D E R E K ' S P O V

Dropping my pen down on the desk, I sigh in relief that my paper work is now done. "Let's get this weekend started already."

Penelope hops up into my desk, grinning when she looks around at the group. "Should we go out to the bar later?"

Layla smiles, leaning back in her chair. "You know I'd never turn that down."

"I'd love to, but I should get home to Henry," JJ says, as she picks up her bag and waves to us while she walks towards the door. "See you guys Monday."

Emily stands from her desk and mutters something about needing to get home to Sergio and follows JJ out of the office like a love sick puppy.

I snicker, turning to Penelope and Layla. "They are so obvious."

"Yeah," Penelope says, raising an eyebrow. "You can't hide anything in this office."

Avoiding her eyes that I now feel somewhat suspiciously burning into the side of my head, I gather up my paperwork and head up to Hotch's office.

I knock on his door and peak my head in when he calls for me to come in. "My paperwork," I say, setting it down on his desk. "We're going to the bar later, you want to come?"

Hotch chuckles, shaking his head. "No, thanks. Enjoy a night off without the boss around."

I walk towards the door again but pause when he calls my name.

He arches an eyebrow, eyes floating between me and the window looking out towards the office space. "No funny business, okay?"

Me? Pfft. Never. I salute him. "Scouts honour."

Closing his door behind me, when I make it back to my desk Penelope is already on face time with Averie, asking her about coming out with us tonight, to which she of course agrees.

"Averie?" Rossi says, peaking his head into the phone. "Do you want a babysitter? I could use a quiet night in with my grandson."

"Sure," Averie smiles. "Aidan will be so excited. Why don't you all come over here first and we'll leave from here?"

Making it a plan that we'll all meet over there at seven, Rossi, Penelope, Layla and I all get onto the elevator and head down to the parking lot. Rossi is parked closest and we wave him off when he gets into his car. Penelope is next and that leaves Layla and I alone, walking the extra few yards to our cars that are conveniently parked next to each other.

"See you later," Layla says, giving me a quick smile before she climbs into the driver's side of her car and pulls out before I can even say anything at all.

I try to hide my frown while I watch her car disappear out onto the street. It's not like I expected her to say anything more, but I don't like just having passive conversation with her.

Shrugging the weird feeling off, I head home for a quick workout, a shower and a change of clothes.

-

Since I live only a couple streets over from them, I always seem to be the first one at Averie and Spencer's whenever we all come here.

I walk into their living room to find Spencer and Aidan perched on the couch, sipping from their matching tumblers. Spencer's is filled with whiskey and Aidan's, I can only assume is filled with apple juice.

"Partying with the big kids, huh?"

Aidans face brightens when he sees me and he hops down off the couch and runs to me. I hoist him up into the air while he giggles.

"I missed you," Aidan says, giving me the biggest squeeze his little arms can handle.

I tap my finger to his nose when I sit him down on the couch beside me. "I missed you too, kid."

"You want some of my apple juice?" He asks, sipping from his cup excitedly. "It's really good."

"I'm good," I say laughing, giving Spencer a look. "I will take a glass of what your dad is drinking though."

"Spence?" Averie's voice calls out as the click of her heels descend the stairs. She steps into the living room, looking down while she adjusts her dress. "Is this dress too slutty?— oh, hey Derek."

"No babe," Spencer says, handing me a glass of whiskey and I thank him. "You look beautiful."

"Yeah, Mommy," Aidan says, smiling. "You look beautiful."

Averie gently squishes Aidans face and kisses the tip of his nose. "Thank you, sweet boy."

"Ew," Aidan winces, pulling away and wiping his nose. "Lipstick."

The sound of the front door bell cuts through the air and Averie yells for them to come in. Rossi walks into the living room first, immediately turning his attention to his grandson.

Penelope walks in too and pulls Averie into a hug and the door opens again and sweet holy fuck. Layla.

Rossi and Spencer talking beside me fade into the background while I let my gaze wander over the absolute masterpiece across the room.

Her face is painted beautifully with a soft glow on her gorgeous cheekbones, smokey colors surround her emerald green eyes and a nude gloss is brushed across those lips I love kissing. Each stand of the silky brown waves in her hair tumble in a carefree way behind her shoulders. My gaze drops to the black corset top that encases the swell of her breasts perfectly and I don't know if it's buttoned up or laced, all I'm worried about is how I'm going to get it off of her later. The dip of her waist softens into the curve of her wide hips and her black leather pants hug every sweet edge of her, so tight that I wonder how the fuck she got into them and how the fuck I'm going to get them off her too.

A little hand lands underneath my chin, pushing up until my mouth snaps closed. I look down to find Aidan giggling at me.

"Uncle Derek, you're drooling."

My lips fold into a thin line. "You are too smart for your own good."

-

I've been itching to get Layla alone all day so when she gets up from the couch to head to the kitchen for a refill, I see my opportunity.

I stand up. "Anyone want I refill?"

Penelope and Averie are too engrossed in conversation to even notice my question but Spencer looks up. "I'm good," He says, pulling out his phone. "But I'll order an Uber now."

Nodding at him, I head towards the kitchen. When I push open the door I have the perfect view of Layla bent over the freezer, filling her cup up with ice.

This girl has a face for missionary and an ass for back shots. When she finally does let me fuck her again, because she will someday, the hardest choice I'm ever going to face is what position to put her in. I'll just have to test them all out. It would be rude not to.

Layla stands and turns, almost jumping out of her skin when she sees me standing here. "Jesus, Derek," She says, blowing out a breath. "You scared the shit out of me. Make a noise or something."

I still can't get over how good she looks right now. The words amazing, hot, sexy, gorgeous, fine as hell and I want to rip your clothes off and make you scream my name come to mind, but instead, I settle on a soft smile when I say, "You look beautiful."

Layla smiles in appreciation to my comment, taking a sip from her now full wine glass. "Thank you," She says before she pats her hand to my shoulder teasingly. "You don't look so bad yourself."

My eyebrows raise when she slips past me and heads towards the door to go back to the group. "That's all the conversation I get?" I ask, laughing in disbelief.

Besides working on the case, we haven't really spent much time alone together since our kiss the other night. There was been no jokey comments on her end and I miss it.

Maybe her avoiding conversation with me is some way of her playing hard to get. Which she is, as she should be. But I have to say, I have been missing our flirty banter this week.

I catch her hand before she reaches the door. "Is avoiding me you trying to tease me?"

"No, Derek, it's not," Layla sighs, a fading smile on her face when she pulls her hand from my grasp. "I just don't want to play this game anymore."

My eyebrows crease. "Game? What game?"

"This," She says, pointing between the two of us. "We shouldn't do this anymore."

Before I get a chance to ask why she's suddenly so against whatever the hell has been happening between us, the kitchen door swings open and Aidan steps into the room with his empty glass.

He asks me to refill his apple juice and I do, but Layla slips out the door before we can finish our conversation.

I sit Aidan up on the kitchen counter top before we both cheers our glasses and take a drink.

I sigh, looking at a three year old for an answer. "Do girls confuse you too?"

"No," Aidan says, shaking his head. "Dad explained it to me. Girls have a vagina and boys have a penis."

I snort a laugh. That is absolutely not where I was expecting this conversation to go. I press a kiss to his head before I set him back down on his feet.

I hold the door open for him when I mutter, "I wish it was that simple."

-

A/N: once again the chapter was so long that I had to split it, so double update🤷‍♀️ next chapter is up right now! :)