For Scully223, who gave me a whole bunch of suggestions for the second letter. I know you were looking forward to this one!

Fool Me Once & When The Bough Breaks

In retrospect, beach sex hadn't been the best of ideas. Despite the presence of beach towels, Kate now had sand in places it was definitely unwelcome, and it was far too early in the year to go for a swim to rinse it off.

"Shower," she panted once she caught her breath enough to speak. She was still pinned beneath Castle, his larger body sprawled out over the top of hers, face buried in her neck. His hot breath washing over her skin was doing nothing to calm her already racing heart.

After a couple more minutes, he finally rolled off of her, sat up, brushing sand from his body.

"I think I have sand in my belly button."

Kate laughed, swatted at his arm as she lifted herself into a seated position. "If that's the worse place it's hiding, consider yourself lucky."

He reached out to trace the crease of her thigh, brushing away some of the fine grains with his finger. "Yeah, you're probably right."

"Shower," she repeated, forcing her wobbly legs to support her.

She wadded up their bathing suits and towels while he collected the journal and they made their way inside, leaving footprints and a light trail of sand behind them.

In the bathroom, they quickly rinsed off in the shower, but before Kate had a chance to soap up, Castle guided her out of the stall and into his Jacuzzi, turning the jets on full blast. After the amount of physical activity in the last day, he figured they both could use a relaxing soak.

Once the tub was full, he sat down against the jets, pulled Kate into the vee of his legs. She melted into him, allowed him to wrap her in his arms.

She rested her head against his, gazed lazily around the room. Their sandy beach apparel was lying haphazardly on the floor and Castle had set the journal on the counter by the sink, easily within reach.

Hmmm.

Reading it together while in the tub... well, that brought to mind a whole new set of mental images.

Kate slipped her hands from beneath the water, wiped them on the towel that hung from the wall between the Jacuzzi and the sink. She pulled the journal from the counter, felt Castle nod and press a kiss to her neck in agreement.

He too dried his hands, laced their fingers together, and flipped open the journal.

Kate,

You're such a liar. Claiming you don't like con movies. Telling me you hadn't started the book. Trying to convince me your date last night was with Heat Wave.

Though now that I think about it, I haven't seen a guy hanging around here since Sorenson, and you haven't mentioned anyone, so maybe you really weren't out on a date. Maybe you were at home with a glass of wine, reading page 105 for the hundredth time.

You were, weren't you?

What did you think of it? Care to recreate the scene in real life? I have tequila and I'm sure there are limes somewhere in this house. I definitely have a bed. A large, comfortable bed. And you'd have the real life, much more handsome version of Jameson Rook beneath your hands.

It would be so much more fun than just reading about it in the bath. Or I could join you in the tub, read it to you. We could start there, with wine and my book, see where the night leads. I have a feeling it would take your ability to inspire me to a whole new level.

(In case you're wondering, I have absolutely no objections to that.)

-Castle

Kate smiled to herself, already anticipating where this conversation was going.

"Castle."

"Yeah?"

She turned her head, kissed his cheek. "I was reading your book that night. With wine. And candles. In my bathtub."

"You were serious?" he exclaimed, dropping one hand beneath the surface to wrap around her stomach, hold her naked body against his.

She laughed, powerless against the way her body arched into his touch. "Yep."

He pressed a warm, open-mouthed kiss to her neck, felt her shudder against him.

"Care to...recreate that evening? With me reading to you?"

Heat shot through her veins at the thought of his voice in her ear, low and sexy, reading his own words aloud while they soaked in his Jacuzzi in the Hamptons.

How could she ever say no to that?

She tilted her chin, met his lips in an affirmative kiss. "Sure."

Castle cleared his throat, began to read in her ear, voice deep and sensual.

Kate,

You looked amazing last night. I know you don't like the publicity, but you nailed it. The red carpet, the sexy dress. You're a natural. And you looked amazing.

I have to admit, I'm so glad my Nikki Heat contract was renewed. We may have had a petty argument about it yesterday, and I was incredibly honored to be offered the chance to write he-who-must-not-be-named. But I'm not ready to let Nikki go just yet. Ah, who am I kidding? I'm not ready to let you go either.

My agent told me last night to sleep with you and get you out of my system, but it doesn't work that way. You're not something to be 'gotten out of my system.' At some point, you might have been. But now that I've gotten to know you, you're so much more than that. You're amazing and inspiring, and you and the guys are probably the closest friends I've had in a long time. That's not something I'd just walk away from.

And given that my limbs and nose and ears are still intact, I think you don't find me as annoying as you pretend to, and you don't really mind that I'll be writing more of Nikki. I think you're secretly flattered.

I also think you secretly really liked the dedication.

I meant it, you know. Every word. I've said it before and I'll say it again; you're extraordinary. You're tough and confident and sexy. You're an amazing detective, the way you fight for justice yet empathize with the victims. You've taken what's happened to you in the past and used it to drive you to help make New York City a safer place.

I know I've said this all before, but it's very honorable, what you do, and I don't think you get the recognition you deserve. Now you have the dedication. Now the world can know how incredible you are.

It only seemed right to dedicate the book to my inspiration. Without you, Nikki Heat wouldn't exist. Consider it a thank you for letting me follow you around and poke my nose into your life.

You should know I've enjoyed every minute of it.

-Castle

As he finished reading, Kate became aware of the fact that there was a huge smile on her face, pure love radiating from her eyes. But he'd just read to her, called her extraordinary and inspiring, and he was talking about his books and the dedications and...

At the time, one book dedication had been completely overwhelming. Now, that number had grown to five, soon to be six, each one reflecting their journey, their places in each other's lives. She knew every word from memory; they were words that she'd come to carry very close to her heart.

From Frozen Heat: To all the remarkable, maddening, challenging, frustrating people who inspire us to do great things.

From Deadly Heat, released just over a year after they started dating; To Kate - may the dance never end and the music never stop.

He claimed he had the dedication worked out for the next book, too. Raging Heat was slated to be released in the fall, but so far no interrogation technique she'd employed had successfully gotten him to share.

"You okay?" Castle asked softly, leaning forward, regarding her glowing profile with curious yet reverent eyes.

She set the journal back on the counter, turned in his arms so she was straddling his thighs. "Yeah."

"Is it too much?" he asked, noticing the moisture collecting in her eyes.

"Then? I was overwhelmed," she admitted with a smile. "I mean, half the time I wanted you around but half the time I wanted to smack you. And you dedicated an entire book to me."

"But now?"

Kate kissed him hard, laced her fingers behind his neck, pulled him closer. Not arousing, just comforting.

"Now, it's just enough."

Thoughts?