Spoilers/Timeline: Speculation on an upcoming episode based on a Stephen Nathan tweet
A/N: Follows "I Think of You and Everything's Okay". Thanks to CupcakeBean for the spot check and much love to space77 for encouraging me (threatening?) to continue this storyline and for giving it a look over.
Disclaimer: Bones still doesn't belong to me *pouts* Title from Boys Like Girls' Two is Better Than One.
"Is it straight?" Her fingers nudge the name tag, adjusting it once again. My eyes sweep across the Sharpied words and over the dipping neckline of her dress. "Booth?"
"Huh?"
"My name tag..."
"Here, I got it." I lean forward, needlessly straightening the offending card, "There, much better."
Smiling, she hands her wrap to the coat check attendant and starts towards the banquet hall, smoothing her dress as she walks. "Thanks."
"No," I gulp, following the track of her hands, the way the deep burgundy material hugs her every curve, "problem."
Damn it, she looks gorgeous.
Downright irresistible.
Not that she doesn't usually - hell, she can make a Jeffersonian lab coat look sexy - but tonight? Well, let's just say breathing is no longer an automatic activity.
"Hello?" My head snaps up as she crosses the lobby again, stopping in front of me. She tilts her head, confusion and something else - concern? - flashing in her eyes. "Are you coming?"
"Of course." I fall into step next to her, taking a deep breath, trying calm my nerves. I have to get it together. She may have been the one to label this a date, but I need show her just how much I want it to be, how good it could be (it is).
The minute we step into the banquet hall, I feel her tense and then relax beside me, her hand brushing against mine as she glances at her name tag to remind herself of our table number. Eyes are on us, several people wearing stunned expressions - this is the Temperance Brennan, after all - and my mouth curls up at her complete ignorance to the reaction she's creating.
Slipping my arm around her waist, I pull her close. "Way to knock 'em dead, Bones."
"Hmmm?" Instead of the elbow to the ribs or, at the very least, the glare I'd been expecting, she arches an eyebrow at me and leans into my embrace, her fingers splaying over my hip.
"Just, you know, half this room is watching as we walk to our table... they can't believe," I grasp her a little tighter, lips grazing her temple, "that the Tempe they knew is this confident, successful, sexy woman who just walked in."
"Having a handsome companion certainly doesn't hurt either."
Did she just... surely that wasn't an anthropological observation...?
Her eyes sparkle as she stops at our table, setting her purse in front of my place setting, "Don't look so stunned, Booth, surely you know you're an attractive male." She gives me that half smile, leaving the 'I find you attractive' unspoken.
"I'm just not used to hearing it." I settle in the chair next to her, nudging her shoulder. "So, who are we dining with? Frank Yuapal? I don't like the sound of him..."
"You can't judge someone based solely on their name, Seeley." She draws it out, mischief and laughter written all over her face, before leaning closer. "He was quite inconsiderate if I'm remembering correctly."
"See, my gut's never wrong." I smirk as she nods and begins reading the other names at the table.
She's giving me a shortened biography of Janet Hrallen when a piece of her hair comes loose, falling forward as she talks animatedly. I fight the itch to push it back into place, instead focusing on the way her hands are moving, how every time she pauses her tongue darts out to wet her lips.
I haven't seen her so relaxed at a public event since... well, ever... and I can't help but wonder if it's a wall of confidence to put these losers in their place or something more personal.
Something to do with me.
"Hey," her voice soft in my ear as her hand covers mine, thumb brushing gently over my knuckles, interrupts my thoughts, "do you want to dance?"
"Always." I stand, squeezing her hand as we start towards the floor, a portly man sitting down at our table as we leave. Frank Yuapal, no doubt. "Though aren't I supposed to ask you?"
She rolls her eyes and slides her arms around my waist as we step onto the floor. My hands settle low on her back - lower than I'd usually allow myself - and I hear her sigh as she pushes her body flush to mine and we start to move. In unison. Completing each others steps.
Always.
Her fingers slip beneath my jacket, warming my skin through my shirt, pressing small circles into my back. I force back a groan and turn us, trying to keep up with the music, but I'm not really hearing it anymore. The sound - feel - of her breath against my neck, her hands skimming up my sides and twining in my hair, is overwhelming me.
"Booth?"
"Hmm?" I open my eyes - when had I closed them? - and smile down at her as we continue to sway.
"I... thank you for convincing me to... you... always know... mean so much... " Her fingers trail over my jaw, her other hand still twisted in my hair, as she leans forward closing the nearly nonexistent gap between us.
I gasp, trying to catalog every feeling coursing through my body as her lips press against mine, softly, insistently. I stop thinking just in time to feel her pulling away, arms still holding me close.
"Wha-" I begin to ask, but then our eyes meet and I see. God, how didn't I see it before? Leaning forward, I cover her mouth with mine, grinning against her when she lets out a low moan and fists my jacket in her hands.
I bite at her bottom lip, soothing the pain away with my tongue, allowing my hands to cup her ass before I remember: we're in the middle of the dance floor at her high school reunion.
Forcing myself to pull away, I press my lips to her forehead and tuck that taunting piece of hair behind her ear. Her arms wrap around me once again, her head on my shoulder as we move across the floor.
I close my eyes, enjoying the moment.
This is us now.
Has been for awhile.
Her fingers drum against my shoulder, lightly at first and then-
"Ow, Bones, what are you doing?"
"I'm attempting to get your attention in order to ascertain whether you too think that's an arm sticking out from underneath the buffet table."
"Not funny; just enjoy the moment." I tug her closer, praying whatever she's noticed will just disappear. Nothing should ruin this.
And yet...
"Booth, look!"
Reluctantly, I open my eyes, following the tilt of her head to the buffet table where... I sigh heavily, wrapping my arm around her waist as we start to the other side of the room. "Only you would stumble upon a dead body during our first date."
She laughs, crouching to lift the table cloth, and smiles up at me. "No, Booth, us. Only we would."