(A/N: Thank all of you for the lovely comments! I'm still trying to work my way to how I see everything playing out. While also trying to keep Dave the sexy in control beast and Penelope the sweet sassy strong willed woman I love to watch. Hope all this keeps flowing the way I want it to go. Hope you enjoy!)

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As Penelope and Dave chattered comfortably, Penelope thought back for a moment during a lull in the conversation. Earlier, she had moved to get up and help Dave with putting out the dinnerware but he had shaken his head at her and pointed one firm finger at her saying "If you move closer to me right now, I will let everything burn. Stay right there." He had followed this statement with a slow perusal down her body and back up before meeting her eyes for an intense moment and turning to pull the garlic bread from the oven.

Now they were sitting at right angles to each other at the end of the bar. With an impious grin, Penelope looked at Dave "Mon petit loup, you are an excellent cook."

"Thank you." Looking at Penelope with a questioning glance, Dave asked something that had been hovering in his thoughts. "Bella, why haven't you and Morgan ever made a try of it?"

Penelope took a bite before answering. "That is a theory of mine. When I first started work with the team, I was captivated by Derek. He was nice, he was cute, and he just fell right into teasing me. It was what helped me feel part of the team so quickly. I would have went out with him back then in a minute, with no regrets. But he never took it any further then." Dave ate as Penelope spoke, listening and looking at her encouragingly, needing to hear her answer. "I finally accepted the fact that he wasn't interested in me that way and we formed this close relationship. I love him. And, a while back, I think he would have been open to a more intimate connection. But, by that time, we were such close friends. And, honestly, I had seen the women that Derek had been dating over the years. They were nothing like me. At that time, I was more insecure and I don't think I could have handled a dating relationship with Derek and retained our friendship."

"You two have a way of communicating that shuts out other people. Sometimes, the team wonders if we should leave the room to you two-" Dave's sentence had the lilt of a question at the end of it.

"The best way to describe it, I guess, would be to say-"with a crinkle between her brows, Penelope explained, "you know how you can admire someone for their looks or their attitude? You can appreciate that you are attracted to them, even enjoy feeling that attraction, you just acknowledge the fact that you don't want to proceed with a relationship based on that attraction. You can go to a museum, Dave, and admire the art, talk about what it means to you, but that doesn't mean you want to go to the effort of committing and buying the artwork to bring it home."

With a mischievous grin, Penelope said "Besides, thanks in part to you, there are all those pesky fraternization policies at work. Either you have been very circumspect with your own relationships or you have been keeping them away from the office lately."

"Kitten, honestly, I have moved on from being so defiant of the rules I thought at the time were confining; to just being comfortable with my life. And, having fleeting affairs with book groupies has no attraction for me anymore. Not that I regret any of that." With a chuckle, Rossi began putting up their dishes. "You may have many talents, Bella, but I have a wealth of experience."

Finished putting everything away, Dave walked around the bar and up to Penelope. Pulling her from the stool, he didn't step back, but kept her flush against his body. With one of her hands in his and his other hand against her hip, he leaned down and murmured, "let's talk about this habit you have of calling me 'little', Bella."

Looking up into Dave's eyes, Penelope asked, "and what 'punishment' have you decided upon, my dark eyed Romeo?"

"Oh, I've considered many things, my Bella. There's asking you for a favor" Dave swayed his hips with Penelope's for a moment and watched her face before adding, "and there's always the old ways of spanking." Dave groaned silently, if he hadn't been watching, he might have missed the darkening of his kitten's eyes at that statement. What was telling, she didn't immediately protest. Sliding his hand farther down and around, Dave gripped Penelope's ass, "Bella, you can't look at me like that right now. We won't make it to the scotch and vinyl that I promised you."

"You're not spanking me, Mon loup." Penelope protested sluggishly, her thoughts mired in the sensual pull that Dave had over her at that moment. Her skin felt like it was on fire she was caught in a fever of sensation. Dave's words causing a pulsing that went throughout her blood stream and overpowered her thinking.

"Not tonight at least" temptation was in Dave's voice as he slowly stepped backwards towards the entertainment center, pulling Penelope with him by the simple expedient of not releasing her. Stopping at the record player, he pulled out an album of Tony Bennett duets and started it playing. "You, strega dolce, will be dancing with me." Pulling Penelope back into his arms, with one hand on her hip and clasping her other hand with his, he began swaying with her, moving slowly.

Penelope tried to stop, sliding the hand on his shoulder to his chest, protesting, "Dave, I don't dance! I'm not any good at-"

"Kitten, dancing is like making love. You don't have to be worried about 'being good' at it. You just do it and enjoy it." Not letting her stop moving, Dave turned them both in a slow stepping, swaying circle, placing Penelope's other hand on his shoulder, and he slid both hands to her hips. Leaning down, he nuzzled into her loose hair-damn, she had the sweetest scent-and stated "and if you really enjoy it, it doesn't matter if you're in a roomful of people or entirely alone, dancing and making love is a beautiful thing."

Feeling her heart stutter a bit, Penelope enjoyed the sensation of Dave's hands on her. God, this was wonderful. Curling the hand on his shoulder around so she could slide her fingers over his neck and brush them into the ends of his hair, she sighed and relaxed back against him. Dave's magnetism overpowered her self-consciousness. She let her hand relax against Dave's chest as the next song started and felt the beat of his heart, enjoying the heat from his body. He was seducing her and she could feel her senses becoming disoriented. Looking up to make a comment, she caught a glimpse of arrogance in Dave's eyes. Oh, hell no! Yes, Dave had skills. But, she wasn't going to be categorized as a push over for him. Hell. No.

As the music changed to the next song, a more upbeat one, she pulled away from Dave a little, turning so that her back was nestled close to his front. It wasn't that she couldn't dance. She was just never confident enough of her dancing to dance with someone she was attracted to. It was why she never worried about dancing with Reid or others. Kevin had been comfortable and safe, like she had said earlier. It was one of the reasons that she wouldn't dance with Derek when he asked her. But, Dave wasn't taking 'no' for an answer. And, he had made sure that she wasn't thinking about dancing when she was in his arms. Taking Dave's hands in hers, she placed them back around her waist and raised one hand to clasp around his neck, pulling him down a bit; she turned her head and as she moved her hips seductively against his, whispered to him "So, mon petit wolf, is that going to be my punishment? You're going to teach me to enjoy 'dancing'?" she added an extra emphasis to the word before turning her head to flick Dave's ear lobe with one touch of her tongue.

Dave closed his eyes. Damn the woman. His ear lobes were a sensitive place and she had just set fire to his whole system. Opening his eyes he looked down and saw the desire and challenge firing hers. With a grin, he met that challenge. For the next few songs, they passed the lead for each song back and forth between them, becoming more seductive and physical with each one. When the record ended, they were both breathing hard and feeling intense.

Pulling his hands reluctantly from Penelope, Dave put the next record on. Reaching to the cabinet beside the entertainment center, he took two glasses and the bottle of scotch and placing one of his arms around Penelope he urged her towards the wide couch sitting by the fire. At the couch, he set the bottle of scotch down on the coffee table along with the glasses. Pulling Penelope onto the couch beside him, he sat in the center of the sofa.

"Now, Bella" Dave poured a small shot in each glass and handed one to Penelope. "We're going introduce you to scotch. Hold your glass up and look at the color."

Penelope held her glass up and looked at the rich golden color. The firelight cast glimmers over everything, but the liquid in her glass seemed to shimmer richly.

Dave continued, "Swirl you glass and watch as the drops slide back down. This will tell you if it's a heavy body or light, thinner scotch." Watching Penelope, he told her the next step. "And now, tip it towards you like you are going to take a sip and take a deep breath in. What do you smell?"

Following Dave's instructions, she breathed in, "ooh, vanilla, and, maybe…..caramel?" Sliding a glance at Dave from the corner of her eyes, "I guess I was right in calling you caramellino earlier."

With an amused look, "you're not going to let that go are you, streghetta mia? I guess I'm going to have to become more creative in your punishments." Dave let the hand that was over the back of the couch and around Penelope reach out and run one finger over her shoulder and up her neck, stopping to caress the shell of her ear before laying his arm around her shoulders as he turned towards her.

"Take another breath and exhale out of your mouth. Let the smell lay on your tongue." Dave watched as Penelope took another breath, his eyes riveted on her lips as they fell open at his instruction.

"Oh, oh that's strong." Penelope sounded a little disconcerted. The color of the scotch was beautiful, watching the drops slide down the glass had been enchanting, and the smell was rich, but that small taste that rested on her tongue was downright intense.

Dave smiled. "Ok, Kitten. Gird your loins and take your first shot." Raising his glass, Dave watched to be sure that Penelope raised hers also, grinning as she paused, "Come on. Avanti, Avanti!"

Taking a breath, Penelope knocked back her drink, gasping and spluttering, she pressed one hand to her chest. "OH! Oh my, that's awful! Dave!" She could feel that swallow burning its way down her whole body to settle and set fire to her stomach. With her eyes pressed shut, she felt Dave chuckle as he moved on the couch. Opening them, she gasped again as he was right in front of her.

He had placed his glass down and turned to Penelope, focused on those sweet lips that were still damp from where she had just swallowed. Leaning forward he waited till she opened her eyes before cupping her neck with the hand that was resting on the back of the couch and pressing his lips to hers.

Penelope felt another fire start as Dave's lips pressed against hers, warm and insistent, as he moved closer, his other hand skimming her waist and pulling her nearer. His tongue brushed against her lower lip and she gasped. Taking possession, Dave thrust his tongue into her mouth and Penelope was overwhelmed by flavor of scotch and Dave mixed as their kiss deepened. Her hand not holding her glass slid up his chest, running over that smooth shirt, feeling the hair that crinkled beneath as she moved. She felt Dave flinch a bit as a fingernail scratched deep and caught his nipple before her hand reached its goal of his neck and plunged into his hair. Dave became more passionate at the scrape of her fingernails over his chest and his thumb brushed against the vein in her neck that was furiously pumping blood with each beat of her heart and she surrendered to giddy enjoyment of his kiss, opening her lips against his, and letting the taste of scotch intermingle between them.

Pulling back, Dave slowly let his hand slide from Penelope's neck. Taking a deep breath, the smell of scotch blending headily with her scent, he leaned back against the couch. Running his left hand down from her waist where he had a tight grip, he watched as Penelope's eyes fluttered open.

"How do you like the taste of Scotch?" Dave rumbled.

"It's wonderful" issued softly from her lips as Penelope looked at Dave. His shirt was disheveled, gaping slightly open at the neck, from where her hand was clenched on his chest. There was a flush to his skin, a dark light in his eyes, and the muscles of his neck were tense and strung tight as he looked at her.

Dave took her glass and set it beside his. Filling both of them again, he took cover behind familiar actions as he put the bottle back and settled on the couch. Handing her back her glass, he commented "I think I've found my opinion of scotch has increased recently as well." With a smirk, he took up the forgotten lesson on scotch. "Now, you sip it as you relax, enjoying each sensation."

There was that arrogance again. Not much, he still looked a little dazed, but, he was hiding behind that proud exterior. She wasn't going to let that untamed man disappear.

Setting her glass down, she made an excuse and left for a brief trip to the bathroom off the kitchen. Looking at herself in the mirror, she took the bow from her hair and shook her head, letting her blonde hair lay loose and a little wild. Taking off her the dressy shirt covering the top of her black cami, she looked back at her image in the mirror. You could see the red straps from her bra underneath the black straps of her camisole top and sometimes when she moved, the red lace would show around the top of her camisole. Perfect, flirty, without being too brazen. And removing the dress shirt could still be viewed as casual. Thank the internet gods she shaved her legs last night! With that last impish thought, she left her brief sanctuary.

Walking towards Dave, she laid her dress shirt and bow over the back of the chair. As she sat and leaned into the arm and back of the sofa, she let the action press her black camisole top tight against her breasts. Bracing her glass, she took a slow sip of scotch. It still burned slightly, but the taste would now be forever associated with Dave's kiss. It was amber and smoothness, strong and sweet, passion and sensual. And it set fire to her senses.

Dave had turned towards her, one knee brought up on the couch, holding his glass of scotch as he appeared to relax. She could see him and she knew he was aroused. He wasn't hiding the fact. But, he was controlling it. And that - she wasn't having. She wanted her untamed wolf in designer clothing back.

She toed off her shoes and lifted her legs from the floor and laid them across Dave's lap. "Mon loup, you men have it so easy. Help me with the stockings? I can't get one of the clips to let go."

Eyeing Penelope as she leaned her head back and closed her eyes as if what she was suggesting wasn't that big a deal, Dave knew, if he got his hands on her bare skin again, there would only be one end to this evening. This was his moment of choice. Up till now, he had controlled how their evening had progressed. Or, looking at his Goddess as she reclined on his sofa, she had let him think he was controlling the events of this evening. He wasn't sure now who was leading this dance.

Making a decision, he placed his glass down and slid his hands slowly up one leg, feeling her stockings catch some on his rough hands. Clips? Feeling the touch of lace meeting his fingers mid thigh, he curled his fingers till he felt each clip. Undoing them, rolled down the black legging, enjoying the feel of her silky skin as he went. She bent her knee a little so it wasn't a stretch to roll the legging off over her toes. He grinned appreciatively at the cherry red color of polish that graced each one. Dave looked back at Penelope.

She had raised her head and was taking a sip of her scotch, her eyes not leaving him. Dave walked his fingers up her other foot before sliding them below the edge of her skirt. His fingers encountered silky skin again and lace, but this time, it wasn't just lace. With a touch of confusion, he hooked his finger around the garter and pulled it down with the legging. Cupping her foot once the stocking was removed, he held the red garter in his hand, fingering the warm lace as he gauged the weight of it. "Penelope, do you have something hidden in your garter? Holding it up, he noticed a small area that was mainly material amongst all the lace.

Penelope blushed, "Ah, O Observant One, you have found one of my secrets. There's a USB drive there that I keep a few programs on."

"I'm not going to ask what you have on a hidden drive. I don't want to know, do I Strega Dolce?" Dave rubbed the lace a few times between his fingers before setting both leggings and lace beside him on the couch. He looked back at Penelope. She was reclining on his couch, her blonde hair loose around her head. He could catch glimpses of red lingerie underneath her black top and her white skirt had slithered down towards her hips. With one of her bare legs drawn up with her knee bent and resting against the sofa, he could catch a glimpse of red lace where her other garter still rested against that silken thigh. Her other leg lay across his lap and her flirty toes were cupped in his hand. She was gorgeous.

If he had not made his decision already, the site of Penelope as she was now, would have made it for him. Leaning forward, he placed his hand on the couch beside Penelope's hip, decision made.

She watched with baited breath as her wolf reappeared. Dave moved towards her, turning his head to kiss her bent knee where it rested on the couch, flicking his tongue into the bend and making her gasp. Looking at her with dark hot eyes, Dave put his hands on her hips and dragged her towards him till she was splayed across his couch. God, her wolf was so scorching hot. She watched as Dave crawled towards her, bringing both knees onto the couch between her legs so that he was crouched over her, hands to each side of her waist, but not touching her yet. She could feel that her skirt had slid up even farther but she wasn't worried. She was burning up watching as Dave leaned down towards her.

"You know, Kitten, with you being a Technical Analyst and Communications Liaison, you're not directly beneath Hotch's or my authority. So, those pesky fraternization policies?" With a look down her sexy body spread out before him like dessert, Dave couldn't permit a satisfied smile from spreading over his face as he glanced back at her. The music stopped and the click of the record player turning off was loud in the sudden silence. Dropping his weight and resting flush against her sinful body Dave muttered distinctly "They don't mean a damn. I can keep you 'beneath' me for as long as I wish" before taking control of her lips in a passionate possessive kiss.

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(A/N: Do I even need to mention how much I would enjoy being 'beneath' David Rossi? Lucky lucky girl our sweet - and very tricky - Penelope! *grin* Hope you've enjoyed our trip so far. I'm busy working out how the next chapter will occur but Holidays are approaching! Hope everyone has a great Holiday! KK)