Chapter 8

AN: Thank you for the reviews. You guys rock!... and yes, the movie exists...

After a lot of fun, and a lot of cuddling, it was time for Penelope to head home. She started giving Derek a small kiss, which turned into a long and steamy kiss goodbye. He was smiling, trying to hold onto her with his one good hand.

"Stay," he blurted out.

She glanced up at him and felt her breath hitch in her throat. He looked so lonely all of a sudden, it broke her heart. Still, she couldn't stay. She wasn't prepared at all to stay.

She smiled at him regrettably. "Hot Stuff, I can't. I have laundry and all sorts of other things I have to do."

"We can find-"

"I am not wearing your Zubaz pants to work on Monday," she interrupted, giving him a half grin.

"Alright." He smiled, touching the side of her face with his long fingers. "It's been so long since I've had you here, I don't want to let you go."

She smiled, and her heart panged again a little bit, for two reasons. She could remedy the second one right away; she felt horrible for how she let Kevin waltz in between them. The other, this need to be together in a more intimate way than just friendship, would take a bit longer to figure out.

"Honey, I'm sorry I let my relationship with Kevin stop me from coming over," she began."

"It's ok-"

"No. You've never dumped me for the girls you dated," she said quickly, interrupting him. She needed to apologize. He said she shouldn't, but she needed to for her own sake.

"Baby Girl." He gave her a crooked grin, slightly abashed. "Baby Girl... none of those girls had the staying power of your relationship."

She smiled and patted his cheeks. He was so sweet trying to make her feel better. "Well, sugar, you never have to worry about that again.I promise to make time for you, too, when I get a new boyfriend."

She felt him back away just a bit, drawing his face away from her hands. He stiffened a barely perceptible amount; no one would have noticed unless they were looking closely, like Penelope was. She looked at him, head cocked to the side in curiosity. "Derek? Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine." He gave her a smile, but it lacked some of his usual wattage.

"Okay..." she said, not quite sure of what he said.

"Bye, angel," he replied, then shut the door.

The next two weeks at work were pretty much the same as they always were. They flirted and had fun with each other, and laughed and joked, but she noticed something crucial was missing.

They didn't touch.

Fridays, she ended up having her usual date with herself, but found that it wasn't anywhere near as fun as her weekend with Derek. She didn't know where he was, and she didn't ask, although she did wonder and worry about him, especially whether someone was taking care of him. She chastised herself for that. Having sex, albeit fantastic, earth shattering sex, did not make you a lover. He wasn't her responsibility, she had no real claims on him, he was free to do what he wished.

And he didn't ask about her either.

Monday and Tuesday came and went of the third week, and she found herself feeling kind of lonely. Although she laughed with Derek, even talked about things, she missed his touching, his warmth. She found herself staring at his mouth, at his tight butt as he walked out of her lair, and remembered every second at his house.

Wednesday, he came in without his sling on, and an enormous smile on his face. "Twenty pounds weight bearing and no more sling."

She grinned. "Good! I'm happy for you."

"Wanna come to my house to celebrate?" he asked, looking at her tentatively. "Friday, maybe?"

"Now you know, cupcake, that is my date night," she said, smiling, "but I will make an exception for you."

He gave her his lopsided grin. "Good. See you then."

"Okay," she said, starting to turn back to her screen.

"P?"

She turned back to look at him. "What?"

He looked like he was about to say something, then stopped himself. "Nothing. See you then."

Friday night finally came along. He had a perfect plan, as far as she was concerned. Their celebration night consisted of heading to his basement for a movie. They watched their favorite B show, The Brain That Wouldn't Die. It was about a handsome and brilliant doctor who was insane. He was experimenting with brain surgery, and wanted to perfect head transplants. The doctor purposefully caused a car accident, keeping his beautiful and gullible nurse's head alive in a tray with some sort of food coloring blood pumping in.

It was terrible, but it was theirs.

Once it was done, they had their usual commentary, while the next movie started.

"This was so awful," Penelope said, munching on some popcorn.

Derek shrugged. "About as realistic as Grey's Anatomy."

She snickered. "I will have to watch to see if McSteamy cuts off McDreamy's head and keeps it alive for transplantation."

Looking through the TV Guide Fall Preview, he pointed to a line, "There it is. Miraculous head transplantation saves sort of sexy doc."

She gave him a look. "Sort of sexy?"

"Yeah," he said, tossing a piece of popcorn in the air and catching it. "Dude's got nothin' on me."

She laughed and leaned over. "He doesn't."

"That's why I love you, Baby Girl," he said, kissing the top of her head. "You're my one woman cheering section."

Penelope grinned and leaned into his side. After three weeks away from him, she felt more clear about everything. She was just his friend, and that was that. He fulfilled her fantasy night, and he….Got to fulfill it for her. She wasn't going to make more of it than that.

Two Fridays ago, she was wondering where he was and what he was doing. Not only that, when she pictured her dream man while she was alone in her cotton sheets, he definitely had a face. A very handsome face with dark chocolate eyes and a smile that made her heart beat faster. Now, he had a voice too, saying things like I can't get enough of you and I want you so much.

She dreamed too that she was helping fulfill his fantasies, and it was so damn good...

She frowned. Being near him, touching him again, clouded things. It was the house; it was too seductive. Derek, the basement...even his popcorn, with perfect melted butter, was pure seduction. She needed to get out of there before she started thinking really stupid thoughts again.

She stood quickly and yawned. "Oh! I guess I am more tired than I thought. I better head home before I drive off the road."

He looked at her, surprised. "But we just started the second movie."

"I don't want to be a road hazard." She turned and started up his stairs, with him following behind her.

"Penelope," he said, as she tried to fasten her right high heel.

"What?" Her fingers fumbled with the buckle. Darn shoe!

"Do you want me as badly as I want you?"

She looked up at him and saw the heat and passion in his eyes, along with a very sexy smile.

"Because I want you so badly, I'm aching with it, sweetheart." He stepped forward and cupped her face in his hands.

"Derek, I better-"

"Stay the night," he murmured, lowering his mouth towards hers. "Please."

She was frozen still as she watched him, his beautiful mouth that she'd dreamed about for so many days. "I…"

Any protest that she might have made was swallowed by his kiss, as their bodies wound together and she went up in flames, like kerosene on an open fire.