends for." Penny answered with a smile. Amy's move ended up taking less than an hour with Penny's help.
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That day Penny got home before Leonard returned from his work, confusing him because she would usually be home late when she was going to auditions or working as an extra for her acting career. He was a little concerned, so tried to make a joke of it, "So, what is new with you today, no auditions today or did you just blow it off today to watch some TV?" he asked with a smile letting her know that the TV remark was just teasing.
"No actually as soon as I showed up at the studio they were signing up for extra's for "Sharknado 9, Winged Sharks" and they actually needed extras for several days since there were a lot of beach scenes, so I just walked up, they asked me if I would wear a bikini for some of the scenes, I said yes, and now I have at least a week's work." she explained.
Leonard, his insecurities coming up again, was not happy about her having her wear a bikini around other men, however he kept that to himself and tried to be supportive. "That is good, right?"
Penny shrugged and nodded, "It is really not exactly the acting I was hoping for when I came to California, but I guess it still beats the Cheesecake Factory any day of the week."
Leonard smiled, pushing down his fear of her being hit on the whole next week, and tried to be upbeat. "Well then let's go out to eat and celebrate."
"Leonard it is just an extra job; it is not a speaking part." Penny really didn't see a reason to celebrate.
"Yeah, I know, but it is still acting, and like you said it is not being a waitress, which is what you want, right."
Penny sighed, "You're right, it is better than being a waitress so I will let you take me out to celebrate."
"Good, grab you jacket and let's go. I heard about this new steak grill that opened up near the college so we can try that out."
"I love steak!" Penny said with some enthusiasm now and a smile.
Penny quickly changed from her sweat suit to a summer dress, the fastest Leonard could remember her ever changing, and got her jacket, then walked out the door of their apartment and started down the stairs with Leonard, hand in hand. "Oh, I forgot to tell you, Amy moved in with Sheldon today." she then almost fell when Leonard stopped dead in his tracks.
Penny caught her balance then looked up at Leonard from the step below to see a confused stunned expression on his face. "Babe what is wrong?"
Leonard blinked a couple times then looked down at her, "I asked what was new and you didn't lead with Amy moved in with Sheldon!"
Penny giggled, "Yeah, your right that is pretty shocking news, sorry."
Leonard sighed, "Okay I'm not as shocked as a moment before, let's go." he then took a step down and they both continued again down the stairs, hand in hand.
"There aren't any other earth-shattering things you are keeping from me are there? Raj hasn't told you an asteroid is heading to earth to wipe out humanity, did he?" Leonard now casually asked in a teasing manner.
Penny giggled, "No, the only disturbance in the force is Sheldon letting Amy move in."
Leonard looked at her in surprise, "You know how turned on I get when you quote Star Wars."
Penny smiled at him, "Well taking me out to eat steak is a good way to get into may panties, Padawan." she said giggling again, as Leonard now seemed to be in a big hurry to go to dinner suddenly.
The steak dinner was great, Penny telling Leonard that about 10 times while he just smiled at her. That night was very balmy in California, so they ended up driving home with the windows and sunroof open just enjoying the weather. However, when they reached the apartment parking lot, Leonard shut the car off and just leaned his seat back to see the stars out of the sunroof, Penny quickly doing the same. "You know sometimes like tonight, when the smog isn't too bad, you can really see the stars." he softly said.
Penny sighed, "Yeah it is sort of pretty when you can really see them." She then looked over at Leonard, a sudden thought coming into her mind, making her feel a little sad. "I'm sorry Leonard."
Leonard looked at her confused, "I don't understand, for what?"
"Remember when you shot your laser at the moon that night." she began
"Yeah, I don't think I will ever forget that night." he sadly said.
"Well, I never told you how cool I thought that was, you were so awesome because of the things you knew and could do, I was just so impressed at what you were doing. If I didn't have Zack there, I would have stayed with you guys all night, I was so interested by what you were doing." she told him.
Leonard just looked at her for a second or two, "I had no idea, you thought like that."
Penny smiled at him, "It was one of main reasons I came back to you that night, you and your science sort of got the panties off me."
"But it was a mistake." Leonard said softly and sadly.
Penny frowned, "Making love to you was never a mistake, Honey, I just couldn't deal with the feelings afterward then, I was just trying to justify my actions to myself, I kept telling myself that what I did was right, because I was hurting you by not being able to tell you I loved you."
Leonard nodded, he was understanding Penny now more since he was living with her, so he decided not to push her for an explanation of why they didn't get back together. "Well that was then and today is different."
Penny giggled, "When did Leonard Hofstadter get so cool and broadminded?"
Leonard chuckled, "I'm more street now."
Penny giggled harder, "I love it when you get all gangster." she then left her seat and climbed in his lap, immediately grinding her crotch into his.
"Penny." Leonard gasped, "If you keep doing that, I'm going to have to change my pants."
"Well we can't have that, all those little Leonard's sacrificing themselves for nothing." She then reached down and unzippered Leonard's pants and found his very large member.
"Penny?" was all he could say as she stroked him.
It only took her a couple seconds to get him to the point she wanted, before she moved the helm of her summer dress up and pulled her panties aside to come down on him. The way they were positioned allowed Leonard to rub against all the good parts of Penny as he entered her, making her moan. "Damm Hofstadter, have you gotten bigger?" she got out before another moan escaped her as she moved up and down on him.
"Penny do you really think we should be doing this here." Leonard asked halfheartedly.
"You want me to stop?" Penny asked him just when she came down on him and squeezed herself around him.
"Noooo." was all Leonard said.
"Good, because I wasn't gonna." Penny giggled, as she continued her up and down movement.
"Oh God, Penny if you don't stop, this is going to be over quickly." Leonard got out between grunts and gasping for breath.
Penny smiled, "Go ahead Sweetie, you can make it up to me later."
"Penny, please." was all Leonard got out as he started to buck hard against Penny's downward motions, her feeling him shoot into her only a moment later.
Penny leaned slightly over, not letting him slip out, to get the inhaler from her purse. "Here you go Sweetie."
Leonard took a couple puffs, then about a minute later began to talk again. "I promise to make this up to you when we get inside."
Penny smiled, "I was hoping you say that. Now where do you have the tissues, I need to prevent us from having a mess."
Leonard and Penny didn't get to sleep until three hours later, after both of them found themselves too exhausted to move anymore from Leonard's payback.
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The next week was very quiet in 3A, Leonard worked usually into the evening because Penny was working all week late as an extra on Sharknado, the director trying to get all the beach and other scenes using the extras done in one week. It remined Penny of working the evening shift at the Cheesecake Factory because like there she would return from work a little after dark, however the big difference now was that living with Leonard meant coming home and sitting down immediately while Leonard brought her something to eat and drink while they watched a short show before going to bed. Of course, once in bed for the night, Penny would fall immediately asleep, safe, secure and warm in Leonard's arms, she was already so accustomed to Leonard being there in their home each night and depended on him to cuddle her in her sleep, it even made her wonder how she ever lived without him before.
She was actually happy when Friday rolled around, there had been a few female extras used a lot in the beach scenes and she was one of them, so she had been on set from morning to when the sun went down for each day. She wasn't special, she was just one of about 8 girls in bikinis who they had used the whole week and one or two of them had been killed off in the movie each day until except for her and one other girl, who she expected would meet their ends that day. The beautiful brunette that she was left with met her end in long scene as she got grabbed then slowly eaten by a shark as one of the main characters tried to save her. Penny was actually jealous, the girl got a lot of face time and then got to act a little as she looked terrified and screamed for her scene. So, it was a little of a disappointment for Penny, as the day ended, that all she was in was a couple beach scenes as an extra with large groups of people in scenes that would be used early in the movie.
Because of her limited use that day, Penny's work was done early that afternoon, so she put her robe on and went to the woman's changing room to get her street clothes on to go home, disappointed that her character didn't get a special scene where she got killed off. What made the disappointment a little worse was that her week as an extra was over that day too and even though it was not much of an acting job, the whole week on set performing, even as limited as she did, had been exciting to her, making her want more. So, with a sigh she entered the women's changing area and headed to her locker, her only happiness in knowing Leonard would be waiting for her when she got home.
"Miss, its Penny isn't it?" came from behind her no sooner than Penny reached her locker, a mousy brunette in street clothes and glasses, holding some papers, now coming at her.
"Yes, Penny." she said very confused at who this person was and what she wanted.
The brunette smiled, "Hi, I'm Tina, could you come to the production tent for a few minutes."
Penny was now even more confused, but she was sort of hoping they were going to ask her to come back Monday so they could kill her character off, like the others, the thought of working one more day on the movie actually something she wanted to do she realized. "I can be changed in a minute."
Tina shook her head, "Can you come as you are, they want to see you in character."
Penny was now suspicious, she had heard of actress offered parts for sexual favors and there was no way she was doing that, actually right now she couldn't imagine another man touching her except Leonard. However, there was still the chance this was all legit and she couldn't take that chance so. "Okay" was all she said.
Penny followed Tina outside and then to one of the tents they had set up on the beach, wondering why anyone wanted to talk to her and hoping it had nothing to do with her taking a shortcut in her career. She also found herself thinking about Leonard and how she would never cheat on him, even if she had to give up being an actress.
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Penny was home when Leonard returned from work that day, confusing him because all week she would usually be home late due her working on that beach movie. "So, did you get done early today?" he asked with a smile figuring that was what happened.
"Yes." Penny said with a smile and a little excitement in her voice.
Leonard was actually a little surprised, she had told him this week how they had used them more then as extras that week and even given them a set salary that week, so he was wondering why she was so happy since he thought she would be the opposite after this was her last day. "You seem in a good mood, today."
"Well now that you mention it, I'm feeling pretty good." She said in a teasing manner that she could tell was making Leonard confused.
"What's going on?" he now asked because it was getting pretty obvious that Penny had some good news to tell him.
Penny smiled widely, "Well you are looking at someone who starts her second week working on Sharknado this coming Monday."
"Really, they want you to work another week. That is very good isn't it." Leonard was getting excited for her since she seemed pretty excited.
Penny smiled and nodded, "I thought that they would kill my character off today, like how I told you they been killing off the other girls I was working with." Leonard nodded; she had told them just that. "But they didn't do that with my character this week and they called me back to work next week. Leonard I really think they are going to do a bigger scene when the sharks eat me, something that may stand out and maybe get me noticed."
"That is great, not the part about a shark eating you, even though it is all make believe and everything..." he realized he was rambling and stopped, "That is great."
"I know, I'm so excited." she smiled at him and then had an idea, "Sweetie let's do something different this weekend. I really need to do something to get control all this nervous energy I have from what happened today and what next week could mean for my career."
"Okay. What did you have in mind."? Leonard now asked cautiously.
Penny gave him a pleading look, "Honey could we go camping and on a hike this weekend."
Leonard was a little shocked, "Now? I mean this weekend!"
Penny gave him her best puppy dog look, "Please Honey, I really need to do something physical to get rid of this energy I have."
Leonard was still stunned, "You mean tonight!"
"I wish we could go now, because there is several hours of daylight left and we could be in the woods before nightfall, but we would need to get camping gear and pack." she said sadly.
'Damm you Sheldon' Leonard thought before he now spoke, "Actually, if we use catastrophic survival package one, it has everything needed to support camping out in the wilderness for one week." Leonard said with a defeated sigh.
Penny was now the one to stare at him in surprise. "You mean Sheldon had one of his emergency kits for camping for a week?' she couldn't believe it.
Leonard slowly nodded, "He put one together for two people for a week, it has a tent, air mattresses, sleeping bags, emergency food packets and other stuff to survive." Again, Leonard sighed, "It would be more than enough for a weekend.
"Oh My God! That is so great Leonard, all we need is some sneakers and clothes and we will be able to leave right now." Penny said beaming.
"Yeah, Great." Leonard responded.
Penny came up right next to him and put her arms around his neck, "Sweetie even after we get set up, I'm still going to need you to help me get rid of the rest of this nervous energy before I can sleep." she then kissed him.
Leonard just looked at her after they broke the kiss, "Okay, I guess."
Penny then smiled again, and jumped away from him, "Okay, lets hurry and pack, we are wasting daylight Hofstadter." she then was gone as she ran to the bedroom to do just that.
Leonard heavily sighed, still wondering if the whole thing was a good idea, it was not like he hadn't camped before, he had gone on that camping trip with Howard and Raj when they got stoned and missed the meteor shower, they came to see. Also, camping with Penny did sound like fun especially since she had basically promised that they would be doing it that night, to supposedly calm her down. No, the problem was that Leonard was basically and indoor cat and being outside for a weekend was not what he was made for and really did well in. He was thinking that over when he heard, "Leonard are you going to pack. We need to get going soon." from the bedroom and realized that it didn't matter what he thought, because it was obvious this weekend, he was going camping.
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They were actually at their campsite a half hour before dusk, the traffic was not bad to the National Forest camping ground and since Leonard now had an all-wheel-drive SUV, them being able to get a campsite they could drive up to. It was also nice that Sheldon's emergency pack had an easy to set up two-man tent, quick blow up mattress and battery powered lights for their camping pleasure. Leonard really appreciated how well thought out the emergency pack was put together even though he knew he was going to catch hell from Sheldon when he found out him and Penny had used it to go camping and that he would have to restock and pack it up again for emergency use again in the future. Leonard figured he would be in for a class and a serious scolding, as a minimum, for using the pack for something other than an emergency from a very upset Sheldon.
However, that would be next week or longer if he could keep his violation hidden from Sheldon longer, but for right now Penny was happy and when she was happy, he was happy. "Well I guess that is all we can do for tonight." he said to Penny as it was now dark.
Penny had just gotten the fire started and was looking at it as she threw larger branches in it to make it bigger. "I wish we had brought some marshmallows." she said sadly.
Leonard turned to the emergency food container in the pack and brought out a small bag without about 20 marshmallows. "Here you go."
"Where did you get these?" she asked in shock
"Sheldon loves campfire marshmallows, so he packed a few." Leonard just told her matter-of-factly
Penny smiled, "Goody, get a stick and let's roast them."
It was about an hour later, after all the marshmallows were gone, Leonard and Penny were just sitting on the log looking at the fire, both cuddled together since it had gotten chilly in the woods. "Thank you, Leonard, I'm really enjoying this."
Leonard rubbed her arm, he was feeling very content being with her sitting around the fire, "Yeah it isn't too bad." he then looked up, "Wow, look at the stars now."
Penny quickly looked up. "Oh My God! There must be a million more of them up there now."
"Actually, they were up there all the time, you just couldn't..." he stopped himself when he realized he was being pedantic. "Yeah, millions more." he then pointed to a group of stars. "You know what that is?"
Penny quickly answered, "The Big Dipper." then turned to Leonard and smiled, "We use to look at stars too in Nebraska, Leonard."
Leonard immediately fell stupid, "I'm sorry, I don't mean to come off as condescending, of course you probably looked at stars in Nebraska especially since you could see them so much better.
Penny giggled before trying to act offended, "Well just remember Hofstadter, just because I came from farm country, we still went to school, and we do know how to read." she could barely keep from laughing at how embarrassed he looked.
"I'm really sorry, really I mean it."
"Well, I will forgive you this once, but you will have to work for it." Penny then stood up and started to take off her clothes as she led him to their tent. It was over an hour before they finally went to sleep. Them setting up the campsite and Leonard's punishment making them both exhausted.
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Even though they finally fell asleep about midnight, Leonard was still surprised that Penny was up at dawn the next morning, the fresh air seeming to give her energy that she didn't possess on Saturday morning in their apartment. It also surprised him that right after they did their morning routines and ate some breakfast energy bars, she was ready to start their hike, her enthusiasm at a much higher level than Leonard could muster no matter how hard he tried. So, it was early on a cool crisp morning Leonard found himself following Penny on the hiking trail, thinking how this was his first hiking trip and hopefully not his last.
It seemed to Leonard that for the next two hours all they went was up and he would have quit already except for his male ego wanting to prove he could go as far as Penny and the need to show her he would do things she liked. It was actually the second reason that had more to do with him going on, she seemed so happy and he couldn't find it in himself to take away that happiness, so he found some inner strength in himself to go on. However, this last rise Penny had led him up was really taxing his resolve and as he trudged up the trail to Penny, who was waiting at the top of the ridge, it was only fixating on her that allowed him to continue on.
Penny looked down the trail at him, he was so adorable to her as he slowly followed after her, she knew he was tired, but he continued on without nearly a complaint and she loved him for it. But she knew as soon as he reached her, they could rest so she tried to encourage him on, "Come on Sweetie, you're almost here."
Leonard finally got to her and soon understood why she was so enthusiastic; they were close to the shoreline of a lake and it really looked untouched and beautiful out there. "Wow" he said suddenly forgetting how sore he was.
Penny smiled, happy at how surprised Leonard was at her destination. "We can rest here, eat lunch, and then head back." she told him, knowing he would be happy they hit the halfway point of their hike.
Leonard nodded and smiled, really happy that they were going to rest and were halfway through the hike, he had actually enjoyed the nature but was not very physically fit for this much exercise. "Okay with me." he answered with a smile.
Penny nodded, "Let's go over there on the shoreline and take a break." when Leonard nodded, she led him the sort distance to the spot she picked.
Leonard immediately sat down on a log then looked up at her, "You want to eat now?"
Penny just gave him a wicked smile, "Actually I feel like a swim."
Leonard just stared at her, "You brought a swimsuit?" he didn't see her pack anything like that and he knew he didn't.
Penny kept smiling, "No silly, why do I need a swimsuit it the middle of nowhere." Then in one swift movement Penny pulled her t-shirt and sports bra over her head and off.
Leonard just stared at his naked from the waist up girlfriend standing in the afternoon sun silhouetted against the lake, she reminded him of a goddess, the goddess Aphrodite, she just glowed with love, beauty and eternal youth. It was times like these his insecurities would pop up and he asked himself how someone so beautiful, big hearted, fun and wonderful could be with him, when she could have any man she wanted. He still couldn't answer that question to himself, but he had long ago learned to live with the notion that he was the luckiest man on earth to be with Penny.
Penny noticed Leonard just staring at her, there was something about the way Leonard looked at her that sent chills through her while making her feel pure love for him. Every man she had even met, at first, would look at her with lust and there was a little bit of lust in Leonard's eyes, but after the lust is where the difference was very evident. Where all the other men she had in her life only had those looks of lust in the beginning, that eventually diminished to looks that they just expected sex to happen, Leonard's look contained love, and a wanting of her that was more than sex, a look that had never changed since the first time they had made love together. It made Penny feel special and made her smile, it also made her want him, so she unbutton her shorts and pushed them down with her panties until she stood before him naked and exposed, "Honey will you coming swimming with me." she asked in her most seductive voice, wanting him with her, to touch and hold as she took a little swim.
Leonard of course could never deny her and took his clothes off before walking towards hers and then taking her hand so she could lead him to the water. It was cool at first but after a short time they were both swimming around and teasing each other, until they got so close that they couldn't help kissing. The kiss quickly became heated and as their bodies pressed tightly together, Penny could only smile as they broke for air, wiggling her hips against Leonard's until the sensation was too much for her was she whispered "Oh Leonard" and their lips along with their bodies pressed together again.