A/N: This is a CHC (Conversing Harts Challenge) entry that I started to write a month (or maybe two) ago. I found it this afternoon, and since I hate to leave things unfinished and musie was feeling particularly fluffy, I decided to finish it. It may seem a bit odd due to the challenge requirements that had to be met, but it turned out nice and fluffy and I wanted to share it. Hope you like it.

LOVE, LOVE ME DO

Brennan approached the bar in Wong Foos cautiously. Booth was hunched there, idly toying with the remains of a piece of apple pie. She could tell by the tension in his back that he was still brooding over the case they'd just wrapped up. Laying the manila folder on the bar, she slid onto the barstool next to him and thanked Syd for the ice cream sundae he set in front of her. Booth glanced her way. "Hi, Bones," he said quietly, and took a sip of his coffee.

Brennan smiled at him. "Are you okay?" she asked softly.

He pushed the pie away. "Yeah." He sighed and ran a hand around the back of his neck. "I hate it when a case ends like that." He sipped his lukewarm coffee. When he set it down, Syd was there to warm it up.

"Want some of my sundae? It'll make you feel better," she promised with a half smile. Spooning up the first bite of chocolate sundae, she offered it to him. After a moment, he took it, his eyes locked on hers as he savored it. Dipping the spoon again, she put a bite into her own mouth, holding his steady gaze. His eyes dropped to her lips, where a drop of chocolate syrup hung. He caught it with his thumb and rubbed it across her bottom lip. Her breath hitched and her tongue darted out reflexively to lick it up. Booth forgot to breathe as he saw a blush move up her neck and spread over her face, her pupils dilating. Get your mind out of the gutter, Booth, he scolded himself. She's your partner.

She looked away, trying to steady her racing heart. Did Booth just flirt with me? she wondered, stunned. She risked a glance his way. He was back to sipping his coffee like nothing had happened. His act was so convincing she began to wonder if she had imagined it.

She finished the sundae and wiped her mouth. She looked over to find Booth watching her. Smiling uncertainly, she tapped the folder. "I brought the file so we can finish up the paperwork."

Booth winced. "Can it wait until tomorrow? I'm really not in the mood."

Brennan nodded. "Sure, sorry, I just thought while it's all fresh in our minds—"

"My notes will do fine. Right now I want to go home, put on a Beatles CD and relax. Wanna come along?" he asked before he could stop himself.

Brennan was watching him curiously. "Uh, okay, sounds great." She wasn't sure why she'd agreed, except that she really didn't want to go home to her empty apartment.

BBBBBBBB

They sat on the couch, each mired in their own turbulent thoughts. Booth had put in his Beatles CD as promised and 'Penny Lane' was playing. Booth broke the awkward silence. "Something to drink?"

Brennan's head snapped toward him. "Hmm? Oh, yeah, iced tea if you have it."

He jumped up, obviously glad to have a reason to leave the room. 'I Wanna Hold Your Hand' began as he returned and handed her a glass of iced tea. He sat down with a beer.

"I guess I should have asked you if you like the Beatles," he commented with a grin.

She set her tea on the end table after taking a sip. "Yes, many of their songs are vignettes of that time period. The lyrics are really interesting."

Booth rolled his eyes. "C'mon, Bones. Do you have to analyze everything? Can't you just relax and enjoy the blend of the instruments and voices?"

She frowned. "Music is a key anthropological indicator. The music a person listens to tells a lot about their personality and core beliefs."

The CD changed again. This time it was 'Love Me Do'. Booth's grin became huge. "I love this one." He hummed along for a few bars and then suddenly jumped up. "C'mon, dance with me," he coaxed with his best charm smile.

She looked up at him. She wasn't sure dancing with him was a good idea, but that smile was irresistible. Putting her hand in his, she let him pull her to her feet and into his arms. He started a kind of swing dance that involved stepping back, then forward. He smiled down at her, bursting into song at the chorus. She laughed throatily. He had definitely shed the bad mood from earlier.

"Love, love me do, you know I love you…" he sang, looking into her eyes with that sexy smile. She joined on the next part.

"So ple-e-e-ease, love me do," she sang, unable to stop smiling. By the time the song was over, she was breathless with exhilaration. He could be so charming. Suddenly there was an awkward silence. That was the last song on the CD. They stood there for a moment, hands still linked, eyes locked as their breathing slowly returned to normal.

Booth couldn't seem to stop looking at her. Her eyes were sparkling and there was a flush in her cheeks and a smile curved her lips. Her lips. His gaze lingered there and suddenly he was drawing her towards him. She didn't resist, though her smile faded as a small frown wrinkled her brow. When they were inches apart, he stopped, giving her every opportunity to turn away.

Brennan stood there breathlessly, mesmerized by the warmth in his eyes and his soft smile. Then he was leaning down and her heart stopped. 'He's going to—kiss me?' was her last coherent thought before his lips met hers and her world exploded around her. His lips were softer than she had thought they would be. He nibbled at her lips and she opened them. When his tongue slipped in her knees almost buckled. She'd never been kissed like that before, like she was the sweetest thing he'd ever tasted. His arms caught her and she clutched at his upper arms, trying to find her balance, which was impossible as his mouth continued to do incredible things to her senses.

Finally, an insistent little voice in her head broke through the haze. 'Stop this, Tempe. He's your partner. This is going to ruin everything. You have to stop. You're the logical one, the 'head' person, you have to be the voice of reason.' She pulled away, turning and stumbling the length of the couch, trying to get as much distance between them as possible. She glanced at him. Bad idea. He was standing there watching her with those eyes and he was breathing heavily. She wanted to go back and take up where they'd left off, but she controlled herself—barely.

"I've—got to go. Now!" she managed to say, unable to meet his eyes again.

"Yeah," he said hoarsely, turning away and closing his eyes. She sensed he was trying to get control of himself. She followed him to the door and he opened it.

"Well, see you later?" she said to fill the awkward moment at the door.

"Yeah," was all he could say, looking at a point past her shoulder. She smiled a bit and then she was gone. Closing the door behind her, he leaned his forehead on it and groaned. 'Way to go, Booth,' he scolded himself. 'You draw the line and then what do you do? Blow right past it like it's not even there.' He pounded his head against the door several times, calling himself a fool.