"Let go, Kate."
"Stop, Castle, stop."
He had her around the waist, arms bound in his bear hug, hands pulling on hers to take what was in her grasp. Competition.
She moved to curl herself around her hands, bending at the waist, exasperating him.
"One way or another Kate."
He pushed her face first into the couch cushions still not releasing her, but falling atop her as she struggled to hold onto it.
"Castle!" She huffed, less angry than amused.
Now she was under him, face first on the couch, hands tucked under and hidden from his reach.
He slowed his intent, squeezed her a little, laid an ear against her back, listened to her quick heartbeat, an uninvited hug.
"Please Kate?" He asked so sweetly.
She was tempted to let him shift their game, but ultimately didn't cave instead, she sighed heavily into the cushion.
Sensing her resolve, he moved back, put his hands on either side of her rib cage and tickled her with his fingers.
Her laugh was tortured and uncontrolled; part shriek, part pleasure.
She squirmed, stretching to get out of his reach, trapped by his body draped over her legs. Had to expose her hands to escape. Mis-step number one. Counter-strategy revealed.
He pounced on her closed hands, brought them out from under her completely, pulled them behind her back. Held them there.
"Castle!" She was breathless.
"See this is what you teach me Kate. You can't just give me things, I always have to take, take, take. Why do you make it so hard for me?"
She grunted into the cushion. Tightened her fists. She may be down, may look like a no-win, but she was going to fight to the end.
He pried at her fingers.
"Give it up Kate."
"Never!"
He couldn't hold her wrists and force her fingers at the same time, she was too strong, too wiggly, full of vim and vigor.
But he could wear her down. He knew he could do that, so he waited. Held her wrists, leaned in, kissed the hair on the back of her head.
"Let me win."
"No."
He laid down on top of her, hands trapped between them, pushing into her back. Kissed her cheek, whispered in her ear.
"God, I love you."
She sighed again. Built her resolve for the next move.
"Get off me."
"Okay Kate, have it your way, but it ain't over till it's over."
He kissed her cheek again, moved to lift off her torso, still trapping her legs. Moved his assault to her fingers, still trapped by his hands on her wrists at her back, kissed each one. Licked her left wrist, kissed her palm, nuzzled her clenched fist.
"Which hand?"
Her eyes were closed. She really liked this game, who was she kidding? She liked any game he'd play with her, always had.
Damn him, how had he gotten her finger in his mouth? Unfair. Cheater.
"Not that hand, huh? Must be the other one."
He let go of the empty hand to focus on his prize. Held the trophy-hand in both of his. She used her now free hand to try and push up from the couch, he moved to allow her to rise. She turned toward him, face flush with effort, her clenched fist held between them. Smiling.
"Winner takes all, Kate," he pried open her hand and revealed it.
oxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
She'd had it in her pocket all day. Toyed with it at the crime scene.
She wasn't hesitating, not really, but she wasn't overly confident either. This was big. This wasn't just breaking down a wall, this was giving him permission to poke around on the other side.
Sure, they'd had one hell of a first time. One hell of a first week together. Finally. She was alive with it. Them. Life was good. Life is good.
Now she realized it was all about the pacing, that was her weak point. Never got it quite right with Josh. At first they'd burned hot and heavy and then, not at all. Demming had been a little tamer, but again a fizzle. But Castle? Castle was a slow burn. Sometimes hot, sometimes cold, but a slow burn none the less. The recent flames needed to be tendered, fed, stirred. A constant. This was the long haul. Her one and done. Her always.
She thought about that on Saturday morning. The hardware store opened at seven, she was waiting by the door when they unlocked it, made her way to the counter. The sixteen year-old kid who assisted her was heady with the power of operating his first big-boy machine: the key maker.
She didn't tell him she had it. Held on to it through the weekend, spent time with him, his family. Time to increase her clarity; she loved spending time with him this way. It wasn't about a case, it wasn't about an agenda, it was about getting to know him in new and sometimes frightening ways.
Laser tag.
Sci-Fi movies.
Make-out sessions.
That last one was good. So very good. Not frightening at all.
It made her bold, the thoughts of their weekend. So when he walked her to her door on Monday night after a fairly uneventful day, she was feeling secure enough to mention it.
"I have something for you."
"Oh?" There was a sparkle in his eye, a knowing in his smile.
"Not that. Okay maybe that," she smirked at him, "but not yet. First I want to give you something."
He leaned in from his place across from her at the table, curiosity piqued. She stood, crossed the room and retrieved it from her coat hanging by the door. Returned to the table and stood over him.
"I had this made for you." She held it out on her open palm.
"Kate," he looked up at her, "is this . . .is this to your apartment?"
"Yeah." She swallowed, suddenly realizing the weight of this move from his perspective. "You know, in case of emergencies and all that?"
He put his hand over hers, on top of the key.
"Emergencies." He whispered.
She shook her head a little," and all that," she repeated.
"You mean I can come in when I want?"
She nodded.
"You mean if you need something and forgot to bring it to the station, I can stop and get it for you?"
She nodded.
"If you had a bad case and you need someone to cuddle?"
She nodded.
"You mean if I want to go on a panty raid?"
She quirked her lips and gave him the look. He squeezed her hand.
"Did you ever give one of these to anyone else?" He had to sober to ask that one.
She knew who he meant.
She shook her head vehemently. "No one but you."
"Kate, thank you, I know you like your space, I know what this means. You won't regret it."
She smiled at him, every one of her teeth showing. Out of habit turned her head to hide her joy.
"Actually, you might regret it. A little."
Her eyes snapped back to his, "what?"
"When you find me."
She schooled her face, prepared herself for what she knew was coming from him. His best offensive move. She was up for the challenge.
"When you find me naked under your bed."
She smirked at him. Rolled her eyes.
"Or naked in your shower."
He tugged on her hips, pulling her in to put her arm around his shoulders.
"Or naked in your closet."
He smiled and nuzzled into her side.
"That's a lot of naked. Maybe I should think more about this," she teased and reached out to take the key from its place on the table.
Oxoxoxoxoxox
Some days she did regret it.
Sometimes she just wanted to be alone with it. Her case. Her feelings. And then he'd chase her, hunt her down at home, force his way in. Ruin her strategy.
She both hated it (his persistence, his love) and loved him for it.
She'd threatened to get a dead bolt. Kept forgetting to ask the Super to install it. She was normally a woman of her word.
But then there were other times when a good meal or a hot bath was waiting for her. When he was waiting for her. Sometimes in their bed. Naked.
That was one game in which they could both win.
A/N: See? If you review this we both win. You don't want to be a loser do you?