Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one. If you're still reading :D thank you and I just felt it needed saying I actually really love Gates...even if it doesn't quite translate, she's just so very fun to make...mean ];)
CHAPTER NINE.
Oh yes, she remembers the body shot.
She's not likely to be forgetting it anytime in the near future, and judging by the look on Castles face neither is he. But Kate has had enough. Reminiscing or tugging at the past, whatever the hell you want to call it, enough!
"What of it Espo?" She asks folding her arms across her chest again and following the team as, en masse, they take the barely five steps across the small room, towards the seating area.
There is a couch, a small scruffy looking armchair and what just about passes for a dining table with a single wooden chair.
Grabbing the hardback chair Esposito spins it, dropping down hard and waving his arm as he waits for the rest of the team to join him. Kate watches him, a subtle shift in movement she has come to recognise over the years...oh, he knows something.
Kate holds back, watching Castle flop back down onto the couch he vacated not so long ago to answer the door. He scrunches down, wriggling to make himself comfortable, taking up most of the space.
Ryan, ever the gentleman, ushers the Captain ahead of him and into the armchair, before leaning on the edge of the table next to Espo and folding his arms.
Great!
That leaves Kate with no option. She either has to hover on the outer edge of the meeting or squeeze in next to Castle, because what they need right now is just a little bit more proximity to burst into flames and set the room on fire.
So squishing together on a couch...bring it on.
Kate growls low under her breath, catching the heated look that passes between Ryan and Esposito and she can't help but wonder if they somehow planned this. Her eyes shift, brow creased, eyes narrowed as she stalks across the room.
She most certainly wouldn't put it past them, little meddlers that they are, but the thought falls away when she looks up and finds she has drawn level with Castle.
Castle can see the trepidation in her eyes, the blaze of green and brown that burns intensely now that the issue of touch is rising yet again. Their closeness, even when they aren't in physical contact, sparks to life that static hum so fast and he shifts as best he can to make room for her.
Almost immediately Castle realises it's going to be impossible. Because it's a small couch, and neither of them are exactly tiny, her long legs and his broad shoulders take up a lot of space.
Castle swallows, eyes still fused with Kate's and he pictures those long legs wrapped around his broad...
But she's sliding down next to him and Castle shakes it off as best he can.
He feels the cold press of her thigh through the denim, his leg firm against hers and he suddenly realises she basically stared down the entire room in little more than her underwear.
She looks gorgeous, beautiful with straggly wet hair and fresh faced from the shower, but she must be freezing.
Espo is talking to Gates across the table, slight hand gestures of annoyance from the woman indicate she's engrossed and Castle whispers "Beckett."
He waits a beat and he watches, knows she hears him, heard the rush of her name on his lips and chose to ignore it, folding her arms again and keeping her eyes away from him.
He waits a little longer then gives in and elbows her, not hard but forceful enough that when she lifts her head she looks pissed.
Kate turns towards him slowly, heated grace and feral anger she barely keeps at bay, so not warranted from his poking her, but her eyes open wide and she mouths 'WHAT?'
Trying not to interrupt the flow of conversation that fills the air around them Castle nods his head sideways and waits for a response.
Kate stares back, her eyes narrow further in confusion before her mouth falls open and again she asks silently 'WHAT?'
Castle sighs, puffing out his lips before he does it once more. A twist tilt and nod of his head and Kate wonders...just for a second, if he is suggesting they ditch the case and get out of here.
She's not saying no...But...NOW?
Head in the game Castle.
Kate watches as he repeats the movement with even more exaggeration, as if that will help, and she's still totally at a loss.
What the hell is he saying?
What does he want?
'I have NO idea' she mouths shrugging her shoulders.
And Castle huffs, gives up the charades and reaches behind him, over the arm of the couch and into her bag...Oh she forgot that was there.
He leans back into her, the length of his thigh suddenly tight and pressed and hard against her own, and his arm snakes around her, pulling Kate close into his chest.
Kate freezes when his fingers slide through the damp curling tendrils of her hair, lifting them away from her neck. One hand falls over her arm, sliding across her shoulder whilst the other moves her hair again, his thumb soothing across the back of her neck, scraping softly at the base of her skull.
It takes every ounce of self control Kate has ever had to hold in the moan, but she can still feel it rumble through her chest. The barest of hums passing her lips and she's absolutely rooted to the spot until she feels the softness of her sweat shirt drape around her.
Castle lets her hair fall onto her back once he has the shirt in place, but keeps his body draped around hers; holding up the shirt so she can slip her arms through the sleeves, drag up the zipper and smoosh into the familiar warmth.
His fingers linger across her shoulder before suddenly, as if realisation hits him, he clears his throat and backs off, sliding over to his side of the couch.
Kate catches his hand as he pulls away, amazed by the level of caring, the depth of emotion he can surrender himself to with such a simple offering in the most awkward of settings.
"Thank you," she murmurs, her thumb moving in a steady sweep over the back of his hand and she turns to face him, finds a much better angle for their bodies, aligning gently as she blinks up at him.
"Are you two quite finished?" Gates asks from across the room, and their heads snap up with universal synchronicity to find the woman glaring at them.
"She was cold." Castle states, folding his arms in defiance, his attempt to stare the Captain down lasting a matter of seconds, his eyes darting away, first to Kate and then to the boys, taking in their individual smirks.
Castle is so engrossed in the mocking stares of the other men that he doesn't see Kate's eyes fall to Gates. He doesn't witness the flash of annoyance and anger when Kate comes to the realisation that, yeah, Gates is the Captain but seriously?
She really needs to get the fuck out!
Esposito spreads the files out on the table, shuffling the surveillance photos around, and Castle reaches forwards to snag one but stops. He doesn't even know what the suspects looks like, who exactly it is this case revolves around.
Kate moves, sliding her hand past his thigh and dragging two photos across the table towards him, subtle and smooth, as if she's looking herself.
One is a close up, waist up, of a man in his late 40's, early 50's who has clearly seen better days. He's chunky around the middle, beer gut and too tight shirt, dark hair, sunglasses and...Ugh, gross, Castle grimaces, a greasy black comb over.
The other is full length. A good looking, tall and tanned guy in his early 30's. He's standing on a street corner, casual in jeans and a white tee that shows off a good proportion of muscle, biceps and chest. Blonde hair in too perfect disarray as he tilts over his phone.
"So after the...incident." Esposito begins, looking up at Castle and Beckett with a barely hidden smirk.
"Be specific Detective Esposito." Gates barks.
"After the little...show that you guys put on," He clears his throat, looking at the flushed faces of his partners and suddenly it's not only funny and embarrassing it's a bit uncomfortable. "After the shoving and the alley, the body shot, Logan left and I tailed him." He finishes in a rush.
Kate slyly taps the picture of the blonde guy, letting Castle know that he's Logan. Making the greasy comb over man Vince DiSilva.
Castle moves, pressing his knee into Kate's in acknowledgement, and thanks, before he lifts his head and listens intently to Espo's version of the events that took place when he was draped over Kate's body on the bar.
"He made it maybe two blocks before he made a call." Espo continues. "I was close enough to hear him say DiSilvas name." His eyes flash to Becketts, "They were discussing times."
"Trying to arrange a meet." Kate smirks, her entire demeanour changing as she sparks to life with the thrill of the hunt, the chase, taking down the scum bag. Castles eyes are glued to her face, watching as her lips kink to one side and she nods for Esposito to continue.
"He started telling him about this bar he knows, how it's new." Espo nods back, "an interesting place where he saw a guy get tossed on his ass for making a pass at another guy's girl."
Ryan interrupts, "We're about ninety-nine percent certain that was you three." He waves his hand between Beckett, Espo and Castle.
Esposito grunts, annoyance or agreement it isn't clear before he carries on. "Logan says, it's a rough place, dirty, loud..."
"The kind of place they won't get overheard easily." Castle throws out.
"Exactly." Kate agrees, ignoring the roll of Gates eyes, far too engrossed to give a crap.
Esposito smiles, a quirk of his lips that has both Kate and Castle worried before he launches into this last juicy titbit of information. "Logan says it's the kind of place they do body shots."
Oh god!
"Well worth watching," He leans forward, arms braced over the back of the wooden chair as he stares down the squirming couple on the couch. "He went on and on about this one specific couple, how they seemed to forget they weren't at home alone in their bedroom."
Ryan interrupts again, a grin wide on his face, feeling safe as he stands behind the Captain, out of her line of sight. He points at Castle and Beckett "Again...that was you two."
"Yeah." Kate grumbles, "We got that, thanks."
Esposito's grin doesn't look like it's going anywhere anytime soon and he starts talking again. "Logan was very...descriptive when it came to the part in the story where the guy laid the girl over the bar. Kept telling DiSilva how they put on a good show for the other customers, how hot they were together."
Espo watches the way Castle and Beckett have moved subconsciously, angling their bodies away from each other, as if the mere mention of the touch will bring it to life again. "He kept focusing on this one specific detail, how the guy hoisted the girl's shirt up and ran his tongue along her..."
"Is there a point to all this reminiscing?" Castle growls, pulling his lips into a thin line, fighting back the memories Espo has set to dancing around his mind.
The Captain tilts her head, gaining the attention of the entire room with the simple movement. "Yes Mr. Castle there is...Mr. DiSilva wants a show, and the combined forces of the NYPDs Homicide, Vice and Narcotics departments would be most grateful for a distraction."
Kate scrunches her eyes together, her knuckles turning white when she squeezes her fingers tight. Oh please god no!
"And that's…where we...come in?" Castle mumbles, feeling it every bit as much as Kate is.
Gates eyes sparkle just a bit with an odd sort of pleasure as she nods, agreeing, "And that's where you come in."