AN: Thanks so much for the reviews, and for reading this little story. I hope you liked my take on a Cyrano-style Derek. :) See you next story! Love, Kricket

Chapter 12

Warning: Strong Sexual Content

One year later...

"Here you go, angel," Derek said, walking into their bedroom at their new house, handing Penelope a glass of water.

She reached for it and took a greedy gulp, and then sighed happily. "Thank you, sweet cheeks. You know how thirsty I've been lately."

He kissed her forehead. "My pleasure, sweetness."

Penelope placed her glass down and started removing her glasses. "I found out some news."

"Hmm?" Derek asked, sounding both surprised and hiding a chuckle, as he sat on the edge of the bed and removed his socks.

"Yes," she said, still futzing with her nightstand. This time she was reaching for lotion for her hands. "Kevin has a girlfriend. He and Melva Barker are dating."

"Good for him."

Penelope began slicking her hands with the thick cream. "Good for Melva, too. She-" She was struck silent when she turned back and watched her husband removing his shirt and unzipping his pants. They could be married a million years, and she would still get her jollies watching him get naked.

He paused, his hands on the waistband of his boxer briefs, smiling knowingly that he caught her staring. "You were saying?"

Giving him a lecherous grin that showed she didn't care that he caught her, she continued, "When Melva joined the Tech Pool, she thought Kevin was outstanding. He's her heartthrob, Derek."

Derek doffed his boxers and climbed into the bed, hovering over his newly pregnant wife, and kissed the side of her neck, and then said, "Think you're missing out?"

She arched her chin to allow him better access. "No way, my sweet and spicy mocha latte. Everyone deserves to have someone love them madly and to be loved madly in return. Kevin is Melva's, and you're my heartthrob."

"You have better taste than Melva."

Despite his best attempts at distracting her, Penelope giggled. When he paused, bracing himself on his gorgeously muscled arms, she said, "I just wonder if she is enjoying her sandwich-o-matic?"

Derek arched a brow and teased, "I gotta give it to him; that thing does make a good grilled cheese."

Penelope shoved him off of her and swatted him playfully. "Mister, are you going to start getting me gifts like that from now on?"

Scowling, he answered, "Hell, no. I told Lynch no girlfriend or wife of mine would ever get a gift like that."

That peaked her interest. "And what kind of gifts do you give your wife?"

Smiling seductively, he leaned over her and trailed a long, dark finger over her neck. "First of all, my wife gets things like this," he answered, touching a stunning three stone diamond necklace that she'd gotten from him for their first month anniversary. She hadn't thought that he could top that one when he'd given it to her.

"That's a nice one," she purred, as he picked up the necklace between his fingertips and then continued his perusal of her.

"Then she'd get something we could do together," he murmured, "like a trip to somewhere sunny and warm, where we could lounge on the beach mostly naked..."

"Mmmm, Saint Barths," she purred, reminiscing as he cupped his hand under her breast, brushing his finger over the lacy panel of her silky nightie. "We need to go back there..."

"And, of course, she'd get this," he said, reaching for her hand, lifting it, and kissing her still sparkling diamond ring. It had been a complete shock to get such an extravagant engagement ring; it was far more than she had ever expected. She was watching him, her heart warming, when he playfully sucked her finger into his mouth.

"Is that all you got?" she teased, her voice husky with both emotion and growing passion.

"Oh, hell, no, momma. She'd get one more huge gift right away," he answered, moving his hand to cup her face. "She'd have me—all of me...body and soul."

Penelope had never felt so aroused or so in love. Cupping his face in her hands, she whispered, "That is one extremely lucky woman."

Derek thrust his fingers into the silkiness of her hair, cradled her head in his hands, and began to kiss her. Immediately, he took command of her mouth, drawing her farther into the web of passion he was weaving. He needed to consume her, to devour her and make her part of him, like he did almost every night. He couldn't get enough of her; he could die pleasing her and be a very happy man.

Changing the angle, he deepened the kiss, licking into her mouth with languid, fiendishly hot kisses. Derek knew how to kiss, love the act of kissing as much as making love, and never rushed it. She was too delicious, too precious to him to lose anything in being hasty. At the same time, he braced himself over her again, sliding easily over the silk negligee she still wore. Moving his erection between her legs, he thrust against her silk draped mound in a tangible tease of what was to come.

Never one to lay passive, Penelope tugged her mouth away from him and tugged her nightgown over her head. She learned something in the relatively short period of a lifetime she'd been with Derek—if she wanted something, she should take it. She knew what she wanted and she was going to get it. Reaching between their bodies, she stroked his erection, gripping him hard and squeezing like she knew he liked it. She'd explored his delicious body so thoroughly, knew what drew groans of pleasure, she could draw a map, as surely as he could draw one of her.

It was delectable knowledge to have.

"God, baby...keep touching me," he growled, as he lowered his head, sucking an erect pink nipple into his mouth. Her breasts were overtly sensitized since she'd become pregnant, each movement of his lips and tongue was an exquisite wash of pleasure and pain.

As he suckled her, flicking the bud with his tongue,she continued to stroke him, sliding her hand to the damp, velvety tip of his cock, and then moving down, trying and failing to wrap her fingers around the thick base.

He released her nipple, and then trailed his mouth across her chest to begin his sensual torture on the other breast. Shortly after, he stroked softly down her curved belly, cupping her mound in his hand, before working two fingers into her wetness.

Penelope gasped and bucked, arching her hips against his fingers as he thrust them, the heel of his hand bumping against her clit each time she drove upward. He encouraged her movements with low, wordless murmurs, and arched his own hips, driving into her warm grasp.

Ready to take charge, Holding him in both of her hands, she guided him to the wetness between her legs, and welcomed him home in one thick, heavy slide. They both sighed happily at the joining of their bodies, hearts and souls. Their mouths joined again in a wonderful dance, as they began moving in rhythm, a perfect harmony that they'd only experienced together.

A long time later, but still all too quickly, she began to come around him, shuddering with blissful spasms. She clenched his back, tethering herself to the earth with him, her strong anchor. She was his anchor, too; he reached for her, ground his hips and thrust with jerky movements, growling her name as he had his release.

He kissed her softly, lingeringly, as he moved off of her and onto his back. He cradled her next to him with his arm, helping her onto the spot made for her on his chest. With one hand, he stroked her shoulder, while the other moved between them to rest on her belly.

She sighed contentedly, surrounded by the greatest gift of all...the love they shared.