Except Without the Tiger

A/N: Yes, I'm aware this is totally OOC. Well, not really, considering the last scene, and Beckett's over-the-shoulder look that basically dared Castle to follow up on her suggestive suggestion. In FicLand, of COURSE he follows up. In reality, he goes home, she goes home, cold showers (or solo sessions) ensue. This. Is. Not. Reality.

Also, for the first time ever while writing, I'm pretty sure I blushed. This is *not* for young eyes. Fair warning.

Also, also, not mine.

Who the hell would be knocking on doors at two in the damn morning? Not that she was sleeping, but it was still annoying. Night was supposed to offer solace and silence. It was a time of reflection and relaxation for Beckett, but someone was now bursting her quiet little bubble and it pissed her off. She picked up her gun on habit and spied through the peephole.

"Castle? What the hell are you doing here? It's two in the morning!" she demanded as she opened the door

"I tried to call, but it went to voicemail! Wait…"

"What?"

"You weren't serious earlier? Because you looked serious," Castle feigned disbelief.

"Castle, what are you talking ab…? Oh," a devilish grin followed the initial shock that spread across her face.

"Yeah, oh."

Beckett turned, "well, come on in," she said simply, looking over her shoulder and giving Castle the sexiest, most smoldering look he'd ever see grace her pretty face. She picked up her handcuffs that had been lying on the table right inside the door.

Castle didn't speak. He followed her in and silently closed the door behind him.

"Lock the door, please," he obeyed, turning to latch the deadbolt, when he felt her body just inches from his.

"You first," she whispered in his ear.

"You're letting me go first?"

"You asked, didn't you?"

"Yes, yes I did," he said, smiling.

"Then, hands behind your back, mister," her mouth was inches from his neck, and she placed a small, breathy kiss just above the collar of his shirt that sent shivers down his spine and blood to his manhood.

"Yes, detective," he mustered.

"That's good," she put one cuff on him and stopped, "turn around. I changed my mind."

He did as she told, and she clicked the handcuffs into place with his hands front. She took the chain in her hand and pulled him with her towards her bedroom. Beckett was good with this. Pretending. Under this guise, with him under her control, she had complete control of what went down during this momentous night. And maybe it wasn't the natural course of their screwed up relationship. Maybe it wasn't how anyone expected it to happen. But maybe that was exactly perfect. Nothing about them was expected. Nothing was normal. Nothing about anything between them had any sort of precedence to it. So why not have their first night be full of kink and handcuffs? Why the fuck not?

She pushed him down on the bed and guided his hands above him. "Take off your shirt," she said while unlocking one of his cuffs. He did as he was told, and allowed her to re-lock her cuffs; this time linking them around a post of her headboard.

"You're sexy as hell, you know that?" his voice was full of husk and desire as she placed a knee on the bed on either side of his torso and a hand on each shoulder.

"I'm aware," she smirked, although her voice held and equal, if not copious amount of the same desire as he.

"Although," he muttered as she kissed his chest, "you have way too many things on for my liking."

"Who's in the cuffs?" she said, sitting up and grinding into his tented pants.

"Point taken," he growled, "for now, anyway."

Her heart fluttered. Would she be able to give him control over her? She trusted him with her life, but did she trust him the same with her heart? She knew this night, however unprecedented, would change things, and she accepted that, but she wasn't sure if she was ready to relinquish the precious control that she clung to so tightly. Pulling herself back to the present, she went to work on his jeans' zipper and ridded him of the rest of his clothes.

"Okay, that's just not fair! Now I'm naked and you're fully clothed. C'mon!"

"You wanted to be first," she laughed, but offered a consolation prize, "okay," she slid off the bed and shimmied out of her black yoga pants leaving her wearing navy blue underwear and a white lacey cami. "Better?"

"Much. I did say I respected your legs."

"You'll think, respect," she climbed back on top of him, but this time settled lower than before. With her hands on either side of his hips, she kissed and licked all over his lower abdomen. His body was a lovely site to behold, and it never ceased to amaze her. He didn't flaunt himself like most men built as he was. He always dressed professionally, but now, exposed like this, anyone could see that he took pride in keeping in shape. She followed the contour of his muscles with her tongue and reveled in the effect she had on him. Not only was he fully erect and straining to keep it together, but he hadn't once let his head touch the pillow. He was entranced by her. He loved watching her enjoy him and the expressions that played across her face… desire, power, enjoyment, and something more tender and soft.

"Lie back," she said. It wasn't an order. Her tone felt like a promise.

She placed a kiss on the tip of his manhood and he understood. She wanted him to relax and enjoy this. He complied and before his head hit the pillow, it nearly shot back up when she took a long lick from base to tip and then engulfed him entirely. He arched to her and moaned her name. He inadvertently pulled on his restraints, wanting to touch her everywhere… feel her everything. The cuffs dug into his wrists, "K-Kate,"

"Hmm?" she hummed while he rested on the back of her tongue.

His head pressed into the pillow, "I… I want to touch you. I need to be able to touch you."

"Just a second," he looked down at her and their eyes met.

"No, please. Not like this. I want to come apart with you while I'm buried deep inside you," his voice was serious and full of smolder.

She took one last lick and did as he asked. Even if he was the one in cuffs. She crawled up his body and reached to where he was bound to free him. Her breasts were tantalizingly close to his mouth, but the stupid cami was still in his way. The moment she unlocked both of his cuffs, he pushed up to where he was sitting with her in his lap, her legs settled behind him. She looked at him, and gasped when, for the first time that night, he capture her lips between his. His hands ran through her hair and down her back as hers touched either side of his jaw. Not waiting a second longer, he pulled her shirt over her head and let it land somewhere in the room. She pressed her now bare chest to his and then let her head fall back when he assaulted the smooth skin of her neck with his swollen lips and skillful tongue. Her fingers dug into his shoulders as he licked and sucked on the thin area of skin where neck met shoulder.

Pushing towards her farther, he guided her to lie down and then brought her hands above her head.

"Your turn, sweetheart."

Her heart sped up, but she calmed herself. It's Castle. You know him. He isn't going to hurt you. He will stop if you say.

"Apples, okay?" he assured her, because he knew this was hard for her. He also knew, though, that if she would trust him, she would be glad. It would bring them to a new level and it would be amazing. He wanted her to feel amazing.

"Apples. Got it." She handed him the handcuffs from the corner of the bed, and smiled as he cuffed her to the foot board. Her nerves were still on high alert, and her breathing hadn't slowed. He bowed over her and whispered with his mouth nearly touching her ear, "Just trust me."

"I trust you, Rick," she said, "Always."

With that, he resumed his assault on her neck and moved down to her chest. He kissed down the valley between her breasts and then began to lightly suck on one nipple. Her breathing changed from rushed to shallow and she began to melt into this warm man who was giving her more pleasure than she could imagine.

He was enjoying her breasts, but he could smell her desire and knew there was another port-of-call awaiting his ministrations. He snaked down and settled over her core, his mouth inches from her and his hot breath bringing wetness to soak the underwear that covered her. More slowly than she'd have liked, he gently took the panties off and ran his hands from ankle to hip, up each of those beautiful, strong legs.

"Mmm, Rick, please," she whimpered with her face turned into her arm.

Kate Beckett was crumbling under the touch of a man and he loved. She loved it. She loved the feel of his hands on her breasts and the strength of his arms around her torso as he had brought her down to rest on the bed. She'd loved his lips on her neck and shoulders and everywhere else. Now she needed him to take her. She wanted to feel his tongue explore her and his fingers stretch her. He wouldn't make her ask again.

He put his hands under her ass and pressed his lips to her core. She gasped when his hot mouth found her clit and his tongue began to work the sensitive bundle with precise pressure. Slowly, he inserted a finger into her and felt her walls clench him as if to beg him to never leave that spot. He added another finger to her tightness and moved them inside of her while his tongue continued to lick and suck in justherightspot. He was relentless in his attack. His tongue never stopped circling, and his fingers never stopped pumping.

"Riiick," she moaned, "if you want to come with me, you better fucking get inside me right this damn second."

"Nice thing about that is," he paused, "you can come over and over again."

She moaned his name as he went back to work on her. He sucked her clit into his mouth in its entirety and watched as she arched her back into the air. He flicked the nub with his tongue and bent his fingers inside her and felt her fall over the edge. She screamed as she came over his tongue and whimpered as he lapped up every drop of her sex. Slowly, while taking deep, shaky breaths, she said, "Rick. I want you to fuck me. Right. Now."

"Who's cuffed in this situation?"

"Do you want me to say, "apples?" Because I will. And then I'll flip you over and ride you until you scream."

"As nice as that sounds… no, really, next time, please do that… I think I'll just do as you wish for now."

"Good choice," she smirked lovingly at how adorable he was. Even in such an emotionally charged situation as this, they managed to stay true to their character and each other.

He kissed her with all the passion in his soul, and ran his hands through her messy hair. She strained against the cuffs, wishing her hands were lost in his hair as well.

"You want to touch me, don't you?"

She looked at him truthfully, "more than I realize, I think."

He grabbed the key, and as he placed himself at her entrance, he unlocked the cuffs and her arms immediately wrapped around his neck and pulled him down to kiss her. While they kissed, she arched and he sank into her completely. There was no place better in the universe, he decided, as they began to find their rhythm. She buried her head in his neck and kissed and nipped at his ear as he thrust into her. She held on to his shoulders and let her nails scratch him. He dropped his head and nipped at the skin on her neck.

They were nearing the ledge and they held on to each other for dear life. This was a game changer, they knew. It was understood. Whatever the outcome, things would never be the same. Kate and Rick were both okay with that, though. Because either way, the days of cold showers and the nights of empty fantasizing were over. No more lonely nights, and no more regrets. This was a leap, and they were both ready.

Falling together, they plummeted over that ledge and into an abyss of pure bliss. Names were screamed and nails dug and finally, Rick pulled her over to collapse on his chest.

Absentmindedly, he played with her hair and she drew circles on his chest where she rested.

"I thought you said no tigers this time."

Playfully, she slapped his chest and smiled, "leave it to you."

"To what?"

"Ruin the mood," she rolled off of him, onto her back, tauntingly.

"Ruin? That was a compliment," he turned on his side with his head resting on his hand.

"Relating a woman to a four-hundred pound carnivore is not a compliment."

He scoffed, mockingly appalled. "I was talking about your grace and stealth, and your habit of teasing and playing with your meal before you devour it."

She laughed and turned to face him, "Okay, I suppose I see how that could be a compliment."

"Rawrrr."

She playfully smacked his chest again, and he pulled her in for a kiss.

He lay back on his back and she settled into his side, perfectly content in his embrace.

"Round two in the morning?" he offered

"Absolutely," she smiled and let herself relax into the moment.

Nighttime could still be about solace and silence, but, she decided, it was much better spent with someone to keep you warm.

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Thanks for reading!

-K