Disclaimer: This piece of fiction is not intended to replace or copy ABC's Castle or to divert income from its creators. I do this for free.

Chapter Five

Two minutes left in the fourth quarter. Stoudemire had just made a mind-blowing three pointer that tied the game at 99. Rick and Kate were both perched on the edge of the sofa, grasping each other by the forearm. They'd nearly polished off their second bottle of Cab.

"Go, Douglas, no, you idiot!"

"Oh my God, did you see that?"

The Pistons stole the ball and plowed through the defense to land a two-point shot. Kate and Rick groaned in unison, but were quickly chanting and cheering again when the Knicks had the ball back on home court. Anthony passed to Stoudemire…Stoudemire passed to Jeffries…Jeffries feinted right, shot…scored!

Rick and Kate shot to their feet. Tied again, 50 seconds left. The Pistons took the ball down the court. Wilcox shot. Douglas deflected! The Knicks had the ball again! They were going to win!

"Come on, shoot!"

"We're going to make it!" Rick raised his fists in the air.

"Oh my God this is the best game ever!"

Rick glanced at Kate. She was right about that. He didn't think he'd ever enjoyed a sporting event more.

She looked at him then, and for a moment, neither of them looked away. He was the first to break contact. He had to be careful. The wine had muddled the edges of their tense new friendship. His hands had been finding excuses to touch her all night. Now he was on his fourth glass of wine—his last, he'd told himself—and his control over his wandering hands was thin.

Douglas ran the ball up the court right into a wall of the Pistons' defense. He struggled for an agonizing instant to find an open man. The clock was counting down. 6…5… Finally he passed to Stoudemire, who plucked the ball out of the air like his hands were covered in glue. Stoudemire shot…

"Yessss!"

Kate thrust her arms over her head. "We won!"

People spilled onto the court to celebrate the Knicks victory while the forgotten clock counted down the final two seconds of the game. Rick turned to Kate and clasped her in a celebratory bear hug. She was right there to meet him, laughing and cheering. She was a little wobbly on her feet. Rick braced his arms around her ribs to keep her standing.

It should have been a quick, impulsive moment. But the reality of their position slowly began to penetrate through to his wine-soaked mind. The full length of their bodies pressed against each other. His smile faded. He didn't let her go. He splayed his hand over her back, and trailed down, to the small of her waist. His pulse quickened.

Slowly, he drew back, so he could see her face. He watched her glance from his eyes to his mouth, and back, and he knew. He was going to kiss her. Heat pooled in the pit of his stomach. God, he'd wanted it for so long. Was it really going to happen?

Kate's body softened and melted into his. He didn't take his eyes off her face. He wanted to watch her. He needed to know.

He brought his mouth closer. She was going to let him…she wanted him…

Just before their lips touched, she shifted her face just barely, so that he met her jaw.

He panted with frustrated passion.

"No, Rick. We can't."

But she wasn't pulling away. Her body stayed securely nestled against his, her hands hanging loosely on his arms. Could she feel what she was doing to him? He hoped so. He wanted her to feel his body—all of him.

He caressed her back. Of their own volition, his lips drifted towards the curve of her neck. He didn't try to stop himself. He just wanted. The first contact with her skin stunned him. He froze with the shock of feeling her velvet under his lips. He'd barely brushed them against her, but they were both bellowing for breath. His hand ran up her back to cup the nape of her neck. Her breath was so shaky. She made no motion to put distance between them or stop him. If anything, she was pulling him closer, ever-so-slightly.

He ran his lips up to nuzzle her earlobe, bumping it with his nose, then back down to her throat. She whimpered, and he nearly lost his composure. He grasped her and descended his full open mouth upon her throat.

Yes…

Kate dipped at the knees, and he held her up, tasting her with his tongue. He felt like he was in a dream. He'd certainly dreamed about this enough times, both asleep and awake. He kissed up her neck, to her jaw, in a series of rough kisses. His hand was in her hair now. He felt himself growing frantic. The intensity of his arousal wrung a groan from his throat.

"Oh God, Rick…"

It was his name she was saying. It was him she wanted. She was writhing against him, alternately squeezing and pushing against his arms and chest. He kissed up her jaw, and before he realized it, they'd found each other's lips, wet, soft. Little whimpers escaped her. The hand that was on her back found its way downwards to the rise of her backside. God, he couldn't believe he was touching her there. He couldn't believe they were kissing each other, finally.

He slipped his tongue against hers in a desperate attempt to taste as much of her as possible. Dimly he noticed her exerting pressure against his shoulders, even as she met his kiss. He tore his lips away, and looked at her quizzically. Her face looked to be in agony. She braced her arms against him and turned her face away.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"We can't do this. I can't. I have a boyfriend, Castle."

The mention of her other man stabbed him with jealousy. It cooled his blood somewhat. He loosened his arms, but didn't release her. "Does he make you feel like this, Kate?" He knew that as far as he was concerned, this was pretty untouchable.

"It doesn't matter, Castle." She pushed out of his arms and laid her hands over her face. "Dammit."

He suddenly felt like an evil person. Guilty. But still amazed at how much he'd enjoyed kissing her. She'd come alive for him. He knew it would be like that with her. That first taste in the alley was just a hint. They were made for each other. "It should be me, Kate." He put his hand on her shoulder and pulled her close. She didn't resist, but he kept his touch sweet rather than savory. He worried he was pushing her too hard now, but his usual filters were off. Drowned in Cabernet Sauvignon. He wondered how much of this he'd regret in the morning.

Her hands still covering her face, she hid against his shoulder. "I'm already with someone."

He supposed it would be pretty presumptuous to ask her to leave Josh to be with him. She'd see it as taking things too fast. For him they couldn't go fast enough. Not with her. He had his mind made up already when it came to her. "I won't push. But I'm not going anywhere."

She didn't respond. She just stayed leaning against him while he lightly stroked her back.

She was so relaxed in his arms. He marveled at how she felt This was Kate Beckett, finally letting him in, despite herself.

"I need to call a cab," she said. Her words were muddled by her hands.

She was drunk, he knew. But no more than he was. That was probably the thing he would regret most.

"You can crash on my sofa if you like. You know you're more than welcome."

She recoiled. Her hands finally came away from her face, and he could see by the look in her eyes that the evening was finally catching up to her. "Yeah, because that's a good idea."

"I assure you I would be a perfect gentleman."

"It's a little late for that, Rick." Her admonishing tone held no guile, only shared guilt. It successfully made him feel like the lowest person on Earth.

"I'll call a cab for you." He stepped away from her. The look on her face tore him apart. She was beating herself up. And that made him feel even worse. He got his phone and called the cab.

Kate's head was spinning. Both from the wine and from the realization of what they'd done. It wasn't cheating, was it? It was just a kiss. Kisses were harmless…innocent…

God, what a lie.

She didn't even think it was possible for her to get so aroused from so little. The only thing that had shocked her back to her senses was how much more she had wanted to do…how much farther she'd almost let Castle take things.

Castle. Yes, they were back to Castle, dammit. He wasn't allowed to be Rick. Rick was too intimate. Rick was the name equivalent of stripping all his clothes off. She needed his clothes firmly back on. Castle, Castle, Castle.

She'd have to come clean with Josh. This meant no more being friends with Castle. Not if she wanted to save her relationship.

She did want to save it, didn't she? Sure, Josh was like a cardboard cutout. A placeholder. He gave her something to do. But without that…what would she do?

Castle finished calling the cab and walked back over to her. He looked grave. She couldn't deal with that right now. She was on the verge of passing out, was dealing with a mountain of her own guilt over what had just happened, and felt like knocking him to the ground. He had no right to look at her with that concerned, needy expression. They were not in this together. "I have to go, Castle." She turned to leave.

Rick grabbed her wrist, gently pulling her to turn around. "Kate, I'm…"

She waited for his apology. None came. She shook her head, and gently pulled away. "This was a bad idea."

"I disagree." The look on his face made her knees feel like jelly.

She wanted to fall against him. That was the wine talking. He was being so demanding, so…intense. She was melting under the heat. Without another word, she turned the knob and slipped out into the hall.