Starting with this chapter I have an editor, which means this little ditty should read with out the speed bumps of poor grammar.

Nipping at the barely there cleft of his chin, "I had a present for you."

Stammering uncontrollably, "Had? Past tense?"

"As in when I arrived at the loft…" Doing her best Mae West impression, an impression he didn't know she had, Kate winked and husked out with a flirty smirk, "I had a little something' something' for you."

Rick choked out, "Why does that sound so dirty?"

Placing her hands on her hips and rolling eyes full of mirth, "Because Rick Castle, your mind immediately goes to the dirty side."

Wrapping his hands around Kate's slim hips and tugging her close, "Have you looked in the mirror lately? Where else would it go?"

Matching her hips to his, just the way Kate knew made Rick shudder with anticipation, "Are you going to take me home now? For a little something?"

Slipping a hand to the small of her back, Rick slowly nudged his fingers under her shirt and inside the waistband of Kate's jeans. Breaking off their kiss, Kate burrowed her face in his shoulder, "We need to go."

He loved the way she responded to his touch, how a feather like touch in just the right spot had the fierce Detective Beckett melting.

Pulling from Kate's hold, Castle swept his hands in front of his body encouraging her eyes to travel over Rick from head to toe. "My, my, my, Katherine Beckett for a woman who it took me four, count them FOUR long hard years to woo. Four years to have you admit what you denied from that first fateful night we met at my book signing, that you wanted me and now that you have had a taste of this….."

Stopping to flex his body in a poor imitation of the Incredible Hulk, flashing a wicked grin, "and I mean all of THIS, you can't seem to get enough of me."

Searching Kate's poker face for a flicker of admission, a flash of acknowledgment, being Castle, he had to push it, "Fine. Have it your way, you didn't want, want me, but you did want me to autograph your boo..."

Chuckling loudly and arching a perfectly shaped brow, "Correction…" poking Rick repeatedly in the chest, "…You wanted to sign my chest. Oh and you wanted to sleep with me. Me, I wanted to solve a murder and hopefully never see your smug, womanizing, leering mug again."

Flashing his dazzling blue eyes, "Please Kate, lie to me but don't lie to yourself, you wanted to sleep with me."

Before Castle could control his mouth it ran away from his brain, "Have your wicked way with me. Teach me a thing or two. Sign MY chest, do a little dance. Try out your cuffs on very naked and famous Richard Castle. Show me a little something something…"

"As for wanting you now…" rolling her eyes, Kate declared with a flirty smile, "I'd call that last little bout of verbal diarrhea a mood killer."

Moving with lightning speed Castle captured her lips with his. Kate eagerly responded with a long slow kiss that was full of promise.

Rick let out a guttural laugh, "Based on your response, I declare the mood is back. However, before we go, my last tale of misguided proposals…for your beloved panties."

Kate asked, "Panties?" Followed up with a playful smack to Rick's bicep, "How old are you?"

Rubbing his arm in mock pain, Castle couldn't just let it go. "Yes, I could have said underwear, underthings, granny wear, undies, thong or…" Dipping a few fingers further inside the back of her jeans, merely in the name of research, "…ah yes, my favorite a G-string."

Staring up at the sky, and rolling her eyes Kate proclaimed, "Mom, I am going to marry a perpetual frat boy."

Looking skyward Castle added, "A ruggedly handsome, extremely rich and sexy man, who is also…"

Kate silenced him a hand over his mouth. Still looking skyward, "…the one."

Placing a palm on her cheek, bringing her face to level to his, Castle smiled broadly as Kate refocused her attention on him. "I would like to focus on sharing with you one final story of abandoned proposals, followed up by you driving us home so I can claim my prize."

Overcome with a sudden bout of uncharacteristic shyness, Kate ducked her head, hair falling to hide her eyes from his. "Do you want to hear about my almost proposal?"

"Your what?" Sputtering until he choked on his own breath, Rick said with wonderment, "You, the amazingly fierce and independent Kate Beckett, thought of proposing? To me?"

Backpedaling quickly, Kate clarified, "Not really a proposal, more of a proclamation."

Reflecting back on the hours standing on a bomb waiting for it to blow, when all Kate could think of was how she wanted the chance to marry Rick Castle, Kate confessed, "I was standing on that f- bomb, I should have had my entire life pass before my eyes. You know like they say in the movies, but that wasn't the case. I had one thought, it was of you. Did you love me enough to marry me? In those moments, hours standing with my knees locked, my legs turning to jelly I didn't think of anything but you and what might be."

Rick rasped out a simple soulful, "Kate."

Swiping a tender thumb across his brow, sliding her hand down his cheek to curl her fingers around his ear, pulling Rick in close, Kate huffed out, "And then you left."

Rick leaned into her touch and murmured into her ear, "I came back."

Castle felt Kate's face blossom into an open smile against his cheek, "Yes, and for the second time in my life I was reminded that even on the darkest day there is the possibility of joy. Your face, your smile, the twinkle of your eyes, I wanted to tell you, you were my one. My done. The words were locked in my throat."

"Thank God you didn't, I would have grabbed you and set off the bomb."