Chapter 12

AN: Thanks so much for the reviews. This was inspired by Hellomy23, who so wanted a MG kiss in the rain. (Pardon my butchered Spanish!)...Jesica: Desde mi corazon a tu corazon, Kricket

There were a few things in life that Penelope knew were perfect: a piece of chocolate she'd bought from the local confectionery last week with a sprinkle of sea salt on top that was the best mix of sweet and salty ever, Henry's laugh after she'd tickled his belly when she'd babysat him for JJ last week, the warm sun on her face after two days of rather dismal rain, pink tea roses at the botanical gardens with their petals sparkling with water droplets...

All of those paled in comparison to the perfection of this kiss.

A few things happened before it even started. Being a truly sensual woman and a pure hopeful romantic, Penelope wanted to remember this moment forever by letting it touch all of her senses and etching them into her memory indelibly. Each movement he did, each breath he took, she was going to commit them to her conscious memory and never let them go.

She had been waiting six years for this, after all.

The feel of his strong, firm hands—one in the center of her back, the other just where her spine began to curve—drew her closer to his body. He wasn't wearing his coat anymore, yet he was still warmer than she was. She could feel the heat of his hands, the strength of his arms, through the layer of his jacket draped on her shoulders.

She watched his eyes darken, become heavily lidded, as he lowered his head towards hers. She wondered if he'd close his eyes or if he'd watch while they kissed. She didn't know what she was going to do yet. Her heart was thrumming, and a big part of her wanted to actually see this up close. She wished she had a video camera, so she could replay this over and over, squeeing and clapping.

Apparently, he kept them slightly closed, mostly opened, seeing and enjoying. She watched as a slow smile graced those beautiful lips, just the barest hint of his white teeth flashing, as he watched her, too.

He must wonder what I am thinking, she thought breathlessly. He must see that my mind is going in a million thoughts per minute. He must know...he must know how badly I've wanted this...

To slow her racing thoughts, she closed her eyes. She could hear the slightest chuckle, a soft, vibrant sound that rumbled along her skin like a cat's purr. Her heart pounded, her breath caught in her throat, and her whole body tensed in anticipation, with the depth of feeling behind the words she was going to utter...

"Falling in...love...with..."

And then...a lassitude crept over her. She'd wanted this for what felt like her whole life. This was Derek—she had no reason to worry. She needed to feel, to enjoy, and to let go. So, she leaned back into his embrace, tilted back her head, and let him kiss her.

As the rain fell around them, Derek tucked Penelope closer to him, into the bend of his right elbow, while his other arm supported her waist. He cradled her, his Baby Girl, like he'd always intended on doing—if he'd ever had the chance to truly kiss her.

And man...He was going to kiss her like she'd never been kissed before!

Brushing his warm lips against her soft, chilled ones, he experimented, taking in her texture, the feel of her, gauging her responsiveness. He felt her slight intake of breath, the quiver of her body in his arms. It made him smile, just a little. He was so overjoyed, so downright happy to be with her, that even while he kissed her, the smile on his face would not leave. He hesitated on closing his eyes; watching her, drinking in that it was Penelope he was kissing, was an aphrodisiac in itself.

Continual contact, soft and sweet breathless sweeps were soon not enough. He found himself nipping lightly at her lips, encouraging her to part them the slightest bit, exploring every delicious surface, each contour of her lips.

It wasn't until he felt her arms come up and her hands resting on his shoulders that he slowly sank deeper into the kiss. He dipped his tongue in just slightly to taste the sweetness inside. Derek felt a rush of desire sweep over him, a palpable throb, just from that little sip. He dipped in more, licking, stroking his tongue against hers, tasting her.

He captured her lips and began to kiss her, with all the pent up passion and desire he had brewing just under the surface. Derek had a lot of passion when it came to Penelope. He'd wanted her for ages.

She was mimicking his movements, following his kisses, the sweeps of his tongue. She was a rapid study, kissing in perfect time with him. There was this trembling, this slight shaking, but he didn't know if it came from her or if it came from him. He simply knew he was overwhelmed by the emotions of the moment.

The cool rain was now plastering his dress shirt to his back, and rivulets of water were running down the back of his neck and under his collar, but he didn't care. Heat whooshed through him, rolling over him like backdraft from a three alarm fire. He wouldn't be surprised it there were pockets of steam rising between them from where the rain droplets fell.

Damn, this woman was it! There was nothing about her that wasn't completely right. Her soft body matched up perfectly with his, cradling him with her softness. There was such a need that grew in him, as the kiss grew harder, hungrier. He needed to claim her, make her his, now and forever. It was a dire necessity; he felt like he'd stop living if he couldn't keep kissing her.

However, at this moment, that wasn't a worry. He had his Penelope...and that was all that mattered.

Somewhere in the course of this kiss, he'd lowered his hands to the soft curves of her bottom, drew her up against him, until she was nearly on her tiptoes. She'd wondered if she'd become unstable; her legs were shaking and her knees felt weak. She needn't have worried; he easily supported her weight, even as he drew her in for more.

Penelope writhed against him, wiggled, pressing herself even closer. She didn't know if she could ever get close enough. She opened to him, her mind, her heart, as her mouth opened. All thought had perished long before. It was simply him and her, in this one uniting moment that had been building between them for years.

She sighed in pure satisfaction as she heard a low growl from his throat, just before he brought his hands up to cup her head, to move her and deepen their kiss even more. He was as lost as she, adrift in a sea of sensation and want. It was just her and him; nothing else existed.

And it was like she had originally thought...perfection.

So, in the cold fall night, Derek Morgan continued to kiss Penelope Garcia—and she kissed him back—while the rain fell around them.