CH31

It is now just over one month later: (November 17, 2000)

There is a small amount of "M" rated material in this chapter. It has a mature theme in nature so reader discretion is advised.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Kate and Jack had gone over every word that was part of Rick's contract with Black Pawn and found that only a few words had been changed. Rick had written in the changes as outlined by Kate and signed it after Gina, representing Black Pawn had signed it.

Tomorrow was going to be the book launch party for Castle's latest book. Due to the delay in signing as they worked out their contract, the first run on books would not be done until early December. If previous sales history was any indication they were going to be short several thousand books for Christmas sales this year. There was a larger than normal book tour scheduled for the New Year.

Rick and Kate had just returned from having dinner out at Kate's favorite place, complete with another pitcher of popsicles. Kate was feeling no pain as they walked into their home after packing everything up and leaving their apartment near Quantico, having finished their training classes.

Kate took Castle's hand and led him down to their bedroom. "Go strip babe and wait for me, I want my birthday present now." Kate pushed Rick towards the bedroom while Kate slipped into the dressing room to change.

Kate was happy she had kept up with her yoga exercises and was getting excited about what was to come just as she was cinching up the front ties.

Black magic Leatherette with lace boy leg extensions. It had an adjustable cross-laced bustier, zippered in back with a matching elasticized thong. Kate slipped on a pair of black high heeled shoes and pulled out her doubled headed dildo along with the necessary bottle of anal lube.

She stopped to look at herself in the full length mirror. Kate was 21 years old today and for the first time she felt like an adult. She had an engagement ring on her finger that was beyond anything she had ever dreamed of owning, and she felt grown up and looked beautiful and sexy. Kate also knew that a lot of this had a lot to do with the man in the other room that she was about to make love to again. Kate was happy and smiled as she walked out of the dressing room and into the bedroom putting as much sway in her hips as she could.

Kate found Castle sitting on the bed buck naked and saw his mouth fall open when she entered. "Hi Castle." Kate was very pleased with his reaction!

"What are you hiding behind your back Kate?" Rick rubbed his hands together anxious to see what Kate had in mind for her birthday.

Kate pulled out both hands at the same time to show him, not being nearly as scared this time as the first time. "I already gave you my cherry Kate." Rick was still smiling.

Kate came up to stand in front of him and tossed her toy and lube onto the bed. "And I gave you mine and I love you." Kate placed her arms around Rick's neck. "Make love to me baby and then I want us to fuck each other." Kate wasn't afraid anymore of what Rick would think.

Rick pulled her in close and kissed her, feeling Kate kiss him back. It took Rick only seconds to remove what had taken Kate minutes to put on, not that she cared. Kate loved how she felt when she was putting it on and loved how she felt as Castle started making love to her.

Kate rode Castle, feeling him slide in and out of her. She felt him come inside of her, followed by her collapsing down onto Castle as she started kissing him.

Castle flipped her onto her back. He kept kissing her and worked his way down her body, giving her breasts the attention that they deserved. "I love your breasts Kate, they are just the perfect size and they look good on you." It gave Kate a quick surge of love for her fiancé. She was thrilled about marrying him.

Kate ran her hands through Rick's hair as she lifted her legs and spread them wide to give him all the access he needed. Then Rick left her core behind causing Kate to moan at the loss of his tongue. She felt Rick work his way down her leg till he reached her foot. He started sucking on her big toe, and Kate, after a short time, found herself climaxing from his efforts, which was a first. Kate never knew her foot was such an erogenous zone.

Rick switched to the other foot and worked his way up her leg till he was back to kissing and licking Kate's core, causing her to have three quick orgasms. Rick worked his way back up Kate's body till he was kissing her lips again, allowing Kate to taste herself on his mouth.

Kate used some of what Castle had taught her to flip so that she was back on top again and went back to kissing Castle while probing his mouth to savor him mixed with her own taste.

Kate reached for her toy and lube. "On your hands and knees babe." Kate told Rick and opened the lube bottle.

They both knew what to do as Kate used the lube to loosen up Castle's anus and then lubed up the head and shaft of his end as Kate slowly inserted the smaller end into Castle.

Kate was still wet from before and thinking about what was to come. Kate backed up and reached for her end to insert it into her vagina, letting out a low moan as it filled her up.

Just as before, it fell out a couple of times, however they were getting better at it as they alternated between who would push and who would pull.

Kate bent her head way down till the top of her head touched the bed and reached back to stimulate her clitoris and watched as Castle stroked himself like she had seen him do a few times. It was the same method that she had adopted when she stroked his erection and placed his tip in her mouth. She would swirl her tongue around his head and allowed her tongue to poke into his opening. Kate always got a sound of pleasure out of Castle.

Kate watched Castle come as she sped up her fingers on her clit while still forcing the dildo in and out of both of them. Soon Kate was screaming as she erupted with her own orgasm.

They collapsed onto the bed and allowed the dildo to slide out of both of them. Rick turned around first and held Kate close to him. "I hope you understand just how much I love you." Rick whispered.

"If it's anywhere as much as I love you babe, I have a good idea." Kate reached out to kiss Rick. "Shower babe, we're a mess."

Kate soon found her legs wrapped around Castle's waist with her back pressed up against the shower wall. "Faster… harder Rick … Please!" As Kate climaxed she bit down on Castle's shoulder, feeling Castle come inside her. Feeling Castle inside her always gave her a kind of peace that she had never felt before. She was safe and she was loved.

Come morning they went over to her dad's apartment. "Hi Katie, Rick." Jim opened the door and invited them in.

Inside they were both happy and just a little surprised to find the place mostly clean, given that her mother did all the cleaning, so this was a nice surprise. "How have you been dad?"

"Better I actually have a case at a new office to work on." Jim was smiling.

"That's great dad. I'm sure you'll do just fine." Kate was smiling at him.

"I ordered some Chinese for us for lunch. I'm no cook so I have to eat out for everything." Jim said and pointed out the containers that were waiting for them.

"I know you hate celebrating your birthday but since that was yesterday, I have something for you." Jim smiled weakly since it sucked as an excuse, however he was going by what little he remembered about his daughter while he was drinking.

It turned out to be really small package, about the same size as the box that had her earrings, that Kate was still wearing, or the box that her ring was in. "What's this dad?"

"Go ahead open it." Jim tried to hide his smile.

Kate ripped the wrapping paper off and found a small box inside exactly like her previous two boxes from Rick. "Dad!?" Kate was staring at it. Just what had her dad gone and done? Kate had no idea how much money her dad had since Kate was still making the house payments and had let Castle pay all the others after he begged her to let him.

"I have the money Kate and making still more money, please let me spend it. He's your father, your family." Rick had tried to get Kate to listen.

Kate knew those bills were small in comparison. "Fine Castle, but no more than that."

Kate opened the box slowly not sure what was inside. Opening it Kate found what looked like a coin, except it didn't look like any coin she had ever seen. Kate pulled it out and had a "What is this?" look on her face.

"It's my sobriety chip. … I've been sober for a while now Katie. Even now I don't feel right, and maybe I never will again, but I'm still trying Katie." Jim tried to look Kate in the eyes, but it was hard and he was forced to look away.

Kate reached over and took her father's hand. "It's great dad, one of the best birthday presents I've ever had." Kate was so pleased and proud of him.

"Not the best present ever?" Jim felt good enough to tease her.

"Well I still think about when you and mom took me to Disneyland when I was little might have been the best, but this is right up there dad." Kate smiled.

Jim smiled too since he could now see that day in his mind. It was a time when they were on a family outing and everything was fun and everyone was happy. A time before Katie became a teenager, a time when Katie was just his little girl.

"I need you to be there dad." Kate looked to the future.

"I'll be there Katie, I promise." Jim was going to walk his little girl down the aisle if it killed him. "So when is it?" Jim asked them.

"We're still kinda working on that, along with where," Rick told him. They hadn't talked about since Rick had questions regarding where the ceremony would be held, so they could decide on when it would happen.

"We'll work on it dad." Kate now had a reason to think about when and where, then who was going to come. Now Kate was worried, just who was she going to invite to her wedding? Who did she know?

The book launch was an evening affair so they still had time after having lunch with Kate's father. "Have you thought about where you want the wedding?" Rick asked as they drove back home.

"Not much, no. It's going to be my only wedding Rick. It needs to be perfect and I don't know what perfect is." Kate just knew that a drive-thru outhouse wasn't perfect. Kate was still ashamed of herself for that one moment. Kate had learned that decisions had repercussions and she needed to make the right decisions, and not make them when drunk.

"Feel who you are Kate, what you want yourself to be. When you can answer that question you'll know where and when." Rick said lovingly.

Rick left Kate to sit in the mezzanine, which they had both come to find was her favorite place in their home as she relaxed on the sofa while listening to her music. It was calming and allowed her to think.

"Time to get ready Kate, Gina will be expecting Richard to show for the book release party." Jill informs Kate. In an instant all of Kate's calm and relaxed body went straight into tense and worried. GINA! "Richard is yours Kate, either put her in her place or play games with her. You are Officer or Agent Katherine Beckett." Jill tried to give Kate some confidence.

Kate went downstairs to get dressed put up her hair and do her make-up.

Lace open back Peplum Gown. Sheer scalloped lace frames the cut-out back which cascades down to floor length. Delicate lace forms the yoke and V neckline, while an infusion of lace peplum trims the waist. A short train completes the dress that is all black. Sleeveless and fully lined.

Kate was holding onto Castle's arm as they walked into the hall and found that a number of people were already there. There was a buffet table next to the open bar. However this time everything said Black Pawn all over it, so Rick had to let the bar remain.

"Uh-oh, here comes the Wicked Witch of the West." Kate whispered as she spotted Gina headed their way.

"Nice sign." Rick mentioned before Gina can get in the first word.

"It is a Black Pawn event Richard and this time the liquor stays. You are expected to mingle and make nice, do a reading of the new book and stay for an hour and sign your name. The deadline for the next book is spelled out in your contract. I have been lenient on you in the past, that will change with this contract. You miss a due date and Black Pawn will sue you and take the advance that you were given back." Gina gets straight to business.

"It was nice talking to you too Gina." Rick gave Gina a fake smile.

"You'll be seeing a lot of me after today as well as listening to me. Now mingle, without her." Gina motioned to Kate.

"There is nothing in my contract that allows you to tell me who I can or cannot mingle with Gina," Rick countered. Gina, however, remained silent since she was convinced she will have the last word after tonight.

"I don't think BITCH quite describes that woman Castle." Kate said in an undertone as they started to mingle with Kate hanging onto Rick's arm everywhere they go.

"Relax Kate, after today we no longer need to worry about her." Rick mentioned.

Rick picked up two glass flutes with champagne in them and hands one to Kate. "Beach wedding?" Rick whispered to Kate. "We could get married on a beach dressed in our swimsuits with you in one of your maddening bikinis. You could wear a white lace cover all that trailed on the ground behind you.

Or perhaps a beach wedding at Walt Disney World, then go ride the rides while still dressed in our wedding clothes. Maybe they'll let us go to the front of the line because of it.

Or maybe a wedding in Victoria at Buchart Gardens, if they'll let us. Or maybe one of the gardens here in New York." Rick offered when they have a quiet moment.

However their moment is interrupted when Gina shows up to inform Rick it was time for his reading. Gina was standing off to one side while Rick read from memory the section he had selected to tease the audience with. Gina spent the entire time smiling while looking directly at Kate who simply smiled back.

Kate stood right behind Rick while he spent the hour signing his name.

Rick took the time to thank everyone for their time in making this launch party a success.

"I'll meet you at our home with my movers Richard. I'm sure I'll like where we will be living, I'll even give Kate here some time to pack and move out." Gina told Rick.

"And why would I ever want to do that?" Rick asked, already knowing the answer.

"The contract you signed with Black Pawn was contingent on us being married, so when you signed it we became husband and wife. Not to worry Richard I'll try and keep the changes to our home to a minimum." Gina was smiling.

"My parents are lawyers Gina and you really should have read the contract that Castle signed a little more closely." Kate sniped at her, smiling widely.

"We found those sections Gina and had them altered, you are presently married alright, however it isn't to me. I'm sure you will be happy with him, he's a lot like you actually. Evil and conniving, and always looking out for himself. You two are perfect for each other." Rick was smiling now as he wrapped an arm around Kate.

"You will also find that today is the last event or interaction you will have with Castle during the next three books. We altered who Castle's editor would be and who handles these events as well as the book signings that are coming up. You really should go home and read the contract Gina," Kate said to her, looking like the proverbial cat that ate the canary. She smiled and kissed Castle's cheek.

"Good bye Gina and not to worry, when your movers show up I'll send them right back to you. I trust you didn't pay them too much to move you into their truck so they could drive around a little and then unload you right back into your place." Rick looked pleased with himself and started to walk away with Kate.

"Oh, you might need to get a translator for some of those sections. I'm told the Chinese alphabet can be difficult for people, especially those who only speak English, unlike us." Kate threw over her shoulder.

They left Gina slack-jawed, however, Gina never gives up. "This isn't over Richard." Gina yelled at their retreating backs.

"Gina O'Leary. It has a certain ring to it." Kate mentioned softly as Rick helped her into their car for their trip back to their home. It caused Rick, Jack, and Jill to chuckle lightly.

"Jill, was Gina wearing a watch, bracelet or ankle bracelet?" Kate suddenly had a new worry.

"Gina was wearing a watch however it was not literally connected to her like Jack or myself are. Nice thinking though." Jill replied.

"Did I miss something?" Rick asked as he got behind the wheel in the car.

"I was just quizzing Jill if Gina could possibly be wearing one of the other two units." Kate explained.

"SHIT, I hadn't even thought about that. …Was she?" Rick wasn't sure if Gina would have been a good choice.

"No, it wasn't her who got one of them. Jill can't scan for the unit, however she can scan a body and likely determine if something is attached to the body and not removable." Kate explained.

"Oh that's helpful, just 20,124,376 people left to check." Rick moaned, making Kate roll her eyes. She remained silent, since they did have a lot of people who could have one of them.

"We should be able to lower that number substantially Castle. Think about it, if you were evil or just plain bad, the opposite of you, they would be drunk with what this device could do. If they aren't prominent now, they soon will be." Kate soothed.

"Opposite of me." Rick had been trying to understand that ever since he had gotten Jack. Just who was the opposite of him?