A/N: Thanks to xX Melissa Xx for the suggestion for this chapter, and to my intrepid editor redrider6612.
Over the weekend Booth mulled over his conversation with Dr. Wyatt. Eventually he decided that what was sauce for the goose was sauce for the gander. 'Two can play this game,' he thought.
So he went shopping and bought, among other things, a couple of new dress shirts, a leather jacket, a present for Parker, and some particularly eye-catching ties and socks. It took a bit of looking, but he even found a tie with skeletons on it.
As he headed toward the mall exit, a small specialty store caught his eye. In the window there was a T-shirt with a skull and crossbones and a sign advertising custom screening. A devious idea struck him, and he entered the store, a wide grin covering his face.
The extra time he spent getting ready on Monday morning paid off. Brennan stared at him for almost a minute before mumbling good morning, and Angela whistled and told him he looked snazzy. In the car on the way to the crime scene of their latest case, Booth noticed she kept sneaking peeks at him from the passenger seat.
Tuesday he wore his skeleton tie, getting a round of laughs from the squints and a fair number of his fellow agents. Once he leaned in to whisper a humorous comment in her ear. The feel of his warm breath on her face made her shiver deliciously. When they interviewed a friend of the deceased person, he sat very close to her without actually touching, close enough that his proximity was extremely distracting but not actually touching.
On Wednesday afternoon, Brennan slipped into Angela's office and closed the door behind her.
"I don't think the plan is working," she said.
Angela tilted her head and looked at Brennan. "Why not?" she asked.
"Well, I'm doing the things you told me, but I'm still having a terrible time concentrating," explained Brennan.
Angela laughed. "I told you it would take a while. You just need to give it more time. Besides, I think it is working. Did you see him yesterday and today? He was dressed more outrageously than normal. I think he's getting the message," she winked.
Confused, Brennan said, "I'm sure there was some logic in that statement somewhere, but it wasn't apparent to me."
When Angela started to explain, Brennan said, "Nevermind. I don't really want to know. I'll just take your word for it."
That evening Booth showed up at Brennan's apartment with her favorite Chinese takeout. He knocked on the door. When she opened the door to admit him, she admired his clean-cut good looks.
After they had eaten, he collected the containers to throw them out while she poured them more iced tea. As he dumped the containers in the trashcan, he allowed one to slip and spill some sauce on his shirt.
"Crap," he said, trying hard to suppress a secret smile. He grabbed a paper towel and started to wipe at it.
She leaned closer to examine it. "It looks like it there were tomatoes in the sauce," she said. She looked up. "Take off your shirt," she ordered.
"Geez, Bones. If you wanted to see me shirtless all you had to do was ask," he flirted.
She rolled her eyes at him. "If we put it in cold water immediately the stain should come right out."
He slowly removed his shirt and she couldn't keep her eyes from his bare chest.
Her mouth went dry and her heart rate accelerated. She blushed, grabbed the shirt from his hand and turned to the sink. 'I knew he was well structured, but wow!' She scrubbed at the stain vigorously, trying to control her thoughts and her physical reaction.
When she was done, she said, "I'll just toss this in the dryer for you." Returning from the laundry room, she found him seated on her couch. He smiled his charm smile and she went weak in the knees. She leaned on a nearby wall to support herself. "It will only take a few minutes," she stuttered, unable to tear her eyes from him. He was nicely muscled. 'So that's what he's like underneath his shirt. I knew he was muscular from the times we've hugged, but…' she was practically drooling.
Booth sat quietly on the couch, smiling at her, not minding her scrutiny one bit. 'Gordon-Gordon must have been right. I've never seen her look at any guy that way before.' His heart felt light. 'She's looked so good lately that it's been hard not to touch her. As a matter of fact, she looks good enough to eat right now. We better work things out soon. This waiting is torture.'
The ding of the dryer distracted both of them. Booth stood up and walked to the laundry room to retrieve his shirt, pausing along the way to whisper in Brennan's ear, "I'll get it."
'How can the man make a simple statement so seductive?' she wondered, dazed.
He returned fully dressed and said regretfully, "It's late. I've got to get going."
Brennan saw him out and then collapsed onto her couch, disappointed that he was gone, but relieved at the same time.