Thick, gloved fingers intertwine with hers, warming her hand from the blustery wind. Streetlights flicker to life as the setting sun sinks the avenue into shadow. One final ray glints off a storefront near the corner, and Kate hesitates.

"Hey, could you survive a few more minutes without food?"

"There's only one thing I'm more hungry for than food-"

"Yes, I know, and I promise this stop will feed that appetite, too."

"Now I'm intrigued."

Tugging him behind her through the creaking door, she stops short when her eyes land on a young brunette sitting behind the register.

"Good evening. Can I help you find anything?"

Kate smiles back as she thanks the woman and waves her off, heading for the first display rack of nighties and slips.

"What do you think? Wanna buy me a present?"

"I think I'm the one getting a present for your birthday." His eyebrows waggle. "Do I get to pick it out?"

"Why else would I have brought you in here?"

Trailing one finger down the plunging neckline of a black satin set hanging at eye level, he mouths at her in silence.

"Best present ever."

Castle bounces on the balls of his feet, crowding behind her as she slides the red silk curtain open. Taking a seat opposite the ornate mirror, he settles in to watch her disrobe.

Blouse buttons pop open one at a time, a practiced, one-handed move after almost nine months of stripping for him. The purple lace bra and panties under her staid blue cotton shirt and gray dress slacks shouldn't surprise him-he watched her put them on just before sunrise. But his eyes have blown to big, black saucers nonetheless. Her heels stay on as the fine wool pools at her feet.

Kate takes her time reaching around, turns her profile to him as she arches her back and unhooks her bra. He smirks as she lets one strap fall over the peak of her shoulder, winking before she slips her arm through. Facing away from him, and into the mirror, she snags either side of her underwear with her thumbs and inches them down, watching through the mirror as he shifts, then leans back against the slick leather chair.

His chest has ceased to expand, nostrils flaring and lips parting on his aborted inhale as he tracks the progress of the cool satin negligee over her naked skin. It fits like a glove, feels like sinning on Sunday as she slinks across the room to stand between Castle's spread knees.

"You like it?"

Leaning forward, he twines his arms around her, hands catching and stroking her thighs through the slippery silk. He has to clear his throats twice before he can answer. Maybe boudoir photos are in order for his next birthday...

"I'd like to take it off of you. Very, very slowly. With ice cubes."

His body presses tight to her back at the register, and from the feel of him, she knows dinner will have to wait a little longer once they get home. The young woman packs her purchase gently in scarlet tissue, fixing the foil seal across the seam before she tucks it into the cream-toned bag.

Lilting Southern alto echoes inside her mind.

"Enjoy it."

Kate smiles at the memory. She would have winked back tonight.

"There's another saleswoman who works here, mid-fifties, Southern accent-I didn't get her name though."

"It's mostly just me and my sister, but sometimes we hire a college kid for the Christmas rush."

"This was around Valentine's Day. She was about your height, brown hair, wore a suit-" her gaze flicks around the room, as if the woman might appear from the ether. Her eyes land on a framed newspaper article hanging behind the register-the photo at the top is her saleswoman, right down to the string of pearls.

"There. That's her."

The young woman knits her brow as she glances behind her.

"You mean Dora?"

"I guess so-do you know when she'll be back?"

Soft eyes and a gentle smile frame the clerk's answer, as she folds Kate's receipt and adds it to the bag, embossed with "Dora's" in curly, gold script.

"I'm sorry to say, she hasn't been here in almost thirty years. This place was Mimi's pride and joy. She opened it back in 1947 and worked here until the day she died."

# * # * # * #

A/N: Thanks so much to Alex and *** for the excellent beta and to E for the beautiful artwork. Also, thanks to Travis and the Castle Halloween Bash for keeping my twist a secret. Read more of the original Lingerie Fic in "Enlightenment" and its M-rated companion on my ffn page. Thanks to all for reading, reviewing, and promoting. Happy Halloween!

Twitter: Kate_Christie_

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