A/N: Here's an Easter treat...a new chapter of Love and Carbonite. We'll be joining Aubrey and Jessica on the first part of their honeymoon in this chapter.
By the way, given that this is a honeymoon chapter, please note that it's rated M for honeymoon antics. As such, it may not be appropriate for reading if you're at work.
Enjoy...
Aubrey and Jessica held hands and enjoyed the 23-minute drive to the Jefferson Hotel in a contented silence. As they passed the Neiman Marcus next to the sign welcoming them into DC, they both felt the rush of anticipation for the night to come. Turning onto 16th Street, it wasn't long before the couple arrived at their destination.
Jessica was in awe as she looked up at the building's facade. "This place is so beautiful, Aubrey."
"Yeah, it is. A perfect place to start our honeymoon." Aubrey pulled up into the crescent shaped driveway to the main entrance, where a doorman stood waiting. "And the rest of our lives together…"
Jessica glanced at her husband anxiously. "Aubrey, valet parking is expensive here…"
He shrugged as he turned off the engine. "Yeah, but I'm not asking my bride of almost five hours to walk several blocks in her wedding dress. Come on. Charlie paid for everything, so covering the valet parking is not a big deal."
Aubrey smiled as the uniformed doorman assisted his wife out of the vehicle. Opening the trunk, he was about to take out the bags when the man moved ahead of him. "Mr. and Mrs. Aubrey? Good evening. We've been expecting you. Follow me, please…"
Aubrey couldn't help but feel proud and happy upon hearing Jessica called 'Mrs. Aubrey' as they walked into the hotel. Entering the lobby, the couple admired the décor as they were escorted to the check in desk. The white walls and crown molding gave the large room a luxurious Old World ambience. The floor had black and white marble tiles alternating in a checkerboard pattern throughout. Historical documents and articles of correspondence from Thomas Jefferson graced the walls in their ornate frames. On several small tables, cherry blossoms and other plants were blooming in pots. Both looked up at the ceiling, amazed at how high it was.
"I've always wanted to stay here, but it's so expensive." Jessica stopped to admire a plant nearby. "Now I get to stay here for the weekend with my new husband, and that makes me so happy!"
The couple made their way up to the front desk as the clerk smiled at them. To their surprise, they were offered chairs to sit in.
"Thank you, sir.," Jessica said. "Wow, this is so nice. Such first class treatment."
Aubrey tipped the doorman before sitting down next to Jessica. "I know, and they knew who we were. We should get married and stay here more often."
She giggled as he winked at her. "Yeah, they knew who we were, but I'm sure my wedding dress gave it away."
The hotel clerk smiled as he looked up from his computer. "Actually, your father called us after you left your reception to let us know you were on your way. Congratulations on your marriage. Right now we're preparing a special gift for you from our hotel to be taken up to the Martha Jefferson suite for your enjoyment this evening."
"When I made the original reservation on the phone, I let whomever I talked to know not to include strawberries in the fruit basket. There are none, right?," Aubrey asked anxiously. "My wife is very allergic."
"Yes, sir...it says on the instructions to omit the strawberries. I hope what we've chosen as a replacement will be satisfactory. If not, please call us immediately." After the formalities were complete, the clerk stood up. "Andrew will take your bags to your suite while I give you and your wife a tour of the hotel. It was originally built in 1923 as an apartment building and converted to a hotel in 1955. We had a major renovation in 2009, which included the lobby and all the rooms. We've hosted several celebrities and US presidents in our establishment because of our outstanding amenities."
Jessica stood up and took Aubrey's hand as the three walked away. "I've heard there's a library room?"
"Yes, our Book Room. It features a book collection tailored to the interests of our third US President and is open 24 hours a day for your enjoyment, Mrs. Aubrey. We'll start our tour there."
Jessica saw Aubrey move to correct the clerk, but she held her hand up. "Thank you very much."
*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*
An hour later, their clerk led them to the top floor. "There is a private butler for anything that you may require during our stay here. If you need your shoes shined, please leave them outside your door and they will be collected. There is also 24 hour room service from our kitchen, along with a complimentary bar in your suite."
"Wow...sounds great. I've never had a private butler before.," Jessica giggled as they arrived at their suite. The clerk unlocked the door and turned to the couple.. "Here are your keys, Mr. Aubrey. I hope you two enjoy your stay this weekend. Let us know if there is anything we can do for you."
"Thank you so much." Aubrey waited for the coast to be clear before stopping Jessica as she was about to enter the room. "Wait, Jess. There's something we have to do first."
Immediately realizing what her husband was referring to, Jessica groaned. "Oh Aubrey, really? That's such an archaic tradition..."
"Hey, you made me spend last night with Booth because of an archaic tradition, right? You owe me this."
Laughing softly, Jessica nodded in agreement. "Okay, Superman, but don't hurt yourself."
Scooping her up, Aubrey carried his giggling wife into their suite. Kicking the door closed with his foot, he set her down and winked at her. "Come on, you didn't enjoy being carried over the threshold by your amazing, sexy husband at all?"
"Okay, it was nice." Jessica walked around the room, admiring the décor.
The parlor had a white and cream color scheme accented with Tiffany blue pillows on the curved sofa and an antique white marble desk in the corner along with a gas fireplace. Looking up, she admired the suite's skylights before noticing an ice bucket by the couch. Walking over, she saw a bottle of Krug champagne chilling, with a plate offering several small deluxe chocolates next to it. "Belgian Chocolate…yum…"
"Jess, check out the view from the balcony…"
Jessica joined her husband outside and gazed upon the Washington Monument, the National Mall and the rest of their city in lights. "Wow, Aubrey…it's so beautiful here. Did you see the skylights we have?"
"I did, and they're very cool. C'mon...let's check out the rest of the suite."
With Aubrey leading the way, the two walked the wooden floor of the small hallway to find the intimate dining room and finally, their bedroom with its own large bathroom.
"Alright…a nice big bed for us.," Aubrey chuckled as Jessica entered the en-suite bathroom. "And we're gonna use every inch of it…"
"Aubrey, we have robes and fancy slippers in here. Hey, you can watch TV in the mirror."
"Sounds great, although I don't plan on watching much TV this weekend." Aubrey's focus remained on the bed and he soon gave way to his one-track mind. When his wife came out of the bathroom, he embraced her tenderly. Reaching around, he tried to find the zipper for her dress, to no avail.
"Aubrey, it's on the side, but I have another plan in mind for us." Jessica found her bag on the couch and brought it back to the bedroom. "I'll be out shortly. Why don't you get that bottle of champagne opened for us?"
"Okay, I'll be here waiting for you. Don't be long, okay? We have things to do..."
When the door closed behind her, Aubrey jogged over to his bag and brought it back into the bedroom. Digging inside, he pulled out the royal blue silk pajama pants that Jessica had given him for Christmas. He laughed giddily as he changed his clothes. "Jess loves these pants, and they're easy to get off, which is a definite plus for what I have in mind..."
In the bathroom, Jessica primped, gently removing Angela's antique comb and setting it aside before brushing her hair and adding a touch of lipstick. Deciding she looked good, she reached into her bag and pulled out the white babydoll she'd bought at Coup de Foudre. She hadn't planned on wearing white on her wedding night since she considered it a cliché, but once she'd seen this nightgown, she knew it would kill her husband.
'With Aubrey's very nimble fingers, I won't be wearing this very long anyway.' Jessica chuckled as she slipped on the silk nightgown before admiring herself. The bust was lace and the straps crisscrossed in the back. The front hem ended dangerously high on her thigh, tapering down in the back.
Admiring her appearance, she fought off a touch of nervousness. She wasn't a virgin, and it wasn't her first time with Aubrey, either. More than once, she'd worn lingerie for her boyfriend. However, tonight felt different somehow.
Then it dawned on her. Yes, this time was different…because tonight, she would be making love with her husband. For a second, she was afraid of not meeting Aubrey's expectations, but she pushed those thoughts away. Her husband loved her, and she would enjoy him tonight as they started this new chapter in their lives.
Giving herself a final look, she calmed her nerves and got ready to open the bathroom door.
In the bedroom, Aubrey stood by one of the nightstands, having just poured himself a second glass of champagne, when he heard the door open. Turning his head, he was dumbstruck as Jessica emerged. His brain synapses went into overdrive as he admired how gorgeous his wife looked. As she walked towards him, the partial erection he'd had for most of the evening quickly stiffened.
Jessica admired the display of her husband's trim physique and his prominent erection, as well as the way his pajama pants brought out the blue in his eyes. However, she started to grow nervous at Aubrey's staring. Feeling self-conscious, she played with her hair. "Superman, what's wrong?"
"Nothing…nothing at all." Snapping out of his fog, Aubrey took her hand and pulled her towards him. "You're…beautiful, Jessica. Exquisite…wow…"
Blushing, Jessica smiled shyly. "Thank you."
"I'm sorry…it's just…wow..." Aubrey's hand gently caressed her shoulder before moving around the edge of the lace covering her breasts. Feeling her shiver, the agent continued his ministrations before pausing. "How about some champagne?"
"Sounds good." Accepting the glass, they sipped the sparkling wine without taking their eyes off the other. After a minute, Jessica put her glass down on the nightstand. "Aubrey…what are you thinking about right now?"
Aubrey put his flute down as well, tracing his finger once again across the lace, enjoying Jessica's slight shiver at his touch. "How beautiful my wife is right now…and that I'm the luckiest man in the world to be here with her."
The redhead closed her eyes as his hands moved softly across the lace overlaying her breasts. "James, you're torturing me right now."
"No, I'm enjoying you, Jessica. I want this to last for as long as possible. After all, we only get one wedding night together."
Aubrey's breathing started to hitch as her nipples hardened. He then shivered when his wife drew him closer and began nibbling on his chest. Unable to contain himself, his right hand slowly moved down her lingerie and underneath the silky fabric.
"You feel so incredible." The agent couldn't decide what felt better, the silk of the babydoll, or the satin smoothness of Jessica's skin. As his hand moved upward on her thigh, he made a pleasant discovery. "Christ, Jess, you're trying to kill me, aren't you?"
Jessica closed her eyes and sighed as Aubrey made a sensuous trail down her ear and neck with his lips as his hand caressed her posterior. "A little…and anyway, this nightgown didn't come with panties for you to rip off. I thought you would appreciate the easy access…"
"Yes, I do…"
Jessica could feel herself become weak in the knees as her husband used his knowledge of her body to find all her tender spots. Her hands began to roam around his back and down past his waistline onto his muscular posterior. When Aubrey pulled her closer to him, she felt his excitement and made a decision.
"James…it's time."
"Yes, it is, Jessica."
Waiting for her to put her arms around his neck, Aubrey picked her up. When the redhead wrapped her legs around him, he kissed her as he carried her the short distance to their bed. Sitting down, he scooted up to the head of the bed, allowing her to straddle his lap. Determined to take his time, he moved his lips across her chest while slowly pulling the straps on her outfit down. When it pooled at her waist, the agent feasted on his wife's satiny mounds and hardened nipples.
Jessica could feel the coolness of his wedding ring on his left hand as he caressed her and the sensation was very erotic. "Yes…"
Together, they pulled her nightgown over her head before Aubrey rolled Jessica over onto the bed. Determined to prolong the pleasure, he purposely continued to take his time exploring his wife's body as he made a trail down her abdomen and hips. Making his way around to her inner thighs, he used his talented tongue to caress her skin towards her juncture, using her moans to guide him as he drew towards his target.
Jessica enjoyed her husband's caresses but when his gustatory organ found her bundle of nerves, her back arched and she loudly called out his name over and over. She rode the waves of ecstasy until she finally crested over. As she recovered, she could feel Aubrey's lips trailing back up her abdomen. When he had reached her lips, he kissed her as she began pulling down his pants.
"Oh my God…," she moaned. "Now, James...oh please...now…"
Ready to consummate their marriage as well, Aubrey slid out of his pants off quickly, tossing them on the bed. Making his way up to her lips once again, they held each other close as each explored the other's body. Suddenly, he flipped them around so that Jessica was on top of him.
"I want to see you…," he whispered, tenderly caressing her body.
No more words had to be spoken as the redhead climbed on her husband and enveloped him to their mutual pleasure. They moved together in sync as she groaned softly, his hands moving up from her hips to her breasts, touching her in the way he knew she loved.
"Yes, James...don't stop…"
"I'll...never...stop…," the agent moaned, drowning in pleasure from his wife's movements over him. Opening his eyes, he saw her head was thrown back as she rode him. However, he wanted to see her eyes. "Jessica, look at me…"
Hearing the emotion and love in his voice, the redhead complied and was almost overcome by the love she saw. Slowly, she let him take control as he bucked into her, his thrusts growing harder and faster as they grew closer to their end.
It wasn't long before Jessica's second climax occurred and she moaned appreciatively. "Yes...yes...I love you, James…"
Two more thrusts later, Aubrey's body also exploded in pleasure. Both rode the waves before the redhead laid down next to him with her head on his chest.
"Wow...you sure know how to consummate a marriage, Aubrey."
"Damn right, I do." Aubrey kissed her head and held her close before kissing her engagement and wedding rings. "Wow...that was amazing….earth shattering...I...I'm just..."
"It was different than before, but a good different." Jessica held him closer. "Do you think it's because we're married now?"
"Yeah, I do." Aubrey kissed her head again. "Booth said once that making love was better with the one you love, but it was the best thing he'd ever experienced once he and Dr. B got married."
"I could see that...and I think that's true.," Jessica said quietly before they fell into a comfortable silence for a few minutes until she spoke again. "Aubrey...we're married."
"Yeah…pretty wild, isn't it?" The agent rubbed his wife's naked back gently. "I'm glad we're married now, but I'm still trying to wrap my head around it."
"It doesn't seem like much has changed…" Jessica sat up to face Aubrey with her head in her right hand. "I mean, we'll still live together...take care of Skinner...pay bills...buy groceries…"
"But we're not just a boyfriend and girlfriend living together...or an engaged couple. Yeah, it's just a legal change, but...wow…," Aubrey sighed. "Now we've made a commitment to each other...we're bound together…"
"Things won't always be good, Superman.," Jessica gulped. "It will be rough sometimes...and we'll probably argue over stupid stuff because we're both so stubborn..."
"Well, things got rough more than once after we got back together and we got through all of that shit, Jess. We know how to handle those things now, right?" Aubrey combed a lock of red hair from Jessica's face. "When the next rough time comes, we'll face it together...and we'll be stronger because of it...because we have each other..."
"Because we're not just lovers...we're best friends." Jessica smiled as she laid her head back down on her husband's chest and closed her eyes.
"Because we're best friends…," Aubrey whispered before also falling asleep.
*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*
Two hours later, a hungry Aubrey woke up from their nap. Deciding to let Jessica sleep a little longer, he found the room service menu. Looking over the selections, he blanched at the prices and felt bad that his father-in-law was picking up the tab for their weekend at the hotel. However, he knew that Charlie had intended for his gift to be enjoyed, no matter how much the cost. Resolving to not feel guilty, Aubrey found a few items that looked good and called downstairs.
After completing his call, Aubrey found his blue silk pants bunched up at the end of the bed. Getting dressed, he got back in bed to gaze at his sleeping wife.
Her hair was mussed up from their lovemaking and once again, she was hogging the bed. However, the redhead looked more beautiful than he had ever seen her. He still couldn't believe she had chosen HIM to spend her life with...that she'd proposed to him on that rainy afternoon at the Lincoln Memorial. He'd meant it when he'd told her he'd live with her the rest of his life without being married, if that's what she wanted. The details didn't matter...he just wanted to be with her forever.
Someday there would be a world beyond the two of them. How many children would there be? Two...three...or even more? He shook his head as he thought about her large family. Could they have six kids? Well, if they were that ambitious, he'd better be a Deputy Director by the time the last one was born.
He didn't care, though. He just wanted to wake up every morning with the redhead beside him...the bed hogging, sleep talking, and snorting in her sleep redhead...in all of her glory.
Hearing the knock on the door, Aubrey trotted over and opened it, and was greeted by the top floor butler pushing a cart filled with several covered silver platters. "Would you like your meal in the dining room, sir?"
"Yeah, that would be great. Thanks."
As the gentleman set out their meal, Aubrey fished money out of his wallet, and after tipping him, he shut the door and returned to the bedroom.
"Jess…," Aubrey sang in her ear. "I have food…"
"Hmm…" The redhead's eyes remained closed although she snorted a chuckle. "Of course you have food."
"Yeah, because you wore me out, Lady. You'll also need to keep up your strength for Round Two...and Round Three." Aubrey took his wife's hand. "Come on…"
Looking at the clock, Jessica chuckled at the time as she let her husband pull her out of bed. "It's almost 11:00, but I could use a snack."
Finding Aubrey's blue dress shirt, Jessica pulled it on, buttoning it as she followed him into their small dining room. "Did you grab the champagne?"
Aubrey held up the ice bucket. Setting it back down, he pulled out a chair for Jessica before setting out their champagne flutes and two bottles of water from their mini bar. "We have a lot of bubbly left over, it seems. My wife got really impatient to screw me earlier."
"My husband was the same way." Jessica sat down and as she watched her husband remove the platter covers, her eyes widened. "Aubrey, holy shit...are you feeding an army?"
"No, of course not. I couldn't decide, so I got us a few different things to try. You only live once, right? And who knows when we'll have another chance for a feast like this." Aubrey pointed to the plates in front of the redhead. "I got you a Grilled Quail Caesar Salad...no anchovies, and the Wagyu Beef Consomme."
"Hmmm, sounds tasty. So, what's with the rest of the feast then?"
"Well, I got some raw oysters for us to share, since they're considered to be an aphrodisiac…" Seeing her smirk, he shrugged. "You're right...it's not like we need that...anyway here's some orzo, and for me, a 6 oz Bison Strip Steak and some sea scallops." Aubrey lifted the cover off the final items. "For dessert, we have a Meyer Lemon Berry Shortbread, the Green Apple Pavlova, and the Salted Caramel Coffee Tart."
"Aubrey, I can't eat all this!," Jessica chuckled. "If you try to eat it all, you're going to burst..."
"We'll work off the food tonight...we'll also need snacks later.," Aubrey reassured her as he sat down next to her. Seeing her pretend glare, he shrugged. "What? We have a refrigerator in the suite. What we don't eat now we can save for later."
"We do have to be back at the house at 11:00 tomorrow morning to open our gifts, James. Are we going to get any sleep at some point?"
Aubrey shrugged a shoulder. "We'll take another nap eventually. Anyway, I didn't want to waste the chance to try these things. Now dig in."
The couple enjoyed their food for the next several minutes, sampling the various dishes with gusto. When Jessica saw her husband had finished his steak, she pointed at him with her fork.
"Aubrey, once again, be careful. If you stuff yourself too much now, then we won't be able to complete your ambitious agenda that you've planned for tonight."
Aubrey arched an eyebrow at his wife. "Oh, I'll have room, Jessica, and I'll never be too full to make love to you."
Smirking, Jessica sipped her champagne. "Okay...so what's our agenda tomorrow?"
Chewing the last of his orzo, Aubrey put his fork down. "Tomorrow morning, we're going to have amazing morning sex before breakfast is brought to us by room service. After our brunch at the house, we'll hopefully have time to make love before our couple's massage in the spa, which I'm still a little iffy about…"
Jessica patted his hand. "It'll be nice, Aubrey…trust me, you'll love it."
"I don't want another man touching my wife." Aubrey stabbed a piece of the coffee tart and ate it. "I'm the only one who gets to touch my wife now."
Jessica chuckled at her spouse's jealousy. "If I get a male masseuse tomorrow, he won't get to touch me in the fun areas, I promise. Besides, we're in the same room, and I'll know you'll protect me from handsy technicians."
Mollified, Aubrey went back to his dinner. "According to Charlie's card, we have dinner reservations at their fancy French restaurant downstairs at 7:00, but then after that, we come back up here to make love again. That circular couch may be interesting to try."
"Well, there's always this table, too. Our first time together was on the small dining room table in my apartment, and it was very hot...as was the rest of the night...and the next morning."
"I aim to please." Aubrey looked proud of himself as he remembered that first tryst and the resulting evening. "Then Sunday morning, we'll make love again, enjoy the Sunday Brunch, and go home to get Skinner so we can go on Part Two of our honeymoon."
Jessica smiled happily at her husband. "You've got our weekend all planned out."
Aubrey raised an eyebrow at his wife. "Of course...but...if you want to do other things…"
"Don't worry, Superman. You're right...this suite will get some use before we drive to Luray on Sunday." Finishing her bite, Jessica stood up, unbuttoned Aubrey's dress shirt, and tossed it on the back of her chair. "Now, I'm ready to have carnal relations with my husband again. I'll be waiting for you in the bedroom."
Aubrey stared at his wife's ass as she walked away. "Damn, she's got a great ass…might as well enjoy it."
Getting up, he stole a couple bites of the shortbread before trotting to the bedroom. "Oh, Jessica…your husband is on his way..."
*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*
At 8:00 the next morning, Aubrey and Jessica were in bed with serving trays on their laps. Nearby was a cart holding several breakfast platters, along with carafes of orange juice and coffee.
"You were right, Jess. Breakfast in bed was a great idea." Aubrey stabbed his eggs before stealing a piece of pancake off Jessica's plate. "These are so good…"
Jessica stole a piece of bacon from Aubrey. "I figured that after the busy night we had...and our fun morning romp an hour ago...you'd like to relax and fuel up."
"Yeah, I appreciate that since you kept me up until almost 3:00 in the morning, Jess."
"Me?" Jessica chuckled before sipping her coffee. "You were the one who wanted to play 'Hide the Light saber' at 1:30 in the morning, right?"
Aubrey stuffed his mouth with a croissant. "You like my light saber…and what was it you said? Oh yeah…'use The Force, James...use The Force..."
Jessica stole the croissant and took a bite. "I do like it…a lot. I can't wait to see it again...and by the way, you do use The Force really well..."
Laughing merrily, the couple finished their breakfast. After Aubrey wheeled the cart outside of the door, he returned to his wife, who was getting out of bed. "Jess, what are you doing? Are you going somewhere?"
"We have a brunch to attend in a few hours at our house! Remember? We're going to open our gifts with our family and friends and we shouldn't be late, like we were for our own wedding reception."
"Yeah, but we don't have to be at the house until 11:00, Jessica….," Aubrey whined as he stood in the doorway. "I wanted to spend some more time with you...naked time…"
"I want to spend some naked time with you, too, James, and I thought we could do that by trying out this nice large shower in the bathroom. You know...so we could get dirty and clean? You do a very good job of that...and there's plenty of soap."
Aubrey considered his options, but upon seeing Jessica drop her robe to the floor, greeting him with her lovely and flexible body before she disappeared into the bathroom, his decision was quickly made for him as he joined her in the bathroom. "I think that's a great idea, Jessica."
*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*
The couple pulled the Mercedes in the driveway at 10:45 and weren't surprised to see several cars there already. Parking in the one available space, Aubrey and Jessica got out and held hands as they walked to the front door.
"How long are we staying?," Aubrey asked plaintively. "Thirty minutes?"
Jessica smacked his arm. "Aubrey...come on...they're our friends…"
"I know. I just want to be alone with you…" Aubrey kissed her tenderly. "It's technically still our honeymoon, you know."
"I know. Don't worry, we'll hang out for a few hours and then head back to the Jefferson."
"Okay." He gave her a hopeful grin. "What dress are you wearing to dinner tonight?"
"The one from New Years. You know...the green one that buttons in the front." Jessica wore a naughty smirk. "I know how much you like that one."
"Yeah…I do..." Aubrey opened the door and they were greeted by their friends and family who were mingling about in their living room, except for Eleanor, who sat alone on the couch without Chase.
"Here comes the happy couple!," Hodgins yelled from the kitchen. "Time to eat folks."
Starting with Aubrey and Jessica, everyone helped themselves to grape salad, quiche, waffles, deviled eggs, and other delights. To no one's surprise, Aubrey filled two plates before sitting down. After everyone enjoyed their food, Booth took over.
"Time to open your gifts…"
For the next several minutes, Aubrey and Jessica opened gifts from their friends and family until they were handed their last present, a card.
"It's from me, Darling.," Eleanor said with a beaming smile before sipping her coffee.
"Thank you, Mom." Jessica opened the card and her eyes bugged out. "Wow, Mom…"
Aubrey looked as well and let out a small whistle. "Eleanor, you really shouldn't have…"
Eleanor sipped her coffee. "Yes, I should. My daughter got married yesterday and she deserves a nice present."
Feeling awkward, Jessica shook her head. "Mom, this check is $5000 dollars. You don't have to give us money-"
"Yes, I do Jessica!," Eleanor snapped, smiling viciously. "You see, your father paid for a hotel room for your wedding night, which is a wasteful extravagance. Unlike my ex-husband, I believe that giving money is more practical."
The couple sighed as they realized the gift wasn't really about them, but instead was a way for Jessica's mother to upstage her father. Not liking Eleanor's tone, Jessica spoke up. "Actually, Dad's wedding gift for us was a weekend in the Martha Jefferson suite at the Jefferson. He's also covering all our expenses, including our couples' massage later today and all of our meals."
"The Jefferson? You can't be serious!" Eleanor almost choked on her coffee. "Their suites are $1600 per night! That cheapskate would never spend that much on a hotel room."
Everyone in the room sighed or groaned at the woman's rudeness. Brennan wanted to say something, but she felt Booth's hand on her arm. Looking at her husband, she understood that this time Jessica had to draw the line.
"I am serious...and you're right, Mom, it's expensive, but Dad insisted that we accept his gift, because Aubrey and I paid for most of our wedding ourselves. Thank you, though, for your very generous check, Mom. We'll put it to good use." Keeping her cool, she turned to her husband. "Aubrey, do you want another piece of quiche?"
"Yeah, sounds good."
Eleanor gritted her teeth as she realized her ploy had been sidelined. "Damn you, Charles."
*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*
At 2:30, the door to the Martha Jefferson suite opened, allowing Aubrey and Jessica to stumble into the room. The agent barely got the door closed before Jessica began unzipping his jeans.
"Such a naughty husband, stopping the elevator so you could make out with me."
"Make out with you?" Aubrey helped his wife pull her leggings off before pulling her into his lap on the circular couch. "Jessica, I wanted to fuck the hell out of you in that elevator…"
Sitting on her husband's erection, they groaned together as she moved her hips over him. "I guess I'll just have to fuck the hell out of you instead, dear Husband."
Aubrey only grunted, enjoying the sensation of his half naked wife bouncing up and down on him. Ten minutes later, the two reached their climaxes before Jessica hugged her husband.
"Damn, Aubrey...that was fun.," Jessica chuckled. "We may have to try that again some time."
"Yeah, it was…thanks..." Aubrey looked at his phone. "Time to head down for massages."
The couple quickly cleaned up and got dressed before taking the elevator down to the 2nd floor. Finding the spa, the couple were shown into the men's and women's changing rooms. Aubrey, wearing a white bathrobe, came out of the dressing room as his wife exited the other room.
Pulling his robe closed, he grimaced at her. "Jess, I'm not sure about this…"
"Aubrey...it's fine. Now, you took off everything, right?"
"Yeah...but can I get a female masseuse? I don't think I want some dude touching me...you know...like all up close and personal...on the ass and all..." Aubrey's eyes grew large. "I'm not looking to cheat...I just…"
"Aubrey, it's fine. We're going to be in the same room, remember? Kind of hard to cheat and hide it when I'm on the next bed. Also, they don't touch your ass, alright? Even boxers get in the way, so it's easier to be naked." Jessica laughed. "Come on...it's time."
The two were led by the female masseuses into a room with two beds. Following Jessica's lead, Aubrey laid down on his stomach and tried to avoid being self-conscious as the therapist adjusted his sheet. After the lights were turned down and the soft music came on, Aubrey let his therapist work him over. Afraid to relax, he turned to his wife, who looked like she was sleeping.
'I guess if she's okay with it, I can be. This does feel really good.'
Soon Aubrey fell asleep, dreaming about his wife and making love. He adored how she had no inhibitions when they were intimate, and her flexibility….wow...it made everything so much better...
Next his dreams drifted to the two of them on the bed at the cabin enjoying some very athletic relations. He could feel the sweat on her back while he was engaging her from behind as she lay on her stomach. He could feel her rapid pulse pounding on his lips while he kissed her neck. Slipping a hand underneath, he stimulated her bundle of nerves...she arched her back in pleasure, and he drove further into her...they were almost there...a few seconds more...
"All done, Mr. Aubrey.," Jessica screamed as he continued his ministrations. "Mr. Aubrey...Mr. Aubrey…"
Startled, the agent woke up and saw his therapist smiling at him. "Enjoy your nap, Mr. Aubrey?"
"Uh yeah...sorry…" He moved slightly to get up and then realized he had a problem. "Uhhhh..."
"We'll be out in a few minutes. Thank you, ladies.," Jessica said, immediately sensing what was wrong. When the therapists stepped out, the redhead walked over to the other bed. "Aubrey, you're not the first man it's happened to."
"But we're married…I didn't mean to…God, I'm a pervert...I mean, I'm your pervert, but still..."
"James Aubrey, you're not a pervert! I promise...listen, it's normal for a man to get an erection, even during a therapeutic massage, due to the stimulation of your parasympathetic nervous system." Jessica rubbed her husband's shoulder before looking down at his crotch. "Whatever you were dreaming about must have been pretty good."
Relieved that she wasn't mad, Aubrey stood up and grabbed his robe while trying to picture anything to calm him down. "I was thinking about us at the cabin during New Years Eve."
Smirking, Jessica crossed her arms. "The sex was pretty hot that weekend, when we weren't fielding Daisy's phone calls."
"You're pretty hot, Jess. I'm sorry that I-"
"Aubrey, you got turned on thinking about me while getting a massage. I'm not mad. Frankly, it just shows me that things won't get boring now that we're married."
"Never, Jessica. I'll always want to get in your pants."
Jessica snickered. "Okay, you're feeling better...and it looks like you've calmed down. Let's go get dressed and head back up to the room so we can relax before dinner."
*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*
Almost four hours later, Jessica and Aubrey rode the elevator down to the main floor for dinner at Plume. The agent kept peeking at his wife, who indeed was wearing the hunter green dress she'd worn on New Years Eve, with a black cardigan sweater, a pair of strappy black heels and a necklace that rested very nicely along her décolletage.
"You look very handsome tonight, Aubrey."
Startled, he looked back at his wife, who was smiling at him. "Thank you, but I didn't dress up much, Jess…"
"You're wearing that dark blue shirt I like. I've always loved blue on you, Aubrey. It brings out your eyes."
"I could say the same about you in green.," Aubrey smirked. "Maybe one night next week I can get you to wear those green shoes you wore at our wedding, okay?" Seeing Jessica's confusion, he grinned. "I mean just the green shoes….by themselves...in our bed...or on the sofa...cooking breakfast...you know...wherever the mood hits us..."
"Are shoes replacing your lingerie fetish? Fickle man..." Jessica smirked as she squeezed his butt. "Anyway, I think that could be arranged. It does sound like fun..."
When the car door opened, the couple emerged onto the main floor. After checking in, they were shown to a table near the fireplace. Sitting down, they looked at the menu and tried not to flinch at the prices.
Getting over his shock, Aubrey cleared his throat. "So many good things...so many choices."
"We can't eat all of it, Aubrey.." Jessica chuckled.
"Well, we can always have midnight snacks…" Aubrey took his wife's hand and they looked at each other with smiles. "Lots of different kinds of snacks…including you."
Unbeknownst to the couple, outside the hotel, Eleanor Gordon pulled up and exited a car before the valet took the keys. "I'm here for dinner. Don't scratch this Jaguar."
Entering the hotel, she looked around with envy. Years earlier, she'd stayed there with her now ex-husband for one of their wedding anniversaries. Of course, instead of getting a suite, they'd had a regular room. While it was lovely, it wasn't a suite, and she'd made sure Charles knew about how disappointed she was. Between his family's winery, his research, lecture tours, and books, he had a few million dollars at his disposal, but he was always so damn stingy with it. We should've enjoyed that money like we deserved instead of waiting for a rainy day that never came...
Finding Plume, she walked up to the host and asked for the couple's table. However, she didn't appreciate that she wasn't allowed to enter and find them herself. Forced to wait in the lobby, Eleanor's mind continued to churn.
Her wedding gift to James and Jessica was supposed to show how cheap her ex-husband was. He'd arranged for them to have a room at a local hotel for their wedding night? She would give the newlyweds a large check to make Charles' gift seem small in comparison. Finding out that her ex was footing the tab for the couple that weekend had been a shock, and it put a crimp in her plans. However, there was always a Plan B.
No way she would let Charles Warren show her up. With the horrible weekend she was having, she deserved a win. Her mother of the bride dress had been revealed as possibly coming from that cheap, awful Target store...she'd been forced to not only ensure a sub par meal at a tavern, but to also be thrown out of her daughter's wedding rehearsal...and then Chase ditched her after the wedding. Well, it was his loss. She was just too much for a boy to handle...
Of course, the worst part was Temperance Brennan acting all high and mighty with her. That woman played with bones and got lucky as an author, while the lawyer did something meaningful with her life. Eleanor had anticipated that through her daughter's connections she'd be able to start a friendship with the anthropologist. Being connected socially to Dr. Brennan could open doors for her, as well as making people envious while she bragged about her influential friends when she went back to her firm.
Instead, the snooty bitch had usurped her at every turn, including making sure she missed the spa morning yesterday by only leaving a message on her cell phone Thursday night. Of course she didn't answer her phone...she was fucking her 32 year old colleague and showing him what a older woman could do. Temperance could have called the hotel in the morning when she hadn't responded by 7:00. Who the hell goes to the spa at 8:00 in the morning anyway?
Well, fuck her. Tonight, she was going to enjoy some well deserved luxury, thanks to her ex-husband and a simple phone call to 'confirm' the couple's reservation time for dinner. It was simply inconceivable that the old jackass would make a fool of her. Her daughter and that...FBI agent...could spare some time for her after she'd given them a generous gift, knowing that James had probably already insisted that it be deposited in their joint account.
Suddenly, the maître d returned. "This way, please."
Standing straighter, Eleanor smiled as she followed the man to her daughter and son-in-law's table. "Hello Darling...James. I'm glad I could join you for dinner."
"Of course, Eleanor." Aubrey stood up as his mother-in-law sat down before doing the same. He was annoyed at being interrupted since Jessica was about to demonstrate how she could remove her panties in a public place without anyone noticing. Pushing that pleasurable activity aside for another time, he forced himself to be polite. "So, Chase went back this morning, did he? Sorry we missed him."
"Yes, he was called back for a case he was working on at the firm." Eleanor placed her napkin on her lap as she told the lie she'd created. No way would she reveal that the bastard had driven back to Pittsburgh last night after he'd seen her flirting with the bartender at the Gaylord's cocktail lounge.
"Well, it was nice you joined our brunch this morning, Mom. I'm still in shock at that check." Jessica sipped her water. "You don't have to give us $5000."
"Of course, I do. It's a mother's prerogative to make sure that her only daughter is well taken care of...and I'm sure James will need all the help he can get in maintaining a reasonable lifestyle for you." Eleanor grabbed the wine list and perused it carefully. "I need something nice with dinner…"
Jessica was disappointed once again. "Uh, Mom...you're not supposed to be drinking, remember? You know it could interact with your bipolar medications."
"Jessica, I'm a grown woman. If I want a damn drink. I'll have one. Don't you get all moral on me here in the restaurant.," Eleanor snarked. "It'll be fine…"
It was then the waiter returned with a bucket of champagne. "J. de Telmont, Brut Heritage, Damery, 1969 Vintage. Compliments of Mr. Charles Warren."
"Wow, thanks, Charlie." Aubrey let the man pour a sample glass for Jessica and after she gave her approval, each had a filled flute. He didn't want to offer his mother-in-law any alcohol, but it would be rude of him not to offer. "Eleanor, would you like some of our champagne?"
"No, thank you. While that is a very good brand, I have a more refined taste." Putting a smile on her face, she pointed to an item. "I would like a bottle of the Krug Reims. 1975 Vintage."
Jessica's eyes widened, but said nothing. When the waiter turned back to them, both she and Aubrey ordered the five course tasting menu, one with wine pairings and one without so they could share the wine with each course. However, the agent added something else.
"Can we also get the Lobster Pappardelle?" Aubrey heard his wife chuckle. "What? I'm hungry."
"Goodness, James. I understand that you want to sample items that you usually have no access to because your salary is under par, but perhaps caution is in order. That will be a lot of food to waste.," Eleanor replied with a sarcastic smile. Turning to the waiter, she ordered the five course tasting menu with wine pairings as well.
Aubrey waited until the waiter left their table. "I appreciate your concern, but there won't be any leftovers tonight, Eleanor."
After a few minutes, the waiter returned and poured Eleanor her champagne. Enjoying the bubbly, she set her flute down. "You should try this vintage sometime, James. Of course, with you being only a government servant, a $2700 bottle of champagne would be outside of your budget."
Aubrey understood exactly what his mother-in-law was trying to do, so he put a smile on his face. "Very true, but I'm learning about great wines from your daughter and her family, including the fact that they don't always have to break the bank."
His mother in law sniffed in disdain. "Well, I will only have the best in life."
*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*
Almost two hours, tasting menus, wine pairings, an entrée, and four desserts later, Aubrey asked for the check. "Well, Eleanor, it was nice to dine with you this evening."
"Thank you, James." The lawyer sipped the last of her champagne. "Jessica, it was so nice that your father is generously covering dinner tonight. He is usually more conservative with his money."
Jessica bit back her retort to her mother's backhanded comment. "Yes, he is, but he does splurge on occasion when the event warrants it, Mom. He is not defined by his bank account and he helped all six of us understand that as we grew up that money isn't everything."
"Well, I disagree. James, you've grown up without money. I'm sure you feel the same as I do."
Feeling as if he'd been slapped, Aubrey gave his mother in law a pointed look. "Well, Eleanor, I spent the first 13 years of my life with a lot of money and it really didn't matter much to me how I lived as long as I had my mom to love me. There are more important things than the almighty dollar."
The couple bit their lips to avoid laughing out loud as Eleanor's jaw tightened in irritation when the waiter returned with two small clipboards. "Are you charging your meal to your room tonight, Mr. Aubrey?"
"Yes, we are. Thank you." Taking the clipboard he was offered, Aubrey signed it before giving it back. "Can we have the rest of our champagne and my wife's remaining dessert sent back up to our room?"
"Certainly, Mr. Aubrey." The waiter then handed the attorney the other board he held.
Confused, she gave the man a look of disdain. "What's this?"
"Your check for dinner, ma'am."
Eleanor chuckled. "You're mistaken. I didn't request my own tab tonight."
"No, but we did, Mom." Turning to the waiter, Jessica gave an apologetic smile. "Please excuse us for a few minutes."
Almost upset he would be missing the ensuing fireworks, the young man walked away. When the waiter was gone, Eleanor grew furious. "What do you mean, 'we did'?"
"Mom, this is my honeymoon, and tonight was intended to be a romantic dinner with my husband." Crossing her arms, Jessica stared her mother down. "Why did you invite yourself to dinner with us tonight? I can't believe Mike and his family wouldn't include you in whatever they had planned, since they're staying until tomorrow."
Feigning shock at the question, Eleanor played dumb. "Because the less time I spend with that Cindy floozy, the better, and besides, I wanted to spend time with you and James…"
"Yeah, on Charlie's dime.," Aubrey drolly responded. Seeing his mother-in-law's mouth open in surprise, he continued. "It's not hard to connect the dots, Eleanor. You figured you could pester us and get a fancy dinner on your ex-husband's tab because your 'wedding gift' to us didn't overshadow his gift. Does it really tick you off that much that you weren't the center of everyone's attention at your daughter's wedding this weekend?"
"I won't dignify your outrageous comments with a response." Aubrey's words hitting a nerve, the attorney tossed the clipboard with her receipt on the table. "As for this, I'm not paying for your indulgences, James. Two desserts? Really?"
"Nice try, but if you look at your bill, you're only paying for your own expenses, including a very expensive $2700 bottle of champagne you insisted on ordering to stick it to your ex-husband." Aubrey waved to get the waiter's attention. When he came over, the agent stood up.
"Thank you very much for your service tonight, Jackson. My wife and I had an amazing experience here." Aubrey pulled out $400 from his wallet, suspecting his mother-in-law would not tip the young man. "This is for you. You've earned every cent of it. Still want to have a drink at Quill, Jess, before heading back to our room?"
"Yes, it does sound good. I've heard their cocktails are amazing." Jessica stood up with her husband. "Good night, Mom. Enjoy the rest of your evening."
Aubrey took his wife's hand and turned back to the waiter. "Do you mind getting my mother-in-law a cab? She's had a bit too much to drink."
"Certainly."
As the newlyweds walked away, Eleanor's face grew red in anger and embarrassment as she read over her bill. How dare they make her pay for her own dinner! Charlie was supposed to pay for her champagne and meal to cover for the $5000 check she'd written!.
Seeing the server was waiting, she wordlessly handed the clipboard back. "I'm going to rent a room for the night, and like my son-in-law just did, I'll charge my dinner to that tab."
Sensing a blow up, Jackson held firm. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but that's against hotel policy...we can't do that since you're not a guest here. You're welcome to inquire about a room here tonight after your pay for your meal, but I also believe that the hotel is full because of the holiday."
"Nonsense. I will be staying here tonight..in one of your suites, not one of your regular rooms, and I will be also speaking to the hotel manager about your insolence." Eleanor pulled her American Express card out of her purse and slapped it on the clipboard. "Make it fast."
*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*
Thirty minutes later, Aubrey and Jessica were enjoying their round of cocktails and appetizers at Quill. "Superman, this Kite Blossom is so good. Try it."
"Sure...and I'll let you try my...Persimmons Says."
The couple sipped each other's drinks before sliding them back. "That's pretty good, Jess. I should order that next."
"Good. I'll pay as a thank you for tipping for both my mother and us. $400 is a lot of money for you."
"Yeah, but your mom gave us $5000 today. We're going to be fine, Jess. Can I have one more sip of your drink?"
As the couple sipped each other's drinks once again, the agent's phone rang. "Hello?"
"Hello, Mr. Aubrey. This is Carrie at the front desk. I do apologize for the interruption, sir, but I have your mother-in-law up here insisting on a suite for the night. I've told her we are sold out tonight, but she's now insisting on a key to your suite because you've consented to letting her stay with you and Mrs. Aubrey. Is this correct, sir?"
Hearing the call through the speaker, Jessica rolled her eyes and shook her head in the negative. Nodding, Aubrey got back on the phone. "No, she's not staying with us, Carrie. She's been drinking and unfortunately, there's been a misunderstanding, so if there are no more rooms, then she needs to take a cab to wherever she's going. I apologize if there has been any inconvenience in dealing with my mother-in-law."
"No, sir, nothing we haven't dealt with before. We take the security of our guests very seriously here, and we wanted to make sure before giving her access to your suite. We apologize for disturbing you on your honeymoon. Have a good evening, Mr. Aubrey."
"Same to you, Carrie. Let me know if she gives you any more trouble and I'll take care of it." Aubrey ended the call and saw his wife's head in her hands. "Jess, I'm so sorry…"
"God...she's off her damn meds again. I don't have the mental energy to spend on her, James. I just want to enjoy my honeymoon with my husband."
"Your husband wants to enjoy our honeymoon with his wife, too." Aubrey held her hand. "Are you okay?"
"I will be. I love you, Aubrey."
"I love you, too, Jessica." He reached across the table to kiss his wife but they broke apart as the waitress checked on them. When she was out of hearing range, Aubrey smiled at his wife. "So, now that the crisis has passed...before your mother interrupted us during dinner, you were going to show me something you learned while attending Michigan State...something about your panties?"
"Yes, and this is the perfect place to do that. It takes time, so be patient,.."
Aubrey sat back and enjoyed his cocktail while he watched his wife begin to remove her underwear. 'I love my wife…'
*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*
At 9:00 the next morning, the couple followed a waiter to a table at the Greenhouse Restaurant across from Plume for Sunday Brunch.
"This morning was nice in the Book Room, Aubrey. Coffee with my husband as we read the paper together."
"It was nice, Jess…" Aubrey kissed her hand. "Now, we get to enjoy a nice brunch."
After the agent pulled the chair out for his wife, they sat down and began to peruse the menu. As always, an excited Aubrey could barely contain himself.
"Oh yeah...Lobster Eggs Benedict...Smoked Salmon with eggs and hash browns." He turned the page and grew more giddy. "Lemon Ricotta pancakes, Belgian Waffles...Blueberry French Toast...Chicken and Waffles...peach cobbler! Jess...I'm in heaven."
Jessica rolled her eyes at her husband over the menu, pretending to be annoyed. "I thought you were in heaven last night when I dropped my panties on the table at Quill. After that, you went through most of those charcuterie and cheese boards in record time before almost dragging me back upstairs and plowing me with my dress still on."
Aubrey recalled last night with fondness before putting on a sad face. "Honey, I'm always in heaven when we're together, especially when we do kinky fun stuff, but the food on this menu…"
The redhead laughed, unable to keep up the premise anymore. "I'm kidding, Aubrey. I do accept your mistress as long as I'm the one you come home to."
"I'll always come home to you, Jess. However, having you with no underwear...or having cheesecake at hand nearby when you're naked...that's just gravy."
The couple shared a chuckle as coffee, tea, and orange juice arrived at their table.
*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*
At 1:00, Aubrey walked out of their house carrying the rest of their bags. Putting them in the back end of Jessica's Jeep, he walked back inside where he found his wife quietly setting down Skinner's carrier.
"Okay, it's time. You want to hold Skinner or the carrier, Jess?"
The intern pondered for a bit. "If you hold him here, I'll hold him when we pack him up to come home next weekend."
"Deal. Do you know where he is?"
"He...ran upstairs. He knows that we're going on a trip, Aubrey."
"Shit...he's going to be under our bed. Okay, it'll be just like when we took him to the vet for his rabies vaccine a few weeks ago. We've got this."
The couple went upstairs and after checking the rest of the bedrooms, walked into their room. After shutting the bathroom, closet, and main doors, each squatted down by the bottom of the bed. Not surprisingly, they found the orange tabby in the middle by the head of the bed.
"Ready?," Aubrey said to his wife, who nodded. "One...two...three…"
Both ducked under the bed, causing Skinner to run out from the other end. Anticipating this, Aubrey caught him first and picked him up. "Yeah, I know you're pissed, but you're not going to run around in a vehicle for two hours."
Twenty minutes later, Jessica locked the back door as Aubrey held Skinner's carrier. Ignoring the unpleasant meows, they put the feline in the back seat next to a cooler. Satisfied that he was well secured, the couple got in the vehicle and after getting situated, looked at each other with smiles.
"We'll have to stop for groceries, but we'll be at the cabin in a couple of hours.," the redhead said happily.
"Where Part 2 of our honeymoon will commence. I've got extra food for Skinner and his litter stuff so we're set there." Aubrey looked back from the passenger seat to the cat, who looked irritated as he swished his tail. "Oh stop, you'll survive for two hours...Jess, you armed the burglar alarm, right?"
"Yes, Aubrey and turned on all the timers. Booth said he would pop over a few times this week to check on things." Jessica started the vehicle. "Here we go…"
"Cool. It's time for more honeymoon adventures.," Aubrey declared.
"Onward to Luray…," Jessica declared before putting the SUV in gear and driving away from the house.