A/N: Good evening. =) See? I told you there would be a chapter this week! =) I want to extend a sincere thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter and gave me so much feedback and support on continuing this story. I appreciated everyone's comments and especially the encouragement for both writing and my schoolwork.

Just to let everyone know, the vast majority of the votes were for continuing the story with shorter updates. Most people also said that they would understand if I needed to take a hiatus at some point to. So what I plan to do is continue updating on Saturdays with the shorter chapters with the understanding that there might be a week or two here or there that I need to take off to deal with other things. If I end up having to take more than a week off, I'll let everyone know ahead of time.

Anyway, thank you again for sticking with me! It means a lot to know that people look forward to these chapters and want them to continue. =)

This chapter was a new experiment with shorter scenes. It's got a lot of fluff (I know how you hate that ;-) but there is some plot development at the end. I hope you like the chapter and I hope you'll let me know how you felt about how the shorter length turned out.

Once again I need to thank Hannah Taylor1 who honestly does keep me writing during the week. She is every bit as much responsible for this chapter being written as I am. So make sure you leave her nice reviews for her story "Problem Solving, The Booth and Brennan Way" which I know you're all reading because you're smart people with great taste! ;-)

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones.

~B/B~

Booth took his partner's hand as they walked towards the elevator, smiling down at her as their fingers intertwined. The sight of her in his t-shirt was nearly as tantalizing as seeing her in nothing but the small, basic black bikini that stretched over her curves and displayed the pale expanse of her skin. It had taken all of his willpower to untangle himself from her eager hands and searching lips long enough to lead her out the door.

The elevator dinged and the doors opened. A man in an expensive suit started forward, but paused as he caught sight of Brennan. A wolfish smile formed on the strangers lips and he looked Booth's partner up and down, making a small, but audible appreciative noise.

"I have to say I like your style." The businessman moved to stand in front of Brennan' blocking the entrance to the elevator and ignoring Booth entirely. "Maybe you should get into the fashion industry. I wouldn't mind it if more women walked around like that."

"What?" Brennan looked down. "That would be impractical in most situations."

Irritated that the man's blatant attempt to hit on his partner, the woman whose hand was caught in his, Booth stepped forward, edging himself between Brennan and the business man.

Eyes narrowed, Booth stared the man down. "Weren't you getting out here?"

"Actually, no. I'm a few floors up." The man said, staring back at Booth.

"Ah." Booth nodded. "Take the stairs."

"Excuse me?"

"I said move along."

"Booth!" Brennan tugged at his hand, frowning up at him. "What are you doing?"

"Just trust me, Bones." Booth muttered, brushing the man aside so that they could step inside the elevator.

Brennan continued to frown, then looked at the confused man still blocking the doors. "Oh, I see." She nodded wisely before addressing the stranger. "My partner feels threatened by your sexual interest in me. We've only recently begun to date and he is displaying insecurity. You should go."

"Bones!" Booth closed his eyes, leaning his head back.

The man gaped at her. "What are you talking about?"

"Just…" Brennan stepped forward, waving the man away. He automatically stepped back and the doors closed. "There." Brennan turned to Booth, smiling. "That was simple enough."

Booth jabbed a finger into the lobby button and glared at her before leaning his forehead against the wall. "Bones, you can't say stuff like that. You can't talk to people about sexual interest and you especially can't talk about my insecurity."

"But, I was right, wasn't I?" Brennan moved to stand beside him, forcing herself into the small space between him and the wall and sliding her arms around his neck. "You disliked his appreciation of my appearance."

"Yeah, I… disliked it." Booth muttered. "The guy could have had a little respect. I was standing right there, holding your hand, and he's looking at you like a slab of beef in a market."

Brennan wrinkled her nose. "That is a distinctly unappealing metaphor." Sliding her hands down his bare chest, she laid small kisses along his throat. "Why does it matter that he looked at me, Booth? Men frequently look at me and you haven't ever caused such a scene before."

"Mmm…" Was Booth's only reply for a moment as Brennan worked her lips against the underside of his jaw. His big hands circled her waist, drawing her closer. Instinctively, he reached out and pushed the buttons for four or five floors, hoping to delay the time before they reached the lobby and had to keep their hands off of each other again.

"Booth?" Brennan prompted him to remember the question.

"Because…" Booth murmured in her ear, "It's different now, Bones. I keep telling you that. It's one thing when guys blatantly hit on you when we're working or something. It's a whole different story when they hit on you while we're on a date. While we're out on a date we're… mmm." He trailed off as she nipped at his earlobe. "Geez, Bones… you're driving me crazy."

"While we're out on a date we're what, Booth?" Brennan pulled back, ignoring the elevator doors as they opened uselessly, waiting for no one to board the elevator.

"We're together. You're… "He hesitated to finish his thought. "What I mean is, when we're on a date it means we've agreed to be each other's for the evening. How would you feel if some girl hit on me while we were on date?"

Her eyes narrowed and he was thrown back to lunch at the new restaurant just a week earlier. "Like that waitress, Bones. That poor waitress who had her sexual interest announced to the room." He grinned as he leaned in and stole a kiss. "Same thing."

"Hmm." Brennan pursed her lips, thinking for a moment. "I suppose I can't argue with that logic. Even if I still find it strange and amusing that you would allow a man less attractive than you to intimidate you."

Booth smiled and the remnants of his consternation vanished. Sliding his arms more tightly around her, he dipped his head for a long, slow kiss. "You really do think I'm hot, don't you, Bones?"

"Booth?"

"Yeah, baby?"

"This is our floor." Brennan gave him one last peck and pulled away with a grin. "And I believe this family would like to use the elevator now."

~B/B~

The air in the pool room was warm and the distinctive scent of chlorine hit Booth and Brennan's sense as they stepped inside. The pool was deserted and Brennan led the way to one of the chairs, tossing her keys down and kicking off her sandals.

Turning to Booth, she smiled and slipped her arms out of his t-shirt. "This was an excellent idea, Booth. I haven't used the pool in approximately three years, if I remember correctly. I'm enjoying our date so far."

With this announcement, Brennan pulled Booth's shirt off and leaned over, laying it neatly on the chair. Behind her, Booth gulped as most of his partner's gorgeous body was suddenly on display for him again. In an effort to seem casual, Booth kicked off his own flip-flops and slid a hand over her back as she straightened up.

"Me too, Bones." He kept his eyes on her face, reaching up to stroke a hand over her cheek. "Listen, before we get in the water, are you still feeling alright? Does your head hurt or are you feeling weak or anything? Because I don't want you to get in if you think its going to bother you."

"I'm fine." Brennan smiled up at him, taking his hand as she stepped backwards. "But I would like to get in the water now. Are you coming?"

Unbidden, Booth's eyes dropped and moved over her. His muscles tensed as his eyes roamed the planes of her stomach and the curves of her breasts displayed so generously in her bikini top. "Coming." He followed her quickly before she could call him out on staring again.

Brennan led him over to the pool stairs and Booth watched in amusement as her delicate toes made light splashes as she tapped them against the water. "So… what's your style, Bones?" He crossed his arms, raising his eyebrows as her other foot followed her first and she was standing at the top of the stairs, feet barely immersed. "Your getting in style, I mean. I wouldn't have pegged you for an easer."

"An easer?" Brennan frowned up at him. "I don't know what that means."

"Well there's two ways to get in a pool." Booth informed her with a smile. "There's the way you're doing it now. All slow and steady. Takes forever. Or…" His smile morphed into a mischievous grin. "There's the catapulter."

"The…" Brennan started to repeat him, but he was already turning, tightening his muscles as he pushed off the ledge of the pool and jumped into the air. He pulled his knees up to his chest and plunged into the deeper section of the pool, screwing his face up to keep the sudden onslaught of water out of any orifice.

When Booth surfaced, his eyes stayed closed and he reached his hands up to scrub the water off of his face before opening them. When he could see again, he found himself face to face with Brennan, in the water to her shoulders, an amused smirk on her face.

"Catapulter seems to be an accurate word." She observed, sidling closer to him.

"Bones, you're supposed to be on the stairs." Booth protested. "You were easing. There was definitely easing happening."

"I was determining the temperature of the water." Brennan corrected him primly. "Before I immerse myself, it's helpful to know if the water is tepid or if the cold is going to require my body to adjust significantly. If you had waited, rather than throwing yourself headfirst into the water, you would have seen that I, as usual, don't ease into anything, Booth."

He had to laugh, shaking his head to expel some of the water clinging to his hair. "Shoulda figured, Bones. You're an all in kind of girl."

Brennan smiled, moving closer still. "I would have joined you in jumping if it weren't for the bandaging on my head. It can't be immersed."

"That's right." Booth reached a hand up to touch her neck gently. "You need to be… oh. Hello." Booth forgot his responsible warning as Brennan closed the distance between them, wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. The weightless feel of her body pressed against his set each one of his nerves on fire.

His hands went to her legs instinctively and his fingers slid over the bare, wet flesh. Moving his hands over her hips, he migrated to her waist before he could slow down his eager exploration of her skin.

"Bones…"

Brennan's hands were on him too. Her palms spread over his wet shoulders and down his back, around to his stomach. The purring sound in the back of her throat as she explored him nearly snapped his self control.

"Bones, why are you trying to kill me?" He murmured the words as he trailed his lips down the side of her neck. "

Frowning, Brennan leaned back far enough to see his face. "I can assure you that I don't wish for your death, Booth. That would be very upsetting to me."

"Then maybe we set up some rules here." Booth suggested, bumping his nose lightly against hers and stealing a kiss. "Because with you looking the way you do right now and feeling the way you do," he placed another lingering kiss on her mouth, "and tasting the way you do... Bones, I can be a pretty determined guy, but I've got my limits."

Brennan thought for a moment. "You mean that you're aroused and my current state of dress and proximity to you is taxing your self-control."

"Heh, yeah, you could say that." Booth slid his hand down her spine, his large palm roaming her skin. "But, Bones… now don't get frustrated, ok?" He wrapped his arms around her waist more securely.

"I can't promise I won't become frustrated without knowing what you're going to say, Booth."

"Look, I just think that it's important that we go slow. And not just because of your head injury, Bones. This is all still new to us. It would be so easy to just do what feels natural here and..." he paused, looking at her searching blue eye. Swooping down, he pressed his lips to hers and kissed her hard and long before breaking away. Touching his hand to her cheek, he drew in a ragged breath. "…You get the point."

Smiling, Brennan shifted against him, moving closer. "It would be easy to act on our physical attraction."

"Yeah." Booth kissed her temple as she settled her head against his shoulder. "But I want to do this right, Bones."

Brennan trailed a finger along his jawline, her head tilted she scrutinized the planes of his face. "Is there a particularly right way?"

With a sigh, Booth tightened his hold on her briefly before releasing her. Her arms and legs were still wrapped sinuously around him, keeping her body pressed against his, and yet Brennan felt the distance he was putting between them and her brow furrowed in petulant response. Stubbornly, she lifted her face to his and kissed his traitorously willing lips.

"Bones...hah…mmm." Booth slid his arms back around her and rested his forehead on her shoulder. "You know, this conversation would be hard enough with you fully clothed and sitting on the opposite side of the couch. Maybe we shouldn't try talking about it while you're half naked and wrapped around me."

"But I enjoy having the advantage." Brennan teased, tightening her grip on him.

"Bones, have mercy." Booth reached up and unlocked her arms from around his neck and distangled himself from her, backing up several steps in the water. "Just… stay." He ordered before sinking underneath the water.

He pushed off from the bottom of the pool and stroked through the water, aiming his tension-ridden body at the side of the pool furthest away. The energy he expended helped to dissipate the absolute craving he had to keep tasting and touching his partner and he swam four sets of laps before surfacing at a safe distance from Brennan.

As he wiped the water from his face, his partner regarded him curiously. "Booth?"

"Look, Bones…" He interrupted her, determined to say what he didn't want to say before she could distract him again. "I just think that if we keep… kissing like we have been… like in your apartment a few minutes ago and in the elevator and here just now…. I think we're going to end up moving too fast. And when we move fast it doesn't go well, Bones. We get confused and distracted and things fall apart…"

She moved through the water, heading towards him. "Booth…"

"And I just think that we should slow down. That's all." Booth continued hurriedly. "It would be a compromise, Bones. I know that. You're all about moving quickly to the physical stuff and I get that. But we both have to give a little here, you know? We're just casually dating. No commitment, no titles, no anything. That's a compromise for me and I think that you should compromise too and agree to let me… direct this area."

"Booth, I'm not…"

"Don't say no right away, Bones."

"Booth." Brennan was right in front of him now and she jabbed him in the shoulder, shutting him up. "I have no intention of arguing with you on this point."

"You don't?" Booth narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"No." Brennan shrugged easily. "I understand the concept of compromise. Angela often reminds me that it is the key to interpersonal relationships. And I agree that you are making a compromise by not requiring a typical romantic relationship in regards to romantic overtures and long-term commitments."

"You do?"

"Yes. And in return, I am willing to compromise with you regarding our physical relationship." She held up a hand as he started to smile. "On two conditions."

Booth crossed his arms over his bare chest. "What conditions, Bones?"

"The first is that copulation must occur before we have been dating for a month." Brennan reached up and smoothed his wet hair back before meeting his eyes. "Is that an acceptable condition?"

Booth caught her hand as it descended his chest and linked his fingers with her. "I'm not sure I could wait any longer than that." He confessed, his eyes dropping from her face for a brief, weak moment. "What's the second condition, Bones?"

Brennan smiled, reaching for his other hand and tugging him closer. The smirk that settled on her lips set his blood on fire every bit as much as the teasingly suggestive tone in her voice as she answered. "The second condition will likely be harder for you to accept. Would you like to discuss it here or when we return to my apartment and are clothed again?"

"Ah…" Booth gulped as a million possibilities ran through his head. His own imagination had him desperate to hold her again and he brutally cut off his multiple trains of thought. "You know, maybe we should just swim for awhile…"

~B/B~

Poor, restrained Booth. ;-) I hope you guys didn't mind all the kissing… ;-) I might have gotten a bit caught up in the fact that they're allowed to kiss whenever they want now. Unlike on the show, where Booth constantly has his lips plastered all over a blonde chick.

By the way – a few of you asked for my opinions on season 6 so far. To be honest, I haven't formulated too many. I'm reserving judgment until things get under way a bit better. So far I don't hate Hannah, I feel like Angela is not herself, Booth is acting a little weird and Brennan is… I don't really know what she is yet. Regretful, I think. I hope.

Anyway, I'm still waiting for that ol' Bones magic to kick in. Come on episode 4! Get with the program!

As always, your feedback is extremely important to me. I've said it before and I'll say it again – we authors put a lot of work into these chapters and the thing that makes it most worthwhile is hearing from YOU, our beloved readers. =) So please drop a note. I'd love to hear from you. Unfortunately I won't be able to reply to all of you or even most of you. But if there's a particular something you want addressed, I will definitely reply. =)