OK, I lied.

I said that if I got another idea, I'd write another BB story. Well, I don't have an idea of my own – I'm lifting someone else's.

I found myself greatly enjoying ShimmerAteDeath's "The Anatomy Lesson", and was grossly disappointed that they didn't finish it. So I decided to appropriate the concept and a couple of elements for my own story.

Morally, I'm rationalizing it on several grounds:

1) Shimmer, legally doesn't own the story or the characters, so I'm not "stealing" their property.

2) Since they haven't updated the story in over two years, I consider it "abandoned property."

3) I'm giving them full credit, so it's not plagiarism.

That's all sophistry, I admit, but is it acceptable sophistry?

Here's my plan: I'm going to publish the first chapter below, and then wait for you folks to tell me in reviews whether or not I should continue. Yeah, once again I'm engaging in sophistry – I'm basically bribing you folks who liked my first story and like this sample to feed my ego and tell me to continue – but again, I'm being up-front about it, so I claim credit for honesty, if nothing else.

For the record, this story ties in with "Dr. Temperance Brennan Engages In Sexual Intercourse" – it's set shortly before that story. The two have been in a romantic/sexual relationship for a few months.

The Bones In Bones

Chapter 1

Booth and Brennan were lounging around her apartment, finishing off the paperwork on their last case. Initially, they'd resisted bringing work home with them, but they discovered it actually worked out quite well – in either his or her apartment (usually hers), they were more comfortable and got things done faster than in the lab, and could then move on to… other matters more readily. Further, Booth actually found it strangely sexy when Bones "got all squinty" in her night clothes or a robe – or, once even, nude. Although he could have done without the time she barged in on him in the bathroom to share her sudden insight.

"Hey, Bones, what's that bone in the lower leg called – the tibula?"

Bones looked up and sighed. "There are two bones there. The one in front is the tibia, the one behind it is the fibula."

"Thanks." He went back to his paperwork.

"You know, Booth, you'd think that after all the years we've worked together, mostly with me working with and talking about bones, you'd have picked up a bit more knowledge of anatomy – if by osmosis by nothing else. But you're always asking me to name bones for you."

"I have learned a lot from you. It's just when you're handy, it's easier and quicker to ask you than to try to remember on my own."

"It gets a little tedious at times, Seeley. It means you have to interrupt me and whatever I'm working on or thinking about to answer you."

"So? With your brain, it can't slow you down for a second."

"But it's annoying. And it makes you look ignorant."

Booth, naturally took offense. "Hey, I am not ignorant. OK, maybe a little lazy in this case, but I know my bones."

She responded, equally irritated. "I'd like to see you prove that."

"Fine. I bet you I can name half the bones in the human body without any help."

Bones considered that boast for a moment. "No. Not good enough."

"Huh?"

"Half is way too easy. In a classroom setting, that would still be a failure." Bones did some quick calculations. There are 206 bones in the body, and that didn't lend itself to many easy breakdowns. "75%, Booth. That's a passing grade in pretty much any school. I challenge you to identify at least three-quarters of the bones in the human body."

Booth gulped. She was right – half would have been very easy. Three-quarters, though – that was a real challenge. But he was not the type to back down from a challenge.

"And that would be how many?"

"That's part of the bet. You also have to know when you've reached at least three quarters. You can identify as many as you like, but once you stop, you better have at least three quarters correct, or you lose."

Booth smiled. She was a quick learner, grabbing that advantage. "You're on."

"Not so fast. Let's set the terms first."

"OK. What do you have in mind?"

"First up, we do this right here, right now. No chance for you to prepare."

He smiled. "You don't want me to 'bone up' first?"

She frowned. I don't understand that. If you mean I wouldn't want you to have an erection during the wager, I don't see how that would be relevant…"

"Never mind. I'll explain later. OK, right here and right now. No problem. What else?"

"The stakes, of course. What good would be a bet without stakes?"

"What did you have in mind?"

"We've customarily settled such matters before with sexual favors – it's become our standard currency. Does that suit you?"

"You know it does. And let me put this on the table – I'm so confident I'll win, I'll write you a blank check. Whatever you want, whenever you want, wherever you want."

"That's very generous – and very cocky – of you, Booth, but I'd rather nail things down beforehand. How about this – if I win, you will give me a 15-minute sensual back massage, followed by a 15-minute front massage."

"Deal."

"Hang on, I wasn't done. That will be followed by you giving me four orgasms – one using your 'secret technique' that you refuse to describe, one using your remarkable oral skills, and two more using two other methods of your choice."

"Tough penalty. That it?"

"No, one final condition. During the entire time, you will be dressed in your boxers with the cocks all over them – and you will not take them off."

"Roosters, Bones. They're roosters."

"I don't understand the distinction. Aren't 'rooster' and 'cock' synonyms?"

"Not in this context, Bones. I'll explain that one later, too. So, that's it?"

"That should be sufficient. And what would you like?"

"I think I'll steal a bit of yours, for starters. The fifteen-minute front and back massages sound really good. Then I'd like 15 minutes of your 'remarkable oral skills,' and then we make love with you on top. And the entire time, you'll be completely naked."

"That's more than acceptable. But…"

"What's the matter, Bones? Afraid you'll lose?"

"Not in the least – and that's the problem."

"Huh?"

"Booth, let's be honest. Those 'penalties' – neither of us would really mind losing. I'd be glad to do that for you simply for the asking, and I believe you would too. In fact, I can see us agreeing to them as a simple quid pro quo arrangement. So there's really no great risk involved. We should include something non-sexual in the wager, to give us a real incentive to want to win."

"OK, I can see that. What did you have in mind?"

"If I win, I drive for a week."

Booth didn't like the sound of that, but a bet was a bet. And he had something in mind in return, one that would give him equal satisfaction. "And if I win, you have to wear my belt buckle to the lab for a week."

"Your 'cocky' buckle? I can't imagine you'd give that up for a week."

"The thought of you wearing it – and having to explain it to all your squints – would make it so worthwhile."

She frowned at that thought. It would be awkward, and definitely open her up for some teasing that she would not welcome. But the thought of watching Booth squirm in the passenger seat of his SUV for a whole week made it worth it. "Agreed."

"Agreed. So, let's get started. There's the tibia, the fibula…"

"Stop right there, Booth."

"Huh?"

"I didn't say you had to list the bones in the human body – I said you had to identify them."

Booth was confused. "You mean, in a real skeleton? We don't have a real skeleton here." His eyes suddenly began darting Bones' apartment. He'd never noticed one, but then again he'd never really looked, and if anyone would have an actual human skeleton – or even a replica – in their home, it would be Bones. "You don't actually have a skeleton here, do you?"

"Booth, don't be ridiculous. Of course we do." With that, she held out her arms, palms facing him, and tilted her head with a condescendingly cocked eyebrow. "Right here."

"Oh, you want me to identify YOUR bones!" And with that, the contest suddenly got far more interesting.

"You catch on quick – sometimes. I'll be right back – and stay away from my books while I'm gone. No cheating!" With that, she stepped into the bedroom and shut the door.

In her bedroom, Bones quickly undressed and pulled open her dresser drawer. She wasn't much of an aficionado of lingerie – she often said she didn't see the point of spending a lot of money on clothing that most of the time doesn't get seen, and when it does has the sole purpose of being removed as quickly as possible. But Angela had bullied her into buying several pieces of it.

"Sweetie, sometimes just knowing you're wearing it – even though no one can see it – can get your juices flowing. And letting him know you're wearing it can get him seriously hot and bothered. Plus, there are other times it can come in handy."

She pulled out one set she'd never worn before and started slipping it on.

While she was gone, Booth closed his eyes and visualized a skeleton spread out on Bones' table. He did, indeed, know a lot more than he had been letting on about bones. He knew there were 206 bones in the body, which meant he'd have to come up with 155. 103 would have been a piece of cake, but those extra 52 could be a real strain. He saw the skeleton and started putting names to bones.

"Ready to get started?" Booth looked up, and saw her standing before him in her robe. And his eyes nearly fell out of his head when she shrugged off the robe and let it fall to the floor.

He had never seen her outfit before, let alone seen her wearing it. Matching soft pink bra and panties, so sheer as to be almost see-through. The bra was cut so low that he could see the edge of her aureoles, pushed her breasts up to give her some truly impressive cleavage, and accented her erect nipples. And the panties… she had pulled them up high on her hips, so her cleft was clearly defined. And she had a few tiny wisps of hair peeking out of the left side. He quickly glanced to the right side, and saw wisps there, too. It was no accident – her obsession with symmetry had made her balance that out.

She slowly pirhouetted before him. The panties weren't quite a thong, but that just barely. Bones had often expressed her distaste for thongs, denouncing them as uncomfortable and unhygenic. The back material was just too wide to be considered a thong, but that plus their high-riding position left even more of her delicious buttocks exposed.

He tore his eyes away, and looked at the back of her bra. No clasp showed, which means it was in front. And that meant he'd have to essentially cup her breasts to remove it if it got in the way – and he was sure she'd arranged that, too.

There was no two ways about it. Bones intended to win this bet, and was prepared to do whatever it took to win.

She finally returned to facing him. She placed her hands on her hips, her feet well apart. "Ready to begin, Seeley? Or do you want to just admit failure now?"