"Are you heading up to New York City to spend the weekend with Beth?" Derek asked as they stepped off the elevator.
"I am, since Jess agreed to look after Jack for the weekend. Are you two planning on doing anything for Valentine's Day?"
He nodded. "I told Tabitha and Karen to get her ready for a fancy dinner tonight, and then we're spending tomorrow morning in bed, doing nothing. I know, that's so romantic, but we don't have the time for a grand gesture from me."
"Some of our best holidays were the ones where we hunkered down like you're going to with Erin. When Haley was on bedrest with Jack, we couldn't go out and do things, so I made her a meal, and we had a romantic Valentine's Day at home. Sometimes, those simple memories are the ones that stay with us, long after they're gone."
Hotch patted his shoulder lightly before heading up to his office, and Derek let out a deep breath as he went over to his desk. It was easy enough to drop off what he needed to leave behind, and then he was heading back out to the elevators. Blake was already waiting for them, and he gave her a small nod as he stopped next to her. "How is Erin doing?" she asked softly as they stepped into the waiting elevator car.
"She's doing better since we learned that her cortisol levels have evened out, and is no longer in the danger zone there. Of course, we're still going to help her out with the paperwork, since it allows us to touch base more often, and I get to rib Hotch about being such a stick in the mud."
Blake laughed as they continued down to the ground floor. "I'm certain that she loves that. And you are going to love her outfit tonight."
He cocked his head to one side as he narrowed his eyes. "I'm sorry?"
Blake laughed as she reached out and patted his shoulder. "You'll find out when you get home. I was allowed a sneak preview, because Erin wanted a second opinion on her outfit. She looks lovely, and you are going to have a very enjoyable night." She smiled sweetly. "It is nice to be able to talk to her again, so I suppose I should thank you for that."
"I just wanted everything to go smoothly with this pregnancy, so…" He took a deep breath. "Is she in red?"
"Yes."
Derek grinned. "I do love a woman in red." Blake laughed as the doors opened on the ground floor. "I'll see you Monday!" he called out as they went their separate ways, and he hummed beneath his breath as he jogged over to his truck and climbed behind the wheel. The drive home was quick, and by the time he pulled into the garage, he was most anxious to see what his wife was wearing.
"Hey, Derek!" Tabitha called out from the kitchen as he entered the house and took off his shoes. "Mom said that since you're a little earlier than she expected, you can take a shower and change before you head out on your date."
He stepped into the kitchen and saw that Erin's youngest daughter was dressed up, and he smiled at her. "I see you have a date tonight, too."
"My friends set me up on a blind date. All I know is her name – Suzanne. Mom already told me that as soon as I know more, I should text Penelope and have her do a background check, just to make certain everything is on the up and up. It's rather nice to have your mom look after you like that, you know?"
He nodded, unsurprised when Tabitha hugged him tightly. "You'll always be her baby, I hope you know. Just because we're having a baby together, it won't replace you in her life."
"I know that, in my head. My heart is still playing catch up a little, but I'm getting there. Being able to spend time like this with her is helping a lot, too. You love each other, which makes this easier to handle." Tabitha kissed his cheek gently. "Now, Mom is in the living room, but you are not allowed to see her until after you've showered and changed. I need to head out if I'm to be on time for my date. Have a wonderful evening, and we'll talk soon!"
She was out the door before he had a chance to respond, and Derek shook his head a little, seeing Marlene in Tabitha in that moment. Taking a deep breath, he dropped his go bag on the kitchen table, knowing that he could laundry the next day, and then went upstairs. Stepping into their bedroom, he let out a little chuckle to see that his outfit was laid out for him, and he stripped off his used clothes, dropping them in the hamper before padding into the bathroom and showering as quickly as possible, his thoughts on Erin and their evening ahead.
Once dry, he groomed his goatee before padding back into their bedroom and dressed with care before pulling on his dress shoes and heading down to the living room. Erin was seated on the sofa, but she turned her head to look at him when he entered the room. "Are you ready to head out, Pretty Lady?"
"Yes." She stood up and he felt his breath stolen from his lungs at the sight of her. She was dressed in a form hugging burgundy dress, the neckline scooped low enough that he could see the swell of her breasts move with every breath she took. "I can tell by the look on your face that you like this dress. Karen and Tabitha thought that might be the case, when they stole me away at lunch."
"You all have wonderful taste," he murmured as she came over to his side, embracing him tightly. "Let's head out." She nodded and they walked arm and arm out to the garage. Derek made certain to open the car door for her, closing it as soon as she was safely inside.
"I am very much looking forward to not setting an alarm when we get home," she said once they were underway, and he nodded.
"I am, too. I'm sorry that I don't have flowers or chocolates for you, but I didn't want to take the time to make an extra stop."
"I don't need flowers, though you can run out and get half price chocolate tomorrow, whenever we finally wake up." He nodded, slipping one had off the wheel to reach over and rub her stomach tenderly. "I'm glad that we've gotten my stress levels down a little, so that we can have tonight. And later this evening."
The purr in her voice sent a rush of blood to pool in his groin, and he shifted a little in his seat in order to relive some of that pressure. Erin chuckled lowly, as if she knew the effect she was having on him. "You, my lovely one, are a tease."
"Would you have me any other way?" He shook his head, and she sighed a little as she reclined in her seat as he continued to drive. Soon enough, Derek was pulling into the parking lot of their favourite French restaurant, and he hurriedly went over to the passenger side to help her out of the car. It was habit, by now, to wrap his arm around her waist as they went inside, and he relished the way she leaned into him.
After giving their name, they were quickly seated in a private little alcove, and he made certain that he could watch the door while they ate, still not ready to relax that little part of him that worried about the Replicator and when he would make his appearance.
The meal went by far too quickly, and he drank in everything that he could about Erin. She seemed a bit overwhelmed at his attention, but he still kept watching her, knowing that he'd be missing out on so much of her and the way the baby changed her body with him being away so often due to cases. "Do I have something on my face?" she finally asked as their server cleared away their dessert plates.
"No, I'm just drinking you in, because we both know how often I'm gone. I'm going to miss so many little changes that happen, so I want to commit you to memory as often as I can." Erin looked down at her lap, blushing, and he reached across the table for her hand, clasping it firmly. "Are you ready to head home?"
"Yes," she murmured, squeezing his hand a few times. He smiled and signaled for their server. It didn't take long to settle their bill, and he made certain to leave a generous tip before leading Erin back out to their car, and began the drive home. He wasn't surprised when Erin turned the radio on, classical music pouring out from the speakers. "I'm going to nap while you drive, as I want to have enough energy for the delights of Valentine's Day."
He nodded before swallowing thickly, trying not to imagine Erin nude, writhing beneath his hands and lips, as he needed to stay focused on the road. His wife let out a throaty chuckle as she shifted onto her side to face him as she closed her eyes and drifted off into a light sleep. Once he was certain she was completely under, he slowed his driving a little, wanting her to get a full twenty minutes in. Finally, though, he was turning into their drive, and he was suddenly grateful that Erin was still asleep, as he watched that same vehicle that seemed to be watching their house pull away from the curb and disappear into the night. That was definitely something he wouldn't be telling Erin about, not yet, not when her stress levels had just gotten under control.
"We're home," he murmured as he stroked her hair, twirling a piece of it around his fingers and tugging gently. Her eyes fluttered open, and the smile that spread across her face stole his breath away. "Are you ready to head in?"
"Umm, I think so," she said as she stretched a little, her breasts straining against the fabric of her dress. Once more, he felt desire pool in his groin, and he pulled his hand away so that he could step out of the car and head over to the passenger side, helping her out and leading her inside. This was the one night that he didn't think about taking his shoes off before heading upstairs, as all he could think of was his wife.
Derek gently kicked the bedroom door closed behind them as he watched Erin glide over to their bed, taking a seat as she watched him. He hurriedly began to disrobe as he walked over to her side, getting down to his boxers by the time he reached the bed. "Aren't you going to undress?" he asked before bending down and kissing her gently.
"I thought that you might like that honor, especially since I can't reach between my shoulder blades to grab hold of the zipper tab."
He chuckled before tugging her to her feet. Once she was standing, Erin spread her hands out on his chest before tipping her chin upwards and kissing him passionately. He growled against her lips as he pulled her tightly to his body, his hands roving up and down her back as they deepened the kiss. Erin lifted her leg to wrap it around his leg, trying to get in closer contact with him, and he smiled against her lips before pulling his mouth away from her and starting to pepper kisses against her face and neck, one hand fumbling for the zipper of her dress.
Finally, his fingers found it, and he tugged it down her back, trying not to be too rough, as he didn't want to tear her dress. Once he'd reached the bottom, Derek slid his hand back up to her bra, hurriedly unclipping it before tugging the garments down her arms. Erin slipped her arms out of the sleeves and straps before wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling them backwards. He knew that they would end up on the bed, but he was still concerned about hurting the baby, so he made certain to twist a little and land on the mattress next to her before placing his hands on her hips and maneuvering her to straddle his waist.
As Erin looked down at him, she let out a long sigh before lowering herself on top of him and claiming his lips once more. He grinned against her mouth while letting his hands settle around her hips, his fingers moving beneath the waistband of her pantie, pushing them off her body. Erin followed suit with his boxers, and then she positioned herself over his erection, guiding him into her body. They set a smooth pace for themselves, kissing and caressing their bodies as they made love, and he listened to the sounds of pleasure that she made, using that as his guide to make certain he was giving her the most pleasure. All too soon, he could feel his orgasm steal over his body, and he tried not to dig his fingers into Erin's hips as he snapped his hips upwards into her pliant body. Somehow, he remembered that she needed to get off, too, and he slid one hand between their bodies in order to seek out her clit, teasing it until she let out a strangled gasp as she reached her own orgasm. She collapsed atop him, and he chuckled as he hugged her to him tightly. "I love you, Erin."
"I love you, too." She sighed and kissed him a little more gently this time before snuggling against his body. "I don't want to move at all, but I know that we have to. Let me rest her for just a little bit?"
He nodded, even though he knew that she'd fall asleep all too soon. Sex seemed to do that to her at the moment, which he assumed was a result of the pregnancy. She sighed lightly before resting her head on his chest, her fingers drawing patterns on his chest as her breathing slowly evened out, and she gave herself over to sleep. Once she was out once more, he gently pushed her off him so that she was on her back, moving her body so that she could sleep well before heading into the bathroom so that he could clean them up before he could also fall asleep, her safe in his arms.