Esposito and Beckett weren't the only ones from the Twelfth Precinct with romance on the brain. Kevin Ryan had been waiting for this day for almost a month - between Dell having been sick and Honey-Milk on nights, they hadn't had as much time together as neither of them wanted. It made him envy his partner a little that his wife worked from home and she was there nine times of out ten whenever his job had him rolling in at weird hours.

But now, finally, the glorious turning point was here and he had it perfectly planned out. Okay not perfectly planned out, as they'd had to dally around the curve-ball of the case he'd caught that morning. Dell was still at his parents' place in the Bronx, visiting with his cousins, but he'd called up the the place where he had booked him and his bride to have their romantic dinner for two and switched their reservation to a take-out order; he'd also stopped in and grabbed a bottle each of red and white wine, unsure of what she'd be in the mood for as per her request for the . It might not have seemed terribly romantic to a lot of people, but for him, this plan was a near-perfect repetition of one of his top five most cherished memories he had of his relationship with his wife - he and Honey-Milk had been out for Chinese food to the Lotus Room, a suit-and-jacket place that did real Chinese and not the take-out they survived on when working late in the bullpen. When he'd watched her apologize to the snow-crab she'd selected from the tank for her steamed dumplings and rangoon, only to dive in with unmitigated glee as their food was served, that was the moment he'd realized he was absolutely one hundred percent in love with Jennifer Agatha 'Honey-Milk Delaney and would one day make her Jennifer Agatha 'Honey-Milk' Ryan.

They wouldn't be able to perfectly replicate that meal tonight since he'd become a vegetarian, but it was close enough, as his Honey-Milk would more than likely focus on the sentiment behind it rather than the minutia of the fact he'd ordered the tofu Kung Pao instead of chicken, and that meant he would be getting very lucky, as would she.

He unlocked the front door and stepped in, noticing the scent in the air. It was blossomy, to borrow a word from Castle, like they were on a summer veranda by the lake; probably from a bubble bath she'd taken earlier. Honey-Milk always loved taking a bath when she really wanted to put her man in the mood for some loving.

'Jenny, I'm home and I brought a little treat with me,' he called out. When he heard no response, he yawned, then heard the unmistakable crinkle of paper when he put the bag of food on the table by the couch. Looking underneath, he saw his wife's fancy handwriting.

Hey handsome. Lose the winter gear.

Since he'd already done so, he walked into the kitchen with the wine in one hand and the take-out bag in the other. He set the bag down and again heard the paper, found another note.

Now lose the suit jacket and tie.

Too amused by this little treasure hunt to do otherwise, he left his jacket and tie on the kitchen table by the bag of food, then went to get a corkscrew for the wine to find yet another note.

Say bye-bye belt and socks.

'What are you up to, Jenn,' he murmured, the grin spreading and the blood swimming brightly in his brain, despite the long day he'd had. His bride always had the most innovative ways of seducing him and tonight was no exception. Complying, he took them both off, then went on to find yet another note when he got the wine glasses out of the cupboard.

Take off your pants, Detective.

He grinned widely now, and knew what he'd probably find in his bedroom now. In his boxers, he left the kitchen and stopped short to find one more note for him.

So long, skivvies

Setting down the wine and glasses, Ryan shimmied out of his boxers so he was completely naked but for his hair-gel and wedding ring, then picked the bottle back up, and turning the doorknob, entered his bedroom. The sight that met him was one of such sweet passion he wondered how he didn't lose his mind.

Honey-Milk sat in the middle of the bed with a black satin sheet wrapped artfully around her body so that it was obvious she was nude and was teasing him by covering up her fun bits. She'd made her mouth glossy and pouty, done something to her eyes so they were round and dark with desire for him. Her button nose wrinkled in the sexiest-cute way possible as she puckered up those glossy, pouty lips and purred, 'Is that a wine bottle in your hands, Kev, or are you just happy to see me?'

'Hello, nurse.' On a flustered laugh, Ryan walked over to his wife, kneeling on the bed in front of her. 'I almost don't want to touch you and get you all...smudgy.'

'If you want,' Honey-Milk replied, getting to her knees and letting the sheet drop so their bodies pressed together, 'I can do all the touching myself.'

'Oh...my...'

It was all he could manage before Ryan lips' crushed down on hers. She was his Honey-Milk, he thought absently, always intoxicating and ever surprising, all wrapped up in an adorable little pixie with blonde hair that loved him even when he didn't like himself. He pulled her petite body against his, drinking in the scent of her - lilacs and Dove soap - then moved so she was underneath him, her legs shifting so her body cradled him. He heard her muffled squeak of delight.

'Happy Valentine's indeed,' she breathed, feeling his erection against her body so intimately. The knowledge she could make him feel that was powerful and seductive all at once. She pulled him tight against her body, nipping at that sexy lower lip of his. It was one of her favourite features of his body, and she traced the outline of it with her tongue, making him groan. 'Mm, Kev, do what you want.'

'Anything I want?'

'Anything.'

Ryan licked his way down her throat, pleased when she whimpered a little. 'Dangerous words.'

He slipped down her body, the satin bunched under her back, tracing hot kisses over her breasts, his hands sliding up to cup and squeeze her. She was his perfect handful, he thought, and gave his attention to one using only his lips on the hard point of her nipple, a move he knew would make her go crazy for him. He heard the strangled cry in her throat, felt her nails dig into his shoulders, then shot her into orbit as he tongue grazed one then the other.

'Jesus, Kev,' she groaned, not worrying about being too loud tonight. 'Again.'

Ryan traced his fingertips over the dampened nub of flesh, felt her grow wet for him where he pressed against her. He knew this required a little control because his little sex-bomb could, and had, orgasmed from his mouth on her breasts alone. 'You said I get to do anything I want.'

He stroked his palm over her breasts, then down the centre of her torso; with a shift of his body ever so slightly, he found where she waited for him and slipped his fingers inside her, drawing them out slowly so as to make her whimper loudly for him.

It was too much, Honey-Milk thought, too much for one person to feel all of that at once, and yet somehow she did. She felt him brush against her trigger and choked on her own breath when his left the pad of his thumb there. She kissed him, his blue eyes bright with need for her, his mouth capturing her cry of ecstasy.

'Kevin,' she whispered in a sex-drenched voice, 'fuck me, please I want you inside me.'

The words nearly made him lose his cool, but Ryan managed to keep it together as he adjusted himself, and closed her hand around him so she could guide him in. He was barely there when he slid fully into her, so hot and slippery for him. Keeping his hands on her thighs he stroked her deeply, slowly because he knew she wanted it fast.

Honey-Milk felt the pressure in her chest deepen and grow, friction so delicious she could barely think. Then she was spinning out of control, mind reeling and senses flying high. She moaned out her husband's name, high praise of his talent as she rose the crest of one orgasm into the next one and watched his face as he began to tremble and fell with her over the cliff into delirious pleasure.

It was a while before either spoke beyond a few incomprehensible syllables, had the brain power to do so. Ryan could have gladly spent the next year right like that, with his wife's heartbeat thundering under his ear as he lay face down on her chest, her sturdy yet sensitive hands stroking the back of his neck.

'That was amazing,' he murmured, kiss the undercurve of Honey-Milk's breast. 'Great way to get rid of a shitty day at work.'

'When you called and said it was a triple-header, I figured you'd want to come home to some really good lovin',' Honey-Milk replied.

'You figured right.'

'Did I smell dim sum when you came in?'

'Maybe.' Turning so his chin rested on her breastbone and he could see that sleepily sexy and satisfied look on his wife's face, Ryan winked at her. 'I was going to take you to the Lotus Room tonight, but we're going to settle for their takeout instead.'

'Settle, hell, the take-out would have been perfect on its own.'

'I love you, Jenn.'

'I love you too, Kev.'

'Wanna eat naked?'

'Actually, I was thinking, we could have a shower then get dressed and eat...and then rip each others' clothes off, since we were both naked to start the first time around tonight.'

'That sounds even better.'

As promised they showered, dressed and were eating Chinese food with Chilean white wine by candle-light - Pacific style stir-fry with chow-mein noodles for her and tofu Kung-Pao with Buddhist delight for him - as Ryan filled her in on the details of the case.

'Did you guys check the underwear drawers of all three victims?' she asked, popping in a cube of sauteed mushroom.

'Yeah, and that's where it gets even stranger, because not one of the three women owned panties like that which means the killer got them naked, changed into that underwear and then shot them with the arrows.'

'Or they were dead first and he posed them like that. Either way, it's really freakin' weird.'

'Speaking of weird...' Ryan paused for a sip of water. 'Did it feel weird to be actually planning sex with making another baby in mind, considering Dell wasn't exactly on the menu when we made him?'

'A little. Mostly, I like that we can do it whenever and however we want, we don't have to settle for a pet or something, you know?'

'There is that.' Ryan thought of how Esposito had bragged about it over Texas Hold'Em when he and Meredeth had started trying for a baby, and now understood why his partner could hardly keep it in his pants, metaphorically or otherwise. 'I think Kate's getting a little anxious about the whole idea of procreating, in a good way, you know?'

'Aw that's so sweet.'

'Any mommy-like tips I can pass on to her at work on Saturday?'

'Tell her that babies are made when they want to be made, and stressing never helps.'

'Good idea. We weren't even trying before and look what happened.'

'Exactly.' Now it was Honey-Milk's turn to pause. 'Kevin you know that it might take us a try or two, right?'

'Oh I know, but still, you gotta admit the practicing to get us there is a lot of fun, isn't it?'

'For sure.'

'In fact...are you done with that?' He pointed to her plate, nabbed it when she nodded. Hauling her up out of her seat, Ryan boosted his wife up, then laid her on the kitchen table. 'We haven't done this one in awhile.'

R&R&Enjoy.