"Talk dirty to me, Ms Garcia." The teasing tone to Erin's voice told Penelope that things were finally on the right track with Erin, as she had shied away from those words ever since they had rescued her. A part of her wondered why the woman had called, and she frowned a little as she thought of a proper reply.
"We've both touched the glory that is Alex's chest and enjoyed it much more than we had the right to. But her breasts are just so soft, aren't they?"
Erin choked on her breath a little, and Penelope knew that she hadn't expected that sort of answer. "Yes, well, everything about her is glorious. Now, as to why I'm calling. I'm standing on the porch, hoping that you're home and will let me in."
"Give me a minute, and I will, yeah," she replied as a wide smile spread across her lips. Though she and Erin talked at least every other day, it had been a week since they had spent time in the same room together, and she couldn't wait to hug her close. Ending the call, she shoved her phone in her pocket and fairly flew across the house to the front door, throwing it open and hurriedly waving Erin inside. "I am so glad to see you!" she squealed before hugging the woman tightly.
"It's only been a week, dear."
"I know, but sometimes weeks feel like decades! Especially with Alex on a case and James only stopping in here when he needs a fresh change of clothes. I had thought that he would be around a little more often than he is. I mean, I get the reason why he would avoid us, but I like him, and I thought we were in a good space," she babbled on as she led Erin into the living room, pulling her down onto the sofa.
"Truthfully, I think that it might be a bit painful for him to see the two of you making eyes at each other. And don't deny that you do that, Penelope Garcia! I have watched you two when you think no one is looking, and it is very clear how you feel about each other."
She blushed a little at that revelation, squirming in her seat as she cleared her throat. "We're not that bad. Are we?"
Erin nodded as she rested her hand on Penelope's knee. "You have no idea. No idea. David asked me if the two of you were ever going to make love, because you both smolder when you're in private spaces. Though how you've managed to keep it under wraps at work, he still hasn't figured out."
"We have to keep things professional while we're there. The frat rules still apply to us, since I don't think that Matteo would be too pleased to find out that we were spending time together. He already doesn't understand why I moved in with her, and the only reason he knows about that is that he had to sign off on the address change paperwork." She let out deep sigh as she adjusted how she was sitting, allowing her head to come to rest on Erin's shoulder. "But none of that, now. You came here for a reason, and I want to know what kind of advice that I have to give you."
Erin let out a deep sigh as she tightened her hand on Penelope's knee. "I think that I'm ready to resume relations with David. And I want to look beautiful for him. Would you like to go shopping with me? I just need someone to bounce ideas off of, and I don't think my girls would ever look me in the eye again if I asked them."
Her words came out in a rush, as if she assumed that Penelope would automatically say no. Covering Erin's hand with her own, Penelope squeezed it warmly before nodding. "I would love nothing more, Erin." They got to their feet, and Penelope followed her out the door, making certain to grab her purse and phone on the way out. "So, where are we heading to?"
"There's this little high-end boutique that I found out about online. I just hope that you don't get too embarrassed with me."
"I could never be embarrassed about something like this, Erin. Believe me, I'm kind of honored that you trust me enough to bring me along on a trip like this. I cannot wait to get you gussied up for the man you love." She gave Erin once of her cheesiest grins when she glanced at her, watching as Erin's face instantly relaxed into an open grin. "Though I'll thank you to indulge me and get one ensemble that is not entirely classy and elegant. Because you need to keep him on his toes."
Erin rolled her eyes a little before turning her attention back to the robe. "There is no way I am allowing you to talk me into buying a French maid uniform or something of the like, darling. I have to draw a line somewhere."
"But do you think that Alexandra would wear one if I bought it?"
"Maybe to your funeral. Though you could always try it and find out." Penelope shrugged her shoulders a little as she turned to look out her window. "What if, what if I freeze in the middle? What do I do if he is inside me, and I freak out?"
She didn't turn to look at Erin, somehow knowing that the only way she had felt all right asking the question was with Penelope's attention off her. "I would tell him what you're feeling as it happens. He loves you, and I know that he'll listen to you, whatever you have to say. Trust him enough to stop if you ask him to stop, and if you want him to slow down, trust that he'll do that too, if you ask it of him."
"Okay. I, I think that I just had to ask, to get my questions out of my brain. I know that he loves me, and that I love him, but there are some wounds that are taking longer to heal than I expected."
"That is completely understandable, Erin. We all move on from our trauma on our own timetable. I would never expect you to go at anything but at your own pace." Erin nodded as she slipped one hand off the wheel and reached out for her hand. Penelope quickly took it, holding on tightly as Erin continued to drive. "I love you, you know. I know that I've probably told you that a thousand times since you first called me, but it has to be said again and again, because I feel like you might not always take it to heart."
"You may be right, yes." There was a poignancy to the silence that filled the car after that, but Penelope didn't want to break it by saying anything more, knowing that in the silence there could be healing, Erin had taught her that much when she was prodding her to be patient with Alex. And now that she had learned some of that patience, she knew that she could offer that solace to Erin, to hopefully replay her for what she had taught Penelope.