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You're Still the One

Chapter Two

Pacing the length of her shag carpeting, her toes burying into the lush cushioning, Penelope glanced at the clock on her wall for the third time in five minutes. "C'mon, D," she murmured impatiently, smacking her fingers against her jammies. His unexpected phone call inviting himself over had alternately thrilled and terrified her for the last seven minutes.

When she'd seen his number flash across her phone, she'd been elated. Things had been stilted between them for months, their one night together affecting her more than she'd ever expected. She'd thought sleeping with him would help her work him out of her system...allow her to let go of all those hopes and dreams that she'd secretly nurtured for years.

She should have known her plan would backfire and blow up in her face.

The plot to purge her senses of Derek Morgan had failed. The only thing she'd done was ensure that she'd never forget a single thing about him. The texture of his skin...the taste of his tongue...the feel of him sliding into her, filling a place no man had ever reached before.

Nope, she was ruined. He was the missing piece of her puzzle that was her life. And she knew it.

Gasping in surprise as she heard the doorknob jiggle on her front door, she turned just as Derek appeared, his chocolate eyes soft and serious as he met her gaze.

"Hey, Sweetness," Derek greeted her gently, dropping his keys on the side table inside her doorway. "Sorry I sounded so..."

"Ominous? Scary? Butt-clench terrifying?" Penelope surmised, stomping toward her. "You scared the crap out of me, Hot Stuff? What's going on?" she asked, slamming a hand to his broad chest.

Hands automatically finding purchase on the curves of her hips, Morgan's lips twitched. His Penelope was never prettier than when those baby blues flashed dangerously. "I'm sorry. I just...I needed to talk to you. Tonight."

"Didn't you have a date with Nurse Nympho this evening?" Penelope asked, trying to keep the judgment out of her voice. Part silicone, part Beach Blonde Barbie, Morgan's current squeeze set her teeth on edge. She'd met the airhead briefly last week when she'd met him at their local watering hole after work for drinks, and though she'd smiled politely and made small talk, her dislike of the other woman had been instantaneous.

"Yeah," Morgan grunted, drawing in a deep breath. "That's part of the reason I'm here."

"Oh, problems in paradise?" Garcia drawled, her heart doing a flip flop in her chest. "Was she actually a man?" she asked sympathetically.

Chuckling, Morgan watched the way her face lit up. "You are vicious."

Shrugging, Penelope allowed Derek to pull her toward the couch. "She wasn't right for you. Pretty package, I'll grant you, but I'm thinkin' the tank upstairs was empty."

Laughing as he pulled her down beside him, Derek shook his head. "Why don't you ever tell me this stuff before I go on the date?"

"And ruin the post-mortem? Bite your tongue, mortal," Penelope huffed, slapping the back of her hand against his chest. "I've got to find my fun somewhere."

"Baby Girl," Morgan murmured, wrapping an arm around her, "My social life is what I need to talk to you about. That, and that night we agreed we'd never discuss."

"Ah. Ah. Ah!" Penelope shook her head, blushing furiously as she bit her lower lip. "You pinky promised that that night would remain in the past," she said nervously, unsure where he was going with his current heading. Desperate not to lose him entirely, she shuddered to think what might happen if he ripped the band-aid off the wound in her heart.

No surgeon in the world would be able to stop the tragedy that would occur.

"That's just it. The past is affecting my future, Penelope. Or, more specifically, what I want for my future. We've got to talk about it."

"Derek," Penelope whispered hesitantly, "I don't know if that's one of our brightest ideas, my love."

"The so-called bright idea was us agreeing not to talk about that night, baby. That's where we let our brains do the talkin' for our hearts and that's where we messed up," Derek replied softly.

Well, she couldn't deny his argument had merit. She'd been denying what was in her heart for so long it had almost become second nature. "What do you wanna say about it, Derek? I mean, we agreed that it was a one-time deal, right?"

"Yeah, that's what we said," Derek muttered, his tone implying that he no longer agreed with the sentiment. "But I can't stop thinking about it, Penelope. It felt...right. I mean the kinda right that you recognize in your bones. The kind of right that no matter how hard we look for it with somebody else, it's always gonna be wrong with them. Princess, you tried with Kevin. I tried with..."

"Half the Eastern Seaboard," Penelope mumbled, smiling as his fingers playfully pinched her side.

"Not quite, but I did try with more than I wish I had," he acknowledged softly. "The point is, it never worked. Not once. And in one night, I finally felt whole. I'd never felt that way before, and I haven't since, either. You're it, Sweetness. You're the one I run to...every single time. You own me, Woman. Heart, body and soul. You're the one I want in my life. You're the person I want to kiss goodnight and good morning. Every single day."

Jaw dropping, Penelope's eyes filled with tears. "Are you saying..."

"I'm saying I love you. I've always loved you. And three months ago, I fell in love with you. Cattin' around, hittin' the bars...tryin' to feel something for random chicks that I don't...it's not me anymore. I don't want that. I want you." Watching his beautiful lady's lips move, no words actually escaping her full lips, Derek smiled. "C'mon, baby, talk to me. You've never stayed speechless long. Don't start now," he urged smoothly.

Heart pounding in her ears, Penelope's throat worked furiously. Had he really just said all those beautiful things? Had he just made every single declaration she'd ever fantasized about? "Is this...are you for real?" Penelope finally breathed raggedly, her face pale as she stared at him with wide eyes.

Shifting to lean forward and turn slightly toward her, Derek guided her hand to his chest. "Feel me, Baby Girl. I'm real. This is real," he whispered, drawing her hand up his body to press a warm lingering kiss against the palm of her hand. "But you're scarin' me, Mama. You not sayin' anything isn't something I'm real comfortable with."

"Do you know how long I've loved you?" Penelope asked faintly, her throat barely able to form those simple words. "How many falling stars I've wished on? And I wished for the same thing every single time."

"What did you wish for, Angel?" Derek asked gently, stroking her hair slowly.

"You. I wished for you," Penelope whispered.

"Then you can tell the genie she can have her bottle back, Mama. I'm yours," he returned in a deep velvety voice as he leaned forward to press his lips against hers. "If you still want me, that is."

"Always, Handsome." Penelope nodded, her arms creeping around his neck. "Always and forever. I love you, too."

And with a deep groan of satisfaction, Derek crushed his lips to hers, plundering her sweet mouth as if it was the last thing on earth he'd ever do.

Sweetly sexy and so pure it made him ache, her touch soothed the beast inside him while her kiss contained salvation and absolution, a balm to a spirit wounded and ravaged by life.

And finally, in her arms, he was complete.

Finis

A/N 2 - So, there it is. A little Morgan/Garcia fluffiness. What did ya'll think?