Chapter 3

"Didn't I tell you before not to try to keep up with Beckett on the rounds?" Castle asked as Moody returned to the booth with another round of drinks. "She can drink most men under the table."

"I'll give Detective Beckett a run for her money." Hank Moody scoffed with a fair chunk of cockiness in his tone of voice.

"Yeah, right." Castle chortled. He knew he was partially drunk but not effected enough as yet by the alcohol to impair his judgment. He had been pacing himself. It was also a fact he was sure of that Kate held her liquor very well. Rick saw that Moody had a little bit of an irregular sway in his step and a discrete glance to Kate's face confirmed they mutually agreed with that, without either of them saying a word. Moody was over the limit be able to legally drive a car.

Moody placed the drinks on the table to organize himself then passed a beer to Castle and another Vodka mixed drink to Kate who smiled at Moody but also glanced cautiously at Rick who didn't completely comprehend her expression on that occasion. It was almost as though she had checked him out and had made a comparison of the two men.

"Thanks." Kate purred from between deep red lips. She was caught in one hell of a battle between the good logical Kate and the younger provocative and irrational Becks who was bursting at the seams to come out and play. Moody was awakening those old feelings and emotions that had remained dormant within her for so long. Those wild crazy times she'd shared with ex-boyfriends most of which resembled the man in the black clothes before her. Kate internally reminded the younger, more frivolous Becks that it had been those boyfriends who had cheated on her and hurt her too. Today, everyday, it was Rick Castle who paid for the pain of the past, because it was Kate who remembered what it had felt like when she had been hurt. She sneaked a glance at Rick who was genuinely vulnerable over Hank's presence.

Rick moistened his own lips. He wanted to be the man who was to kiss Kate's lips that night. Correction it was every night he longed to be that man. He was threatened by the presence of Moody alone, without even taking into consideration the amount of testosterone he oozed. Rick's testosterone and male pride was hassling him to protect Kate from the type of man Moody was, to inhibit Moody from penetrating the property Rick considered belonged to him. Moody brought with him with a reputation of nailing any woman that appealed to him. In fact he screwed women he wasn't attracted to.

In one sleek move Moody slipped back into the booth beside Kate who unconsciously shifted her body to angle toward Moody. Becks was toying with the idea of being promiscuous with Moody.

"How about we finish this round and move on somewhere quieter." Moody suggested firstly to Kate then shot a look at Castle silently indicating it was time for him to crack on to Kate. Rick appeared uncomfortable and shook his head in the negative at Moody.

"We could do that." Kate replied then turned to Rick having missed the exchange between the two men, "You're coming with us right?" She asked him, her tone implying he really didn't have a choice.

That reassured Rick and he smiled, "Of course I'm coming with you. I'm your partner."

"Mmmm." She coyly smiled and let her eyes drift lazily down Castle's torso towards his groin that was hidden by the table top. She saw him swallow nervously as his Adams apple did the full lap of his throat. It amused and comforted every cell of Kate's being that she had that power over Castle that she could bring him to his knees if she really wanted to. Her attention returned to Moody. He appealed to her bad side, her illogical side she had left behind in her late twenties when she had decided to date better guys. She had no particular type of man she liked but it was Moody's oozing sensuality she had a hard time ignoring. "Where would you suggest we go, Hank?" She asked his name lingering on her tongue. Man, she really did want to sleep with him. He was hot. Her body ached with want for Hank, but everything in her body buzzed whenever she thought of being with Rick. She should have followed him home years ago. With Moody it would be sex, great sex. Being with Rick, Kate knew it would be making love, and nothing would beat that. If she had sex with Moody, she would probably miss any chance she had with Rick. Maybe, if he wanted to, she would be with Rick tonight. She bit her bottom lip momentarily thinking about the night he'd kissed her when they were saving the boys. She dreamed about doing it again almost daily. "So where we going?" Kate asked again glancing between both the boys.

Moody laughed, raised his bottle and had a long swig of it before he looked back at Kate and replied, "Why don't we go back to my hotel room, all of us. It's large, has a bar and I would particularly like Rick Castle over there to read my latest manuscript. "

"Really?" Rick asked, relieved to hear he was invited. He somehow had to keep Kate company and protect her from Moody's advances. He really didn't want Moody trying his property before he had had a chance to. It wasn't gonna happen.

"You have to come with us, Ricky," Kate said again as she allowed her eyes to linger over his body. She'd said it in a tone that left him with no choice. He was staying with her. Kate decided she was going to act a little more intoxicated than she really was. She put her hand to her mouth thinking about the fact that Rick didn't realise how appealing he was to women. He knew he could easily pick them up but he lacked the confidence to keep hold of them. She was constantly fighting other women to secure her place beside him. Whether he saw that she wasn't sure. Even Espo and Ryan knew Rick was a chick magnet, the best wing man they could find.

"We need drinks for the road." Hank said as he drank down his drink and stood up. Kate had already finished.

"I'll organize that." Rick replied and waited for Kate to slide over the seat. He held his hand out for her to help her stand up then grabbed her coat he put over his forearm. He held out his elbow and she hooked her arm though his. He led Kate to the bar noticing she wrapped her body closer to his arm than she normally would. He really liked that.

Kate's physical closeness gave Rick a little confidence that she wouldn't succumb to the lure of Hank Moody.