Dec 23

"You're trying to beat your previous record aren't you?" The smirk in her voice, albeit a sleepy voice, was apparent.

They were two days out and his excitement just kept building, bubbling beneath the surface of his skin and threatening to make him explode.

Or maybe it was just her.

He didn't care what happened to him for the rest of his life. This was the single-second only to holding his newborn baby girl-best thing that had ever happened to him.

He peered at her face from over her shoulder and shrugged. "When you have the time and the stars are aligned...I figure who am I to keep the universe from what it so obviously wants?" He snuggled his chin down into the space at her neck and she grumbled. Not the sound he wanted if things were to progress the way he wanted them to this morning. And it was early yet. Quite a bit earlier than most of him was used to being so...up. But he had good reason to keep up with the rest of his body right now and intended to make the most of it while he had her. Here. While he had her here. With him.

"Scratchy beard," she grumbled and pushed on his face until he relented and rolled to his back, but tugged her with him until she, too, relented and snuggled into his side with contented sigh. Today was one of the scheduled lazy days. No formal activities. Just lazing in bed, or on the couch in front of the fire. Maybe a hike later would be fun. Alexis used to love taking spontaneous hikes together just to enjoy the woods.

He rubbed a hand down his face and released a deep breath.. She was right. It had gotten a little out of control. He'd only left it because she'd seemed to be enjoying it. Maybe he'd been wrong.

"Stop thinking so loud, mountain man," she chided, in sync as ever. "I do like it-it suits you, but you're constantly touching your face now. It's a little weird."

If she knew he'd been touching his face to seal her kisses to his skin she might think that weirder. And it was a little itchy. It had just reached that length that straddled the line between comfortable and uncomfortable.

She got out of bed suddenly and drew the covers down his torso. Grasping his hand she pulled him out of bed and guided him to the bathroom, encouraging him to sit on the side of the jacuzzi.

She turned and ran a washcloth under the faucet, turning on the jacuzzi to fill as she returned to his side. She ran the washcloth gently over his face. "Do you trust me?"

"Always," he replied. And he did.

"I I have it on pretty good authority that it will grow back should you change your mind. Or if I miss it too much." She winked and turned to place the washcloth on the counter and sprayed a good amount of shaving cream on her palm. He was naked, he thought, inanely. And she in a camisole and not a stitch more. The shaving cream was cool on his cheeks, chin, and neck. She stepped between his thighs and suddenly all he felt was warmth. It radiated from her fingertips into his face where it was carried along by his veins into every reach of his body. The tender attentiveness she gave to his face, tip of the tongue peeking out from between those luscious pink lips-was almost enough to undo him.

She smirked as she wiped her hands on a towel and ran his razor under the tap. When she turned back to him she pulled a bath towel with her and draped it across his lap. "Down boy, plenty of time for that later," she murmured as she kissed his forehead gently then whispered, "Try not to move."

It wasn't meant to be seductive. He knew that. But she took such care and he'd known he was a goner before she'd really started. Trying to avoid moving as she'd asked, he clenched his hands together in his lap. That wasn't the best move so he opted to lay each palm flat on his thighs. Nope. Gripping the jacuzzi side then.

Before he knew it Kate was reaching behind him to shut off the water. She dipped the washcloth into the warm water and ran it over his face, following with a finger as if feeling the smoothness for the first time. Smoothing aftershave across his cheeks and jaw, she admired her handiwork. Seemingly satisfied, she kissed the corner of his mouth, whipped the towel off of his lap as she turned, and stripped off her camisole leaving her as bare as he-save the towel she'd placed on his lap.

"Bath time?" she inquired.

When she turned back, he moved closer then wrapped her arms around his neck, and tugged her forward.

"This first," he murmured, and then he kissed her softly, his lips against hers, warm and tender and lingering. "Good morning." Morning breath be damned-this was one of the hottest kisses yet. His freshly shaven jaw tingled both with the sensation left by the aftershave as well as the feeling of her skin pressing against him.

Kate breathed deeply and found herself unable to contain her smile. Snow crunched beneath her boots and the ends of her hair danced about tickling her cheeks. She wasn't sure when it happened, but her gloved left hand was tangled with Castle's right and they swung together between them as they walked. She'd liked the beard...for various reasons, but his clean shaven self was the one she'd initially fallen for.

What was it about this place? Something magical for sure had her mind allowing the truth she'd so ardently denied for so long finally make itself known-and stay. She was content. More than content, she was happy. He made her happy. For the first time in years she was enjoying Christmas.

"Hey," he tugged her hand and she stumbled to a stop just in front of him.

He grinned, "You look happy," he said.

"I am happy." She tried to pull away to keep moving but his grip remained firm and his stance didn't falter. He looked so...handsome in the sunlight that made its way through the trees. She'd had him this morning, but something about his boyish joy made her want to eat him alive. Maybe it was best that Martha and Alexis had opted not to come along on this hike.

She brought her free hand up and tucked it into his front pocket and pulled him until they were toe to toe. Their breath mingled and it was curious to be able to actually *see* it appear in the cold. There was something very intimate about it and she found herself getting emotional. So she pulled her hand from his and yanked his face down just a smidge before kissing him hard.

He opened to her immediately and she groaned at the familiarity. They broke apart with a 'pop', each breathing heavily. And then she started giggling.

Raving lunatic mad giggling. The kind that started to hurt so bad she started to cry.

Kate fell to her seat and inadvertently pulled him along with her. When her eyes cleared she noted the slight distress tinging his beautiful face.

"Kate-are you-what's so funny?" he stammered as he ran a hand down her shoulder in what was likely intended to be a comforting maneuver.

Oh. He was...was he scared?

She supposed going from a kiss-attack to a giggling maniac may be cause for concern so she quieted her giggles and took a deep breath. "You. I'm just...you're...thank you. This is exactly what I didn't know I needed. And-" she cut herself off abruptly. Loose as she may feel and magical as this place may be she wasn't quite ready to release those words when she'd only just conceded to herself that they were truth.

His smile spread as she was speaking. Good. Not cracking up then. Whew. And she was happy. And he was partly to thank for it and...

"And?"

She smiled and pecked him quickly before standing and offering him a hand. "And-maybe I'll tell you later. Just-thank you."

Well he wasn't going to say no to that. Both on their feet again, they started walking again in silence. He let her wander a bit ahead of him-mostly so he could observe her. It was truly one of his favorite pastimes.

After walking for a while she doubled back and reached for his hand again, squeezing, saying all that he needed or wanted to hear in just that. She came back to him. Sought him out. And she was smiling. He could wait for the 'and'. It didn't matter how long it took because he knew it was there.

Eventually they stopped at a clearing and sat on a fallen tree. Castle pulled out a thermos, poured, and offered the cup to Kate.

"Mmmm, what's this?" she asked, sipping at it before he had the chance to answer. "Mocha?"

"Ahhh, I would have gone with just hot chocolate, but I know my girl so-"

"Your girl?"

"I- yes?"

She regarded him for only a moment, "I like it."

That was...not wholly expected. But wow. Whether she meant the mocha or his insinuating she was his girl-didn't matter. Just wow. He was smitten. Had been for a long while. "I thought it would be more appropriate with coffee," he shrugged.

"I've hit the jackpot haven't I? Found a man willing to lace his famous hot chocolate with coffee for me."

"What can I say? I'm a keeper."

"Yeah," she sighed, and it sobered him right up. "You are a keeper." She bumped his shoulder lightly and lifted the small cup to his lips. He sipped and watched her watching him as he did. He was so glad Alexis and his mother hadn't come along with them.

Kate took the thermos from him and screwed the cap back on and placed it to the side. She swiveled until she was straddling the fallen tree, gripped both sides of his jacket, and pulled him within a breath of her. "Hey."

"Hey."

"I need to tell you something."

He grinned. She seemed so serious. Her breath warmed his face. It was a weird thought to be having in such an intimate moment. He held on to her elbows as she scooted even closer, climbing into his lap.

"Just-" she caught her breath, "just want you to know," she stopped and put a gloved hand over his chest-somewhere beneath which beat his heart. "You are."

"I am?" He was. Confused. She released a small puff of air which meant she was exasperated but also trying not to laugh.

She traced his lower lip with her same gloved finger. It was cold and rough. He bit the tip and wrestled the glove off, kissing her pink fingertips.

"Beast," she laughed, digging her now free hand into his hair and scratching at his skull. Heavenly. "You are. A keeper."

Sealed with a kiss.

He felt as giddy as a school-girl. Her lips were warm against his, the chill of the air having caught up to his body since they'd stopped walking. He could kiss her forever, he thought, if he could keep her.

Keep her.

Keeper.

That was a thought.

All too soon Kate pulled away from him and stood up. She re-gloved her hand and took his, pulling him to stand almost as abruptly as she'd pulled him into their little interlude. She confounded him, but he'd follow her anywhere.

"Sorry. I just. I needed to be close."

His guffaw was probably less than the encouraging sentiment she'd been hoping for, but it was the best he could do. Before she could get too flustered and move away he wrapped her in his embrace and inhaled her. For a long moment he'd thought he'd stunned her, but her body relaxed over the course of a minute and he searched out her eyes. "I needed it too. Let's go home."

Her returning smile that bloomed said everything that was still waiting to be said. "Home?" she questioned, "Sounds perfect."