Private Eyes 4: Extreme Ways
Chapter 12
She hurried behind him as he rushed down the corridor, retracing their steps. The inner courtyard was no longer an option. They'd need to find another path to escape. It was too well guarded. And they'd become distracted in each other for longer than necessary, giving the enemy time to regroup. Despite all that, the deliriously happy grin stayed plastered on her face as they ducked their heads and dashed around the corner, finding a thick wooden door that was miraculously unlocked.
Kate was still riding the dizzyingly daze of delight that he had kissed her, quite thoroughly, tongue and all. The way he'd gripped her hips and pushed her up against the tiled wall and simply claimed her mouth with his had sent a shiver of anticipation down her spine. Yes. He was very much happy to see her. It was just such a pity that they couldn't just have sex now. Her insides were burning with need. Her body and plastered mind wanting nothing more than for her scoundrel of a husband to simply take her. Hell, she'd make do with a quickie, just to get a taste.
So distracted by her meandering thoughts of more pleasurable activities, Kate nearly collided with Castle when he stopped just behind the threshold of the unlocked door. She almost let out a giggle, but managed to stifle it, frowning momentarily as her reasonable mind did battle with the part intoxicated by the effects of that drug. It was almost like she was inebriated, tipsy from a bottle of that very special red wine that did things to her, making her all hot and bothered.
"Sorry," she breathed out, trying not to smile.
This was serious, she told herself. You are in a serious situation. You're being shot at, and it's dangerous. Behave. Kate's fingers twitched, and she caved to the impulse, placing a hand on Castle's back, high, near his shoulder blades. If he wasn't going to ravish her—yet—then she needed to, at the very least, touch him. She was grudgingly willing to agree with Castle that now wasn't really the right time.
Later.
Yes.
Just like he promised.
Castle was rotating his head left and right, checking the area ahead. Kate squinted, trying to see into the room. It was difficult to see much, as the only light came from the opened door. From what little she could make out, it looked to be a garage of sorts. There were tools and work benches, but there weren't any cars.
Shouts arose from behind them, and Castle spun around, grabbing her around the waist, which she very much approved of. Sadly, however, it didn't seem to be for any amorous reasons. Kate's hopeful smile faded as he tugged her deeper into the room, and nudged her back behind a dull green tarp.
"Stay," he instructed.
She watched as he lifted his handgun into the ready position and eased out from behind their cover, disappearing into the shadows. Kate sucked in a breath, narrowed her eyes, and waited.
Hurried footsteps grew louder, and soon the shape of a man appeared outlined in the opened doorway. He stepped into the room, raising his automatic pistol, glancing around with nervous jerks of his head. Kate bit her lower lip and slipped back behind the tarp covered object. Her eyes flirted around, searching, and alighted upon a tire iron. Carefully, she picked it up off the stone floor, trying not to make much noise.
The man had his back to her now, searching around on the opposite side of the room. Castle was caught, as there wasn't any cover. And the thick neck goon spotted him quickly. He pointed his weapon at Castle, who stood still.
"¡Manos arriba!" the man shouted.
Slowly standing up, Kate took several quiet steps forward until she was right behind him. Castle spotted her and flashed her quick wink, which agitated the thug. He started shouting again.
"¡Basta!" the goon yelled, shaking his weapon threateningly at Castle.
Kate raised the tire iron up into the air and swung it down hard across the back of the man's head. He let out a startled cry of pain and collapsed. She stepped forward, glancing down at his crumpled form, blinking alarm.
"Did… did I kill him?" she stammered, brow furrowed, concern creeping into her voice.
Castle had immediately darted forward to claim the fallen pistol. He reached out and pressed two fingers to the man's throat, feeling for a pulse. Kate stared at him with large eyes. Castle stood and holstered his SIG Sauer. He retrieved the discarded pistol, hurriedly checking the magazine.
"Well?" Kate asked, some of her old self returning.
"He'll live," Castle assured. "But he might have some severe head trauma."
Kate swallowed. Nothing like almost killing a man to sober up. Castle placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him and nodded. Turning, Castle darted over to the tarp and gave it a sharp yank, exposing a gorgeous red Ducati Hypermotard. Following behind him, Kate's eyes raked over the machine appreciatingly. She loved motorcycles, had even worked a summer job during high school to buy one, much to her parents' consternation. She favored her Harley-Davidson Softail, but she could still admire another work of art.
Castle was rushing forward, unlatching the bolt on the garage door. He grunted and pushed, and it swung up. Alarmed voices sounded at the movement, and shots rang out.
"I found the keys over there," Castle said, jogging back and swinging one leg over the bike, dropping down comfortably on the seat. He jerked his chin towards the fallen thug. "Thanks for that by the way." He inserted the key and then revved up the engine. He grinned at the roar it made. "Got ourselves a ride now."
Kate stepped over as Castle shoved a hand in a pocket, retrieving his TCD-74. He handed it to her and she flipped it open, squinting at the small display screen. It took her a moment, but she recognized the image of a map overlayed with two pulsing dots.
He cocked his head at her and smirked. "Care to be my navigator?"
Grinning back at him, Kate hooked her leg up and over, sliding in behind him. She wrapped her arms around his torso, closing her eyes as she nuzzled her nose into the back of his neck, inhaling his familiar scent. A gentle sigh escaped her lips.
Castle gave the Ducati's engine another rev and let out a whoop.
"Here we go!"
Clutching him tighter, Kate ducked her head as they zoomed out of the dark garage and into the bright light of the walled terrace. The sudden shift in light blinded her temporarily, but she caught sight of three silver and/or black cars, one yellow sportscar, and an expensive looking white Land Rover Defender.
Castle skidded them around the cars as gunfire erupted around them. Men came rushing out of the mansion, some needing to jump back as Castle spun the bike towards them, nearly striking several before they could dive out of the way. He raised one hand, firing off several rounds from the automatic pistol as they spun in a circle. Kate closed her eyes, least she got dizzy and vomit. She was consciously aware now that her tipsy state was the result of the side effects from that truth serum drug.
The world stopped spinning, and Castle gunned the engine.
"Hang on," he shouted, and Kate curled her arms ever tighter around his waist.
The back wheel kicked up some gravel as Castle turned them towards the large main gate. One guard stepped forward to block their escape, holding up a hand. Castle shook his head.
"We're not stopping," he muttered just loud enough for Kate to hear.
They plowed through the idiotic guard and catapulted through the wicket door at the bottom right side of the main gate, wood splinters flying around them. The Ducati bounced as it made contact with the cobblestones on the other side. Castle pressed the accelerator and the motorcycle sped out into the streets of Seville.
The hot air blew through her hair. Building and pedestrians blurred by. Kate shifted as Castle ducked his shoulders, concentrating on steering. She kept one arm firmly wrapped around his waist and tilted her other hand, which held the TCD-74, just enough so she could see the screen.
"So, the yellow dot is us?" she asked over the deafening noise of the engine.
"No, we're red, Elena is yellow," Castle corrected.
"Then take a right at the intersection," Kate instructed, hoping she was reading the tracking system properly.
They roared through the crossing, and Castle took them on a sharp turn, burning rubber. The street narrowed for a bit before widening and opening up into a plaza. Kate saw a black Mercedes, being trailed by a silver Smart Roadster, disappear around a bend to the right, leaving the plaza.
"That's them!" she shouted, after quickly double checking the tracking image on the TCD-74.
"Oh shit," Castle exclaimed, turning the Ducati left.
Kate blinked, seeing four convertibles emerge from behind the large fountain, the passenger sides occupied by men with automatic rifles. Castle moved to avoid then as two cars drifted across the pavement, sending flumes of dust and exhaust into the air. Castle zigzagged between them, causing the drivers to spin out. Ducking her head, Kate glanced back, swearing in disappointment as she saw one of the cars regain control as Castle directed them around the fountain.
As they rounded the fountain, two more cars appeared to blocked their escape from the plaza. Castle growled, but revved the engine anyway.
"Airtime," he called back, as if in warning.
"Airtime?" Kate hooted in alarm, confused until she saw him turn them towards a small rise of stairs that traveled beneath an arched opening in the side of a building.
She closed her eyes and clasped his middle tightly as he sped up. The Ducati roared up the stairs and launched briefly into the air. Kate opened her eyes to see them sail over the heads of several startled pedestrians, who ducked down and cried out, before bouncing back down on the ground. Turning her head, she spotted two cars gunning around the corner of the building to make pursuit.
Jerking her head back around, Kate saw Castle had them barreling towards the end of the plaza, where two light rail lines drew parallel. The two approaching trams blew their horns, but Castle ignored them. Kate lowered her head as Castle twisted his wrists and sped them up. They zoomed through the narrowing gap, just before the two trams rolled past, blocking their pursuers.
Kate let out an audible gasp. "That was close."
Castle took them down the side street, and slowed slightly as the road arced at a sharp angle. As they rolled out of the turn, Kate's eyes went wide as she spotted the black Mercedes nosing through a large group of people converged in the middle of the street.
"There she is!" she shouted. "There she is!"
However, their quarry was soon swallowed up by the crowd and Kate lost sight of the vehicle. Castle slowed the bike and maneuvered around the shouting people. Kate glanced around, noting several people were holding up signs painted with words or pictures that illustrated what they were protesting. The Ducati rolled to a stop, and Castle kicked out a leg to rest on the pavement.
"What's going on?" he asked, swiveling his head around.
The was a low rumbling noise and the din of cheers in the distance, just barely audible over the idling of the Ducati's engine and the chants of the people around him.
"Bulls?" he quirked up an eyebrow, confused, spotting one of the painted signs that depicted a rudimentary outline of a bull's head. He arched his neck to glance at her. "They don't have a running of the bulls here, do they?"
"No, that's Pamplona," Kate informed him. "But they do have bullfights in Seville."
Castle nodded.
A new sound resounded over the cacophony of voices and shouts, one that immediately caused a panic. Kate's heart leapt into her throat and she ducked her head down. Gunfire. The protestors screamed and scattered. A bullet impacted into the mirror on the right side of their Ducati, shattering it into pieces.
Castle revved the engine and lifted his leg back up, spinning them around. Two cars were plowing through the crowd, the gunmen hanging out the passenger seats, firing indiscriminately.
"These guys just don't give up," Castle grunted, and swerved them back around.
He gunned the motor, and the bike jerked forward. Kate curled against his back as they weaved around wailing and panicked protestors. She arched her neck and looked back, seeing the silver paint of the cars through the sea of running people. As she shifted her gaze back to the path ahead, Kate spotted sight of the black Mercedes through a connecting alley, casually driving down a parallel street.
"There's Elena!" she shouted.
"Yeah, I see," was Castle's response as he tilted his weight slightly to the left as he moved the handles to turn them.
He cursed as he steered them to avoid the police barricade, and avoid hitting two uniformed officers. The two men shouted, but didn't pursue, as they had bigger issues, like dealing with a panicked crowd.
Zipping down the alley, Kate shifted her gaze to look over Castle's shoulder. The Ducati roared out into the street, and they were immediately met with a spray of gunfire. Bullets ricocheted and bounced around them, thankfully none made their mark. Kate held on to Castle as he spun the bike and propelled them down a narrow alley that curved along the side of a circular building. A silver car came barreling towards them, and Castle jerked the handles to turn left, directing them up a wide ramp.
Kate let out a yelp of surprise when they burst out into the middle of a bullfighting arena. The crowd shouted and cheered. The matador jumped back as the red Ducati spun around the edge of the arena, kicking up sand and dust. The bull roared in the center of the arena as they circled it. Kate gripped Castle's waist as she caught the flash of one of the Smart Roadsters bounce into the arena.
Castle turned the handles sharply, and the back wheel of the Ducati skidded along in the dirt, sending up a spray of sand. He rotated them around and twisted his wrists, accelerating towards the charging bull.
"Are you crazy!" Kate shouted over all the commotion.
At the last minute, Castle jerked the handles and they spun left, just barely dodging the bull. The beast went plowing towards the Smart Roadster. The driver panicked, and turned the wheel sharply, causing the car to spin out of control and flip over as the bull went on as if nothing had happened, running along the curve of the arena to the excited cheers of the audience.
Kate shook her head, hardly believing what she'd just seen. Castle glanced at her and smirked. She rolled her eyes at him. She was starting to feel more like herself. Perhaps the side effects of the truth serum were wearing off. She glanced down at the flip phone in her hand.
"She's getting away," she announced.
The grin faded from his face, and Castle nodded. Spinning them around, he drove the Ducati back out the way they came. Soon the din of the crowd faded as they returned to the street.
"Go straight," Kate instructed, checking the tracker.
Castle obeyed, hunching his shoulders as he gunned the engine. The wind whipped Kate's hair around as their speed picked up. She rested her chin on Castle's shoulder and glanced down at the TCD-74's screen. The yellow dot and the red dots were running parallel to each other. If she was reading the map correctly, their paths would soon converge. They roared through narrowed streets, lined with shops and boutiques. Ahead the black Mercedes appeared, and Kate grinned, hugging herself closer to Castle as he turned up the speed.
A rapid staccato of gunfire could be heard, and they both ducked their heads. Kate risked a glance back and saw a black Smart Roadster racing towards them in pursuit. One of Mendoza's thugs was standing up in the passenger's seat holding an assault rifle, trying to keep his aim steady.
"Take the guns," Castle shouted.
Kate jerked her head back.
"Okay," she said, releasing her tight grip around his waist and dropping her hands to the holsters on either side of his hips. She wrapped her fingers around the handles and pulled the handguns free, holding them up behind his head. One was his SIG Sauer, and the other was the pistol he'd retrieved from the compound during their escape.
Castle jerked his head back briefly. "Here!" he shouted, and took one hand off the steering handles.
Kate let out a cry of alarm as he gripped her arm and tugged. Her ass left the seat and she found herself being rotated around until she slid down in front of Castle, her legs wrapped tightly around his middle and her hips lined up perfectly with his. She draped her arms on his broad shoulders and gazed at his handsome face.
"What's next?" she asked.
"Let them have it," Castle asserted with a smirk.
Grinning back, Kate lifted her arms and leaned to the side, her upper body hanging slightly off the bike as she glared back at the gang of pursuers, seeing now that another car had joined in on the chase. Gritting her teeth, she squeezed the triggers. Castle did his best to keep the Ducati steady, but he needed to swerve to avoid the returning fire. Thankfully, the thugs were useless, missing them entirely. Their aim was as bad as Stormtroopers in Star Wars. Her lips quirked up at the thought. If only Castle knew how much of a sci-fi nerd she really was.
"Shit!"
Kate twisted her neck around to see what had caused Castle to curse. A black convertible had emerged from an alley to block the street. Rojas—a large bandage over his bloodied nose—was standing in the passenger seat bearing a modified AK-47. His ugly face turned down in a sneer as he raised it to take aim.
Castle jerked his shoulder back and the movement caused the front wheel of the Ducati to lift up into the air. Kate felt her stomach lurch at the sudden change, but she stifled down the onslaught of vertigo. Bullets ricocheted off the undercarriage. The assault, thankfully, was short-lived, as it appeared the heavily modified AK-47 was too customized and it jammed on Rojas. Kate chuckled, and turned her attention back to the cars chasing after them. Narrowing her eyes, she continued firing, aiming for the front wheels of the nearest car. After five rounds, her aim struck true, and the front driver's side lit up in sparks as the metal rims hit the pavement. The car swerved out of control.
Kate glanced left as they zoomed past Rojas, who turned to stare at her, shock covering his ugly face. He let out a roar of frustration, struggling with his jammed weapon, and twisting around to watch them go by. Kate inclined her head, and pointed with one handgun. She watched as Rojas frowned and arched his neck around to see the spinning car hurtling towards him.
The bike sped down the street, and Kate soon lost sight of the unpleasant henchman. But a loud crash and explosion was audible moments later.
Castle shifted his weight again, and the front wheel of the Ducati dropped back down to the ground. The unexpected movement caused Kate's hips to shift closer to Castle's and she let out a grunt, suppressing the unexpected flush of arousal that flooded her core. Her eyes dropped to Castle, who was smirking. Smug bastard probably knew exactly what her reaction was.
"Kate Beckett," he said with a grin. "You've got skills."
She smiled back at him, and then he inclined his head. She nodded back, and without needing to speak any further, Kate draped her arms around his shoulders as she swung herself back around until she was once again secured behind him on the bike seat. She slipped the handguns back into the holsters along his sides and wrapped her arms around his torso. Closing her eyes, Kate buried her face against his shoulder, smothering her smile.
XXX
Her eyes flicked to the rearview mirror when she saw the flash of red. At first, she dismissed it as absurd. There was no way it could be possible. But then, from her periphery, she saw it again. Her mouth dropped on its own accord, and she had to drag her shocked gaze away before she crashed into something.
Richard Castle and Kate Beckett were chasing after her on a red Ducati Hypermotard.
Elena Markov drove through the plaza turning wide around the fountain. The black Smart Roadster with Mendoza and Gaspard followed. Arching her neck, she glanced back, seeing that Mendoza's men were corralling Castle and Beckett, diverting them. While she was checking on the pursuit, Mendoza pulled alongside her, his window rolled down. She slowed to match his speed and reached over, pressing the button to lower the window.
"Seems you were right," Mendoza shouted across. "Why don't you just toss the Keystone over now, and I'll wire you the payment."
Elena suppressed an eyeroll. She stared past Mendoza at Gaspard. His gray eyes were locked on her like a laser guided missile. She recognized the moment that he realized their deception had been uncovered.
"She knows," Gaspard said, lifting a pistol and pointing it at her.
Mendoza leaned back, startled by the gun barrel he saw in his face. "Joder, estas loco. Put that away! I'm driving here."
The Butterfly smiled that smile he thought was so charming. "Give us the Keystone, mon coeur. Just… toss it over."
Elena allowed herself a small smile. She had already spotted something that would ease her escape and eliminate the threat. "До свидания, Gaspard. До скорого." Goodbye. Until next time.
With deliberate force, she turned the steering wheel, ramming the Mercedes against the front side of the black Smart Roadster.
"¿¡Qué!? ¡Ella también está loca!" Mendoza shouted. What!? She's crazy, too!
Pedestrians cried out and scrambled out of the way as the roadster crossed the median and veered off the street, colliding with a parked car with Policía stenciled across the side doors. The two policemen, who had been talking with a flower cart vendor, turned in shock. Elena waited long enough to see that the police had spotted Gaspard's handgun, and were raising their own, yelling at him to lower the weapon.
Allowing herself a satisfied smile, Elena shifted gears and punched the accelerator. She picked up her phone as she drove through the streets of Seville, checking the map to find how best to get to the river. Looking up, she let out a curse and pressed the breaks. The road ahead was blocked by a boisterous crowd of protesters. Her ears twitched, and she glanced back, seeing Castle and Beckett bearing down on her. Elena honked the horn, and the protesters reluctantly parted for her, many shouting profanities at her and slapping their hands against the hood of the Mercedes. Soon she was swallowed by the mass of people, forced into a slow crawl.
She drummed her fingers along the steering wheel, chewing on her lower lip. The Ducati engine was loud and unmistakable. Finally, an opening appeared and she pressed her foot down on the pedal and zoomed through. Looking back over her shoulder, she didn't see any sign of pursuit from the irritating couple.
Those two were really starting to get on her nerves. She couldn't even bask in the fact she'd been right. At least she'd dealt with Gaspard, temporary as it was. He shouldn't be able to interfere with her current assignment anymore.
A low thrumming slice through the air, and Elena glanced up through the front windshield and smiled. Yes. A black helicopter sailed above. She leaned forward and watched for the direction it turned, doing her best to match it.
Taking another turn, she slammed on the horn as some shoppers stepped out into the street without bothering to look both ways. Zipping by them, she ignored their shouts and shaking fists. She flicked her eyes to the driver's side mirror and let out a curse in her native tongue.
Really!?
Castle and Beckett were back again.
She gritted her teeth, and punched down hard on the pedal, speeding through the shopping district. As she propelled past an alley, she saw a black convertible pull out and block the street behind her. She recognized the individual standing up in the passenger seat, but Rojas didn't seem to be paying any attention to her.
Good, she thought. Let him deal with them.
Elena drove on, satisfied her problems would be dealt with. Reaching the river, she found a road that followed its path. Ahead, she saw a small dock that housed some fishing boats. Alongside the boathouse was a large grass field. The black helicopter was hovering above, just beginning its descent.
She blinked. No.
In her periphery, Elena caught the flash of red. She turned her head and looked out the side window to see Castle and Beckett riding on a red Ducati, matching her speed. The former offered a cocky little wave, while the latter just stared at her. But their reunion was short-lived. They were on a road running parallel to hers, and theirs started to slope upwards, leading to an onramp for the bridge that spanned the river.
Elena pursed her lips and rammed her foot on the gas pedal, flooring it.
She would not let Castle and Beckett interfere again.
XXX
Castle dragged his gaze back to the onramp.
"That was her!" Kate shouted over the din of the engine.
He nodded, twisting his wrists as he accelerated the Ducati, turning them onto the bridge. They needed to stay on this side of the river, though, so, reacting instead of thinking, he zipped them forward, jumping the median. Kate yelped, her arms tightening around his middle. He drove them into oncoming traffic. Cars honked and swerved as he maneuvered around them.
Shifting his weight, he slid them to the right, and squeezed the brakes. The Ducati skidded to a stop, the scent of burning rubber assaulting his olfactory senses, and Castle leapt off, Kate right on his tail. They ran towards the railing at the edge of the bridge. Behind them cars honked their protests. Castle gripped the metal bar and glanced down seeing a dock, beyond the single boathouse lay a grass field. Hovering above was a black helicopter that was slowly making its descent.
"Castle!" Kate cried, gripping his arm and pointing.
He jerked his eyes up to follow her gaze. The Mercedes was zooming along the road below them, screeching to a bumpy halt at the barrier separating the dock area from the grass field.
Castle gripped the railing and turned to Kate. "See you down there," he said as he lifted a leg to help him climb over the metal fencing.
Kate touched his arm. "You're sure?" she asked with a worried tone.
He arched his neck to look back at her. "No," he said, and then jumped.
He curled himself as he fell through the air, using his arm to help shield his neck. The distance wasn't far. He soon crashed through a basic wooden pergola, landing on the ground in a tumble of broken wood planks, carboard storage boxes covered in nets, and the smell of day-old sardines. Shaking his head, Castle stumbled to his feet, and glanced over at the startled fisherman.
"Sorry," he offered, shoving a net off his back.
And he ran. Pumping his legs hard, and swinging his arms, Castle ran as fast as he could, breathing through his nose and exhaling through his mouth. Ahead, he could see Elena Markov getting out of the crashed Mercedes. Her head whipped around, spotting him rushing at her. She hurried around the vehicle to open the passenger door and retrieve a leather satchel.
The thrumming of the helicopter grew louder as it lowered, kicking the wind up.
Elena was turning to run, and Castle was closing the distance quickly. He pounded his feet against the concrete and launched himself into the air, colliding with the fleeing woman. She shoved him off her, growling. Standing, Castle drew his SIG Sauer, but she swept a leg out, kicking it away. He jerked his head, watching as it clattered away.
That's when he saw it.
Resting on the dirty concrete ground several feet away was the USB flash drive.
Elena saw it at the same time, and they both dove for it. Her fingers started to curl around it, but he wasn't far behind. They grappled on the ground, rolling around. Pushing and shoving. The roar of the helicopter's rotors increased as it touched down.
Clenching his jaw, Castle jabbed his elbow into her face. Her head jerked back, and she actually snarled at him, a trickle of blood appearing at the corner of her mouth. In retaliation, she swung her leg up and kneed him in the groin. His breath escaped his lungs as he collapsed, instinctively curling inward. Elena pushed him away, and scurried to her feet.
He lay there on the ground, nursing his injury, watching as the Russian assassin, who bore such a striking resemblance to his wife, reached her safe harbor, and climbed aboard her ride. Clenching his jaw, he soothed himself as the wind picked up around him as the rotor and blades sped up and the helicopter lifted up into the air.
"Castle!" Kate cried out. Her hurried footsteps barely audible over the roar of the departing helicopter.
He groaned as she helped him to his feet. She wrapped her arm around his shoulders, supporting him as he leaned into her side. They watched as the helicopter circled them, the face of Elena Markov looking down at them from one of the port windows, before it banked left and sailed off into the distance, soon disappearing beyond the horizon.
Castle let out a choked chuckle, and Kate glanced at him with a furrowed brow.
"Why are you smiling?" she asked. "She got away."
He grinned at his wife, and held up his hand, opening it to reveal the USB flash drive resting in his palm. Kate joined him in a laugh, bumping her shoulder against his.
"God, Castle, you're amazing!" she grabbed his face and kissed him soundly.
He wobbled back, still recovering from the blow to his groin. Not right that. A low blow that was. He eyed his wife for a long moment, trying to see if her pupils were still dilated.
"Oh, will you stop it," she huffed, punching him in the shoulder. "I think the effects have worn off."
"Too bad," he mumbled, shifting closer to her, allowing one of his hands to drop down the small of her back and brush along the curve of her backside. "You were really keen on having sex."
She let out an airy laugh, ducking her head down before lifting her eyes to his. "Who says I'm still not?"
Castle smiled. And Kate smiled right back, slowly tugging her bottom lip under her teeth in a way that she knew drove him crazy.
Then he groaned, bending in on himself, breaking the moment. Kate snatched the USB drive from his hand before it could slip and fall. "Here, lean on me," she said, supporting his weight. "Let's get this thing to Gibson, and then find a hotel."
"For what?"
"Well," she drawled out, giving him a sidelong glance. "I need to tend to my wounded husband."
"And after?"
Kate raised her chin, narrowing her eyes as she stared up into the sky as if in deep thought. "And after," she started, a sly smile spreading across her gorgeous face. "We resume our honeymoon."