PLEASE READ THIS:

This is a one-shot follow up to chapter two of Softer's "26 Notes." If you haven't read that, this won't make any sense, because it picks up where that one left off. There's a link to Softer's page under my favorite authors page, so before you continue, go read that story, write Softer a nice long review (don't forget that part, since she was kind enough to let me continue her chapter here) and then come back to this one.

Also, these characters don't belong to me. I'm just borrowing them for a little fun.

Castle's hand was still cupping the side of her head; the warmth from his body enticing her even as the snow melted against her skin. Kate shivered against the cold and saw his smile change from smug to concerned. Her eyes dropped to his lips, watching in fascination as the fog from their breathing mingled, becoming one unit before dissipating.

"Kate?"

Her eyes lifted to his again, seeing the question reflected there.

It was no longer a question of whether or not she was going to let him; her answer was obvious in the fact that she was still standing there. It was more about whether she was ready for what crossing that line would entail.

Kate lifted her hand to his forearm, squeezing it as she allowed him to read the answer in her eyes.

His other hand moved to her hip, a gentle tug closing what little distance remained between them. She moved willingly into his embrace, her free hand finding purchase on the solid wall of his chest.

Feeling the rapid pounding beneath his rib cage brought a soft smile to her lips. He wasn't going to do this. They were going to do this…together.

She tilted her head slightly, leaning into him in invitation.

He responded in kind, matching her movement.

And then their lips met.

The walk back to her apartment had been filled with teasing and laughter, their kisses growing in intensity as they neared her block. An empty elevator had greeted them in the lobby and Kate had backed Castle against the far wall as soon as the doors had closed; her hands locking behind his neck, pulling his mouth to hers for the short ride to her floor.

When they reached her apartment, Kate made quick work of opening the door and Castle kicked it closed behind them, his hands too busy helping Kate out of her coat to bother with such a trivial issue as the front door. She shrugged her shoulders, letting the wet garment fall to the floor in a forgotten heap as Castle's hands took hold of the ends of her scarf, tugging on them gently, bringing her back into his arms.

Suddenly his eyes were serious, all traces of amusement gone.

He pulled on one end of the scarf, watching her shiver as the wet material dragged across the back of her neck.

"You're cold," he stated.

Taking his hands in hers, she took a step backwards and then lifted dark eyes to his.

"Come warm me up."

It was all the invitation he needed.

By the time they reached her bedroom, he had divested her of the majority of her clothes. Her hands hadn't been idle, either, the trail from the front door attesting to that fact.

Castle stopped just inside her bedroom door, watching with rapt attention as she unhooked her bra and eased it from her shoulders. When her hands moved to ease her panties from her hips, he stepped forward, covering her hands with his own.

"Let me," he whispered.

She nodded her agreement, steadying herself with hands on his shoulders as he eased them from her body. His hands trailed lightly back up the outside of her legs until they reached her hips.

"You're beautiful."

She merely smiled as she maneuvered them onto the bed, pushing him onto his back and straddling his hips as she leaned over to kiss him.

He moaned when she rocked her hips against his, the thin material of his boxers the only thing separating them. When her lips left his and trailed lightly down his chest, his breath caught in his throat.

She looked up at him with hooded eyes, a sultry smile playing on her lips as she worked her way down his body, catching the elastic band of his boxers with her teeth before breaking eye contact. Feeling her breath whisper over his erection as she pushed his boxers down his legs had Castle gasping for air. When she closed her mouth around him, the breath left his lungs with a whoosh.

"God, Kate."

Her only response was to take him deeper, eliciting another groan. She allowed his soft grunts to guide her as she brought him to the edge and then eased him back before taking him back to the edge again, relishing the way he gave himself over to her control. It wasn't until she felt his fingers digging into her shoulders that she lifted her eyes back to his.

"Not this time."

Releasing him from her mouth, she allowed him to pull her back up against his body, rolling her beneath him as his lips captured hers, his kiss showing her exactly how much he had enjoyed her pleasuring him.

His body covered hers as they kissed, one hand moving to cup her breast, squeezing gently. When she gasped into his mouth, he broke off the kiss and trailed his lips down to her other breast. When he closed his lips around her nipple, she arched into him, her hands moving to the back of his head to hold him against her.

In no hurry, he obliged her, alternating the pressure, even occasionally allowing his teeth to graze against her. When he finally released her, she groaned her displeasure, the groan turning into a soft purr when he latched onto the other breast, giving it equal attention.

His hand trailed up and down her body, finding her sensitive spots, loving the sounds she made when he focused his attention on them. Shifting his weight slightly, he lifted his head to look at her as his fingers traced along the crease of her thigh, teasing against her folds.

Her eyes met his, her legs falling open in invitation.

He slipped a finger inside her then, her hips arching into his touch.

"You're so wet," he breathed as he teased her slowly.

"Rick, please," she whispered as she tugged on his bicep. "I want to feel you inside of me."

He made a guttural sound low in his throat as he pressed his lips to hers, his hands fumbling with the foil packet he'd managed to grab from her nightstand. Before long, he'd sheathed himself and was poised at her entrance.

"Last chance to turn back."

"No going back," she replied.

At that, he entered her. Twin gasps of pleasure sounding through the room as he stilled within her, the feel of her body around him taking his breath away.

"You feel amazing," she whispered, stealing the words before he could utter them.

He moved then, slowly at first; the two of them easily finding their rhythm. Their bodies moved in synch, their soft gasps and whispered words filling the room as they hurtled toward that precipice. Pleasure coursed through their bodies, their worlds narrowing until nothing existed outside of the two of them in that moment.

When they finally flew over the edge, it was together, mutual cries of satisfaction ringing out. Their hands and lips continued to explore one another, slowly easing them back from the high.

"Remind me to compete with you more often, Kate," Castle murmured much later, still tangled in her arms after round two.

"Why's that?" she asked, lifting her head slightly from where it rested on his chest.

"The spoils of victory are out of this world," he replied.

She couldn't help but laugh. Lowering her head back to his chest, she had to admit that she'd never been so happy to lose a snowball fight in her life.

The End

Again, a huge thank you to Softer for letting me use her chapter as a launching point for this story. She rocks!

And to IMW for the wonderful beta job.