I hope everyone enjoys this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it =)
The kiss was soft and tender, and Brennan broke it quickly, pulling back, looking puzzled, "You kissed me," she said as though she didn't quite believe it. "Why?"
He couldn't suppress his grin at her typical Brennan curiosity, "Why not? You are the most beautiful, intelligent, caring, stubborn woman I have ever met and I, for one, am tired of pretending that I just want to be partners. I think we've given it enough time, don't you?" This time she was the one to kiss him, "I take it you agree then?"
She smiled up at him, "You are the most infuriating, kind, and handsome man that I have ever met, and yes I agree that the 'just partners' boat has left the harbor."
"I think you mean the ship has sailed, Bones, but I agree."
She laughed, "I like it when you correct me," she admitted on a whisper before kissing him again.
"Wait, you say those things wrong on purpose?" He asked incredulously.
"Sometimes," she whispered mysteriously.
"So I remember you mentioning something about free champagne and chocolates in our room…" Booth trailed off with a hint of hope in his voice.
"Let's go," she grabbed his hand and led him off the dance floor.
As soon as they made it back to their room, they changed into more comfortable clothes and she pulled out the champagne and they settled on the couch. Booth was sort of sad that she had taken off her brilliant dress, but somehow she looked just as beautiful in her simple pajama set.
"Let's play never have I ever," Brennan suggested with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"How do you even know that game?" Apparently, she was full of surprises tonight.
"Angela," he should have guessed, "she taught it to me during one of our 'girl nights' apparently it is a popular drinking game. I'll start, never have I ever gotten drunk off champagne."
He took a sip of his drink, "We'll change that tonight I think. Never have I ever studied Anthropology."
She rolled her eyes and drank, "That's a cheap shot," she complained before countering with her own. "Never have I ever been in the army."
He drank again, "Fine," he thought for a minute, "Never have I ever kissed more than one person on the same night."
She shrugged and drank again, "Never have I ever had sex in a car."
"Never?" He asked before taking a drink, "Hmm… never have I ever had a threesome."
Brennan blushed furiously and drank again; he chose not to ask questions, at least not yet. She decided to change the course of the game before it got too out of hand, "Never have I ever gone sky diving."
"Me either," he said leaving his drink untouched, "but I'd like to try."
"Me too. I think that the adrenaline rush could be quite exhilarating."
He thought for a second before continuing their game, "Never have I ever been to Hawaii."
"It's beautiful there," she said as she sipped her champagne, "never have I ever broken the laws of physics."
He looked into her eyes and they were a deeper blue than he had ever seen them, and he didn't touch his champagne. "Bones, you're sure about this?"
She looked at him sternly, "Questions aren't part of the game, Booth."
"Fine," he huffed, "never have I ever been more sure of anything than my feelings for you."
She rested her glass on the coffee table and stared directly at him, "Never have I ever felt this way about anyone else."
His glass joined hers on the table, "Never have I ever wanted to do anything more than I want to kiss you right now."
"You win," she whispered as she closed the space between them. Her arms wrapped tightly around his neck as their lips met in a kiss that was hungrier than the one they had shared on the dance floor. This kiss was full of everything they had ever shared between them. There was the tenderness but it was joined by passion and hunger, and remnants of unforgotten pain. The kiss made Brennan's head spin, she had barely had any of the champagne, she knew that it was Booth that was doing this to her. His kiss made her feel drunk. It was a better feeling than any alcohol could have ever hoped to create. After a couple minutes they ended up horizontal on the couch, with Booth hovering over her.
"Booth," she whispered as his lips moved to her neck, "I don't think we should have sex tonight."
A low laugh rumbled in his chest, "I agree, let's just gain our footing and get used to this change in our relationship."
"But maybe we could sleep together? Just sleep, I think that I'd like to fall asleep next to you." She whispered, hesitant. She had never wanted simple intimacy without sex before, and she wasn't completely sure if that was normal.
His eyes met hers and she could see the love in them as he gently pushed a stray hair back from her face, "Of course, Bones. I'd like to sleep next to you too."
She smiled brightly, "I like this. Being with you is like, tangible comfort." She said, trying to explain the warmth that his presence made her feel. As she spoke her fingers trailed lovingly up and down his back, "Angela is going to be excited." She added in a thoughtful tone.
"Angela is going to be thrilled. Our ears will ring for days," Booth smiled, "Did you know that people have been making bets on when we would get together? I wonder who will win."
"Wait," she sat up quickly, "people have been betting on us?"
His smile widened, "People have been betting on us since day one, Bones. How did you not know that?"
She shrugged, "I don't know."
For the remainder of the night they sat on the couch, drinking and talking, laughing and kissing, until they both began to yawn and decided it was time for bed.
They went to her room, since she had the bigger bed and crawled into bed. She curled up against him, her head resting on his chest and he dropped a kiss on her hair.
"Goodnight Bones," he said, and she snuggled closer to him.
"Goodnight Booth," she whispered, craning her neck to place a kiss on his jaw. They both fell asleep quickly, wrapped in the comfort of each other's arms, knowing that they'd have to figure things out eventually. But for now it was just them and the sounds of the city thriving outside their window.
