It was a cold November morning in New York City and Castle was ready to scream, though not at the people who didn't know how to drive in season-changing weather. He walked into the break-room to find his fiancee there stirring steamed milk into plain coffee. He nearly yanked the mug out of her hand but he restrained himself - barely.

'Detective,' he said in a tight tone. 'Might we have a little discussion?'

Beckett arched her eyebrow at him. 'Okay?'

'Why aren't you wearing your ring?'

'I never wear rings at work, Castle. Personal preference.'

'Then where is it? I went to get it sized for you and it wasn't in the little box on your bedside table.'

'Don't you need my ring size to do that?' Since Castle looked like he was ready to choke, Beckett sighed. 'See? I told you I would wear it.'

Castle felt guilt and shame, topped with a heaping spoonful of love - she'd pulled the chain with her mother's ring on it from under her blouse, and right there beside it was the ring he'd given her, its diamond winking in the dull overhead light. 'I'm sorry. I just got concerned, that's all.'

'I know.' Beckett had wanted to have this conversation in a more private setting but Hallowe'en had been crazier than usual this year so the paperwork had been staggering from that single night and finding the time in the last two weeks had been quite difficult. Tucking her chain back under her blouse, she rested against the counter. 'I had a thought. What if we play poker face on them all?'

'Come again?'

'I've been thinking why should tell them at all? We've had so many huge things happen lately, Esposito and Meredeth getting married, Lily's baby born, Lanie's pregnant now. Wouldn't it be fun to get them all back for their big announcements and have the last laugh?'

'Like 'come to our place in the Hamptons for a summer holiday and oh by the way, it's our wedding?' That's despicably devious of you Detective.' Castle pinched her chin between forefinger and thumb. 'Looks like I've rubbed off on you more than I thought. Any idea about when this would happen?'

'I was thinking the Friday night of Independance Day weekend next year. Simple, private quiet, and just like Esposito and Meredeth, it'll only be the most important people in our lives there.'

'And it'll make Paula's head explode,' Castle added with a breathy smile. 'It's fantastic.'

He brushed his hands up her arms, and felt her stiffen as he pulled her close. The look on her face told him he would probably pay for it later, but still he put his hands on the small of her back and leaned in for a searing kiss. She made a noise of protest and would have gleefully kicked him in the coconuts had she been able to feel in her toes. It was only when they heard a throat being cleared that they broke apart. Because her back was turned, Beckett could only guess who it was with the ability to make her face stay permanently red and possibly turn her into the joke of the precinct.

'Yes?'

'Just getting a refill from Brewster, Detective.'

Outstanding, she thought, worse than Ryan or the damned newlywed Esposito, it had to be my captain. 'Sir, I-'

Montgomery beat a hasty path out, leaving Beckett sighing at Castle in exasperation. 'You're so going to need to make up for this.'

'I know. And trust me, it will be when we have much less audience.'

He did indeed apologize later, and what an apology it was. After giving her some space for the evening to finish being angry at him for such a bold move in the break-room, when he'd finished wrestling chapter eight and came out winning, he trekked upstairs to the bedroom with one of her favourite discs in hand. He found her lying upside down in bed reading, her hair flowing down so it was less than an inch above the floor and wearing one of his t-shirts.

'You know, from this angle, you look absolutely delighted,' he said, popping the disc into the small three-in-one sound system in his armoire. 'So that means you're still cranky.'

'Not cranky, just irritated.'

Castle pressed a button and soft R&B music floated out. 'Perhaps you'll let me make it up to you.'

Beckett rolled over, leaving her book on the floor to study him. 'How?'

He flipped open the buttons of his shirt, went to untuck it from his belt, and found his hand stopped; she'd scooted forward so she was kneeling on the end of the bed, her fingers over his. Her hands replaced his, and for a moment as she pressed her hands to the small of her back, Beckett felt the world and all its problems float away. With all her hang-ups on relationships and his sketchy track record with women, they'd somehow made a romance together; it was something she was reminded of in these early moments of the dance.

She found his mouth, tender and firm and tasty, indulged her senses by kissing him sweetly. His lips were firm, yet they yielded underneath hers like melted chocolate; she especially liked it when he was also sporting a little scratch on his face like he was right now. She tore herself away from the kiss to run her mouth along his jaw line, from his chin to his ear, then nipped the lobe.

'Christ, Kate,' he muttered through clenched teeth as her slim, long hands untucked his shirt, slipped it from his shoulders before sliding his belt through its loops. He could feel his eyes pinwheel as she moved from his ear down his neck, pausing to nibble where his pulse banged like a drum under his skin. His intent had been to seduce her into forgiving him but somehow she'd reversed it on him, as he was just about ready to fall to his knees and promise her anything.

His body stiffened and jerked a little when she reached for his zipper, drew it down slowly. 'You're such an awful tease,' he sighed, drawing the hem of the shirt she wore upwards. 'See?' he gestured to her, as she was now wearing only her panties.

'Shh. No talking.' Beckett brushed her fingertip over his lips, licked her own as he finished undressing all the way, then tackled her to the bed. She stretched her long, lithe body against his solid one, loving the was his skin felt against hers. The weight of him pressing her into the bed never failed to make her feel sly and feminine, nor did the feel of him, hot and hard against the soft cotton of her underwear. Because she really wanted to make his blood sizzle, Beckett traced her fingers tips as lightly as possible over his back; sure enough, he shuddered, making her chuckle lowly.

'A little ticklish are we?' she murmured, bringing her hands up to the back of his neck to pull him in for a hot, desperate kiss that showed him just how much she wanted him.

Castle knew this body now like his own; starting at her throat he pressed the pad of his index finger against her jaw and followed the line of her body with it all the way down to her navel.

'Dangerous, Kate, very dangerous, considering I know your weaknesses too. The question is, which one will I start with?'

R&R&Enjoy!