Don't worry folks, we are still safely ensconced in non-slash/het territory. But, I couldn't resist the chance to push the boys' buttons some more. Its what makes the bromance so damn fun for me. Enjoy this little romp through fantasy land.

And ten points goes to any reviewer that includes their own scenario for Ryan (or Espo)!


Chapter 8:

During pillow talk, Cassie got to see a whole new side of Detective Kevin Ryan.

"...Besides, I've already slept with you, like, a hundred times."

"Do tell" Cassie insisted, her eyes alight. Apparently, now that they knew each other, in the biblical sense, Cassie was suddenly privy to a totally new version of Ryan, playful and uninhibited. She felt like Kevin had just lifted the flap to his top-secret bedroom fort, built of blankets, sheets and kitchen chairs. And she had gained membership to his exclusive clubhouse, a magical, innocent place where only flashlights, S'mores and jaw-dropping stories had any real value.

"Yeah, we've done it everywhere." Ryan propped himself up with his elbow, supporting his head with the heal of his hand. Apparently, he now felt quite comfortable letting her peek into his vivid fantasy life, since not all of it was make-believe anymore.

He stared down at her, and began his litany, while Cassie listened attentively.

"My kitchen counter." Cassie smirked.

"Hood of my car." Oh, this was cute, Cassie smiled.

"Empire State observation deck…of course, but really who hasn't?" Kevin still managed to remain matter-of-fact about his admission, like he was rattling off nothing more taboo than a list of restaurants he had tried downtown.

Cassie played along, "No one I can think of."

With her encouragement, he launched into a rapid fire list of 'Kev and Cassandra's Greatest Hits.'

"Captain Montgomery's desk."

Cassie's delight let out a little, "Ah!"

"And the break room, and the morgue, and the elevator at work. It's a nice break from paperwork."

She agreed, "Obviously."

"Thanksgiving dinner table at my folks house," elicited a chuckle from Cassie. He filled in even more details, "I licked cranberry sauce off your nipples. For some reason, my aunt was really happy about that." She couldn't help but burst into a bigger laugh at the confused look on Kevin's face.

"Skydiving in New Zealand."

"Ooo, athletic!"

"Under the bleachers at The Nicks," Ryan exposed, as a matter of course.

She corroborated, "Of course, your duty as a proper New Yorker."

He searched through his mental catalogue for something a little less obvious, "Snorkeling off Kauai."

Cassie's nose scrinched a little, "Huh? How did we manage?"

He admitted, "Yeah, I couldn't get the logistics to work even in my imagination, I think we mostly rode sea turtles instead."

"Naturally," Her face filled again with a barely containable smile, "good choice." What fun, to get a free pass to his inner world.

"There was that peep show in LA". Kevin's face tightened with a tiny hint of something uncomfortable.

Cassie's eyes lit up, thrilled with the potential in this fantasy, "Oooo, I was your private dancer?"

What was his discomfort with this? Maybe embarrassment? Kevin's voice got tighter, "Not exactly. It started that way, but when the quarter went into the slot, and the little screen began to rise, somehow, I was in the little box wearing black latex shorts, and you were sitting in the cramped sticky room, smoking a cigar."

"Bwah! ha ha ha, God, Kev, that's a good one. Lemme run with that a minute." She closed her eyes to paint out the details in her mind, focusing especially on the ubiquitous red light cast on his pale skin, and delectably bare chest. Then, she noticed the curve of his thrift little ass as he bent down, ever so slowly to give her a better look, followed by the stretch of black plastic over his package, when he stood up again. She finished it off with Kevin adjusting a little black bow tie, before giving her a suggestive wink. A naughty sigh escaped her lips.

"Well, take a good long look now, cause that's the only place your gonna see that image. I can promise you."

Kevin shifted gears to something more 'wholesome,' offering, "There was Coney Island."

"Awwww, top of the Ferris Wheel?" she guessed.

"You'd think, but no, I'm terrified of heights. Couldn't get it up there with Viagra." He stared into the imaginary scene ahead of him, "Log flume."

Snapping out of it, he glanced at her sideways, warning, "Don't judge."

"Wouldn't dream of it," she protested, barely controlling her smirk.

He took a deep breath, obviously ready to move on, "Outer space."

"Ah, fantastic. Where?"

"Oh. pretty much everywhere. Inside and outside of space stations, colonized moons, even a whorehouse on a border planet."

"Shiny!" She winked.

He rewarded her with a little kiss on the cheek, for that one. 'Real Cassie is way better than I would've dared to dream up."

His eyes searched again through the imaginary database in the distance, finally he came up with, "Halloween night."

"Ooo, what did we dress up as?" Her bright eyes curious.

"Actually, I don't remember. You weren't in the mood, you were just really scared, so we laid in bed, on top of the covers, and I held you. We watched out the open window, listening to the sounds of New York at night, for a long, long time." A deep, silent appreciation spread across her face, not only because he remembered this, but because he would share it with her. This was exactly the kind of moment, that her chosen life didn't include. She treasured it, and put it in her memory vault, alongside the image of 'snoring Javi.'

He continued, "If you like that one, we could go way, way back and recall that we sang karaoke in the school talent show. You kept telling me that I'd be great, and not to be nervous."

"And how'd it go?"

He deadpanned, "Oh, it was awful. Unqualified train wreck. My voice cracked in the third verse, and somebody's little sister threw up on stage, during my last chorus."

"Oh, Kev." She frowned sympathetically.

"On a brighter note, you've also walked into about a dozen protocol debriefings, and fucked me over the conference tables." He obviously enjoyed her laugh at this, because he mock-chided, "You're very handsy, and little rough when I'm in uniform. You really oughta watch that," taking her into his arms again.

"Ha! But who can blame me? It's you!" She traced her finger around the curve of his hairline, and down his cheek, committing his playful expression to memory. "You un-civilize me, Kevin Ryan!" She gave into his charm. He certainly deserved whatever momentary ego boost she could lend him, after this generously candid display. Even though he was obviously the long-time fan, she certainly felt like the lucky one, right now.

They talked a long, long time cuddled up on that couch. He didn't tell her everything. But he didn't hold back as much as he'd intended.


"I should probably check on my partner." Ryan was beginning to worry about Espo sleeping out in the elements, as the hours dragged on.

"Cute socks" Ryan said, standing over the sprawled out Esposito, who was still sleeping off the tequila, and general debauchery, on the balcony lounge chair. Jaqui must have taken pity on him, and put her extra fuzzy, hot pink socks on his feet, probably when she noticed that Espo was a 'kicker,' and couldn't keep his toes inside the blankets.

Espo was still mostly sleeping, in the still mostly dark, wee hours of the morning. His right fuzzy foot poked out of the bottom of the covers. His left bent knee peeked out of the side. And his right arm draped over his eyes, shielding out any possibility of light invading his slumber.

And, of course, he had a raging hard on.

Espo was used to waking up with a painfully hard cock, it didn't really bother him anymore. But it was a bitch to deal with in the service, sharing a bunk with 50 enlisted men every morning. Eventually, they all got to used to it. But each new transfer had to be taken aside. "Here's where we take a leak, here's where we shower, chow is at 19:00, oh, and Special Forces solider Esposito, he wakes up with a giant cock, which he'll need to wax. Don't. Fucking. Stare."

Ryan tried not to be too loud, in case his partner was developing a hangover. "Javi, Javi, we're headed inside, you wanna come? Or you happy out here?"

When he got no response, he shook Javier's shoulder a little. "Espo, yo, bro, you okay?" Ryan noticed part of him waking up through the covers.

After a moment without any answer, Ryan considered which option would best fulfill his BFF duties: wake him? drag him? leave him? add more covers? None seemed full-proof.

Very suddenly, Espo ripped back half his covers, revealing a somewhat crazed look in his eyes.

And growled, "Where is she?"

"Ummmm," Ryan slowly admitted, "in the bedroom shower, I think," not entirely sure if he would regret his honesty.

In a flash, Esposito shot up, and threw his covers over one shoulder, creating a makeshift toga of sorts. With a half-conscious, single-minded look in his eye, he stomped stiffly into the suite door. Ryan thought he moved a little like Frankenstein, and looked nearly deranged in his toga and fuzzy pink footwear.

Ryan heard Cassandra scream in fright when the Espo-monster barged in the bathroom, where she was taking her third shower of the night.

"Oh shit!" Ryan tore in after them. "Espo, don't go crazy now."

Espo's 'crazy eyes' were downgraded to 'very intense' by the time he saw Stone wet in the shower. After the initial shock, Cassandra laughed heartily at Javier's outfit. Esposito didn't speak, he just ripped off his covers, revealing his oversized morning friend, and stepped in the shower, socks and all.

Ryan yelled from behind the shower curtain. "Everything okay in there? Cassie, you alright?"

The sound of her giggles somewhat relieved the anxious detective. He was a little jealous, but still felt okay about Espo, as long as he was in his right mind, behaving himself.

She called back from behind the curtain, "No, Detective Ryan, I'm not okay. I need back-up! Stat! Can you please remove that robe, and join us in here?" trying to suppress more giggles.

"Uh..." Kevin was theoretical okay with this, he told himself. But in practice this was a big step, maybe he should just come back later.

Stone stuck her head out of the curtain. "Get in here, now!" She grabbed his hand, and tugged until he obliged, robe and all.

"Well, aren't you a pair of overdressed gentlemen?" Cassie was having way too much fun already, "And me without my muff?"

She cast an assessing eye up and down their forms, Espo on her right, motionlessly getting wet under the spout, and Ryan, on her left, dry at the far end. "I love the footwear, but that robe has got to go." She yanked it off Ryan, and tossed it clear over the curtain rod.

"Soap!" she demanded like a surgeon asking for 'Scalpel.' Ryan passed her the body wash. He was feeling really self conscious, but he told himself not to wig out, and just follow Cassandra's lead.

"Hands!" She poured a generous amount of the slippery stuff, into all three of their hands.

Now singing her commands like a summer camp counselor, she announced, "Me first!" She lifted her hands to the sky, with dramatic flare, but neither of the men moved.

She tried again, "Me first!" guiding each of their soapy hands to her body.

Their first try was pretty lackluster, and they dropped most of their soap before it could suds up.

"Try again! This time with conviction, gentleman." Espo was on board now, he started with her buttocks, and worked around to the front. Then he tried to work his soapy hand between her legs.

Awkward Ryan strategized that he'd have less chance of accidentally touching Javier, if he focused on her breasts. Playing with her nipples was an all consuming task, so he didn't need to think about the giant cock bobbing behind her.

She closed her eyes for just a few seconds. Four hands at once, wow, this was fun! But she kept the game moving, before the sensations could overwhelm her. She had bigger plans.

With her next announcement,"Javi's Next!" Cassie wriggled to the spout side of the tub, and poured out more soap for everyone. Javier was standing less than a foot away from Kevin, his bobbing morning member threatening to brush against the other man at any moment.

Esposito was obviously way more okay with this than his younger, more prudish partner. Javier's tours in the desert, in close quarters with strange men of all stripes, had thoroughly desensitized him to the naked male form.

But when Javi saw the fear in Kevin's eyes, he couldn't help playing it up, not for sexual arousal, mind you, but for this unique opportunity to rib his younger, tender-footed partner. With an unflinching stare, Espo put on his best 'faux innocent' tone of voice, and challenged, "What Kev, don't I get a turn? My chest is dirty. And, I believe, you have the soap."

From behind, Cassie wrapped both her sudsy hands around Espo's fully erect penis, and began to stroke up and down. He didn't respond outwardly to her touch, tormenting Ryan was too good a game. Instead he continued his staring contest, and just raised a disapproving eyebrow at his duel mate. Ryan, beaten, started rubbing Espo's chest, very uncomfortably. This round went to Javi.

When she pronounced, "Kev's Turn!" Javier and Kevin had to turn themselves sideways to trade places. So, just to be 'safe', Kevin turned his backside toward his partner, and faced Cassie who was standing under the spigot.

Her oh-so-excited eyes began to relax the, now jittery, detective. But Espo was still playing the game. Now from behind, the sudsy Latino shower mate was rubbing down his partner's Irish cream skin, with a little too much soap. And, Kevin thought, a bit too much enthusiasm.

Javi started massaging Kev's shoulders, using all the strength, and gentle deftness, his thick fingers could manage. Then he worked his hands to the knot over Kevin neck. This actually felt really good. Kev always needed a back rub. And Javi was taking it seriously. Strong thumbs rubbed out the ridges of muscle flanking Kev's spine, working downward, slowly, until they found the small of his back.

But just when Kevin started to really relax, and enjoy it, Javi hooked his arm over Kev's chest, for a 'bro hug,' and quipped "Feelin better, partner?" knowing that pulling them this close would inevitably slap his hard cock against Kevin's ass.

Kevin's eyes popped wide open, and he squeaked out a meek little "Yes, thanks."

Was there anything better than torturing Kevin Ryan? Apparently, not for Javier.


I can't believe we've almost arrived at our climax in Chapter 9!

And, Caskett fans, thanks to purplangel's goading, I'm planning to post a fun-filled, rated M Caskett one-shot, filled with silly banter and smutty goodness, this weekend, too. (That is, if my head doesn't explode from trying to write dizzying Castle dialog). My hats off to all of you who have written for Rick, without succumbing to the whirlwind between that character's ears.

Uber grateful for Selim and JJ's beta magic, as always.

Now, who can tell me which fantasy scenario was their favorite of the bunch? Or better yet, who's got a review or PM with a delicious image of Ryan (or Espo) in a scenario of their own, for me?