The Ambassador's Party

"I'm going to call the sitter, make sure the boys are okay," she whispered in his ear.

"Honey, we only left them a couple of hours ago. I'm sure they're fine."

"I know. But I want to check in anyway."

He smiled as he watched her walk a way, heading for the hallway in search of a quieter room. Shaking his head, he remembered a conversation they'd had just three months ago where she'd been lamenting the fact that carrying the tubby twins around inside her wasn't doing much for her figure.

"But honey," he'd told her, "in a couple of weeks they won't be inside anymore and …"

"Don't you dare try to tell me my body will be back to normal," she'd snarled at him.

He'd briefly wondered where the beautifully sweet woman had gone that usually inhabited that gorgeous body. And then he'd remembered that his wife could mix it up with the worst of 'em and had. There was an edgier side to his Emily too.

"Let's put a couple of Texas sized basketballs inside you and stretch your body into all kinds of contortions and see how you feel about it. Then you can comment on my situation," she'd barked.

He'd fought back the chuckle that threatened and tried for a more serious expression. "Emily, you know that I love you and for me, you are and always will be the most beautiful woman on the planet." He'd finished, quite pleased with himself for his sensitivity.

"Suck up," she snapped back.

But as he watched her exit the room now, he was amazed. Her pregnancy had done strange things to her body, beautifully strange things. There were sensuous curves that might have been there before but weren't quite so… sumptuous before. He snapped out of his reverie enough to notice that he wasn't the only man in the room watching her and his primal instincts kicked in. Shooting a glare at the man closest to the door, he watched to be sure the jackass didn't follow her.

Near a table in the corner stood two of Elizabeth Prentiss's oldest friends. Their heads were together as they caught up with one another, not having seen each other for a few years. "Margery, wasn't that Elizabeth's daughter, Emily?"

"Yes, Sarah, I believe it was. She's … more mature than I remembered."

"I thought she had died"

"No, not really. It was some FBI undercover something. Poor Elizabeth didn't know it wasn't real though. But now everything seems fine."

Did she ever marry? I know several young men were interested but that was years ago. Elizabeth hasn't mentioned her in…oh, eons."

Margery shook her head. "No, Elizabeth doesn't speak of her often." Then glancing around, Margery added to the gossip. "Seems she joined the FBI the usual way, entering as some low level agent."

"Oh my goodness. Why would she do that? She had so much potential."

"Yes, she did. And now I hear that she is working for that unit…you know, the one that helps police with serial killers and such. Just awful people. You remember that group David Rossi worked with?"

Sarah looked aghast. "David Rossi? Oh goodness. Is he still with the FBI? I thought he retired after that scandal over that young agent in the Washington Bureau."

"Oh goodness no. He sailed through that with his usual slick manner. But he did retire. He wrote some books. I bought one but it was so gruesome, I couldn't get through it."

"Oh wait, isn't that him over by the bar?" Sarah asked.

Margery looked in the direction that Sarah was staring and chuckled. "Yes, it is. I'm surprised Elizabeth invited him."

"You know, he's been married three times, I've heard."

"Yes, I've heard that too," Margery agreed.

"Margery, Sarah," Elizabeth Prentiss greeted them warmly. "I'm so glad you accepted my invitations. It has been so long…"

"Yes, it has," Margery replied.

Sarah smiled. "Too long."

"Isn't that David Rossi over by the bar?" Sarah asked.

"Yes, it is," Elizabeth answered. "He's here with…" Elizabeth was interrupted by a man who leaned in and whispered in her ear. "Tell them to hold. I will be with him momentarily," she said quietly to the man. Then turning to her friends, she apologized. "I really must take this call. But enjoy the party and I'll catch up with you later."

They watched their friend walk away and then saw Emily enter the room. Both women were intrigued as she made her way over to the object of their fascination, David Rossi. Margery gasped as she saw him lean over and Emily spoke to him. He smiled and nodded, then took her hand and brought it to his lips, in essence kissing it. Then he spoke quietly to her and she smiled back at him.

Sarah chuckled. "It seems Mr. Rossi has conquered another one."

Margery swallowed, her disapproval clearly written on her face. "So it seems. Why in the world would Elizabeth invite him here? Why, you'd think at his age, he would have settled down and stopped being such a ….a…."

"Lothario? Sarah supplied.

"Yes, exactly. Poor Emily. Doesn't she have any idea what he is?"

"We must warn her," Sarah declared.

The two women moved in unison across the room towards their target. But before they made it to Emily, she managed to land a very suggestive kiss on the man. Both women stopped, their mouths agape as David Rossi winked at his wife and slid off the barstool, leading her out.

"Well," Sarah exclaimed. "I suppose we were too late.

Many thanks for all the wonderful reviews on the last chapter! I was only expecting the usual one, lol. It was like winning the lottery! I do hope you enjoyed this entry as well.