Okay, so this is a one-shot set somewhere in season 5. It's written with the assumption Kate has already said 'I love you', mainly because she feels it, and we know this. This is not the first time she has said it and I only wrote that in because it seemed to fit.

THANKS TO MY AMAZING BETA ALEX! 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Castle or any of the characters of said show. I also have nothing to do with Patterson, and any claims made about his characters are completely unsubstantiated.

Kate listened to Castle's soft breathing, trying to match the rise and fall of his chest. The light from his bedroom window fell softly across the bed and, while Kate was usually an early riser, the moment was too perfect to spoil by getting up. She lifted her head off his chest, smiling to herself as she began kissing it, each kiss staccato, punctuated by a single word: "I….love….you…"

She paused, having run out of words but with plenty of chest remaining. She rested her head back on his chest, noticing his breathing pattern shift slightly. She grinned as she began to kiss up his neck towards his left ear, softly whispering, "but Patterson is my favourite author".

Rick sat up so abruptly that, had Kate not been expecting such a reaction, she would have fallen off the bed with a black eye at the very least. Past behaviour, however, meant she had been prepared.

"Patterson? Really? Alex Cross is a joke of a character. Compare him to Derrick, or even Nikki and you'll-"

"Shhh" she whispered as she pressed her lips to his.

"Mmm" he let out, indicating his pleasure before stopping Kate's caresses, "You were just joking about Patterson, right?"

Kate couldn't help but stifle a giggle. Rather than placating him, she decided to just keep on kissing him. Distraction always worked with Richard Castle, whether it was something shiny or a bit of flesh. She leaned in, intensifying the passion.

He stopped her. He never stopped her. She tipped her head to the side, eying him off. "Kate," he said softly, his eyes pleading with her.

She took a deep breath. She could give him this little victory. "Rick," she whispered as she cupped his face in her hands, "You know I'm a one writer girl."

A grin spread across Castle's face as he began to comprehend what that meant. "Good," he declared, leaning up towards Kate for a continuation of the festivities.

She stopped him. She never stopped him. She sat up straight, staring at the man next to her. "Rick, are you really that insecure?"

He too straightened up, his eyes downcast briefly, before meeting hers. "Uh, no. I just can't help but think about all the authors that you've read before. All of them!"

"All of them? What are you talking about Castle?" she said as she shook her head in confusion.

"That's what you said. You said all! All implies a lot. That's what I'm talking about!" As Castle spoke, he grew more and more flustered.

"Oh." Kate bit her bottom lip, trying hard not to show her amusement. "Rick," she said slowly and softly, "We're not talking about books anymore are we?"

He looked small, timidly answering "No."

Kate sighed. "Castle, I said last time you asked that it's the sort of thing that you think you want to know, but you don't really want to know." She dreaded nothing more than having the numbers conversation with him.

His mouth dropped into a frown. "I thought that was just because we weren't together. Things are different now."

She sighed. It wasn't that she wanted to leave him in the dark, or that she wanted to hide the truth. Kate Beckett genuinely didn't believe that it was a conversation that two people in a relationship needed to have. She leaned into him, letting her body fit perfectly into his. He embraced her, wrapping his muscular arms around her svelte body, pulling her closer. He kissed the back of her neck, every touch pleading with her. "It's not important Castle", she said softly, hoping he would understand.

He shifted his hands, running them up and down her bare thighs. "But it's a part of you," he said breathlessly, "I want to know everything about you."

She turned over so she was lying directly on top of him. His eyes grew dark, and a mischievous grin was plastered on his face. She lifted her body up so that she was sitting on top of him. If it were any other situation, she would have been tearing the few clothes she was wearing off and pressing herself as close to Castle as she could. She wanted to feel him against her skin. "Why do you want to know so badly?"

He looked directly into her eyes, trying to sense what was hidden behind Kate's blank face. "Why don't you want to know?" Kate blinked and Castle realised that she wasn't scared of knowing his secrets, not that there was a modicum of mystery. The master of the macabre didn't keep much close to his heart, and when he loved, he loved with his entire existence.

She sat up, so she was straddling him, one leg either side of his hips, running her fingers down his chest. "Rick, we've been together as a couple for months now, and as partners for years before that. Our sexual pasts haven't mattered for the past four years, why do they have to start mattering now?"

Rick's big blue eyes looked up at her, as if he was pleading, "Because I want to know?" He licked his lips softly, adding, "Please Kate?"

She felt herself caving. Rick was so irresistible when he pleaded. It was a struggle to resist him at the best of times, let alone when he really wanted something. She softly sighed, rolling off the ruggedly handsome man that she loved so she was lying next to him on the bed. "I just don't do this. I have never done it."

Rick propped himself up on his arm, playfully saying "There is a first time for everything!" much to Kate's chagrin. His grin dropped, and his features softened as he looked at his gorgeous girlfriend. As he studied her features – perfect, as usual – he realised that she genuinely did not want to have that conversation. He looked into her hazel eyes and gave her a brief kiss on the lips before adding, "Can I ask why? What don't you want to know?"

Her mouth shifted into a smile, and anyone watching could see how bright her eyes became. "It's not important. What matters is the last number. One and done. That is what counts. And when that last number hits the list, the others don't matter anymore. And that is why I don't want to know."

Rick looked into Kate's eyes for what seemed like an eternity. This was the woman that he loved. She was perfect. And she was it for him. His list would forever be completed.

What'd you think? It's the first time I've ever written something like this, so I'd love feedback.