A/N: Phew… last chapter! To all my readers and reviewers: THANK YOU!!! I don't know what else to say, but this story would not have made it this far without you! As for a sequel, it will be called "Bundled Up." Not sure when it will be posted, but keep and eye out for it! Thanks again to everyone!!
Temperance walked into the lab with a huge grin plastered on her face. She had taken extra time that morning to pick out the perfect outfit and when she had gone into the bathroom to put on makeup, she saw that she didn't even need any. She was glowing, radiating the happiness that she felt inside.
She had never felt this way about a man before, like this could be the real thing that Angela was always talking about.
But she didn't have time to think about that right now though. Zach was calling to her from the platform, looking confused when she just smiled and walked straight past. She had somewhere to be.
Booth had called last night, just like he promised he would. There hadn't been much to talk about, but he said he would meet her in her office first thing in the morning. So, right now she was on her way to her office.
When the office came into view and Temperance could see a lone figure standing behind her desk, she quickened her pace.
She opened the door and stopped dead in her tracks.
Angela had her hands on her hips and was tapping her foot in a very impatient manner. Her eyebrows were raised in a way that demanded answers, though Temperance had no idea what the questions were.
They stared at each other for a moment before Angela backed down. "Where have you been? I was in here yesterday morning bright and early, waiting to hear all the juicy details about your sexy weekend getaway with Special Agent Hunky and you weren't here! Where the hell were you?"
It was obvious that Angela was mad. Temperance hopped her answer would calm her down. "I was with Booth."
Angela squealed so loud that Temperance was sure that people in Alaska could hear it. Angela threw herself around the desk and into Temperance's arms. It was difficult to hug someone who was jumping up and down, Temperance decided. She escaped Angela's grasp and took a step back.
"Oh, my God!" Angela yelled. "You have to tell me everything." She didn't give Temperance any time to speak. "Did you wear the nighties I packed?"
"Angela, no!"
"So you didn't wear anything, then?"
"Ange, no!"
Angela grabbed Temperance's arm and dragged her over to the couch. "Tell me everything," she said again. "Did you guys…?" She made a vulgar grinding movement with her hips.
"No!"
The artist's face fell, but only slightly. "Did you kiss?"
This was where things got difficult. Though there hadn't been much to talk about last night, she and Booth had decided to keep their relationship quiet a bit longer, wanting to savor the time that they got to spend completely alone, without worrying about what other people might think.
And Temperance was a horrible liar.
"We didn't kiss," Temperance said slowly.
"You're lying."
Dammit! "Angela, we didn't. Nothing happened." Temperance found it hard not to blush, remembering all the things that had happened.
Angela didn't look like she believed what Temperance was saying. With a small frown, she got up and showed a facial reconstruction to Temperance. She left the office with a forlorn look on her face. Temperance figured she'd get over it, but she hated lying to her best friend.
Wondering where Booth was, then telling herself it didn't matter, she remembered that Zach had needed assistance with the bones he was working on. She put on her lab coat and swiped herself onto the platform to give him some help.
With her mind on other things, she pointed out that the victim had had a degenerate disease.
"Thanks Dr. Brennan. I'll go get these cleaned."
But Temperance wasn't listening. She had just seen someone entering her office. And that someone looked like Booth.
He was sitting with his feet up on her desk when she entered the office. She tried to brace herself against the inevitable stomach lurch, but no matter how hard she tried, it came anyway.
Booth stood up as she stepped inside the office.
"Where were you earlier?" Temperance demanded, sounding a lot like Angela.
"Angela was in here. I thought it might be a little weird for her to see me here with no new case. She might get suspicious."
"She's already suspicious." Temperance was finding it hard to think straight. Booth had walked up to her and was now standing so close she could smell his after-shave.
He raised a hand to her face. "I missed you last night."
Now not only thinking was difficult, speaking and breathing were too. "I missed you too."
"Kiss me."
"Booth, no." She quickly glanced over her shoulder to see if anyone was witnessing this. No one was.
His lips were now so close they brushed against hers as he talked. "I saw Zach run off with a bone. We won't be seeing him for awhile. And Angela and Hodgins are probably making out in a closet somewhere."
Temperance knew this was true, but–
"I almost wish we didn't decide to keep us a secret," Booth whispered, his eyes boring into hers.
"Why?" she managed to choke out.
"Because then I can't do this." He pulled Temperance into his arms and kissed her. She had no idea how anyone could be firm put gentle at the same time, but Booth was. His tongue passed over her lips and she allowed him entry, marveling at the way she felt like they were the only two people in the world, until–
"Oh. My. GAWD!"
Temperance and Booth broke apart to find Angela standing in the doorway, slack jawed, the papers that had been in her hands floating gently to the floor.
"I should probably be going," Booth said.
"Oh, no," Angela crossed her arms over her chest. It was apparent that she was not going to let either of them leave. She pointed to Booth. "You sit down. You too, sweetie."
Temperance sat again on the couch, but this time next to Booth instead of Angela, who was now pacing in front of them like an angry mother who had just caught her daughter making out with a boy behind her back. Which, in a way, was what had happened.
Temperance made sure that she and Booth were not touching. Maybe Angela would forget what she had just seen.
"Oh for God's sake." She pointed to the space between Temperance and Booth's bodies.
Booth grinned and scooted closer, wrapping his arm around Temperance's waist.
"That's better. Now, I want to know exactly what happened between you two."
Temperance looked over to Booth, who was looking back at her. She licked her chapped lips and turned back to Angela. "We saw the fireworks."
"I knew it!" Angela squealed. "I told you, didn't I? When you find the right person, you'll see the fireworks, and–"
Temperance and Booth just smiled and listened to Angela's lecture. "Now," she said finally, "I'm gonna let you get back to whatever it was you were doing before I interrupted." And with that, Angela left the office.
If it was possible, Booth pulled Temperance even closer. "Was that a play on words there, Bones?"
"I don't know about you, but when I kissed you I saw fireworks."
"I can't seem to remember. You'll have to remind me." He leaned down for another kiss but Temperance stopped him.
"It's your own problem if you've forgotten. I have work to do." She left Booth on her couch, adding a little shake to her hips as she walked. Booth watched with a grin on his face.
XxXxXxX
Temperance ate dinner with her left hand that night, as her right one was clasped in Booth's. They were sitting in Wong Fu's, wondering aloud if Angela was going to keep their relationship a secret like Temperance had asked her to when she saw her later in the day.
"Well, it wouldn't matter either way," Booth was saying. "It would only be a matter of time before everyone else walked in on us."
He had a point.
"What are you doing next weekend?" he asked as he fed her a bite of his meal.
Temperance shrugged. "What are you doing next weekend?"
Booth grinned. "I've got Parker and I was thinking I would take him camping. Wanna come?"
A/N: The end! Yay!
Dedicated in Loving MemoryTo
Clyde Stanley Wetherbee
1935-2007