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Chapter 8

On the way to Booth's final surprise for the evening, Brennan thought about the kiss that they had shared. She couldn't deny it, it was the most passionate kiss she had ever experienced in her life. She had never felt that way before. But another part of her was thinking that it shouldn't have happened. That Booth was her partner and they shouldn't have an intimate relationship. She looked over at Booth who had his eyes fixed on the road. She wondered what it would be like to have a relationship with Booth. Would it be like this everyday. Catering to everything that she says. Booth noticed that Brennan was staring at him. He looked over at her and smiled. Brennan sighed and smiled back.

It was now dark outside. Booth pulled into a parking lot and found a spot to park. Brennan was confused because she didn't know where the parking lot was. Booth got out and walked over to Brennan's side of the car. She had already stepped out. Booth grabbed her hand and led her through the maze of cars.

"Booth, where are we going," she asked?

"We're going out to eat."

They soon reached a kind of boardwalk. On the right side of them was a series of stores and restaurants, and on the left was a small kind of beach. Underneath the boardwalk was sand. If you look over the railing of the boardwalk you could get a beautiful view of the sea. Brennan enjoyed the scenery until Booth escorted her into a restaurant.

They sat down at a table near a window. For the first few minutes, there was an awkward silence between them. Brennan looked out the window while Booth played with his spoon. When their eyes finally locked over the table, they both couldn't stand it any longer.

"Look Booth"-

"Hey Bones"-

They chuckled as they started talking at the same time, which seemed to validate that they where thinking about their close bond.

"You first"-

"Go ahead"-

They laughed heartily this time, trailing off into amused snickers. They smiled at each other over the table and where quiet a moment. Booth finally began again, saying quietly, "I'm sorry Bones. Brennan stared at him. He quietly continued. "I shouldn't have kissed you." "I know that we're partners and you take your job seriously. He was about to continue, but Brennan cut him off.

"Booth, you don't need to apologize." "Some people just get caught up in the moment." Booth stared at her. After about 10 seconds, he looked down at the table.

"Where you as caught up in the moment as I was," he asked? He looked back up at her.

"No, I was just surprised about what was happening." She cursed herself for lying.

Booth smirked at her. "You're a bd liar Bones." She looked at him with confused eyes. "For one, you didn't break my arm after we kissed." "Secondly, you kissed me back." Brennan rolled her eyes which made Booth's smile widen. "You liked it, didn't you," he teased.

Brennan's gaze went back to the scenery outside. Booth was about to make another comment when a waitress came up to them. She took their orders and walked around to the back. Booth looked at Brennan who had her attention turned back to the window. He felt bad for making it uncomfortable for her. He tried to make small talk, but it always ended up in an awkward silence. Booth then noticed that couples started to get up and dance to the band.

Booth stood up and took her hand. "May I have this dance?"

Brennan stared at him for awhile and then stood up. Booth said nothing, just led her over to where a growing number of people were enjoying the band by dancing to the salsa-type number that they were belting out. Hesitant at first, Brennan eventually shed her inhibitions as the infectious smile Booth drowned her with swept her along. By the end of the song, they were letting it all hang out, whooping and hollering along with the crowd.

Suddenly, the band started to play a slow, sultry song. Booth gave Brennan no time to protest. He tugged on her hand and they collapsed into each other's arms.

They both reveled in this moment of closeness for them, where there's no danger and they're relaxed in a lovely, romantic setting. His right hand cradled her left, and she held both hands nestled in the curve of his shoulder, as he guided her with his right hand on her waist. She looked down at his hand. The way he had curled his wrist in to cradle her hand as if it was a precious thing. She gave into the moment and let herself relax, realizing there was no reason to cling to her normally strong persona here. The arm on his shoulder melted as she lifted her hand up farther to rest at the base of his neck. She almost sucked in a breath as she looked at her hand there, seized the desire to lift her thumb an inch or two to stroke the hair curling over his collar, or worse, run her fingers through it.

Booth tightened his fingers slightly around hers as he clinched his hand farther around her waist, pulling her closer, until their bodies were almost touching. As they swayed to the sultry music, the sea reflected the lights from outside along the wall and added to the rhythm and music of the moment.

Brennan found herself intoxicated by all this. She breathed in deeply to try to clear her head, but only succeeded in being over whelmed by the scent of him, reminded, as if the solid bulk of him under her hands and brushing against her weren't enough. Of his strength and power, and it was oh-so-tempting to completely give herself over to it, to him.

Booth could barely stand it- here Brennan is everything he knew she could be when she let herself relax- soft, warm, feminine. He felt he only had to caress her in a hug and she would melt the rest of the way into him. But he wasn't sure that would be wise given the public setting, and he didn't quite trust himself with his actions if he were to do so.

The song ended and the two reluctantly pulled apart. They went back to there seats. Just as they did, their food came. The dance must have taken a lot of things off their minds because they couldn't stop talking to each other. They talked and laughed the whole night. When they were finished eating, Booth paid the bill. They walked out of the restaurant hand in hand. They walked down the boardwalk making small talk. Even though they had a great time at dinner, Brennan wanted to talk about what happened.

"Booth, can we go somewhere and talk?"

Booth looked at her and new exactly what she wanted to talk about. "Would this be about you know what," he asked?

She nodded. He sighed and led her to the steps off of the boardwalk.