Special thanks to everyone following my stories and to those who reviewed, providing me with much needed feedback. Here's something light and fluffy. Enjoy!

Jealous

From her study of anthropology, Dr Temperance Brennan knew that traditionally, human males in society had always held the roles of protector and provider. With the passage of time, the role of males in society had evolved to also encompass caregiving of offspring as well. She also knew that her husband, Seeley Booth wore these roles exceptionally well. He would give up his life to protect her and their children. Although she made more money than he did, he never ever indicated that he would want to live off her and held down a steady job with a respectable job title, Head of the Major Crimes Division at the FBI. He was also an excellent father to their children. As such, in her unbiased opinion, he had earned the title of alpha-male resoundingly. And since said alpha-male was her lifelong mate, she considered herself an alpha-female. Being married to an alpha-male, though having many perks, had its downside as well.

Females in society naturally sought out alpha-males as they epitomised the qualities needed in a good mate. Brennan knew that her alpha-male also had excellent physicality, was very well structured and exceptionally good-looking. It was no wonder that she often had to contend with female co-workers or interns letting their gaze linger too long over her husband, or female FBI agents always seeking his help. Not as oblivious as people would think when it came to Booth, Brennan had also often noticed stares when they were out shopping for groceries, and especially at the playground when he was with their children. She had watched many mothers gaze longingly at Booth as he pushed Christine on the swings or played in the sand with Hank. Some mothers with a baby on their hip would even try to engage Booth in conversation, anything to elicit his charm smile or garner his attention.

Brennan had almost never saw the need to feel threatened by these women. She knew that the silver wedding band on his ring finger broadcasted the fact that he belonged to someone, that someone being her. Moreover, she had confidence in her relationship with Booth and knew he would never be disloyal to her. She had witnessed rare occasions when an overenthusiastic female would overstep certain boundaries and Booth would firmly inform the transgressor that he was very much in love with his wife and that would be more than sufficient to ward off any more unwanted advances.

It was one such afternoon that Brennan had walked in on such a situation at Booth's office at the Hoover Building. She had been invited to deliver a series of lecturers at several universities at the other end of the country and had been away from home for a week. She disliked being away from her family and was delighted when she had managed to get herself onboard an earlier flight home to DC. Her first stop was the FBI, since she wanted to surprise her husband.

Pulling her luggage along the bullpen leading to Booth's office, she walked in, only to find a young woman leaning, in her opinion, too close to her husband. They were both studying an open file with its contents strewn over Booth's desk. Her hair was a little too close to brushing his face and her right hand was draped across the back of his chair all too comfortably. Her choice of attire seemed inappropriate for the FBI. She had left the top few buttons of her blouse undone and her ample cleavage seemed to be waiting to burst out of its confines. Seemingly engrossed in what was on his desk, Booth didn't seem too uncomfortable, or realise that Brennan had walked into his office.

Brennan cleared her throat and the two other occupants of the room looked up. Booth's face lighting up immediately.

"Bones! What are you doing here? I thought you wouldn't be back till later tonight."

Brennan smiled. She had missed him. "I managed to get on an earlier flight."

Booth sprang from his chair, dislodging the woman that had been leaning against it. He moved quickly from his desk, enveloping her in a brief hug.

"I was going to get the kids and go to the airport to surprise you but I guess you surprised me instead."

Slightly worried, Brennan wondered if he meant surprising him and the young woman in his office.

"I missed you," he whispered. As if he had suddenly remembered there was someone else in the room, Booth made introductions.

"This is ADA Erica Bowen. She works with Caroline. Erica, this is my wife, Dr Temperance Brennan."

The two women shook hands. Brennan noted the short skirt and high heels.

"Erica and I were just going over a case we closed while you were away." Brennan and Booth had talked nightly while she was away and she knew that Booth had enlisted Arastoo to help with the case while she was gone. Booth however had failed to mention the ADA that was prosecuting the case.

"Well, I'll leave you two to work then. I'd like to get the kids and spend some time with them."

"Yeah, of course. I'm sure you missed them. They missed you terribly. I'll drive you."

"No, it's okay. You have work. I can grab a cab. I'll see you home later?"

"Yeah." He gave her hand a quick squeeze before turning back to his desk.

Brennan cast one last glance back into her husband's office, watching ADA Bowen resume her place hovering over Booth. She decided she didn't like the image and focused her thoughts on Hank and Christine.

… …

That night as the couple climbed into bed, Brennan brought up what had been bothering her.

Booth had been leaning over to pull Brennan into his arms. "I really missed you Bones. I'd like to show you just how much I missed you."

"Have you worked with ADA Bowen before?" Brennan asked as Booth pressed a kissed to her lips.

"No, this is the first time." Booth broke the kiss. "Why are we talking about this now?"

He slipped a hand under Brennan's shirt, smoothing his hand over her skin upwards, but stopped when she continued to speak.

"The two of you seemed to work well together. She's rather attractive, most men would think so."

"What?" Booth tried to think why his wife would be bringing up some other woman when they were about to make love. And then it hit him. She was jealous.

"Come on Bones. You know I only have eyes for you right?"

"She's very well structured, her body is curved in the right places and her breasts are more than ample. She's also significantly younger than me. It wouldn't be strange for you to find her attractive."

Booth chuckled. Brennan was rarely jealous. "Look, she is good looking, I mean to other guys but I'm not attracted to her okay? Besides, your body is curved in even more right places than hers and your breasts…" He moved his hand to brush the side of her breast teasingly.

Brennan seemed unmoved by his ministrations and was still unconvinced. "Her pupils were dilated, and she seemed to be breathing a little heavily. I think she wants to have sex with you."

"What?! Great thanks Bones! When I see her tomorrow it's gonna be awkward."

"You don't want it to be awkward?"

"No, I mean, I'm not blind okay? I know she's been trying to come on to me. But we've been strictly professional. I just don't want it to be awkward cos we still have to work together for this case."

"You two seemed very comfortable working in such close proximity."

"No, I wasn't comfortable Bones. She just has this issue with personal space, at least I think when it comes to me. Look I've told her before, I'm not interested. She can do what she wants to try to make me like her but why would I, since I've got a brilliant wife who I think is very hot by the way."

"You are right, I do have a higher IQ than her."

"You're a great mom to our kids, you're amazing in bed, I'm never gonna stop being crazy in love with you. Why would I do anything stupid and throw it all away huh? You're everything to me Bones. Don't forget that."

Brennan smiled. She leaned up to kiss him savouring the feel of his tongue against hers.

"Look, I've talked to her before, but I'll talk to her again okay? Make it clear that I'm really not interested and that when we're working together she can't be coming up so close to me."

"No need. You've tried." Brennan pulled his shirt over his head, raking her nails across his muscled pectorals, marking him as hers. "Just so I'm clear, I'm expecting at least two rounds of sex tonight."

Booth groaned in pleasure, burying his face in her neck. "Your wish is my command."

Brennan smiled. She had a plan formulated in her brain and couldn't wait to execute it.

… …

The next day Booth went to work having to endure wolf-whistles as he rode the elevator and made his way through the bullpen to his office. He tugged uncomfortably at his shirt collar. Brennan had left several visible marks on his neck and behind his ear during their very passionate love-making the night before, marks that could not be hidden under clothing. He hadn't even realised they were there until he looked at himself in the mirror that morning.

"Way to go Dr Brennan!" Aubrey teased as Booth breezed past him. Booth turned, giving Aubrey his death glare.

As he entered his office ADA Erica Bowen was there, waiting.

"Oh hey! Good morning, Erica. Didn't expect to find you here."

"I wanted to make sure I have everything I need before I head to court." She stepped towards him and Booth mindful of his conversation with Brennan last night, took a few steps back.

"Yeah sure. Anything I can do to help." Noticing her gaze fixated on his neck, Booth ran a hand through his hair uncomfortably, trying to explain why he had multiple hickeys on his neck. "Umm yeah, we umm, we aren't used to being apart for long, you know Dr Brennan she…" Booth wasn't sure he wanted to talk about his sex life with the ADA.

There was an opportune knock on his office door and Booth turned to find the person who marked him standing there. His heart sank, he knew he would get no end of ribbing from Aubrey and the other agents for the rest of the day. He had dropped her off at the Jeffersonian that morning, so he wasn't sure why she was there.

"Hiya Bones. Do we have a case?"

"No. I just thought since we don't have a case we could have an early lunch?"

Lunch? Since when did she come to his office, dragging him to lunch? And it was way too early for that. Breakfast hadn't even been digested yet. And then it dawned on him. She had come to mark her territory. Booth suddenly found the fact very hot. He couldn't wait to take her home and show her just how hot he thought it was.

"Yeah okay, I'm just gonna grab a cup of coffee from the break room."

Waiting for Booth to make a hasty retreat from his office, Brennan sat on the armchair in her husband's office. Over the years she had been in this office so many times and they had so many significant conversations in this very room. She didn't like the fact that this young woman had tried to encroach on her man and her territory. She was never a believer in small talk so she got straight to the point.

"Agent Booth, my husband, is a very attractive man."

"Yes, he is."

"He's also very skilled in bed and a very good father to our two children. It would be no wonder that other females would be attracted to him. But you must know, Booth is my husband, we have been partners for twelve years. We've forged a very strong bond together, even before we were in a monogamous relationship. He has told me that he had made it clear that he's not interested in you despite your advances but perhaps you need more persuasion. I once solved a case with just a tooth, so it would be very easy for me to get away with murder." Brennan paused, allowing what she was saying to percolate in the ADA's mind for a minute.

"Agent Booth is my husband. He comes home to me, every night. I'm rather possessive about my belongings. I would hate to be the person who tries to take what's mine away from me."

… …

From a distance, Booth watched, coffee mug in hand, as his wife spoke to the other woman in his office. He watched as ADA Erica Bowen scurried from his office and he grinned. Yup, his Bones was marking her territory, claiming him for herself. He realised that he was very turned on at the moment. He slowly sauntered back to his office. Maybe Brennan was right, it was time for an early lunch after all.