Warnings: for fairly silly and tame bondage. Make yourself an avocado and tomato sandwich, and enjoy! ;)
Chapter 5:
"So, how is it you two know each other?" Stone was ready for answers now that her body and spirit were both fed. Everyone had spent the meal moaning about how orgasmic the food was, how perfectly it paired with the wine. Then, Jaqui regaled them with some amusing anecdotes from the party downstairs, one involving a caged tiger, gypsy punk band, and tattooed aerialist, who had mistakenly gotten too close to both.
Their benign revelry halted when Cassandra asked her first personal question of the night, but the query hung in the air, unanswered.
The soft light in the kitchenette reminded Ryan of Castle's place, so upscale, so civilized, so flattering. Ryan noticed the whisps of hair framing Cassandra's face had reddish highlights, even the lighting seemed to be good at luring out the secrets, nothing like the tawdry fluorescent tube lighting in his and Espo's apartment kitchens.
"Well..." Kevin raised his eyebrow at Espo and leaned anxiously into the table, checking to see who wanted to take the lead on this one. He knew there was a risk that the night would be over when they brought in their 'official business.'
Rationally, Ryan supposed he should be wary, especially since the redheaded Jaqui obviously considered herself Cassandra's protector of sorts. But, in truth, the young detective couldn't help feeling overly trusting of his benefactor Ms. Stone. Maybe it was the blow job talking, but his gut told him that his passport to Cassandra's Fantasyland wasn't expired, just yet.
"He's my partner," Javi cut in. "We're homicide detectives in the 12th precinct."
Their dreamy-eyed host mulled it over, "Ah, that certainly adds a fascinating layer."
But Jaqui narrowed her eyes, "Wait, is your visit here tonight part of official police business?"
"Yes," Javi admitted.
"And No," Kevin placated nervously. "Look, obviously, what just happened here is not part of any police protocol. We are here because we want to be...very much." Javi nodded in agreement with his partner.
"I hear a 'but' coming," Jaqui fished, suspiciously.
Esposito took the bait, allowing a bit too much of his hard ass cop persona into his voice, "But... someone has been murdered, and you and Ms. Stone may have the information we need to make sure that person doesn't get a way with it. Or worse, do it again."
Jaqui glared at the sudden change in tone.
Cassandra marshalled, "Wait, wait, no need to ruin the mood, anyone." Rubbing her best friend's forearm soothingly, she continued, "I think there's a way for us to help, without spoiling the fun, right?"
Stone took the lead. She was very possessive when she felt like the night was headed toward anything that would put a cold distance between her companions. She had enough of that in her 'real' life. Her friends had gone to great lengths to make this night an antidote to that kind of toxicity.
"Javi, Kevin, are we suspects?" she began.
Kevin quickly reassured, "No, no, we just need you to fill in the details, maybe make sense of our findings that seem to contradict each other."
"So, we are not in danger?" Stone followed up.
Esposito realized that he had gotten defensive because he misjudged their hesitance for callousness. Now he realized Jaqui was being protective. Remorseful that he had brought fear into the room, Espo dialed himself down to his more tender personal voice again, and answered "No, we would never knowingly put you in danger. Our job is to protect you, from people like whoever did this."
Ryan continued, "And we can protect you, if you'll help us understand what happened."
Stone took in the pair. Javier was even more lovely with apologetic eyes. And somehow Kevin's scrunched up forehead, pleading for another chance, was even more disarming than his original come on. Her matchmaking friends were the best. She made a mental note to buy that Lamborghini for Kimi. She had earned it tonight.
"Fine," the actress agreed. "We can do that. If you agree to play by my rules."
Kevin played along, "Which are?"
"We're gonna play a friendly card game. You win a hand, you get to ask us a question. We win a hand, we get to ask you a question."
"Okaaaaay?" Javier asked, obviously confused, "What are the rules?"
"Rule One: You both call me Cassie, like my friends. You call me Ms. Stone again, Mr. Esposito, and I'll be forced to spank you."
"Promise?" Javier couldn't resist that set-up.
She pressed on, with only a sly smile toward his remark. "Rule Two: We must agree to address each other only as Javi and Kev... and Jax, of course." She smiled at each of them in turn, winking at her bestie. "No formal names."
Javi shrugged and nodded at the request which was odd, but easily enough fulfilled.
"Rule Three: If at any time, one of us starts to retreat into formalities, the offender will be promptly tied up on the balcony, by their underwear, and will sing Puff the Magic Dragon, until such time as he or she can convince the other three of their contrition."
"I'm game" Ryan agreed. This sounded hilarious. Was she serious?
"Javi? Jax?" she pressed.
The redhead promised, "I'm game, as long as everyone behaves," raising her eyebrows, mostly at Espo.
Esposito's brain was trying to reconcile how he would manage to be a cop, and also himself at the same time. Didn't sound possible. But his partner was there to help, and he trusted Ryan more than anyone.
"Well, this will be different," Espo's features melted into his most golden suavesito smile, "but I'll try anything for you, Cassie." He let her nickname roll around in his mouth, flicking her an almost imperceptible wink.
"That's more like it." Cassie smiled. "Okay, Jax, grab the cards. Let's clear these dishes, and get started."
"What are we playing?" Ryan asked, rubbing his hands together, preparing himself for something sexy like strip poker. He'd been practicing a lot of different poker games with Castle. But with Castle he mostly practiced losing.
"We're playing Go fish!" Jax volunteered excitedly. "Do you know how to play?"
The detectives looked at each other somewhat confused, wondering if there were an adult version of the childhood game that they just hadn't heard of.
Ryan took a stab, "Ummmm...I think so. Does it involve a 'pond' and asking the other players for matches?"
Cassie was bright eyed again, "Yep, see, this'll be great. You'll be solving your case in no time. Now deal, Jax." The evening was back on course. And she could continue her long, slow dive into the mysterious Rysposito.
"I win! My turn for a question." Jaqui bounced in her seat giddily.
This game hadn't been playing out like Ryan and Esposito remembered it from their youth. The elements were the same: 5 cards per player, with a big swirl of cards in the middle of the table, that they 'fished in' when another player told them to 'go fish.' They still asked the other players for matching cards from their hands. They still had to collect all 4 cards of a kind. But for some reason, Jax and Cassie were taking them to the cleaners. At this rate, they'd be playing for a month before they won enough hands to complete their interrogation.
Kevin cringed, "What's your question? I'm almost afraid to ask." Ryan and Espo had already answered how they lost their virginity, their favorite colors, first place they'd fly if they had a private jet, first charity they would donate to if they won the lottery, one non-fictional man they would sleep with if saving the human race depended on it, family, childhood and personal interest questions, and even confessed their own 'deep fried twinkies'.
Meanwhile, the boys had managed to ascertain the basic timeline, all the possible witnesses, the publicist's role in meeting the vic, and background information about two possible suspects. They had only won 4 hands, but luckily Ryan had crafted some very open ended questions that allowed the girls to fill in lots of details. And the women were generous with their answers to the detectives.
After all, the game was stacked in favor of the house. Jax and Cassie exchanged knowing glances, and completed each other's sentences at least once per round. When Cassandra was withdrawn and contemplative, her counterpart was bubbly and engaging. When Jax cut a little too close to the bone with her bold tongue, Cassie smoothed it over for her. They were clearly twin souls, who enjoyed their revelatory game, as much as Castle reveled in perfecting his poker face.
"In your opinion, what is the single most decadent topping you can put on a sandwich?"
"Huh?" Espo was sure he hadn't heard that right.
"You have a sandwich, and its pretty good, but what do you add to it, to make it, like, amazing?"
As the game progressed, Esposito began to appreciate Jax much more. Stone's apparently complete love and trust for her was contagious. Her questions were off the wall, but she was 100% committed to them, the way a child asks why her teddy bear can't eat peanut butter. It wasn't an act, she really found value in their answers. Though, it wasn't always clear what, exactly, she had taken away from them.
"Okay, I know." Ryan offered. "Black Tomatoes. I think they are called Black Krims? I had them when I visited my cousin in LA. It's an heirloom variety, kinda darkish, shaped like a normal red tomato, but instead of bright and sweet, the flavor is much more complex, mysterious. Don't get me wrong, at home my favorite is regular Jersey maters. In August, when they're in season, I can eat them on toast with mayo, salt and pepper, and nothing else. The juice is just, 'ugh.'" He released a little pleasurable sigh, letting his eyes lids lower. "But if we are talking decadent, slices of luscious Black Krims for me."
"When were you in LA?" Cassie wondered.
Espo cut her off, "Uh-uh. You gotta win a hand to get another question." He was sure this was gonna take all night, if he didn't move things along. "Avocado, easy. Let's deal those cards."
While Ryan dealt, Cassandra dazed at Javier dreamily, "Of course, avocado." The words dripped off her tongue.
"Well done, Kimi!" Jax concurred.
"Am I missing something?" Javier was wondering if he should be offended by some sort of Latino stereotype, but their tone was sexy and celebratory, not ignorant.
Jax answered matter of factly, "Only men who eat pussy answer avocado. Kimi is getting her Lamborghini for sure, it looks like."
Espo's eyes flew open at the suggestion.
"Why does Tequila Kimi get a Lamborghini? I want a Lamborghini. I ate the pussy."
Stone cajoled, "Aww, Javi, do you think you're being treated unkindly?"
Espo, still petulant, conceded, "No, but why does she get the car?"
"I'll be happy to answer that, as soon as you win a round, love." Cassie reminded.
"Bro, let's do this. I'm gonna solve this case, and find out about that car. My turn to go first. Ryan, do you have any Queens?"
The women's eyes grew round as saucers, and their jaws dropped in mock disbelief. Kevin wrinkled his forehead, he knew Javi wouldn't go quietly.
"What?" Esposito had no idea what he'd done.
Thirteen minutes later, Javier Esposito was standing buck naked, with his hands tied behind his back, around the flag pole on the large balcony. Jaqui had volunteered her bra to help secure one of his shoulders to the pole, since the detective had made them chase him, before they could get all his clothes off. He wouldn't concede to going outside, until cold kitchen tongs snapping at his balls, convinced him otherwise. It wasn't cold outside, but the wind was whipping hard enough to blow their hair around and toss leaves up from the street.
"I can't hear you, partner?" Kevin had nothing to do with the tongs, but he was thoroughly enjoying goading Javi, as he stumbled over the multi-sylabic 'Puff, el dragón mágico, Vivía al lado del mar..." Having learned the childhood song en Espanol, Espo couldn't recall the English version under this kind of distracting duress. Kevin marveled that it was really much harder to sing in Spanish. And the rope, that tethered the flag above, was clanging loudly against the pole in a brisk cadence, providing a hilariously noisy counterpoint.
Espo was more than a little concerned about the good neighbors of his fair city getting more than they bargained for when they looked out onto the skyline tonight. Since so many cases had required him to review cell phone videos taken by the ever-rolling cameras of nosy New Yorkers, he prayed especially hard that no one committed a crime tonight anywhere near this building.
Ryan could tell that Espo was getting a little agitated, but from experience he knew that this flavor of annoyance was akin to Esposito's disdain for a racketball racket, that just won't swing through. He was mad at himself, really, that his emotions were so hard to control once they flared up, frustrated that he couldn't always redirect them where he wanted them to go.
Ryan didn't know it, but his partner envied him. The older detective wished he could play it cool whenever it suited him, and go from zero to sixty, and back down again, like Ryan could. Sure, Javier gave himself credit for staying in the driver's seat most of the time, control he had mastered in the special forces. But it was times like this, off-duty, when his temper started brewing without his consent, that he very much wished he could make a hairpin turn, and cool off, before he made an ass of himself. It seemed like life would be so much easier that way. The price of all that sexy Latin heat, was that it burned him, too, sometimes.
Inspired by the wild night wind, the sparkling city lights, and the steamy hunk tied to the pole, both women sprinted wildly around the balcony.
"Ahhhhh-oooooooo" The women tossed their heads back to release howls and barbaric yalps into the night sky, followed by a piece of clothing or two. The pair turned their frenzy upon Kevin, and began to liberate him from some of his clothes, finally.
Soon, most of the shirts and pants present were strewn on the floor, or were floating down to the street below, not because sex was imminent, just because "the wind longed to kiss their skin," according to Jax.
Stone took the mostly naked Ryan in hand, intending to lead him to the imaginary dance floor. Unfortunately, Kevin's pants were still ringed around his ankles, and he tripped over his feet, falling into a large decorative urn. Espo chortled at Ryan's pastey blue white legs flailing, as he tried to right himself. When the Irishmen finally got himself vertical, and raised one leg in an attempt to wrest his pants off, he failed spectacularly by falling into the bushes next to the urn. Javi chuckled despite himself.
And just like that, Javi's irritable spell was broken. 'Thanks Ryan.' His partner's 'gracefulness' had always been good for a pick me up. With a softened mood, the bound cop could appreciate the rarity of this insane scene. Naked bra bondage, tumbling slapstick, puff the magic dragon, howling-she wolves, his first porn star crush, and the world's best partner, ever. When was this likely to happen again? And why, exactly, had he minded so much, just a moment before?
Espo sang louder, and with more conviction,"En una tierra llamada Honah Lee!"
Kevin and the women danced a ring around Javier in pagan celebration, brushing a few naked limbs across his sculpted buttocks and chest. The revelers couldn't suppress their laughter in their sheer exhilaration.
Esposito forgot all about 'el dragón mágico' when Cassandra pulled the trio in for a tighter embrace around him and the flagpole. With three mostly naked bodies draped around him, he seemed more like the idol, than the captive, now.
Despite Kevin's shredded boxers flapping in the wind, the younger man was wearing the most comfortable broad smile, as he stood close to his partner in this huddled embrace.
With a giddy laugh, Ryan began, "Javi, my best bro, man who I'd take a bullet for, man who I'd share my dream girl with, would you like to make your contrite confession?"
Ryan's unabashed love for his partner was sexy as hell. For both men, Cassie thought it colored in the empty places in their self-confidence. Cassandra had the strong urge to feel Espo as he received Ryan's affection. From behind the pole, she let her hands wander between Esposito's legs.
The shock of the sudden, chilly touch to his testes chased Javier to his tip-toes, his voluminous leg muscles flexed. Espo's voice squeaked in a high soprano, "Sor-ry," setting off another peal of laughter all around.
But Javier's tension melted as he felt Cassie's inner thigh grind against his bound hand. His other hand searched for the warm wet prize that must be nearby. She wrapped her hands around his chest, and writhed again to let him win it.
Her prisoner submitted, "Now that's a little more like it."
So, who's getting the Lamborghini in this crowd, for the most detailed review?