We weren't anything.

And my head was currently dropped down to my chest as I tried to breathe through the nausea as the pain really started to make itself known.

"You stiffen your wrist next time you do that," Booth said as he placed a Ziploc bag of ice on my hand.

"Mmmm," I was all I could manage.

"Move your wrist," he said.

I did.

"Now your fingers," he ordered.

I straightened out my fingers and pain shot down my arm, starting at the base of my left pinky.

"Your pinky finger looks like it's broken, but there's nothing the hospital can do for a broken finger. You need one of those splint things," he explained.

I knew that.

I'd never had a broken anything before, so this was new.

And it sucked.

Balls.

Then, with the utmost care, Booth pulled my hand up to his mouth and placed a kiss on my swollen pinky.

And I'd never ever admit it, but the badass in him looked not so...badass.

"I'm sorry," he whispered gruffly.

"You're sorry that I hit you and got hurt?" I asked, voice quivering.

He nodded. "I've been an ass. I've done things to you...on purpose. And I don't feel good about doing that to you."

I took in a deep, settling breath, then finally lifted my eyes to his.

He was being sincere.

I could see the weight of his sincerity in his eyes. The way he gave me everything just by looking at me.

"Where do we go from here?" I asked softly.

He pursed his lips, dropping my hand onto my lap and holding the ice down as he thought.

Then, he let me have it all.

Gave me his whole entire heart and placed it in the palm of my hand.

I could either throw it back at him, or keep it and hold it safe. Treat it better than I had previously.

I got my second chance.

Well...I had to work at it, but I got the offer of a second chance, anyway.

Chapter 9.

I was going to work out...but then I realized this nap ain't going to take itself.

-Night Shirt Masen "Each and every time I nearly died, I used to chant your name like one would a prayer. It'd give me that more drive to survive. To go home to you. To make you realize that I never blamed you. Never stopped loving you," he said.

I waited, knowing he wasn't finished.

When Booth spoke, you listened.

No matter what...even if all you wanted to do was bust him over the head with a shoe.

"I've loved you since I saw you in those short shorts with your hair flying in the wind. From the moment you ran to your car and stood on the bumper of your Jeep to put the top up, I knew you'd be mine," he exhaled. "I know we've not made this easy, but if you're willing to try, so am I. And I know we can make this work. You're mine, and I'm yours. But I can't deal with you seeing Bowe anymore. So you need to make a choice. Him or me."

I wanted to laugh.

"Booth," I laughed, reaching out to curl my hand around his neck.

He moved forward until his face was only inches away from mine.

Then I gave him the truth, as well as handed him my heart. The precious, broken and bleeding piece of flesh that'd never been the same since he'd left.

"Bowe's not mine. We're not seeing each other. He's just a friend," I said.

"A friend," he said, testing the words on his tongue.

I nodded.

"Then you're all mine?" He asked.

This is where I hesitated.

I didn't want him to think that this was all going to be swept under the rug.

We'd both done some serious damage to each other.

He and I had some things that we needed to work out...and some talking to do.

Right now, though, I had one thing that I wanted, and one thing only.

I nodded again. "All yours."

"Thank fucking God," he growled, then his mouth was on mine.

Booth and I, we'd always been explosive.

From the moment I'd turned seventeen, and became legal in the eyes of the law in the State of Texas, we'd been intimate.

He'd been the man to take my virginity...hell, he'd been my only man.

I'd not had sex in a very, very long time.

Which was why the minute his mouth touched onto mine, I wasn't in control of my body anymore.

I turned into a moaning whore who couldn't devour Booth fast enough.

I gasped as he took my mouth, thrusting his tongue between my lips as he yanked my hips into his body.

My throbbing finger no longer hurt like it had only moments before.

My body tingled and heated where mine touched his.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him into me and making sure he couldn't get away.

Although, that was just for my mind. I knew he could get away if he wanted to. It was just meant to act as a deterrent for him in case he had any ideas that he was going somewhere.

"Fuck," he said against my lips, inhaling when my body started to writhe against his.

My breath left me as he inhaled, and when his bare hand started to work up under my shirt to press against the smooth bare skin on my back, my eyes crossed.

"Lie to me," he ordered as he broke the kiss, letting his lips skim down the column of my throat.

"About what?" I gasped, my hands going to his head.

My fingers tried to weave into his hair as it used to, but his hair was too short, and I was disappointed.

I settled for placing my fingers on the base of his neck, digging in deeply and using my nails.

He shivered.

I closed my eyes, my belly summersaulting as his hands deftly moved up the back of my shirt.

In the next moment my bra was unsnapped and my breasts bounced free.

Shivers raced over my skin as my body heat rose, but the wetness of my clothes kept me from getting too hot.

Then again, the shivers most likely were due to the fact that the man in front of me, the one I'd been dreaming about for the last ten years, was now in my arms. Holding me tight. Lifting my shirt up and over my head.

My bra was the next to follow, and suddenly I was bared to his gaze.

"Turn around," he rasped against my throat.

I shivered, but slid off the counter with a soft thump.

Then I turned, giving him my back.

I knew what he wanted.

It was the tattoo.

He wanted to know if I still had it.

I did.

"Thank fucking God," he said, tracing the tattoo with the tip of his finger.

My nipples beaded, his touch bringing back so many happy memories.

"I've always wondered if you had this covered," he rasped, leaning forward to press a kiss against my neck.

I shook my head, my hair brushing his face as I did.

"No," I said. "I would never cover it. It's a part of me...just like you are a part of me."

"Lie to me," he ordered again, his hands moving around my slightly rounded belly to the button of my jeans.

"Lie to you about what?" I asked again, still confused.

His hands deftly unbuttoned my jeans, then shoved them down to my upper thighs.

And I can tell you from experience that wet jeans were hard to get off, but when Booth dropped down to his knees behind me to help me free my legs and press soft kisses on the swell of my ass, I would never remember wet jeans the same way again.

"Press your breasts against the counter," he ordered. "Hands flat."

I uncurled my fists and pressed my palms flat against the cool surface, following suit with my bare breasts moments later.

I inhaled when they touched the cold granite.

"Shit," I hissed as I started to sit up.

The bite on my ass, however, had me freezing exactly where I was.

"Stay still," he ordered.

I bit my lip, eyes closing as he ran the tip of his nose over the smooth skin of my ass.