Donovan really has to stop being so darn attractive, it's really distracting. And leads to awkward situations...

Also, I'm proud of Carter.

***********************************

Carter stepped out of the bathroom, tucking her shirt into her slacks as she went. It had taken her months working at the FBI to finally find a wardrobe that worked for the environment.

Once she had, she never went back. A fitted suit that let people know she was a woman but not fitted enough that whenever she walked by Donovan he'd lose his train of thought.

Though as Carter walked out of the hallway and to the kitchen, that seemed to be exactly what happened to Donovan. He leaned against the counter, phone and coffee mug in either hand and both forgotten on her arrival.

Carter bit back a smile as she moved to the cupboard and brought out a mug for herself. She went to the fridge and bent over to grab a yogurt. She walked to the drawers and pulled out a spoon. All the while Donovan trailed her with his eyes as if his sole task for that day was to watch her.

When she got close to him, he lowered his mug and phone to the counter and snagged her waist. He kissed her and Carter wrapped her arms around his neck, still holding her breakfast.

"I should go on three-week trips more often," she teased. "You seem to like me more when I get back.

Donovan held her waist and stared intently at her.

"I hate it when you leave. Don't do it again," he said firmly.

"Never," Carter said, pretending to be chastised.

He smiled slowly and kissed her again, taking his time. Carter didn't mind, breakfast wasn't that important after all.

"We should get to work," Carter said.

"What work? I believe I quit," Donovan said, between kisses.

"Cute. But you have a case you're about to crack and there's...Sloane."

The name instantly made Donovan stop. He dropped his head onto her shoulder, holding her tightly.

"We should work from home today," he said.

"Oh, but I'm so curious to meet her. She sounds delightful."

Donovan lifted his head and shook it. "An intern was supposed to make work easier and yet she had made the days more challenging. Her father is connected and...it's been the longest three weeks."

"Well, I'm sure once she sees your wife in physical form and not just mentioned form, she'll get the message."

Donovan looked tired and Carter kissed him lightly. What had this girl been trying to do? No matter, she would deal with it.

"It's okay," she said softly. "I'm back. It will be fine."

Relaxing a little, Donovan pulled back and grabbed his coffee. After Carter ate, they headed out, remaining quiet the whole way. In the elevator, Donovan stared at the ascending numbers as if he dreaded each floor change. The reason why came into view at the elevator stopped and the doors opened.

On the other side stood a striking, twenty-year-old girl, dressed in an outfit that accentuated her figure off to perfection. She beamed a flawless smile when she saw Donovan. She held out a Starbucks coffee cup.

"Good morning, Agent Keller," she said, not even noticing Carter. "What can I do to help you today?"

Oh and eager puppy.

"Sloane," Donovan said, ignoring the coffee and gesturing to Carter. "This is my wife and partner, Agent Owens."

Sloane's smile faltered a bit but was replaced with a hint of smug confidence as she took Carter in with her suit and messy bun.

"It's a pleasure," Sloane said.

"Likewise," Carter said, smiling. "Donovan's told me all about you."

Carter let her tone hold a note of humor and Sloane straightened.

"I hope all good things," she said. She set her gaze on Donovan, who looked like he wanted to turn around and go home. "I have done all that I can to be at Donovan's beck and call."

Sure you have, sweetie.

"It's Agent Keller," Carter said.

"Oh, of course," Sloane said, sweetly.

Donovan dragged a hand through his hair. "Sloane go to tech and see if they had the lab results back for me." He looked at Carter and softened. "I'll be in our office."

"On my way," Sloane said, striding off.

Carter whistled when she was out of earshot. "I see what you talked about. Well, we'll see how the day plays out and if she's able to reign it in since I'm here."

"Owens!"

Carter found Mason waving at her. She touched Donovan's arm and gave him a soft smile.

"I'll join you in a second."

Donovan kissed her, despite the fact that they never did at work. But Carter understood that he needed it. He walked off to their office and Carter joined Mason in the break room. He leaned again the counter, sipping coffee.

"What did you make of the intern?" he asked, grinning.

"An eager one. Also, one I would have thought would've tried to be placed by your side. You were the first son after all."

Mason laughed. "She tried but she took one step into my office smiled and I said no."

At that, Carter raised her eyebrows. "Really?"

"I'm married. And if there's one thing I plan to never be in my life, it's my father. So how are you going to handle the situation? As far as I've heard she hasn't done anything to warrant a claim of sexual harassment."

Carter simply smiled. "Don't worry, I'll handle it."

Mason grinned. "I'm sure you will."

Leaving him, Carter headed to the office and settled into her desk.

"Okay, fill me in with what I've missed," she said.

As Donovan talked, Sloane returned with the lab results he wanted. He didn't even glance at her as he took them and continued talking to Carter. Carter waited for the avoidance to help Sloane tone down her eagerness but it didn't seem to have that effect. Instead, she moved about tidying up and being at hand.

As the day passed, Carter watched Sloane as she went about assisting Donovan. She smiled and happily helped him. And each time she jumped to a task, Donovan seemed wearier and wearier.

The door to the office opened and Sloane strode back in, a box of files in her arms.

"Here are the files," Sloane said.

"Thank you," Donovan replied, his gaze still focused on the ones before him.

Even though Donovan was ten years older than the girl, Carter did understand it. Donovan looked adorably rumbled with his hair messy and the sleeves of his button-down shirt rolled up. She had to stop herself from staring.

"Is there anything else you need?" Sloane asked.

"Can you find me the case file 23b?" Donovan asked.

Instead of lifting the box to her level and searching, Sloane bent forward. An action that shouldn't be done in the skirt she wore. Carter shook her head and inwardly sighed. Honey, that was a pointless gesture and an uncomfortable looking one. Once found, Sloane handed it to Donovan. Again Donovan took this without glancing at her.

"Can I do anything else for you?" she asked.

No response, no eye contact yet she still tried. After watching her for half a day, Carter didn't understand the amount of work this girl was putting in for no return.

"Coffee," Donovan said. "Make a new pot."

"It would be my pleasure."

She sauntered out of the office Once the door closed behind her, Donovan spoke.

"Can you please," he said.

"Yeah, I can," Carter said.

Carter wondered if hearing his note of weariness that would have made Sloane give up. Probably not, it had been three weeks and the girl seemed determined.

Carter flipped closed her file and walked out of the office. She found Sloane in the break room, filling the coffee maker. A small smile sat in the corner of her mouth, betraying her thoughts. Carter didn't think about what thoughts Sloane had for her husband. She didn't want to murder the girl.

When Sloane finished and turned around, she started at seeing Carter standing there. Yes, daydreaming about a woman's husband then seeing her standing there must be disconcerting.

"Sit down," Carter said pleasantly, gesturing to the only table.

Sloane lifted her chin and took a seat, her gaze unwavering as it met Carter's. That was the first clue to Carter of how this conversation would play. But she decided to give Sloane a chance to bow out gracefully.

"Sloane," Carter said. "I understand that you find my husband attractive. Many women do. He's handsome, well built, kind, determined, and thoughtful. It's natural."

Carter observed Sloane's reaction to this declaration, knowing it could go either of two ways. Instead of flushing and looking embarrassed at being caught, Sloane took the second option: she held Carter's gaze confidently as if she didn't care that Carter knew her feelings.

Well, that was disappointing but the girl had chosen her path.

"All right then," she said. "Let's play this scenario all the way out shall we?"

That threw Sloane but she regained her composure and shrugged as if she wasn't sure what Carter was talking about.

"You like my husband. You're working as his intern. Each day you do your best to look just right and work to always do what he wants. This continues and one day I have to leave because I need to check on something somewhere else. I'm gone for over a week. You spend late nights at the office with Donovan, helping him."

Carter noticed as Sloane straightened her shoulders imagining the scenario clearly in her head. Most likely not for the first time. But Carter had to wonder if she ever fully played that daydream out to its end. Ever wondered about what happened after the moment of connection.

"Maybe you grab dinner together because he's grateful for your help," Carter continued, because she would play the daydream out to its end. "You laugh, talk. And then possibly you are able to woo him with your..." Carter motioned to her. "Feminine charms. What then?"

This stumped Sloane like she wasn't sure how Carter couldn't see the end result.

"What do you mean?" Sloane asked.

Carter raised her eyebrows. "What comes next?"

"Well..." Sloane shifted but Carter caught the hint of a smile.

This girl had played out a happily ever after in her mind. Carter decided to join in with that.

"Okay, you decide that it's love," Carter went on. "Donovan divorces me. You get married and you're happy together."

From the way Sloane's eyes softened Carter knew this was definitely a future she'd played many times and planned to make happen. Carter would have felt bad for her but honestly, she couldn't find it in herself to do so.

"What happens in six years? Seven years?" Carter asked.

Sloane opened her mouth, confused at the question. Clearly, she hadn't thought that far in advance, the happily ever after ended with a happy marriage.

Before Sloane could speak Carter went on.

"Donovan isn't likely to let himself go. That means he'll still be as handsome. What happens when a new girl notices him. Someone younger than you?"

Sloane let out a low scoff. Carter could read her thoughts. Like she'd ever let someone else take her husband. Which Carter had to admit was hilariously ironic at that moment. But it seemed Sloane couldn't see that irony.

"You don't think he'd leave you?" Carter said. "But why wouldn't he? He already did it once, why not again? What's to stop him? Especially when he's hitting an older age and he wants to feel younger. And this new young girl makes him feel young."

The reality of the situation made Sloane still though she tried to seem unflustered by the pointed questions.

"Naturally," Carter said, "with this new threat you cling to Donovan. Work harder to make sure you watch him, keep his focus on you." She leaned in, resting her arms on the table like she was sharing a secret. "Because you know that if he left me for you, he could leave you for someone else."

Carter watched as those words started breaking apart the fantasy Sloane had created. Carter knew Sloane might hate her for this dose of reality but the girl needed it. Delusions only survived in the mind.

"And so you hold as tight as you can," Carter said. "Without realizing that your clinginess actually drives him away. Into the arms of the other woman... Because the truth of the matter is if he can cheat on me what's to stop him from doing it again?"

Sloane looked pale, her brow furrowed.

Carter backed away and let the words sit between them. She waited until she could tell that the plausible future had taken root.

"I'm going to give you some advice. You're young so you might not take it but I'm going to give it anyway."

Carter waited until Sloane met her gaze. Despite all that Carter had said and all that Sloane had done to capture Donovan's attention, Carter offered the girl a kind smile.

"You want to find a man who will strive to win your affection, not one where you have to work to steal his. A man will cherish the prize he was fought to win."

Carter rose but Sloane remained pinned to her seat. Carter didn't know if Sloane even heard her advice, but she hoped one day she would remember it.

"Don't worry about bringing Donovan his coffee, I'll handle that," she said.

Carter poured out two mugs of coffee and headed towards the break room door. Before she left, she turned back.

"Sloane," Carter said. "You want to know why I even had this talk with you?" Sloane merely looked at her. "It's not because I cared all that much about your passes at my husband. They were almost amusing."

Sloane flushed at that. She might not have cared that Carter was there, watching her but hearing that her attempts had been amusing was embarrassing.

"I talked to you," Carter said. "Because your passes didn't flatter Donovan, they annoyed him. You can find a man like that. Just don't try to find your happily ever after with another woman's man."

With that, Carter headed back to her office. She nudged the door open and laid Donovan's coffee before him. He raised his head.

"How'd it go?" he asked, as Carter sat down.

"I have no idea. I gave her advice but it's a slim chance she'll listen to it. It takes a lot of damage for a woman to want to steal someone else's man. I hope she can eventually see her own worth and find someone to love her."

Donovan smiled at her, his gaze soft with affection. The weariness of before seemed to vanish.

"A few years ago a girl like Sloane would have had you jealous and completely threatened. What changed?"

It was true but now Carter no longer felt those insecurities.

Carter leaned back in her chair. "Now I'm more certain of where we stand."

"You mean that I love you and would never leave you."

Carter tilted her head, thoughtfully. "No, it's more you know that I'd shoot you before you could leave me."

She grinned at him and he laughed. Man, she loved his laugh. She hadn't heard it lately with Sloane hovering about.

"So this is a Stockholm syndrome type of relationship?" Donovan said.

"Oh without a doubt."

Donovan shrugged. "Fine by me. As long as it means I'm always with you and never leave your side and no one ever tries to steal you from me."

"Now you're being clinging."

Donovan smiled. Seeing the way it made him more handsome Carter did feel a little bad for the girl. Who wouldn't want to be loved by such a man?

Carter reached for her office phone and dialed an extension.

"Calling human resources?" Donovan asked.

"Yup," Carter said. "Hi, Dylan. It's Carter. Yeah, can you find Agent Keller another intern? Preferably male."

Carter waited and Donovan peered at her.

"Are they laughing?" he asked.

"Yes, hysterically. And I think they're passing around money now."

"They did this on purpose."

"Probably," Carter said. "They work in human resources, they have nothing else to live for."

"Maybe they should find themselves a kidnapping type of wife. It worked wonders for me."

Carter grinned as she went back to her report. She'd barely gotten into it when the door to their office opened and Mason stood there.

"Carter, I just heard that Donovan's intern is being reassigned. And you didn't threaten her," he said.

Carter put her feet up on the desk. "It's true, I didn't. I merely talked to her."

"But why?" Mason said, gripping the door handle.

"It's called growth Mason, you should try it."

"You have got to be kidding me."

"No, seriously. It does wonders in one's life."

"I'm not talking about that! I'm talking about the one time I felt I could count on your violent nature you let me down!"

Donovan coughed out a laugh while Carter eyed Mason, a slow smile overtaking her lips.

"How much did you lose?" she asked.

"A hundred bucks because you decided to go against your nature!"

With that, Mason stormed away. Donovan laughed.

"Serves him right. You have grown."

"Yes, though if talking hadn't worked I would have threatened her."

Donovan grinned. "Ah, and there's that violent nature I know and love. My protector."

"I think the term is kidnapper."

Donovan shrugged. "Synonymous." 

**********************************************************************

Hi there my little chocolate chip cookie!

🗣 Thoughts please give your thoughts here! That's right just leave them as you think them! 💬🗯💭

I have to hand it to Carter, she's kinda savage even without threatening bodily harm, I'm not sure what's more terrifying.

Which would you prefer:

Carter threatening you to stay away from her man?

Or

Carter slow dismantling you in a totally casual voice?

Yeah, I think I'll take the terrifying threat thank you very much!

Though she didn't scare the girl so I say that shows restraint on her part, maybe even a little maturity. 😂 Who knows really.

🤔 I think I wrote this because I read a book that was about the main character trying to steal another girl's boyfriend and justifying it by saying the girlfriend was the type of girl who could get another one. It felt pretty messed up to me and I was curious how carter would handle that type of situation.

What's your take on the whole issue?

Vote, comment, follow because well you have thumbs!

This is Lucy, or Goose, Louie, Louie-Doey, or Gooey depending on each of my family members' preference.

This chapter is dedicated to leticiaf8222 because you commented so much and almost won! Wonderful  dedication!

Pretty sure all that 2k is yours alone! 👏👏👏 my hats off to you! 🎩