Daydreaming of impossible things is not a pastime I can participate in. I am too logical, and too intelligent for such behavior to be effective. Hence, I am not prepared for Booth's statement of love…for me. Do I love him? Yes, I have understood that now for quite some time. I have loved him for years, unknowingly. At times I have wished I still did not know. There is no changing the past however. In that truth lies the reality of having watched Booth be in love with Hannah. Of him agreeing I could not be what he wanted and of him…hurting me. I hadn't thought his behavior deliberate, just a by-product of my slow understanding of emotions and him finding a love that made him happy.

His words are starting to make sense. He knew that I needed time, but chose not to give it. He moved on – yet wanted me to know…just how much better off he was without me. Gambling…with me…

I was not supposed to say that to her. Mike told me not to turn an apology into pressure. Now she is crying, slow tears sliding down her cheeks. I can't tell why. Is she sad or angry? Maybe she's overwhelmed? I kneel down beside her and place my other hand over ours. "Temperance."

At least she doesn't pull away. She can't look at me though. I want to wipe away her tears, but that might be too much.

"I never thought you wanted to hurt me…I just thought you were in love. With Hannah."

She looks up now, and I can see the confusion swirling in her eyes.

"I thought you loved her, and it hurt because I, I had finally figured out that I was in love with you, and that all my disbelief about love was from something that happened a long time ago."

Did she just say she was in love with me?

"That is why I was avoiding you, Booth. I didn't think you were trying to be mean. I never thought that you would be mean…. I just thought it was a good thing I hadn't said yes, because you were wrong about me being the one…and it hurt."

"You're in love with me?"

She looks away from me then, and I remember I'm not supposed to force it. Doesn't matter - I know what I heard.

Booth looks almost happy. I have a number of different thoughts trying to become cohesive: Booth broke up with Hannah because he says he loves me. Booth deliberately tried to hurt me emotionally. Booth seemed to be completely in love with Hannah. Booth has been gambling again. Booth knew I needed time…and the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results.

"Yes, Booth, I am, but I am finding it difficult to believe that you are in love with me."

Temperance Brennan…I am floored. She has just stripped herself bare for me, heart exposed, fears revealed, defenseless. I could break her right now. Dear God, don't let me break her. Please, God.

"So much for not having an open heart." I try cracking a smile. It's hard, because what I want to do is take her in my arms and kiss her senseless, promise I will never, ever give her a reason to doubt me again and then worship every inch of her body until she's sobbing with pleasure. I want to be inside her, feel her come…that's the different between sex and making love. Sex is wanting a hot body. Wanting to make love…it's when someone loves you so much they share their soul, and their soul is so beautiful you want to be a part of them, and they a part of you… You become one.

She is watching me with that serious gaze of hers. Now is not the time to be discussing what I'm feeling, the depth of it. Right now she doesn't believe I'm in love with her. I don't blame her.

"I don't expect you to believe me, Temperance. I wouldn't believe me either."

I'm rewarded with a small smile. I remember I'm not supposed to push, but it's really hard not to. I just want her to be mine. I want her… Damn-it, this is the line of thinking that got me off course a moment ago! I need to be honest here, as honest as she's been with me.

"I know it looked like I loved her, but I didn't. Worse, I acted like a jerk. Bones, I'm so afraid I've shattered the trust between us, and you'll never -"

"- I trust you, Booth. I'm just not sure that you are thinking clearly right now. Therefore, I can't trust that you really know what it is you want."

"Bones, I know –"

"- I'm sure you think you do, but you just ended a relationship that you were very happy in. How can you know this one would be any better?"

"I was only with her because –"

"- You were trying to hurt me?"

Yeah, it stings…but it's fair. Not true, but fair.

"No. I was trying to move on and get over you. It just didn't work."

I can't tear my eyes away from his. His voice is so quiet when he says that. Yet his eyes seem to flash for a moment, and then are still, unreadable. Not that I am good at such things, but I used to be able to somewhat read him… Now, he seems sad again. I don't want him to be sad, again.

"My thinking isn't particularly clear either, Booth. I think I should feel angry that you wanted to hurt me. Yet, what I feel is sad for...things I can't even explain to myself… I think I must have hurt you very badly for you to want to hurt me. It's not…like you. I didn't ever want to hurt you, yet I - "

I am getting scared. She is tearing up again, and I don't like where this is going.

"Bones –"

"Booth, it doesn't matter that you were gambling! You weren't sure of me. And I was equally unclear if I was even capable of being in a romantic relationship without the man coming to hate me…it seems –"

"Don't! Don't go there. I was angry and hurt, and I was acting out like a kid, but I never, ever, hated you, Bones. I wanted to show you I could live without you, that other women wanted me –"

"I knew that."

"Look, I was stupid, Bones."

That catches her attention.

"Relationships and understanding are not an area in which you are stupid, Booth. Anything good I know about understanding and connecting to people I've learned from you. You've made me less stupid in that. Now, in the area of forensic anthropology, yes, you are stupid – but you don't need to be intelligent in that area. Most people don't require that kind of complicated thinking in normal day-to-day activities."

Booth is grinning. I don't know what I've said that amuses him so much. Then he reaches out and wipes some of the tears off my cheek.

"I'm in love with you, Temperance. Will you give me time to prove it?"

I want him to kiss me. I don't know if he loves me or not, if he is rebounding from whatever happened between him and Hannah, or if this all some kind of joke they will laugh about later. I don't care if the aftermath could hurt badly. I want him to kiss me.

So I nod my head. His grip on my hand tightens as a slow smile crosses his face. Booth's eyes are burning through me. I know this is physically impossible, but I will think about it later. The fire set by his eyes is now filling the air around us with heat, electricity. I feel his fingers against my cheek, pushing back my hair… When his lips touch mine, the heat explodes in my body, and I open to him immediately. His tongue remembers mine – we've only kissed twice…or three… I stop thinking and sensations take over: the texture of his shirt under my hands as my arms encircle him, his hands in my hair. I find the smooth spot under his tongue, and I love the feel of his caressing mine, the rough tip exploring the back of my throat… breathing each other in…

"Dr. Brennan, the results have come – oh my…"

I hate Cam, but only for a few moments. In truth, if Bones and I kept kissing, it wasn't going to be just kissing. I don't want the first time we make love to be on her office floor – other times, maybe - but for the first time I want hours, which in her office isn't possible.

"I am SO sorry, guys, I –"

"It's okay Cam." I shift slightly so Temperance can hide against my neck. I know she doesn't want to face Cam right now. "We'll be up at the lab in a few."

"Alrighty, I will be going back to the lab now. I will, um, see you in a few minutes."

So much for not pushing, Seeley boy. I stroke Temperance's hair, loving the feel of it in my hands, her face against my neck. Mike had said to take it slow. He doesn't know what it's like, the kind of chemistry we have. Still, I don't want to lose her. Taking it slow. I tore a ligament my freshman year of college. Tried to go back on the playing roster too soon. Ended up on crutches the entire season and then some. Moving too fast, too soon, I snapped the thing completely. I will love Bones for the rest of my life, taking the time to heal this hurt is nothing when I think about it like that.

"Booth?"

"Yeah?"

She pulls away from me. I brush a strand of that dark silky hair back behind her ear.

"We should go see what the results are on the skin sample."

"We will, but…you meant it right? Giving me time to prove –"

"That you love me?"

"Yeah, that I love you."

I still am not completely present to the world. Booth is asking for time to prove he loves me. I don't know what that means. I don't think it's something one can prove. Then again, there are many things the world has thought impossible to prove, only to have it be done.

"I've missed being friends, Booth…being able to just talk about things. Every time I've kissed you my sense of reason disappears for a bit"

"Me too. I mean, I've missed you, too. Hannah…was never a friend."

Why did I say that? But, wow, she's smiling a bit.

"Maybe we could meet up for drinks later?"

He smiles one of his all out happy smiles. I have made him happy. It feels good and I can tell that I'm smiling back.

"Bones, I would love to meet you later for drinks."

"Good. Now I should go see what Cam found, and you can go run Angela's sketch through your FBI databases."

"Sounds like a plan, Bones."

"It is a plan, Booth."

He laughs, stands up and pulls me up off my chair. "You're right, Bones. It is a plan."

His eyes are warming me. Not burning like before. Just…warming, like a cup of cocoa on a snowy day. It feels nice, and I realized I've missed this feeling the most. It is one I'd lived with for years – and taken for granted. Being with Booth, in a car, on a case, even arguing, I have felt the warmth. He doesn't let go of my hand as we walk out of my office. I know I should say something, but I don't.