AN: Thanks to my best friend, beta (and new roommate!) CalleighAryn for her thoughtful suggestions.

Booth's POV

This isn't how I imagined our first kiss would be.

I thought it might happen in the diner. We would be there celebrating the end of a case, talking long into the night and staring into each other's eyes as always. Some intense look or flirtatious remark would push us over the edge, and we would lean towards each other...closer…closer…until our lips met. My hands would find their way into her hair, and my mouth would stay on hers until my lungs threatened to explode.

Or maybe it would happen in her apartment. It might be sudden and without warning, like when she kissed me on the cheek in the hospital. Maybe she would grab me and press her lips hungrily against mine…like Cam's sister did. Except this time I wouldn't be repulsed. I wouldn't try to escape. I'd kiss her back so hard that her legs would buckle. I'd pull her into my arms to keep her from falling and when the kiss ended she would moan for more.

Or maybe it would be on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, her face glowing in the moonlight. Or in the Jeffersonian lounge over a take-out container of Thai food and a half-empty bottle of wine. Or in the SUV during a stakeout. Or in some worn down warehouse after rescuing her from certain death yet again. Or on a deserted stretch of highway after our car breaks down in the middle of a cold, winter night. We have to cling to each other to keep warm and one thing leads to another—

But it's not as if I've thought about it a lot.

Anyway, kissing her under mistletoe in her office while Caroline Julian watched was not one of the scenarios I had imagined. Yet Bones is currently hanging mistletoe and explaining why she's going to kiss me in the same tone she uses to describe the injuries of a murder victim. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that she has planned our first kiss so methodically, even chewing gum in preparation; she's not exactly the spontaneous type. I wonder if the first time we make love will be planned like this…then I remind myself that Bones is my partner, so I can't let my mind go there. I may have no control over the fantasies that captivate my sleeping mind, the ones that make my inner Catholic blush, but while I'm awake I need to show some restraint.

Why would Caroline do this? This is more than her being "puckish". She's known my feelings for Bones ever since I begged her for help in New Orleans. She was understandably confused as to why I wanted her, a prosecutor, to defend Bones on a murder charge. I told her that it was because she was the best, and I wanted the best for my partner. Your partner, cher? It sounds like she's more than that. A whole lot more. I denied it, but she wasn't fooled. Now she's playing matchmaker. She may have noble intentions, but I want Bones to kiss me because she wants to kiss me, not because it's the only way a federal prosecutor will allow her dad to spend Christmas with his family.

I tell Bones that I'll talk to Caroline, and her forceful "NO" makes me jump. Why would she say no like that? Is it possible that she actually wants to kiss me? I'm still trying to wrap my mind around this thought when Caroline walks into the office. She congratulates me on having a suspect in Santa's death before shoving me under the mistletoe. Very subtle, Caroline.

I should protest, but Bones is smiling as she leans towards me and my mind can't form the words. Now our lips are touching, and my body is screaming at me to take full advantage of this moment to show her how much I love her…but now isn't the right time or place to give in to temptation. I need to keep this kiss light and gentle.

But Bones isn't being gentle anymore. She's grabbed my jacket and has thrust her tongue into my mouth. God, she's good at this. I knew she would be; she's good at everything. Something this good can't last long. Any second now I expect her to stop, but the kiss keeps going on, and I'm not sure how much longer I can hold myself back. I don't care anymore that Caroline is watching us, or that any passing squint is getting a good show. I'm dangerously close to losing any pretense of self-control.

As I start to really kiss her back, she pulls away from me. She asks Caroline something about steamboats, but I'm too busy trying to catch my breath to understand what she's talking about. Bones just said that kissing me was like kissing her brother! She's got to be kidding. No one kisses their brother like that…unless they're a character in a Greek tragedy or a guest on Jerry Springer. Caroline seems a little flustered. Her voice is shaky as she tells Bones the trailer is ready and leaves the office.

I steal a glance at Bones to see if her face is as red as mine. I think it is, but I'm worried that the kiss has affected me more than her. I need to get out of here before I do or say something that will ruin our partnership, so I start muttering something about needing to see the forensics guy. Yeah, like I'm really thinking about the case right now. I'm kind of relieved to hear her stuttering too, mumbling about having to do something with bones. Since when does she say something as normal sounding as "bones" and not some fancy Latin name?

I'm starting to realize that there's something in my mouth. Oh God, it's gum…her gum. I thank her for it and put it back in my mouth. Now I can hold onto her taste for a little while longer. This wasn't the first kiss I had imagined for us, but someday, somewhere we'll kiss again. No blackmail, no witnesses, no holding back. Just me and Bones…the way we're meant to be.

Thanks for reading! All comments are greatly appreciated. :)