Here's another short chapter. I hope you all like it, though!

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Penny didn't know if she could take any more surprises and she knew that any minute now Sheldon would start freaking out, even though he looked calm as ever. "This is a...date?" She cocked her head and asked. She had thought it was just like any other time they had gone out to eat while they had been in Europe.

"Yes. That is, if you would like it to be." Now, Penny could see some of his calm demeanor cracking and he shifted a bit nervously. Afraid of rejection, she supposed.

"I wouldn't have kissed you, Sheldon, if I didn't want to...be with you."

He shrugged. "You are an affectionate person, Penny. I wasn't sure."

Penny found no offense in that, knowing that it was true. Early on in their friendship, she would have thought he was insinuating she was a slut. "Well, now you can be sure. I kissed you because I wanted to and I was so happy about getting the part, that I just did it without thinking. I thought for sure you would have run or fainted or both."

"Over the last few years that I have known you, Penny, the idea of touch has repulsed me less and less. Especially if it's you that is doing the touching."

Penny smiled and slipped an arm through his. "In that case, then." She looked up at him and the smile grew even wider when he looked far from bothered with having her so close. "So, you said something about a date?"

An hour later, they were seated at a window seat at a fancy restaurant that Penny didn't glance up to see the name of. She probably wouldn't have been able to read it if she had. All she had eyes for was Sheldon as they walked to the restaurant. Sheldon pointed out various things as they walked and Penny listened with interest as he spoke.

"Did you enjoy the food, Penny?" Sheldon asked as their plates were cleared away and desert was placed in front of them. Most of the other patrons around them were still barely into their meal. Penny had noticed since she had been taking in the scenery. She wanted to remember everything about this evening.

"Of course!" She answered. "I bet I would like everything here."

Sheldon's mouth twitched. "What about escargot?"

"And that is?"

"Snails."

She shuddered. "Okay. Maybe not everything." Sheldon let himself smile, then and Penny realized he had been teasing her. Something he didn't do often and most times, didn't do well.

Once they were finished desert, which Penny thought was even better than their dinner, Sheldon and Penny decided to walk the streets of Paris for a while before heading back to their hotel. The night was still young and many other couples had the same idea as them.

"Penny, there is something I wish to confess," Sheldon spoke softly.

"What is it?" They were in a park of some kind and Sheldon led them to a bench where they could talk while sitting.

"Remember when I picked who would go with me on this trip?" Of course, she remembered. It had been one of the happiest days of her life. She had just found out that she would be going on a well-deserved trip to Germany.

"Yeah, you had four slips of paper with everyone's name on it," she answered.

"Well, that was all a lie."

"What?" Penny asked, confused. Sheldon had lied? And no one had picked up on it?

"Yes. Those slips of paper didn't have everyone's name on them. They just had one. Yours."

Penny gasped at the news. All the pieces of paper had her name on it? So that meant that Sheldon had wanted her to go with him all along. Instead of just telling her that, he made it so the guys would think it was a fair selection and not say anything when Penny was picked. Smart. But then again, this was Sheldon she was thinking about after all.

"Are you mad?" The way he had his shoulders hunched, Penny knew he had expected her to explode on him.

"No. Of course not!" She put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed reassuringly.

"I knew that if I didn't do it that way, Howard and Raj would tease me mercilessly about it and Leonard would give me the cold shoulder."

"What you did was good. Even though, when we get back and tell them that we're together, those things will probably happen anyone."

Sheldon sighed. "I know. I'll try not to let it bother me." He reached over and grabbed her hand. "I got what I wanted and no amount of teasing and anger will make me regret this night or this week."

Penny couldn't help it. Tears sprang to her eyes and she leaned forward to kiss Sheldon, again. This time instead of standing there and doing nothing, he kissed her back. Quite well, actually. Penny wanted to climb in his lap, but there was a fear that it would make him bolt. Plus, they were in public and the dress she wore wouldn't leave much room for modesty.

Sheldon was the first to pull away and stand. "Come on, Penny," he said, offering a hand to help her up. "We should head back to the hotel. Tomorrow is our last day here and I'm sure there are lots of things you still wish to see."

"Yes, there is!" She slipped an arm through his as they walked. Her mind raced with all the things still left to see and she hoped they would have enough time to see them all. If not, well at least she got to spend time with Sheldon in Paris.

"Guys, I just got a sinking feeling in stomach," Leonard announced to his two friends as they sat in his living room, eating Thai food. It wasn't Thai night, but without Sheldon there, they were allowed to mix things up.

"You probably just ate something with diary in it." Howard waved him off.

"That food doesn't have dairy!" Leonard protested. "Do you think it has something to do with Penny? Do you think she might be in trouble?" He scrambled for his phone.

"No!" Raj nearly launched across Howard to stop Leonard. "You should leave her alone," he said. "She's probably sleeping by now...or something. I bet she's fine."

Leonard gave his friend an odd look. "How would you know that? She's half way around the world! But...I'll just send her a text." He decided to be safe than sorry and sent Penny a quick text. She could answer him when she got up and if she was in trouble, she could text him back.

"Good." Raj sat back down in his seat and when Howard stopped looking at him, he took his own phone out to send Penny a quick text, too.

You and Sheldon are together now, aren't you? ;)

They made it back to the hotel late that night. Neither Penny nor Sheldon had wanted to go to the hotel after their talk in the park. So, they walked around the streets of Paris. Sheldon even allowed Penny to hold his hand as they walked and didn't even protest...much when she took off her heels to walk.

"The first thing you are going to do when we get back is watch your feet, Penny. There are probably several million germs on them, right now."

"Okay, okay." She smiled. Truthfully, that had been the first thing she planned on doing, anyway.

When they got to the room, she went to her room first to gather her night clothes. If she was going to clean her feet, then she might as clean the rest of her. "Would you like to watch a movie, Penny once you get out?" Sheldon asked from the doorway of his room.

"Sure. You pick." I'll probably fall asleep before it's over, anyway. The events of the day, though very exciting and everything she had hoped it would, was catching up with her and she was actually looking forward to this shower. Sitting on the couch, snuggled next to Sheldon would be the icing on the cake for the day.

Half hour later, Penny wrapped herself in one of the hotel's bathrobes (with her pajamas on underneath of course) and took a seat next to Sheldon, who was also in his pajamas. This was a little surprising because he usually only put on his pajamas right before he went to bed.

"You ready, Penny?" He asked as she snuggled close to his side.

"Yes." He moved to hit the play button. "Wait!" She stopped him. "One more thing." She leaned up and kissed him on the mouth. Sheldon's arm went around her waist and pulled her closer. They kissed for a few more minutes before Penny sat back down glued herself to her side.

"Now, are you ready?" He asked, this time his mouth was a little swollen.

"Yes."

Penny didn't know the name of the movie they were watching and she didn't care. She didn't even make it half way through before she fell asleep.

There is probably going to only be about three or four more chapters left. This story has been three years in the making and that's a long time for me! :)

Just curious. Is there anything you would like to see in the next few chapters? Keep in my mind that this story is rated T and will stay that way! ;)

Thanks for reading!