AN: Many thanks to everyone who reviewed the first and second chapters—I always enjoy hearing your thoughts—and to my dedicated beta CalleighAryn.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"I might have to shoot your publicist." Booth rubbed his eyes with one hand while keeping the other hand on the steering wheel. "Who schedules an interview for six a.m.?"
Brennan rolled her eyes. "It's a morning talk show, Booth, and you didn't have to come with me."
"Of course I had to come with you. You're my Bones, and I want to offer my support." He rubbed her back gently. "Are you nervous?"
She stared out the window. "No, not at all."
Someone who didn't know her might have been convinced, but Booth heard the slight uncertainty in her voice. "You've come a long way since your first interview." That was like watching a train wreck…but worse. "You're going to be brilliant."
She kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you."
He wanted to say "You're welcome", but his words were swallowed by a yawn. Dating Temperance Brennan hadn't left much time for sleep, but that was a sacrifice he was more than happy to make.
"You're barely awake. It's not safe for you to drive," Brennan said in the ultra rational tone Booth mentally called the "super squint" voice.
"I'm fine." He tried and failed to stifle a second yawn.
"I'd tell you that I should drive, but I know how that offends your alpha male sensibilities."
"Uh huh."It's too early in the morning for squint speak.
"Put the car in park," she demanded when he stopped at a red light a few minutes later.
"What?"
"Put the car in park," she repeated. Recognizing her 'Do what I say or I'll hurt you' voice, Booth complied.
When he turned to his partner to ask for an explanation, she grabbed the lapels of his jacket and kissed him with such force that she stole the breath from his lungs. He didn't mind; oxygen was highly overrated anyway. Instinctively his hands went to her waist, pulling her even closer. As the kiss escalated and their pleasure mounted, moans escaping from both mouths, they forgot about the world around them—until car horns pierced their eardrums. Cursing a green light for the first time in his life, Booth pulled away from her and put the car back in drive. "I'm not complaining, but what's gotten into you?"
"I thought it might help you wake up. Was I right?"
He laughed. "You're always right, Bones." Wow. That was so much better than coffee.
XXXXXXXXXX
When they arrived backstage at the studio, a blonde in a pink suit rushed over to them. "Dr. Brennan, I'm Jill Croft. It's so good to meet you!"
She's a good looking woman, Booth thought as Jill shook hands with his partner. Not as beautiful as my Bones, but no woman is. Suddenly he felt Jill's eyes on him.
"Is this your boyfriend?" Jill said with a smile, unabashedly sizing him up.
"No, he's my partner, Special Agent Seeley Booth."
"A pleasure to meet you, Agent Booth," Jill purred as she offered her hand to him. "Or can I call you Seeley?" She said his name as if it were an expensive perfume.
She makes my name sound dirty. Reluctantly he shook her hand. "You can call me Agent Booth."
"He has a girlfriend," Brennan blurted out.
Booth used every ounce of self restraint to stop himself from grinning. After years of wanting (and, in some cases, actively trying) to steer Bones away from any guy who showed an interest in her, it was nice to see her feeling possessive about him. "It's true."
Jill sighed. "She's a very lucky woman."
"No, I'm the lucky one. Do you mind if I watch the show from here?"
"That's fine with me. Dr. Brennan, I'll be introducing you after my opening segment. My assistant will come get you. Good luck." She gave them both an exaggerated smile before walking out on stage.
"She was very interested in you," Brennan said as the show's make-up artist led her to a chair and applied a generous amount of rouge to her cheeks.
Booth couldn't hide his grin any longer. "You were jealous."
It may have been the rouge, but Booth thought she was blushing. "No, I was merely making an observation."
"You don't have to worry, Bones." Bending next to her, he whispered in her ear, "You're the only one I'll ever want."
Soon a young woman with a clipboard approached them. "It's time, Dr. Brennan."
"Good luck, Bones. Knock 'em dead."
"Thank you. I'll do my best." She put on a brave smile before walking towards the stage.
That's my girl.
"You must be Agent Booth," the young woman said. "You can watch your partner on the monitor over there."
He thanked her and sat by the monitor, beaming at the image of Bones and hoping that the interview would go smoothly.
"Thank you so much for joining us today, Dr. Brennan," Jill gushed.
"Thank you for having me."
Well said, Bones. You're off to a great start.
"This must be a very exciting time for you," Jill said in a sugary sweet voice. "The movie adaptation of your first book, Bred in the Bone, hits theaters next week, and your latest book, Bone Appetit, recently made the New York Times bestseller list. Are you surprised at how successful your books have become?"
"Yes."
Booth winced as a few seconds of dead air followed. Keep talking, Bones.
Maybe she had heard his thoughts because she added, "Very surprised."
"Let's start with the movie," Jill said quickly. "Were you consulted about casting choices? Do you approve of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt playing forensic anthropologist Kathy Reichs and her FBI partner Andy Lister?"
"No, I wasn't consulted about casting choices. I don't know if I approve of those actors; I'm not familiar with their work."
Oh no. Bones, Bones, Bones…
Jill started to laugh but stopped when she saw that her guest wasn't joining in. "Seriously?"
Brennan looked slightly embarrassed. "My work is extremely demanding. I don't have time to keep myself informed about who's who in popular culture."
"Oh. That's…understandable."
Booth heard the thinly disguised contempt in Jill's voice and glared at her image on the monitor. Don't you dare look down on my partner. She's a much better woman than you'll ever be.
"Why don't we move on to your books. The publication of your last book, Red Tape, White Bones, resulted in three copycat murders. Did you feel somehow responsible for those deaths? Were you hesitant to write again after such a horrible tragedy?"
You bitch. I can't believe you asked her that. Seeing Bones' anguished expression made him want to run out on stage and rescue her, but he held himself back, knowing she wouldn't appreciate that particular 'alpha male' gesture.
After a brief pause, Brennan regained her composure. "All three killers had clear motives for wanting their victims dead. Those murders would have been committed whether I had written the book or not…but I was saddened that my book was used that way."
Good answer, Bones. Take that, bitch.
"Bone Appetit is your newest book. Could you describe the plot for our viewers?"
Brennan visibly relaxed as the conversation shifted to more comfortable territory. "The book follows Kathy Reichs and Andy Lister as they track a cannibalistic serial killer."
Jill squirmed. "Such an…interesting topic. Is the book based on a real case?"
"No, my work is fiction, although my partner and I have investigated cannibals."
Like Doctor Rigby in Aurora, Washington, where every guy in town was drooling over you. And then there's Gorgonzola and his apprentice, who tried to kill us with an exploding backpack. God, I hate cannibals.
"I had the privilege of meeting your partner backstage." Jill licked her lips. "How long have you and Agent Booth been working together?"
"About two and a half years."
Two years, five months, one week and three days.
"How would you describe your working relationship?"
"We have different skill sets that complement each other. We're very good at what we do." Booth's chest swelled with pride. I know you're talking about how well we catch killers, but maybe you're thinking of our after work activities too.
Jill leaned towards Brennan as if they were best friends. "Are you two as close as Kathy and Andy?"
That's none of your business.
Brennan leaned away from her. "We're good friends, but we're not lovers like they are."
I wonder how many times in the past couple years we've corrected people who assumed we were together. Of course, now we actually are together…
"So you weren't thinking of Agent Booth when you wrote the erotic scenes in your books?"
Who does this woman think she is, Angela?
Brennan shook her head. "I could never think about Booth that way. He's like a brother to me."
Ouch. That hurt, Bones. I didn't expect you to admit that we've spent the last two nights making love in your apartment, or that this morning we made out at a traffic light, but did you have to say that I was like a brother?
"How nice. Well, thank you again for coming, Dr. Brennan." Jill turned to face the camera. "Bone Appetit is on bookshelves now, and Bred in the Bone will be in theaters next Friday."
Brennan returned backstage a few moments later. "How did I do?" She asked eagerly.
"Good."
She studied his face as they left the studio. "Really?"
"Yeah. That woman was awful to you, but you didn't let her get to you."
"Thanks." Brennan was still gazing at him when they got into the car. "Is something bothering you?"
Booth considered denying it, but he knew it was useless. She could read him just like she could read bones. "I'm like your brother?"
"I didn't mean it. You said we should be discreet."
"I know."But I still wish you could introduce me as your boyfriend. I still wish I could tell the world how much I love you.
"I wouldn't be having sex with you if you were my brother." Her face was entirely serious.
Booth laughed. "Good to hear, Bones."
Sad eyes stared at him. "Are you mad at me?"
How could I be mad at you when you're looking at me like that? "No. If you had told the truth, Cullen would have heard about it and split us up. You did what you had to do."
Her lips curved into a smile. "Exactly." She paused. "So who are Angela Jolie and Brad Pitt?"
"It'sAngelina Jolie. She and Brad Pitt are a famous Hollywood couple."
"Do you think they'll do a good job playing Kathy and Andy?"
"You mean, will they do a good job playing you and me?"
She smiled. "Yes."
She finally admitted it! "There's only one way to find out. The movie comes out next Friday, huh? We should see it together on opening night. I've always wanted to take you to a movie." Okay, I've always wanted to make out with you in a dark movie theater. Same thing.
"Actually I've been invited to the Los Angeles premiere. I promised my publicist that I'd be there."
"Oh…were you planning on taking someone with you?" In his mind's eye he was already escorting her down the red carpet. I'll get to see her in a dress again!
Brennan frowned. "I don't need a bodyguard. I have a gun. A very big gun."
Booth chuckled.I know. You shot me with it. "I'm not talking about a bodyguard. I'm talking about a date…. I happen to be free next weekend."
She looked surprised. "You want to go with me?"
Is she serious? "Why wouldn't I?"
"Because going as my date to a movie premiere, where there will most certainly be a large group of photographers, doesn't seem very discreet."
Damn. She makes a good point. "Don't bring me as a 'date' then. I can be your 'guest'." He remembered making that distinction when he invited her to Jimmy's wedding. It worked then, so why not now?
"And Cullen will believe that you flew across the country to be my 'guest'?
"Sure." He ran his hand up and down her leg. "We'll have a great time."
She took his hand in hers. "I know we would, but I don't think it's a good idea. We can see the movie together when I get back from L.A."
"How long will you be there?"
"Just for the weekend."
Just for the weekend? Bones and me will be three thousand miles apart for three whole days? Maybe I should buy my own ticket to Los Angeles…
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Thanks for reading! All comments make me ridiculously happy.