Life Goes On
Chapter 11
Castle pushed out of his chair, still holding Kate in his arms. She gently squeezed his bicep. "You really have gotten your strength back, haven't you?"
"Mostly," Castle agreed. "My physical terrorist says I could still have more flexibility in my chest. We're going to keep at it. But everything important works."
"It certainly does," Kate confirmed saucily, as he carried her to the bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed with her across his lap.
"Now I just have to find that humidor," he whispered, air rasping through the tightness in his throat.
Kate twisted to straddle him, rubbing her growing excitement against his burgeoning heat. "I'm pretty sure it's just where you left it."
Breath hissed from Kate's lungs as he fingered her through the fabric of the slacks she wore. "Uh huh, I believe it's right under here. Just have to get a few things out of the way." He reached for her zipper, but she grabbed it first, yanking it down and rising just enough to push the offending garment to the floor. The satiny bikini brief underneath was damp with want. Castle slipped his hands beneath the waistband, his palms framing her hips as he pushed the unwanted barrier to join its companion.
"Castle," Kate urged, writhing against him with growing urgency.
His thumb found the center of her demand, but her need just grew stronger under his touch. She tore at the drawstring of the sweatpants he wore, cursing at a knot. "Shh, take it easy Kate. We have all night," he counseled.
Taking it easy was the last thing, on what remained of Kate's mind. She raked at the cord with her fingernails, pulling it free and pushing the pants down. Heated flesh met her questing fingers. "You went commando."
"I wasn't going anywhere, Kate, except where I'm headed now."
She moaned as he used two fingers to prepare the way, finding her slick and ready. He pulled her against him, their joining smooth, simultaneously a relief and another notch in the level of their desire. Their mouths collided, tongues reaching, twining, and reaching again. Even as they moved, Castle pulled at Kate's blouse while she yanked at his shirt. Her breasts pressed tightly against his chest, deliriously aware of every springy curl of the sprinkling of hair roughly interrupted by his scar. Kate grasped the back of his neck, forcing their mouths still closer. She could barely breathe, but her oxygen starved lungs didn't care. All that mattered was the clawing need, forcing every muscle in her body to its will.
As Kate's sheath tightened around Castle, she could feel him jerk in response. He was almost to the edge of the cliff, dragging her willingly in his wake. Inwardly, she grasped him tighter still, until with soul shaking shudders, they plunged over together, landing on the wood floor with their mangled clothing beneath them.
Castle gulped air. "That was..."
"I know," Kate panted. "I think I'll just stay here for a while. I don't think my legs are working."
Castle reached up and dragged the comforter from the bed to cover them. They fell asleep where they lay.
Castle couldn't figure out what seemed to be making painful imprints on his back until he realized it was the buttons popped from the shirt Kate had ripped off him. When was that? Minutes ago? Hours? He still wore his watch and gazed at the glowing dial. Two A.M. He tried to move, but Kate still covered his body, snuffling softly against his chest. He didn't want to wake her, but the floor was growing both harder and colder by the second and muscles which had been ecstatically loose were beginning to tighten. He stroked the wild strands of hair splayed out across his chest. "Kate," he murmured softly.
"Castle, go back to sleep," she protested without stirring.
He ran his index finger down her bare spine. "I'd like to, Kate, but in the bed, not next to it."
Kate raised her head then grabbed his wrist to check the time for herself. "Oh my God, Castle. We've been down here for hours. That's never happened before."
"Well I'm always open to something new, Kate, but I think I'm about twenty-five years past actually being comfortable sleeping on a bare floor. And even then, there had to be considerable beer involved. So how about if we cuddle up in the comfort of our thousand thread count sheets," Castle proposed.
Kate rolled off him and they grabbed the comforter, spreading it over the bed together, without any need for spoken words. They both climbed in and Kate snuggled against his side. Castle you've never had any trouble turning me on, but that was whole a new level. I think the loft could have caught fire and it wouldn't have mattered."
"Kate, I think it very nearly did, but it is gratifying to know there are still new mountains to climb. And I will be happy to scale them with you anytime, as often as possible."
Kate sighed. "Well I have a much less pleasant hill to tackle in a few hours. I need to figure out how to go at Dickenson."
Castle kissed her thoroughly mussed hair. "You will. You always do. Of course you could send Espo after him, but then you might be mopping up some blood and picking up a few teeth."
"Not to mention needing to find a way to keep Javi out of jail. No I think I'll have to be a little more subtle than that."
"Well you sleep on it," Castle urged. "Something will come to you."
What came, was in the form of a seven A.M. phone call from Ryan. Kate reached for her cell, which was still in the pocket of her pants, on the floor. "Captain, Kiki Harkness must have run out of cash. She used a credit card to check into a motel in Brooklyn last night. Unis are bringing her in now. I thought you might want to be in on the interview."
Kate swiped a hand across her morning gritty eyes. "Thanks Ryan, I do. I should be there in half an hour."
Kate started for the bathroom for a hot, if brief, shower.
"No rest for the wicked, hmm?" Castle teased.
"Castle when I get back tonight, I just might take a shot at giving you an encore demonstration of just how wicked I can be."
Castle's eyes raked over the velvety flesh embracing the firm and agile muscle beneath. "I'll be able to think of nothing else all day - except maybe coffee,"
"O yeah! Castle, I could definitely use some of that."
"You let the water kiss that magnificent temple you call a body and I'll have it ready by the time you're dressed," Castle offered, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. "And I have some chocolate brioche I can heat up too."
Kate scurried back to the bed to give him a quick kiss. "Castle how did I ever manage to survive without you?"
Castle grinned up at her. "Mrs. Castle, I have absolutely no idea."
A/N Credit where credit is due, I stole the phrase "physical terrorist," from James Brady, Ronald Reagan's former press secretary after whom the Brady Bill was named. Any physical therapist I've worked with has been great. No terror at all. Hoping Nathan has a super one to work on his shoulder.