Booth walked through the front door and proudly held up the Thai food he'd been 'sent' to retrieve. The guy on the phone had offered free delivery—they'd been such a frequent customer after all- , but Booth had insisted on getting it himself, quickly closing his phone and picking up his keys. "Gotta run and pick up the food," he'd told Brennan.

She'd stared up at him from her prone position on the couch, her hands on her incredibly swollen belly, and a frown on her face. It was officially three days past her due date, and she was annoyed at this infant's presumed predisposition to be late.

"She gets that from you," she'd informed Booth that morning, and he'd eyed her incredulously, but hadn't commented.

But now, he was back with the food she'd wanted, and he just hoped to God that she still actually wanted it. Last time, he'd raced to the Thai place before it closed only to get back to find out that she had changed her mind and wanted a hot fudge sundae. She'd frowned, and looked at him with wide blue eyes, "I am self-aware enough to know that I'm being irrational, however…I really want ice cream." He'd been unable to refuse her then, racing out to get what she needed. And at least he'd had Thai food for supper.

He stepped into the living room and paused, trying to school his features. Brennan was on the couch with her back propped against the arm. Her leg was lifted in the air, and she was stretching her toes downward, as her arm lifted and she tried to paint her toenails. "Okay," he hesitantly set their food down in the kitchen. "Need some help there, Bones?"

She turned and looked at him and shrugged. "Maybe."

His eyebrows rose at her immediate acceptance for help, but he didn't say anything while he grabbed forks and a beer for him and a water for her. He carried it all to the living room and sat at the end of the couch. Brennan used her elbows to move up a bit more and then she placed her feet near his body. She reached for the food he'd brought, and he handed it to her directly, smiling when she used her own belly as a makeshift table. "Gotta admit, Bones," he gestured toward her stomach. "It has been kinda convenient."

She looked down to her stomach and the perfectly balanced plate of food. "True," she smiled, and he was surprised again. She noticed the surprise and she sighed. "Have I really been so irrational lately that you are surprised when I get something humorous?"

Booth considered her words and his eyes narrowed a bit. He opened his mouth to answer, but his pause was all of the answer Brennan needed.

She looked away, her face flushing a bit.

"Hey," he murmured, taking one of her feet and putting it in his lap. "I don't mind. I kinda like it, Bones. I mean,…it's all a part of the experience, right?"

Her eyes flew to his, and she smiled again, nodding. That had been his mantra through it all. When the crib had come without several of its parts, he'd grumbled, but then sighed and shrugged. "All part of the experience."

And when she'd puked in their toilet in those early months, and sometimes not in the toilet, he'd held her close. "Hey, just all part of the experience."

Sometimes she wanted to shove those words down his throat, like when she had her last doctor's appointment and was weighed. He'd opened his mouth at the number, and got as far as "Hey, it's just…" before she shot him a withering glance. But for the most part, she liked his emotional comfort. And they only had three more days until she was induced if necessary. But she was really hoping to avoid that, and she'd been researching methods to naturally encourage labor.

She watched as he reached over and picked up the bottle of nail polish. "It's not like you to use this kind of stuff, Bones," he commented.

Brennan shrugged a shoulder. "True, mainly because it interferes with my work if I use it on my hands, and because I'm usually wearing boots or heavy shoes to crime scenes…it seems like a waste. But now…since I'll be taking a bit of time off from field work," she shrugged again. "Besides, according to Angela, giving birth is beautiful but not pretty, and she said it's a good idea to just...paint your toenails", she finished with a flick of her fingers. "Apparently it works."

"Yeah," Booth nodded. "It makes sense." He eyed the bottle and then her foot, and Brennan smiled as she watched him think about it.

"Have you ever applied nail polish to anyone, Booth?" she asked, and his eyes flew up to meet hers.

"That would be a no, Bones," he laughed, but his lips pursed together in concentration as he unscrewed the cap and lifted the tiny brush. He let the excess polish drip back into the bottle, and his nose wrinkled. "It stinks."

"So does the Bengay you insist I rub on your back after hockey games," she rebutted with a smile. Booth chuckled and retaliated by flicking the bottom of one of her feet. She yelped, and he laughed again and then sighed and got to work.

Brennan watched him, and she smiled at the way the tip of his tongue pressed against his bottom lip. He probably didn't even realize that he was muttering to himself as he worked—just like he did when he was trying to fix something around their house. She'd always liked watching him work, but this was new…him working on her. It made her feel warm and happy, and she tried to relax. She also liked that he'd never done this before.

It didn't take him too long to finish, and he smiled as he admired his efforts. "Pretty good, yeah?" he grinned, both cocky and shy. Brennan nodded. "Very. Thank you, Booth."

"Sure, Bones…my pleasure" he brought her feet up toward his face, one at a time, and then gently blew on her toes to dry the polish. The sensation was pleasurable, and Brennan shivered softly.

She took another bite of rice and eggplant. "I'd heard that spicy food is good for inducing labor," she offered, trying to take her mind off of the arousal she'd felt when Booth caressed her feet.

"Yeah," he was staring at her legs and after several minutes, he started to gently rubbed them, letting his hands slide from her ankles to her knees. She wiggled her toes a bit and then stretched her feet and legs. Booth continued to touch her, and he moved to the floor near the couch, kneeling there so he could massage her thighs as well. He was close enough that she could have leaned over to kiss him, but her stomach was in the way and made it hard to bend. But he saw the look on her face and he moved closer and kissed her, smiling against her lips. "You taste spicy," he grinned and kissed her again.

Her eyes were hooded, and arousal spiked through her body. "I believe intercourse is also effective for encouraging labor," she suggested huskily, her body and voice doing nothing to disguise her desire to test that data.

Booth kissed her again and then let his lips travel down to where her shirt met her skin. He nuzzled his nose beneath the open collar and kissed her. "I could possibly be up for that," he smiled.

"Literally," Brennan added, and he laughed, looking up at her face.

"Yep."

Her face softened. "You don't mind?"

His eyebrows rose. "Mind? Are you kidding me?" He stared down her body. "I'm just trying to figure out exactly how it will work." His eyes flew to her face. "No offense," he backtracked.

"None taken," she smiled. "I understand that the logistics might require some…creativity."

Booth's lips curved up in a cocky smile and he stood up, rubbing his hands together and examining the couch. "I can be creative."

Brennan laughed at him and reached out for him to help her up. "Let's start with me standing up."

Booth laughed and helped her up. He could wrap his arms around her, but her stomach made it hard for them to kiss one another. But he still loved having her in his arms, and he turned them, so his legs were back against the couch. He sat down and rubbed her back with his hands. Brennan lifted her arms over her head and peeled her shirt from her body. Booth's eyes widened in appreciation, and he gently cupped her breasts, noting that she immediately tossed her head back in pleasure. "Ah, these are sensitive, hmmm, babe?"

"Yeah," was all she said, and her head lolled as her eyes squeezed shut. She clamped her hands to his wrists and leaned toward his hands, increasing the pressure. Booth groaned and ran his thumbs over her sensitive nipples, watching her for any and all signs to stop.

She gave him a sign when she moved his hands down her body to the waistband of her cotton pants. He moved them and her panties, and they easily pooled at her feet. Booth cupped her between her thighs and gasped. "You're wet," he murmured appreciatively. "Just from this?"

"Yes," she nodded, her eyes bright. "And when you painted my toenails."

"Huh," he filed that fact away. He'd have to keep that in mind. But for now…

"C'mere," he tried to pull her down to his body. But that didn't quite work. They both laughed a bit, and then he moved to lie down on the couch. "Let's try this." He hooked one of his hands around the back of her thigh and positioned her so she was straddling him. With her hand on the back of the couch, she was able to move up and down a bit, but there was no way she could really ride him. "Here, Bones," he shifted his hips so he could pull his pants down his thighs. His cock sprang free immediately, and he groaned when Brennan reached between their bodies and gripped him with a few sleek tugs. He put one foot on the floor for leverage and with his hand, he removed her fingers and wrapped his own around the base of his cock, keeping him in place. "Can you get down?" he asked, arching up his hips until she was sinking onto him. She gasped, and he groaned. She was incredibly tight and judging by the way she was clenching onto him, incredibly sensitive.

"Touch your breasts, baby," he encouraged, his voice soft. He rose and fell, pressing into her from below with every rock of his hips. With his other hand, he rubbed against her sensitive clit, and he watched as her neck fell back with pleasure.

"Booth, yes," She moved a bit more, and her stomach brushed against his with each rise and fall. He loved looking up at her and seeing her gorgeous skin flushed for him.

"Come on, Bones…you can do it," he murmured. "You're so tight, and you feel so good against my cock. I love when you ride me like this. Yeah, you're dripping wet," he praised, knowing the dirty talk was likely to help get her off. "Does this feel good?" he swiped the pad of his thumb against her clit again and again until she spasmed around him. Her hands fell forward and she gripped his shoulders hard. Booth winced, but then he jerked the base of his shaft a few times until he came inside her.

"Ohhhhhh," he panted, and breathed heavily beneath her. She sighed happily and then laughed.

"What?" he laughed too, in the way he couldn't help but doing whenever she was happy.

She smiled at him, and he could see deep satisfaction in her eyes, but there was more too. "What is it, Bones."

She shrugged a shoulder. "I didn't think this all through. While that was quite enjoyable…I find I lack the energy to get up and move to the bed."

Booth's mouth curved up in a smile and he considered the position. "Well hell, Bones, it's not like we can both sleep on this couch tonight. It would be hell on both of our backs."

She laughed again and when she leaned down, he grunted and leaned forward until their lips met.

"You can't move at all?" his voice was slightly nervous, and she laughed again.

"You'll have to help me" she sighed and groaned, placing her hands on her bare stomach and looking down. "You can come out any time," she advised her unborn child.

Booth laughed and placed his hands on hers, "Yes… we really want to meet you," he kissed her belly. "And then Mommy is going to go get Daddy's supper in the middle of the rain," he joked. "And in the middle of the night, and on the other side of town, and..."

"Very funny," Brennan laughed and slapped at his hands. Booth grabbed hers and brought it to his lips, pressing a soft kiss there.

Brennan bit her bottom lip and then used the couch for balance as she swung her leg over his body. Booth moved quickly and then he was standing, helping her the rest of the way up. He wrapped his arm around her waist, and they walked back to the bedroom. She groaned when she moved to her back, and Booth helped her adjust with pillows until she was as comfortable as she possibly could be given the circumstances.

"So," he mused as he rested on his back, his arms beneath his head. "How many colors of nail polish, do you have, Bones?"

She turned her head to smile at him suspiciously, and he just gave her a boyish grin.

"Hey," he shrugged. "Any time you want me to paint your toenails, I'll do it, Bones…It'll just cost you…that's all," he teased.

"Oh really?" she murmured, her eyes fluttering shut after their long day. Booth turned toward her and watched as she tried to fall asleep.

Things were about to change drastically, but he knew one thing that would always stay the same. "I love you, Bones," he whispered, tracing one knuckle against the curve of her back.

"Love you too, Booth," she muttered, and he smiled at her automatic response.

-b&b-