Sorry I'm late. But hey, in my defense, it's Thursday somewhere in the world, right?

Thanks for all the reviews and comments and story adds, and all of that.

Cheers….

--b&b--

Thursday:

11 AM:

Booth leaned back in his chair at his desk, tossing his baseball up in the air a bit, whistling slightly. He had all of his paperwork done, miraculously, and nothing new across his desk. Which was just fine with him because, "Bones is coming back tonight" he grinned and tossed the baseball up in the air again. Just then, his phone rang, and he leaned over to open it, pulling it up to his ear. "Special Agent Seeley Booth" he answered with a smile.

"What?" he sat up quickly. "Oh, wow…I'm sorry. Really sorry. No, yeah. Of course…it's no problem."

He sighed, "How can it be a problem? You know it's never a problem"

Checking his watch and grabbing his keys, he stood up, "Yeah, I'll be right there."

--b&b—

3:57 PM

"Greetings passengers"

Brennan closed her magazine and looked out the airplane window.

"We're beginning our descent to Dulles, and are expecting no delays. We'll get you off the plane and to your luggage just in time to sit in traffic."

Many passengers chuckled at this, and Brennan smiled also as she pressed her hand to the window. She'd told Booth she would call him when she landed, but the magazine she'd read had offered an interesting list of ways to 'keep a man on his toes', it had said. And the number one way to do that was to surprise him. She could imagine him sitting in his apartment, probably in a pair of sweatpants and one of those t shirts he always just seemed to have. She'd never once seen him buy clothes, but he almost always looked exactly right in every situation. She envied that.

Not that she didn't know how to dress for work or social occasions, it was just…a comfort level, she supposed. She'd once told him that every element was his element. He'd denied it, but…she wasn't convinced.

But as she considered her plans for the evening, she realized there was one element in which they shared great compatibility. And she certainly knew how to dress for that.

--b&b—

7:00 PM

"Yeah, Park-o" Booth rubbed his head as they entered his apartment, "It was a great shot. You totally faked out the goalie."

Parker smiled, but knocked Booth's hand away. "I'm hungry."

"Yeah, yeah" Booth grinned. "I'll get you something in a minute. But first…"

"—Booth?"

The feminine voice came from the direction of his bedroom, and Booth froze, "Um…hello?"

"I decided I wanted to surprise you" the achingly familiar husky tone was getting closer, and Booth looked in panic between his son and his bedroom door, frozen in place. "Hey, Booth."

He blinked as his partner appeared in his doorway, dressed in a short trench coat. "Uh…" his eyes widened, and just as her hands made to move toward the sash along her waist, he dove in her direction, tackling her inside the room, slamming the door closed with his foot.

"Bones! What the hell!" he whispered in a panic.

"Booth, ow!" Brennan rubbed her elbow from where it had hit the floor, hard. "Why did you do that?"

"Parker's out there!" he hissed. "Are you out of your mind?"

"Oh" Brennan's eyes grew wide. "I didn't know he was with you. Why didn't you tell me you were going to have him?"

"I didn't know!" he insisted. "Rebecca's mom went into the hospital today, I needed to take Parker. I thought you were going to…"

"Dad?" Parker knocked on Booth's bedroom, and Booth stood up suddenly, yanking his partner up in the process. It caused the coat to fall off her body, and Booth turned to see her standing there in a…

"Ahhhhhhhh…" he whimpered, "Hah!" his breath grew choppy as his eyes took in bare skin, and curves, and white satin, "Oh, mama"… and skin, oh so much skin, and legs…those legs that could just wrap around him till tomorrow, and…

"Dad?" the knob on his door started to turn, and Booth panicked, shoving Brennan into his bathroom. She yelped, but didn't push back, and then Booth turned and opened his bedroom door, casually leaning against it with one leg in front of the other, his hands resting in front of him. "Parker…everything okay?"

He should have known Parker wouldn't fall for that.

"Is Bones here?"

"Hmmmm?" Booth tilted his head to the side. "Who, Bones? Oh, um…yes, yeah she's here. She um…she…" he snapped his fingers, "Her washer and dryer broke, yeah, that's it. They broke, and so she didn't have any clean clothes. So, that's why she could only wear that coat, and…she came over here to do her laundry. Smart, right?" he nodded encouragingly, "Bones is a real genius, Parker. Honest to goodness."

Parker frowned and looked down. "Okay…does Bones need help?"

"Help?" Booth squeaked. "Um…no, no I don't think she does. She doesn't need help, DO YOU BONES?" he called, and could hear her pacing in his small bathroom.

"No. I do not need help" she answered and Booth forced a smile at the anger emanating from her voice.

He put his hands on Parker's shoulders and steered him into the direction of the living room. "How about you go turn on the TV, and Dad will be right in, okay? I've got a new TV and it's BIG!"

Parker did as he was told, and once he was around the corner, Booth slammed his bedroom door shut, "Bones…okay, the coast is clear."

She flung open the bathroom door, and shoved him aside, furious. "Why did you do, that, Booth?"

Her breath was heaving and her breasts were barely confined in the white satin demi bra. It was so low cut and so pale he almost couldn't tell where it ended and her skin began.
"Booth?"

He met her eyes then, and flushed. "Hell, Bones…you look…"

He blinked and shook his head. "Please tell me you have something else you can put on."

"Why would I?" she answered rationally, "I didn't intend to sit with you in the living room, I fully intended to—"

"—stop right there, Bones" he interrupted her with a hand over her mouth. But her lips were full against his palm, and he'd missed her, he really had. Smoothing his hand over her cheek, he leaned down and kissed her throat, enjoying her hitched breath, and the way her fingers tightened on his bicep.

The sound of cartoons from the living room broke his concentration, and he pulled back with a groan, "You're killing me, Bones, you really are" he pressed his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. Running his hands down to cup her hips, he pulled her against him once, then again, then a third time before stumbling back. "We've got to get you into some other clothes."

He waved his hand a bit and tried to concentrate. But she wasn't helping any. Standing there…breathing and all. And just being…

He opened his drawer and pulled out an old Army t-shirt he almost never wore. It was too small on him, and would still be too big on her, but still…it shouldn't be too terrible. "Here, put this on"

"You shouldn't have lied to Parker like that."

Booth huffed out a laugh and motioned in her direction, his eyes following from her hair to her pretty pink toenails. Son of a bitch! "What the hell was I supposed to say, Bones?" He waved his hand in the air, "Oh, Parker, hey, look. Here's Bones. Well, what do you know! She's here in naughty underwear to have her evil way with me!"

Brennan met his eyes, and smirked, and he growled, wanting to reach for her again, especially when she lifted her hands over her head to pull on his shirt.

"Holy shit, Bones…you're gonna be the death of me, you know that?"

Turning quickly and rummaging through another drawer, he pulled out a pair of mesh shorts and a pair of sweatpants, giving her the option to choose. She eyed them both disdainfully before choosing the pants, rolling up the hems to her knees and pulling the drawstring as tight as it would go.

"Satisfied?" she asked, an annoyed tinge to her voice.

Booth looked at her, imagining her bare skin, so soft and sweet, barely covered in underwear so skimpy he could probably pull it off her body like taffy with his teeth. His body clamored for another showing, wanting to rip off the clothes he'd just loaned her. The clothes he supposed now probably smelled like her. Damn it, he was jealous of clothes now? He stiffened in response. Satisfied? "Hardly" he snorted, but then grabbed her by the elbow, "But come on…"

He pulled her into the living room, "Hey hey, Parker…look who's here! It's Bones!"

Parker looked at him and rolled his eyes. "I know Dad. I already knew she was here."

"Oh, right…right." Booth swallowed and rocked on his heels. He rubbed his hands together and opened his mouth to suggest something, anything.

"Do you need help with your laundry, Bones?" Parker asked. 'I'm good at folding socks."

"Actually, Parker…" Brennan took a step forward, "The truth is that--"

"That Bones came over to help us make supper!" Booth practically shouted and drug her into the kitchen. "Bones!"

His hands waved in front of his face. "Yoohoo…Bones! Hello! He's six."

"Relax Booth" Brennan batted his hands away. "I wasn't going to tell him about the…intercourse" she lowered her voice and Booth groaned,

"Can you not say intercourse with my son in the next room?"

"What do you want me to say, Booth? Sex—?"

The word was barely out, and he clamped his hand over her mouth. "Bones!" he hissed. "Could you just drop it! Look…I don't like lying either, you know that, but…for crying out loud, I'm not discussing…" he motioned between their lower bodies, "that… with my son!"

All the talk of sex, when it felt like forever since he'd had her in his arms, and he groaned, leaning in to press his lips against hers. Soon her hips were pressed against his counter, and her hands shoved under his shirt to rub his stomach. "Booth…" she murmured. "Mmmmm….."

His control took a shot, and his hips slid forward into hers for a moment, before he pulled back, running a hand down his face. "Okay. Okay, we can do this. Let's just regroup. Start over." He took a step back and pulled in a deep breath. "Hello, Bones. I'm glad to see you. I missed you."

She stepped away from the counter and made her way to the table, sitting on one of the chairs. "Hello, Booth. It is good to see you as well."

The formal tone of her voice contradicted the way her tongue had just been wrapped around his, but for now, he didn't mind her cool voice.

"As you can see, I unexpectedly have Parker for the whole night." He continued, running a hand through his hair, "I, um…I know that sort of changes things, and so…"

"Don't worry about it, Booth. I can leave."

She stood up, and didn't quite meet his eyes.

"Hey, hey…wait a minute. I didn't say you need to leave."

Their eyes met, and he could see uncertaintly in hers, guessing it was probably reflected in his. "Look, Bones. I'm not going to lie and say this is easy, but…this is pretty much reality. As is. And I know neither one of us were planning on this tonight, but…Parker is my son, and if he needs me, then…"

Brennan placed a hand on her arm, "I know, Booth."

He sighed and looked at her hand. "I've never had a woman over when he's here before, Bones."

Brennan felt a small stirring of some emotion in her midsection. Relief? Pride? Uncertainty? She wasn't sure. "Are you…I mean, what do you want me to do?"

His eyes were confused, and she took pity on him. "It's okay, Booth. I understand. I really do. If you don't want me to stay, I'll go. I won't be mad."

Booth felt a war on the inside. "I don't want you to go, but…"

His weight shifted from one leg to the other, and his brow creased in thought. "I don't know, Bones. I mean…" he motioned between them, "You and me? I'm in this. I'm committed to it. You gotta believe me. You believe me, right, Bones?"

She nodded. "I believe you."

Booth took her hand in his and squeezed. "Good. Good, okay, Bones. Thank you. Good, I'm glad."

He spared a glance toward the living room where Parker was content watching TV, "I just…" he turned and met her eyes and shrugged.

"I'll do whatever you want me to do, Booth."

He pressed his tongue to his teeth. "Stay for dinner at least, and we'll see how it goes. Please?"

Brennan nodded, a bit uncertain herself. "Okay, yes. I'll stay."

--b&b—

Booth felt her assurance slide over him like a warm breeze. "Thanks, Bones" he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, the gesture full of affection. She flushed a bit and pulled away, and he smiled, turning to the fridge. "Want to help me make dinner?"

Brennan leaned against the counter. "Sure."

Booth grinned and tossed her a box of pasta, "Awesome."

They worked side by side for the next hour, preparing spaghetti and bread for the three of them, and Booth's heart grew about three sizes. They talked about her day, and she told him she had a good time in New York.

"It's nice there, very refreshing." She admitted as she tore lettuce for a salad.

"Not too busy? I would think it would make me crazy."

Brennan shrugged. "No, it's not too busy. And it's nice for me, because in New York, being famous is just being normal, so…I don't get bothered a lot."

Booth tilted his head to the side and considered. "I suppose that's true. Although, I hope you don't walk through Central Park with a copy of your novel in one hand and a skull in the other like the cover of your book." He teased.

She met his eyes and chuckled. "No, I don't do that."

"Good move, Bones" he clicked his tongue against his teeth, "Good move."

"Hey, Dad? Can I have something to drink?" Parker asked from the doorway.

"Sure, I'll get it for you" Brennan spoke up, and Booth turned from the stove to watch as his partner pulled a glass from the cupboard and poured Parker a glass of water. Parker took a deep drink and then handed the glass back to her before turning and walking back to the living room.

"Ah ah ah..." Booth called. "Parker, what do you say?"

He turned and smiled. "Oh, sorry. Thanks, Bones."

She smiled quickly, and then nodded seriously, "You're welcome, Parker. My pleasure."

Booth watched in fascination, and her eyes met his. She flushed gently, and he realized it really was her pleasure to help Parker. A whole new thread of feeling for her coursed through his body, and he had to look away.

Brennan paused, and bit her lip at the way Booth frowned and turned back to his work on the spaghetti sauce. While he'd insisted that Parker thank her for the water, he hadn't shown any other sign of approval for her interference. She only hoped she hadn't stepped in where she didn't belong.

--b&b—

Booth was quiet during dinner, and never really quite met her eyes again. Brennan concentrated on what Parker was saying about his school work.

"And at recess, Dad? I learned a new game."

"Oh yeah?" Booth asked and wiped his mouth with his napkin, "What's is called, bud?"

"It's called Truth or Dare."

Brennan's eyebrows rose, and Booth froze, his hand in midair between his mouth and the table. "Ah, interesting" he answered, his tone deceptive.

"What's that game about?" he asked Parker.

Parker shrugged. "It's just like it sounds. You ask someone 'truth or dare', and they have to either answer a question with the truth or do a dare."

"I see" Booth nodded and leaned forward. "What kinds of questions did people ask?"

"Hmmm…." Parker thought about it. "Okay, here's one. Bones…truth or dare."

"Um…" her eyes shot to Booth, and he blinked and met her eyes. "Truth."

"Okay" Parker nodded. "Bones…tell the truth now…have you ever eaten a bug?!?"

Booth let out a sigh, and Brennan hid a smile behind her napkin at his relief. "Why yes, Parker, I have eaten bugs before. Some of them are quite delicious."

His nose wrinked up, "Ew…Bones. Gross!"

Brennan paused, "Oh, well, they were a means of survival, and I…"

"It's awesome!" Parker continued, and Brennan blinked.

"Oh, I see."

Booth chuckled then, and she met his eyes, glad to see he was smiling.

"Okay,Dad, your turn."

"My turn for what, Park Squad?"

Parker rested his hands on the table. "To ask me or Bones for truth or dare!"

Booth narrowed his eyes and pretended to consider his options. He peered closely at Parker and then Brennan, and Parker laughed. Booth was also surprised to hear Bones laugh too. He was acting in his goofball dad mode, and he knew it, but…she seemed to like it, genuinely.

"Okay, Parker…truth…or dare!"

Parker tapped his chin and squinted one eye, and Brennan gasped. It was such a Booth expression, and she couldn't help but laugh.

Parker laughed too, "I say…dare."

"Oh ho!" Booth sat back in his seat. "Hmmm…well, Mr. Brave man…let's see…let us see here…"

He looked around the room. "What can I dare Parker to do?"

Parker squirmed and Brennan felt his excitement as well.

"Parker" Booth announced. "I dare you to try to stand on your head."

Parker's eyes widened. "Like you, dad?"

"Yep…like me."

Brennan looked at Booth, surprised. "You can stand on your head?"

He just winked at her. "You betcha."

Parker stood up from the table and made his way to the more open area. "Okay…what do I do, Dad?"

Booth nodded. "Okay, right…make your hands into a triangle with your head. Then kick back. I"ll catch your feet and balance you out…" he grabbed onto Parker's feet. "Now slowly push up on your hands…"

Brennan watched in fascination as Parker listened to his dad and did as he was told. A rush of some emotion she couldn't define washed over her. It was a combination of feeling impressed with Parker's ability and also that gnawing sensation she got whenever she thought too much about her childhood. It was something she was able to keep tamped down most days, but here, like this…

"How about it, Bones?" Booth was asking, and Brennan blinked.

"Very impressive, Parker…well done."

"Thanks Bones" Parker huffed and landed on his feet. His face was flushed but excited. "It's your turn, Bones. Ask Dad!"

Brennan turned toward Booth, and he met her eyes, his head tilted to the side. "Truth or Dare, Booth."

A moment of…something…arced between them, and Brennan's fingers fluttered at her side. She could see it reflected in the way Booth swallowed before answering. "Truth." He replied, and she nodded, and looked down.

Many questions sprang up in her mind, but nothing that was appropriate to discuss with Parker close by. "Okay, Booth…tell the truth now" she repeated Parker's instructions, and Booth smiled, reaching over to rub Parker's head. Parker swatted his hand away again, and then looked to Brennan. "Go ahead, Bones."

Brennan nodded. "Booth…what is the most disgusting thing you have ever eaten?"

--b&b—

9:45 PM

Brennan stood when Booth came back into the living room. "Is Parker asleep?"

Booth cupped the back of his neck and then sat down on the couch, motioning her to join him. "Yep, he's asleep. After I had to describe the disgustingness of the cafeteria disaster of 1986, for the 13th time, thank you so much, Bones."

She chuckled and sat down next to him, noticing that once again he seemed unsure. "Should I leave?"

Booth didn't answer, but just leaned back on the couch, closing his eyes. He held out his hand in her direction, and Brennan looked at it for a moment before twining her fingers in his. They sat there for a few quiet moments until Booth opened his eyes and looked at her.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked.

He opened his mouth, and even then wasn't sure what he was going to say.

She flushed and her fingers tightened around his momentarily and stood.

His eyes traveled over her from head to toe, and he closed his eyes again as he imagined her in his doorway, trench coat ready to drop to reveal secrets she'd planned only for him.

But the night hadn't gone like she'd planned, he realized, but she'd accepted it, and fit right in. She was making an effort, but also respecting what he wanted. "Stay the night" he whispered, and she flinched.

She stepped forward and rested her hands on his shoulders, leaning in to kiss him sweetly. Her hair fell around them like a curtain, and he let the tip of her tongue sweep between his lips, catching it softly with his before it darted back to her mouth. "Are you sure?" she pulled back.

He stood and ran his hands from her shoulders to her hands and twined his fingers with hers again. "I'm sure…"

Brennan bit her lower lip, and turned, leading the way to his bedroom. It was so much like the first night she'd seduced him, her leading him back there.

Once they reached his bedroom, she made her way to the bed and laid on it, resting against the pillows. He joined her, and they looked at one another. A slight smile crossed her face, and she tilted her head to the side. "Truth or dare, Booth."

--b&b—

He laughed and sank deeper onto his mattress…"Hmmm…okay…dare"

"Hmmm…" Brennan's brow rose in slight surprise, but Booth could tell he'd pleased and intrigued her. "Let's see then."

Booth felt a slight twinge of arousal combined with nerves as she considered. "Be gentle, Bones."

She laughed and rested her hand on his stomach. "I dare you to tell me something you've never told anyone else."

Booth chuckled and sat up, "That sounds like a 'truth', there, Bones."

"You said dare, Booth. I dare you to reveal a secret."

"Okay, okay" he nodded and thought about it. "Something I haven't told you? Or something I've never told anyone."

"Something you've never told anyone."

"Okay" he repeated, "Let me think."

Brennan watched him for a moment, as he closed his eyes and considered.

"When I was young, about Parker's age," he began, "Sometimes we would visit my grandpa, and my grandma. And my grandpa would always have a pipe, and peppermints." A smiled ghosted over his lips, and Brennan leaned closer to him, resting on her elbow beside him. "My grandma, Bones you would have loved her, she was so great. Anyways…" he cracked open one eye and then both and turned toward her, pulling up their hands between them, "Anyways, she always had pie. And…mmmm…" he sighed, "it was the best pie anyone could ever have. Even you would have liked it, Bones."

Not likely, she thought, but didn't say it out loud.

"And one day… " he continued, "We were there, and she'd made apple pie. My dad got mad and said he didn't want apple pie, he wanted peach" Booth paused as he remembered. "And that was the first time I ever saw my dad get really mad. Really, really mad."

His jaw worked and he swallowed before speaking again. "So he refused to eat it and he left the room. I was quiet then, and didn't say much, but I wanted her to know how I felt, so I told her that apple pie was my favorite."

He closed his eyes for a moment and brought Brennan's hand up to his face. "And she cupped my face, just like this, and leaned down to kiss me on the cheek, and she said 'I know', Bones."

Brennan watched his face in wonder as emotion crossed over it. She couldn't resist leaning over to press a kiss against his cheek before settling her lips against his. After a moment, he pulled back and pulled her whole body against him. "I don't know, Bones…but it was like, in that moment, I knew good and bad. I knew she'd made that pie for me, because I loved it. Because she loved me. But also, I'd never seen my dad like that before, and…since the apple pie was my favorite, and he didn't like it…"

"It was your fault" Brennan filled in the blank, and he nodded against her hair.

"Yeah," he sighed. "Dumb, right?"

Her fingers traced a pattern on his chest in countertime to his heartbeat. 'No, it's not dumb." She leaned up on her elbow and traced his chin with her hand "Thank you for telling me that."

He kissed her fingers, "You're welcome. Now I have a question for you."

"Okay."

"Why, when you first met me, did you say you were in the system until your grandfather got you out? What grandfather?"

Brennan flushed and pulled her hand away, but Booth was too quick for her, and he rolled over, pinning her lightly to the mattress.

Brennan pressed her hands to his shoulders, but didn't push it, and he stayed where he was.

"Even then, I could sort of tell the kind of man you were. I mean, we both know I'm not the best at reading people, but I guess I just didn't want you to think I was as totally alone as I was at that point in my life. I had a feeling you would push and barge into my personal life, and I didn't want you there."

Booth tucked his face into the curve of her neck and kissed her there, "And now?" he couldn't help but ask.

She pushed him then, and rolled him to his back, coming to land with her body on top of his. "And now I do want you."

Their lips met in a kiss borne of vulnerability and acceptance. They broke apart, and Booth smiled. "Thank you for telling me that."

His hands crept up her back under his tshirt, and paused along the band of her bra. "You damn near gave me a heart attack today, Bones."

"I wanted to surprise you…in a good way"

He chuckled and let his hands come forward to cup her satin covered breasts. "You did, you surprised me in a good way, a lot tonight, actually."

In the way she'd pitched in with dinner, and with Parker, and all of that…

"Booth…" she rolled off of him, and lifted the shirt over her head. He growled and tried to reach for her, but she just backed away, "Now you."

Booth rolled off of his bed and stood beside it, unbuttoning his shirt.

"Wait a minute" She sat up suddenly, and he paused. "Okay…what's going on, Bones?"

She smiled and sank onto the bed, letting her hands come up over her head. She looked so satisfied that Booth couldn't help but laugh. "What are you thinking, Bones?"

"Booth…I dare you…" she paused for effect, "To strip for me."

"Wha…what?" he flushed and pulled at the collar of his shirt. "Are you serious?"

"Of course, I'm serious. Please? I think it would be very sexy."

Booth pulled in a sharp breath through his nose. "Strip. For you."

"Yes, Booth" she waved her hand. "I don't see anyone else around here."

"There sure as hell better not be anyone else around" he grumbled as he ran his hand over his face.

"Take a step back, Booth, you can do it" she encouraged. "You know what to do."

He sighed and looked at her, a self conscious laugh escaping him. "You're crazy. You know that, right, Bones?"

"I'm not crazy" she leaned onto one side. "I'm quite intelligent, actually."

Booth narrowed his eyes, but then spread his feet apart slightly, "Okay…no laughing."

Brennan's eyes traveled over his body, and she smiled. "I don't think that will be a problem."

Booth shook his head and began unbuttoning his shirt.

"Slower" Brennan commanded, lying back against the pillow, letting her hand creep from her neck, down between her breasts.

"Jeez, Bones…" he rasped, mesmerized by her self touch.

"Now you're too slow, Booth" she teased, stopping her own hand motion.

He laughed and then began unbuttoning his shirt, slightly dramatically. He could feel a blush covering his face, but what the hell, he figured, it was just her. He could do this.

Once the shirt was unbuttoned, except for the last one, he grabbed it in the middle and ripped, letting the last button pop off and fly across the room.

Brennan's hips arched up in response, and Booth began to see the appeal of his actions. She wanted a striptease? He'd give her a striptease.

--b&b--

Brennan's whole body flushed as Booth turned around, letting his shirt fall down his back. His muscles bunched and pulled there, and she admired his quite fantastic body. Wide shoulders tapered down to a slim waist, and he turned over his shoulder to make sure she was still watching. Pulling his shirt off of his body one arm at a time, he turned, walking to the end of the bed.

Brennan settled onto her back, her hands at her sides, her legs slightly spread. She wasn't sure what Booth had planned, but she hoped it was more of what he'd already started here. He sat on the bed, with his back to her once again and reached down to pull off one sock, and then the other. With a teasing grin, he looked over his shoulder. "You knock my socks off, Bones"

She groaned and chuckled at his corny joke, but then he stood and turned around, stretching his arms above his head. He stood like that for a moment, reaching for the sky, and Brennan actually whimpered at the sight of his upper body in fluid motion. He was…perfect.

His hands came down and slid over his chest to his belly, and Brennan's hips arched off the bed, making a full circle before meeting the mattress again. Before he could stop her, she tugged on the waistband of his pants and pulled them down her hips.

Booth's breath became harsh, and he leaned his hands against the mattress as her long legs were revealed, the only thing between him and her a tiny scrap of pure white satin. "Bones…you're killing me…"

"Keep going" she encouraged, tossing the sweatpants to the side of the bed.

Booth stood up straight and let his hands smooth down his legs before coming back up to rest against his belt buckle. He unfastened it and let it fall to the ground, making no comment about it's symbol. But he didn't need a verbal assertion where it was concerned. He had all the evidence he needed to back it up, right there. He took the end of his belt and slowly pulled it through the loops of his pants, enjoying the sound of leather against denim room in the otherwise quiet room.

Brennan sat up, and then leaned forward onto her hands and knees. Booth let out a mottled curse at her position, the way she crawled toward him. She didn't touch him, but just got a much much much closer view of what she wanted.

He unbuttoned his pants and then unzipped them, reaching inside to release the hardness that had been increasing in size over the course of his striptease. He'd never known that actually doing the stripping could be so arousing. Of course, it could have something to do with the fact that Bones was reaching forward, her delicate fingertips coming oh so close….
"Not so fast, Bones…I'm not done"

He took a step back, and she moaned, meeting his eyes.

He grinned then and chuckled, totally amazed at the way she'd been able to take him out of his nervousness into total participation. It made him want to really let her have it, show her that he could be fun and sexy.

He thrust his hips slightly in her direction and enjoyed the way her lips parted in anticipation. Letting his pants fall to the floor, he turned away from her again, bending at his waist to remove one pant leg, and then the other.

She didn't hide her gasp this time, and Booth felt her approval straight to his groin. Hell, if he didn't stop this soon, he'd be the one begging her!

Deciding to tease her just a bit more, he slid his thumbs into the black boxer briefs around his waist. He could hear the bedsprings creaking a bit, and didn't not even WANT to imagine what she was doing. so he tugged an inch at a time, letting her see his exposed backside. Once he had them pulled down to his thighs, he shoved them down his legs and stepped out of them.

His best charm smile in place, he turned on his heels to really wow her. But she wasn't on the bed. Instead, she was right in front of him, on her knees, and she moaned so loudly when she took his cock in her hands and mouth, he would have sworn she was the one being pleasured.

"Shit, Bones!"he hissed, his hand coming to land on her head for balance. "What?"

She pulled back, her eyes wide with innocence. "I couldn't wait."

He chuckled out a groan and knew she was telling the truth. She wasn't trying to be sexy now, she just wanted him that badly.

His hips rocked forward, and she sucked harder. "Yessss" she gasped. "Booth…"

He looked down, at his beautiful partner, and friend, and everything, and then bent down to pull her up to meet his eyes. "Truth, Bones…why won't you let me do that to you?"

--b&b—

Brennan blinked rapidly, and her hand fluttered to her side. "What?"

Booth didn't answer, but just sank to his knees, pressing his nose and mouth against her panties, finding them as damp and warm as he imagined.

Brennan gasped and stepped back, falling against the bed. "Booth!"

He stood and leaned over her, "That's what I mean…why, Bones?"

She turned her head to the side, and he sat next to her. She sat up, and met his eyes, her hair falling prettily over one shoulder. "Do you really want to know?"

"Yes, Bones…of course I do. I mean…is it me? You don't want…?"

"No, I mean…yes, and no, sort of…" she paused, "I just…when I perform oral sex on you, it's more about making you feel good, and I enjoy that. I enjoy seeing you lose control, and I know that men like that kind of thing, even if there's no…love involved."

Booth considered her words. "You mean, it's sex."

"Yes, exactly" Brennan nodded, "but, in my opinion, having oral sex performed on me, is much more intimate, and there is a lot more pressure on me, to react a certain way?"

"Like what?" Booth whispered, skating his hand along her backbone.

Brennan cleared her throat and looked away. "I've just never been able to let a man really do that. And then I get nervous about not having the right reaction."

"Don't you trust me?" Booth asked, leaning back against the pillows on his headboard.

Brennan looked back at him. "To bring me to orgasm? I guess. You have shown you are quite adept at that."

"No, Bones" he smiled, "Although…you'd better believe it, baby"

Brennan rolled her eyes, but crawled up over his body.

"Bones" he tucked her hair behind her ears, "I mean, don't you trust me to let you have whatever reaction you have, and it's fine?"

Brennan had never thought of it that way. "I guess so…I do trust you." She turned and rested on her back, "Okay, Booth. You may pleasure me orally at this time,"

Booth chuckled and placed a hand on her stomach, leaning in to kiss the side of her arm.

"What's so funny?" she settled deeper into the mattress.

"You are, Bones. In a good way, a very good way."

He settled his body on top of hers, nudging her hips open with his until his penis was pressed against her currently aching core. His stomach muscles contracted against hers, and his chest pressed into hers as he leveraged most of his body weight between her legs and on his elbows. Leaning down to suck lightly at the base of her throat, he moaned. "I could do it, Bones. I could totally kiss you all over. I'd start right here, and then cover your whole body, until you really wanted it, until you begged me for it."

Brennan's hips shifted into his and her legs parted further. "Booth"

"Until the only thing in the entire world that will make you happy is the soft slide of my lips against you, the way my tongue will sneak out to touch you, my teeth against your skin, taking my time, making sure you really want it."

"Booth, I want…" she wanted something… "Please"

"But you aren't ready, and I'm okay with that. You can trust me, Bones. I mean it."

He turned her words against her even as he slid his hands over her hips, his thumbs sneaking under the hem of her panties. "You're so wet"

His breath caught, and so did hers, just hearing those words from her partner's voice. The man who didn't even want to say the word sex in public was currently rubbing his index fingers between her thighs. "You make me that way." She admitted, and he groaned, shifting the direction of his fingers between her legs. The new rotation had her arching off of the bed, and as he was sliding down toward her, he entered her, just an inch.

They both groaned, and he rolled them, over, pulling her down on top of him, even as he leaned forward to pull her underwear the rest of the way off of her body. She bit his shoulder, and he growled.

"Mother of mercy, Bones" he swore, his hands coming up to rip the bra from her breasts, the sound of fabric ripping.

"Booth!" she gasped and arched into him, her head falling back. "That was new."

"I'll buy you three more…" so I can rip them right off of you, he thought. "Look at me, Bones."

She paused and looked down, meeting his eyes.

He didn't have words, and just rolled her back down beneath him, sliding down her body. She moaned as he palmed her breasts, popping a stiff nipple into his mouth and sucking hard. It was almost scary how well he knew her body already, but then again…it wasn't really a surprised. She moaned again, this time louder.

He shifted and covered her mouth with his hand. "Shhh…you have to be quiet tonight ,Bones."'

She met his eyes and understood. Seeing her like that, her body bare to him, but her mouth covered, turned him on more than it should. He slid his thumb over her lips, a bit roughly, perhaps, but she just followed the movement, parting her lips to swipe at his thumb with her tongue, bringing her hand up to his to hold in place as she began liking and sucking the tip in earnest.

Booth matched her rhythm and torture by sliding his other thumb past her belly button to her slick heat, and for every swipe of her tongue, he'd make a pass at her already distended clit.

She moaned around his thumb before releasing it and taking his index finger and taking it all the way into her mouth.

He retaliated by letting his finger slide down to her opening and sinking it deep inside her.

"YESSSSSSS" they gasped in unison, symbiosis, whatever the hell it was, and then Booth pulled away from her.

She whimpered and tossed her head back. He took in the sight of her, waiting and willing and totally his. His Bones.

"I need you" he murmured and kneeled between her open, welcoming thighs. His hands stretched them open just a bit more, and he leaned down to kiss her belly, enjoying the way her hips moved toward him and not away from him. He kept her open like that, and slid forward, his stomach muscles soaking her wetness as he kissed his way up her body to her mouth. There he took possession, kissing her even as his hips unerringly found position, and he shifted once, twice, and…in.

"I need you too" she encouraged, and it made him feel like freaking king of the mountain. He wanted to pound on his chest and do the caveman yell and at the same time, never let her out in public again.

"You feel like a dream, amazing, gorgeous" he panted in her ear, keeping his hips locked to hers, the movements short but already deep, so, so deep.

He reared back to his knees and began to thrust with more force. Her legs came up of their own will and settled on his shoulders, the weight a welcome pressure as he pounded into her.

She could feel her passage start to cramp, and she gasped, "Yes, more. Deeper, faster, all of it, Booth…please."

He gave her what she wanted and leaned down just a bit to make sure his every thrust was hitting her where she needed it. And it did the trick, her orgasm flowering throughout her whole body.

Daisy, Daffodil, Jupiter, and now… "Bones…" he growled and crested inside of her, his face a mask of concentration in pleasure as he continued to move.

She didn't wait for him to collapse onto her, but this time, sat up and crushed her mouth to his, their arms tangling as they fell back to the mattress.

Their lips parted and their breath eased. Brennan shuddered as a small flicker of pleasure slide through her body, and she squeezed his shoulder and gasped.

Booth patted her hand and pulled in huge gulps of air, every once in awhile, her name sliding out with the carbon dioxide.

But for a teeny moment, he tensed, and if Brennan hadn't been tucked up against his chest, she never would have known it.

"What is it, Booth?' she asked, trying to get into a position where she could see his face.

Despite his dramatic release, his forehead creased in thought, and Brennan frowned. It was the same look he'd had in his living room, after Parker had gone to bed. "Booth. Tell me what's wrong."

He sighed and turned to his side, facing her. "Bones…here's the thing…" his eyes met hers, pleading, "I thought I could handle this. But today, with Parker…it made me realize that I can't mess around. And I know I said I just wanted a week to prove it to you, and I don't want to put pressure on you, but…I gotta know. Because I can't do casual. Not with you, not anymore. I know this is the worst time, but…Parker's my son, and…"

She stopped him with a finger over his lips. "I get it Booth."

He wanted to know if she was in this, really in this. As in, telling people, and all of that. And while they'd said this was reality, they both knew they were hiding.

"I promise to think about it, and I will let you know my answer on Saturday."

Booth nodded and pulled her closer, kissing the top of her head. "I love you Bones."

She kissed his chest and let her arm wrap around him. "I know…"

--b&b--

Thanks to "Mrs. Mercury" for the loan of the Army Tshirt.

See you soon!