𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐕𝐄 ━━ 𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐳𝐳𝐨

TWENTY THREE | poison ivy

"He did that? You're kidding me." Kate's jaw practically falls to the floor. "I mean, it's definitely kinky, but not at all romantic."

I prop my hands behind my head. "Perfect for a woman not looking for a relationship. But it's a one-time thing."

"Whatcha talking about?"

"God! What the hell?" Kate and I gasp in surprise, looking back to see Tony crouched in front of Kate's desk, clinging to her lamp with a curious expression.

"Again. . ." He raises his eyebrows suggestively. "Whatcha talking about?"

"None of your business. Now, go back to your desk." Kate tries to shoo him away, but like a hungry cat, he keeps coming back.

This time, he props himself up on her desk. "Another man? Another woman? Some kind of root vegetable, perhaps?" God, Tony.

"Leave me and Kate to our private conversation, please." I request pleadingly.

Was it me? Tony mouths when Kate's busy applying some chapstick.

I roll my eyes, Maybe.

Am I that good that you need to talk about me behind my back? Tony starts to get cocky.

She called you kinky, not romantic, Tony. I shoot him a look. That pretty much embodies what our relationship is. Or lack thereof.

That shuts him up right away.

"Where's Gibbs when you need him?" Kate refers to Tony still standing there.

Right on schedule, Gibbs comes in. "Eva, gas the truck. McGee, get Ducky."

"Uh," McGee grabs ahold of the telephone, "what do you want me to say to him, boss?"

"We have a dead Marine in Shenandoah River State Park." He grabs his coat and is already headed towards the elevator.

Park Ranger Kett goes over the victim's ID and the two others who were camping with him.

"Wonder where McGee and Kate went." I trek through the long pieces of grass in the woods.

"Probably passed out on the side of the trail sucking their thumbs." Tony comments. "I'd say we have roughly seven minutes before they catch up with us."

It takes everything in me to not roll my eyes. "Tony, if you're suggesting what I think you're suggesting —"

"And what do you think I'm suggesting, Eva?"

He pulls me to a secluded area of the woods just a few feet away from the trail.

"This is exactly what I thought you were suggesting."

Without another word, he pushes me up against a tree, his lips leaving a trail of kisses across my neck and jaw.

"Don't seem to be complaining much." He chuckles against my ear.

"Woah, you're gonna make us —" The two of us fall over into a bush. "Damn it, Tony."

But he continues to kiss me, as if nothing ever happened.

"Where do you think they went?"

I reluctantly pull away from him, my hand resting against his chest. "We have to go, T."

"Just another minute, E." Tony attempts to resume his duties, but I push him down.

"They couldn't have gone that far. Eva, maybe, but Tony hasn't been to a gym since the '90s." And with that, the two of us walk back onto the trail.