TITLE: Nothing Personal
CHAPTER EIGHT: Details

"Booth..."

Tempe collapsed, sated and sweaty, onto the chest of her partner, who wrapped his arms tight around her and lolled his head back against the pillows. "Agent Seeley Booth is unavailable at the moment, so if you'll leave your name and number..." he panted, closing his eyes.

Tempe laughed and propped herself up on his chest with what little strength she had left, folding her arms across him and leaning forward to plant kisses along his stubbly chin. "Booth, this is probably a bad time, but... we need to drive back to D.C. If we leave now we'll be back at the Jeffersonian by at least six or seven o'clock tonight."

He sighed, just barely mustering enough strength to lift his head and look at her. "You're really that anxious to start doling out the details to Angela?"

She pondered this for a moment, then decided, "You're right. Maybe we've got just a little bit more time to kill," before kissing him again.

"That's my girl," he breathed against her lips, and wrapped his arms tight around her in an attempt to roll them over on the bed.

Tempe realized the emphasis was on the 'attempt' as she and Booth had not moved. She chuckled into his mouth. "Need some help?"

"Yes, please. And a saline IV if you've got it." While she reversed their positions, Booth worked on trying to prop himself up on his elbow... though it was quite a difficult task with his depleted strength. "God, I didn't know what I was getting into with you." At the sudden look of alarm on her face, he smiled and kissed her. "You wear me out, woman."

She pouted her lips at him mockingly and ran a finger down his chest, enjoying the sharp intake of breath when it slid past his abdomen. "What? The tough-guy FBI agent isn't strong enough to handle a little sex?"

He raised his eyebrows. "A little sex? Sure, no problem. But powerhouse marathon sex? Come on, Bones. Even marathon runners would be worn out."

Tempe sighed and slid out from under him, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. "Alright, well, if you want to get going we can--"

He grabbed her playfully and flung her back against the pillows with a sudden burst of energy, trailing kisses down her neck. "I don't believe a formal complaint was ever issued, Bones. I was just implying that you're insatiable."

"Insatiable?" she fought to keep the argument running even as he slid his tongue down her body, "I believe you were the one who initiated the second and third times -- oh!" She began to pant, and as Booth continued his torturous ministrations beneath the sheets, the ability to string two coherent words together was getting tougher and tougher. "And... and if -- oh, don't stop, Booth, right there -- that if... if anyone is... is insatiable, it's... it's you!"

Pretty soon, he had her flying once again, and her cries echoed in their guest cabin, slowly diminishing as she calmed. Her chest rose and fell sharply as she struggled to regain her breath, and she smiled when Booth kissed his way back up her body, nestling into the side of her neck as he draped an arm and leg across her protectively. She noted the smug grin on his face, and was just waiting for it...

"You're welcome, baby. Ow!" He grabbed the shoulder that she had sucker-punched and scowled at her.

"Now that you've got your energy and your ego back, why don't you get us packed. I'm going to nap."

Booth shook his head, though he was already on his feet and pulling on his clothes. "You really are bossy."

Tempe opened one eye to give him a look. "Don't start with me or I'll wear you out again."

"Promises, promises," he snipped, but they were both grinning ear-to-ear as Booth left the room.

"I can't believe we have to get up and walk around again," Booth sighed, shaking his head at the Jeffersonian Institute in front of him.

They sat parked in the lot, staring forlornly at the building as if a punishment awaited them inside. Booth suddenly turned to his partner. "Hey, I got an idea."

A rather drowsy Tempe turned exhaustion-lidded eyes up to him. "We sneak into my office and actually sleep for, like, an hour?"

He shook his head. "No," and pointed to her phone. "Why don't you call Zack and Hodgins, and tell them to meet us out here with a coupla those spiffy little motorized cart things."

She tilted her head admonishingly. "Booth... as painful as it sounds right now, we need to get back to work." When he frowned, she smiled. "My muscles are complaining just as much as yours are, but sitting around like two lumps isn't going to help at all. And it sure as hell isn't going to solve our case. Now come on."

"Hey! You're back!" Angela was the first to greet them as they shuffled into the Medico-Legal Lab, and immediately her radar was up. "You guys can't walk, can you?"

Tempe did her best to shoot a reproachful look at her friend. "What's new with the case, Ange?"

"Ask Zack and Hodgins." She folded her arms across her chest and gave them a knowing grin, her tone lilting. "What's new with you guys, in the meantime? Any interesting stories to share?"

"Yes, actually." Booth sent a covert, reassuring wink when Tempe looked to him sharply. "Bones had her first experience with multiple..." He paused for effect upon seeing Angela's widened eyes, before finishing with a grin, "splinters."

While Tempe turned to hide a relieved, yet smug smile, Angela gave Booth a look. "Multiple splinters? That's your big exciting story?"

He shrugged, "Well, yeah," and then feigned innocence. "Why? What did you think I was gonna say?"

Angela just gave him another look, hiding her smirk as she then set off to find Zack and Hodgins. Booth winked at Tempe once more and held out his hand in a request for her to give him 'five'. Tempe just stared blankly, not understanding, until he put his hand down.

"Sweetie? Sweetie, wake up," the chuckling voice of her best friend broke through the lovely, fuzzy dark fog Tempe had fallen into.

"Hmm?" She immediately scrubbed a hand over her face, glancing at the nearby clock. She'd slept for two hours.

She and Booth had parted ways so that she could speak with Zack and Hodgins while he went to interview the families of the other victims. Then, she'd gone back to her office to find their case file, and... had apparently fallen asleep.

"You are absolutely beat." Angela plopped onto her couch, sprawling her legs out in front of her while she threw her friend a huge grin. "Must have been quite the marathon sex weekend you two had."

Tempe immediately rolled her eyes. "It was not a marathon sex weekend, Ange."

"So how good is he?"

"Ange."

"Sweetie, you've avoided these details long enough." She turned her hand palm-up and repeatedly bent her fingers inward then outward, coaxing the information out. "Come on. Give." She sighed. "Obviously, the first time it happened was Friday night. Correct?"

Tempe's eyes slid closed -- she knew she was pretty much cornered, and would not be getting out of this conversation even if Booth himself blew in here and swooped her up to take her away. "Correct."

"And how was that first time? Hot, right? Passionate? Maybe a little angry and aggressive since you two had just been fighting?"

"Yes, yes, and yes."

"Okay, so when was the second time?"

"When we got to our guest cabin in New York. We were arguing."

"Man, is that all you guys do?"

Tempe raised her eyebrows. "Not anymore."

Angela barked a laugh at this, not expecting such a response. "So how is he? Mediocre? The best you've ever had?"

"I'll go with the latter."

"Oooh, really? Even better than your professor-man?"

"Yes."

"Nice! Can I borrow him?"

"Angela!"

Angela grinned. "Just thought I'd ask. Anyway... what happened after he stormed out on you last night?"

"We went to the victim's cabin, and... some creepy stuff happened... I ended up getting hurt--"

"How?"

"The deck gave way beneath my feet and my leg fell through." Tempe rolled her chair around the side of the desk and hiked up her pant leg to show Angela the bandages. "I was cut up pretty bad, and Booth had to pull several splinters from my leg."

Angela winced. "Okay, ouch. So he took care of you?"

"Yes, he cleaned and dressed my wounds. We went to sleep."

Angela's eyes widened. "Together?"

"Yeah. I didn't mean for us to, but I was just... still really creeped out by what had happened at that cabin."

"So then what?"

"Then we fell asleep, and I woke up to Booth, kissing down my back--"

"Oh my God, that's hot!"

Tempe let loose a grin, both at her friend's reaction and at the imagery she, herself, had conjured up. "That was when he told me that we weren't going to do this by 'my rules' anymore, and go by his rules."

"Rules? What rules?"

"For this new aspect of our relationship. Booth had said that this wouldn't get personal unless I wanted it to."

"Y'see, Sweetie? Booth was already there, and put the ball in your court. I told you."

"So I made my decision."

"And?"

"And... I had thought a lot about what you said over the phone, and how Booth has been acting this whole time. I thought about that, and I thought about how... being with him made me feel... and I decided that I wanted it to be personal." She jumped, startled, when Angela squealed excitedly, bouncing in her seat and clapping her hands.

"Yay! That's so awesome, honey. So you guys are, like, a couple now?"

Tempe nodded slowly, the mere thought putting a dreamy kind of smile on her face. Being a couple. With Booth. She and Booth as a couple. "Yeah, I guess we are."

"So who was on top most of the time?"

"Angela!"

She grinned. "Come on, Sweetie, just tell me."

Tempe rolled her eyes, but smirked... and eventually gave in. "He was."

"Ooooh." Angela tucked her legs up beneath her, crossing her legs at the ankle and placing her hands on her knees. "I read this thing in Cosmo about guys who like to be on top, and it said that those types of guys typically like to do things by the book, which is SO Booth," she babbled, "and it also says that this means they are faithful, loving boyfriends who will never let you down. So, my advice, Sweetie? You just keep right on using him as your personal blanket!"

This time Tempe was unable to control the flush to color her cheeks. "Ange!"

"Sorry."

"Nobody can know about this, okay? Not Zack, not Hodgins, nobody."

Angela grinned. "Aww, so I get to keep your secret?"

"Yes, and I'm trusting you with it."

"Okay, I'll be good. But that doesn't mean I won't tease you guys relentlessly for it."

"Hey Bones, you ready to head to that bar?" He chuckled when he'd taken a good look at his partner. "Are those sleep marks all over your face? Bones, you started without me?"

Angela cleared her throat pointedly and delighted in the flush Booth emitted upon realizing they weren't alone in the room. "Angela. Hello."

Her grin was wider than ever as she sang, "Hi, Booth. How are things?"

"Things? Y'know, they're good. Good." He cleared his own throat. "Bones, you wanna get out of here?"

"I bet you guys have some important 'work' to do," Angela emphasized the 'work' with air quotes.

Tempe immediately threw her a look. "You said you'd behave."

She nodded. "Yeah, and I also said I'd tease you relentlessly. Did you not hear that part?"

Booth settled his hand on the small of his partner's back and addressed Angela, "We really do have work to do." He then ushered Tempe out the door. "C'mon Bones."

Angela rolled her eyes. "Sure, you do," she sighed, then called after them, "Happy humping!"

She laughed as a pencil was flung back into the office at her.

TBC

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Huge, huge THANKS! and a Booth-clone go to Heather (a.k.a. vashluver1) for the snippet about Cosmo, which neither she nor I own -- it's from the January issue in case anyone's interested in looking up the information. And Heather? YOU RULE! Y'know what? You get two Booth-clones! Use them as you see fit;)