Castle sits down at the foot of her bed, watching her read. She feels her eyes on him and looks up from her book.
"Something I can help you with?" Beckett asks.
"How are they going to know?"
She scrunches her eyebrows together in confusion. "Know what?"
"What we do in this room. It's not like we're under surveillance."
She slides her bookmark into place and reaches over to put the book on the dresser. "What exactly are you suggesting?"
He grins, crawling toward her on the tiny bed. "That we take advantage of our…partnership."
She grins back, suddenly very thankful for the way Jared assigns roommates. Beckett leans in to meet his lips when the door flies open.
"Go ahead and kiss her," Esposito says from the doorway. "I'd be more than happy to take that Ferrari off your hands."
"Javi, what are you doing here?" Beckett asks, eyeing his duffel bag.
"Did you really think we'd let you two shack up alone all weekend?" He tosses his duffel bag on to the other bed. "Pack it up, Castle. Ryan's your new roommate."
"But the rooming assignments," Castle tries to protest.
Esposito shrugs. "It's not like they do bed checks. What they don't know won't hurt them."
"I feel like this is cheating," Beckett mumbles as Castle moves to repack his backpack.
"Nah, cheating would be letting you two retreat here for privacy."
"I am so going to kill you for this," she says, glaring at Esposito.
Castle leans against the doorframe. "You realize that by doing this, you're making it easier for us to win?"
"Are we?" Esposito asks. "Because I would think taking you away from each other is only going to make it worse."
He groans and turns his gaze to Beckett. "Guess I'll see you tomorrow."
She gives him a little half smile, reaching for her book again. "Night, Castle."
She has trouble sleeping that night. It's been months since she's spent the night without Castle curled up at her side. She hadn't realized how dependent she'd become on their sleeping arrangement, but then again she has practically moved in with him. Which reminds her, she really needs to go back to her apartment and clean out her fridge…
"Morning," Castle greets her out her by the picnic tables, sidling up beside her and handing her a Styrofoam cup of coffee.
She takes it from him, inhaling the strong scent.
"How'd you sleep?" he asks, following her over to a table.
"I didn't."
Concern etches across his face. "Nightmares?"
Beckett shakes her head taking a sip of her coffee. "Lack of you, actually. As horribly cheesy as that sounds."
He starts to reach for her hand, but he stops himself. It nearly makes her heart ache.
"I was too distracted by Ryan's snoring to focus on anything else," Castle tells her, swirling his own coffee with a red swizzle stick. "But I did miss the warm presence of your body next to mine."
"Good thing it's summer and you don't need me to keep you warm."
He groans at that. "I could always use you to keep me warm."
"Good morning everyone!" Jared beams, walking towards the dining area.
"I hate morning people," Beckett mumbles, taking another long sip of coffee.
Castle laughs, watching Ryan and Esposito slide into the picnic table across from them.
"This morning we're all going to head out to the lake for some canoeing," Jared continues on.
Esposito nudges Ryan. "See? What I'd tell ya?"
"I'll right fine," Ryan mutters. "I owe you five bucks."
"Feeling lucky this weekend, are we now?" Castle asks.
Esposito smirks, moving to stand as the squad starts to head out. "Ryan's money is just the beginning of my victories this weekend."
They hike down to the lake and Beckett comes dangerously close to grabbing Castle's hand several times. She's not entirely sure what's gotten into her out here. She's not normally one to cling to him like this in public. She assumes it's the whole being told that she can't thing that's getting to her. It's like Rebel Bex is looking to make a comeback.
They make it down to the beach to find dozens of canoes pulled up into the sand. Jared directs the group to go claim one for their team and figure out how to push off into the lake. There's a small island in the middle of the lake that they have to paddle around and make it back to shore to complete the exercise.
"This isn't a race," Jared assures them as the partners select their canoes. "This is meant to get you working together to complete the task at hand. So don't worry about being the last team to make it back to shore. The point is that you made it."
"All right, I have a plan," Castle says.
"What kind of plan?" Beckett asks.
"One I think you're going to like. Get in and I'll push it out and join you."
She throws him a skeptical look but does as she's told. He does his part and she hands him one of the paddles once he's situated.
"So what's this master plan of yours? Does it involve winning?" she asks, as they start to row out into the lake. "I mean I know Jared said it wasn't a race, but…"
"Quite the opposite actually."
"Castle –"
"Patience, my dear Beckett."
She mutters something incoherent as they finally start to make it somewhere on the lake. She glances around at the others to see how they're fairing. One team is practically rowing around in circles. But she and Castle are in sync and easily propel forward. They could finish first, if he would let them. So why won't he?
"Come on, Castle, look at this. We're already ahead of everyone. Let's just finish first to get this over with."
He looks around noting that they're the only canoe on the backside of the island. "You're right. This won't do."
Without warning, he drops his paddle into the lake and lets it float away.
Beckett turns around to glare at him. "Castle, what the hell?"
"We were too far ahead. We want to bring up the rear, not the lead the pack."
"Okay, I still don't understand why you're so determined to finish last, but was getting rid of your paddle really the best way to do this? How are we supposed to get back to the shore with just one paddle?"
"Well we could…shit."
"Yeah exactly. Now do you mind telling me why?"
Castle sighs, watching as the other teams start to catch up and pass them. "I was trying to give us some alone time. A little privacy shrouded by the trees on this stupid little island."
She smirks. "Trying to find all of the loopholes, huh?"
He gives her a little half smile, watching his paddle get further and further away.
"Okay, here's an idea," she starts. "We work on getting your paddle back. By then nearly everyone should have passed us by. We take a couple of minutes to ourselves to fool around and then we finish strong."
He nods and lets his hand skim across her lower back for a moment. She shivers at the simple touch, craving more already. Beckett rolls her shoulders back and cracks her neck, trying to alleviate her sudden desire to just start fooling around with him now. She dips her paddle back into the water and starts pushing their canoe in the direction of his paddle. Castle leans over the side and tries to help row with his hands.
Ryan and Esposito pass by them, laughing at their struggle.
"Way to go, Castle," Ryan laughs.
"Yeah, you realize you have to keep holding on to the paddle, right?" Esposito adds.
"Haha, very funny," Castle grumbles, as Beckett's paddle connects with his and she pulls it back into them.
He reaches over to grab it and almost tips the canoe with his shift in weight. Beckett spins back to him and places her hand on his knee.
"You okay?"
"Yeah," he sighs. "Are you?"
"A little rattled maybe, but I'm good. Although my arms are kind of starting to hurt."
Castle hums, scooting closer to her. "Maybe we should take a break then. You know, give your arms a rest."
She grins, her tongue snaking out as she bites down on her lower lip. His hand is on her back again, slowly skimming around her hip and dancing at the waistline of her shorts. Her breathing becomes shallow, anticipating his next move. His fingers dip into shorts, his chest pressing into her back.
God, she needed this. Maybe after this, they can make it the rest of the weekend as planned. Maybe her constant desire to just jump him and take him will be quenched. And then she and Castle can take his Ferrari up to the Hamptons for a real anniversary weekend while Ryan and Esposito are stuck at the precinct with her paperwork. Yes, that sounds absolutely perfect.
Almost as perfect as the way Castle's fingers feel fluttering against her skin. His index finger presses into her clit and she mewls, not realizing how badly she needed to be touched. He drags his finger down through her folds, dipping into her wetness, before dragging it back up to her clit. He starts rubbing tight circles against it and her head falls back onto his shoulder.
She moans as her hips buck into his hand, thinking that just maybe she fell in love with him for his fingers. No wait, it was definitely for his tongue. But now she can't get the thought of his mouth on her out of her head. She needs that, needs him, needs to come.
"Castle," she moans, her eyes slipping closed as her hips keep twisting.
He bites into her neck, curling two fingers inside of her, while his thumb continues to press against her clit. She's riding his hand now. Her hips rotating around him like she would if they were having sex and she was on top. She just needs the release. She needs for him to make her come in this godforsaken canoe, at this godforsaken camp, so she can start acting like a normal adult and not a horny teenager.
She's close. She's so close. She can feel her orgasm starting to build, her stomach muscles starting to contract, when his hand disappears. Beckett's eyes fly open and she starts to curse him out, when she notices the team that couldn't stop paddling in circles earlier glide by them.
"Kate, I'm so sorry," Castle whispers in her ear. "Please don't kill me."
She huffs, regaining her breathing and trying to regain her calm.
"Once they leave, I could –" Castle starts to offer.
"No. No we can't finish last or we'll never hear the end of it."
"But Kate –"
She shifts away from him, picking her paddle back up, and shoving his back into his hands.
"I'll deal with you later. For now, let's just finish this damn thing."
Castle grimaces. "Finish?"
"Not me finish, us finish. Now get your mind out of the damn gutter and paddle."
Within minutes, they quickly pass the other straggling team and make it back to shore. Jared is of course standing there, ready to congratulate them for finishing strong. She just wishes she had been able to complete the other type of finishing.
"Good work you two," Jared smiles broadly when they step out of the canoe. "The others are up waiting by the campfire site for everyone to finish so we can begin our next activity. It's a fun one, I promise."
Beckett gives him a tight smile and starts heading back up toward the camp. Castle runs in front of her and starts walking backwards so he can see her face. He still looks like he's afraid of her.
"Calm down, Castle. I'm not going to hurt you."
"I just know how much you hate edging when you don't get to –"
She holds up her hand, stopping him. "Talking about it is only going to make it worse."
He sighs, falling into step beside her as they keep walking. "I really am sorry."
"Just know this," she starts. "I have no problems in handcuffing you to the bed and leaving you there. Remember that before you make things worse."
AN: Just in case you wondering, reviews are the key to my happiness.