"Hey baby girl, what are you thinking so hard about?"
Penelope squeaked and jumped at the sound of her best friend's voice from her doorway. She smiled warmly at him and replied flirtatiously, "Hot chocolate." Which wasn't a lie. Supervisory Special Agent Derek Morgan was quite possibly the hottest piece of chocolate she'd ever laid eyes on. And that oh so masculine chuckle of his as he stepped into her office made her knees weak and made her glad she was sitting down. "What can your goddess of technology do for you today?" she asked him with a grin.
"What makes you think I need your technological skills?" he asked as he sat in the chair next to her.
"Why else would you be in my lair, hot stuff?" She loved their flirtatious dynamic, but that's all it was. Flirting. As much as she wanted more, she was just not his type.
"Maybe I just want to spend some time with my baby girl." He smiled at her, and the way he called her his made her wish it was true. Sadly, her best friend was more into skinny model chicks than thick nerdy girls. Not that she blamed him at all. Who could resist that tall drink of chocolatey goodness? One day, he would have the perfect beautiful family and Penelope would be that aunt that spoils his kids rotten.
"Pen? Are you okay?" Derek's voice broke through her latest reverie, and she was thankful for it. She'd been down that particular road before and it wasn't a happy ending for her.
"Hn? Sorry, sugar, just a little distracted today, I guess," she said and flashed him a smile. "Did you say something?"
Derek watched her carefully and she could almost see those profiling gears turning in his head. "I asked if we were still on for our movie night tonight."
Chocolate brown eyes narrowed at the man sitting next to her. "Only if you don't go back on your promise not to ever profile me, Derek Morgan." She held up a finger to shush him when it looked like he was going to protest. "Ah ah! Don't you dare lie to me; I can practically see your pretty little head working to figure me out." She smirked at him. "But I can promise you, gorgeous, you won't ever figure me out." She leaned back in her chair and smiled. "So what movie did you pick out for us tonight?"
Later that night, Penelope was just putting the finishing touches on the snack tray for their movie night when a knock sounded at her door. "Punctual as always," she murmured to herself as she went to let Derek in. "Hello my chocolate god," she said with a grin as she opened the door. His easy smile always made her heart melt, and tonight was no exception.
"Hey, baby girl," he said with that smile of his as he stepped into her apartment. "Smells good…" There was a slightly suspicious tone in his voice. Penelope snorted.
"Yeah, well, don't worry, I did not attempt to blow my kitchen up. I ordered Chinese takeout," she assured him as she closed the door behind him.
"Me, worry? Never," he said and grinned at her before putting in the movie he brought and taking his usual seat on her couch. "You look great in that dress, Pen," he told her and watched her move around her little living room, letting his eyes wander over her body when she wasn't looking.
"Aw, thank you, sugar!" she said as she bent over the coffee table, giving him the perfect view of her cleavage. Derek bit the inside of his cheek in an effort not to make appreciative noises at the view she was probably not even aware she was giving him. She was unbelievably sexy and most of the time she didn't even seem to notice it. He'd always known she was beautiful, since the first day he met her. Yes, even under that Black Queen façade of hers.
So why had he never made a move on her before? Simple. By the time he realized how into her he actually was, she was already in a relationship with Kevin Lynch. And she seemed happy. So he'd left it alone and tried to ignore the ache in his chest whenever he saw them together, and the little green demon that told him to knock Kevin out every time he caught them kissing. It didn't mean that he would ever stop flirting with her, though. That was their thing, their bond. Kevin could ask him to back off all he wanted to, but Derek was stubborn. She would always be his best friend, even if he couldn't have more than that.
But now, she was single again, and there was no way on God's green earth that he would ever let her slip through his fingers again.
"C'mon, baby girl, come sit next to me," he said and gave her a roguish smile as he patted the cushion next to him. He could see the blush on her face and it made him grin.
She handed him a white takeout box and a pair of chopsticks before sitting next to him with her own. She left no space between them; she'd been feeling awfully lonely since breaking things off with Kevin, and she needed the closeness her best friend offered her. Not that being close to Derek didn't have its own aches and complications, but these were things she was already used to. Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, she let Derek's warmth seep into her bones and it wasn't long before she was once again feeling relaxed.
Derek knew the moment she let go of her worries. He felt her body relax against his and he smiled, loving that she felt safe and comfortable enough with him to do that. Reaching over, he turned off the lamp next to him which darkened the room but didn't leave them in the pitch black since there was still light coming from the hallway that led into her bedroom.
Penelope blushed a little more when he turned the lamp off, but she told herself it was just because it was better to watch the movie that way. Without waiting for him to ask, she turned the movie on and smiled when it was revealed that he'd picked out one of their favorite movies. One of the ones they could, and occasionally did, quote to each other.
When they'd finished eating, Derek took the containers and set them on the table beside him before shifting a bit and laying his arm around her shoulders. He fought not to grin when he caught her glancing up at him from the corner of his eye.
The currently red-haired techie smiled a little when he slid his arm around her shoulders. He always seemed to just know when she needed to be close to him, when she needed comfort. Snuggling a little closer, Penelope moved so she was half laying on his chest with her head resting on his shoulder and she lay her arm parallel over his thigh, curling her fingers around his knee.
Unfortunately for Derek, her movement meant that her dress rode up on her thighs, exposing more of that creamy skin he wanted to taste. Her arm on his thigh was dangerously close to a quickly tightening place in his jeans.
Penelope blinked when Derek missed a chance to say the lines with her. That was odd. Was he bored? She frowned as she tilted her head back to look up at him. The look in his caramel eyes was not the one she expected. It was hot, and a little bit wicked. And it was directed at her. "Derek?" she asked, her voice a little breathy. "Are…you okay?" The look in his eyes had taken her by surprise; she'd never expected him to look at her that way.
A slow smile spread on his face as he looked at her, letting her see just how much he wanted her. "I could be better, baby girl," he said, his voice low and throaty. She could feel it rumble against her back and it sent a shiver down her spine.
"Oh?" Her voice was still a little breathier than she meant for it to be, but it seemed to be doing what she wanted. She wanted to sound sexy, like her heart wasn't about to beat its way out of her chest. Only in her dreams had she imagined a scene like this, and she wasn't about to allow her nerves to spoil it.
"Mmhmm, like you don't know just how sexy you are," he murmured before leaning closer to capture her crimson lips in quite possibly the hottest kiss of her life. He tasted like caramel mocha, and she wanted more. She tried to lean up, to get closer for a deeper kiss, but her arm slipped and slid against the bulge in his jeans that she suddenly noticed.
"Oh, my, my, my," she breathed. His wicked chuckle made her blush as she looked up at him. "Grandma, what nice…jeans you have," she teased him, a sultry tone to her voice.
"Is it just my jeans that have you blushing like that?" he asked her as he brushed his fingers over her cheek.
"I think you know exactly why I'm blushing, Derek Morgan."
He loved his name on her lips, her red lipstick mussed from his kiss. He licked his lips, tasting her lipstick and underneath that was pure Penelope Garcia. She was sweet, like cherries, and he wanted more. He leaned in closer to kiss her again and she eagerly accepted it, surprising him by sitting up and straddling his hips. He could feel her heat just above him and he slid his hands up her thighs, tucking his fingers under the tight material of her dress to help its movement. He wanted her closer, wanted her pressed against him and she wanted the same thing.
Penelope ran her scarlet colored nails over his chest like she wanted to rip through the fabric separating her from the flesh beneath. She let loose a whimper when he pulled back from their kiss, but what she got in return was so worth it. Derek pulled his shirt off, slowly, like he was teasing her with it.
A half million things were running through her brain at that moment, primary among them was 'Finally!' And yet, on the heels of that, she wondered what exactly this meant for Derek, and why he was suddenly showing interest in her.
Derek could see in her face that she was starting to think too much, and that wasn't something he wanted, not right now. He reached up to cup her face in his hands, brushing his thumbs over her cheeks lightly. "You okay, goddess?" he murmured. If she wanted to stop, then of course he would.
She smiled softly and leaned into his touch, covering his hands with hers. What was she doing? She wanted this man, had for a long time, and here he was, very obviously wanting her and she was having second thoughts? Oh, hell, no! "Yeah, sugar, I'm just fine," she said and leaned forward to kiss him again, shoving all her second thoughts and worries to the back of her mind. If this was all she'd ever have, then she was going to take what he offered. She could be pissed off at herself and him in the morning if that was the case.
She rested her hands on his shoulders as she kissed him with lips, teeth, and tongue, smiling against his lips as she felt him reach for the zipper on her dress and pull it down. Speaking of zippers, she dragged her fingernails down his chest, loving the way he hissed at the sensation before tucking her fingers under the waist band of his jeans and working the button and zipper open.
Derek groaned softly as he shifted his hips to give her room to slip one perfectly manicured hand into his jeans. The gasp she gave made him grin. "Oh my God, Derek," she breathed as she wrapped her fingers around him. The tips of her fingers didn't touch, and wouldn't unless she wanted to put him in a lot of pain. Her cheeks turned a pretty shade of scarlet at the chuckle he gave her, practically dripping testosterone.
"Not what you were expecting?" His voice came out in a sexy half growl and Penelope smirked at him.
"Not quite," she said in an offhand manner she didn't feel.
"Ooh, that hurt, baby girl," he said, but the grin on his face said he knew she was teasing. Then he smirked and she didn't even have time to narrow her eyes at him suspiciously. In one fluid movement, Penelope went from straddling Derek's hips to being pinned beneath him on the sofa, his body between her thighs. The sudden movement drew a gasp from her lips and she grinned up at him.
"Ooh, I kinda like this view," she said and slid her hands over his muscled chest. Smiling at her, he pulled her glasses off and set them carefully on the nearby table. "Oh, boo."
Derek chuckled softly. "Wouldn't wanna break your glasses, sweetness," he murmured before kissing her again, bringing his hips down to press against her heated core. She moaned against his lips and felt him grin, her nails digging into his chest as he moved against her. She was panting softly when he pulled back, leaning up just a bit though his hips were still pressed against hers. Before she could wonder what he was doing, he started tugging the straps of her dress down her shoulders, watching intently as he bared more of her skin.
The look on his face as he peeled her dress down made her shiver and burn at the same time. She watched his caramel eyes as they moved over her body and didn't need her glasses to see them darken when he revealed the racy, lacy, red bra she'd worn beneath her dress. He arched an eyebrow at her and smiled wickedly.
"Were you planning something, baby girl?"
"Honestly, I wasn't, gorgeous, I just like to feel sexy."
"And you have every right to that feeling," he assured her as he continued to pull her dress down. When it reached her hips, she smirked and raised them, pleased by the groan that left his throat as she rubbed her heat against him and revealed her matching panties. Sliding his hands over her legs, he moved her so her legs went over one shoulder and he could pull her dress off the rest of the way.
"My God," he murmured he let the fabric drop forgotten from his fingers. "You are so beautiful, Penelope…"
Very rarely did he ever use her full name, and when he did she knew he was serious. The look in his eyes as they moved across her skin and up to her eyes made heat spread over her in waves. Before she could say a word, he was once again between her thighs and stealing her breath with another kiss. This one didn't last as long as before as he moved his kisses to her jaw, then dragged his lips down to her neck. She gasped and shivered, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and making soft noises of pleasure as he kissed, nibbled, and bit his way down to her chest. His hands slid over her stomach to unclasp the front closure she was not surprised he'd noticed. Seconds later, she was bare to him, the soft groan he gave her nixing any momentary embarrassment she may have felt.
Derek felt an involuntary as she was all but naked to him for the first time. If he had anything to do with it, it damn sure wouldn't be the last. With a wicked grin, he dipped his head down and took one of her taut pink nipples between his lips. The gasp and moan he was rewarded with urged him on. He sucked lightly at first, running the flat of his tongue over the hard peak then flicking the tip of his tongue over it.
"Oh, Derek," she moaned for him, digging her nails into his back as he did something particularly delightful with his tongue that made her wonder what that would feel like in other places. Just when she thought she would burst from all the sensations he was giving her, he pulled away. She pouted up at him as she struggled to focus on his face. "Something wrong?" she worried breathlessly.
He smiled that smile at her and even without her glasses it warmed her to her toes. "Just one thing." And before she could ask what it was, he was pulling her panties off.
She was blushing harder now, but there was a big smile on her face. "Nice try, my chocolate Adonis, but by my count there's at least two more things wrong," she smirked and sat up, pushing him back with one hand splayed on his chest. She could just make out the confused look on his face and figured she may as well enlighten him. "Seems to me that you're a little over dressed, Mr. Morgan. You should fix that," she purred and grinned at him before standing up, wearing nothing but her very red, very high, strappy heels and sauntering away down the hallway that led to her bedroom.
Derek stared after her, watching her hips sway in a way he was sure she exaggerated for him and he loved it. Without wasting any more time, he kicked his shoes and socks off, followed by his jeans and boxers, and walked into her room.
Penelope had dimmed the lights with colorful scarves, turning her plain white walls into a riot of color. Smiling at her handiwork, she sat on the edge of her bed, legs crossed as she leaned back on her hands. A moment later Derek waltzed in wearing nothing but a confident smile. That smile, and that confidence, were just two of the many things that had made her fall in love with the very sexy man that came to stand in front of her. She grinned up at him, a lazy wickedness to her smile. "I see you fixed the problem," she said and reached to pull her shoes off but he stopped her. Arching her brow at a kink she didn't know he had before, she grinned and slid back until she was laying in the middle of the bed and crooked her finger at him. He wasted no time following direction, climbing into bed with her and covering her body with his.
She sighed at the feeling of his body above hers, his weight just barely resting on her and the strength she knew it took to hold himself up like that. He was so amazing, and sometimes she wondered if he even knew it. She dragged her nails over his back and smiled up at him, her heart pounding in anticipation. She didn't have to anticipate long; a moment later his lips were on hers and she could feel him beginning to slide into her heat. She groaned as he stretched her, wincing just a little.
"You okay, baby girl?" he murmured¸ giving her a worried look.
She smiled softly and nodded. "I'm fine, sugar, you're just…um…a little bigger than I'm used to." There came that masculine chuckle again as he nuzzled her neck. She snorted at him and rolled her eyes. "Sweetie, less talk, more action, mkay?" She smirked and rolled her hips, then gasped out a hiss of pain and pleasure as he sank his length deeper into her. Still she wanted more. She wrapped her legs around his hips, hooking her ankle together and meeting every thrust of his hips.
It didn't take long for her to practically scream his name as she hit the heights of her pleasure. Later she would swear that she saw actual fireworks in her bedroom as he continued to move his hips, drawing out her orgasm and bringing her close, closer, over the edge of a second and eventually a third. Penelope was not surprised one bit that Derek was a highly skilled lover, and she fully enjoyed him using those skills on her.
Hours later, when they were both fully sated and completely out of breath, Derek pulled her into his arms and held her close. Even if they could speak, they didn't need to just then. All they needed was their closeness as she curled up next to him, her head on his chest. It wasn't long before she had fallen fast asleep.
The next morning, Penelope woke early still wrapped in the cocoon of Derek's arms. Tilting her head up carefully she watched him sleep. His face looked more peaceful and relaxed than it ever did when he was awake. Her brain chose then to remind her of all the thoughts she had shoved away the night before. Had she done the right thing? Was she sure that sleeping with her best friend had been a good idea? Last night it had seemed like a fantastic idea. Last night she'd been sure that one taste of him would be enough. That she'd be able to cherish the memory of it forever and still be able to live with him finding someone else to love.
This morning she knew that wasn't true. One taste of Derek Morgan would never be enough for her. In fact, this had probably been the stupidest thing she'd ever done. How would she ever be able to face him at work again if all this was to him was just another one night stand? She could feel the tears begin to well up in her eyes and of course, just then, Derek woke up.
"Morning, baby girl," he murmured before his eyes were fully open. He smiled at first, but when he saw the tears in her eyes it changed sharply into a frown. "What's wrong, mama? Did I hurt you last night?" he asked her, the concern clear in his body, his face, his voice. He cared about her so much, loved her more than she knew, and it killed him that she was crying and that it was probably his fault.
She sighed and sniffled, reaching up to wipe her face and try to stem her tears. "No, no, nothing like that, honey. Last night was wonderful. Well, I mean, I'm a little sore, but nothing a good soak won't fix…" she trailed off. She knew she'd have to tell him what was on her mind sooner or later, because she'd never be able to hide it from him. Not for long, anyway. She sighed again. "I'm just…thinking too much, I guess." She tried to start slow but before she could stop it she was babbling everything like she was so prone to do. "I'm wondering what last night meant to you, because I realized that I couldn't handle it if I was just another notch in your bedpost. I mean, I'm a big girl and I'll find some way to handle it if it was, but regardless of what happens next, I am very much in love with you, Derek, and if last night was just a one time thing then-" Her words were cut off by a soft kiss.
"Penelope," he started, letting her know just how serious he was at that moment. "I love you."
She sighed and looked at him despairingly. "Yes, I know you do, and I love you, too, but did you even hear what I said?" She knew that he loved her, the way friends love each other, and that wasn't what she was talking about. She was in love with him. Actual, real, romantic love and she was about to launch into another babbling explanation of just that when he stopped her again.
"Listen to me, Penelope. I love you." It was just that simple. He loved her more than life itself, and she was the only thing he needed in his life. She blinked at him, hope and disbelief warring on her pretty face. "Baby girl, I said it before; were you listening? You, Penelope Garcia, are my God-given solace. I love you. I will always love you, and I will tell you so every day for the rest of my life," he said with a soft smile as he brought his hand up to cup her cheek and kissed her again.
"Oh, Derek," she murmured, sniffling again. This time the tears that spilled over her cheeks were happy ones as she threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. "I love you, too, Derek Morgan, and I will never, ever, let you go," she promised him.
The rest of that weekend was spent in Penelope's apartment, never once opening the front door except for getting takeout when they were hungry enough to leave her bed.
Monday morning, they walked into work. The plan was to wait and see if any of the profilers they worked with noticed a difference.
JJ and Prentiss were there in the bullpen, as well as Reid. Hotch was in his office with Rossi.
"Good morning, my loves!" Penelope said with her normal exuberance.
"Morning you two," JJ said while the others waved.
"Something is different about you, Garcia, but I can't put my finger on it. Are those new glasses?" Prentiss wondered.
"Nope! I've had these for a couple months now," the red head replied. She grinned as JJ and Prentiss narrowed their eyes, watching her and guessing wrong several times.
"She and Morgan had sex," Reid piped up from his desk without even looking up from his coffee.
"Spence!" JJ said, whirling on him in surprise. Prentiss looked at him in disbelief, then turned that look on Derek and Penelope.
"Sorry, should I have used a euphemism? There are hundreds of them if not thousands," Reid started, but JJ shook her head to stop him from launching into one of his genius lectures.
"Well, is he right?" Prentiss asked them, eyebrows waggling suggestively. "Did you two finally hook up?"
Penelope blushed, Derek grinned, and JJ and Prentiss gaped.
"Oh my God, you did!" JJ exclaimed before hugging Penelope. "I'm so happy for you two!"
Congratulations and hugs were given all around, and then Hotch stepped out of his office.
"Good morning. We have a case. Wheels up in thirty."