Exiting the elevator, Rick Castle forced a carefree spring into his step as his eyes sought out her slender form. An easy smile twitched across his lips when he spied her in the Iron Gates' office. Her back was to him but her body was unmistakably recognizable to his experienced gaze. He placed her coffee next to her computer to await her return and settled himself in his chair, debating only a few seconds before he rakishly propped his feet up in the seat she'd left pushed away from her desk.

Closing his eyes and locking his fingers together behind his head, he waited, imagining all the possible – and a few fun but improbable – ways Kate would react. He was not disappointed when his feet were unceremoniously dropped to the floor, her chair swiveling out of reach. His eyes opened with a flirty twinkle– just in time to watch her lithe fingers flick him in the nose.

"Ow," he groused, rubbing the offending bit of skin.

"You've had worse."

Kate focused astutely on her monitor, but he didn't miss the small grin that she didn't try hard enough to squelch.

"What did Gates want?"

She opened her mouth to answer, her attention diverted by the sudden entrance of the no-nonsense chief in question.

"Officers, I will be out of the office most of the day for meetings at City Hall." Gates scanned the room, her face daring anyone to seem relieved. "While I'm gone, Detective Beckett is the point man. I have briefed her as to my expectations."

With one more school-marmish glance around the bullpen, she had swept from the room and was gone from sight. Ryan and Esposito waited a few beats before scurrying silently after her, returning in mere seconds to give the waiting officers a thumbs-up to indicate she had indeed left. A collective sigh seemed to ripple through the bullpen, the oppressive presence of their chief giving way to the sweet taste of freedom – however temporary.

"What kind of briefs does a woman like her wear?"

Castle's husky whisper tickled her ear, and Kate shot him a look that was not nearly as withering as she had meant it to be.

"Granny panties," he murmured, seeking her confirmation with raised eyebrows. "I bet she wears granny panties." He drummed his fingers on the edge of Kate's desk. "Or maybe boxers. I mean, she does make us call her 'sir'…"

A bubble of laughter escaped from Kate's throat before she could stop herself. She didn't dare look at him – she knew the smug look he would be sporting by heart. "Oh Castle," she breathed, shaking her head fondly in the general direction of the big lug. The sense of normalcy that enveloped her was eagerly welcomed. "Enough for now" did have its moments of truth.

Keeping her eyes fixed on the email she was answering, lost in her thoughts, she started when his breath again grazed her ear canal.

"I bet you're more of a thong kind of girl."

Acting like she hadn't heard him, Kate pushed away from her desk, a folder of completed case file paperwork in one hand. She paused only long enough in her journey to the archives to tweak his nose with a rapidity that sent his own coffee cup sailing through the air.

"Sandals! I meant sandals," he laughed, his hands raised in surrender, his nose still held captive.

She stole his breath as she leaned over him, a sultry gleam to her green eyes. "Good. Cuz I'd hate to have to break in a new shadow after all this time."

Releasing his nose with one more twist for good measure, she left him to stare after her as she headed for the elevator. She paused in the doorway and made sure she had his attention. "Hey Castle? They're red."

To his questioning look, she added, "My … sandals."

Pivoting on her heels, she sashayed a bit more than usual as she left his line of sight. A small thrill fluttered through her stomach at the dumbfounded, completely flummoxed expression that had crashed across Castle's face with her saucy rebuttal. Sometimes, he really was just too easy.

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