Thank you all for your reviews, I'm glad you seem to like the story so far. The sinners are strange people, no doubt… but as I told some if you in the review replies… they were created in my mind – it's not a sane place to begin with, why should the characters I come up with be normal ;) ;) ;)

Thank you for reading, here's the next chapter…

Under cover(s)? - 8

"Oh, look at that, Tony. Isn't that room just gorgeous?" Roxy cooed. Booth nearly had to stop himself from laughing manically. A cooing Brennan, who would have anticipated that?

But he had to admit that the room with the whirlpool in the center and half a dozen big soft-looking chaise longue around it looked… amazing. Columns and some low walls at the other side of the room formed a few niches with more chaise longue, that conveyed the feeling of privacy and intimacy, although the people from the whirlpool might be able to watch. The whole room appeared to be taken out of the ancient Rome, all decadence and pompous style, but still it had just that: Style. Even he had to acknowledge that.

And, Vivian's words were proven to be true, too. He was convinced he'd never seen such a big whirlpool before. Twelve or more people would fit comfortably enough.

If you added to that equation, that most of them would spend the time in the pool willingly – no, make that eagerly - on each other's laps, you might be able to fit twenty people or even more in the whirlpool.

He was impressed. And glad that only Terry was touring them through the house. Booth didn't plan on ending up in that particular room with Vivian. He stifled a shudder. The woman had something about her that made him feel like a piece of meat, reduced to a simple object of her carnal desires. He didn't mind being complimented on his body, on his looks…. Well, who would mind, really? But her leering gaze was just too much. She made him feel like a rabbit…. and Vivian was the snake.

Seeley Booth, though an adult and self-confident man, was way out of his league at Sinner's Palace. Well, he had expected as much. Somehow he'd been wary, had feared he'd enjoy the time here, worried that there was some dark spot buried inside him that could relate to these people. But he didn't, not at all.

Whatever drove all those people out there to their actions, he would never understand them.

All this crap here was just about sex. Had they ever heard of making love, he wondered? Of the difference between the mere carnal act and the connection you could achieve?

He just couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that they went here with their spouses only to bang with somebody else. Men and women who had sworn to spend their life with each other, see each other through good and bad times we're busily fucking other people because their own marriage obviously wasn't enough to satisfy them. He would feel compassion, if he wasn't so busy being disgusted.

Booth glanced at his partner and a sudden wave of pity rose in him, though he knew she wouldn't appreciate him feeling so. Here she was, that intelligent and gorgeous woman with the strong mind, his partner and friend. And she had never made love, had no idea how it was SUPPOSED to feel. And everything primal in him screamed that he was the one to show her. But his head said otherwise.

His head also said that he was going to blow their cover with all his silent musing and he quickly cleared his throat.

"Sorry… I guess I was overwhelmed. You're right, darling. This room is … amazing." Tony said. He glanced at Terry, raising one eyebrow. "This must've cost a fortune."

Terry smiled politely. "It did. But this is an exclusive club and requires exclusive interior. We wanted to create a different world, a place where you can forget about daily life."

Brennan nodded. "You succeeded." She looked around in awe, which was only half-faked.

Another polite smile covered Terry's handsome face. "Thank you. I think upon seeing our premises here, you will understand why the contribution of each couple is important for us to maintain this standard."

"Of course." Roxy nodded vigorously and Tony gave a understanding nod, too.

"I hope this will not be a problem for you." O'Reilly gave them an unmistakable evaluating look while referring to the 800 monthly due NOT INCLUDING additional expenses, though he tried to mask his obvious concern.

"You think because I'm unemployed at the moment?" Roxy asked and waved it off immediately. "I do not work as teacher out of necessity. I like to teach, besides it wouldn't pay well anyway. Tony earns good money with his company and I inherited a few years back. Not enough for him to stop working and be lazy, mind you… but we're able to live comfortably enough."

Booth had to acknowledge that Brennan really was convincing. Much more than he had anticipated, even more than he had hoped. He gave her a warm and encouraging smile and her eyebrows rose slightly. The smile had been all Booth, not the grins he'd reserved for his role as Tony. She gave him a short, thoughtful look, before returning her attention to O'Reilly.

"Ah, yes…" Terry nodded towards Tony. "A security consultant. I hope you're satisfied with our security." There was a hint of amusement in his voice as if he dared him to say otherwise.

"Oh, what I've seen so far looks good." Tony nodded respectfully. "You… haven't got cameras, except the one at the entrance and maybe some others outside, though. But I guess you've got a good reason." He winked conspiratorially and humour tinged his voice.

Terry chuckled. "Yes. There are only cameras on the outside. We value our privacy and our guests do too."

Roxy nodded. "Understandable." She cocked her head thoughtfully. "But I assume you have camera equipment here… in case people WANT to tape something?"

Booth silently complimented her on how casually she'd been able to place the question after him mentioning the lack of cameras. After all, the video they'd found at the dead couple's home, showing Janice Freeport fucking – yes, he had to call it fucking, there had been no love or affection in the act – with a masked man was one of their few leads. So far he'd spotted at least three men who'd fit the height and built of the man shown on the tape.

James, the puppy, amongst others, was out. The man on the video had been in great shape, not an ounce of fat on his body and they had estimated his height at about six feet. And O'Reilly fit that description, too.

Terry gave Roxy a somewhat suspicious look. "Oh, come on." She winked at him. "Who hasn't tried that at home? But Tony leaves all the good equipment at work" She added a little pout. "….and I only have a small camcorder. You've got to have something better than that."

Tony sighed. "Darling, I've told you, work is work and home is home. I like to keep it separated."

"Oh, that I know." She nearly snapped it out and Booth's eyes widened a little. He could have sworn it hadn't been Roxy talking…. Somehow his throat was getting dry, but then her cherry-red lips smiled at him again and her earlier words were forgotten.

"I'm just saying. It might be fun to tape the whole thing. Especially with this…. set-up here." She gestured around and had an almost dreamy look on her face.

Terry had been silently following their exchange of words and smiled, obviously flattered by Roxy's compliments for the design, the suspicious look on his face fading. "Well, in fact one of the bedrooms is equipped with a pretty good system. We can't tape in here, though. It's the decision of the participants and their respective partners if they want a tape. You can't just make a video of the whole group."

"Ooohhhh." Roxy breathed, a lusty smile on her face. The look she sent towards her 'husband', made Booth feel hot from head to toe. If only it was Temperance Brennan looking at Seeley Booth like that. He'd show her 'ooohhhh.'

"Wouldn't that be…. inspiring for home?" She waggled her eyebrows suggestively, but then seemed to catch herself. "Oh… in case bringing the tape home is…. okay?"

Terry studied them for a moment, but he seemed to be satisfied with what he saw. "We can make copies for you to take home with you."

"Heard that Tony? You wouldn't need to take your stuff from work home. All the equipment we need is us." She smiled and Booth let Tony give her a suggestive grin. "Sure, darling. That doesn't sound like a bad idea."

She blinked at his husky timbre, but attributed it to his good acting skills. It couldn't be that all that talking turned him on the way it turned on her, right? Booth was her partner, still the same man who was catholic and not comfortable with talking about sex.

And her damp panty wouldn't change a thing.

And she was not wet for him anyway, she told herself, not exclusively. It was the talk, the surroundings, in short, this whole assignment that made her body overflow with desire. Wasn't it a perfectly normal and understandable reaction to all this?

Terry O'Reilly stopped her inner debate as he motioned for them to follow. "If you want to see the bedrooms…"

With one last look at her partner, Brennan turned and followed the owner of Sinner's Palace.

Had the lusty gleam in Tony's eyes really been there, or was it all a figment of her imagination, a mere mirror of her own arousal?

Ooookay. I know it took a little longer than intended, but I hope the chapter was worth the wait. I'm already working on the next one.

Reviews make me happy.