Ok, it's my shortest one to the date, and I apologize for that, but, well, this is how it turned out! Thanks for the reviews, the favs and the alerts. And of course, thanks caskett. vs. stanathan for your amazing beta

Hour 47

I love the fact that, even if we can't make love yet, we can still enjoy a lot of physical contact. Being like this, wrapped around his body, with his hands making senseless paths around my back, resting on my tights and then going up to my shoulders again makes me feel really, really safe. I know it should be a turn on, but the way he's holding me, silently accepting and actually sharing my need to be like this, close even with our clothes on, makes me feel cherished, loved, appreciated. And feeling that with the man I'm actually dating? It's really nice. The last time I ever felt like this was in my father's arms. And it's been years since the last time I ever felt like this.

"Kate?"

"Go away. I'm too comfortable to move."

"Hey! What if I needed to pee?"

"You'd have to hold it. I mean it. I'm too comfortable to move, so I'm not moving."

"But don't you want to do something?"

"Why would we need to do something when we can stay like this? Or are you not comfortable? Am I too heavy for you?" I make as if to stand up-

"No Kate! I just, I was afraid this might be boring for you…"

"Are you bored?"

"No, I'm not."

"Then why would I be? Usually you're the overactive one, so if you're fine with being quiet, then trust me, so am I…"

"But you'd tell me if you got bored right?"

"Why would I? Is it so hard to believe that I could actually be happy with simply holding you?"

"No, I guess not. But there are so many people that see holding another as a waste of time, and knowing you're usually doing useful things with your time, like following leads, interviewing suspects, drinking coffee, it feels a bit weird to be here, just holding each other…"

"Did you know that the lack of human contact can actually be the cause of death of a new born?" He nods yes. "Well, I see this aspect of our relationship as a new born. This means we need a lot of physical contact with each other if we don't want for it to die. But we've already decided that we can't get physical in the way we both would like to yet, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy just being with each other. Like this. Touching, holding, breathing the same air, not arousing, just comforting, loving. For the past four years, we shared hundreds of dangerous situations: a dirty bomb, a freezer, the Hudson River, various types of psychos, obsessed serial killers, government agencies, drug dealers, professional shooters, wacko ones and a long list of etc's. For the first time since we met, we have the possibility of being together because we really want to, not because we have a case, or one or both of us is in danger or we had a bad day. Beyond a few nights at the Old Haunt, some visits to the comfort food truck and your mum's play, we never really spent that much time just being with each other. Well, that's going to change. When I told you that you could pretty much kiss me whenever and wherever you wanted, I meant that if you wanted to hold me or touch me just because, you could do that too. I'd very much like for you to do it." I see his mischievous grin and I suddenly need to chastise him. "Get your mind out of the gutter Castle! I didn't just hand you a wild card to get me aroused at the precinct, the back of one of your town cars or any other public place. I might not have a badge anymore, but a good cop is always a cop."

"And you're a really good one."

"Thanks, but that's a bit subjective, don't you think?"

"It might be, but that doesn't make it any less truth."

"Whatever you say." I hide my nose into the crook of his neck and take a deep breath. I can feel him getting Goosebumps when I exhale.

I really, really like this. I press my lips in the sensitive place behind his ear; it's slow, tender, long. I'm in no hurry to move to the next spot, but as I lift my lips to ponder were to take them, I realize his hands have stopped their movement over my back. I decide under his chin is a spot I hadn't explored yet so that's where they rest next. His hands move a little lower. As I move my lips mere millimeters to the right, he goes a bit down still. And suddenly, I'm getting my lips tuned with the contours of his face and his hands are becoming acquainted with the expanse of my back. We continue this little ritual for what seems like days, but it's only maybe hour 46 of our delayed clothes optional festival. He did say he wanted to spend the first day of it just kissing. Well, I figure why not give that side of our festival a head start so that when the time comes, we can go straight to the main course.