Author's Note: Thank-you to everyone who took the time to review last chapter!

~Angie

Desiree stopped short as she walked into the living room, her eyes looking from her friend to her brother. "What did you do?" she accused.

"What?" Derek asked, tearing his gaze away from Penelope.

"She's not talking. Penelope is always talking," Desiree said.

"Thanks a lot," Penelope remarked dryly.

Desiree sighed. "I'm sorry. It's just that my brother has this habit of always saying what's on his mind, and it's not always pretty. Did he say something to offend you?"

"No," Penelope answered quickly. And he hadn't. It was extremely flattering to think that Desiree's hot older brother had found her attractive all those years ago, and—according to him—now. Apparently the heat she'd felt radiating off from him at the dinner table hadn't been all in her head as she'd assumed. That was a relief, as her body had started inexplicably humming in reply.

"OK," Desiree said, but Penelope could swear her friend was unconvinced. "I'm making a pot of coffee. Would you two like some?"

Penelope looked at her watch and it was just past eleven o'clock. Some people might be able to fall asleep after drinking coffee that late at night, but she wasn't one of them. And couple that with the fact that Derek Morgan had just complimented her…well, she was bound to analyze that into the wee hours of the morning. "I'm all set," she said. "In fact, I should probably call a cab."

Desiree frowned. "A cab? That's crazy. I can—"

"Yep. Crazy," Derek interjected. "Especially when I can give you a lift."

"Oh, no," Penelope said, shaking her head. The last thing she needed was for him to drive her home. She'd be waiting for something silly…like him to kiss her or something. And while she might want forthat to happen, she wasn't naïve enough to think it would. But what it would do is make for an excruciatingly long drive home. "I don't want to inconvenience you," she insisted.

"It's not an inconvenience," he assured her.

"But—"

"Let me just grab the keys."

"I couldn't have set it up better myself, Momma," Desiree said with a grin. "It was like Derek walked right into it. And you know Derek…if he'd had any idea we thought they'd be a good pair, he'd have made her walk home."

Fran had to laugh that, as her daughter's assessment was right on.

"Just so you know," Derek said, not looking away from the road. "You've been inconveniencing me for years."

"Excuse me?" Penelope asked.

Derek looked at her and grinned. "It all started with your legs," he informed her.

"My…legs?" she asked in disbelief.

He nodded. "Yes. The first time I met you, you had Carter in your lap. His back was resting against your bare legs."

"I don't remember that," she said.

"I do," he said. "It was the first time in my life I'd ever been jealous of someone else."

"Be…cause…you wanted my legs?" she asked in confusion.

"Wrapped around my waist," he confirmed.

Disbelieving laughter bubbled up Penelope's throat. "I…I can't believe you just said that."

"Why?" he asked. "I'm sure you've heard worse."

She nodded. "And much better. If you're trying to get me into bed—"

"I'm not," he said immediately.

"Are you sure?" she asked. A few short minutes ago, she hadn't even thought he'd wanted to kiss her, but now…she was pretty sure he was shooting for something a little lower than her mouth.

"OK," he admitted. "I am trying to get you into bed. Just not right this second."

"I'm confused," she said. "Am I supposed to believe that you've been carrying some sort of torch for me all these years?"

"You can think what you want," he told her, not ready to admit the depth of his feelings, nor the length of time he'd had them without finding out more about her first.

"Well…if it is it true, why did you never try to get in touch?" she persisted.

"I believe in fate," he told her with a shrug. "If I was meant to see you again...it'd happen." He waited, but she didn't say anything. "Do you believe in fate?" he asked.

"Yes," she answered quickly. Sweet lord…it was like he was made for her! And…he'd waited all these years just to see her again. Derek Morgan was a patient man…and patient men were not a dime a dozen. "Why didn't you…?" She let her voice trail off.

"I was a man of the law," he reminded her. "Why didn't you?"

Penelope scoffed. "I had four older brothers. And a whole slew of friends who weren't really my friends, but the 'Garcia Groupies.' At least…that's what I liked to call them. They were so transparent when my brother's were around that it was embarrassing. I would never have let myself be one of those girls."

He nodded slowly.

"But that doesn't mean I didn't notice you," she said in a rush.

He turned to her with a smirk. "Good to know."

The drove the rest of the way in silence, and when they got to Payton's house, Derek put the vehicle in park. "This is you," he said.

She nodded. "This is me," she said quietly, and then, "As selfish as it might be to admit this…I really like the idea of someone carrying a torch for me," she confessed.

"I'm glad I could amuse you," Derek said dryly.

"Oh, no," she said quickly. "In the last few hours, you've made me feel lots of things," she told him candidly. "But amused was not one of them."

He turned to look at her, and her blue eyes…bright just moments before were suddenly dark with passion. "You made me blush…you made my heart rate speed up…you turned my insides to mush with your words…you…" Penelope sighed. "What does a girl have to do to get a goodnight kiss?" she practically barked.

Derek chuckled as he moved across the seat, lowering his hands to rest on her outer thighs as she turned so she was facing him. His lips met hers in a rough kiss, and instead of running just the tip of his tongue against the seam of her lips, he dragged the whole damn thing across them in a pleading effort to get her to open for him.

She parted her lips for him, and his tongue thrust forth but never made it into her mouth as she pushed back with hers to command the kiss. As she moved her tongue against his, he lowered his hands to the hem of her skirt, then reached up underneath to rest on her bare skin, his hands moving in slow, caressing circles as he felt her tremble beneath his touch.

When she moaned, he broke the kiss while he still had the ability and practically jumped backwards. He'd been waiting too damn long for this to go at it with her in his mother's truck.

"Now that was worth waiting for," he said huskily.