Previously:

She started the car.

"Right now, I need a cold shower or a hotel room," he shared.

"Neither, Bud. We're on our way back to the Precinct." With the engine running and still in park, she reached over to his groin she gently felt, "Wow, Castle," she said in hushed tones and looked him in the eyes, "Better tame the lion before we get back there."

"Stop teasing me." He gently lifted her hand away, smiled, "I bet." He glanced to her groin, "There is plenty going on down there right now."

"Maybe," she replied. She indicated she wanted to pull out into the traffic and seeing the road behind her was clear, she drove out onto the road.

He laughed, "Maybe, my ass. I know you, Sweetheart." He generously gave her thigh a rub. "I'm gonna have you begging for me by tonight."

"Nope." She vigorously shook her head. "You will be on your knees."

"We'll see." Rick replied, glanced at the time, "I have about three minutes to get under control."

Kate laughed. "I will go to a drive through for coffee."

"Good idea."

Chapter 68 -

Precinct, approximately twenty minutes later.

After Beckett made a visit to the little girls' room she returned to the bullpen to see Castle, Ryan and Esposito seated in front of a computer, she guessed they were busy with researching the bondage scene. She swung by her desk to fetch a note pad she'd written a note on a few minutes earlier and to down the remains of her take away coffee.

Ryan turned a little towards Esposito and shared, "It's a little creepy doing this with you breathing on my neck."

"Oh, sorry, bro. I mean, I'd do it on mine, but IA checks browser history, so..."

Beckett rolled her eyes in disbelief as Ryan replied, "Great. Thanks."

Esposito pointed at the monitor, "What the hell does that thing do?"

She saw Ryan's brow furrowed, "Looks like a potato peeler." She picked up her cell phone and dialed Lanie's number.

"Yeah, Kev. Oh, that is nasty. Oh." Espo squirmed in his seat.

Castle glanced at Beckett as she approached and added, "And illegal in twelve States."

Beckett studied the monitor, and spoke into the phone, "Yeah, you're right. That is weird. Okay. Thank you." She hung up.

Castle asked her, "What's weird?"

"Lanie ran a SART kit. There's no signs of sexual assault or activity. This has all the makings of a sex crime, but there's no sex involved." Her brow furrowed.

"Well, maybe our psychopath believes in abstinence." Rick suggested.

"It's more likely he has a performance problem, Castle." She raised an eyebrow at him, and he immediately when to object to her subtext. He closed his mouth when he remembered where they were. Beckett continued, "And there's no ID. Her fingerprints aren't in the system."

Ryan and Esposito said, with tilted heads to the left, "Oh! No, no, no, no, no."

Ryan said, "How do you even get in that position?"

Esposito said, "I don't know, but you should try that with your, uh, girlfriend, honey milk. As a matter of fact, I think I'm gonna buy this for you right now."

Castle who took a closer inspection of the monitor, then asked, "Oh, jeez. How do you even get in that position?"

Ryan nodded, "Right? It's not even possible."

Beckett walked behind the, viewed the monitor and said, "Oh, it's possible."

Castle, Ryan and Esposito turned to stare at her.

Beckett shrugged and continued, "Anything on the canvass?"

"Nothing yet," Esposito replied, "And nothing back from missing persons. Given that it just happened last night, it's most likely not gonna be reported for a couple of days."

Beckett asked, "What about the cuffs?"

"We found seven shops in Manhattan that make custom bondage gear," Ryan answered.

Esposito said, "And while we're waiting to hear back, we're gonna buy a gift for Ryan's imaginary girlfriend."

"Ooh, yeah. When are we gonna meet that Jenny?" Castle inquired.

Ryan was shy but firm, "When the time is right, I'll bring her around. I don't want you guys scaring her off." He picked up his phone that rang out with an incoming call.

Esposito being a smart ass, stated, "Oh, there she is now."

Ryan shook his head in the negative as he picked up the call, "Hello. Detective Kevin Ryan."

Beckett gazed between writer and detective, "You guys, give him a break. I wouldn't bring my boyfriend around here either."

Castle sat up, "Boyfriend?" He glanced to Esposito who shrugged, "Did I miss something?"

Beckett smiled mysteriously.

Ryan disconnected the call, "So that was Barry from the Love Shackle." He said to his team, "He says the cuffs might be theirs, but he'd have to examine 'em up close to know for sure."

"Well then, have evidence pull them and tell them I'm coming." Beckett grabbed her keys, indicated to Castle with a hand wave they were about to leave.

Castle instantly stood, shook his clothing straight, "Oh, a field trip to a sex store." He grinned gleefully, "I love this case," he told the boys as he hurried after Beckett who was already on her way to the elevators.

Ryan said, "Look at him following her. Who's whipped, huh, me or him?"

Esposito smirked, and looked from Beckett and Castle to Ryan, "You, bro, hands down."

Ryan's phone tinged with receipt of a text message on his phone. He read it with a chuckle, causing Esposito to shake his head. It was his new girlfriend calling.

"Duct tape would come in handy right about now." Beckett muttered under her breath, almost five minutes into the journey to the adult shop. That was a full five continual minutes of Castle yapping and barely taking a breath between sentences. The excitement level had spiked the second he'd closed the car door and it had barely dropped.

He heard her. "C'mon Beckett, we are hitting a sex shop and you're not even slightly stirred by the idea we could purchase some new toys to add to your collection while we're there? That you're telling me you aren't sexually aroused by-"

"Castle," she cut in, and puffed out an exasperated hot pocket of air from her lungs, "I'm going there for work!"

Rick released an involuntary moan, "Fuck that was a sexy act, Beckett. You drive me crazy some days."

"Castle!" She objected, unable to hold back a grin, "What is going on with you today?"

"What do you mean? I'm a guy, I have a heartbeat, a girlfriend and we are going to-"

"If you wanted to go to a sex shop with me, why on earth didn't you say so?"

"It hasn't really crossed my mind. Between us, we seem to have an array of …"

"Okay. Got it."

"Of toys, Kate. Adult toys." He continued ignoring her attempt to close the conversation.

"Yes. Roger that." She confirmed, glanced at him. "Shit this is embarrassing."

"Really? Embarrassing with me? After all the things I've seen you do? That we have done together?"

"Yes."

Castle chewed on her response for several seconds before he continued, "It's funny, Kate. In the bedroom, you're all green lights. Anything goes. No complaints. But you're not able to talk about it later, without getting all flustered and shutting down the topic."

"I'm not flustered."

"Oh yeah?" He lightly tapped the rear vision mirror, "Check out those rosy cheeks and neck, Baby."

Beckett glanced at Rick, pressed her lips together, determined not to examine her face. It was obvious anyway, as her skin was burning from her throat upwards. She stared forward and drove.

"Do you know where the Love Shackle is?" She asked, unsure where their destination was.

Rick paused, stilled and turned to look at Beckett, one hand resting on the dash the other touched her knee. "Is this a trick question?"

Beckett laughed, "No. But I can understand why you ask. I don't know where I'm going, Castle."

"Okay, let's see." His phone appeared in his hand. "The Love Shackle," he muttered.

There was silence while he got the maps up and running to get the location, then he searched ahead, and pointed, "Keep going another four blocks then turn left, Beckett."

"Thanks." She pressed the pedal to the medal a little seeing the road ahead was clear, "Listen Castle. Don't be buying stuff in this store today, okay?" She glanced to him to reinforce she was serious. Immediately his eyes glistened and he smirked.

"Sure," he agreed, "But it comes with conditions." He kept watch of the map and the streets. "Next left."

"Here we go," she grumbled, "Conditions?"

"Yes. We visit a sex shop sometime soon when you're off duty."

"And in another city. Castle. What happened to online orders?"

He scoffed, "What happened to your sense of adventure? The journey to buy something? The rebellious, risk taking girl in you that longs to do naughty things? And how about the anticipation of what will be when we get home?" He patted the dash. "Christ, I'm getting horny just thinking about it and its been what five days?"

"Fuck Castle, yeah five days and about four hours." She smiled, licked her lips, kind of self-conscious she'd just let him know she was counting.

"Oh, keeping track of time by the hour." He observed quite impressed, "And, circles back to the green lights I mentioned before."

"Anyway," she continued, "I get all that anticipation stuff when I go shopping for new boots, clothes or perhaps a new novel."

"And I should point out that you can purchase variations all of those things in an adult store." He raised his hand in the general direction of the shop.

"Really?" She sighed, "But, you're right."

"I know. There it is. I for one would love to see you in nurse's outfit for instance. A Playboy Bunny even." He grunted joyfully captivated by his own imagination.

"What?"

"Playboy Bunny?"

"Geezus, Castle. Playboy Bunny?"

"You would look gorgeous. My mother was once a Playboy Bunny." He then kind of gagged, "Just the thought-"

"You serious?"

"Yes. She was.

"No, I mean, it's okay for you to imagine me in a Playboy Bunny outfit but not for your mother to have been one? She was a stunning woman in her time, Castle. I've seen a few of her photos."

"She's showed you too, huh?" He asked in resignation, "There's a car space just up there." Rick waved a hand in the direction of the space. Kate drove to it.

"She thought he sounded disappointed. That confused her. "She's an actress, Castle," she stressed. "Those photos are evidence of her past, her career." Beckett swung the car into the parking space then turned off the engine.

"As a Playboy Bunny?"

"Well, she was and is still a beautiful woman," she turned to Castle. "Your ruggedly handsomeness came from somewhere."

"We can only rely on my mother's. God and my mother only know what my father's genes are like."

Kate grunted a response. She didn't know what to say about the other person who had participated in Castle's creation.

"Getting back to the murder case and the sex store." She eventually said.

"Okay." He said.

"I will go to a sex shop with you one day, but-" She held up her hand to silence the anticipated interruption. "When we go in here today, we're on duty, got it?"

"Got it." He smiled, scanned her entire face, "But I'm still gonna have fun." He then grinned.

"Shit." Beckett rolled her eyes. Castle laughed. "I should have left you at the Precinct with the guys. I anticipated you would be like this."

"Mm. Maybe. We have about six hours to fill until we can have some private time and I will put it out there again, that I cannot wait to see you naked. In the meantime, there is no reason why we can't have some adventure."

"Working hours, Castle."

"Working hours, filled with foreplay, Beckett."

She growled out her pretend frustration, in an attempt to keep him in some sort of control. She knew it was in vain. All he did was laugh like a boy. She turned about and got out the car. There wasn't a chance in hell she was ever going to get him to behave on this case. It was a case of get all angry at him or join in and turn it into foreplay. She decided to knock herself out on foreplay. "Sex, murder and Castle. What a combination." She relayed to him over the roof of the car with a smartass smirk and a tilt of her head to the left.

He laughed, "And don't forget to add to that mix, we have had a sexual drought."

"That drought," she replied, "It just might continue if you keep this up." She fell in beside him to walk along the pavement to the entrance.

"Geez, already threatening to shut up shop this early in the relationship." Castle remarked looking ahead to where the store was.

"Uh huh," she agreed then smiled at him. "I bet I could hold off longer than you."

"Arr…" He deduced then said, "You think you're the master of your domain."

"I certainly am," she replied with complete confidence.

"I would win," he stated, equally confident.

"I would," she retorted.

Castle stopped, and brought her to a halt with a gentle hand to her wrist. He got in close and spoke so only she could hear him. "Are you telling me that when you get that little itch you get-"

She pressed her lips together, but waited.

"-That you won't be climbing all over me like you do, often do, trying to get me to scratch that little itch?" He raised an eyebrow in question and glanced down her body before he returned to her eyes, "I know, and have been known to thoroughly enjoy, the power of persuasion that little itch has over you."

For a moment, she thought about that image, that sensation he'd put in her imagination, of him relieving that itch. She was known to seduce him, tease him until he pursued her. She loved doing it. "Nope," she stubbornly stated. "You will cave before me."

"Okay. Interesting." He scratched his jaw in thought, "How about we have a little wager on your little itch then."

She stepped in close and stared into his blue eyes. They were so bright. "How much we talkin' about, Castle?"

He glanced about, then looked back at her, "I don't know. Let's see. If I win I get whatever I desire from you, whenever I want for a week."

"You do anyway," she replied, glanced between his eyes and lips. "Make it something you really want, Castle."

"Okay. You will take a week off work and come away with me."

"Okay. If I win, you have to take me to a place where I can wear the new dress."

He gawked at her, "Really? Is that it? Pick something harder. I will book a place for Saturday evening. Get the dress out."

After due consideration she replied, "Okay. Well, Castle, my little itch might get the upper hand." She stepped closer to his right ear, "And we are venturing into a sex shop. I also should tell you that I have that wine that gets me all-" she screwed up her nose, whispered, "Itchy," then returned to a seductive tone, "Sitting on ice at home waiting for tonight, and I can clearly see today that you have missed me…"

"I," he looked down his body, "We missed you," he echoed.

She stood back and presented him with the sexiest look she could muster up in public. "You so sure you wanna commit to such a bet when you can have all this?" She walked off, continued on her path to the store.

Rick slapped his hand to his chest. His heart beat rapidly. His groin ached for her. His eyes stared at her hot ass walking away. She paused, partially turned and looked over her shoulder at him. He died again when he saw her seductive expression. It was bitter sweet. He groaned.

"Coming, Castle?" She turned back and pushed open the door of the shop.

Inside the Love Shackle store, Beckett and Castle separately wandered about taking in the surroundings. The store was chock full of adult content from novelty items, to hardcore sex aids. Castle wasn't too concerned about the stock because it wasn't his first venture to such a store and anyway, he was busy with internal business. His body was feverish with want, brimmed full of desire to have Beckett, so much so, he could barely contain himself. It was a new and thrilling experience. Something he hadn't really had with other women. Variations granted, but with Kate it was more intense. The build-up of tonight, the foreplay, they were creating was really winding him up. He internally cursed the woman for being such a tease. Once again that day, he spent the better part of a few minutes taming the beast within. Eyes averted from Beckett, he observed boring sex aids and slowly and deeply breathed. It was a little bit more difficult to tame than normally.

Once he had a level of control he was comfortable with, and as they roamed the store, Castle decided to stir Beckett up a bit. Get his mind off the sex. "You know, while we're here, we should really pick up something for that new imaginary boyfriend of yours you told the boys about before." He showed her a spanking paddle with spikes to one side of it, "Oh!" He inspected the paddle, both sides, "Is this his speed, Beckett?"

Beckett glared at him, raised an eyebrow, then looked at the black leather mask on a mannequin's head, "No. But if you keep talking, I'll put you in one of these." She pointed at the gag mask then zipped up the mouth. "I could have done with this in the car before."

"You loved it," he quickly bounced back.

A bloke in his late forties appeared from the rear of the shop, approached Beckett and openly inspected her body, from head to toe and back. She didn't catch it but Rick didn't miss a beat. He also wasn't particularly thrilled about it. However, he chose not to react. Had the guy done it out of work hours he might have stepped up. But he also kind of got a kick out of the fact that the guy was checking out his girlfriend in her tight denims and leather jacket. She did look hot. She was often admired and asked out. He was the guy who was dating her and he was quite chuffed about that.

"Hey, guys. Looking for something special?" The salesman asked.

Castle immediately replied, "Yes."

Beckett turned about the find the man who owned the voice and replied, "No."

The manager chuckled, "Just gettin' started, huh?" He glanced at Rick who frowned. With a glance, Castle shared a conversation with Beckett. She wasn't impressed by the store manager either.

"Yeah," the manager continued, "We get a lot of first timers." He waved his hand at the array of stock in the store, "We carry everything from bondage 101 all the way up to the more advanced stuff for your pleasure PhD. But if you're just looking to dip your toe in the water, these little guys are best sellers." He reached out, grabbed a pair of fluffy handcuffs and dangled the set from his fingers. "Want to give 'em a try?"

Beckett pulled back her jacket enough to reveal the brass attached to her belt, partnered with a set of silver cuffs, "No, thanks. I've already got a pair of my own. But I do have a set of cuffs I would like you to take a look at."

"Arr," he gave a nod of understanding, "You're from the precinct the cops called from." He walked away.

Beckett and Castle followed the guy to the counter where she got out the cuffs contained within a plastic zip lock bag.

Barry examined the cuffs from the crime scene, then put them down on the counter, "Double cross lap stitch on the seam. Yeah, this is definitely one of mine."

Beckett asked, "Can you tell us who ordered them?"

"Yeah, I remember this kid. Very vanilla. Then again, it's always the normal-looking ones that end up being the most freaky, right?"

Beckett fidgeted, realized she did and ceased. Beside her Castle cleared his throat.

"It's the quiet ones you've gotta watch," Castle stated and looked over Beckett settling on her widened eyes. He wanted to laugh.

Beckett looked at the store manager, tried to ignore Castle and asked, "Do you have a name or a billing address?"

"Yeah." He began to tap on the keyboard to his computer, and given a moment or two he had the information they wanted. "The cuffs were purchased six months ago by a Tyler Benton. He had 'em specially made for his girlfriend. Cute girl, too."

On their way out of the story a couple of minutes later, Beckett said to Castle, "We need to talk to Tyler Benton and find out what he was doing last night."

Castle replied, "My guess is killing his girlfriend."

"I'll get the boys to bring him in. Let's go for lunch."

"Hotel lunch?"

"Food, Castle. You can wait for the other."

"What do you feel like for lunch?" He asked as they approached the police car.

Beckett paused in her step, had a momentary think about his inquiry, then looked at him and suggested, "Hotdogs?"

"Ohhh… funny girl." He pointed and waved in the negative at her. "No. I'm not going to watch you eat a hot dog today."

"Subway?" She unlocked the car. "Foot long sandwich?"

"Definitely not. Get in." He firmly said.

Inside the vehicle she continued to be a smart ass, "Cucumber salad."

"You like talking dirty and being devious, Detective."

"Your dirty mind, writer boy. What shall we eat?"

"Cheeseburgers, Detective and I will call the boys to see what they want."

She laughed, "This is so much fun, Castle."

"Sure, Honey." He watched her drive, could see her trying to think of something to say, to tease him a little more. "Can I ask you a question?"

Beckett glanced to him. "If you're gonna ask me to pull into a hotel or swing by one of our apartments, then no."

"I wish I was driving, but no not that."

"Then what?"

"You haven't had a go on me for not calling you while I was gone."

She glanced at him again, seriously this time then shrugged, "You were busy."

"Any other girlfriend would have fried me for that."

"I'm not every other girlfriend, Castle. I don't ask you for money either."