Thanks for your continued interest in our story. Laura and Michelle appreciate it.
We're going to spend a Saturday with Aubrey in this chapter. Should be restful and relaxing, right? Maybe...read on to find out.
It was a wintry Saturday morning, and Jessica was bundled up against the cold as she shouldered her purse and picked up a small gift bag. "I won't be home until late this afternoon, probably around 3:30 or so, but if you need anything, you can call me, okay? Don't get too ambitious...no rearranging closets or cleaning the chimney..."
"I'll be fine. I'm almost healed up…" Aubrey winced slightly as he reached over to put his arm around her. "I'll be good as new in no time." He saw his girlfriend's stern expression and nodded in agreement. "I'll be good…I promise..."
"I know, but since I'm your girlfriend, I get to remind you about things like that, so be careful. Oh, and no rummaging around in the attic or the garage, alright? I'll help you get out the Christmas decorations in the next few days." She gave him a kiss and a flirty grin. "I'll see you later."
"Okay. Have fun. Tell Charlie and the ladies that I said hello."
After giving her another kiss and closing the door behind her, Aubrey slowly walked into his kitchen to make his breakfast. He was still feeling a bit unsteady, since he'd only recently given up his crutches, but it was a lot better than having to rely on a pair of sticks to get around the house. He knew it would take some time until he felt completely comfortable, but he was happy with the progress he'd made over the last week or so.
Glancing at the clock, he nodded to himself as he scratched his belly before hitching up his Darth Vader pajama pants. It was 8 o'clock, and he was really hungry. Judging by the way Skinner was meowing, the cat was hungry as well. Measuring out a cup of food, Aubrey poured it into the dish.
"You're getting a little chubby there, boy. Maybe we need to tell Aunt Jessica to lay off the treats."
Rubbing his cat's chin, Aubrey couldn't help but smile as he thought of his girlfriend. She'd been a great help to him as he recovered, fixing his meals and making sure he'd kept up on his medications. It had been wonderful having her around all the time, and he was beginning to think that the current arrangement needed to be permanent. Maybe it was time that she gave up her apartment and moved in with him. He loved holding her close as they slept together every night and waking up next to her every morning.
Of course, it was necessary for them to be celibate over the last couple of weeks because of the severity of his injuries, but he was looking forward to the day when that fast would be broken.
Not that it had been easy to keep his hands to himself. Jessica was a beautiful woman, and having her near just served to remind him of what he was missing in the sex department. However, Aubrey was an intelligent, creative man. He'd found a couple of ways to indulge in a little bit of fantasy even if he couldn't indulge in making love.
I can handle it, right? It's not like I'm some horny teenager...I'm not that desperate...I can wait...doctor's orders...goddammit...
Groaning softly as he pulled a cereal bowl out of a cabinet, he thought back to the night before as he'd caught a glimpse of Jessica practicing her yoga positions. She didn't know he'd been watching her, and it wasn't like he'd planned to spy, but he couldn't help but be fascinated.
Oooooooooo
She'd been wearing a short tee shirt and some knit yoga pants as she rolled out her mat on the floor in the den. He'd been passing by in the hall, on his way to the living room, when he'd peeked through the space where the door was ajar. It wasn't like he was being sneaky, but the door wouldn't stay closed, and he'd tried to shut it so she could have some privacy. It was just a quick peek...he wasn't trying to be a voyeur…but...
She was standing with her back to the door, reaching her arms up over her head before bending at the waist to touch her knees with her nose. "Uttanasana", she'd muttered to herself as she inhaled slowly.
Aubrey almost choked on his tongue as he beheld the vision her position afforded him. "Oh, my God...look at that cute ass...just waiting for me…to help myself.", he thought. "Now what is she doing…"
She stood up a bit and extended her arms over her head, exhaling as she reached out in front of her as far as she could while her feet were planted on the floor. "Adho mukha...downward facing dog..."
"And down, boy…" He could feel his temperature rise as she stretched forward, still oblivious to his presence as he watched her. "A perfect position for making love…"
It was all he could do to keep from rushing into the den so he could pull her close to his burgeoning erection. He shifted nervously from one foot to the other, aware that his body was responding urgently as his thoughts focused on having sex with his favorite redhead. He knew Jessica was extremely limber, and they'd enjoyed multiple...and very creative...sex positions in the past, but now he knew why, and the thought was very stimulating.
"Jesus...look at that…that's just...amazing...", he mumbled, in awe as she turned to face the door, moving to her knees and then bending to do a kapotasana. She grabbed her ankles and flexed backwards until the top of her head touched the floor.
"Look at how those sweet boobs pop up under that shirt. The perfect handful…", he sighed, wishing he could cup them in the palms of his hands. The thought of her soft, satiny skin and those perky pink nubs against his fingers was almost enough to send him over the edge. Just one little touch...one little taste...that's all I need...I promise I'll be good...I won't be greedy...
Humming to herself, Jessica slowly sank onto her back. Keeping her shoulders and arms on the floor, she drew up her feet up so the soles were flat on the floor and then proceeded to arch her back so that her pelvis was thrust forward. She moved her feet apart slightly, breathing slowly as she held the bridge position. "Setu bandha sarvangasana…"
Gasping softly as he took in the view, Aubrey almost bit his tongue in two to keep from crying out as he thought about sliding in between her knees to caress her gently with his fingers, just the way she liked it, and then with his mouth. "God, Jess…"
She shifted slightly as if she'd heard him gasp, and feeling panicked at the thought that he might be caught spying on her, he'd walked away as quickly and quietly as he could, hoping she wouldn't know he'd been watching her. That would be creepy, right? Watching her do yoga without her knowing it? But it was fun...
A few minutes later she came strolling through the living room with a towel around her neck. "Why are you smiling at me like that?", she asked suspiciously as she pushed her damp hair away from her face.
Aubrey gave her an innocent smile. "You're all hot and sweaty…"
"You'd better get used to it. I always look like this after yoga. It can be quite a workout, you know…"
"Oh, I know…" God, do I know. "I think you look cute in your yoga clothes...definitely snuggleworthy…"
"Sorry, Loverboy...snuggling is verboten." She grinned as she glanced at his crotch. "Your little buddy is way too happy to see me...you're well passed the snuggling stage. In fact, it looks like you're more at the jump my bones stage."
She sighed softly as he flashed a dimpled grin back at her and patted the seat next to him. "And I'd love to take advantage of that...I can't wait for us to get back to normal...Dammit...he is so cute...down, girl! You have to set a good example...be an adult.'. "I'm not sure you'll behave yourself if I get too close, Superman…" Jessica wiped her face with the towel to give herself a moment to calm down. 'I know I won't…'
Undeterred by her refusal, he pulled a sad little boy face. "Aw, dammit, Jess...just a little cuddle…c'mon, pleeease? I'm dying here..."
"Not until the surgeon gives the all clear. It would suck if you injured yourself again and we had to wait another four weeks, right?" She gave him a knowing look as she walked into the kitchen to take a bottle of water from the refrigerator. "Soon...I promise…"
Pouting a bit, he turned on the television, trying to ignore how snug his sweatpants felt. "Okay, you're right. I get it."
As his girlfriend went upstairs to take a shower, he sighed as he tried to turn his thoughts away from sex. I know...I'll think about Karen and Steve eating that nasty asparagus tart while they're in the buff...that ought to kill the mood…
Oooooooooo
Grumbling to himself as he poured some milk on his bowl of Cap'n Crunch, Aubrey found himself annoyed all over again. He'd been sorely disappointed with his checkup on the 8th, but there was nothing he could do about it. He'd considered telling Jessica that the doctor was fine with them having sex again. However, he couldn't bring himself to lie to her, and he knew she'd call him on his bullshit anyway. Still, it was really aggravating...
Oooooooooo
The medical assistant had removed his stitches, and he was looking forward to seeing the surgeon so she could give him the all clear. He was anxious for things to get back to normal in all aspects of his life, not just the sex part...okay, maybe mostly the sex part...but he was greeted instead by the physician's assistant, Mr. Sturgis, who came in and sat down on a stool in front of the computer monitor.
"Where's Dr. Elias? I'm supposed to see her today.", Aubrey asked sharply.
Sturgis skimmed through Aubrey's information as it popped up on the screen. "She's in Dallas...some sort of surgical trauma seminar. She's presenting a paper…" The large man turned to examine Aubrey's wounds, clearly irritated with the question as he checked for healing and any signs of infection. "She left me instructions on what to do for you, Agent Aubrey. I'm well trained, or she wouldn't let me see her patients..."
"Oh, I know that. I'm not worried about that part of it." Aubrey offered a friendly smile, trying to clarify any misunderstanding. "I was just wondering, since I was hoping she was gonna clear me to go back to work...and all...you know…" He could feel himself begin to blush. "So... anyway…"
"I see." Sturgis grinned at the agent. "Well, your wound looks pretty good, but Dr. Elias is still somewhat concerned about your bruised spleen and some of your deep tissue injuries. Her orders say that as long as your wounds show no signs of infection, you can go back to work half days starting on Wednesday, the 15th, if you feel up to it. You can gradually wean yourself from your crutches, but none of that 'you know', or field work, either, for at least two more weeks. She wants to see you on either the 26th or 27th."
Aubrey was thoroughly confused. "But two weeks from now is December 22nd...why can't I come on the 22nd?"
"Thursdays are her hospital rotations, and her schedule on the 23rd is booked solid, Agent Aubrey. That's how it is around the holidays. People want to be cleared by the doctor so they can have fun and enjoy themselves. If you're cautious in your everyday activities, and if you're a good boy for the next few weeks, Santa might just let you have lots of 'you know' for New Year's."
'Son of a bitch! I don't want to wait until after Christmas...not with the gift I have in mind for Jessica.' Aubrey rolled his eyes at the PA's stupid joke. "Ha ha. You're just a barrel of laughs, aren't you, Sturgis?"
"I do my best. You should come see my stand up routine at the comedy club sometime." Winking at the agent, Sturgis moved back to the computer to make some entries on Aubrey's records. "Be careful, okay? Take it slow. No need to do everything the first time out. I've made your next appointment for you...9 AM on December 26th. I've also put a note in here that says you want the office to call you if there's an opening on the 23rd. Okay?"
"Okay, two weeks. Thanks...I guess..." Aubrey frowned as he pulled his pants on. Abstinence for two more weeks? Might as well shoot me now…
Ooooooooooo
The good news, if there was any, was that Jessica was disappointed, too. His frustration was eased a bit when she said she was willing to keep her promise to break his fast in a spectacular fashion if he promised to behave himself appropriately until his next doctor's visit. He was definitely looking forward to her keeping that promise.
"Yeah, she loves me, Skinner. I'm a lucky guy." The cat simply blinked his eyes before heading off to one of his favorite nap spots. Laughing, Aubrey put the cereal box and milk away. "I'm a lucky guy, and I'm going shopping today to get the perfect gift for my lovely lady."
He picked up his dishes and loaded them into the dishwasher, humming a Christmas song as he wiped down the counter. He was going to have almost the entire day to himself, and he'd planned to make the most of it. Jessica was going to visit her father for a couple of hours this morning, and then she was supposed to have a girls only Christmas get together that afternoon at some fancy bistro with Daisy, Andie, Dr. B, Cam, and Angela.
Aubrey didn't mind at all...in fact, he'd encouraged her to attend. She needed a break from the stress of dealing with Gerald Maxwell. It seemed like that asshole's arrest was all over the news, and he could tell that the extensive coverage was upsetting her. Genny was continuing to follow their hunch that Gerald's aggressive sexual behavior towards Jessica was not an isolated event, and she'd promised to keep them updated on what she found.
Jessica also needed some time off from taking care of her boyfriend's sorry ass. Anyway, I have some serious Christmas shopping to do without her looking over my shoulder. Time to surf the web…
He picked up his phone and cup of coffee before ambling into the family room to make himself comfortable on the sofa with his laptop. "Let's see here…", he muttered. "...lingerie. She likes Victoria's Secret...and I owe her some panties anyway...so maybe some thongs...definitely some of those cheekies she likes…they make her ass look amazing..."
Remembering what bras she had, he grinned as he made sure his selections would match. "I don't know why she bothers wearing panties when we're together...I just end up either pulling them off or tearing them off of her anyway…but presents are more fun if you get to unwrap them."
He paid for his purchase and was searching for something else when his phone rang. "Aubrey…"
"Oh, hey, Boss...it's me, Genny. Listen, I'm sorry to bother you so early on a Saturday morning…"
"No problem. That's what I'm here for." His brow furrowed in concern. "Did they call you in for a case?"
"No, nothing like that." Shaw's embarrassment was evident in her voice. "I was wondering if you could do me a favor…"
"Of course. Name it."
"You may not be so eager to help when I tell you what I need. It's kind of a long story...just a minute." He could hear her discussing something with someone in the background.
"Yes, it's the only way, Mom." Shaw cleared her throat. "So my mom's car died...I think the alternator is shot. We had to have it towed to a repair shop."
"Man, that sucks.", Aubrey groaned. "Can they fix it today?"
"The mechanic doesn't think so. My mom drives this ancient Saab, and even if they can find the part, it'll have to be ordered and shipped, so it's gonna be at least Monday. But that's not the real problem…"
"Okay…" Aubrey waited as Shaw spoke to someone on her end. "So what do you need me to do? I can maybe recommend someone else…"
"No, we know this guy, and he's trustworthy. That's not the problem. See, it's like this. My mom has a hair appointment she wants to keep this morning since she has a hot date with her new boyfriend tonight. She needs a cut and a color, so it'll be a few hours. I can take her over there, but I was wondering...would you mind watching Danny for me? He can bring a book to your house and sit and read, and you won't even know he's there. I promise he'll be no trouble. Your house is on the way to the salon, and I can drop him off...it'll save me a trip home...please? I'll make it up to you, I promise…"
"Shaw? Shaw...stop talking. Listen...no, listen. Of course he can come over here. It's no trouble, okay? I'm just sitting here watching cartoons…" Aubrey closed the lingerie website on his computer. "Yeah, sure...bring him over."
"Hey, thanks, Aubrey." Relieved, Genny sighed audibly. "This is really important to my mom, or I wouldn't ask…"
"No problem. How soon will you be here?"
"Fifteen minutes?"
"Fine. See you then." Tossing his phone aside, Aubrey pushed himself up from the couch. "I guess I better go put some clothes on…"
Oooooooooo
Shaw was prompt, showing up at Aubrey's front door with Danny in tow. Clutching his book tightly, he shyly stood off to one side of the front porch as his mother chatted with her new babysitter.
"I've told him that I expect him to be good, Boss. He won't give you any trouble."
Aubrey glanced at the boy and smiled. "We'll be fine, right, Danny?"
The brown eyed boy nodded as he stared at his shoes. "I guess."
"See?" Aubrey grinned at Shaw. "So a couple of hours? You want me to feed him a sandwich?"
Checking her watch, she smiled sheepishly. "That would be great. We should be back by noon...12:15 at the latest…"
"Okey doke. Okay, we'll see you later." Aubrey watched as Genny jogged back to her car, waving as they pulled out of the driveway. "C'mon, Buddy...let's go watch some 'toons."
"My mom said I was s'posed to read and be quiet." Danny sat down on the end of the couch and opened his book. "I'm not s'posed to bother you."
"Well, if you want to read, that's great. Reading's good." Aubrey turned on the television. "I like to read, too, but I also like to watch Tom and Jerry." He chuckled as he watched the mouse outwit the cat once again. "Look at that, Danny. Pretty funny, huh?"
Danny shrugged as he turned a page in his book. "I guess."
I guess? I told Shaw I'd talk to Danny about Hunter, and all he can say is 'I guess'? After watching a couple more cartoons, Aubrey sat back on the couch, hoping he could find a way to start a conversation with the child. "Hey, Danny...do you like video games?"
"I guess." The boy closed his book and studied Aubrey, wondering what this grown man sitting next to him could possibly know about gaming. "What games do you got?"
"Well, I've got SuperMario Kart, of course...everybody has that one, right?" Aubrey handed Danny a game controller. "I've also got The Crushers and The Quest for Kro Nos...you know, with all those cool creatures like snow giants and yetis?"
"My mom doesn't like it when I play fighting games." Danny sighed as he ran his thumbs over the controller. "She says I need to be older to play them so I don't learn about scary things too early."
"She's right...those games are kinda violent. I mean, in Kro Nos, it's more of an adventure game, but still..." After being stumped for a minute about what to choose, Aubrey smiled as he nodded at the boy. "I know...let's play Aerial Attack. It's not really a fighting game...it's more like flying airplanes, okay? Wanna try?"
"I guess." Danny set his book on the table and watched intently as Aubrey set up the game. "Can I ask you a question, Agent Aubrey?"
"Sure…" Aubrey plopped down on the couch as the game began. "What do you want to know?"
"You're my mom's boss, right?" Danny turned to look at Aubrey. "She works for you?"
"Well, sort of. I mean, she helps me do a lot of important stuff when we catch the bad guys, but I make most of the decisions about things like how to go about catching them."
"So if you're her boss, you can tell her what to do, right?" Danny squinted up at Aubrey as he manipulated the joystick. "So can you tell her not to go out with Hunter any more?"
Well, I guess that solves that problem...we're gonna talk about it now, aren't we? "Why don't you want your mom to go out with Hunter any more? He's a nice guy…"
"I don't like him." Danny made a face as he began to play the game. "He talks too much, and he's always saying mushy stuff to my mom. It makes me want to throw up."
"I see." Aubrey nodded as he listened to Danny's complaint. "What kind of mushy stuff?" Seeing the boy's embarrassment, he leaned over and winked at him. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but if you do, I won't tell her you told me, okay?"
Danny averted his eyes, unsure what to do. "Um...it's kinda gross. He calls my mom his 'cute little snookums' and his 'sweet little snugglebunny', and gross stuff like that, and then…" Danny sighed audibly. "...then he kisses her...on the lips...and he tells her that he loves her. It's yucky."
"Does your mom act like she thinks it's yucky?"
"No...that's the weird part. I think she likes it when they kiss." Shaking his head, Danny moved his drone through the training course on the game. "Parents are weird."
You got that right, kid. "Well, if she likes it, maybe you shouldn't worry about it. After all, your mom's an FBI special agent, and I bet she'd be able to make Hunter stop kissing her if she didn't like it."
"I guess." Sighing in disappointed, Danny glanced at Aubrey. "So does that mean you're not gonna boss her around and tell her to quit going out with Hunter?"
"Well...I can't really boss her around about stuff like that. Sorry." Chuckling to himself as he saw Danny's annoyed expression, Aubrey decided to try a different strategy. "Hey, can I ask you a question?"
"I guess."
Pursing his lips, Aubrey maneuvered his drone on the game's next level. "Do you have friends at school? You know, kids you play with at recess? People you eat lunch with?"
"Yeah. I play soccer and climb on the monkey bars with Amir and BJ at recess, and I eat with Henry and Jacob at lunch."
"And are there kids to play with in the neighborhood?" Aubrey reached over and tapped Danny's controller. "Pull back on that thing."
Sticking his tongue out as he concentrated, the little boy moved his drone up and over the barrier and onto the next level. "There's a couple of kids...Billy and George. Billy is a little bit older than me, and George is my age. We mostly play Army."
"See, you've got friends your own age, right? So maybe your mom needs friends her age, and maybe Hunter is one of them."
"Yeah, but I don't kiss my friends like she kisses Hunter." Danny sniffled slightly. "Anyway, what if she decides she loves Hunter more than she loves me? Maybe she'll go live with him and leave me behind, and then I won't have any more parents. My dad's dead, you know..."
"Yeah, I heard about that. I'm sorry." So that's it. Poor kid...he's afraid of being an orphan. Aubrey sighed softly as he picked at some cat hair on the sofa. "When I was a kid, my dad was gone, too, and it was just my mom and me, kinda like the way it is with you and your mom. My mom didn't have many friends, and I think it made her sad...like maybe she was lonely or something. Anyway, I used to worry that she'd leave me alone someday, too, but she told me that was just plain silly. She said she'd always be there for me while I was a little boy, because she loved me so much...too much to leave me. That's just the way moms are."
Aubrey reached over and patted Danny's knee. "I'm gonna tell you a secret, okay?" He watched as the child nodded silently. "It's real important...it's something your mom told me a long time ago. Are you ready to hear it?"
"It's something my mom told you?" Danny bit his quivering lip. "Is she gonna be mad that you told me her secret?"
"I don't think so. She probably thinks you already know it. Are you ready? Here it is...your mom loves you more than she loves any other person in the whole world, okay? She loves you more than Hunter...she loves you more than she loves your grandma. You're her son, and that makes you the most special person in the world to her, and she'd never, ever, leave you behind...not for all the money in the world...not for anything, okay?"
"But Hunter says he wants them to get married." The little boy blinked back his tears. "Maybe he doesn't want me to live with them."
"If Hunter didn't want you to live with them, your mom wouldn't marry him, because she loves you too much to live anywhere without you." Aubrey moved his drone onto the next training level. "I know it's hard for you to understand, but grown up people like to have friends their own age, just like you like having friends your age. It'd be boring for you to hang out with a guy my age all the time, right? I mean, we're having fun now, but I bet I can't climb the monkey bars nearly as well as your friends at school. "
"Yeah, prob'ly not. Amir is pretty good at it."
"So your mom loves being with you, but sometimes she wants to do stuff with grownups her own age, too." Grinning at the youngster next to him, the agent continued. "And when she goes out with her friends, and leaves you with your grandma, she always comes back, because she loves you, okay?"
"Do you really think so? She'll still love me, even if she marries Hunter?"
"I know so, Danny. Your mom has plenty of love to go around. She can love both of you at the same time." Aubrey paused the game and turned to the boy. "I know you said you didn't like Hunter, but I wonder...have you given him a chance to prove that he's an okay kind of guy?"
"I guess not. Normally when he comes over I go hide in my room." Danny tried to smile, but he was still teary eyed. "Do you think he likes to play video games?"
"I don't know, but I bet you can find out if you ask him. Maybe I'll let you borrow Aerial Attack and you can teach him how to play. He'd probably like that."
"I guess." Danny set his controller on the couch. "I'm hungry."
"Me, too. How about you and me having some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? I've got some chips, too."
"Okay." Sniffling again, the little boy finally offered up a real smile. "Thanks, Agent Aubrey."
"Any time, Danny."
Oooooooooo
Genny had come to pick up Danny shortly after the guys had finished their lunch. Aubrey gave her a sly wink as he took her aside while the boy was retrieving his book. "I know why your kid was so angry with Hunter...I'll tell you about it soon." Seeing her concern, he smiled. "I think we got everything taken care of...no worries, okay?"
"Okay. Hey, thanks again, Boss." Genny smiled as she tousled Danny's hair. "We appreciate it."
"No problem. I was glad to help. Bye now…" He watched them drive away before going back into the house to clean up the kitchen. Glancing at the clock on the microwave, he grinned. He had a very important shopping trip planned for this afternoon, and his ride would be arriving soon.
Oooooooooo
It was one o'clock sharp when Booth pulled his SUV into Aubrey's driveway. Jogging up to the front door, he waited impatiently for his friend to answer the doorbell.
"Hey." Aubrey grinned as he let Booth in. "Sorry...I'm still a little wobbly without my crutches."
"No problem. You ready?"
"Yeah...let me get my sticks just in case I get tired, okay?" Making his way through the threshold, Aubrey turned to lock the front door. "I really appreciate this, Booth. It's a pain in the ass, not being able to drive…"
"Yeah, well, I kinda owe you a favor, seeing how you saved my life and all." Grinning as he pulled out of the driveway, the older man shrugged off Aubrey's thanks. "Anyway, I like looking for that sort of stuff, too, and I may do some Christmas shopping for Bones while we're out."
Glancing at his rearview mirror, he cleared his throat a bit. "So I guess you saw the email about the special event we've been told to attend…it's black tie."
"Yeah, I saw that. I guess I'll have to rent a tux, right? All because the SEC and the FBI want to give us a public pat on the back..." Aubrey shook his head as he watched the scenery go by. "It just doesn't feel right, you know? I mean, I know we got Vacchio's killer…"
"Well, we sorta got his killer. It's more like he jumped us so we'd have to take him out. It's not like we did anything more than the usual investigative work…and, then, of course, you saved my life…"
"And you saved mine…", Aubrey said quietly. "Thanks again, by the way…"
"Enough of that shit, okay? We were just both doing our jobs, right?" Booth gripped the steering wheel tightly as he stared out the windshield. "I guess we gotta suck it up and go to the party, but you know what? I'm just not satisfied that the case is actually closed. There are too many loose ends…"
"I know...I feel the same way." Aubrey turned to look at Booth. "I'm still convinced my dad is involved some way."
"So your gut is talking to you, huh?" Chuckling, Booth tapped the wheel in time to the Christmas carol playing on the radio. "Mine, too. Unfortunately, we don't have anything concrete to go on, do we? As far as the FBI is concerned, it's a done deal, so we just have to smile and go with the flow until we can find a reason to reopen the case."
"Okay." Shrugging as he fidgeted with his seatbelt, Aubrey grimaced in annoyance. "I should've been back at work already. We've probably lost all sorts of leads and important information…"
"If it's relevant to the case, it'll still be out there. We'll just have to look harder for it." Booth shook his head at Aubrey. "Anyway, this case isn't worth stressing over right now, okay? You've already had to risk your life once for it. You need to take care of yourself instead of worrying about it. In the long run, being healthy...that's what counts. Anyway, I don't want to talk about that anymore...not when we've got important Christmas shopping to do."
He pulled the truck into a parking slot in front of a boutique. "Here we are. Karine's Intimates. I bet they'll have just what we're looking for." He glanced over to see Aubrey blushing. "What's the matter?"
"You're going in there, too? I thought...I mean...well, you know...I was planning to go look around by myself…I thought you were just going to drop me off." Aubrey stared at the truck's dashboard. "Well, this is weird…"
"It's not like I've never seen sexy lingerie before, Aubrey." Smiling at a pleasant memory, Booth waited for his friend to ease himself out of the SUV. "Sweets brought me here to get something for Bones after Christine was born, so I know they have a good selection, and from what I've heard, they carry a lot of unique stuff in a lot of different sizes. You should've seen what I got her...it was dark blue…and it looked great on her. The best part was how much she appreciated it." He licked his lips as he sighed happily. "Let's just say the ice cream melted really quickly…"
Jesus! I did not need to know that! Aubrey was trying hard not to imagine what the very well structured Dr. Brennan would look like as she wore a revealing outfit, but he wasn't having much success. "Um...I was thinking about purple for Jess…"
"Anyway, I think it's only fair that I share this tradition with you. Oh, there's Gloria...she's the one who usually helps me. You'd think I'd be able to figure out what my wife likes after all this time, but it never hurts to get a second opinion…" Waving at the woman, Booth called her over. "Hey, my friend here needs to find something special for his girlfriend's Christmas gift."
Feeling overwhelmed in the presence of so much satin, lace, and tulle, Aubrey was speechless as the saleswoman shook his hand. "Do you have any idea what you'd like to get for her?"
"Purple...I want purple…lots of purple." He pointed to a tiny triangle of lace dangling from a Christmas tree on a nearby display. "Like that color."
"Those thongs are quite popular, although they seem to be mostly for decoration..." Gloria arched an eyebrow at the men. "They aren't very practical, are they?"
"True…", Aubrey chuckled. "They don't really serve much purpose other than cock blocking, but they do look good under a matching garter belt..."
Booth turned to stare at his friend. "What the hell? Garter belts?"
"Oh, yeah, Booth. Look, I'll show you." Aubrey laid out a thong on a table and put a garter belt on top of it. "See, this goes here, and this goes on top, riding low on the hips…they're great with cheeky panties, too. I don't know...there's something old school about a garter belt that I like...kind of a Hollywood fantasy, I guess, and Jess doesn't mind indulging me..."
"Whoa...that is way too much information, Aubrey." Shaking his head, Booth wandered away from the table, pretending to look at nightgowns before circling back to where his companion was standing. I wonder if Bones would like to have one of those things...I know I'd like to see her in one…"
Gloria was busy pulling out sets in every shade of purple she could find, as well as combinations of purple and black along with purple and silver. "Here we are...this lavender is a very popular shade…"
"Nah...her skin is really fair, and I think that would wash her out. I need something darker...no, that's too dark. I want something like more of a wine than a grape…but not too much red..."
Booth was growing more restless by the minute as he watched Aubrey work his way through the pile of sexy clothing on the counter. Finally he strolled to the fantasy section of the store and began to look through the racks.
"Oh my God…" He pulled out a selection and broke into a wide grin. "Yup...gotta have it." Throwing the garment over his arm, he looked through the negligees, watching in amusement as his friend tried to make a decision.
"Here we go. We have a winner." Holding up the hanger, Aubrey was grinning from ear to ear. "It's perfect."
The very short dark purple nightgown had a low cut V-neckline accented by a bow. The embroidered lace cups were barely held in place by slender spaghetti straps, and lace panels alternated with sheer panels in the skirt, which fell right at the top of the thigh. A wide lace band at the hem offered just enough coverage to allow a tantalizing view of the matching thong.
Aubrey could hardly contain himself as he thought of his beautiful girlfriend wearing this beautiful nightgown...not that she'd actually be wearing it that long…
"An excellent choice, sir." Gloria smirked when she noticed her customer was practically salivating over his choice. "Your girlfriend is certainly lucky to have someone like you shopping for her…"
"Thanks. Actually, I'm lucky to have her…", Aubrey said, blushing as he thought about getting lucky as soon as he possibly could.
"And are you sure of her size?" She smiled as she saw her best customer walking towards the front of the store. "Agent Booth has often commented that guessing his wife's size is the most difficult aspect of shopping."
"Not a problem. I brought these…" Aubrey reached into his jeans pocket and drew out a pair of black lace panties. "See...there on the tag? Size small…and her bras are 34Bs…"
"Jesus, Aubrey…" Booth was horrified. "I can't believe you carry around some of Jessica's underwear in your pants pocket…that's something Steve Bower would do…"
The younger man shoved the underwear back in his pocket. "Well, it's not like I do it all the time, Booth. I only did today because I want her to be able to wear her gift as soon as she opens it, so I want to make sure it fits right the first time."
Gloria laughed as she checked the size of the lingerie set Aubrey had picked out. "I'm glad he was so thorough, Agent Booth. It's much easier than having to compare body parts to types of fruit."
"Huh?" Aubrey shook his head in confusion as Booth glared at the salesclerk. "Anyway, what else do you have that I can look at?"
"We also have a fine selection of crotchless panties, as well as some bralets…"
"Do you have any more sets like this one? Maybe turquoise…" Aubrey's eyes lit up as he looked around the store. "I'd almost like to buy one in every color...kind of like having the twelve days of Christmas in lingerie…"
Gloria was most pleased to pull out more satin and lace for her new best customer. "This deep aqua lace gown is nice...and we have this sheer seafoam green confection…see how the hem actuates the legs? And both come with matching thongs..."
"I like both of these…" Aubrey scratched the back of his neck as he tried to decide which set to buy. "What do you think, Booth? Purple or turquoise?"
"Oh, no. You are not dragging me into that mess." Placing his selections on the counter, he nodded at Gloria. "I'll take these things while Loverboy here is trying to decide…"
After ringing up Booth's purchases, Gloria turned to Aubrey. "Well?"
"Hell, I can't decide. I'll take all three of them, and throw in three pairs of those crotchless panties, too, one in each color." I always manage to tear up her panties anyway...might as well be prepared… He pointed to a mannequin in the store's window. "...and I want that black lace bustier with the matching tanga panties…"
Booth watched his friend in amazement. 'How the hell does Aubrey know so much about garter belts, bustiers, and panties?', he thought to himself before he came to his senses with a small shudder. 'Never mind, I don't want to know…'
"Whatever you say, sir. Shall I have them gift wrapped?"
Glancing at his phone to check the time, Aubrey shook his head. "Nah...we've got to be going." Smiling at Gloria, he picked up the large bag. "Thanks for all the help."
"No problem. I hope to see you again soon."
The men laughed as they left the store. "Oh, you can count on that.", Aubrey replied. "Merry Christmas."
Laughing as he watched Aubrey reach into the bag to stroke the soft clothing inside, Booth pulled the SUV out into traffic. "I think someone's got a bad case of horniness…I can imagine Jessica's having to beat you off with a baseball bat right now."
"Jesus...is it that obvious?" Aubrey sighed heavily, disgusted with himself. "There I was in that store with all those glamorous sexy things…and I could hardly control myself. All I could think about was being with Jessica...I'm just glad I didn't embarrass myself in public."
"Yeah, me too, but you've been recuperating from being shot for a couple of weeks now, so it's understandable that you feel like you need some extra special attention from your girlfriend." Booth grinned at Aubrey's surprised expression. "Hey, I know what it's like when you love someone, but you can't show them like you usually do because you've been seriously injured. Remember when I got shot in the belly and I had to pack my wound with silver nitrate to stop the bleeding? Hell, I almost died, and after all the surgeries and the therapy, I didn't think I'd ever get back to normal. It took almost eight weeks before the doctor finally cleared me for all of the bedroom stuff."
"Eight weeks? Good Lord…" Aubrey was horrified. "How could you stand that?"
"Well, I knew I had to be careful, because too much fooling around could've caused some permanent damage. Besides, it didn't hurt that Bones was making sure I behaved myself. I mean, she was anxious for me to get better, too, but we both could see the big picture, and it gave us a goal to look forward to. Of course, my recuperation and rehab was a lot longer than yours is gonna be, but still...I know it bothers you to be out of commission. The waiting while you're healing is the hardest part of getting better. You just gotta get your mind off it. Hey, I know...tell me what's going on with that loser Maxwell. Is he gonna leave Jessica alone?"
"He will if he knows what's good for him!", Aubrey growled. "Genny is digging around but coming up empty. She told me she's going to keep an eye on him. I'm sure she'll fill me in when I go back to work on Wednesday. I don't know, Booth...how does someone get to be such a nasty prick? I mean, the guy's just disgusting."
"I don't know. I guess he wasn't raised right for one thing...Hodgins knows the family and he says Gerald's dad has always bailed him out at the first whiff of trouble." Booth offered a sideways grin at his friend. "You should be really proud of Jessica for standing up to that slimy bastard. A lot of women would've either caved in to his demands, or they would've run away, and, you know, given the situation, that's understandable. I think ol' Gerald expected Jessica to react the same way, but he really underestimated how gutsy your girlfriend is, Aubrey."
"She is an amazing woman…"
"I have to agree, even if she does think you're wonderful." Chuckling at Aubrey's scowl, Booth hummed a little tune as they waited for the light to change at an intersection. "Anyway, let's talk about something else besides Maxwell. Did I tell you that I'm taking Bones on a little trip next February? I think we're gonna go to Florida for a few days...just the two of us. I'm checking out some little cabins in Key West..."
"That sounds like fun…", Aubrey agreed. "Florida's a great place to visit."
"Yeah. After everything that's happened and then the holiday rush, it'll be nice to get away for a bit, you know? It'll be quick...we'll probably leave on a Wednesday evening and come back on a Monday morning, but it'll be nice not to have to worry about work for a few days. We'll be too busy doing other things, anyway…"
"I thought you were gonna help me get my mind off of sex.", Aubrey whined. "You're not helping one damn bit."
Booth chuckled as he pulled the car into the driveway. "Sorry, buddy. I guess that's just the way it is with us guys, right? Everything reminds us of sex…"
"That's the truth, especially when you have to be celibate for awhile." Aubrey glanced at his phone again as he unlocked his front door. "I need to find a place to hide this bag in a hurry. Jessica will be home any minute…"
"I've got just the place, out there in the garage…" Booth offered a conspiratorial smile. "Come on, I'll show you…"
"I don't want to store expensive lingerie in the garage, Booth…that's just crazy!", Aubrey complained. "It might get grease and stuff on it…'
"It'll just be for a few days...until Monday, right? You're not going back to work until Wednesday, so while Jessica is gone to work you can wrap these things for her."
"Yeah, okay...I guess so, but we gotta hurry." Aubrey was suddenly winded from his excursion, sagging a bit as he walked into the garage. "She's gonna come home, and I'm gonna be tired, and she's gonna want to know what I've been up to…'
"Come on...out here. See that door?" Booth pointed to a cabinet that had been inserted between some joists.
Overcome with curiosity, Aubrey peered over his friend's shoulder "I never noticed that. What is it?"
"I'm not sure. I just know that the guy who built this house used to deal in drugs and other contraband. This cubby hole was in the original house, so when I rebuilt it, I put it back in, but I didn't tell Bones." Laughing softly, Booth took a key from a ledge above the cabinet. "Believe me, it's come in handy. So let's just put the bag in here, and shut the door, and then we'll just lock it up…"
Both men turned in surprise as they heard the whirring of the motor that opened the garage door. After quickly closing the cabinet, they tried to look innocent as the garage door opened and Jessica pulled her Jeep inside.
Getting out of her vehicle, she slammed the door and marched the few steps up to them while shaking her finger. "Aubrey! What did I tell you about getting down the Christmas decorations?"
"I wasn't...I mean…we were..."
Jessica turned to the older man. "Booth, were you helping him? Aubrey is supposed to be taking it easy!"
"No, Jessica…I just wanted to show Aubrey something about the circuit breaker...it can be tricky, you know? Honest, we weren't working or anything like that.", Booth stammered nervously. 'When she's annoyed she looks as scary as Bones does sometimes…'
"Yeah, Jess...Booth was just showing me something electrical...hey, I'm glad you're home. Did you have fun with Daisy and the others?"
"NO!" Jessica glared at them as she stormed into the house and slammed the door.
"Hmm...I guess that's my cue to leave.", Booth said, cringing in mock horror as he looked at his friend. "Have a good evening…"
"Yeah, great." Aubrey shrugged as he turned to go inside. "Hey, thanks again, Booth…"
"No problem." He pointed to the back door. "You'd better go see what's up…I'm sure I'll hear about it from Bones when I get home."
"Yep." Heaving a big sigh, Aubrey tentatively opened the door as Booth pulled out of the driveway. "Jessica?"
"What?", she snarled as she took a bottle of water from the refrigerator and slammed the door.
'Oh shit…not good.' Aubrey thought as he pulled her into a kiss. "What's wrong?"
"The party sucked…", Jessica replied, hugging her boyfriend. "It was terrible…"
"What happened, Jess? I thought you were looking forward to having that get together with your friends."
"I was...I don't get to see Andie very often since she has that crazy work schedule along with school, and Daisy's always busy with work and the baby. She was really excited about seeing everyone, you know? It was supposed to be a fun get together...just us girls...and we were having a good time. Andie was telling us about Wendell's research, and we were all talking and laughing about things our husbands and boyfriends do."
"That doesn't sound too bad.", Aubrey commented in a confused tone. "So, what happened?"
"You're right...it was great. We were having such a good time…" Jessica's lip quivered slightly as she continued. "Then Daisy mentioned that she's having a big fancy dinner for the New Year's holiday, and we all said we'd come. It sounded like a lot of fun, but then she said she was having it on the 30th instead of New Year's Eve, because Beau's family has some big family party that night..."
"Wait...December 30 is the date of that FBI banquet I have to go to…"
"I know." The redhead snuggled against Aubrey and kissed him again. "When she said that, I told her that I was sorry, but the FBI banquet in honor of you, Booth, and Genny was that night, so I couldn't come. She suggested I just come to dinner without you, but I told her I couldn't do that because you were the most important person in my life, and that there was no way I was going to let you get a commendation from the FBI without me being there to see it."
"Wait, if you couldn't go…"
"Of course, that also meant that Dr. B couldn't go. Daisy was frustrated because she loves when she gets to hang out with Dr. B, but she said it would be okay if just Angela, Hodgins, Cam and Arastoo came…"
"...but they had to tell her that they're all going to the FBI function as well.", Aubrey said with a nod. "I take it Daisy wasn't too happy…"
"Daisy was very disappointed that so many of her friends couldn't come, so I suggested that she move the party to New Year's Day. However, she shot that idea down immediately, saying she'd be too tired from New Year's Eve. Things just went downhill from there." Jessica rubbed Aubrey's chest tenderly. "She was really upset…"
"Well, at least Andie and Wendell could go-"
"Nope. Andie had to back out, too. She texted Wendell to ask about it, but he sent her a text saying he's got something going on with some guys from work that evening and he can't change his plans." Jessica exhaled softly. "Long story short, Daisy whined and moaned for the rest of the afternoon."
"I'm sure she will get over it, Jess.", Aubrey said, trying to cheer her up. "There'll be other weekends."
"I know…" Jessica sighed sadly. "But, I guess Daisy's feeling neglected or left out of the action since she doesn't work with us anymore."
"That's life, Jess. I mean, people get different jobs, and they move on." Aubrey put his arms around her and pulled her close. "I know she misses everyone, but I'm sure she'll be fine."
"We tried coming up with other ideas so everybody could attend. Angela suggested having a nice brunch on the weekend after New Year's, but Daisy is dead set on having this dinner party on the 30th, and nothing is going to change her mind, even if none of us can come."
Aubrey hesitated for a second, hoping to avoid making a comment about one of Jessica's friends that would upset her. "Doesn't she understand that this shindig is mandatory for Booth, Genny, and me? The Director himself sent out the invitations, and there's no way we can back out. While Cam and Hodgins don't have to go, it looks really crappy if they don't, since the Jeffersonian was involved in the investigation. In fact, you really should be there, too, even if we weren't dating, because you assisted the FBI as well."
"We tried to explain that to her, Aubrey, but she didn't want to make much of an effort to see things from our point of view. She simply refused to understand why we couldn't come to her party, even when Dr. B bluntly said her place was with Booth on the 30th. The six glasses of Merlot Daisy had with lunch didn't help matters, either. You know how bitchy she gets when she drinks that much...and she didn't puke it up this time, so it stayed in her system. She was really drunk by the time we had dessert."
Aubrey nodded as he remembered having dinner with Beau and Daisy the month before. "I can imagine."
Jessica exhaled. "It really put a damper on the rest of the afternoon, and we all ended up being angry and upset by the time we left the restaurant. I drove her home, and she cried the whole way…"
"I'm sorry, Jessica." After caressing her gently for a minute or two, he gave her a flirty wink. "Hey, do you really think I'm the most important person in your life?"
"Of course. Besides, I know how good you look in a tuxedo, and I want to make sure everyone at that banquet knows you belong to me." Jessica grinned at her boyfriend as she stroked his cheek. "So what were you and Booth doing in the garage?"
"Nothing important…he was showing me where he used to keep the Christmas lights when he was done with them for the season...oh, um...and he was telling me about the circuit breaker. I guess it's touchy." Desperate to change the subject, Aubrey gave her a flirty wink. "Hey, how about dinner out tonight? Let's go to that Italian place Booth and Dr. B like so much...Rigoletto's…"
"That sounds good, but first I want to relax for a few minutes, okay? Let's go sit in the family room for a minute and you can tell me about your day."
"Oh, you know...same old thing. Danny Shaw came over for a few hours while Genny helped her mom run some errands, and then after he left I just sat around the house until Booth came by. He was just checking up on me…you know, seeing how my recovery is going."
"I see." Jessica knew something was up with her boyfriend, but she decided to let it slide for the time being. I'll let him keep his secret for a little while…"
Aubrey sighed with relief as Jessica seemed to buy his cockeyed story. It wouldn't be long before the rest of Jessica's Christmas gifts arrived, and he'd have a pile of packages for her under the tree. It was going to be a wonderful holiday...and sooner or later, they'd be able to celebrate it the right way...and she'd have the perfect things to wear when they did so.
It was going to be a wonderful holiday.