I'd like to say this will be done before Monday, but who am I kidding… I've had a couple of tough health related weeks, and with my beta away I've fallen behind. But I promise that one way or another, I will end this story! Hope you enjoy!

Hour 63

We ended up buying more things than I'd predicted, so I can't hold her hand during the walk back to the loft. This forces me to simply keep running into her left side just to keep some form of physical contact with her. I wonder how long it's going to take her to realize what I'm doing.

"Castle. Stop it."

"Stop what?"

"Stop running into me! It's growing old really fast!"

"But I can't grab your hand with all this bags we're carrying!"

"Yeah, well, I told you we didn't need all this ice-cream, dry breakfast ingredients, and twice the amount of flour needed, which you decided to buy in case we suddenly decide to part take in a food war. Which you will probably instigate now that we actually have enough food to have one."

"I just didn't want us to need to go out again in case something happened with the pizzas! As far as I know, we can get thoroughly distracted necking on my couch, hence the need for a plan B."

"Well, if things actually got to that point, trust me, plan B would be calling the pizza guy or something. There wouldn't enough time to do everything twice. And you didn't bring that much cheese. So just, walk straight, allow us to get there today instead of tomorrow and then, if you're nice, we can hold hands for the what, fifteen minutes we haven't been able to do so now. How does that sound?"

"Not good enough, but I guess it'll have to do, since it's all you're offering…"

"Well, it's either that or you still stop pushing me and we don't hold hands, which would turn something that could be a win-win situation into a win-loose one… Your choice…"

"The only thing that would make the whole straight-hence-fast-walking-to-then-be-allowed-to-hold-hands-for-fifteen-minutes-while-we're-at-the-loft a win-win situation would be if you also take your pants off while we're doing it."

"What? How did we get from hand holding to pants off?"

"Well… You know how our first three days together were supposed to be a 72 hours optional festival?"

"Yeah…"

"I figured, if we're going to the Hamptons tomorrow, to share a house with my mother and my only child, I believe it's safe to assume that our festival will only last tonight before we need to get yet another rain-check. And you know, you're already wearing one of my T-Shirts, so you being pant-less would only provide me with an eye full of a lot of nice, smooth, sexy Beckett skin. Not enough to make me truly happy, but enough to keep me content."

"Hump. I guess that, when you put it like that a pant-less afternoon could be a nice way to compensate for not being able to have our so thoroughly deserved festival…One condition, well, besides fro the walking straight one. You gotta be shirtless."

"Uhm… that doesn't really seem fair you know, it feels like a tit for tat kind of thing when it should be tit for tit…but it can be arranged. When it comes to it, I have no problem with walking around my house flaunting my bod." I really don't see the down side of this. Walking around half naked with an equally undressed Kate Beckett? Yeah, I can totally walk straight keeping that image in mind. "Though, I'm putting on an apron for the sauce stirring part of the evening." And she laughs. Whole heartedly. And that's all I ask for. Even if it was just for that smile, I'd walk straight for all eternity.

By the time we reach the loft, her laugh isn't enough anymore. My mind conjured all these images of Beckett's leg and I just need to get those pants off her. Right this very moment. The way I fumble with the elevator button and seconds later with the keys is a tale enough. No poker face would hide the excitement I feel right now.

"Breath Castle. My showing a lot of legs is going to be kind of useless if you pass out before I actually unbutton my jeans!"

And I do as I'm told. It must be a first. And she reads my mind: "wow, had I know that's all it took to get you to listen to me, I would have promised that way sooner."

"Very funny."

"I thought so too…glad to see we share our sense of humor…"

We both put our bags down and we begin the most stupid staring contest ever…"Uhm… this isn't how I pictured this…" I'm all flustered and it's stupid. We've seen each other half naked yesterday night. So why does it feel so awkward now? "Oh… uhm, yeah, so…"

"For a man who makes his living with words you sure have a hard time finding them when you need them the most."

"It's just… you know, we don't need to do this if you don't want to…"

She goes around the kitchen island to were I'm standing, holds my hands, and leaning close to my ear, in the most amazing bedroom voice I've ever heard, she says: "oh, but you see Rick, I want to. I promise you some hand holding and a light clothed afternoon, and I plan to go through with both of those promises. Now, are you willing to do the same?"

I lift her hand to my lips and without breaking eye contact I say: "trust me Kate, from now on, and for as long as I live, I have every intention of keeping each and every single one of the promises I ever make you. Unless we go back to the precinct. If you ever go back to the force, I can only promise to keep my promises unless I need to break them to keep you safe."

"Castle? You're babbling." Without another word- but with a lot of sexy glances directed my way- she leads us both to my bedroom, were she slowly takes my button up off me. Not an easy thing to do, considering she won't let go of my hand. But I won't complaint. I realize how good she's at keeping promises when she only lets go of my right hand after grabbing my by now shirtless left one. My heart grow even fonder at that. When she's done, she stays still, watching me intently, as if waiting for something. She seems to notice my inability cooperate and sighs. "Do I need to do ALL the work here Castle?" Luckily I catch up before it's too late. I stop her just as she's about to unbutton her jeans and I do it myself. Now getting the zipper down is a bit trickier than I had anticipated, but I eventually get it done. Now all I need to do is get her shoes off so I can get the trousers out of my way. Hump. Always the mind reader, she sees my problem and instead of getting them off just by using her own feet, she leads me to the bed, were she proceeds to seat down and only let's go of my hand to clasp both of them around my neck. I look at her questioningly and she dares me by rising an eyebrow. "You gotta a problem with this arrangement Mr. Castle?"

"Nop, none whatsoever." I take her shoes off one at the time and she then stands up, bringing myself with her. I assumed she was going to grab one of my hands again but she surprises me by leaning in and kissing me. It's nice, sort of chaste and sweet. And it's long. I mean, really long. I can't really help myself as I put my own arms around her. God how I love this woman. Eventually, our need for air breaks up the kiss, but that's just fine, cause I get to slide the jeans off her beautiful legs. As expected, I take my time to reverently kiss them here and there. No real pattern, just a lot of love. When I reach her feet, she holds herself up with her hands in my shoulders and steps out of them. I look up only to see her hiding away from me, suddenly shy. "You do know I've already seen you naked right?"

"Yeah…it just seems different out here, in broad light…"

"When we showered together it was morning…but anyhow, you have nothing to be shy about Beckett. I love you, every single inch of you is to me the most appealing thing I've ever set my eyes on. So trust me, you can be the confident- bad ass Kate Beckett you were just minutes ago, for I am completely at your mercy."

And just in case, and because I can, I kiss her again.

"So…you hang the laundry for it to dry while I sort the groceries out?"

"Sound like a plan."

"Good." And just like that, our evening as a shirtless man and a jean-less woman begins. This is going to be so much fun!