11. In My Heart of Hearts

Katherine's head hit the pillow and she felt Castle's hands being pulled from beneath her body. Her head was spinning, but luckily, she wasn't nauseous. He was currently removing her shoes. Castle could be so thoughtful at times.

"Castle?" Unsure of how much of what she remembered had been fictitious, she continued. "What happened?" Attempting to raise her body toward his, she soon realized it was a mistake and instantly lowered herself to the pillow once more.

He moved to sit next to her on the bed. Running a soothing hand across her forehead and into her hair, Rick spoke in a gentle, comforting voice. "Shhh, Kate, everything's fine. You fell asleep on the couch."

She had assumed as much, but was hazy on the rest. "When?"

"Oh, about an hour after we got here." His hand had not yet left her head and began to caress her hair. "You've had a lot to drink. You should just sleep it off now."

At his comment, she began to look around her. "Where am I?"

"You're in my bed," he informed her. "I'm going to the guest room, but if you need anything, just call. Okay?"

"No," she whispered, reaching for out Rick and grabbing him by the collar of his pressed dress shirt. She pulled him toward her before he could make any attempt to leave. "Stay with me." At the pained expression on his face, she began to beg. "Please?" She had never begged a man for anything before and was not exactly sure why she was starting now. All Kate knew was that she didn't want to be alone that night. That and that she didn't want to spend it with anyone other than the man she was currently holding close to her body.

"Kate," he pleaded. "You're drunk. I… I can't. You'd hate me in the morning."

"Please." This time it was not a question. It was a request. She was begging him, and it was one request he could not deny. "I promise to never hate you."

At this, Rick smirked. Kate was definitely a lovey drunk – not that he was complaining. Kissing her forehead as he pried her fingers from his shirt, he rose. Making quick work of this clothes, he stripped down to his boxers. "Scoot over," he urged as he nudged her stomach. Kate promptly obliged, making room for Castle on the bed. Slipping onto the mattress next to her, he pulled the covers over the two of them before slinging an arm across her waist and pulling her towards him. "Goodnight, Kate," he said as he planted one last kiss on her forehead before she drifted off to sleep, head against his chest.

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Richard Castle awoke to find soft flesh beneath his fingertips. Opening his eyes, his breath caught in his chest at the sight before him. At some point during her slumber, Kate must have awoken. Castle knew this because although she had gone to sleep fully clothed, she was currently only wearing a matching black lace bra and panty set. He groaned at the contact as she shifted in her sleep, unconsciously rubbing against him. Her right leg was slung over his own, his hand holding it firmly in place. His right arm was wrapped around her shoulders, holding her tightly to his chest. It was definitely a possessive act. He wanted her to be his more than anything. However, now was not the time.

Castle was unsure of how long the two of them had been asleep, but knew that she would be no closer to sobriety than she had been hours before. He was not the kind of man who would take advantage of a woman like that – not even one of the many celebutants that threw themselves at his feet. Rick hated to admit it, but the only woman he had slept with since meeting Beckett had been his ex-wife; an action that had come back to bite him in the ass. Luckily, that mistake was in the past and he could currently focus on the beautiful woman in his arms.

He was not going to have sex with her – at least not right then. However, Castle decided it couldn't hurt to touch. He was already touching her, after all. His left hand, which was currently holding her right knee in place, began to slowly trace its way up and down her thigh. Every time Rick's hand neared her underwear, he turned it back around, continuing his exploration of her leg over again. He didn't want to take it too far. Richard's remaining hand made it's way to her hair and he began to wind a group of strands around his fingers. A small moan escaped Katherine's lips and she burrowed closer into Richard's chest as she slept. It was not long before he found himself slowing drifting back into a peaceful slumber. Castle was beginning to get used to this.

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Startling awake, Kate Beckett found herself slightly confused. Her current situation was similar to the one she woke to just the morning before. This embrace, however, was quite a bit more intimate. She instantly discovered that the only garments covering her body were her bra and underwear. Castle was in the same boat. One of his hands was intertwined in her hair and the other was on her thigh. The latter was making slow, deliberate movements across her leg. She could tell, however, that he was not awake at that particular moment. Katherine had to admit that his caress did feel good. His lips were pressed against her temple as if he had been kissing it just as he fell asleep. The mere thought of this simple gesture made her smile. Liking the feeling of his soft lips, she tried not to move in order to maintain their contact.

She did, however feel inclined to run her fingers through the spattering of hair on his chest. There was a perfect amount there – not too little, not too much. She hated an overly hairy man but also disliked a man without any hair – it made the guy seem too young. Richard's chest on the other hand, was just as she liked it. Kate smiled to herself as she twisted the hair between her fingers. Kate's thoughts made it seem as if she had been with a lot of guys, which was not the case.

The effects of the alcohol were wearing thin by now, but she was sure there was no way she would be able to get Castle to believe her. It was probably for the best, she thought. They should get to know each other a bit better before they had sex. Although she could already say that, without a doubt, she was falling in love with this man, she didn't want to take anything for granted. Placing a loving kiss on his chest, Kate smiled as she settled back down to sleep.

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The feeling of a light kiss on his chest awoke Castle from his slumber. The sun's rays were streaming in through the open window. His hand, which was still intertwined in her hair, began to caress her scalp. "Good morning, star shine."

Cutting him off, she finished his quote. "The earth says hello?" Kate smiled up at him, a jesting look in her eyes.

Feigning shock, he returned her glance. "How'd you know?" Kate Beckett knew show tunes. Just another layer to the Beckett onion. Except for the fact that not everyone liked onions. She was more like a parfait. Smirking to himself, her remembered the quote from Shrek. I 'aint never met someone who didn't like parfaits. You ever hear someone say, hey wanna get some parfait, they say, hell no, I don't like no parfait. Everybody likes parfaits. Parfaits are delicious. Castle idly wondered how Beckett would taste - definitely better than a parfait. He imagined that she would taste like sweet red plums and just a hint of tangy sweat. Her plump lips looked unbearably kissable at the moment. All he wanted was a quick taste.

Biting her lip, she rolled her eyes. "Just a wild guess."

Licking his lips as he watched her chew on her own, he slid his hand down to caress her back and shoulders. "Sleep well?"

Arching her back into his touch, she answered in a breathy tone. "Very. You?"

His fingers found their way to the chain of her necklace – the one that held her mother's engagement ring. Sliding it between his fingers, he answered. "So well. But waking up with you in my arms, detective, is better than any amount of sleep in the world." A blush crept onto her cheeks, coloring them a beautiful shade of crimson. Placing a finger beneath her chin, he pulled her face up to meet his. Richard lay a light kiss on the tip of her nose before pulling back. "What would you like to do today, Katie?"

"It's Kate," she corrected, instantly regretting it when Castle's face fell. "Or whatever." At this, a small smirk flew across his face. "I'm not sure. What would you like to do, Castle?"

"Well," he began, his small smirk turning into a full blow smile. Instead of telling Kate what he had in mind, Rick began to show her. His hand that was currently gripping her buttock began to slowly massage it. Kate jumped slightly as if she had forgotten that his hand was even in that vicinity. After the moment of shock wore off however, Katherine gently thrusting her ass into his hand. Castle felt her rub against him, causing him to become even more erect. At this, she pulled back from him a bit.

"Rick," she choked out. "Whatever we do today, I need to run by my apartment at least. I can't wear the same outfit three days in a row."

Removing his hand from her ass, he placed it instead on her bare waist. Castle much preferred the feel of her soft skin to the lace. Leaning in next to her face and taking the tip of her left lobe in between his teeth, be murmured. "Oh, I can think of something we could do that doesn't require any clothes at all." He finished his provocative statement off with a flick of his tongue on the edge of her jawbone, sending a shiver down her spine.

"I'm sure you can, Castle." Placing her hand on his chest, she attempted to push him away just a bit, giving herself a little room to breathe. "Right now, however, I need to take a shower and then we can decide on something. Sound like a deal?" She asked the question with eyebrows raised, just waiting for another witty remark.

Returning her gaze with one of his, both alike in dignity. "As long as I get to join you."

Shaking her head, she replied. "Yeah sure, Castle. Just let me grab my gun first." Another feeble attempt to extricate herself from Castle's arms was thwarted. Kate was not this frail. She obviously didn't want to win this battle, at least subconsciously.

"Oh, always so pessimistic detective?" Pulling out his best innocent look but failing one hundred percent, he continued. "Did it ever occur to you that I may need a shower as well?"

Kate sighed exasperatedly. "Yes, and isn't it lucky that you live in such a nice big loft where there are a number of different showers."

He pointed toward his bathroom door without turning his face from hers. "Oh, but you see, there is only one that works at the moment."

"You're just pulling this out of your ass."

"No, I'm not." Defending himself with an obviously guilty tone, Castle attempted to get a the heart of the matter. The problem was not that she wouldn't let him take a shower with her. The problem was that he had no idea why. "And why don't you want me to shower with you?"

The telltale blush crept into Beckett's cheeks as she attempted to act enraged. Castle, however, knew the difference. "Because we would never get clean." She was picturing what they would currently be doing in the shower and it had very little to do with shampooing her hair. Castle knew this and it just served to spur him on even more.

"Who says we need to?" He asked the question as he looked the woman in his arms up and down.

Sensing his attention, she attempted to get his concentration focused on her face instead of his current consideration of her underwear. "That's the entire point of a shower, Castle."

Reaching with his hand toward where his eyes had just been, he responded. "Oh, not the way I play."

Kate, however, was a bit quicker. She pulled away just as his focus was off, making it all the way to the other side of the bed before he could do anything about it. "Alright, Castle, you want to play?" The smirk on her face told Castle that he was in for something, he just was not yet sure what it was. "Let's play." Rick Castle's eyes lit up. He would play with Kate any day. "You can look, but don't touch." She slowly shock her head from side to side in time with her last comment. With one hand, she slowly reached up to brush the bra straps from her shoulders.

Leaving his sanctuary on his bed, Richard made his was toward the detective quickly. He didn't waste any time. At least not when it came to a naked Kate. "Beeeckeetttt," he whined.

Brushing his hands away, she took a small step forward. A motion that placed her within centimeter's of Rick's face. "Follow the rules, or there will be consequences."

"Promise?" She pulled away and Rick could tell that she was amused by the little game they were playing. He was, however unsure of how far she was planning on taking it. "Like I told you before, I would be happy to let you spank me."

Rolling her eyes, Kate Beckett turned her back on Castle. As she made he way toward the large bathroom adjoining his bedroom, she unhooked her bra and let it slip to the floor – giving Castle an unobstructed view of the smooth skin of her back. "Just get naked, Richard," she called without turning back. And for once, the author did as he was told.