Set after The Mystery in the Meat

-b&b-

They kept walking and laughing and ultimately made their way back home. It was nice and fun, and she was still smiling when he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed the back of her neck. She knew what that meant, and she leaned back against him. Booth smoothed his hands down her sides and then turned her in his arms before scooping her up and laying her on the bed. She kept smiling as he slowly undressed them both and then murmured outrageous flirtations in her ear. She laughed and arched up beneath his touch, moaning and parting her legs for him, for his hand, his shoulders and then his mouth. And then his hips as he rose up again and sank into her. It was quick and hot, and he collapsed against her for just a second longer than normal before falling onto his back and quickly tugging her close.

She was satisfied, but not too tired, and she leaned on her side, lifting up on one elbow to look down at him.

"I know I'm your best friend, Booth," she told him, her voice soft as her fingers gently traced his chest. He took her hand in his and lightly kissed the tips of her fingers. "And knowing your definition of it, I'm okay with it."

"Hey," he arched an eyebrow at her. "You're my best everything, Bones." His voice was low and kind, and the slight smile that curved up one side of his mouth told her that he knew he'd never been fooling her.

Her lips pursed into her own small smile and she pulled her hand back to lay against his skin. "While the competitive part of me enjoys that,-"

"Competitive?" he mocked. "You?"

She narrowed her eyes and flicked his ribs. He gasped in false outrage and made to grab at her wrist, but she held her hand out of reach. His eyes narrowed as well, but he didn't retaliate when she placed her hand on his arm.

"Look, Bones," he ran his other hand along her bare back. "Making friends isn't as easy for me as it is for you."

"What?" she scoffed. "Booth, that is almost insane. I know I don't value human relationships as much as you, do…and you're incredibly likable."

"That's not the same as friendship," he insisted. "Look, Bones…everyone wants to be friends with you. They want you to like them because you're you. And I totally get that. And you know, that works for you. I can't do that with people. It just feels fake."

"Fake."

"Yeah," he nudged her hand with his arm until she willingly threaded her fingers with his. "I mean, being an acquaintance or buddy with someone…that only goes so far, you know? Real friendship means letting people know more about you, and-"

"And you hate that," she finished for him, her eyes going soft.

"Yeah. It's not exactly fun. My past and all of that isn't anything I want people to know about. And yeah, there are people like Sweets or whatever, where it's sort of happened, but it's not like I want that." He looked at their joined hands for a moment. "So I just keep it light."

"Except for me."

"Except for you," he agreed.

Brennan was silent for a moment as well, but then she moved a bit closer to him, resting her cheek on his chest. "You told me about yourself very quickly after we met."

She could almost sense him smile at the memory, and she felt him press a soft kiss to the top of her head. "Bones, from the moment I saw you, and every moment since then, I have needed you…needed to be connected to you, no matter what. It didn't matter if you saw the worst in me, if that is what made you willing to be with me. Hell, it's not like I'd had any partners either…so you know, I don't remember everything I said back then, but I might have made some stuff up. I had to do what it takes to keep you close to me."

Brennan chuckled and moved, placing her hands on his chest as she straddled his waist. "And here I thought all of that advice was for my emotional personal growth."

Booth's grin was sincere and confident as he palmed her waist. "That was just an additional side benefit." He laughed and then leaned forward when she moved down to kiss him. "Plus, I knew you wanted the truth."

"That is accurate," she murmured against his lips, splaying her hands further down his stomach as she began to gently rock back and forth against him.

Booth grunted and squeezed her hips, encouraging her movement. "And now you know the truth," he palmed her bottom and arched up against her, moaning at the feel of her slick core against his stiffening shaft.

"Tell me again," she begged, and he knew the words were alluring to her.

"I love you," he started, sliding his hands up to her bare breasts, gently cupping them and rubbing his thumbs in tight circles around her nipples. "I love you so much I can barely breathe without you. And I know that sounds crazy, but it's true."

She tightened her thighs around his waist, settling into a rhythm that had her riding him faster until he was long and hard and stretched toward his stomach.

"You're gorgeous and generous, and brilliant and brave, and oh fuck, yeah, right there," he cursed and stilled her hips for a second before lifting her up. He fisted his dick and then pressed the tip to her opening. "Yeah," he practically spit out as she sank down onto him. "Damn, Bones, you were fucking made for me. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

Brennan found his hands and held them between them, using both of their arms as leverage to rock up and down on his cock, silkily pistoning over him. Up and down, with shattered breathing and his rugged hands in hers. She stared down at his face, at the dear look in his eyes and the vulnerable but true curve of his mouth and cheeks and she teared up. "Come here," she begged, and he immediately rose up, wrapping his arms around her and changing the angle just enough to keep rocking up into her.

"Bones," he whispered, spearing his fingers into her hair and staring into her eyes, making her feel once again that she was the most precious thing on earth to him.

"I love you," she told him, and in that moment, she could see in his eyes that he knew she understood everything, that she understood him.

He changed the angle of his thrusts again, and hit a sensitive spot inside. Brennan gasped and pressed her lips against Booth's as her orgasm ripped through her. She dug her fingernails into his shoulders to hold on against the splintering pleasure that threatened to nearly sweep her away in ecstasy. Booth held her close and kissed her back, short little pecks on her mouth as his hands tightened on her hips. He yanked his mouth away and then buried his face in her neck as he fucked her faster and harder and then froze, buried deep inside her.

Brennan felt her own walls flutter in anticipation of his orgasm, and she wasn't sure if that triggered it, or if the harsh groan against her skin made her clench around him again, but then he was coming, nearly whimpering in relief and kissing her neck, jaw, shoulder and arm…any skin he could find, he kissed in thankfulness, each kiss lasting a bit longer than the one before as he came down from the high.

With a sigh, he fell backward onto the pillow, keeping her in place above him. He smoothed her tousled hair from her face and smiled softly when she cupped his hand and placed a kiss in the center of his palm.

"I love you, Bones," he repeated, his eyes droopy and satisfied.

"You're the best thing to happen to me too, Booth," she replied, moving once again to his side, snuggling close when he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her to him.

-b&b-

Hey, remember that time B&B were caught in an elevator and Brennan asked Booth if he had ever thought about them sleeping together, and he was all in a dreamy state, like… "Well….yeah,". The best.