prompt: "My ex was here. I looked him in the eyes when I grabbed some other guy by the belt and dragged him into a room" (via textsfromcastle)
"Kate?"
Oh no. Come on. No.
Kate turns around, fingers curled around her champagne flute, and sure enough.
He's tan. His hair's longer. He looks good, healthy, like he's doing well.
"Josh."
It's a whirlwind of memories flaring up. The good times. The worse times. The long days in the hospital. Caring that turned into patronizing that turned into suffocating that turned into a one-way ticket to Haiti and a summer out of the city. It didn't end well.
"I, uh - didn't realize you'd be here."
"I came with someone," she shrugs. Speaking of - where is Castle? He stepped aside to go talk to someone, promised he'd be back in a second. He left her at the bar in her short, tight dress with just enough alcohol that she's not quite as grounded as maybe she should be to be talking to her ex. Her hot ex.
"Oh." Josh leans on the bar, waving to the bartender for drinks. Oh no, no no. "Well. You look amazing, Kate. How have you been?"
This is not good. He needs to leave her alone. "I'm fine, Josh."
His eyes sweep over her, taking in the low neckline, her bare shoulders, the skirt that's just high enough that she suddenly feels uncomfortable. Castle likes this dress. Apparently Josh does too.
She needs to get out of this. "Look, it was nice to see you, but I need to go find my date. Later, Josh."
Kate snags her champagne and slips away before he can grab her hand. Time to find Castle. She needs the right man to be leering at her.
She's chatting with a few of Castle's fellow writers when she sees Josh again. Watching her. Trying to elbow his way into her group. She grits her teeth. It's over, it was over months before she told him to get out of her apartment, and she already said she was here with someone, so why the hell doesn't he -
She quickly excuses herself and finds Castle, who's talking to some other guys a few feet away. "Castle?" She sets a hand on his shoulder. "Sorry guys, can I steal him for a second?"
Ever obedient, Castle follows her, his fingers twining with hers as he crowds a little too close. They've both had just a little too much champagne, and he gets handsy when he's buzzed. "What is it? You wanna leave?"
She looks up, and sure enough, Josh is watching, his eyes narrowing. He's never liked Castle.
She wants him to see this.
She hooks two fingers in Castle's belt, ignoring the sharp gasp he pulls in, and drags him out of the ballroom and into a dark coat closet.
She shoves him back against the door with a little more force than necessary, latching her mouth onto his and shoving her hands down his pants.
"Kate - what are y-"
"Shut up," she hisses, pushing him again, his shoulders slamming against the door.
"I think maybe this is - "
"Shut up," she growls into his mouth, biting his lower lip as she gets her fingers inside his boxers and he groans, his hips bucking into her as she strokes him firmly.
He finally gets the message and shuts up, pushing her skirt up, pinning her back against the wall. His hand slips between her legs and she chokes out a strangled noise. He chuckles. "A little eager, Detective?"
She bites his lip again and reaches for his belt, but he grabs her hands, stilling them. "Kate. Kate. We're not doing this."
"Castle, come on - just - " She grinds on his thigh, trying to pull him back, but he's not giving in, holding her wrists, fixing her with a keen gaze.
"Kate. We're not having sex in a closet because you're drunk and you saw your ex."
She blinks, her face getting hot, and she's squirming under his knowing look because he's right, she knows it, this is just a gut reaction, the lust and anger and need. She hates it. But he's right. She doesn't want Josh involved in their lives. Not like this.
He presses a gentle kiss to her lips, slow, soft, loving. She melts under him, giving in, letting him love her more quietly, his hands framing her face.
He pulls away, his eyes sparkling, and she can't help it. She tugs at his belt again, coy. "Are you sure you don't want to?"
"Positive." He slides his hand over her ass and squeezes. "We are leaving now. We are going back to the loft. And we're going to have sex, on my couch, where you can be as loud as you want."
On their way out, they see Josh again. He catches her eyes, and Kate's ready to just walk past. But Castle tugs her arm. She looks up, confused -
- and out of nowhere Castle's kissing her, deep, his tongue teasing hers, his hands in her hair. Oh. Oh.
He lets her go and she catches her breath, looking up at him, her blood racing through her veins. "What was that all about?"
Castle grins at her, curling his arm around her waist. "Figured you wanted him to see just how whipped I am."
Back at the loft, they manage to stumble inside and collapse onto the couch. It's too frantic, buzzing with a need so overpowering they don't even get their clothes off. She gets his tux pants unzipped and he tugs her underwear aside and she sinks down onto him with a wordless moan, her body stretching around him, hot and thick and tight and just yes.
When she finally comes, trembling violently, melting into the hot rush of him inside her, she slumps against his chest, spineless and warm and sated. It's always like this with him, it's always so good and she'd secretly wondered if it would ever get dull but so far that's a no, and she wonders if maybe it's because they were desperately in love before he ever got her naked and screaming his name.
Kate feels the slow rumble as he takes a deep breath. "Well. That was a nice evening."
She laughs softly. "I didn't realize you liked fundraisers so much."
"Hey," he murmurs, turning her face towards his. "You okay? I didn't mean to be flippant. I didn't realize he'd be there."
"It's okay." She leans back into the broad warmth of his chest, absently drawing patterns over the soft fabric of his shirt. "I, uh. I got a little possessive."
"You did," he nods. "It was hot."
She nuzzles his jaw, pressing a soft kiss over the faint stubble. "Good. Because you're mine."
He tugs her up, sweeping her off her feet and into his arms before she can do more than yelp and clutch at him. "Then come on." He grins at her cheekily, carrying her into his bedroom and kicking the door shut. "Use me for my body, Detective. I don't mind."
