Busted. They were so dead. She wasn't supposed to discover the entire precinct was betting on who could solve their case first.

The fierce look she gave him when she realized what was going on was so hot, even if it did scare him. The intensity in her gaze and slight flush on her cheeks made him wonder if that's how she looked in a more intimate setting. So hot. But she was still going to kill him. Cringing inside, he is outwardly brash while inwardly he braces himself for her wrath.

"Put $100 down on us." Wow. That was not what he expected.

He's so surprised he almost doesn't know what to say. And then his impulsive nature kicks in.

"Care to make a little side wager, Detective?" he asks, a little swagger in his step, mischief dripping from his voice.

"What did you have in mind, Castle?" With her eyebrow quirked, she takes his silent dare.

"If we win…"

"Oh no. That's a given. We will win. You need to be a little more creative than that, Castle."

"Oh, she wants to play." He says with a little sing-song lilt in his voice. Dropping his voice lower, he says. "All right, then. When we win, if I find the key to the case, you have to go out with me."

"So predictable." She rolls her eyes, her heart jumping a beat at the thought of a night out with him. She's been thinking more and more about just that lately and this might be the perfect opportunity to give in without him realizing how much she wants him. She studies him for a minute, seeing the hope painting his face. "And if I win?" She asks, getting wet just thinking about what she has in store for him.

"Name it."

With a quirk of her eyebrow, she questions him. "You sure you want to do that?" she asks, unaware that a flirtatious tone has crept into her voice.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained." He quips, a devilish twinkle lighting up his eyes.

"You're on."

"Shake on it." he insists.

With another roll of her eyes, she quickly shakes his hand, the gentle press of their flesh sending a tingling feeling up her arm.

"Deal."

XXX

The soft knock on her door promptly at 7:00 p.m. sends her nerves into overdrive. Impulsive as it was, she can't regret making the bet with Castle. They needed something to push them out of the holding pattern that had been developing.

Opening the door, she smiles at the colorful bouquet he holds in front of his face.

"For you." He says, peeking over the top, blue eyes twinkling. His eyes widen as he takes in her appearance.

The slinky, form fitting black dress has a deep vee in the front and a slit up one side, showing off her figure to perfection. The flirty black stilettos perfectly set off her toned legs. It's going to take every ounce of control he has to behave tonight. And behave he must, or he may never get another chance, he thinks to himself.

"You look beautiful," he stammers, taken aback at the vision before him, even as he holds the flowers out to her. He didn't' expect her to dress up for their date. The thought gives him a lift. Maybe he has a chance.

"Thanks, Castle. Let me put these into water and then we can go." Opening the door and stepping back, she invites him inside before turning to take care of the flowers. His curiosity getting the best of him, he wanders over to her bookshelf, seeing a variety of books there, including a few of his own.

"So you are a fan." He says, gesturing at the books.

"I read a lot of different authors. Don't let it go to your head." She says drily. He never needs to know that she tucked most of his books away out of sight in anticipation of just this possibility. Grabbing her wrap, she walks towards her door.

"Ready?"

"Sure." Moving towards her, he grabs her wrap and helps her into it, before gesturing towards her door.

XXX

After a lovely dinner filled with good food, easy conversation and laughter, they walk slowly back to Kate's apartment. Although he's made a few sly comments and innuendos here and there throughout the evening, he's been a perfect gentleman. Away from the precinct, he's an interesting, thoughtful man. She's known for awhile that he has hidden depths. Tonight he showed a few of them. But it's also clear that he's afraid of pushing too hard. She's been pondering just what to do about that for half the evening. Unlocking her door, she sets her wrap and bag inside, before turning towards him.

"Thank you for a lovely evening, Castle."

"You're welcome." He responds, leaning in to place a platonic kiss on her cheek before stepping back a respectful distance. "Maybe we could do it again sometime?" he asks hopefully.

Looking at the bemused expression on her face, he can't help rushing to fill the silence before she can respond. "You know, I thought you'd resist going out with me tonight."

"A bet's a bet, Castle. You were instrumental in solving the case. If you hadn't suggested that they conspired to commit murder, we may not have solved it."

Unused to her complimenting him, he's momentarily nonplussed. "Thanks. I do my best." He can't help but sound smug. It's who he is.

"Besides…" waiting until she has his full attention, she drops her bombshell, "I also won the bet."

Nonplussed, he stares at her, eyes widening in confusion.

"What?" his voice squeaks out the word, surprise evident in his tone. "You won the bet? How do you figure?" he asks incredulously. First Ryan and Esposito, and now this. What is with everyone?

"If I hadn't figured out who was the weak link and obtained his confession, all we would have had was a theory that we couldn't prove. And that would mean the case was unsolved and nobody won the bet."

Wanting to argue with her, he starts formulating responses. After thinking about it for a minute, he concedes she has a point. "Okay. So that means….What do you win?" he asks in confusion, his stomach tensing in dread.

"Whatever I want. Remember?"

Gulping at the intensity of her expression, he nods his head. Thinking of all the ways she could get back at him, what he fears the most is that she'll ask him to stop shadowing her.

"And that would be?" he asks cautiously, afraid to know what she has in mind.

Reaching up, she grabs hold of his tie and pulls him towards her, as she steps backwards into her apartment.

"For you…to…stop…being….such….a….gentleman." Each word is punctuated by a step backwards, pulling him inside her apartment, until he's completely inside and the door closes behind them.

As her words sink in, he takes a deep breath, unable to believe the turn the evening is taking. Wanting to be sure, he starts to ask, "You mean…"

Impatient now, she pushes him up against her closed door and steps into his space, pressing her body into his, the soft planes of her chest fitting against the hard plane of his.

"Shut up and kiss me."

Frozen to the spot, it takes him a moment to respond to her command. He's been aroused all night, at times painfully so. Now, the feel of her body nestled against his has his cock jumping in response. Her gaze is intense as she nips at his lips, initiating the kiss she asked for, before pulling back to look at him, slightly confused by his lack of response. Her uniquely feminine smell and the press of her body against his finally penetrate the fog he is in. Needing no further invitation, he gives in to temptation.

Bringing both hands up, he frames her face, gently caressing her jaw, before sliding one hand underneath her hair, holding her still before he slowly leans in, eyes locked on hers, as he begins his gentle assault on her lips. He kisses her softly, his tongue darting out and tracing the seam of her mouth, playfully seeking entrance, easing into the kiss she's asking for, taking his time to savor their first kiss.

With a soft moan, she opens to him, her tongue coming out to tangle with his. She doesn't want soft and gentle. She wants hard and fast. But he has other ideas. He continues to savor the dark, rich flavor of the wine they shared at dinner, combined with her unique taste. She is intoxicating and addictive. They battle for control of the kiss, each gaining and losing the upper hand endlessly. The kiss goes from gentle to ferocious, as lust takes over. Their baser desires are set free to roam, bodies following the lead of their mouths. Lost in her kiss, it takes him a moment to realize that she has her arms locked tightly around his neck, her leg snaking up his, as she begins climbing his body, her hips seeking out the hard length she feels pressing against her stomach. He groans in response, his body enthusiastically responding to her demands.

"Castle…" she whispers. "Rick…." The sound of his name on her lips has him pulling back, looking into her eyes, seeking answers to all the questions racing through his mind. The blatant arousal staring back at him stuns him. Breathlessly, she tells him. "I said stop being such a gentleman. I want your hands on me." she commands.

Helpless to do anything but respond, he drops his hands down and runs them up from her knees to her hips, the soft skin begging to be explored. He moves his hands up and back down again, pausing momentarily to caress the soft curve of her ass when he discovers she's only wearing a wispy thong. His low groan of arousal rumbles through his chest, causing her body to shiver deliciously in response. Promising himself he'll take his time later, he deliberately avoids touching her where she wants it most, instead gripping her legs and hoisting her up as he flips them, pressing her back to the door. Fitting himself against her core, he dives back into the kiss, encouraged by the soft grunt of satisfaction she emits when his hard length makes contact with her core.

Using his body to press her into the door, he feels her legs tighten around his waist as her hips begin a dirty little rhythm, seeking out her pleasure as she rubs herself up and down the placket of his pants, providing her with much needed friction while denying her the type of access they both want. She lets out a little squeak, a small orgasm shooting through quickly as she continues her quest for more friction.

Taking advantage of his leverage, he breaks free from the kiss, his mouth trailing down her neck and collarbone as his hand caresses her body on the way up to her breast. She stills, holding her breath, as his hand hovers over the turgid peak of her nipple, which pushes against the soft fabric of her dress. Eyes half closed, he locks his gaze with hers, wanting to watch her reaction. Gently circling her breast through the fabric, he teases her before gently pinching her nipple between his thumb and forefinger.

Her eyes dilate even wider, dark with arousal, as the flush on her face spreads across her chest. Letting out her breath, she smiles, a look of pure seduction on her face. Reaching up to kiss him again, she takes her time exploring his mouth, her tongue setting up a quick rhythm that she mimics with her hips. Breaking the kiss, she pulls his head down to her other breast, hands tangled in his hair as she invites him to explore her further. Closing his mouth over the fabric, he pulls her breast inside his mouth, flattening the turgid peak against the roof of his mouth. Taking his time, he laves her breast thoroughly, alternately sucking and caressing it, before nibbling gently on the peak with his teeth, his other hand mimicking the actions of his tongue, pulling sexy little sounds of need from her.

Impatient with the barriers between them, he searches her dress for the zipper and slowly lowers it, causing the fabric to gape. Undoing the front clasp of her bra with his tongue and teeth, he quickly lowers her dress, his eyes devouring her alabaster skin, the soft expanse broken up with a few freckles scattered about. He finds each freckle, gently kissing and sucking on her skin as he finds his way across her body. Admiring her gentle curves, he softly caresses the sensitive underside of her breast before lavishing his attention on her dark pink nipples, their tight peaks betraying her need.

"Castle, please." She moans, her body caught up in a tidal wave of arousal. "I need more."

Expression intense, eyes burning bright blue, he pushes her back into the door, his hands and mouth everywhere at once, seeking out and exploiting the secret places that drive her wild. Mentally cataloging her responses, he promises himself he will slow down and worship her more thoroughly next time. Right now, a fire is raging through both of them and he cannot stop exploring the secrets of her body.

Spurred on by the feel of her heels digging into his ass even as her hands race across his back, he hitches her up higher and feels his way along the waistband of her thong, tracing it around her hip and down between her legs. She's soaking wet. For him.

He deliberately stops, holding himself still and using his weight to arrest her movements as well. When her eyes meet his, he trails his finger between her legs, pushing aside the thong, dipping briefly into her core, before bringing it back out. Slowly, deliberately, he brings his finger to his mouth, pausing just before licking it. "I've wanted to taste you since the moment I met you." Putting actions to words, he touches his tongue to his finger and licks it clean.

"It's not enough." He tells her, kissing her, letting her taste her own essence on his tongue even as he eases her legs from around his waist and back to the floor. Dropping to his knees, he whisks the dress and thong off of her, helping her step out of them, even as he pushes her legs into a wider stance.

Once again looking deeply into her eyes, he plays his fingers along her inner thighs, slowly caressing her as he moves inexorably towards the outer lips covering her sex, teasing her. She holds herself still, breath heaving in and out, body flushed with arousal. Knowing how intimate the act he's about to engage in is, he searches her face for permission, finding lust and something more elusive flitting through her gaze. She trusts him to do this. Knowing that he's being granted a rare privilege, he silently promises to reward her faith in him. Slowly, deliberately, he leans in, painting her thighs with his tongue, drawing out the moment, before tracing the seam of her leg up to the spot she wants him most. She's dripping with arousal, her body primed for his touch.

He lets his hot breath blow across her clit, causing her hips to jerk towards him involuntarily. Holding her hips against the door, he teases her with his fingers a moment, before latching on and sucking her clit into his mouth, his tongue flicking the exposed nub quickly, while simultaneously plunging two fingers inside of her.

Her knees buckle, unable to hold her up as her body soars upon contact with his mouth. All her fantasies of what he could do to her pale in comparison. The reality of his talented mouth upon her body is better than anything she's ever felt. A breathless moan escapes as she rides her orgasm, the pleasure intense, her body shuddering with the impact. She closes her eyes, lost in sensation as she feels him eating her out, feasting on her body.

Ruthlessly, he continues to tongue her, his fingers seeking the nerves deep inside her, stimulating her further. Her body is so sensitized by his touch, the pleasure is almost painful in its intensity. Another wave of pleasure overtakes her, causing her to cry out and grip his hair painfully. Wanting it to never end, she also wants to feel him moving deep inside her. Torn, she rides out the pleasure as she tries to command her body to move onto the next phase.

"That's right, come for me, Kate. You're so beautiful when you come." He says reverently, drinking in the sight of her taking her pleasure shamelessly.

His touch gentling, he brings her back slowly, careful not to over stimulate her. Her eyes open and she sees him watching her. A satisfied smile overtakes her face, beautiful in its openness, beyond sexy as she peruses his body, still fully clothed. Her eyes linger on the bulge pushing against his pants, somewhat damp from where she dry humped him earlier. She wants to see all of him. Now.

"Off." She says, not one to waste words. Pointing at his clothes, she gestures for him to remove them.

Instead of complying, he picks her up, kisses her softly, and asks "bedroom?" His voice is deep and raspy with arousal. The small hair on the back of her neck stands on end, stimulated by the primal sound of his voice. Her body clenches in anticipation of what comes next. They're still on foreplay. If it's this good, what's the main event going to be like?

Pointing, she lets him carry her back to the bedroom, as her hands get busy with his tie and buttons, her mouth marking him along the way, tasting the salty tang of his flesh. Pulling his shirt from his pants, she hums in pleasure as his muscles ripple beneath her. He's in much better shape than she expected. She knew he was a big man, but she had no idea of the strength he his beneath his clothes. He's so sexy. He gentle giant.

She reaches out and hits a switch as they walk through her bedroom door, a lamp near her bed flicks on, bathing the room in a soft glow. Eyes quirking, he gently lays her on the bed, his mouth seeking hers, even as her hands go to his waist band.

"No." he says, taking her hands away from him and placing them on either side of her head. "Next time. If you touch me now, it'll be over before it starts." Kissing her in apology, he lingers over her mouth a moment, delighting in the taste of her, before pulling back and looking at her.

Nodding her understanding, she watches him as he stands up, toeing off his shoes as he undoes his belt buckle. Her eyes are glued to his crotch as she watches him slowly unbutton his pants and lower his zipper. Pausing, he looks at her, his breath catching at the sight of her unconsciously licking her lips as she watches him slowly reveal himself to her. Hooking his thumbs in the waistband of his boxers and slacks, he removes them completely, eyes on hers the entire time.

When his cock springs free, her eyes widen. She's heard the rumors, but she wasn't sure she believed them. His cock is big and thick, just like the rest of him. She begins to sit up, wanting to touch him and taste him. Remembering what he said, she relaxes, knowing there's time for that later.

Seeing the lust in his gaze, she instead holds up her arms and spreads her legs wide, wanting to feel his weight on her and in her. He eases between her legs and lets her pull him down on top of her, even as he holds his hips slightly apart. Mouths fused, he dives back into their kiss, a prelude to their joining. Now that he's naked, her hands roam his body freely, measuring his biceps, exploring the expanse of his back, squeezing his magnificent ass, before trailing around to his stomach. Feeling his muscles jump at her touch, she explores his body, more and more aroused with each discovery she makes.

Sated only moments before, her body quickens, arousal shooting through her at the thought of being joined with him. "Rick, please" she says, her voice breaking the intense silence between them. "I need you inside me."

"I didn't bring anything with me." He says, regret in his tone. "Do you have anything?"

"It's ok. I'm safe and I'm on the pill."

"Me too. But….Are you sure?" he asks, uncertain yet hopeful. Aside from when the condom broke with Meredith, he's always used something. But he wants to feel her without any barriers.

"I'm sure." She says, lining him up with her entrance, urging him to join with her.

Unwilling to show so little finesse, he instead begins teasing her again, using his cock to stimulate her, slowly trailing it up and down her slit, spreading her moisture over them. He feels her instant response, her body chasing his.

"Castle" she grits out. "Stop teasing me." Pulling his head to her, she gives him a scorching kiss, signaling that the time for games is over.

Pulling back to watch her face, he pauses at her entrance, the head of his cock teasing its way into her slowly. She feels him stretching her entrance and bites her lip, eyes widening at the sensation of being filled by him. Her body clenches down on him so tightly he can tell its been a long while for her. Settling himself fully within her, he pauses a moment, letting her body adjust to his intrusion. When he can feel her starting to wiggle and urge him on, he pulls almost completely out of her, before thrusting firmly into her, impaling her on his length.

"Oh God, Rick. Do that again." She pleads, the passion in her tone urging him on.

The feel of her body massaging his cock as he slides home is overwhelming. Unable to resist, he immediately complies, setting up a hard, steady rhythm. Holding onto his control with every ounce of restraint in him, he focuses on not coming so he can drive her to completion first. With measured strokes, he picks up speed, moving her legs higher on his back to change the angle. Her eyes fly open as he hits a spot deep inside her that she's never felt before. Seeing her reaction, he adjusts slightly and keeps steady pressure on her, feeling her body tense around him. "Yes. Rick. Again." She pleads, almost mindless with the pleasure now. Pausing a moment, he makes her wait, poised on the edge. Just when she thinks she can't stand it anymore, he resumes, pounding into her over and over, his pelvic bone stimulating her clit even as his cock hits that spot inside her perfectly, the combination sending her spinning out of control. She emits a little squeak as her body plummets over the precipice, her orgasm even more intense than before.

The feel of her body clamping tightly down on his sends him over the edge, his hot sperm erupting inside of her. His body strains, muscles clenching in ecstasy as he spurts into her, emptying himself into her depths.

At the feel of him spurting inside of her, her breath hitches, another moan escaping as she completely loses control, her body rhythmically clenching him in response, pulling every ounce of pleasure out of both of them. Wave after wave of pleasure consumes her, causing tremors throughout her body. Sealing her mouth over his, her arms clamp him tightly to her as she gives him a tender kiss, lust and need and something more elusive wrapped up in the dance of her body with his.

They slowly drift back to reality, as he gently rolls them to their sides, bodies still intertwined. Everything has changed. Seeing her so open and free, he can't help but comment.

"That was amazing." he says reverently.

"Yeah." She agrees, a soft chuckle escaping as she blushes, the reality of what they've done settling in.

"Can I stay?" he asks, knowing it's not guaranteed.

Looking him over, she makes him squirm a little before answering. "I didn't say you'd satisfied the bet yet, did I?"

Knowing she's teasing, he shakes his head no.

"Well then, I guess you'd better stay."

Pulling her to him, he kisses her. "I can do better, I swear."

"Wanna bet on it?"

"Double or nothing?"

"Deal." Leaning in, she seals their deal with a kiss.