Chapter 16
"Where are they?" Tim paced the room.
"I'm sure they're fine." Ziva said softly, rising to answer the soft knock at the door.
Rebecca entered, looking relaxed and comfortable in black silk pants-and-shirt lounge outfit. Her time spent at the spa had been just what she needed.
"Are they back?" She asked.
"No." Ziva said.
"They'll be fine." Rebecca said.
"That's what I told Tim. Hasn't stopped him from pacing."
Rebecca smiled.
"Maybe they found something interesting and are checking it out."
"They could have called." Tim protested.
Neither woman had a statement to out-argue that logic.
"Oh…it's been a few months now." Gibbs replied quickly, taking Tony's hand. "And you're right…it is difficult."
"Yeah." Tony stammered out. Awkward didn't even seem to be the right word to describe the situation. "He's my boss…but…you know…"
"Can't fight the attraction." Bob and Jim said together.
"We've been together for years." Jim said. "And that's why we like to come here…it freshens up our relationship."
"What exactly goes on here?"
"Well…you find a group that you like…and you swap. I'm surprised that you're already doing this after only a few months. We were in the honeymoon stage for over a year." Jim explained.
"We've known each other for several years…just kind of gave in to the deeper feelings recently." Tony said. Gibbs glared at him.
"You a Marine, Gibbs?" Bob asked.
Jethro nodded.
"We had a Colonel here recently. Disappeared after a short stay. Dunno what happened to him. I think we might have scared him off." Bob smiled sadly. "Too bad…he had a butt that made me want to…"
"Got the idea." Gibbs barked out.
"Did he just disappear?" Tony asked, concern on his face.
"Yeah, he was talking with Mark over there. The Colonel was seeing Scott, a waiter at the resort, for a long time. Scott told him about the meetings and they came. He talked with Mark, they went for a walk…."
"That's enough gossip, darling!" Jim said to Bob.
"Ooops, sorry…I get carried away with it some times. I swear I'd be content to stay at home watching soaps and eating bon bons."
Bob and Jim laughed. The two agents forced some smiles.
"Mark is rather good looking." Tony said. Internally, he swore if his buddies ever got wind of this evening, there would be hell to pay...
The two other men looked disappointed.
"If you want, we can introduce you to Mark and his partner." Bob said disappointed. "We were kinda hoping that you would like us."
"It's not you." Gibbs said smoothly. "DiNozzo likes the bad boys."
"Yeah, it's what attracted me to Gibbs." Tony draped an arm over Jethro's shoulders. The older man's eyes promised retribution when they were alone.
"Yeah, I met that Colonel." Mark laughed. "A bit of pansy, even if he is a Marine."
His partner, a smaller man who introduced himself as Ian, smiled shyly at Tony.
"You strike me as a bit more Marine-ish, Gibbs." Mark surveyed Gibbs head-to-toe, stopping to peruse the older man's mid-torso.
"Why would you call him a pansy?" Tony asked.
"Why are you curious?" Mark countered.
"Just wanted to know what our modern Marines are like. Gibbs is old-school." Tony fluttered his eyelashes in a masculine manner.
"He's seeing a waiter here…Scott I think. But he's married. Wants his cake and to eat it, too. Man can't commit to a lifestyle. How un-Marine is that? Scared of his wife. Scared to disappoint Scott. Scared to let his country down by coming out of the closet." Mark sneered.
Gibbs' hands formed fists, but Tony rubbed his shoulders reminding him to relax.
"Have you guys thought about calling Gibbs or Tony?" Rebecca suggested.
Ziva and Tim looked at each other bashfully.
"They'll think we're checking them out."
"Checking up on them, Ziva." Tim corrected. "And we are."
Ziva nodded as Tim grabbed his phone and dialed up Gibbs.
Gibbs felt his phone vibrate. He looked down and saw Tim's number.
"Yeah….yeah…we're okay…what…okay…we'll be right there…"
Gibbs looked at Mark.
"We need to go. One of our team members isn't feeling well." Gibbs grabbed Tony's hand and quickly left the barn.
"Bye!" Tony called out over his shoulder.
Ian waved shyly.
Tim looked down at his phone in confusion.
"Uh…I asked if they were okay…and then he said they'll be right here."
"Great." Ziva said.
"Good." Rebecca agreed.
"I didn't ask when they'd be here." Tim argued.
"Maybe he thought you were going to ask." Rebecca suggested. "Doesn't matter though…they okay and they'll be here soon."
Athena and Aphrodite bounded into the room ahead of Gibbs and Tony. They barked softly upon seeing Rebecca, happy to be returned to their mistress. Absently, she rubbed their heads and quickly surveyed the two men to ensure that they were indeed in one piece each.
"What did you find?" Ziva asked.
Gibbs and Tony looked at each other. On the trip back from the barn, they had argued about what to tell the rest of the team. In the end, the case took precedence over male pride and they agreed to hide nothing.
Gibbs quickly explained the event at the barn, including the connection to the Colonel.
"How did you two fit in there so well?" Tim asked innocently.
"We held hands, Probie." Tony said.
Ziva choked on her water. Rebecca looked up in shock.
"You…held…hands." Ziva managed to say.
"Tony rubbed my shoulders." Gibbs added.
"Can we expect invitations in the mail any time soon?" Tim laughed.
Gibbs slapped the back of McGee's head.