Leonard and Sheldon pulled into the parking garage after work and found Penny under the hood of her car. Leonard got out and smoothed his shirt nervously. Ever since they had met, he had fantasized about being with her. She was beautiful and friendly and best of all, she lived right across the hall. He had managed to sort of trick her into one date, but it had ended prematurely when he had bled all over the table.

Leonard watched Sheldon walked over to the car without hesitation. Sometimes he envied his friend's lack of social awareness. His roommate viewed Penny as just one more person infringing on his personal space. He hurried to follow, hoping for a chance to impress Penny.

"Am I to assume by the raised hood and toolbox on the ground that your check engine light's warning has finally come to fruition?" Sheldon asked haughtily.

Penny turned her head and glared at the tall Texan. "No. I'm just changing the spark plugs."

Sheldon raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. "Wouldn't you be better off taking the vehicle to a professional mechanic?"

Penny stood up straight and smirked. "Sheldon, I don't need a mechanic. I've been working on cars, trucks and tractors since I was a child."

Sheldon looked at the engine with disdain. "Then why is your check engine light always on?"

"Because it's not a problem. It's a short in the wire. It would cost more to fix it than it's worth," she said with a shrug. Penny turned and went back to work on the plugs. Sheldon leaned closer and watched her work. One of the plugs fell to the floor and he bent to pick it up. Penny looked at him and turned back to what she was doing immediately.

Okay, wow, she thought to herself. Who knew the neurotic neighbor had such a nice tushy? Penny snuck another glance at him. Oh yeah, a really nice tush. The guys left soon after and Penny took a deep breath. She had always been an ass girl. Too bad that fine bum was attached to such a weird guy. Still, it didn't hurt to look.

Penny hopped up on top of the washer and opened her magazine. She was halfway through an article on the benefits of pomegranate oil when Sheldon walked in. Penny hid her smirk behind the magazine and lowered it just enough to watch him separate his clothes.

"Hey, sweetie. How are you today?"

He glanced over at her with a nod. "I am well. You?"

Penny smiled. "Pretty good. My bills are paid, I got a call back for a commercial, and I found the cutest pair of shoes at the mall. The only problem in my life is my new blue ray player. I can't figure out how to hook the stupid thing up."

Sheldon paused before putting his detergent in the machine. "You have a new blue ray player? Do you have the correct cables?"

Penny looked at him innocently. "I don't know. I guess I'll ask Howard to look at it later. He's a genius with electronics, right?"

Penny bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling as Sheldon spun toward her. "Howard Wolowitz is not a genius. In any respect. I will fix your player. Let's go."

Penny hopped down and followed him out of the laundry room. She listened with half an ear to Sheldon lecture her on using the proper connections for electrical devices and chastise her for not coming to him in the first place. Most of her attention was on his backside as she followed him up the stairs. When they reached the fourth floor she unlocked the door and he moved to her entertainment stand.

Penny grabbed two waters from the fridge and plopped down on the couch. She handed one of the waters to Sheldon and got comfortable. He knelt on the floor and began looking over the set up.

Penny watched him as he connected the player and made room for it on the shelf. Her pulse fluttered as his bottom swayed when he ducked down to plug it into the surge protector. It was wrong to eye him like a steak, but damn dat ass! Sheldon rose and turned to look at her, still explaining the superior quality of blue ray players. He paused when he looked at her, and she quickly wiped the lust from her expression.

Sheldon turned back to the tv and picked up the remote. "Please hand me a disc so I can test the connection."

Penny handed him Iron Man and he nodded with approval. He inserted the disc and turned it on. Once the disc started he stood and turned back to Penny. "It is connected and working properly. Shall we return to the laundry room now?"

Penny stood and followed him out of the apartment. Thank goodness he was so clueless, she thought. How embarrassed would she be if he knew she was ogling him?

Penny was walking toward her door when she heard a muffled moan from 4A. She frowned, knowing the guys were at work. Holy crap! Someone was robbing the guys! Penny rushed into her apartment and dropped her purse. She grabbed her baseball bat and tiptoed back across the hall. She inched open the front door and peeked around, but she didn't see anyone, so she eased into the living room. She heard something in the bathroom so she snuck down the hall.

She could see a shadow moving in the room so she took a deep breath and threw open the door. She jumped into the room, bat raised high. They both screamed.

Sheldon sat in his spot and tried to glare at her, but he felt too bad to hold it. He sniffled and accepted the cup of tea she held out.

"Sweetie, I am so sorry! I had no idea you were home sick. I thought you were a burglar," Penny said in a soft voice.

"So you decided to attack? Wouldn't it have been more prudent to contact the local law enforcement?" he grouched weakly.

Penny sighed and brushed his hair back. "Sheldon, I'm really sorry I almost hit you. Isn't there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

He looked up at her naively. "My mom would give me a sponge bath when I felt ill."

Penny blushed and bit her lower lip. Oh lord! How could he be so innocent and so provocative at the same time? She knew she should say no. She knew she needed to put some space between her and this man who was starting to become too tempting. She took a steadying breath and nodded.

"Okay, sweetie. But the underwear stays on," she finally said.

Sheldon looked at her with confusion. "But of course."

Penny clenched her teeth as she watched Sheldon strip down to his tighty whities. Good grief, what had she gotten herself into? She had to curl her fingers into the sponge tightly to keep from patting his bottom as he slipped into the bed. He looked up at her so innocently and it helped her control her urges. She dipped the sponge into the bowl of water and sat down beside him on the bed. "Ready, sweetie?"

Sheldon nodded and pushed the covers off his chest so she could begin. "Counter clockwise, please."

Leonard was just walking through the door with Howard and Raj when Penny exited Sheldon's bedroom. They looked shocked and Leonard stammered a bit. "P ..Penny? What are you doing in Sheldon's room?"

She put a finger to her lips. "Shhh. He's sick and I just got him to sleep. Keep it down."

Howard turned green and Raj turned white. "Sheldon's sick?" Leonard asked faintly.

Penny nodded. "A slight fever, sore throat and upset stomach. He'll be okay after he gets some rest." She watched the three guys edge back toward the door.

"Um, okay," Leonard said nervously. "Well, then….we should go."

Before Penny could respond they scrambled out the door, slamming it behind them. Her jaw dropped at the callous way they had abandoned their friend. Oh she was SO going junior rodeo on them when they got back!

"Penny?" (cough, cough) "Are you still here?"

She turned back to the bedroom quickly. He sounded so sick and alone. She just couldn't abandon him!

Sheldon stepped into the hallway with the package that had been delivered earlier and raised his hand to knock. He frowned as he noticed the door was slightly open. He stepped closer and peeked inside. Slowly he opened the door and tilted his head.

"Penny? What are you doing?"

She looked over her shoulder with relief. "Sheldon! Great! Get over here! I could use some help!"

He walked over curiously. "Again, I ask, what are you doing?"

Penny was kneeling on the counter top and had her hands on the top shelf of her cupboard. "I was reaching for a bowl and the shelf fell. Can you help me fix it? I can't hold it and replace the screws in the bracket at the same time."

Sheldon moved the step stool to the right and stepped up. He picked up the screwdriver and looked over the bracket carefully. "Please raise it 1.5 inches, Penny." She looked at him with exasperation and he sighed. "Move it up the width of your nail file, please."

Penny moved the shelf and he began screwing the bracket into place. When he was finished he looked over at Penny to tell her it was done. She was staring at his back with wide eyes. He looked over his shoulder but didn't see anything unusual. He looked back at Penny, who was blushing slightly.

She hopped down from the counter and brushed off her knees. "Well, um, thanks sweetie. Really appreciate the help. I have to get ready for bed now." She practically dragged him to the door and before he could respond he found himself in the hallway facing Penny's closed door.

Slowly he walked back to his own apartment. Something unusual was happening and he needed to think about it.

Sheldon fidgeted nervously and raised his hand to Penny's door. He knocked three times and called her name. Then he repeated the action twice more. When Penny opened the door he almost ran back to his apartment.

"What up, doc?" she laughed.

Sheldon rolled his eyes at her quip and cleared his throat. "Penny, may I speak with you? Inside?"

She stepped back and let him walk past her. "So, what's wrong?"

Sheldon clasped his hands behind him and looked down at his feet. "Penny, I have a hypothesis that I don't know how to test."

She frowned slightly. "Okaaay. And how does that involve me?"

He blushed slightly and moved a step closer. "Penny, recent events have led me to believe that there is a possibility of your being attracted to me."

Penny turned red and her eyes widened. She moved around him and went to the kitchen quickly. She grabbed a glass and turned on the tap for some water which she drank in two long gulps. She took a deep breath and turned to face him. "That's quite a theory you have."

Sheldon watched her closely, his confidence growing. He walked across the apartment until only a foot of space separated them. "I have good reason for it," he said smoothly. "On at least 8 occasions I have observed you, as Howard would say, 'eyeballing my assets'. I first noticed it when I connected your blue ray player. I have also observed you becoming flushed whenever you and I stand close to each other." He looked at her closely. "Your pupils tend to dilate whenever I look at you, just like they are doing now. And most compelling of all, your attentiveness during my recent illness. You went beyond simple friendship while caring for me. You exhibited concern, worry, and tenderness greater than I have ever received before. Also I have a fuzzy memory of you kissing my cheek and telling me I was important to you, so I had better get well soon. Last week I helped you repair a shelf and when we finished, I found you staring at my posterior with what can only be described as desire."

Penny struggled to control her rampaging hormones as his voice turned softer.

"Am I incorrect? Is my hypothesis faulty?" he asked gently.

Penny was mortified that he had discovered how she felt. Good lord! He was still watching her carefully. She opened her mouth to deny it, but stopped. He wasn't just watching her with curiosity. There was also a spark of hope in his eyes. She looked into his eyes and slowly smiled. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. She pressed her chest against his and licked her lips. "You're the genius," she purred. "Can't you solve your own puzzle?"

Sheldon had spent the last two weeks carefully thinking about what he wanted to do about the attraction he suspected Penny felt for him, and the attraction he knew he felt for her. He had never been in a relationship before but he could not deny that he was drawn to her.

He decided that for once in his life, he was going to throw caution to the wind and go with his fledging emotions. He bent down and kissed her chastely. What he hadn't counted on was that Penny wasn't going to be satisfied with chaste. She tightened her hold and kissed him until he was breathless.

When they finally pulled apart, Sheldon's heart was pounding in his chest, his head was spinning and his body was taut with need. He was stunned to find Penny's hands were on his bottom and one of his was under her shirt.

"Penny, I…." he blushed deeply, "now what do we do?"

She pulled away and headed to her bedroom. She paused in the door and looked back at him. She pulled her t-shirt over her head and unclasped her bra. She licked her lips and smiled softly. "Come to bed, sweetie. We can talk about it later."

It was a bit of an adjustment for their friends. Leonard sulked for about a month until he met a doctor at a bar. Stephanie was sweet, funny, and she was head over heels for Leonard. Howard and Raj weren't sure what was most disturbing, the way Penny was always patting Sheldon's butt and then they would disappear into the bedroom, or the way Sheldon was always asking Penny to help him test a theory and they would disappear into the bedroom. Regardless, Sheldon and Penny were happy and their friends were happy for them.