Author's Note: Well, after the awesome feedback from what was supposed to be a one-shot, it was decided that I needed to do more on this one. Having successfully dug up and whipped into shape my smut-writing plot-bunnies, this is the result. Cold showers and/or ice may be required. Don't forget: reviews please, folks!


Previously, in Following the Rules:

Reflexively, he checked the text.

*Following the rules has it's benefits, Ricky. Keep behaving like you have been, and there could be more of the same in store... ;-) Wait five minutes, then come back to the desk.*

Five minutes later, and still trying very hard to wipe the grin from his features, Castle exited the closet with a spring in his step. The day looked better already...


Her hands fumbling with her keys, Kate Beckett tried very hard to unlock the door to her apartment. Not helping in the slightest, her partner stood behind her, nibbling on her neck. A wicked grin creasing his features, Castle ran his hands up her stomach, deftly undoing the top two buttons of her shirt. One of his warm hands slipping inside, he cupped her breast, fingers tracing lightly across the firmness of her nipple through the lacy fabric. Rolling it gently between his thumb and forefinger, he used his free arm to pull her close, pressing the curve of her backside firmly against his groin.

Barely suppressing a moan, Kate finally got her key into the lock and opened the door, practically falling inside. Her bag dropping unheeded on the floor next to her, she turned around and placed her hands on Rick's chest. She used his shoulders to close the door as she shoved him backwards, hard. A small 'oof' escaped his lips an instant before her lips sealed across his, her hands roving his chest.

His patience finally snapping, Castle cupped her backside and lifted her. Moving as quickly as he could, he carried her to the kitchen island. Backing her against the edge, he wove his hands into her hair and plundered her neck with his lips. His voice husky and deep, he growled as he nuzzled his way past her collar.

"I've been thinking about doing this all damn day..." Running her hands across his shoulders, she pressed his face into her chest. Already panting slightly, she responded.

"About doing what, Rick?"

"This..." Grasping the edges of her shirt, he ripped, sending buttons flying across the room. Falling to his knees in front of her, his fingers found the zip on her skirt. Stripping it past her hips, he paused, raking his eyes up her glorious legs. Fingers trailing up her thighs, his fingertips brushed the top of her hose, thumbs brushing the inside of her hips, he admired her nakedness, framed by the suspenders. Feasting his eyes on what he had been fantasizing about since the storage locker that morning, he stood, picking her up and placing her on the bench.

Stepping forward, he pressed himself against her, nudging her legs apart with his hips. Fingertips grazing her collar bones, he bent his head and nibbled along her jaw line as his hands deftly unclasped her bra. Sliding his hands back around to her chest, his fingers slipped under the edge of the bra, teasing as he cupped her breasts. Allowing their bodies to separate, he removed the bra completely and tossed it aside, one hand cupping, kneading as his mouth trailed a blazing line of wet kisses down her chest, capturing a hardened nipple with his lips.

Gasping, Kate forced his face harder against her chest, fingers grasping the back of his head firmly. Tasting her, Castle drew her breast into his mouth, pulling his head back, he bit gently, his teeth grazing their way along her tender flesh until they tightened around her peak. Tongue flickering, Rick teased the sensitive tip as it was held between his teeth, the heat of his breath caressing her.

Hungrily, he shifted his attentions to her other breast, his hand coming up to replace his mouth on the breast just vacated. Feather light, he drew small circles across the outsides of her breast, avoiding the nipple. The contrast between the barely-felt touches on one breast and his ravaging of the other pulled a deep moan of pleasure from Kate as she threw her head back, losing herself in the waves of pleasure which coursed through her.

A whimper of loss passed her lips as he released her breasts. Kneeling, he cupped her backside and slid her forward, draping her legs over his shoulders.

"God, you're exquisite, Kate..." He muttered, running his eyes up her body. Her hair wild, cheeks flushed with passion, their gazes met across her naked body, the air crackling. Staring directly into her eyes, he tilted his head back, the tip of his tongue trailing up the inside of her thigh. Tasting her wetness, he ran the lightest of touches along her, tracing the lines of her folds. Hearing her gasp, he dipped into her, flickering, swirling. Her sweetness filling his mouth, he dropped his eyes as he filled his hands with the cheeks of her ass. Pulling her to him, he ran the meat of his tongue into her, back to front, the coarseness at the base of his tongue rubbing against her swollen nub as the tip brushed her entrance.

"Fuck! Oh..." The exclamation ripped from her, Kate fell back onto the bench top, unable to support her weight with her arms. Pulling his hands free from under her, Castle placed his hands on the inside of her knees, spreading her wide as he worked his tongue deeper into her. Her legs twitching, Kate groaned, feeling the heat pooling in her core as his tongue ravished her. One hand rising unbidden to squeeze her own breast, the other held his head in place, burying him inside her.

Sucking her folds into his mouth, he caressed her with his fingers, stroking, teasing. Sliding one in, he felt her walls clench around him as he flicked his tongue over the skin trapped between his lips. Feeling her slickness, he allowed a second finger to join the first. Working slowly, he pushed them deeper. All the way in, he curled his fingers, working them inside, stroking, seeking. The bucking of her hips, the incoherent words that spilled from her letting him know he had found what he sought, he rolled her nub in his lips while his fingers stroked deep within her. Panting, she felt her orgasm rip through her without warning. Wordlessly, she screamed as she clenched around his fingers, her body writhing as his free hand pinned her to the bench, his mouth still working. Wave after wave crashed through her as he coaxed her onward.

Her muscles slowly ceasing their squeezing around his fingers, he looked up at her, the frantic, shallow breaths setting her delicate breasts heaving. Drinking in the sight of the woman spread before him, he stood, unbuckling his belt and slipping his pants off. Boxers joining them, he placed his hands on her hips, the tip of his length brushing her dampness. The changed sensations pulling her from the white haze that filled her, Kate opened her eyelids. Locking his gaze onto hers, Castle braced her against the bench top and drove himself into her in one smooth movement. Buried as deep as he could go, he marveled in the feeling of her, gripping him, wrapping him in her heat. Another cry fell from Kate's mouth as he began to move within her. Long, slow strokes stoked the fires only recently sated in her. Her hands gripping the edge of the bench, she held on as he thrust into her. Seeing her holding onto the bench, he ran his hands up her sweat-slicked torso, caressing her breasts as he ground his hips into her. Gripping both nipples firmly, her stretched them away from her body slightly as he thrust more firmly, the impact sliding her body back and forth on the bench.

Castle gripped her legs and lifted, placing the toes of her stilettos on his shoulders, the points resting just under his armpits. Grasping her hips again, he puller her close, her knees tucking up to her chest. The changed position wrapped his length tightly, stretching her, filling her more than she knew possible. Just the right side of pain, he slowed down, pulling almost out of her, and easing his way back inside. Torturously slow, her felt every ripple inside her, every inch as he buried himself in her, over and over. Her breath caught as his tip brushed deep within her, half formed words of encouragement spilling from her as she clenched around him, squeezing tight.

Speeding up, Castle began to slam into her, the wet sounds of their flesh meeting drowning out their hoarse breathing. Feeling his own release building, he pulled one of her feet from his shoulders and rolled her so she lay face down on the cool marble surface. She gasped as her heated skin met the cold of the bench, sending goose bumps across her skin. Still sliding in and out of her, he pressed one hand to the small of her back, bringing her swollen nub into contact with the bench. The other hand he wove into her auburn hair. Tightening his grip, he pulled gently back, raising her chest off the bench just enough so the only parts of her upper body touching the marble were her nipples, which grazed it with every thrust. His stomach clenching, he focused, holding his pleasure in as long as he could.

Kate's body, brought to the edge again, started to spasm. Her walls fluttering around him, he lost control, burying himself as deep as he could, he felt himself release, filling her as her name burst from his lips in a ragged groan. The sound of her name on his lips, the feeling of him pouring himself into her sent her over the edge with him, their cries merging into a single chord of passion as he collapsed onto her, their hearts hammering.

Sometime later, when they could both feel their legs once more, Castle eased himself up. Running a gentle hand down her back, he brushed the hair from her face, tenderly stroking her jaw. His voice hoarse, he spoke softly.

"Hey, beautiful... I think we need to get in the shower, get cleaned up before we pass out here..." A drowsy smile on her face, she opened her eyes lazily and looked up at him.

"Mmmmmkay" She murmured, still boneless and happy. Still bemused by her blissful state, he slid out of her, a small whimper of protest escaping Kate's lips. Bending, he edged her off the bench and picked her up. Turning her head, she nuzzled into his shoulder, her arms wrapping around his neck as he carried her towards the bathroom.

Gently, he let her legs slide down him to touch the ground. One arm holding her upright, he turned the tap on, a cloud of steam filling the room. Adjusting the water temperature, he knelt before her. Slowly, gently, he unzipped her boots one by one and drew them off her. Reverently, he unclasped her hose and rolled them down her legs. He hooked his fingers into the suspenders and eased them past her hips. Stepping into the shower, he offered her his hand.

Wordlessly, she took it and stepped into the tub, pulling the curtain closed behind her. Picking up a sponge, he ran it under the water briefly, before picking up a bottle of bath gel. Uncapping it, the shower filled with her distinctive cherry scent. A knowing grin dancing across his lips, he squeezed some onto the sponge and eased her under the water. Gently, he worked the sponge across her shoulders and down the lines of her back, the cherry bubbles tracing the perfection of her curves as he scrubbed the sweat of their lovemaking from her skin.

Turning her, he repeated his actions, his hands roving her body. Keeping his touch slow, he caressed her form, soothing, relaxing. Her torso cleaned, he knelt again, working the sponge down her legs, taking his time to admire the swell of her calves, the delicate arch of her feet. Finally washed of their exertions, he stood, cupping the back of her head. The lazy smile on her face too tempting to resist, he closed the distance between them, their bodies meeting under the water. Placing feather light kisses on her upturned lips, he allowed her hair to dampen. Reaching for the shampoo, he turned her to face the wall, her forearms leaning against the cool tiles. Working the shampoo through her tresses, he kneaded his fingers into her scalp, drawing a blissful moan from her. He continued to massage her, working the lather through to the ends of her hair before urging her back under the water.

Her eyes closed, Kate tipped her head back and let him rinse the suds from her hair. Floating, she felt the aches in her fade, the ones from their passion, and the deeper ones from her work. Stepping out of the tub, Castle reached over to the towel rail and picked one up. He reached past her and turned the water off and held his arms out to her. Enfolding her in the towel, he passed her a smaller one for her hair. Allowing her to wrap her hair, he grasped the towel from her body and dried her off with quick, efficient strokes.

Seeing her clad in only a dreamy smile, he couldn't keep the answering grin from his face. He spun the towel around his shoulders, quickly drying himself off. Hanging the towel up, he wrapped an arm around her waist and let her lead him to her bedroom.

In the near silence of the darkness, he heard Kate pull back the covers. Slipping from his grasp, she lay down and rolled over. Her pale skin illuminated by the glow of her bedside clock, he saw her lift an arm invitingly, holding the covers up for him to join her. Not needing any further encouragement, he slid between the sheets and lay down. Pulling the covers up, Kate wrapped her arm over his chest, laying her head on his shoulder, her leg hitching up to drape across his waist. Bodies entwined, relaxed and at peace, they drifted off to sleep.