A huge thank you to IMW for her wonderful beta skills and a shout out to Educate The Masses for some much needed inspiration.
This one is for my groupies, who have been ever so patient waiting for this. You guys are the best.
The bedroom was dark; the curtains drawn tight against the city night. The room's occupants paid little heed, as they were traversing familiar territory.
"I know what you're trying to do," Kate gasped, her hips lifting to meet Castle's touch as he slipped a finger into her wetness, his mouth trailing kisses along her stomach.
"What's that?" he murmured against her skin.
"You're trying to distract me," she replied, her breath escaping in a whoosh as his mouth unerringly found her clit, his tongue flicking against it gently.
"Is it working?" he murmured against her.
As distractions went, Kate had to admit that his version was fairly effective. It had almost become a game with them. One of them would inevitably start to complain about the security detail now residing in the loft with them and the other would see just how quickly they could derail the conversation. The last time Castle had started grumbling about it, she had diverted his attention by teasing him about how there were so many Christmas decorations throughout the loft that it was nearly impossible to tell that there were now security personnel staying there as well; his method was undeniably more satisfying.
"Maybe," she replied.
Castle chuckled, the vibrations causing Kate to shiver beneath him, her soft gasps telling him what her words were not.
This particular morning had started with Kate waking early and going downstairs for a glass of juice. Not concerning herself with the coolness of the apartment since she was only going for a drink, she merely grabbed Castle's discarded dress shirt and pulled it on. It wasn't until Lance, the head of their security team, met her in the kitchen, that Kate was reminded why it wasn't a good idea to walk around the loft practically naked. It had taken much longer than Kate deemed necessary for Lance to assure himself that everything was okay before he returned to his post. By the time Kate made her way back to their bedroom, she was agitated; not only was someone stalking them, but they'd also managed to invade their privacy without even being present. It was that irritation that had woken Castle and it hadn't taken long for him to determine what had riled her up.
Instead of trying to rationalize the need for the extra security, Castle had allowed her to vent her frustration. However, he'd done so only after rolling to his side to face her, his weight resting on one elbow while his free hand slowly trailed up and down her bare arm. While she argued the fact that she was a police officer and perfectly capable of taking care of herself, his hand trailed along her collar bone and down to the slope of her breast. He leaned closer then, his lips moving slowly over her pulse point, feeling the effect of his touch on her body in the increase of her heart rate.
She continued presenting her case even as her hand moved to the back of his head, her fingers massaging his scalp as he trailed his lips along her neck and shoulder. He listened half-heartedly as he lowered his hand to cup her breast, rolling her nipple between his thumb and forefinger as he sucked gently on the sensitive spot just below her ear.
When she admitted that she still agreed the extra security was a must…especially where Alexis was concerned…he slowly trailed his lips down her body; shifting his weight to settle between her legs.
When he closed his lips around her nipple, she paused in her rant just long enough to murmur his name in that sexy voice he loved so much. He stopped listening to her words altogether then, focusing instead on the involuntary moans and gasps that were escaping her lips. He spent several minutes teasing her breasts, taking time to give each of them equal attention, relishing the fact that her body responded so easily to his touch.
By the time he trailed his fingers along her entrance, teasing against her folds as he dipped his tongue into her belly button, her tirade had become nothing more than soft sounds of pleasure. Only then did he move to taste her; knowing that he had her full attention.
Her fingers tightened in his hair as he closed his lips around her clit, alternating the pressure of his tongue against it as his fingers found a steady rhythm within her. Never stopping his ministrations, Rick could tell from the way her breathing hitched that she was already close. Allowing her body's reactions to be his guide, he increased the intensity of his mouth; his fingers curling within her as he felt the first fluttering against them. Within moments, she was crying out, her hands fisting in the sheets as she gave herself over to the pleasure coursing through her body.
He continued to stroke her, certain that it wouldn't take much to push her over the edge again and confident that it wouldn't be unwelcomed. Unfortunately, the buzzing of her cell phone shattered the moment, eliciting a mumbled curse from her when his fingers automatically stilled within her.
"Ignore it," he said softly.
At her nod of agreement, he moved back up to her side, his fingers once again pushing her higher; his mouth at her ear telling her all the things he wanted to do to her.
He took her over the edge the second time and she knew he could do it again. In fact, she was looking forward to taking him with her the next time. However, her phone continued to buzz insistently, demanding to be dealt with.
"What the hell!" Her frustration was back, although for an entirely different reason this time.
"It's three a.m., Kate," Castle stated simply. "You and I both know it's about a murder."
Kate dropped her head back on the pillow and let out a frustrated sigh as he moved away from her; her body bemoaning the loss. With an apologetic look, she reached for the phone.
"Beckett," she said by way of greeting, the shift in her demeanor instantaneous.
Before she'd even finished the call, Castle had made his way to the bathroom, turning on the shower and stepping inside. It was only a couple of minutes later when she joined him.
"Double homicide on 83rd and 5th, just across from the Met," she informed him. "Ryan and Esposito are already on their way."
Kate stepped into the stream of water and gasped, jerking back and falling against his chest.
"Castle! The water is freezing."
"There's a reason for that," he replied as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his embrace.
Feeling his erection pressed against her ass, Kate shook her head.
"I am so sorry. I promise I'll make it up to you later."
"It was worth it," he assured her as he reached around her to adjust the water temperature.
They showered quickly, Castle lingering after Kate stepped out and turning the water back as cold as he could get it. It wasn't the first time work had interrupted a lovemaking session and he was sure it wouldn't be the last. He'd been telling her the truth though. Watching her come apart in his arms was worth whatever torture he had to endure for the rest of the day…especially knowing that the first chance she got, she would follow through on her promise of making it up to him. Experience had taught him that it would be well worth the wait.
"What do we have?" Kate asked as Esposito lifted the crime scene tape for her and Castle.
At his raised eyebrow, Kate stopped, following his pointed gaze to find Lance trying to cross under the tape as well. With a pointed glare in Castle's direction, Kate turned back to Esposito, leaving Rick to deal with their bodyguard. It was bad enough that their security detail went everywhere with them on their off hours, but the fact that Castle insisted they accompany them into the field was just too much. Kate had drawn the line at allowing them access to crime scenes, insisting that if they wanted to trail them while she worked, they could wait outside with all the other spectators.
While she understood and even agreed with Castle that the extra security was necessary, especially for him and Alexis, it drove her up the wall to have private bodyguards hounding her every move while she was working. Granted, she had been just as freaked out as Castle had been when they'd received a package that contained pictures of their Black Friday shopping trip in the Hamptons as well as pictures of the two of them at Martha and Chet's wedding reception; however, she hadn't expected her agreement of extra security to include her work hours. She appreciated knowing that Rick and Alexis had someone looking out for them when she wasn't with them, but she was a cop for chrissake; she didn't need a bodyguard.
"Victims were husband and wife," Esposito said as they started walking. "Daniel and Linda Tanner. Owners of Tanner's Pizza down on 54th."
"Good pizza," Castle commented as he caught up with them, having reminded Lance that while he was to still keep an eye on them, he wasn't allowed beyond the tape. "Great atmosphere. I used to take Alexis there when she was younger."
Kate took in the surroundings as they neared the bodies. They were away from the street; the shrubs doing a fairly good job of hiding them from view. The apartment building nearby suggested that the victims lived there or were maybe visiting someone the previous evening. Although their clothing suggested perhaps they were out for a night on the town.
"Do they live here?" she asked.
"Negative," Ryan answered as he joined the three of them. "Drivers licenses show their address on East 34th Street."
"You two canvass the area, see if anyone recognizes our victims or noticed anything unusual last night," Kate said. "It's possible they were visiting someone in the building."
"On it," Esposito replied.
As the two of them stepped away, Kate turned her attention back to the victims where Lanie was making notes on a clipboard.
"What can you tell me, Lanie?"
"They were both shot at close range," she replied. "It looks like a .38. Given the temperature last night, I'd put time of death sometime between 8 and 10." Finally glancing up to meet her gaze, Lanie arched an eyebrow at Kate's flushed cheeks, knowing they couldn't be contributed entirely to the cold weather. "I'd also be willing to bet that the phone call didn't wake you this morning."
Kate felt herself blush, once again wondering how Lanie always seemed to know when a call interrupted sex. Choosing to ignore the comment, Kate pointed at the woman's hand.
"What is that under her hand?"
"It looks like she tried to write something," Lanie explained as she lifted the woman's arm to allow Kate a better look. "I've already told the CSU's to make sure they get more pictures once we move the bodies."
"It looks like a J," Castle commented as he leaned down beside Kate.
Kate turned to look at him.
"Snap a picture of that, will you?"
Castle smiled as he pulled out his phone.
"I thought you didn't want me taking any more photos at crime scenes," he teased as he took the first picture.
"Since when do you care what I want?" she shot back.
When his only response was a slight smirk as his eyes travelled the length of her body, Kate shivered and straightened back up. Without a word, she walked away from them, finding her way over to talk to the first officer on scene.
"She can be so cranky when her sleep is interrupted," Caste said to Lanie, even as his eyes continued to follow Kate.
"Mm-hmm," Lanie replied with an arched eyebrow. "And just how early did you wake her this morning?"
"I am completely innocent," Castle stated as he turned his attention back to taking pictures.
"There's not an innocent bone in your body," Lanie replied. "And the blush on my girl's face is all the evidence I need to that fact."
Castle turned his head back in the direction Kate had gone and found her talking to one of the uniformed officers. As if sensing his gaze, Kate looked his way and arched an eyebrow. He lifted his phone to let her know he was finished taking pictures and she gave him a nearly imperceptible nod in return.
"Maybe not," Castle agreed as he turned his attention back to Lanie. "But I am by far the luckiest man on the planet."
"You won't hear me arguing with you on that one," Lanie replied as she got to her feet, signaling that she was ready to move the bodies. Turning her full attention to Castle, her expression grew serious.
"Castle?"
Knowing what was coming next, Castle nodded his head.
"We're being careful, Lanie. We have security with us and we're not taking unnecessary chances."
Lanie's eyes locked with his for a long minute before she finally nodded.
"Keep it that way."
Castle merely smiled as Kate joined them again.
"Ryan and Esposito have a possible witness," she informed them. "Castle, we're going to meet them at the station." Turning to Lanie, she offered her a smile. "You'll call with any news?"
"As always," Lanie promised.
"Thanks, Lanie."
As they turned to walk away, Lanie allowed her gaze to travel along the gathered crowd, wondering if their stalker was there even now. Shaking off the chills the mere thought gave her, she turned her attention back to loading the bodies onto gurneys for transport back to the lab. She was just going to have to trust that both Castle and Kate were indeed being careful.
Kate stood in front of the white board several hours later, photos of their victims in place and the beginnings of a timeline just starting to take shape. The interview with their possible witness from the scene had been a bust – a homeless man wanting nothing more than to escape the cold for a few hours. Kate had given him a cup of coffee and tracked down a couple of donuts before having Esposito and Ryan set him loose.
After that, Kate had tracked down Linda Tanner's brother, Oliver Martinelli, who appeared to be the only relative living in the city. He had been so shocked by the news of the death of his sister and brother-in-law that he'd completely shut down, leaving them to discuss possible enemies with his wife. JoAnn Martinelli had been less than forthcoming with information, giving Kate the impression that there was no love lost between her and her sister-in-law.
Once they'd left the Martinelli's, Kate and Castle had returned to the precinct where they had spent the remainder of the day digging through the Tanners' backgrounds, searching for clues of who would want to see them dead.
"What are you thinking?" Castle asked as he approached carrying two cups of coffee.
"Thank you," she replied as she took the offered cup. After taking a sip, she turned back to the board. "The letter under Linda Tanner's hand," she said, pointing to one of the pictures. "I'm wondering if she was trying to tell us who murdered her."
"It's possible," Castle agreed.
"It's also possible that she was just trying to crawl for help," Kate continued. "And it simply happens to look like a J."
"Also a very real possibility," he replied.
Kate shook her head and glanced at her watch.
"It's getting late. If we're going to make dinner with Alexis, we should head out soon."
"I'm ready when you are."
Kate sat her coffee on her desk.
"Let me run something by Ryan and Esposito then I'll be ready to go."
"I'll be here," he assured her, earning a smile as she made her way across the bullpen.
"Let me know if you find anything," Kate said as she stepped into the dining room. She offered an apologetic smile as she returned the phone to her pocket and took her seat at the table. "Sorry about that."
"Esposito?" Castle asked as he passed her the salad bowl.
Kate nodded.
"They're digging into the Tanners' financials," she replied.
Alexis took the salad from Kate as she glanced between the two.
"If you need to be at the station, it's okay," she told them. "It's not like it would be the first time our dinner plans had to be changed."
"Ryan and Esposito can handle things for the night," Kate assured her, not wanting to disrupt their plans for the evening. Because Alexis was spending Christmas break with her mom, they had decided to surprise her by celebrating before she left. After dinner, Martha and Chet were coming over and they were going to exchange gifts, none of them willing to make Alexis wait until she got back home.
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely," Kate replied. "They'll call me if something comes up that needs my attention. Besides, this is our last night before you head off to California; I don't want to spend it working."
"Are you sure it's a good idea that I go?" Alexis asked, her gaze darting between Kate and her father.
"Your mother understands what's going on here, Alexis," Castle assured her. "She's already agreed to the security team being there with you and she's looking forward to spending some time with you. Besides, you're probably safer in California than you are here, since it appears that this stalker is mainly focused on me and not the two of you as well."
Alexis turned her attention to Kate, hoping for a different answer. It wasn't that she didn't want to spend Christmas with her mom, she was just afraid that something would happen to her dad or Kate while she was gone.
"As much as we're going to miss you, I agree with your dad on this one, Alexis," Kate replied. "There's no reason for you to change your plans."
"You promise you'll take care of each other?" she asked.
Kate met Castle's gaze across the table, a soft smile playing on her lips at Alexis' concern for the two of them. The heat in Castle's eyes when they met hers instantly had her thinking about other ways he took care of her and she quickly turned her attention back to the teenage girl sitting next to her.
"You have my word on that," Kate promised her.
At the simple assurance, Alexis finally nodded.
"So what movie do you want to watch after dinner?"
Kate looked up and saw Castle grin at her as he shoved a large bite of food into his mouth, leaving her to answer the question without giving away the surprise. Resisting the urge to stick her tongue out at him, Kate turned her attention back to Alexis.
"I was thinking that instead of a movie, we might play a game or something," she suggested.
"Anything in particular?" Alexis asked, not in the least bit concerned about the change in plans.
Before Kate could respond, the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it," Alexis volunteered.
Castle waved her back into her seat.
"Finish your dinner," he told her. "I'll get the door."
Knowing that an unexpected guest would have earned a phone call to the loft, Castle was not at all surprised to find Martha and Chet on the other side of the door. However, the fact that their arms were overflowing with brightly wrapped packages had him at a loss for words. He thought they had agreed on keeping things rather low-key.
"Mother?"
"Hello, darling," she replied, stepping inside and unloading her packages into his arms. "Take these for me, will you?"
Kate merely chuckled as she watched Castle and Chet make their way to the family room to deposit the gifts while Alexis got to her feet to wrap Martha in a hug.
"Gram! What are you doing here?"
"Are we early?" Martha asked, sounding only somewhat apologetic as she met Kate's gaze over Alexis' head.
"It's fine," Kate assured her. "We were just finishing dinner."
"Early for what?" Alexis asked, stepping back as Castle and Chet made their way into the room.
"Surprise, honey," Castle said. "We decided we didn't want you to have to wait until you get back in January, so we're going to celebrate tonight."
Alexis' eyebrows rose and she let out a delighted squeal as she rushed over to hug her father.
"This is great!"
Castle returned the embrace.
"You should probably thank Kate," he told her. "It was her idea."
Alexis hurried to where Kate was sitting, wrapping her arms around her shoulders.
"This is so cool. Thank you, Kate."
"You're welcome," Kate replied. "Now, why don't you finish your dinner so we can get to work on opening presents?"
As Alexis returned to her place at the table, Castle turned to Martha and Chet.
"Have you eaten? There's plenty."
"Thank you, Richard," Martha replied. "But we've already eaten."
"A drink then?" he asked.
"A beer would be great," Chet replied.
"Mother?"
"I'll take vodka on the rocks."
Castle went to retrieve their drinks as the two of them settled at the table. Once he returned, the five of them settled into comfortable conversation as they finished dinner with Alexis chattering excitedly about being allowed to open presents before leaving. Listening as the teenager spoke and watching the way father and daughter conversed animatedly, Kate became even more pleased that she'd made the suggestion.
Castle turned off lights as he made his way through the loft, stopping to check in with Lance before heading upstairs. He stopped at Alexis' door and knocked softly.
"Come in."
Castle pushed the door open and leaned around the door frame.
"Are you all packed and ready for your trip?"
Alexis smiled and pointed to the suitcase sitting just inside her door.
"That's my girl."
Alexis watched him for a minute before she finally spoke.
"You and Kate will be careful while I'm gone, right?"
"Absolutely," Castle assured her.
"And mom really agreed to the security team?"
"It was the only way I was agreeing to you going."
There was another pause and then Alexis walked over and wrapped her arms around him.
"I'm going to miss Christmas morning with you."
"Me, too," he agreed as he returned her embrace.
"Thank you again for tonight. I know we usually wait until I get back from mom's before we celebrate, but I'm glad we did it tonight."
"You're welcome."
Alexis pulled back then and leaned up on her tiptoes to brush a kiss against his cheek.
"Good night, dad."
"Good night, sweetie."
With a smile on his face, Castle closed the door and headed across the hall to the room he and Kate shared. It had been a fun evening; Alexis' squeals over her presents every bit as thrilling tonight as they had been on all their previous Christmases.
The bedroom lights were dimmed when Castle stepped through the doorway, his eyes automatically drifting to their bed where he found Kate waiting for him. She was wearing one of his favorite pale blue button-down shirts and lying on her back, her knees bent slightly, opening her body to his gaze.
"Kate?" His voice cracked on her name, all of the blood in his body seemingly pooling in his groin, bringing the erection he'd been fighting all day back to full force.
Her eyes locked on his as she slid one finger into her opening.
"Took you long enough, Rick."
Castle swallowed hard as he took a step towards her.
She merely shook her head.
"Strip."
He wasted no time in divesting himself of his clothing, his erection bobbing eagerly in her direction as he stood naked in front of her, his hands clenched into fists at his sides and his breathing growing erratic.
"Do you want to watch?" she finally asked, her fingers teasing along her folds and circling her clit.
As erotic as the scene in front of him was, Castle knew there was no way he would survive watching her pleasure herself. He closed his eyes on a groan as her fingers disappeared inside of her body.
"I need you," he finally gasped, forcing his eyes open to meet her gaze. "I need to be inside of you."
She arched an eyebrow even as a smile spread across her face.
"Like this?" she asked, her fingers sliding effortlessly in and out of her body.
His only response was a growl.
"Do you have any idea how turned on I've been all day thinking about finally getting you alone tonight?" she continued, her free hand moving to cup her breast through the material of his shirt.
His voice was strained when he spoke again.
"Please, Kate."
"Please what?" she asked, the innocence in her voice belying the actions of her hands on her body.
"Please stop teasing," he begged. "Let me make love to you."
With that, she moved her hands from her body and crooked a finger in his direction.
He needed no further invitation.
Within moments, he was on the bed next to her. His hands pushed the shirt from her body as his mouth claimed hers. He tried to slow things down then, wanting desperately to make it last, but she was having none of that, her hand sliding down to grasp his erection, lining it up with her opening and encouraging him to enter her.
He slid into her effortlessly, her name escaping his lips on a sigh as he stilled above her. Their gazes locked and he smiled down at her.
"I love you, Kate. So much."
"I love you, too, Rick."
He leaned down to kiss her again as his hips started to move, the two of them quickly finding a familiar rhythm, losing themselves in one another as the sounds of their lovemaking filled the room.
It was much later when Castle stroked his hand along Kate's bare shoulder, her head resting against his chest as their breathing slowly returned to normal.
"Thank you for suggesting we have Christmas with Alexis before she leaves. It meant a lot to her."
Kate lifted her head to meet his gaze.
"It meant a lot to me, too," she assured him.
He lifted his free hand to trail a finger down her cheek.
"This isn't exactly how I pictured our first Christmas together, you know…a stalker on the loose and Alexis spending the holiday with Meredith on the other side of the country."
"I know. It's not exactly how I imagined it would be either," she replied. "But there will be other Christmases. Lots and lots of them."
Kate settled her head back on his chest, her fingers drawing random patterns on his chest as his hand continued to stroke along her shoulder. The silence stretched between them for several minutes before Castle spoke again.
"I've been thinking."
"A dangerous pastime for you."
Castle chuckled lightly at that before growing quiet again.
"What have you been thinking about?" Kate finally asked.
"The stalker."
At that, Kate lifted her head to look at him, crossing her arm over his chest and resting her chin on it.
"What about him?"
"What you said the other day," he continued, his free hand moving to tuck a strand of hair behind her hair, lingering there for a moment. "About the best way to catch a hunter was to become a hunter."
"And?"
"I think you're right."
Kate offered him a lopsided grin.
"You think I'm right?"
He let the comment slide for the moment.
"Montgomery agrees with the plan?"
Kate nodded.
"He pointed out the obvious risks, much like you did when I first mentioned it," she told him. "However, he thinks it's probably our best shot at the moment."
His gaze locked on hers for a long moment, seeing the concern reflected back at him. He finally nodded.
"I think we should do it."
"Are you sure?"
"I'll make a couple of phone calls after we drop Alexis at the airport tomorrow."
She leaned up and brushed her lips against his.
"We're going to catch him, Rick. I told you that I'm not going to let anything happen to any of us."
"I know," he replied, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her more securely onto his chest, content for the moment to just hold her.
It was Kate who broke the silence several moments later.
"Hey, Rick?"
"Hmm?" he murmured against her shoulder, the vibrations sending an involuntary shudder through her body.
She hesitated, debating whether to give voice to her fears.
"I'm more than just a little concerned."
Castle's breath hitched in his throat as he gave her what he hoped was a reassuring squeeze.
"Yeah," he finally admitted. "Me, too."
They said nothing more, content to stay wrapped around one another as they eventually drifted off to sleep, desperately trying to ignore the uninvited third party.
"Was that Alexis?" Kate asked, watching Castle as he returned his phone to his pocket and then made his way back to her side at the white board.
"She's with her mother," he confirmed. "I talked to Shawn and he said there had been no problems along the way and the security team was already in place at the house."
"And Meredith is behaving?"
"So far," he replied. "Alexis promised to let me know if anything changed on that front."
Before she had a chance to comment, Esposito's voice interrupted them.
"Beckett, Oliver Martinelli is here to see you."
"Were we expecting him?" Castle asked as he fell into step beside her.
"No," she replied. "But hopefully he'll be able to answer a few questions today."
As they reached the man, Kate offered her hand.
"Mr. Martinelli, how can I help you?"
"I apologize for yesterday, Detective Beckett," he replied as he shook her hand. "I want to do whatever I can to help find the person responsible for killing Linda and Danny."
"Let's go someplace where we can talk," Kate suggested, leading him towards one of the conference rooms.
Once they were settled, Kate waited, giving Oliver the chance to open the conversation.
"Linda is…was…my baby sister," he began. "It was always my responsibility to look out for her. When she married Daniel…well, he was the first guy who I ever thought might possibly be good enough for her. I knew he loved her, and she was head over heels for him. They were just amazing together."
"Can you think of anyone who would want to hurt them?" Kate asked softly.
Oliver shook his head.
"Everyone loved them," he replied. "They were good people."
"What about the restaurant?" Kate asked. "Any problems there?"
"Not that I'm aware of," he replied. "But I haven't been involved with the restaurant in over ten years."
Kate nodded. Their search into the Tanners' financials had shown them that Linda and Oliver had inherited the restaurant after their parent's death fifteen years earlier. Daniel and Linda had bought out Oliver's share five years later and changed the name from "Martinelli's Pizza" to "Tanner's Pizza." The business had been very lucrative in the time since then, leading Kate to her next question.
"Why did you sell out your half of the restaurant?"
Oliver chuckled slightly.
"Running a business was not my thing," he replied. "Even when we were younger, I hated working in the restaurant. Linda loved it though. Daniel, too. In fact, he'd started as a bus boy when he was sixteen, and worked there the entire time he was going to business school. I think it was a relief to my parents when he and Linda got married because they knew that I was never going to settle into the family business. Having Daniel in the family meant the restaurant would stay in the family."
"Why the name change?" Castle asked. "From Martinelli's to Tanner's?"
"There was another place in town called Martinelli's," Oliver explained. "Our lawyers said we could sue and force them to change their name, but the three of us sat down and agreed it would be easier just to change our name. Besides, it really was Daniel and Linda's place by then. I didn't think dad would mind."
"Daniel and Linda didn't have any children?" Kate probed.
Oliver shook his head, a slight frown on his face.
"They had been trying, but the doctors told Linda there was only a 2% chance that she would ever conceive. Even with fertility treatments, they weren't optimistic that she would ever be able to carry a baby."
"What happens to the restaurant now?" Castle asked.
"I honestly don't know," Oliver replied. "I do plan on keeping it running until we find out though. If I know Linda, she probably left it to my boys. She adored them."
"I'm sorry to ask," Kate said. "But where were you two nights ago, Mr. Martinelli?"
"The boys had an end of semester ice skating party," he replied. "We got to the rink about 7:30 and left at 9:00. We stopped for ice cream on the way home."
"Was your wife with you?" Kate asked.
"No," Oliver replied. "She wasn't feeling well so she stayed home. But there were several other parents who can vouch for me."
"Thank you," Kate said as she got to her feet. "And thank you so much for coming in to talk to us today."
"I just want this bastard caught," he stated as he stood as well.
"I give you my word that we'll do our best to make sure that happens," Kate promised.
With her reassurance ringing in his ears, Oliver made his way out of the conference room and across the precinct to the elevator.
"You don't think he did it, do you?" Castle asked.
Kate shook her head.
"No, but that doesn't mean I won't have Ryan and Esposito check his alibi."
"What about his wife?" Castle suggested.
Kate turned to glare at him.
"Upon what are you basing that?"
Castle merely shrugged.
"Well, her name starts with a J, and she clearly has no alibi for the night of the murder," he began. "And to top it all off, she was downright rude to us yesterday afternoon."
"Being rude doesn't mean a person is a murderer," Kate reminded him as she headed towards her desk.
"True," Castle agreed. "But it makes a much more interesting story if it's the sister-in-law."
"This isn't one of your novels, Castle."
"No, it isn't. If it were, we would have already solved the case and we'd be packing it in for the rest of the week, content to whittle away the remaining days until Christmas."
"And what exactly do you think we'd be doing with all that free time?" she murmured playfully. "I'm not going to cave and allow you to open your present early."
He shrugged as his eyes raked over her body.
"I can think of a few things."
She smacked him playfully in the shoulder.
"Castle, we're at work!"
"You started it," he reminded her.
"I did," she admitted, her eyes locking with his. "Make it up to you later?
"Be careful what you promise, Detective; I'll hold you to it."
She shot him a wicked grin before turning back to her murder board, knowing full well his thoughts were on their previous evening.
"I'd expect nothing less."
The room was still dark when Kate awoke to the smell of coffee. She slowly opened one eye to find Castle lying on his side facing her, his head propped up on one hand and a large mug in his other.
"What time is it?" she mumbled sleepily.
"Early," he replied. "I made you coffee."
She eyed the cup warily.
"How early?"
"Very early," he confirmed. "It's Christmas."
Kate groaned even as she rolled to her side, mirroring his position, her free hand taking the cup of coffee he offered. They had been up late the night before, processing JoAnn Martinelli for the murders of Daniel and Linda Tanner, and making sure the paperwork was complete before leaving the station. Much to Kate's surprise, Castle had been correct in assuming JoAnn was the murderer. Apparently, JoAnn had been completely opposed to Oliver selling out his portion of the family business, especially once she saw how prosperous the restaurant had become. When she'd discovered that Linda had named her two sons, both of whom were still underage, as co-beneficiaries, JoAnn had decided to take matters into her own hands.
"Wait until you see the loot Santa left for you," Castle teased as she slowly sipped her coffee, noticing her smile of approval at the peppermint flavoring he'd added.
"I'm fairly certain all he left you was a lump of coal in your stocking," she shot back.
Castle grinned as he let his eyes wander down her body, the sheet pooling at her waist and leaving the rest of her exposed to his gaze.
"Considering what he left in my bed, I can deal with coal in my stocking."
Kate laughed in spite of herself.
"You're incorrigible."
"And you love me for it," he said as he leaned closer, brushing his mouth against hers.
"Hmm," she murmured against his lips. "Maybe just a little bit."
Castle smiled as he pulled away from her.
"There are fresh bear claws in the kitchen," he told her. "Santa left them in exchange for the cookies and milk."
"Did he now?"
At his nod, Kate glanced over at the clock.
"Castle, it's barely five a.m. How long have you been awake?"
"Long enough to make you coffee," he replied. "Santa did everything else."
"Right," she said as she moved to get out of the bed. "Then I guess I need to go track Santa down and thank him properly."
Castle's hand on her arm stopped her.
"I have a surprise for you."
When she stilled and turned her attention back to him, he shifted so he could reach the bedside table. Before she could ask what he was doing, the room was suddenly bathed in a soft glow.
"Castle?"
He grinned as he watched her face, the lights from the Christmas tree causing her to look like she was glowing.
"You sleep like the dead, Kate," he stated simply. "It wasn't that difficult to bring the tree in here without waking you."
Kate studied the tree for a moment, recognizing by the ornaments that it was the one they'd placed at the end of the hall between the bedrooms.
"Why?" she asked when she finally turned her attention back to Castle.
He merely shrugged.
"I wanted to make this Christmas special for you."
Kate heard what he didn't say. He'd gone to the trouble of bringing a tree into their bedroom because she'd jokingly teased him while they'd been decorating that having extra security in the loft was putting a damper on her fantasy of making love to him beneath the glow of the Christmas tree. While she'd been only half serious when she'd said it, she was touched that he'd gone to such lengths for her.
"Thank you," she whispered as she closed the distance between them and kissed him.
"You're welcome," he replied just as softly, one hand finding its way to her bare shoulder as his lips trailed down her jaw to her neck.
His fingers trailed down her arm until he reached her hand, easing the coffee mug from her grip as he rolled forward, lifting his mouth from her only long enough to be certain that he didn't spill the coffee as he sat the mug on the bedside table.
She was smiling when he turned his attention back to her and he arched an eyebrow in question.
"What?"
She shook her head slightly.
"You," she stated simply. He waited, hoping she would elaborate. She didn't disappoint. "You act like this big goofy kid sometimes and yet underneath all that there's this really sweet, amazing man."
He shifted until he was lying on top of her, his weight supported on his elbows; her legs automatically falling open to cradle him against her.
"And you, Kate Beckett, are the most amazing woman I've ever known," he replied.
He hovered above her for a long minute, their eyes locked, silent conversation flowing between them. When he finally lowered his mouth to hers, they both let out soft sighs of contentment, the sound echoing through the room.
She tasted like coffee and mint and he was in no hurry, taking his time to explore her mouth as her hands trailed up and down his back. It wasn't until he felt her hands on his bare skin that he finally broke off the kiss.
"You're wearing too many clothes," she told him as her hands tugged at the soft t-shirt covering his chest.
He pushed himself to his knees as he quickly removed the shirt, tossing it haphazardly to the floor. When he tried to lower himself back to her, she placed her hand in the middle of his chest.
"The sweats."
His hands moved to the waistband of the faded sweats he'd pulled on earlier that morning and he slowly pushed them off of his hips, watching Kate as she watched him. Her tongue darted out to wet her lips as he eased them past his erection and he had to bite back a moan. Placing his left hand beside her head, he shifted his weight off his knees so he could kick the sweats away, using his free hand to push the covers the rest of the way off of her so that when he returned to her, there was nothing separating them.
Kate wrapped her arms around his shoulders, lifting her head to meet his kiss, her lips parting beneath his in invitation.
They took their time, savoring each other, tongues dueling, teeth occasionally clashing; soft words of love being murmured as their lips caressed one another.
It was Kate who pulled away first, her hands drawing random patterns on Castle's back as she squirmed beneath him, desperate for more contact.
Her voice was a mere whisper.
"Rick, please."
He wasted no words asking what she wanted. He merely shifted his weight, bringing one hand up to cup her breast while his mouth latched onto the other nipple; his free hand sliding down her body and into her moist heat.
Her gasp of pleasure was all the incentive he needed to increase the pressure, feeling one of her hands fisting in his hair, holding him securely against her breast as his fingers slowly slid in and out of her body.
He stayed there, his mouth and hands working her into a frenzy. Her soft gasps escalated to moans as he teased her, alternating his touch on her breasts between gentle and firm while his fingers kept a tortuously slow pace between her legs.
He knew she'd taken as much teasing as she could handle when before he even realized she was moving, she had flipped them over, moving until she was straddling his hips.
"My turn," she offered as she lowered her mouth to his chest and nipped playfully at his nipple.
When he growled at her in response, she merely smiled at him and repeated the action on the other nipple.
Her hands trailed down his chest as she teased him with her mouth; her lips and tongue caressing him as she slowly worked her way lower.
By the time she positioned herself between his legs and lifted her gaze to look at him, his eyes were nearly black with desire, his hands fisted in the sheets.
"Kate…baby…please."
Keeping her eyes locked on his, she lowered her head and took him into her mouth, running her tongue over the tip of him, watching as his eyes closed on a moan. Then starting at the base, she slowly ran her tongue up the length of him before taking the tip in her mouth and sucking lightly. Kate smiled around him at his murmured "Dear god, help me," but she didn't even pause in her ministrations. Bringing one hand up to wrap around the base of him, she set a very slow pace, using both her hand and her mouth to bring him pleasure. Her pace increased with the restrained thrusting of his hips, his whisperings urging her on. When her hand slid down to cup him, he gasped and she knew he couldn't take much more.
"Kate."
Recognizing the warning tone, Kate gave him one final lick before releasing him, quickly moving until she was straddling him again. Not giving him a chance to recover, she lowered herself onto his length, both of them moaning at the contact.
His hands moved to her hips, encouraging her, desperate to feel her come apart.
Kate leaned forward, bracing her hands on his chest as she began to move, slowly at first, enjoying the feel of him sliding in and out of her body. He met each of her downward thrusts with one of his own, loving the sounds of pleasure that escaped her lips as they moved together. Soon it wasn't enough and she increased the pace, settling on a fast rhythm that had them both gasping for breath.
"You are so sexy," he told her as he brought one hand between them, finding her clit and rubbing against it in time with their thrusts.
"So close," she gasped.
"Come for me," he encouraged her.
Kate closed her eyes, focusing on the sound of his voice as he continued to talk to her, telling her how much he enjoyed watching her; listening to her; feeling her come apart in his arms. It wasn't long before she was doing just that, his name escaping her lips in a strangled cry as she collapsed against him. A few strokes later and Castle was following her over the edge, calling out her name as he gave himself over to the pleasure coursing through him.
It was several minutes later before they moved, Kate rolling to tuck herself into Castle's side as she rested her head on his chest.
"As good as you imagined?" Castle asked as he toyed with a strand of her hair.
"Even better," she replied.
"Oh yeah?"
"Yes," she said as she met his gaze. "We didn't have to make use of the living room floor."
Castle chuckled at that, leaning down to brush his lips against her forehead, pulling her further into his embrace.
They stayed that way for several minutes before Castle finally broke the silence.
"Are you ready for this?"
Kate didn't have to ask to what "this" he was referring.
"As ready as I'll ever be, I guess," she replied, once again second guessing the decision to set their plan for catching their stalker into motion on Christmas Day.
"It'll work, Kate," Castle assured her. "It's a good plan."
Kate looked up at him and let out a heavy sigh.
"I know."
They held each other's gaze for a long moment before Castle finally smiled and broke the silence.
"Merry Christmas, Kate."
"Merry Christmas, Rick."
He then leaned down and brushed his lips against hers, knowing that, at least for the moment, this was the best Christmas ever.
So here's the deal…the plan was to write one chapter for each month of the year. Mission accomplished. However, since there's this pesky little detail of a stalker still hanging over their heads, there will be one more chapter to tie up all the loose ends.
Now, it's your turn. Hit the button and leave a review. Please and thank you.