Spoilers: Nope!

Disclaimer: Eh, whatever.

Author's Note: Uhh...All I want for Christmas is lots of reviews! So if you love me (and/or this story), please?

Brennan looked after him, shocked. She wasn't sure whether he had been joking or not. She couldn't tell which she would have preferred. On one hand, if he had have been joking, then she could just laugh it off. On the other hand, if he was joking, it meant he found something entertaining in the prospect of her sleeping naked.

She wouldn't admit to herself how much she liked the idea of the latter. She slowly followed him into the building when she saw him holding the lobby door open for her a few yards away, smiling curiously.

Booth was pleased he had made her speechless. That was something that didn't happen to Temperance Brennan very often. Though he was slightly worried, too. He had said it as a joke. But he honestly wasn't sure whether or not he had truly been joking. He had a horrible feeling he had actually been contemplating her naked when he'd said it.

Uh oh, he thought as she entered the building, just sweeping against his arm as he held the door for her. Now he had the image of her naked in his head. This was not going to be an easy night.

"Geez, Bones, what took you so long?" he asked mockingly, smirking. Brennan totally ignored him as she made her way to the desk.

Brennan looked at the receptionist. She was slim, about twenty, unnaturally blonde, her lips were smothered with makeup, and she was just Booth's type. I bet she's really stupid, thought Brennan more for her own benefit than for observational purposes. The only problem with that, she realized, was that that only seemed to peak Booth's interest more.

Brennan forced a smile at the girl. "Hi. Are there any rooms available?" Booth was standing close behind her now. Brennan had no doubt he was checking out the receptionist.

"Well hi! We sure do, ma'am!" she exclaimed with a very Southern drawl. God, she's annoying! Thought Booth. He stood close to Brennan automatically, protectively. And a girl her age shouldn't be wearing so much makeup, he thought, wincing mentally. He had seen many girls looking like this in his job; most of them were prostitutes.

"What are you after? You see, we don't get many visitors down here this time of year, you know, it being cold and all." She smiled as if she were looking for some kind of approval.

"Well, we're only here for one night." Brennan looked pointedly at Booth, who was now so close she could feel heat coming from him. She relished in this for a second, before remembering herself. It was cold, after all.

The blonde mistook the tone. "Ooh! Married?" asked the girl, winking suggestively at Booth.

"We're not married!" Brennan almost yelled, just as Booth was saying, "She is not my mistress!" They both looked at each other, taken aback, then back at blondie, who was now looking slightly awkward. Booth silently wondered how many times she'd made that mistake. Not too many, unless she really was as stupid as he had first thought.

She quickly muttered something, then excused herself, leaving Booth and Brennan alone in the silent lobby. "Why-" they both began.

"Hello, ya'll! I'm sorry about Regan. She can be a little...forward sometimes." Booth and Brennan turned to the woman who was not standing in front of them. She looked remarkable like 'Regan'. Brennan figured she was her mother.

Regan, Booth thought sardonically. Figures. He chuckled, than looked up, remembering he was not alone. He cleared his throat.

"Don't worry about it ma'am. It isn't the first time something like that's happened. You see, I work for the FBI. This is my partner, Doctor Brennan." He placed his hands on her shoulders, still behind her.

"The FBI? Oh, dear, has something awful happened? Oh, no, you can't tell me that, can you? Not that you would tell me even if ya'll could, seeings as I ain't official or nothing..." she rambled. Brennan stole a look behind her at Booth, and they both smiled, trying to refrain from laughter.

Booth thought it was quite funny that he could create such a fuss by simply stating his profession. Brennan, on the other hand, found it both amusing and anthropologically fascinating that her accent and bad grammar became much more evident the more she rambled; the more upset she got.

"Ma'am." Booth snapped her out of her muddled speech.

"Oh, dears, I'm sorry! It's just that I'm not really used to this sort of thing. I mean, the crime rates here aren't low, but...FBI..."

"Yes, ma'am. But we aren't here for purely professional reasons," Booth said, trying to lead her off the crime-thing. Brennan glared at him. "We just need two rooms for one night, that's all." Booth gave her his Charm Smile, and it worked as well as it always did.

The woman instantly went to the computer, asked their names, and within seconds, handed them a room key each. "Ms Brennan, you're room four thirty-four. Mr-Agent Booth, you're number four thirty-two." They both looked at her, meaning to thank her, when she misread their expressions.

"Only next to each other in case something...pops up. Like a murder or something, God forbid," she said solemnly.

"God forbid," Booth repeated, smiling at her. "Goodnight." He smiled at her again, and Brennan laughed quietly as she thought the woman might faint. I sympathize, she thought dryly as they made their way to the elevator.

As soon as the elevator doors closed, Brennan smacked Booth in the arm. "Ow!" he yelled at her, rubbing his arm. "What was that for?!"

"You made her think we were sleeping together!" Brennan bit back, hands on hips. Booth took a stance so he was facing her.

"I did not! She was just too stupid to keep her weird 'affair' thoughts to herself. It isn't my fault that some blonde teen has her mind in the gutter!"

"What? I wasn't talking about her, Booth. I was talking about the other one!" She rolled her eyes, as if he should have known. "'Purely professional', Booth? She thinks we're a couple!"

Booth surprised her with his comeback. "So?" he asked, his eyes meeting hers. Brennan's eyes widened slightly. "Who cares if some woman we'll probably never see again thinks we're a couple?" he added quickly.

"Besides, if I was her, I would have thought the same thing..." he couldn't help but add, turning back around to face the elevator doors again. Brennan stood dumb for a few seconds. What the Hell was that? she thought.

The elevator dinged and they stepped onto their floor, and went to their doors. "It was still your fault," said Brennan as she closed the door behind her, making Booth laugh. He closed his door behind him. "That's my Temperance. Always has to get the last word..." He shook his head, amused.

Brennan sat down on the bed in her room. She was bored already, and she'd only been in the room for a matter of minutes. Besides, it was still only five o'clock, and it was just light outside. She briefly thought about going for a run, then remembered she had no other clothes.

"Damn," she muttered. There was a knock at her door. Booth; she recognized the knock. She moved over to the door and let him in.

"Bored?" he asked, seeing her expression. "Well, I have just the thing!"

"Um, Booth, we can't swim, it's too cold, and we don't have swimmers; I can't run, because I have no running gear; there are no books here, save the Bible..." she ended rather sourly.

"Hey. Careful, there, Bones. Some people actually like the Bible..." Booth didn't want to start an argument, but he wouldn't let it go, either.

"Yes, but I've already read the Bible," she stated simply. Booth sighed.

"Bones, the Bible isn't the kind of book you just...you know what, never mind..." he said, exasperated. There were a few minutes of silence. Brennan spoke first. She turned to face him.

"So what's this thing you had in mind?"

He only grinned.