By the next Friday, Angela decided that Brennan had stalled long enough. She walked purposefully into Brennan office and said, "We're going out tonight. I know this great club."
Brennan protested, but Angela was determined. By the time Booth strolled into her office, she was desperate. She wasn't having second thoughts exactly, but it seemed like everything was happening too quickly. 'I'm not ready for this yet,' she thought.
Unfortunately for Brennan, Angela spoke first. "Tell Bren she should take a night off and go out with me."
Booth nodded. "A little downtime might be good for you, Bones."
"See, he agrees with me, so you have to come," Angela said quickly. Turning to Booth, she invited, "Would you like to come too? We're all going to be there."
Although he wasn't sure that he'd enjoy hanging out with the squints all evening, he was looking forward to spending time with Brennan. He nodded. 'It'll be amusing to see how they interact with normal people,' he thought. 'And it will give me time to see how things really are between the two of us.'
"Bones, I'll come pick you up at seven," he said.
Brennan nodded unhappily and turned the conversation to the reason for Booth's visit.
At 5:01 that evening, Angela dragged Brennan out of the office. The two dressed at Brennan's apartment. Angela made her try on three outfits before she was satisfied. By the time Angela was done with Brennan's hair and make-up, she was so excited about the next step in the plan that between the squeals and advice, she had given Brennan a headache.
Five minutes before Booth was to arrive, whirlwind Angela spun out the door and Brennan finally had a few minutes of calm. She swallowed some aspirin and had just sat down when her doorbell rang.
Her mouth dropped open when she saw Booth. 'He's never looked so good.' He was casually dressed in a black T-shirt and jeans, and his clothes fit perfectly. A brown leather jacket swung casually over one shoulder and he exuded confidence and sensuality. Her mouth dropped open when she read what was written on his shirt. The words 'Argh, I love bones and booty' sat above a skull and crossbones.
Booth's greeting died on his lips and his eyes traveled slowly down and back up her figure, stopping at her eyes. She wore a shiny red tank top and black pants that fit like a second skin. Black stilettos completed the outfit. "You look incredible," he said hoarsely. "You ready to go?"
She tucked a small wallet into the pocket of her pants and locked the door behind her. Sparks flew between the two when he placed his hand low on her waist to guide her to his vehicle. The warmth of his hand seemed to keep the coolness of the evening at bay, and Brennan was sorry when they arrived at his car and the contact was lost. As had become normal over the past few days, she allowed him to open the door for her without protest. Unused to the stilettos, she wobbled while climbing into the SUV and was glad for his supporting hand.
During the ride to the club, Booth lectured himself. 'She's your partner, and you don't want to mess up your working relationship. You just have to control your impulses and everything will be fine.'
Meanwhile, Brennan had a strange feeling in her abdominal area. 'Maybe this is what they call butterflies,' she thought. 'I'm so nervous. Maybe it was a good thing Angela made me go tonight. I don't know if I'd ever feel ready.' The butterflies in her stomach increased.
She was surprised to find they had arrived. As she climbed out of the SUV, the stilettos wobbled on the running board and she lost her balance. Booth caught her before she fell over. It felt so wonderful to hold her at last that he didn't want to let go. A moment later his brain kicked in, and he pushed her back and steadied her on her feet. With a boyish smile he said, "You better stay close to me. You seem pretty unsteady on those shoes."
"Angela insisted that they 'made the outfit.' But I never realized they'd be so hard to walk in," Brennan said.
Booth's smile widened. "She's right. You look fabulous. I'll be happy to help keep you upright." 'Just like every other man in the club,' he thought.
"You can trip my direction any time," he flirted, his charm smile at full wattage as he escorted her into the club. 'Wait. I was going to stop flirting with her this evening to see if she noticed the difference. Argh! This is going to be a long night.'
They found the others sitting at a table near the dance floor. Angela spewed out a bit of her drink in disbelief when she saw his shirt.
"Nice shirt, Booth," exclaimed Angela. "How about a drink before dancing?"
At everyone's nod, Angela and Jack went to get a round of beer. While they were enjoying their drinks, Jack and Zach started an argument over something scientific, practically yelling to be heard over the music. Brennan was clearly following the disagreement and would occasionally comment, but Booth couldn't understand a word, so he spent the time watching Brennan. The music was so loud he could hardly hear what they were saying anyway.
Angela suppressed a squeal. 'My plan is definitely working!' she thought, grinning broadly.
Just then an average-looking guy with black hair boldly approached the table and asked Brennan for a dance. She accepted and the two moved to the dance floor.
Booth watched them, glowering. When Brennan stumbled and the black-haired man caught her, Booth's expression darkened.
"You look jealous," Angela observed.
"She's just my partner," he said without much conviction.
Angela laughed. "You can't honestly expect me to buy that. I've seen the way you look at her. Denial ain't just a river in Egypt, G-man," she teased with a sly smile.
As Booth watched, the man slid his hand lower on Brennan's back. She said something to him curtly and his hand moved back up. He tried to pull her close, but she held back stiffly, an annoyed look on her face. She tried to pull away, but he held on.
Just as Brennan was considering using one of her martial arts moves, Booth tried to cut in. She smiled at him in relief. However, Brennan's dance partner was having none of it. "You can't just cut in. We haven't finished our dance," he snarled at Booth.
Booth smiled tightly. "Why don't you ask the lady what she'd prefer?"
Instead of being reasonable, the man growled, "No. She's mine. I saw her first."
Outraged, Brennan cried, "I am not a possession, and I am certainly not yours."
Booth stepped between Brennan and her dance partner. In a quiet voice tinged with anger, he said, "Leave her alone. If I see you near her again, there will be trouble. This is no way to treat a lady."
Booth's menacing manner and words finally penetrated the man's alcohol-fogged brain, and he stumbled away. Booth extended his hand to Brennan, and she joined him for a dance.
"Thanks," she said. "It didn't matter what I said, that oaf just didn't get the message. And all he talked about was football. I think he was drunk."
Booth smiled, "I'm always happy to help a damsel in distress."
"I wasn't in distress. I was considering the best karate move to drop him," Brennan objected.
After a couple of faster songs, the band started a slower one, and Booth pulled Brennan closer. He was surprised and pleased when she laid her head on his shoulder. He tightened his grip a bit. Neither spoke, and both of them were thinking about how right they felt together.
Brennan felt all melty inside. 'I'm not sure how this will help my concentration at work, but it feels so good I'm not sure I care. I think I could dance forever in his arms.'
When the song was over, he kept ahold of her hand and lead her slowly from the dance floor. He leaned down and spoke near her ear to be heard, "I'm thirsty. Can I get you a drink?"
She stretched up to reply, "I'd love another beer."
He left her at the table and went to the bar to get their drinks. With the drinks in hand, he turned back the table to see Brennan's dance partner from earlier approach her. He jostled his way through the crowd as quickly as he could.
"No. I don't want to dance with you again," Brennan told the man. He grabbed her arm and tried to pull her onto the dance floor anyway. Brennan didn't want to cause a scene, so she didn't flip him onto his back like she wanted to. Instead she pulled away and walked to the other side of the table.
Booth set down the drinks and grabbed the man's shoulder roughly. "I told you to leave her alone. She just told you she wasn't interested. I don't like it when a man disrespects a woman, but when he disrespects my woman…" Booth glared menacingly at the man. "You're drunk. Did you come with someone?" As he firmly escorted the man in the direction he pointed, the man spluttered an almost incoherent apology about not knowing she was Booth's girlfriend.
When he returned to their table, Angela joked, "If you'll protect me like that, I'll be your girlfriend too."
But Booth ignored her and walked directly to Brennan. "I'm sorry about that, Temperance. I didn't realize he was such a leech. I know you don't like it when I go all 'alpha male' on you, but it was the fastest and easiest way to make him leave." He handed her her drink and sat down next to her, casually draping his arm over the back of her chair. Brennan tried to concentrate on the conversation at the table, but his proximity was making it very difficult.
A few minutes later, they were out on the dance floor again. Although they had danced together before, something about tonight was different. Booth couldn't quite put his finger on it, but it seemed as though something had shifted.
The band started fast a Latin song and Booth lead Brennan in the salsa. The gyrations of her hips made his heart rate increase and his breathing became ragged. He pulled her closer. She looked up at him and their gazes connected and held. His eyes darkened to a deep chocolate, and hers sparkled a brilliant blue. She felt as if his eyes were boring into her, and she lowered her internal walls and allowed her emotions to shine through. The tension between them escalated and their dance took on a completely sensual quality. The two were so absorbed in each other and the dance that they failed to notice that everyone else had stopped dancing to watch them.
When the song ended and the next started, they stopped dancing and stood gazing at each other until someone jostled them. He clasped her hand and led her toward the door.
Angela watched as the two of them left and then turned to Jack. "We can dance now," she said, interrupting his conversation with Zach.