The limos arrived at the lab at 7 sharp. As they all piled in, Angela surveyed her handiwork with barely concealed glee. Brennan wore a bright red dress, the top was a daringly low cut halter that showcased her generous cleavage and silky pale skin. It swept over her curves and swished elegantly around her silver sandals. Ruby earrings dripped from her ears and smoky eye makeup made her look just a little bit mysterious. Her nails were shiny and French tipped and her hair was piled into a tousled mass at the crown of her head. It was hard to believe that this was the same woman who had been hunched over a pile of bones only a few hours before.
Arastoo was completely start struck. He stuttered his complements, switching involuntarily back and forth between his real accent and his fake one. Vincent Nigel-Murrey said something about fingernails growing four times faster than toenails. Fisher stared at her gaping neckline until Clark elbowed him hard in the ribs.
If the interns' stunned reaction was any indication, Booth was going to have a very difficult evening ahead of him. Poor sucker.
Booth took Perotta's coat and checked it for her while she got them their drinks. He still hadn't decided how he felt about her yet. He liked her, respected her work, he found her attractive…. But there was definitely something missing. Of course that probably had nothing to do with Perotta and everything to do with his hideously inappropriate infatuation with his partner. But Bones wasn't into him, and he was only human. So here he was, trying to connect with someone else. Someone who wasn't the one he really wanted.
They sat at a table with five other agents, two of whom brought their wives. The conversation was lively and he found he was really enjoying himself after a few minutes. If he looked anxiously towards the door every few seconds, it most certainly had nothing to do with his desire to see Bones. He simply missed his squints. He found he was much closer to them these days than he was to the other agents he worked with. It felt strange being here without them this year.
Perotta seemed to sense his unease. "They'll be here Agent Booth; they have that table right next to ours so you'll have someone to talk to when we run out of things to say at this table." He didn't bother denying her assessment; he just teased her back "You don't think you can keep me entertained all night?"
"I don't think my IQ is high enough to hold your interest for long." He didn't miss the reference.
"We're just partners" he said quickly, but she knew better. Anyone who had worked with Booth and Brennan knew that statement to be blatantly false.
"I like you Seely. I really do." She said earnestly "But I know your heart isn't free." She stopped him when he would have disagreed. "I just wanted to have fun tonight. Dance with a good looking guy, flirt a little, maybe make Dr. Brennan a little jealous…" Her smile was soft and genuine.
"Fun I can do" he replied, his heart inexplicably lighter. He pulled her out of her chair and twirled her onto the dance floor. She was a great dancer and her dry, sarcastic commentary on every person in their line of sight kept him thoroughly entertained.
"Oh my God," she let out a low whistle and he followed her eyes to the door of the massive ballroom. The initial burst of pleasure he felt at seeing his favorite people filing into the room, was replaced with a sharp stab of lust at the sight of his partner. Bones handed off her coat and rewarded the coat check boy with a dazzling smile. He suddenly wished he was a coat check boy.
She was so incredibly, heart-breakingly gorgeous. He knew without a doubt that he could never be good enough for her and his heart sank into the pit of his stomach, even as his pulse began to race in excitement. Perotta reached up and physically pushed his jaw shut. "You're getting drool all over me Seely." She teased. He looked down into her sweet, understanding face and fervently wished that he felt even a tenth of what he'd felt when he saw Bones. He started to apologize but she wouldn't let him.
"I know Booth." She laughed "You remember what you told me when you were on pain killers?" He had a feeling he wasn't going to like whatever came next.
"I don't remember much about that week," he admitted.
"You told me I had to protect her silky black hair and her soft skin." She suppressed a giggle.
"Her hair isn't even black" he felt an absurd need to point that out… choosing not to think about how many other things he may have revealed during his week on bed rest.
"I figured out that I didn't have a chance with you that day." Her eyes were sad for a brief moment before her face became animated and she continued. "But she has …. No idea… I mean NO CLUE Booth!" she said in disbelief. "I can't imagine how difficult it has been for you to keep this from her."
"She doesn't see it because she doesn't feel the same way" he explained. She snorted.
"You are just as blind as she is" she smiled belligerently up at him and he spun her around until that irritating smile dropped off her face.
Angela pulled Wendell aside and he gazed softly down at her. "So I was wondering if you might like to help me do a little match making." His gaze turned suspicious and she continued. "Booth is here with Perotta; Brennan won't admit that it bothers her. I had to beg her to come tonight, her feelings were so hurt."
"Dr. Brennan's feelings cannot be hurt." He said with certainty.
"Look at her Wendell." Dr. Brennan stood only a few feet away from them, but somehow she looked like the only person in the middle of an empty room. She stood, frozen and stoic in front of them, watching as Booth led the gorgeous blond around the dance floor. Wendell's heart went out to her. He couldn't help it. It was so rare to see vulnerability in that brilliant face.
"I really don't want to piss Booth off." He hissed.
"Man up Wendell, he won't hurt you as long as you keep your hands where he can see 'em," she teased.
"Fine," he whispered "but if he shoots me, I'm holding you personally and financially responsible," he hissed. Closing the space between them he stood beside Dr. Brennan, taking in the scene for a moment before offering her his arm. She took it without hesitation. It felt strange having this woman so close to him. She had the power to make or break his career and he was about to ask her to dance. His palms began to sweat but he managed to keep his voice cool. "You wanna dance one before we sit?" he asked easily. She beamed up at him. Actually beamed. The force of that smile and that dress together made him weak in the knees. He led her to the floor and she slid easily into his arms. He grinned nervously at Booth as he and Perotta swished past them on the dance floor.
He noticed the blond for the first time. She and Booth were both dressed in "ice" blue and silver. She wore a long strapless blue dress and her thick blond hair was swept up into some elaborate knot at the back of her head. She was sexy, in a girl next door kind of way, and he found himself wishing he could trade dates with Booth. From the looks of it, Booth felt the same way. He felt hard brown eyes boring into his hand where it rested on Dr. Brennan's waste. That guy was so far gone.
When they left the dance floor, he naturally fell in step behind Brennan and Booth as they led the way back to their table. They began talking about the reports they hadn't finished that day and the case they had just finished and Wendell suddenly found himself exchanging a knowing grin with Agent Perotta.