He hadn't expected her to kiss him.
In fact, her kissing him had been so far from his mind that for a few seconds he just stood there and took it, frozen, hands hanging at his sides. Her tongue between his lips lifted the spell, though, and his fingers found the soft hair at her nape, her own dark strands now that she'd ditched the blond wig.
He liked her better as a brunette; the wig had been sexy, sure, but she already radiated such an aura of mystery and power that she didn't need it at all.
His other hand curled at Kate's waist, drawing her closer, and she moaned softly into his mouth, the most beautiful sound he'd heard in a long time.
He couldn't keep from swearing under his breath when the horn of the car interrupted them, but she laughed against his lips, her breath warm and close; her eyes danced when she stepped back.
She opened the door of the town car and slid in, threw him a look that was part challenge and part invitation. He didn't hesitate, took the seat next to her, his insides flipping when her knee brushed against his.
She gave the driver her address, her voice clear and sure, unwavering. He was wondering if he should maybe give his as well, but then her lips were at his neck, the nip of her teeth, and there was no room for thought anymore.
The ride was short, or maybe it was just that he was thoroughly distracted. She had wandering hands, and her fingers were cool like the winter air as they skimmed over his skin; he was proud that he managed to keep his voice under control.
Wouldn't have done to scream like a girl.
Kate wouldn't let him pay for the ride. She squeezed her left fingers over his thigh, tight enough to bruise, as she fished in her tiny purse, pulled out a twenty; she told the driver to keep the change, pushed Castle out of the car.
Well, that solved the question of whether or not he was allowed to come up. He followed her inside, his inquisitive eyes taking everything in, the brown mailboxes that covered part of the wall on his right, the tiles that were probably meant to imitate marble, the sober, surprisingly white paint.
The building was obviously well-kept, and located in an area of the city that he would have thought was too expensive for a cop. Either Kate had some family money, or she'd gotten an amazing deal here.
The elevator was small but elegant, wooden panels that surrounded a floor-length mirror; Kate crowded into him as soon as the doors glided shut, a palm splayed on his chest until his back hit the wall with a thump.
Jeez, she was so hot. Her lashes concealed part of her eyes as she stared at his mouth, eyeing him like he was chocolate or something equally delicious; he could see her chest rise with her every breath, the dress so tight, so revealing.
Gorgeous.
He had never seen a woman so slender and strong at once, had never even imagined that such long, graceful limbs could hold so much power. She was like a panther, a tigress, something fierce and ferocious, indomitable. And yet - that first night - she had looked so young, her tired face so vulnerable under the streetlights-
Her mouth collided with his and he was ready this time; he wanted her. She played with his lower lip, teased him, her tongue warm and nimble; and then she stroked inside and he gave back, gave her everything, encouraged by the brush of her fingers at his side, completely turned on by the humming sound she made.
The elevator dinged its arrival, but Kate didn't let go. She slowly guided him backwards, her mouth still working at his, lighter kisses as she eased her way along his jaw - oh, she was delicious. She tasted dark and sweet, innocent and rich, and he wasn't sure he'd ever been so enthralled, so captivated with a woman.
He was probably in over his head with her.
He should have been making up some excuse to vanish on her, run back to the loft, hole up in his study where he was safe, where his heart was protected. He had a ten-year-old daughter and he couldn't run that risk, couldn't bring a woman into Alexis's life only to watch her leave months later, abandoning him and his child.
But he didn't move. He watched as Kate wrestled with her apartment keys, unlocked the door for them; then she reached back to him and pulled him inside with her, and he didn't resist.
Her place, just like the building, was nicer, larger than he'd pictured. Not that he got to see much of it, because the moment the door snapped shut behind them she was all over him again, fingers in his hair and under his shirt and palming his ass, her wicked tongue burning its way through his mouth.
He groaned, felt himself responding to it, the eagerness, the heated press of her body against his. It was what he wanted, right? It was what he'd wanted from the moment he'd seen her in that club, her slim body in that too-short skirt, that sparkling top-
She bit at his lip, made his hips come up against hers, and he gritted his teeth against the growl that wanted out. It was what he wanted, but-
He broke the kiss, panting, caught her hand before it could sneak into his jeans. Jeez, she had his buttons undone already. He usually worked fast, but that was...Huh. Too fast. Interesting. "Kate-"
"Can't keep up?" she challenged breathlessly, her eyes so dark, large and liquid in the dimness. Oh god, oh god, she was so beautiful; he hadn't felt such a pull towards a woman in forever, since Kyra maybe, and even Kyra-
Kate's mouth was at his neck again, suckling on the sensitive skin, and he moaned, felt her fingers at the waistband of his boxers. His eyes slid shut, his breath trapped in his lungs; he found it harder to resist her this time.
Still, he curled his hands at her biceps, tried to push back, catch her eyes. "Hey, hey," he said, soothingly he'd hoped, but his voice came out as a pitiful rasp. "Hey, Kate. Slow down."
"What? Why?" She sounded uncomprehending and vaguely irritated, and she went for his mouth regardless, her lips so hot, burning against his own.
It only made him more determined to stop. "Kate," he warned, stepping back, a hand at her stomach to hold her away. She stared at him, equal parts frustrated and pissed now, her cheeks gloriously flushed.
"What's wrong?"
That was a good question; he wasn't sure himself what the answer was. Some part of his mind kept screaming at him to just go ahead, take her to bed, or the couch, or the wall - whatever worked. But somehow...
He wanted more? Was that it? Oh, wow.
He wanted more.
More than the sex.
The realization sent his mind spinning.
He cleared his throat, noticed the impatience that shone in Kate's eyes, the way she'd folded her arms over her chest, so intimidating for someone so young.
"How old are you?" he asked suddenly, finding himself wondering. She made a small, exasperated sound at the back of her throat and rolled her eyes at him.
"Old enough to be a cop, Castle," she pointed out, the duh contained in her voice. She took a step toward him. "Now, if that's your only concern, I'd like to get back-"
"How old," he repeated, his curiosity an unfed beast inside him, hungry. He needed to know.
Everything. He needed to know everything.
She regarded him, her mouth parted in surprise, her brow knitting. "What does it matter?"
He shrugged, tried to play it cool - but too late. She wasn't buying it. "I want to know," he said honestly. "I wanna know things about you."
He could have been weaving a story about alien invasions and CIA involvement; the expression on her face would have been the same.
"What," she dropped, not really a question, only shock rolling out of her mouth. Oh. He hadn't made himself clear, had he?
"I like you," he said, found himself canting closer this time, eager to seal his words with touches. "Kate."
But she moved back, her hands raised in some sort of plea, shook her head at him. "Whoa. No. That's not - Castle. No. I can't...Not now. Please. I just need to not be thinking." She looked into his eyes, confused but determined at the same time. "Please. I can't give you more than that, just - help me not think tonight."
She curled her lower lip between her teeth, watching him. It was both adorable and so hot; he had no idea how she did that.
He closed the space between them and freed her abused bottom lip, laved it with his tongue; she let out a long sigh and her arms came up, wound around his neck. "How about a compromise," he murmured against her mouth, couldn't let go of her.
"I'm listening."
She shivered when he kissed her neck, the tender spot where it met her shoulder.
"I provide the distraction," he offered, licked at her ear. She seemed to like that. "But in exchange, you have to tell me things about yourself." He slid his hands up her back, found the zipper of her little black dress. "One piece of information for every item of clothing removed," he bargained, his mouth at her temple.
She groaned, though in response to his words or touch, he couldn't be sure. "My clothes?"
"Both," he said, trailing his lips over her cheekbone, the so-soft skin.
"Mine," she replied firmly, and he felt a jolt through his body when he realized she was negotiating with him, wasn't giving up anything, even now, with her body arched and taut against his. God, how hot was that?
"Deal," he surrendered, couldn't wait one moment more to lift her up, his hands under her thighs as she gripped his neck, wrapped her legs around his thighs. She made a lovely, raw, wanting sound, her mouth open at his jaw, irresistible; he had to gather himself before he could start walking them towards the corridor.
"Bedroom's the first door on your left," she whispered in his ear, and he squeezed her ass as a thank you, reveled in the low hiss that she let out.
Oh, they were going to have fun.
"Twenty-four," she confessed breathlessly when he pushed her down on the bed, undid the complicated lace-up that circled around her ankle, held her spiky heel in place.
He paused for a second and Kate kept her eyes shut tight, didn't want to see the expression on his face. Don't stop, don't stop, she mentally urged. So what if they were born ten years apart? She didn't care, she didn't-
And then his lips were against her thigh, warm and delicate, and she let out a soft moan of pleasure, relief washing over her. She needed this, tonight, needed to not be thinking of her mom, of the busted arrest, of the fragile construction that was her life.
She wanted to be feeling instead.
His mouth and fingers danced up her leg slowly, spun caresses along the sensitive skin; then he brushed against the line of her panties, made her arch off the bed on a gasp. But he was only teasing her, giving her tantalizing glimpses of what he wouldn't give her just yet, because he moved back down again, light kisses to her knee, her calf as he worked the second shoe off.
The moist, heated trail stopped then. Her mind started to clear, the haze dissipating, and she didn't want that - what the hell was he doing? She slit her eyes open, pushed herself up on her elbow so she could meet his gaze.
A blue, laughing, expectant gaze.
Oh, jeez. Was he serious?
"Ugh," she hissed, dropping her head back to the bed. Fine, fine. What could she- "Favorite color's purple," she blurted randomly, the first thing that came to her mind.
He laughed, a smug, throaty sound that made her want to either hit him or screw him. Maybe both. "Purple," he echoed, sounding positively delighted, and before she could make any sort of answer he had his mouth on her again.
She breathed out in bliss, her eyelids sliding closed again, all of her focused on his lazy progression up her leg. His touch tingled and soothed and burned, fingers and tongue so light and clever, and when he reached a specific spot at the base of her thigh, under the knee, she cried out in surprise and pleasure.
Shit, oh that was good-
"Do that again," she urged roughly, nudging at him, all that beautiful tension coiling up in her body.
"Yeah? You like that?" he whispered, and normally she wouldn't have participated in feeding a guy's ego, especially not someone like Rick Castle, but there was a tenderness, a genuine awe in his voice that made her cave in.
"Yeah," she breathed, her teeth clamped to keep the moan inside.
His tongue flicked at the spot again, circled it, and Kate let out a muffled cry, felt her hips rising from the bed. Holy crap, he could have made her come just from this.
"We need to get that dress off you," he said, and her eyes opened to find him surveying her, a dark eagerness on his face that made her heart leap in her chest.
The hooker dress was bunched up around her waist - not that there was a lot of fabric to begin with - but the leather-like material clung to her stomach, her chest, so tight that she might actually need his help to get it off.
He probably wouldn't object to that.
She moved to sit up and Castle used the opportunity to fuse their mouths together, his solid arms coming to bracket her waist as his tongue slipped past her lips, stroked inside, so hot and devastating. She let him, stunned at the sheer speed, the vehemence of his assault, thrilled at how much he wanted her.
Her hands had fisted over the lapels of his shirt, already hanging half-open over his chest, but he pried them away gently even as his lips slanted over her neck.
"Need you to turn," he growled against her skin, the vibrations making her back arch. "So I can get at that zipper, Kate."
She hummed her agreement, then remembered their deal, let out a breathless laugh. "You just want more information on me," she shot back even as she obeyed, twisting in his arms so she could get on her knees, offer him her back.
"Hmm, that too," he admitted wolfishly, smiling against her shoulder. He pulled the zipper down, but took his time pushing the dress off her; his fingers ran over the expanse of her naked skin, traced mysterious patterns that made her throw her head back.
He pressed his mouth to a vertebra, followed the curve of her spine; she shivered, hard, couldn't help the trembling sound that was pushed out of her lips. Oh god, oh - she had never-
She had had great sex, she thought she had, but no one had ever taken their time with her - nothing like this.
It was agonizing. It was incredible.
She hadn't thought it was possible to want someone so badly. But she swore - ah, shit - if he didn't do something about it soon-
It was if he'd read her mind - and then done the opposite. He retreated, the burn of him receding like a wave, and arousal coiled even tighter in her belly, a fist, so hard she couldn't breathe.
"Your turn, Kate," he murmured, his voice husky and beautiful, and she blinked slowly, realized that the dress was no longer restraining her, formed a dark circle around her knees instead. Oh. Oh-
"I-" she couldn't think. Her mind wiped clean, blissfully blank, and he wanted... What, a dirty secret? "Tattoo," she dropped, hoped it wasn't too late for that one. "I have a tattoo."
He made a disbelieving noise at her back and she smirked, some of her control coming back, pride shimmering inside her at his surprise.
"Where," he interrogated quietly, his breath washing over her ear, so very hot. His palms came back, curled at her sides, his fingers pushing into the soft skin and making her gasp.
"Not - not the deal," she panted, wishing he'd move faster.
He splayed his hands over her stomach, yes, please, that, and his thumbs brushed up, skimmed the undersides of her breasts as his teeth nipped at her earlobe.
"You're the one that's not playing fair, Kate," he whispered, mesmerizing. "Not even a bra, huh? What am I supposed to do here?"
Shit, shit, he had to stop talking. He had to stop talking now.
She moved fast, stepping out of the dress and then twirling back. She hardly had time to miss his hands on her that she had them back, cupping her ass, lifting her against him as she pushed his shirt out of her way. Their teeth clashed in their haste to kiss, but she couldn't even laugh or be embarrassed; there was no room for anything but the dark, swallowing want.
She hooked a leg around his waist, pulling their hips flush, moaning when she felt how hard he was, the taut line of his abs. Oh god, oh god, naked, why was he not naked? She needed him naked, please-
She rocked against him desperately, was rewarded by the low hiss he let out, the way he reached for and slammed their bodies together, giving her what she wanted, what she ached for.
"Castle-"
"Yeah, yeah," he groaned against her collarbone, and one of his hands finally deserted her to work at his own pants, undo that stupid button, tug the zipper down. She bit at his lower lip, kissed him fiercely, couldn't resist rolling her hips against his once more; he made a small sound at the back of his throat, and collapsed into her, pinning her to the mattress, his mouth still open at hers.
He thrusted into her, the barrier of their respective underwear still making it but a pale imitation of what she longed for, and she keened, could no longer hold it in, any of it. "Please," she begged, wasn't even ashamed of it. "Please."
He had to prop himself up, rest his weight on his elbow as he tugged his boxers down; she took the chance she was given of tracing the lines of his chest with light fingers, an unworthy, inappropriate payback for the state he'd worked her into.
"Kate," he breathed, his voice breaking, his eyes closed. She trailed her fingers down, found him, wrapped a loose hand around his length, the so-soft skin. He bowed over her, his forehead coming to rest at her shoulder, murmured something that had to be filthy.
She shimmied out of her panties, didn't even care that she couldn't push them all the way down, as long as they were out of the way, oh god yes - as long as she could guide him into her-
"Condom," he said suddenly, still breathless but some sharpness to the word. "Kate. Do you have-"
"I'm fine," she told him, felt like sobbing the words, her frustration reaching new heights with every second. Couldn't he just-
"No," he opposed, and there was such determination in his tone that she looked up at him in surprise, couldn't understand the set line of his jaw. "Not enough protection. And you don't know me, Kate. You can't trust me."
What the hell-
She stared at him, wordless, couldn't believe he was, what - giving her a lesson? Now?
"Condom," he nudged again, softer this time, a palm brushing over her breast. It sent a jolt of arousal through her, reminded her of the uncomfortable position she was in, and she reluctantly gave in.
"Top drawer," she said, nodding towards her bedside table.
He reached over her to retrieve one, undid the package in an expert gesture that she didn't want to think about. What did she care, anyway? When he was ready he leaned in to kiss her again, long and slow, and she felt her body respond to it, rise up eagerly.
"You owe me one last secret thing about yourself," he murmured into her mouth, smiling.
She...? Oh, her panties.
"Wasn't you who took them off," she pointed out, feeling rebellious.
"Be a good sport, Kate," he grinned, teasing her as he did, the tip of him sliding over her.
Oh, fuck him.
She hooked a firm leg around his waist and spun them, sending him into the mattress with a winded puff of air, her knees landing on both sides of his hips. Ha. He wanted to know about her, uh?
Fine then.
"My mother was murdered," she threw at him, and then she glided down and took him inside herself.
