I have a new name for my Beta jazzyproz. BEST BONES BETA ever. I struggled with this chapter, it was stiff and not floating and everything seemed off…. and she fixed it, so send her a pm for thanks.

And finally we are there…. Let's cruise….

With the intention of a wrap-up debrief, and in the interest of time efficiency, Cullen opted to drive his agents to the airport. Overnight, the finalized instructions regarding their contact were sent to the Director and he had a few last-minute details to spell out for his team. The owner of Majestic Cruises wanted to make sure that everything was in order, so took it upon himself to ensure the information had been sent to Cullen before the agents were scheduled to fly out.

Brennan had taken a cab to Booth's apartment that morning, as his home was nearer to the FBI and on the way to the airport. By the time Cullen pulled up to the curb outside the liquor store over which Booth lived, Lisa and James were already in the SUV. With a brief morning greeting to the vehicle occupants, the partners stowed their luggage in the trunk and joined them inside the truck.

As he drove, Cullen told them that he didn't trust anyone else to provide them with all the pertinent information, but the truth was, he used that as merely an excuse… Secretly, he just wanted to know how his favorite crime solving partners were handling the upcoming undercover scenario.

The ride to the airport was filled with easy conversation and additional instructions as Cullen told them everything they needed to know about their next course of action. After arriving at the airport, the travelers gathered their luggage from the back and stood on the sidewalk beside the SUV.

Cullen cut the engine and met his team outside the car. Handing them the necessary documentation, he had a few final words.

"You'll board the plane as Agents, but when you arrive in Puerto Rico, you will be civilians… Try not to blow your covers." He looked at all four of them with an intense glare. "You have jurisdiction once you're onboard, because the ship flies under the US flag, so anything that the FBI can do on land, you can do at sea."

Cullen handed James an envelope, but spoke to them all. "These are the details for your vetted contact, including a photo, so you'll recognize him once you land. Once you arrive, he will take possession of your weapons." When Booth's stance went rigid, Cullen knew his agent didn't like the idea of giving up his firearm. Raising a hand to calm the man, he reassured him of the plans. "There's a security check when you board the ship, so you won't be allowed to carry your pieces, FBI or not. He can get everything past that check point and will secure your sidearms in your stateroom safes. He'll give you the lock combinations when you meet him. Keep in mind, he's the only person who knows your true identities and the reason you're on the cruise. Anyone and everyone else you encounter should be considered suspect."

James tucked the envelope into his carry on, knowing they would review it before landing in Puerto Rico.

"So," he extended his hand to James and then to Lisa, "have a safe trip. I have no doubt that you'll be successful." Cullen turned to Booth and Brennan, shaking their hands as well. "Dr. Brennan, Booth, the FBI can't thank you enough for your personal commitment in this case." He reached into his breast pocket. "Here are the documents that you'll need to expedite the annulment once the case is wrapped." Booth took the envelope and slid it into his own pocket.

"Yes, Sir, we'll do our best!"

Cullen pulled out one last envelope. "These are your flight assignments," he started to hand those to Booth as well, but Brennan's hand darted out and grabbed them before he could.

With barely more than a glance, she shifted her weight to one hip and glared at her partner. "Booth, how many times have I told you, I don't fly economy." She waved the page in front of his eyes. "This will not do…" She set her jaw firmly, her pale eyes flashing dissatisfaction. "I've told you time and again, it's either Business Class or First Class. Period."

"Dr. Brennan," Cullen interjected. "The FBI cannot afford to send its agents by First Class or Business Class. Our budget simply doesn't allow for it." He knew the forensic anthropologist had a higher standard of travel expectations, but he wasn't going to budge. "If you're traveling for work with the Bureau, you'll have to deal with smaller seats… It's not a long flight, anyway, so I trust your advanced abilities to evolve and adapt to change will help you cope…" Cullen ignored Booth's groan and smiled at the consultant. "I promise, as soon as the budget changes, you'll be one of the first to know, Dr. Brennan."

She tightened her lips and cocked and eyebrow. "Hmm," she acknowledged his statement noncommittally. "We'll see…" She simply folded the paper and pinned the Director with an unwavering glare. "I would think that the Bureau would want their agents to feel appreciated and well-rested when going into an unknown situation, but I guess my values are higher than those of the Justice Department of the United States of America…"

"Yeah, OK, Bones," Booth rested his hand on the back of her shoulder. "That's enough. Let's just get this show on the road, huh?" He looked at his boss sideways, wordlessly apologizing for his partner's outburst, but noted the sparkle in Cullen's eye and knew the man accepted Brennan's snobbiness for what it was, a simple stubborn streak. "Thanks, sir." He nodded again. "We'll be in touch," he bent down to pick up his suitcase and reached for Brennan's at the same time. Not waiting for her to launch into another lecture about their flight situation, he looked at his fellow-agents. "You guys ready?" He started to walk away, knowing his mulish partner would eventually follow.

Booth's actions, of course, ignited a fresh debate as Brennan trotted to keep up with his long strides. "Booth! I am perfectly capable of carrying my own luggage!" She waved to Cullen over her shoulder as an afterthought before practically tackling her bag from his strong grip. "Booth! Wait!"

With a chuckle, Cullen looked at James and Lisa. "Well… Good luck. Not only with the case, but," he looked over at Booth and Brennan, who were by then, standing just outside the sliding doors that would lead them into the building, playing an unenthusiastic game of tug-o-war. "I think you might need luck with those two, as well…"

Laughing, the agents acknowledge their supervisor's well-wishes. "We'll call as soon as we can, Sam," James replied in good humor and they started towards Booth and Brennan, his arm around his wife's shoulders. "C'mon, baby, let's see how we do managing these two…"

Cullen waved at the retreating foursome and called out. "Try to enjoy this trip a little bit, too!" He smiled and turned back to the SUV, needing to get to the office for his next meeting.

§§§§

Booth and Brennan continued bickering as they approached the check-in counter. Booth did, however, ultimately release the suitcase, happy he was able to lure her away from Cullen before she managed to get him reprimanded or fired.

The clerk studied the documents that Brennan handed him and shook his head. "I'm sorry to inform you, but since your flights were booked at the last minute, we were not able to seat you together." He shrugged his shoulders apologetically.

Brennan turned to Booth with a fiery glare and huffed as he timidly backed away to stand with James and Lisa, a knowing smirk crossing his lips and a little look of empathy directed towards the clerk. Looking back at the attendant, she tried to keep her temper at bay. The scientist pulled her credit card from her bag and slapped it on the counter with unapologetic force. "Are there connecting seats available in Business Class? At least two pairs?"

The clerk checked his computer and looked up with a smile. "Yes ma'am, there are. Would you like me to upgrade your booking?" He raised his eyebrows in question.

She deadpanned her expression, leveling her eyes at the man. "Why else would I have given you my credit card?" She was more than a little snippy, feeling irritated and impatient because she thought her intent was clear. "Upgrade all four seats, and ensure that we're sitting in two pairs."

Lisa was startled when she realized Brennan was trying to upgrade their tickets as well. Tugging her husband, they started to rush forward to protest the assumption. "Bren, wait-"

Booth shook his head and reached out to grab James' arm. "Don't argue with her…" He smiled when he recognized the concern on their faces. "Just let her do it..." He glanced at the back of Brennan's head with adoration and turned to his colleagues again. "This isn't anything unusual... I gave up arguing with her long ago. Try not to let it bother you; for her, money's no object…" He leaned forward, grinning impishly with a wink. "She's loaded..."

The Andersons raised their eyebrows in unison, shaking their heads. "Really?" They whispered secretly. "We had no idea!"

Booth snorted and stood upright, rolling back on his heels while shoving his hands into his pockets. "Oh, yeah… And get this, for a long time, she didn't even know how wealthy... It wasn't important to her." Booth turned and glanced at Brennan again, watching from behind as she signed paperwork that the clerk was sliding across the counter.

"We had a case a while back that involved a baby whose mother died in a car accident..." James and Lisa nodded, listening intently.

"Well, she not only arranged for the friends of the mother to adopt Andy, but she made sure that his education was fully funded, through college." He smiled at the memory of seeing his partner holding and coddling Baby Andy. "On top of that, to help the residents of the isolated town to reestablish businesses and get back on their collective feet, she invested over a million bucks to have the bridge connecting them with the main highway repaired, to help funnel travellers through their downtown area." Booth shrugged his shoulders. "So, to upgrade our flights is basically pocket money for her."

Lisa smiled. As Booth talked about Brennan's generosity and accomplishments, he did so with an enormous amount of pride in his voice. Glancing over his shoulder, she could see Brennan wrapping up her transaction.

"Bones doesn't do this kinda stuff to brag about her money," Booth wanted to defend his partner's tendencies. "She just cares for people… She has a bigger heart than most people realize!" He grinned at Brennan as she approached them, noting the satisfied expression on her face and new tickets in her hand.

"Well, that's corrected," she smiled. "Everything's checked in!" Their suitcases were already on the way to the plane and together, the foursome made way towards the boarding gates, falling into an easy conversation.

§§§§

With a deep, contented sigh, Booth stretched his legs and pressed the button on his armrest, lowering his seat back to a relaxing position. He loved the comfort of business class and relished in it whenever he was fortunate enough to travel with Brennan. As he mentally compared their seats with the sardine-like hell that was economy, he couldn't help but smile. Glancing sideways, he was sneaking a peek at Brennan while she, too, shifted in her seat to make herself more comfortable. The four of them had been assigned seats in the same row, on either side of the aisle. Brennan and Lisa were sitting next to the aisle, sticking the men next to their respective windows, claiming they wanted to chat a bit, creating more backstory for their roles as good friends in the event they bumped into nosy guests who asked too many questions.

Brennan turned to talk quietly to Lisa. "You do know my views of marriage and lifelong monogamy, right?"

Lisa smiled. "You made your position very clear, yes." She nodded and Brennan continued.

"Right, so," she looked down, picking at her nails as she chose her words carefully. "The idea of getting married goes against all of my beliefs." She met Lisa's eyes and knew she was listening attentively and continued speaking. "I had my doubts that I could adequately portray an engaged woman in this situation." Again a nod from Lisa encouraged her to keep talking. "Last night when Booth came over, he reminded me of a previous undercover case during which I had to portray his fiancée and he reassured me that I did very well. He has confidence that I'll succeed this time, as well."

Lisa tucked away the information about Booth being at Brennan's the night before, and bent over the armrest, whispering to the scientist. "Do you still have your doubts?" She didn't want other passengers, especially James and Booth, to hear what they were discussing.

"No," Brennen shook her head emphatically. "But, I want to be believable and to be seen as a perfectly happy woman-in-love. Do you know what I mean?"

Lisa grinned. She'd heard about Brennan's constant need for perfection, not accepting less than one hundred percent in any aspect of her life. Obviously, her standards were quite high.

Brennan had a dozen thoughts running through her mind at once. "If you observe my actions and deem them unbelievable or inconsistent with those of a typical bride-to-be, will you speak up and tell me?"

Lisa nodded, though after seeing Brennan's daily interactions with Booth, she had no doubts that they would appear to the general public as a brilliantly-matched couple. "I will," she assured Brennan. "Though, you shouldn't worry. I know you will do well."

Brennan smiled in appreciation. "Thank you," she said quietly before launching into her next points of concern, speaking a bit louder and feeling more excited about the quickly approaching case. "Perhaps we go through a checklist to make sure we have everything covered?"

"Sure! Let's see," Lisa took a notebook and a pen from her bag and started to make a list. "You have your marriage documents and legal papers?"

Brennan smiled, knowing they were safe in Booth's pocket. "Yes!"

"You packed your wedding gown?"

"Yes!"

"Booth packed his tux?"

Brennan turned to Booth, seeing his eyes closed as he luxuriated in the airline recliner. Poking his arm, she interrupted his nap. "You remembered your tux?"

Keeping his eyes closed, Booth smirked, thinking about teasing her by saying no, but he didn't want to send her into a panic and catch the subsequent wrath, so answered seriously. "Of course, Bones."

Brennan nodded at Lisa. "Yes."

"James," she turned to her husband as he worked on a crossword puzzle. "You have the wedding bands, right?"

He smiled and met her eyes. "Safely packed in my carry-on!"

Brennan slowly exhaled. "That's perfect. I think we have everything we need, then, right?"

Lisa tapped the pen against her lips, thinking hard, then her face lit up. "We haven't discussed your choice of flowers!"

Brennan nodded. "Do I need a bouquet?"

"Yes." Lisa's answer was short and firm.

"Daffodils or daisies," Booth mumbled while his eyes were still closed, but it was obvious he was listening attentively to their conversation.

Lisa's eyebrows raised with confused surprise and leaned forward to look past Brennan. Why was he suggesting these flowers? she wondered. Without voicing her query, she got her direct answer.

Brennan rolled her eyes at Booth's interjection and pointed with her thumb over her shoulder. "He knows those are my two favorite flowers. I don't think they're good options for a bridal bouquet, though."

Lisa was initially astonished that he knew something so personal, but just as quickly, she silently reprimanded herself for her foolish assumption and chuckled. She ignored the quiet laugh that escaped from James as he kept focusing on his game. "Well, if you like daisies, I think marguerites would be a lovely choice," Lisa suggested. "We'll have to ask the flower shop onboard ship if they have anything like that."

Brennan waved with one hand. "Yes, we can worry about that once we are at sea," she replied, knowing that the ship's florist wouldn't be open until they were in International Waters. "I'm sure whatever they have available will be acceptable." Switching modes into an uncharacteristically excited mindset, she grinned, staring at nothing in particular. "Thinking about it, maybe we could add some flowers to put in my hair, too!" She looked at Lisa and motioned with one hand how she would like to have them fixed.

"Oh, that would be very pretty," Lisa gushed. "I'll help you with that!"

Booth grinned at hearing their exclamations. He was enjoying Brennan's newfound carefree point of view, hoping the excitement would continue once they embarked into their alternate reality, no matter how temporary. He still was worried that she would become overwhelmed by the whole situation.

The flight attendant arrived with their food trays, momentarily interrupting the ladies' conversation. Booth pulled his seat up and lowered his tray eagerly, always ready to eat, especially when travelling. Brennan, Lisa and James all did the same, preparing for their meals.

With silent interest, Lisa and James discreetly watched what occurred between the partners across the aisle. Without even exchanging a word, Booth and Brennan started shoveling parts of their food onto each other's plates. Brennan moved her steak to Booth's while he piled broccoli and one potato onto hers. He took her pie with an impish grin and offered his yoghurt and fruit in exchange. To the married couple watching, this looked like a familiar and often practiced interaction. Lisa and James smiled at the additional evidence that Booth and Brennan were much more than just partners.

As the flight continued, Booth dozed off, his head lolling to rest on Brennan's shoulder, while she studied a forensic journal. James and Lisa, anxious to get to their destination so they could discuss their individual observations in private, tried to get some rest as well, laying their seats back and slipping into an easy slumber.

§§§§

Once the plane landed and they claimed their luggage, the investigators met their contact, David, and exchanged the packages containing their weapons for the necessary codes they'd need to retrieve them once onboard. They arranged to meet him as needed once aboard and took a cab to the port to join the throngs of vacationers boarding the liner. Checking-in and receiving their cabin assignments was a smooth process and after only a short wait time, they found themselves in their staterooms. Their cabins were side-by-side, so James and Lisa would be nearby in the event Booth and Brennan needed help to catch the suspect. With the agreement to meet later that evening for dinner, the two couples went about their own business, unpacking their suitcases and getting settled in their rooms.

The cabin was not large, but had enough room for both of them to comfortably move about. There was a king size bed in the middle of the room, opposite of the door. Above the headboard, two small windows allowed natural daylight to fill the cabin, and blackout curtains could be closed to permit late-risers to stay in bed well after sunrise. On the right side of the room, the length of the wall was a built-in closet that led into an alcove where the entrance to a small, but sufficient, bathroom was hidden. On the left, a small table with two comfortable armchairs made for a cozy sitting-area. The furniture was grey accented wood and the armchair cushions and bed linens were various shades of blue. Overall, the decor, was very elegant and welcoming.

They fell into a familiar, comfortable conversation as they began unpacking their respective bags. Brennan did everything she possibly could to hide her gown from Booth's view and scurried to find a drawer in which she could tuck away the articles Angela had bought her. Once they'd stowed away their empty suitcases, the partners took turns in the bathroom to change into more vacation-themed clothing. Brennan chose an airy, floral sundress with spaghetti straps and Booth changed into light pants and a pale blue shirt.

They would meet James and Lisa for dinner at seven o'clock and it was only a little after six. Booth suggested they take a walk around the ship to explore, and Brennan agreed eagerly, anxious to get a feeling for their surroundings. Leaving their cabin and walking at a leisurely pace, Booth inhaled slowly and took Brennan's hand. "So, whatcha think, Bones? Ready to get the ball rolling?"

Brennan paused and gave him a confused look. "Do you... want to go... bowling? I don't understand..."

Booth chuckled. "No Bones," he tugged her gently, so they could keep walking. "It's a saying. It means to just get things started, y'know? Kinda like 'let's get this show on the road…' Just a phrase…" He smiled softly and leaned towards her to whisper. "Remember.. we're a couple and in love."

A couple in love, he thought to himself. As if I need a reminder of that….

"Ah-ha!" Her eyes flared playfully as she lifted their joined hands, emphasising that she understood. Without a second thought, she moved a little closer to him and followed his lead with ease. Booth was grateful for her willingness and felt a rush of excitement run through his body.

This is a promising start, he mused…

As Booth and Brennan walked around the decks, exploring and learning the layout, they found several groups of chairs on each deck, arranged to allow guests to sit or lounge while enjoying the sea-air, either in groups or in more intimate pairs. They discovered two pools, a wide variety of restaurants and bars, wellness and sports areas, retail shops and a small but, according to Brennan, well-stocked library, containing an acceptable array of classic literature and modern authors. Though, she grumbled quietly, they could do to beef-up their science and nonfiction works… Booth simply smiled at her observation, proud of her for using the phrase 'beef-up' correctly, and animatedly pointed out the fact that her books were among the more prominently displayed popular authors.

Yes, the small, well-appointed ship was like a floating city all on its own.

At one point, they seemed to be lost. Chuckling, they stood in the hallway glancing up and down, trying to remember from which way they'd come before being distracted by the beautifully decorated theater, at which they simply had to sneak a peek, even though it appeared closed.

"Next time we have to bring one of the folding maps they left for us in the room..." Booth grinned. "This ship is huge!" He made a gut-instinct decision and tugged her hand, leading down the starboard path. With a smug grin at his self-proclaimed excellent sense of direction, he pointed out a collection of directional signs, conveniently posted beside a classic 'you-are-here' map. With no additional wrong turns, they found their way back to the dining room where they would meet their friends.

At first, Booth was simply holding Brennan's hand while they were walking. Before long, however, he placed his arm around her shoulders and she, in return, instantly draped her arm around his waist. It was, by far, not the first time he'd put his arm around her, but usually her shoulders were covered. Since their brief stint as Tony and Roxie, he hadn't touched her bare shoulders, and he couldn't help the satisfaction that threatened to make itself seen in his expression. Her skin was so soft, and he enjoyed the feeling immensely, letting his fingers slide slowly between her shoulder blades and upper arm. When Brennan felt his calloused fingertips, she had to be honest with herself — she liked the contact very much and was suddenly curious to get to know this different side of Booth... To discover what kind of man he truly was when involved in a romantic relationship.

As they arrived early for their reservation, they leaned against the railing, speaking softly and watching the ocean waves passing below as they waited for their friends. Booth's arm comfortably found its way around her shoulders again, holding her close as the wind tousled her hair. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. She looked so young and carefree, enjoying the view and the fresh sea air, inhaling deeply as she discussed her plans to explore more of the ship the following day.

Wordlessly, he drew her nearer, shifting slightly to stand immediately behind her, pressing his chest against her back ever so lightly and leaving one of his arms extended past her body to hold onto the railing. He couldn't resist and pressed a kiss into her wind-blown hair and then one more to her temple as he brought his face alongside hers to share in the same view.

Brennan held her breath and her heart skipped a beat. It was only a day since they had kissed, but the feel of his lips on her skin was still new and tantalizing. They were undercover, they had to act like this, but the feelings she was experiencing were thrilling, exciting. His lips were gentle against her skin and a quiet moan escaped her throat when he ducked his head a little further and started dropping tiny kisses against her cheek as he wrapped his arms completely around her.

Booth realized that Brennan seemed to like the small caresses as much as he did.

Oh yeah, he thought. We'll be showing a generous amount of PDA for the case, and it won't be a problem at all. It'll even be enjoyable if I play my cards right...

They were so wrapped up with themselves that they didn't even notice James and Lisa's arrival a few minutes later.

"Hey, you two," a cheerful female voice interrupted the romantic mood. "Enjoying the trip so far?"

When the partners turned abruptly, they found Lisa and James standing beside them, grinning like a couple of cats who ate the last of the canaries…

They both blushed in response and Lisa hummed playfully. Apparently the undercover partners had no difficulty slipping into character. The busted expression on Booth's face, however, made it pretty obvious they there was no 'undercover acting' required on his part. A knowing smile crossed James' face as he caught Booth's eye.

"Yes, it is so beautiful here." Brennan eagerly answered the question, feeling only slightly off-kilter. "We already walked around most of the ship and found some interesting places to go." She reluctantly pulled away from Booth, but instead of losing contact completely, he took her by the hand and nodded in response.

Brennen leaned in to Lisa. "We'll tell you over dinner about what we found so far. Let's go get our table… Booth's stomach keeps making hungry noises!"

They entered the dining room and were guided to their table. During the meal, James and Lisa noticed that Booth used every possible chance to reach out and touch Brennan, even the smallest of opportunities were used to his advantage. They shifted in tandem until they were finally settled and seated a little bit closer to each other than usual. It was hard to tell if they did it all for their cover, or if their cover simply provided a convenient smoke screen to act on long denied desires. It was fascinating to watch them, and more than a little bit encouraging, too. Lisa didn't even try to hide a small smile that tugged on her lips when she felt James' arm slip around her shoulders to draw her nearer.

Oh yeah, there was definitely love in the air.

§§§§

Standing in front of their respective cabins, the foursome said good night with the promise to meet for breakfast at nine o'clock the next morning.

Booth went to the bathroom first to get ready for bed. Whenever they were undercover, or had to share a room for an overnight stay during an investigation, they had a set of guidelines they'd always followed. They didn't really talk about the parameters of their limitations, they just developed habits that offered respect to one another. They never changed clothes in each other's company. When sharing a bed, Booth always wore pajama pants and a t-shirt, as opposed to his typical practice of wearing just his boxers. Brennan would wear a t-shirt and, at the very least, sleep shorts - nothing too revealing. And while in bed, they tried to stay away from each other as far as the space would allow. They did their level best to keep everything professional and to avoid any confusion by blurring those rules.

Booth was standing in front of the bathroom mirror after his nighttime routine, still wearing only his boxers. He let out a deep sigh. All the light touches and shy kisses they shared were haunting him, and he craved for more. They had a new intimacy between them and it felt amazing. He wondered how he would ever be able to go back to their old reality when he was already so addicted to this new one. Slipping on his pajama pants, he impulsively decided against a shirt.

He needed more skin contact, dammit, and she would just have to get used to it.

When he entered the room to let Brennan into the bathroom, she noticed, with a smile, his lack of shirt. She had to admit that she liked shirtless Booth a lot. Once she slipped past him to enter the bathroom, he walked over to their bed and sat down on the right side, which they'd long ago established would always be 'his side.'

He slid under the covers and sat against the headboard, glancing over the ship map while waiting for her to get ready. A surprised look washed over his face as Brennan came out of the bathroom, wearing one of his old FBI shirts. To him, she had never looked sexier, wearing his clothes. The FBI logo and his name, faded thanks to countless washings, were printed directly over her left breast, practically forcing his gaze to linger on her chest...

While she was climbing into bed, he teased her. "Bones, you stole my shirt! My name and the FBI logo are clearly printed on the front! That is a federal crime. I could arrest you right here and now, you know..." He slipped down next to her and rolled onto his side to face her, his hand holding his head up.

She shot him an annoyed glare. "I did not steal your shirt, Booth. It just… showed up in my closet one day..." Her mutinous expression reflected her stubborn answer.

Acting shocked, he shook his head dramatically. "I wonder how that might have happened!"

She moved on her side too, now also facing him and biting back a grin. "Maybe I found it on the floor of a certain circus trailer, next to discarded boxers and socks... Looked to me like you didn't want it anymore." She knew that wasn't the case, but she liked his FBI-issued shirts, they were big and soft and until she was forced to run them through her laundry, they all smelled like Booth. But, she would never tell him that. She laid her head on both of her hands and fixed an innocent expression on her face.

"I've been wondering where my shirts went! That's not the only one you've confiscated, is it?" His eyes were sparkling, he enjoyed their banter.

"There might be a couple more!" She admitted, a little bit embarrassed. Biting her lower lip, she studied his face. "Do you want them back?" She held her breath, not really wanting to return them.

"No, you can keep 'em. They look a lot better on you, anyway." He ignored her surprised look and turned off the bedside lamp, settling down on his side again.

It was nearly dark in the room, only a little bit of moonlight shone through the small windows to illuminate the cabin in shadows. He could sense her eyes on him more than he could see her. She was close, so close, and he moved even closer until he could feel her breath on his skin.

Since they boarded the ship that afternoon, they'd been sharing small intimacies, and he was so comfortable with their interactions, he had momentarily forgotten, now that they were safely behind the locked door of their stateroom, they were no longer undercover. Without even thinking, he leaned forward, pressing a quick kiss on her lips. "G'Night Bones," he said softly.

Brennan didn't protest. Instead, she moved to his side and laid her head in the crook of his arm. "Good night, Booth," she whispered in return, inhaling his spicy scent with gratitude for the familiar security it represented.

He smiled and pressed another kiss into her hair, his arm tugging her to his body. He was surprised at the way she snuggled, he had never pictured her as a cuddler.

Is it possible, he wondered as he closed his eyes, that she's as affected by this case as I?

Hope you enjoyed their first day on the cruise, just let me know..

We are off tonight for a vacation on the most beautiful island of Germany, Sylt. Just google it. For those of you who know me a little bit better, know, that this would be a kinda bittersweet trip. So if my Beta and I can't keep our normal 2 weeks update, please be patient.