Apologies for the delay. Been busy with work and this part is being written as I go. It harder to write when they are getting along and there's no conflict…. Prefer to throw the characters into a mess and write them out of it. Far more fun.

Chapter 54

Rick put the bags to the floor near the entry of their holiday home, then pushed the front door to. It closed with a hollow clunk that echoed. He'd just farewelled the owner of the property and they now had this old, probably haunted house, to themselves for the next three days. So long has he had her home in the evening before she was to go back on shift, he'd be right. What happened from here on out was up to them, and he prayed their time together would re-bond them.

Turning a slow circle, he took in the spectacular entrance to the old home. An antique hall stand was to his left when he came in the door, stairs were straight ahead and to his right was a large doorway that he assumed lead to the kitchen mainly because the smell of cooked bread was wafting from that direction. Old black and white images hanging from the walls, gave the home an enchanting touch. The sounds of utensils being used caused him to follow the scent hoping Kate would be eating. He found her at the kitchen counter, a thick chunk of bread in her mouth and she was fully focussed on consuming the food. The bread was thickly smeared in raspberry jam. She was perfectly content. The counter was decorated with platters of cheeses, fruit and drinks. Enough to feed a family, when there was only him with the good appetite and Kate with the small appetite. Great, they didn't have to go buy groceries.

"What have you found here?" He rounded the bench to peer down at the hot loaf on the wooden bed and grabbed a few grapes.

"It's delicious, Castle." She held out the bread for him to take a bite then waited to see his reaction.

He gave the thumbs up, and a smile with a full mouth.

"Look at all the food that we have."

He swallowed, "I ordered enough food so we don't have to go shopping. The fridge will be full."

"Wine?"

Rick pointed at the bar fridge beneath the counter. "Plenty of it."

Kate's phone, that was on the counter between the fruit bowl and the bread tray, beeped with an incoming text. She turned about to check it, "Oh its Lanie, Castle."

Rick crept up behind her, slipped his hands about her waist and kissed her shoulder, "She thinks you're at home?"

She nodded. "I'm off work for four days so we usually catch up."

"Maybe it's time you told Lanie we're dating," he hinted his hand sliding down her tummy, lower and lower. The desire to kiss her shoulder, her neck, was stronger than him. His gestures of love were rewarded with moans of sheer pleasure and her body leaned into his.

She whispered his name, her tone full of content, and lightly shook her head.

"She's your best friend."

"You are," she corrected right before she took a healthy bite of the bread.

It gave him pause, and he raised his arms until he held her in his arms, his chin on her shoulder. There hadn't been a second of hesitation. It had simply come out without thought. The smell of the fresh bread, the fruit, Kate was indulging his senses, arousing him.

"Same. It's you. You're the one I want with me, but maybe you should tell Lanie."

"No," she then hummed, busy enjoying what Rick was doing, "Not ready to, Rick."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want share us. This. I don't want to have to tell people."

"You know, I was thinking…" he whispered. "You need someone to know."

"My Dad knows." She looked over her shoulder at his eyes and softly said, "I'm okay with just us for now."

"Okay." He accepted and resumed his subtle efforts to seduce his girlfriend. A trail of featherlike kisses was made up the side of her neck to her hairline and received instance approval. The recipient momentarily leaned in emitting a pleasurable sound he appreciated, but then her body stiffened. He paused his show of endearment, watched her stare at the bread.

"Are you hungry?" He inquired, deciding to put the brakes on his love making to let her eat. She needed to eat. She shrugged seemingly indifferent to food.

"I have to answer her."

"Ignore it for now." He requested, noting she put down the bread, more interested in him than food.

Rick guided Kate to turn around, then lifted her up until she was sitting on the kitchen counter. His hands were beneath her dress.

"The counter is cold," she softly spoke, her fingers combing his hair.

"Lay down," he reached behind her to slide the bowl of fruit out of her way then slid the phone out of Kate's reach. He dragged a bar stool close enough to sit on.

She picked up the bread, "Castle let's eat first. I'm starving." A healthy bite was taken.

Rick laughed, "Well Baby, I'm starving and I'm about to have a feast -" Large blue eyes looked up to Kate's mischievous eyes as he lightly pushed her back into a reclined position. "- Of you." He guided her legs up to rest upon his shoulders.

A smile spread over his face as his hand softly stroke up the inner side of her left leg, "There we are," he gleefully stated, gazing down upon the glorious sight of his girlfriend.

"Castle."

Her tone was impatient, demanding.

"Did you miss me?" He lightly brushed the back on her fingers down her tender skin at the top of her leg, getting the desired response from her. "Because I sure as hell missed you, this."

She laughed, lifted her head to see him. "My hoo-ha?" It made him smile, seeing her shiny dilated eyes.

"Hoo-ha?" He smirked, "Yes, I definitely missed that."

His right palm, flat to her skin, glided from her pubic bone over her navel to her chest. His smile faded, when he saw she sobered.

She moistened her lips, rocked her legs gently on his shoulders, "I missed you tremendously, Rick. Our intimacy."

"Same, the intimacy." He stood, sat her up and brought her to him. Arms snaked round his neck, legs surrounded his torso. She was tight on him and he pressed her body into his and held her.

At the top of the stairs they had bolted up, they stopped dead at the sight of a hallway with five opened doorways. Rick, who maintained close proximity with Kate, put his hands to her hips.

"Where do we go, Castle?"

"Wherever there is a bed," he encouraged her forward to the doorway to their left. Bedroom. To their right was another bedroom that was larger, with large windows. "This one will do."

Laughing and clumsily stepping, Kate turned about lifting her arms up around his neck. They kissed, playfully as they stepped across the bedroom blindly, her body held vertical by Rick. He urged Kate to the bed, tugging at her only piece of clothing with one hand, his other looped around her body. Near the bed, he grabbed the dress with both his hands and extracted it from her over her head. Nothing at all underneath. He groaned, peering down at her nakedness, as she tugged at his t-shirt. He assisted her and pulled it off, and discarded it with her dress.

Undressed he grabbed her in his embrace and using moderate strength, he guided then lowered her to the bed. She felt safe, confident she wouldn't come to harm. Her thighs fell apart to allow his body to follow, their mouths firmly connected. His hands dropped to the sides of her body to support his weight and her hands reached around his neck drawing him closer. Her legs wrapped around his body.

"Castle," she mumbled as she breathed. "Rick."

"Mm."

"Inside me."

"Wait…"

"Rick."

Her hand blindly felt down his torso until she found his hardened cock pulsing against his belly. She encircled it, used him to tilt her pelvis then guided the tip of his penis over her. Instinctively he pushed, sliding inside her. Filling her immobilized Kate, and she emitted a whimper before she strengthened her hold on his body, a devilish smile growing.

Panting, arching his torso, he pressed his lips to her neck, her collar bone and finally her nipple between his lips. "Fuck," he mumbled, nuzzling her breast. "I'm gonna cum, Baby."

"No.." she pleaded. "Not yet."

He laughed devilishly, nibbled at her flesh and began to fuck her. Beckett grabbed his shoulders, her eyes wide, "You shit. You were playing me."

"Fooled you." He responded and returned to her mouth he ravished. "You're so hot inside."

Rick rolled taking Kate with him. She was set on top and balanced herself using hands on his chest. With folded legs straddling his body, she stared down at Rick, feeling the pulse of his erection within her, the pressure of him deep inside. She rolled her hips a little to arouse, stared at his face.

"Tease," he whispered, reaching to her mouth. She sucked his thumb momentarily, lightly squeezed her teeth, saw his eyes widen then tilted her head to his hand that stroked the side of her head.

She pulled away, so his thumb fell out of her mouth, whispered, "Castle." She leaned forward stroked his chest.

"Me too," he softly said his hands to her thighs.

Later, Kate woke from a nap, alone in a strange environment. She lifted her head from the pillow and sleepily took in the surroundings. Large bedroom, spacious and bright. The late afternoon sun was coming in the windows. A few minutes after she woke, and wearing the dress Rick had left at the end of the bed for her, she took the stairs to the ground level in search of Rick.

She made a pit stop at the kitchen to reclaim her bread and a drink then continued her search.

When they had arrived, they hadn't really inspected the house prior to making love. It had been a while so their thoughts had been on each other and food, but had she slowly roamed the house, absorbing the paintings, the décor and furniture. When she came across her boyfriend he was in a room converted to an office, at his laptop busily tapping away. Rick was oblivious to her presence. He'd told her a few times he'd had writers block for weeks. Didn't seem so anymore. She leaned against the doorframe to admire him, in awe of him, that he was her boyfriend. His hair was messed, his cheeks as rosy as hers from making love.

Laughter spilt from him, most like because of something he'd thought up. He flung himself bank into rapidly typing.

"Perfect, totally got it." He pumped the air.

"Hey." She softly interrupted. He looked up a boyish grin all over his face.

"Hey. You woke up." He glanced at the time.

"You're writing?" She was pleasantly surprised, keen to know how he was going.

"Inspiration hit me when we were in the middle of it, before." He pointed towards the ceiling. "I really like what you did …"

"Oh." She blushed, and timidly asked her hands waving about to explain what she was referring, "That bit? Really?"

"Mm. That bit."

"Okay." Her gaze shifted to the ceiling. "While we made love?"

"Mm. Because of you."

"Me." She swallowed.

Rick sat back in the chair amused by her behaviour. He nodded. "I just want to write."

"You wanna write, while you have me here." Kate smiled. "Like you write while I sleep."

"Confession. I mostly watch you sleep."

"Creepy?"

"Maybe, but I move to another room so I can write, until I hear you getting restless."

"Still creepy, Castle." She laughed then pointed over her should, "Wanna beer?"

"Sure. Thanks."

Kate walked away, her chest humming. She was so happy he was writing again. So bloody happy.

When she returned a minute or so later, she placed two beers on the desk and at his request with an arm reaching out to her, she sat across his lap and leaned into him.

He stroked her bare leg. "I like having you back with me," he said. "I'm happy I'm writing and my agent will be too." He chuckled.

She leaned tighter into his chest, pressed her lips to his temple. "Me too. What you writing?"

"Nikki Heat. She's been fighting with Rook. I was stuck in that and couldn't find a way out."

"And…"

"Got them back together." He pressed his lips softly to the knuckles of right hand. She smelt of him. "Can I ask you something, Kate?"

"Only if I can read what you've done so far.." She laughed.

"Sure… " He studied the long slender fingers entwined in his, "If someone was to ask, how would you describe me?"

She stared at him wide eyed. "Seriously?"

"Mm. Tell me. I need help to make Rook more three dimensional for the readers."

She processed that, "Okay. Well not in any particular order."

He kissed her jaw, "Not in any order," he echoed. "I'm suffering sudden anxiety."

"Don't be worried, Ricky, be terrified." Kate laughed.

"Hit me with it." He ordered, slightly afraid.

"Charming." She murmured, kissed his finger tip that tenderly traced her lips.

"Yes." He agreed, "I can be." He blushed with a warm smile.

"Umm." Eyes glowing, she momentarily scanned the ceiling then returned to his bright blue eyes, "Boyish." She giggled.

"Of course." He agreed and crept himself around her a little closer.

"Loyal." She watched his eyes, drawn to her face. "Very loyal."

He kissed the edge of her jaw.

"So loyal," he whispered.

"Annoying." She squeaked and pulled back a bit, "Resourceful, persistent, funny."

This time it was Rick who sat back, his wide eyes on her, "You're going too fast."

Kate reached for a bottle of beer she then handed to Rick.

"Now, time for me to read, Ricky." She grabbed her beer.

"Turn, Beckett," he waited for Kate to adjust on his lap then retrieved his laptop from the desk. With it placed her lap he wrapped his arms around her to reach the key board, "I will save it to the cloud. My iPad is in my overnight bag. You can knock yourself out."

"May I edit?"

"Sure can."

She rested her head on his shoulder relaxed in his secure hold.

"Castle?"

"Mmm."

"You're precious, and you bruise easily."

He stilled. He breathed in deeply touched by her words, "And I'm the writer."

She smiled and playfully pushed her face against his neck which made him laugh, "Its why you can write."

"I think I have it for Rook."

"So I've done my job and can go read your manuscript."

"Knock yourself out."

Carefully, Kate extracted herself from Rick's lap, and with the bottle of beer in her hand she rushed off to go find his iPad.

For several minute Rick processed what she'd said, allowed his emotional centre to feel. Quiet, humbled by Kate's response he returned to his manuscript to fix up what he couldn't get right about Rook. Now he knew how to write life into the character on the pages.