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To be a Hundred
HQ
Catherine was seated on the couch in Steve's office, scanning an email when she barked a laugh.
"Carrie?" He said without looking up from the file on his screen. He was finishing with paperwork before they'd head home together. Catherine had delivered some info on a case she was liaising with the team on and since it was close to the end of the day and her car was at the mechanic's, she'd waited so they could leave together.
"How'd…" she raised her brows. "Never mind."
"I could tell by your laugh. What'd she say?" He closed the file and shut down the computer.
"She sent me an article." Her eyes were laughing even as she held a straight face. "Seems there are a lot of scientific studies that prove sex boosts immunity."
"We're good, then." A crooked half smile appeared with his words.
She grinned. "Oh, seems like sex also increases longevity."
Just as the words left her lips, Danny popped his head in to say goodnight. "...and in less than ten seconds I'm at TMI," he teased.
"Catherine was just quoting a scientific finding," Steve's expression was neutral but his partner knew him far too well not to pick up on his tone.
"Of course she was."
She held up her phone as evidence as she read, "Gerontologist determined that in men, frequent intercourse was a significant predictor of longevity, whereas in women, those who reported enjoyment of sex lived longer."
Danny shook his head. "Thank you for that information. I can never retire now."
Steve's brow knitted. "What the hell are you talking about?"
His partner's confused face had a grin trying to force it's way past his serious look. "You two. You realize longevity wise you're probably bordering on immortal, right? I can't retire before you do, I have to keep your sorry ass safe for my goddaughter." The grin won out and crossed his face when Catherine snorted a laugh.
"You two will be running around keeping the island safe when you're 90," she stood and grabbed her purse. "But for now, you both have daughters waiting at home."
"The most beautiful and brilliant daughters on the island," Danny added with the smile that mention of Grace always inspired.
"Exactly," Steve concurred as he locked his desk and placed an arm around Catherine's shoulders as the trio left HQ for the day. Unable to resist, he smirked and murmured, "and it's pancake night." Just loud enough to earn him a grin from Catherine and eye roll from his best friend.
That evening, a sleepy-eyed Steve nudged Catherine and gestured to her phone. "So …" his gaze roamed her body and his eyes crinkled at the corners. "What else did that article say?"
Their discussion about the article on the health benefits of sex had been interrupted earlier … by sex. She smiled indulgently. "Something you're proving as we speak," she teased and thumbed to the link. "And always do."
"Hmm?"
"It says the male prefrontal cortex switches off after orgasm." She chuckled throatily at his shrug and rolled closer to place a kiss on his jaw. "Apparently that process, combined with the release of oxytocin and serotonin, have sleep-inducing effects."
"That's gonna help me live longer?"
"The more relaxed sleep you get is supposed to." When Steve didn't open his eyes as he spoke Catherine patted his abs and continued to read, her voice soft and low. "Oh, and people who have sex once or twice a week have a 30 percent increase in germ fighting antibodies."
"I come by my excellent immune system naturally," he boasted with a small smirk while shifting to his left and opening his eyes. "But it's good we keep your immunity up."
She chuffed a laugh and reached across him to place her phone on the nightstand. "Oooh, so generous."
"I try."
They were nose to nose when she settled back down.
"You know, it said long time partners experience an afterglow that lasts up to 48 hours and makes long-term relationships more satisfying." She quoted. "Sex twice a week also reduces blood pressure, lowers prostate cancer risk, relieves pain and boosts memory."
Steve pushed a lock of hair over her shoulder. "What's all that talk about twice a week?
She shrugged. "Heh. We've always been outliers. I figure every day's gotta be even more beneficial."
His grin was crooked and wolfish. "Then Danny's right."
"About what?"
He pulled her in for a kiss. "We're totally living to be a hundred."
# End. Thanks for reading!
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