This one is a little longer, and a bit more emotional.

-b&b-

Brennan felt her blood pressure rise as she stood outside his apartment. She was mad. She knew enough about her emotions to recognize it. But she was unable to smoothly rationalize away from her anger. Nor was she able to completely understand why.

Was it rational? No. Her mind recognized it. But all her body knew was that she was angry.

Angry at Booth. She pounded on his door. "Booth!"

Her anger only rose when she had to knock AGAIN. This time she used her entire hand. "BOOTH!" She could hear music inside but then it shut off quickly. Just as she was about to knock again, the door swung wide open in front of her.

Her anger boiled over as she stepped over the door-line, but then froze as she took in his appearance. Bare from the waist up and the knees down. Stomach muscles working, arm muscles shining with sweat. Behind him stood his punching back, slightly swaying from whatever pain he was inflicting on it. This, she was still able to consciously realize, is why it's never a good idea to allow emotions. Her anger opened the door to stunned lust, just as quickly as he'd opened the door to her.

"Bones?" he was asking, and she could hear the concern in his voice. That damn concern he had for her all the damn time. She was sick of it.

But still, she couldn't quite make her own body obey her mind. Her eyes tracked one drop of sweat from his shoulder, past his pectorals and down through the grooves of his abs. Did she just lick her lips? Yes, she had to admit to herself. She had done so indeed.

"Okay, Bones," she heard him say, soothing and low in his throat. "Whatever it is, you can tell me."

She was mesmerized by the image of his boxing gloves tossed to the floor near his couch.

Even now, she could see the way he was flexing his fingers. She wanted those fingers. Those hands. That roughness of his personality.

Such a contrast to the tone of his voice. Roughened palms, soft words… "Whatever you're thinking, Bones," he was encouraging. "Just say it."

When he physically stepped closer to her,her eyes shot to his gaze was soft & she saw the moment he realized what she was thinking.

"Oh," he swallowed, and looked behind him quickly, as if making sure he was really the one she was looking at.

She watched his neck muscles work, and her lips tingled to taste him there. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other and tried to make his hands rest at his sides, but she could see the quick clench of his stomach muscles, indicating he was tuned in.

"Why did you come here, Bones?" he finally asked, and she blinked, remembering.

"I was angry with you. You didn't come in to work today."

Booth's brow furrowed. "I left a message with my secretary to call your office."

"Your secretary." Brennan repeated, hearing her voice rise in pitch. "Why didn't you just call me yourself?"

He shrugged, running a quick hand over his stomach. "It was just a headache. I didn't want to bother you."

"Just a headache." She knew she was repeating him again, but her mind was re-tracking, moving back to rational conversation. Except…

Brennan felt her shoulders tighten as her mind clicked. "You think I don't care about you."

"What?" he scoffed, but his dark eyes were wary.

"You think I don't care about you as much as you care about me," she realized.

There was no challenge in her voice, only her awareness of the conclusion.

But Booth's shoulders straightened and his jaw jutted out. "No, I… that's not…"

Her eyes met his in surprise. "Tell me the truth, Booth."

His hands fisted again and he wiped his forehead with his forearm. "Okay, I don't think anyone cares for me as much as I care for them."

There was silence as they stared at one another.

...

...

They weighed one another's words and reactions.

...

Finally, Booth inhaled through his nose, his chest expanding slightly. "Why are you here, Bones?"

The question rocked her, and she flinched before turning away.

Behind her was Booth, and in front of her was an open door. She took a step forward and paused.

She closed the door and leaned back against it, facing Booth now. "I'm here because I care about you. And I want to prove it to you."

His non-response was the encouragement she needed. He didn't wave her off or sputter about partnerships. Instead, he just waited.

She stepped closer to him & touched his chest, feeling his body tense under her fingertips.

He was so warm and so firm, along his stomach and chest and arms.

But the skin under his ear was soft against her lips when she kissed him, and the groan from his lips was low and dark. She took his strong hand in hers and led him to the couch, blushing slightly as she straddled him there.

"Does your head still hurt?" she murmured, lightly smoothing her fingers against his hair and forehead.

"No," he rasped, closing his eyes against her tenderness.

"I'm glad," she admitted, kissing his temple softly before tracing her lips against his cheek and jaw line. "I don't want you to hurt."

With that, his hands rested lightly on her back. She kissed over his shoulders and chest, sliding her hands over his stomach and sides.

"I care about you," she repeated. He sighed and then moved to lie flat on his back, keeping her on top of him.

"Show me." His voice was barely on the edge between desperation and disbelief. "Please."

And she did.

-b&b-