Later that week, David and Penelope had their Saturday night date at David's. He made a homemade cheese ravioli and they cuddled up to watch old movies, Gone With The Wind and Casablanca. The romance of it was vast and kept them in a state of steady arousal. Penelope stayed over and they managed to make love on several new surfaces around David's home and yard.
The BAU team was assigned cold cases the next week, in anticipation of their Annual Leave scheduled for the following. Since there was a little more flexibility, Penelope was able to get away from the office more-easily. She and David went to lunch on Tuesday. He asked to pick her up on campus.
She stood outside in the sun in a more-conservative pencil-skirted dress than her usual flare. It was mostly black and white palms etched over the entirety of the fabric, some were colored in a royal purple. A short blue sweater with purple collar covered her top. She smoothed out her skirt one last time as he pulled up and she got into the car with him.
"Hi, handsome," Penelope grinned, leaned over and kissed him.
"Mmm, hello, beautiful," he hummed, receiving her kiss. "I'll always take that greeting."
"I'm thrilled we get to go to lunch today! What a treat!" She clapped her hands in excitement.
Dave smiled and drove them away from her office building.
There was a golf course close to campus she had never been, called The Medal of Honor Golf Course. It wasn't open to the public so it wasn't anywhere the team had been. In fact, she didn't think anyone on the team could even get in because none of them were Marine Corps veterans like David.
They walked into a building labeled 'Clubhouse'. Inside, the structure was very straightforward. There was a long hall that led to what looked like an open dining hall. Any wall space was ornately adorned with flags, framed pictures of servicemen, of patriotic declarations. The dining hall itself held tables and booths in various configurations. The walls of the dining room were practically all windows.
A hostess seated them in a booth. They sat next to each other, looking out on the expansive green of the course. They watched the golf carts roll along the paths. She giggled at all the men wearing polos and khakis… she much preferred her man in his jeans, Oxford and sport jacket.
Holding hands between them, she leaned close to her dark haired beau. She felt safe and special dining with David. She appreciated him taking her out today, an effective re-do of their dinner out Saturday night. And plus, she wouldn't lie, it was really nice to not have to wait an entire six days to see him again.
"Thank you for bringing me here for lunch - I've never been before! And thank you for your service, mon amour. I feel like we're surrounded by this all this history and honor…" she hoped she wouldn't sound too corny, but it was the truth. She lowered her voice. "It's a privilege to be here with you."
"Well thanks for saying that, Bella. My service is a time in my life that is difficult to talk about sometimes, but honestly, the time in my life that most-formed me and taught me some basic truths about myself."
She still spoke softly. "Can I ask what you learned? Or it can wait until we're alone…"
"Hmm, I always want to answer you, Cara. I would say, as the youngest boy in my family… I didn't know a lot about discipline, or self-control, when I was a kid," he sniggered. "My brother sort of paved the way for me so I didn't really need them very much when I was young. I could really do no wrong. But you learn both of those quickly in the Marines. You have to."
"And… I would say the idea of excellence is also something that I didn't understand growing up. Everything always come pretty naturally, easily, to me… I didn't have to work at it. But I had a Sergeant in Nam who taught me exactly what I was capable of and forced me to go there. …there was no such thing as 'good enough'."
Penelope looked longingly at David and now had his hand between both of hers. "Thank you for sharing that with me. I love you so much," she whispered.
"I love you too, Kitten."
The server arrived with their food, a club sandwich for him and a house salad for her. They expressed their thanks and Penelope stole a sweet potato fry off of David's plate.
"Hey! You could've gotten your own fries!" He teased.
Penelope leaned in to him, her chest pressed against his bicep and close enough to kiss him if she wanted. She murmured, "Do you really mind sharing your fries with me, Baby?"
David gulped and shook his head, smirking. "No, no I don't, Bella."
"Good," she praised and, without breaking eye contact, popped another fry into her mouth.
They laughed. The rest of lunch was spent in light conversation. Penelope asked questions about the game of golf, which she knew nothing about. David didn't play a lot of golf but knew the basics. They were cuddled against one another and spent the time thighs touching and hands between-them caressing.
Before they knew it, it was time for her to return to work. David planned on bringing her back to campus, of course. Penelope loved the attention… it made her feel like she was special and important to him. It was this feeling of exhiliration she didn't exactly know what to do with.
She also admitted a microscopic part of her worried they would run into Gideon, or Hotch, or really anyone she knew who would recognize David. She didn't want any complications for them. In response to her fear, she started to sweat and began saying goodbye as soon as they entered campus. By the time they were at the door to her building, she gave him a quick peck on the cheek and hopped out of the car, waving.
They were also able to have coffee Thursday, mid-morning. They met at a coffee stand called Travel Shot, about 12 minutes from campus, but off the beaten path. They ordered their respective coffees - black for him, something foo-foo for her - and sat at one of the few little bistro tables available.
He smiled at her adoringly, his body filled with a warmth that only presented when he was with her. She was completely captivating to him and he couldn't keep from looking at her.
"Do I have something on my face?" Penelope touched her chin, then her cheek.
"No, Bella, I just… this is just really nice. I love seeing you and spending time with you during the week."
She returned his smile and sipped her coffee.
David welcomed these 'extra' opportunities during the week. They never failed to make him feel optimistic and full of life. Whenever they spent time together, they were generally jovial and usually touching in some way. What was not to love?
He handed her one of the petite bouquet of flowers he loved giving her when they had weekday dates. She gave a broad smile and smelled them appreciatively.
"You know, I had those for you on Tuesday… but you jumped out of the car so fast I didn't have a chance to give them to you." His tone was more humored query than accusatory.
Penelope dipped her head and afforded a remorseful half smile. "I'm sorry. I enjoyed lunch immensely. When we were going back to campus I got nervous about running into Gideon or Hotch or anyone, really, who would recognize you."
He looked at her with a inquiring eye. "Are you embarrassed to be with me, Cara?"
"God no!" Penelope responded immediately. She left a moment of pause. "I don't know, David… I just look at us - and this time - as precious, right? It's special!" She looked downward. "I don't particularly want to share you… And knowing your ties to the BAU now… I kinda don't want to share *us* with everyone yet… is that okay?"
"More than okay, Bella," he took and kissed the back of her hand. He still had to find a way to tell her about what his reputation was with the female persuasion within the FBI when he retired. It wasn't necessarily flattering. More time to prepare that message, and weather any fallout, was in his favor.
After coffee, Dave walked Penelope to her car. "Oh, David! Do you think we could go stargazing on Saturday? According to my coworker, there's supposed to be a 'particularly bright view' of Hercules this weekend."
Dave nodded his head, "Absolutely, Bella. Does your coworker have an idea of where we would have a good view of Hercules?"
"He does, as a matter of fact! He really doesn't stop talking sometimes. He says one of the best spots on all of the East Coast to stargaze is Shenandoah National Park. That's not too far of a drive for us, is it?"
"Not too far at all, Sweet Bella. Let me work on the details and that will be our date Saturday night."
He really was so good to her. She murmured her thanks against his lips and then let her lips brush a small kiss there. In response, Dave kissed her back and thoroughly removed her lipstick while pinning her up against her car. When she finally headed back to the office, she felt more than a little dazed. And she was more than a little aroused.
Walking into the office, it was like she was floating on some sort of puffy cloud. She had reapplied her lipstick in the car. She smelled and admired her flowers while she walked through the bullpen. It was the first time she wasn't trying to hide them. She was feeling really happy and a little bit brave. She was comfortable. And she was more pleased than she could say that she'd been able to spend a morning break with David.
Once to her lair, she filled as many requests as she could for her team for the balance of the day. She did the same thing on Friday. Most of the team started their Annual Leave at the end of that workday and were working fast and furiously, to the very last minute. She didn't really talk to anyone as they departed Friday afternoon but knew they were all eager for their upcoming time off.
Penelope had heard their plans as they made them over the last several weeks. Derek and Elle were headed to a resort in Jamaica, vacationing separately, but together. Hotch had a mile-long list of chores to do at home, and planned on spending all of his time with Haley and Jack. Gideon was headed to his cabin and from what she heard, under no uncertain terms was he to be disturbed. Reid was going to Vegas to spend time with his family. That left her and JJ to hold down the fort at Quantico.
It started out being a quiet week. It should have been a quiet week. But it did not end up staying a quiet week.
