Better This Way

by Clavia

Her body seemed to refuse to leave his side, but her mind was winning the fight, as usual. It was better this way. He would go anyway. Anything that might have happened would have led to nothing but a fiery end to a year full of tension. Yes, she wanted that. But it was not what she needed. - Set in s2e5. Rated M. ONESHOT/COMPLETE.

I started writing this one a few months ago, I think sometime in November. Then I stopped, thinking I wouldn't have the self-confidence to put it out here anyway. Then I started again, rewrote it a couple of times and now we're here. And since I invested so much time into so few words, I thought I should upload it.

So, here comes my first M-rated oneshot. It isn't pure smut, but smut is the main point. It's set in s2e5 (the book party after their little fight) and can somehow be seen as a fix it fic. I hope you enjoy it!

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Kate stared at Castle from the other side of the room, the tip of her finger mindlessly circling over the rim of her almost empty champagne glass. Chewing on her cheek, she frowned as she eyed him, leaning into some woman, a broad and charming smile plastered to his face. Right now, she hated that smile. Actually, she hated all of this. His stupid party, his stupid book, the stupid people surrounding him like he was the center of the universe. He didn't seem to mind, though, of course. She huffed and tore her eyes away from him, downing the last sip of champagne.

She turned to the bar and placed the empty glass on the wooden surface of the counter with a little more force than necessary. The barman looked up at her when he heard the low clink and raised one questioning eyebrow. She met his gaze with a barely noticeable shrug of her shoulders, and without a word, he poured her a glass of amber liquid and pushed it over the counter in her direction. She forced her lips into a crooked smirk to show her appreciation for sensing what she needed. That probably came with his job.

She took the glass and turned back around. Her eyes instantly fell back on him, and the creases on her forehead deepened when she saw him placing his hand on the hip of the beautiful, dark-skinned woman. Bringing her glass to her lips, she took a big sip, the liquor burning its way down her throat. For a second, it eased the scrunching feeling in her stomach, but then it returned. Oh, she would need a lot more drinks like this to make it through this evening.

Still, she couldn't bring her gaze away from him. She didn't care that she was staring, and everyone could notice. Probably, it was the alcohol slowly spreading through her system that made her care less than usual. But so what, people should stare and talk, she didn't mind. It wouldn't change anything, would it? His book was published, their partnership would come to an end, and soon, he would have disappeared from her life. No one would question their relationship ever again. What relationship was there, actually?

She had to admit that when she had come here, she had had a spark of hope there could be something. She hadn't even dared to name it in her head, didn't even allow the thought to form completely. But when she had read that dedication, when she had seen the look on his face as his eyes had wandered down on her in her dress, that spark had ignited into a burning little flame, telling her there definitely was something.

Until he ruined it. Or had she been the one who ruined it? She didn't really remember how a moment full of tension and anticipation had turned into a fight in a matter of seconds. But it had, and now he was over there, touching pretty women's hips, and she was here at the bar, trying to kill that flame still sizzling in the pit of her stomach with the burning taste of whisky.

The beautiful woman in front of Castle leaned into his touch, and suddenly, her hand wandered up his thigh. Kate's brows shot up in despise the moment Castle's eyes suddenly looked over the woman's shoulder and met hers. His smile froze on his face, and it took Kate a second too long to tear her eyes from him. She looked down at her feet and quickly busied herself by taking another big gulp of whisky.

When she allowed her eyes to flicker back to the other side of the room, she spotted the back of the woman, but Castle was gone. She didn't even have time to search the room before he stepped into her field of vision. Her heart rate sped up, and she suddenly regretted downing a full glass of liquor. She struggled to find her composure but straightened up before he reached her, preparing herself to pick up their conversation where they had left it.

She turned in the direction he was coming from, ready to face him with her best cold stare, but when her eyes met his, that determination melted away without a chance of resistance. He was still a couple of steps away and had to fight his way through the people and shake off a few hands, trying to hold him back to start a conversation. But his eyes were firmly fixated on her face, and she couldn't bring herself to look away.

As he crossed the remaining distance, she felt the little flame lighting up stronger again, and to her unpleasant surprise, the whisky had seemed to make it even worse. She was still holding the empty glass in her sweaty palms when he finally reached her and came to a stand before her, his eyes not flickering from her face for a second.

She opened her mouth to say something, but when no words came to her mind, she closed it again. Blankly, she stared at his face and helplessly felt the blush creeping up her cheeks. He let out a deep breath, and his shoulders sank a few inches, making him look like a sad puppy. You know that act, don't fall for it, she told herself.

"I'm sorry," Castle said softly, and the words and the tone of his voice caught her by surprise. Yes, she knew this act, only this time she was sure this wasn't one.

"Wh-What?" She stammered, unable to bring her mind to come up with a witty remark or anything of sense at all. She definitely regretted the whisky now.

"I'm sorry I picked up a fight earlier." He said and had to speak a little louder than he liked to cover the noise surrounding them. He frowned and, for the first time, tore his eyes away from hers for a second to look around. Without warning, he reached out for her and placed his palm on the small of her back. Kate was grateful for the music and people talking around them, the noise covering her gasp.

He pressed his hand to her back, only partly covered by the fabric of her dress, and the feeling of his fingers against her skin threatened to turn the little flame in her stomach into a blazing fire. She gave in to his touch and let him guide her to the other side of the bar, away from the speakers and the majority of people. Only when he came to a stand he pulled his hand away, and Kate was partly glad he did. But the bigger part of her immediately missed the warmth of his hand against her body.

"I'm sorry for what I said earlier." He repeated himself, and when Kate just kept on staring at him, her mind still trying to keep the heat in her body under control, he continued. "I didn't mean what I said. Nikki Heat could fill a whole series of books. The past year I spent with you alone could." Kate swallowed, but her throat was dry.

She furrowed her brow, desperately trying to concentrate on the conversation instead of the way his lips looked when they moved. "I.. uhm.." She squinted her eyes and pulled in a sharp breath. Get it together, Kate.

"It's okay." She answered. "I didn't mean what I said either." She dared to look back at him but instantly realized it was a mistake. A soft smile played around his lips. A real one, not like the exaggerated grin he had given the woman at the other side of the room.

"So we are friends again?" He teased, arching his brow in that playful way she knew so well. She couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, we are." Friends. That didn't sound or feel right. But maybe it was the best she could get.

"Good." He answered, relaxing visibly. "It would be a shame if our partnership ended on bad terms." Kate felt her heart sinking again, just like it had earlier this evening when he had first mentioned taking the offer for the Bond novels. He seemed to notice the change in her expression, and once more, Kate damned the alcohol for bringing her guard down far enough to make it that easy for him to read her.

"You know, I still haven't signed a contract." He offered her a little smirk and shrug of his shoulders, looking a little insecure, something she wasn't used to from him. She looked at him and thought she maybe saw a glimpse of hope in his eyes. Hope she would tell him not to do it? Not to sign the contract and instead stay with her in whatever it was they had?

The words were halfway off her tongue before she stopped them by biting down on it. No, she wouldn't be the one begging him to stay. She wouldn't be that pathetic. If he wanted to stay, he would. She released her tongue from her teeth and tried to wind up a smile.

"It's up to you, Castle. Your books, your career. I have no say in this." Once more, his shoulders sank, and the puppy look returned. But he quickly covered up his disappointment with a smirk. "So, the past year wasn't that bad, was it? You would send me off to the hills if it had really been that exhausting for you."

"Oh, it was exhausting." She shot back without even thinking about it. She grinned at his surprised and a bit hurt expression. "At least sometimes." She softly added, and without her having any control over it, her hand reached out and brushed over his forearm. While Kate was shocked at her own movement, he seemed to find new courage in it.

He took a little step forward, and suddenly, he was much closer, too close. Kate could feel the warmth radiating from his body, and again, the flames found new fuel to tangle up inside her. If only she could bring herself to look away. But her eyes were glued to his, his gaze changing into a challenging stare.

"And what about the other times?" He was so close that she could almost feel his breath on the skin of her face when he spoke. Her head was empty, not a single word appeared before her. Only unwanted images flashed before her eyes. His hand on her hip, not anyone else's, those lips on her neck.

"Kate," he whispered his voice suddenly soft. "Kate, I wanted to tell you, this past year…"

"Yo, Beckett! Castle!" Castle froze, and his hand stopped just before it reached her waist. Startled, Kate took a step back as Castle turned around, looking like he was ready to growl at whoever had interrupted him.

Esposito walked up to them, seeming to be completely unaware of what he had just walked into. "Just wanted to let you guys know the rest of the team is heading home. We all got to be at work by eight tomorrow. Will we see you around sometime, Castle?"

Castle pulled all his strength together to give Esposito a smile. "Sure. Thank you for coming." Esposito grinned and waved before disappearing into the crowd.

Slowly, he turned back around to Kate and searched for her eyes, but she kept her gaze down at her feet. "Kate.." He started, trying to retrieve any of the tension that had been there just moments ago, but it was useless.

Her brows furrowed as her eyes looked over to the exit, and his heart started to sink. "I should get going, too." She said quietly. She forced herself to give him a little smile, carefully paying attention to not get lost in those blue eyes again. "It would be great to see you again. You know, our doors are always open."

With that, she walked past him, though she had to force her legs to move. Her body seemed to refuse to leave his side, but her mind was winning the fight, as usual. It was better this way. He would go anyway. Anything that might have happened if Esposito hadn't interrupted them would have led to nothing but a fiery end to a year full of tension.

Yes, she wanted that. But it was not what she needed. And she knew if she had given in, she would have risked her heart, whether she wanted to or not. And no, a night just to release that tension wouldn't be worth it. As she walked off, she tried to convince herself that it would fade in time. Just as the flame in her belly would die as soon as she got out of here and back home.

She looked back over her shoulder once more to grant him and herself another quick glance. "See you, Castle." She mumbled and turned her gaze away again before she could take in his sad expression.

Determined, she walked out of the building and into the cold night. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply, feeling the crips air against her heated cheeks and skin. For a second, she considered walking home to give herself a chance to cool down. But that wasn't a good idea. Not at this time and not in this dress when she didn't have her gun at hand.

She waved her hand, and one of the waiting taxis pulled up to her. Her eyes flickered back to the door once more, she almost expected to see him come walking through it. But he didn't. Sighing, she told the driver her address and rested her head back against the cool leather seat. So much for this evening. But it's better this way.

Castle helplessly stared at the spot where she had vanished into the crowd and still couldn't tear his eyes away from where he had last seen her, even when she had been gone a couple of minutes. He ran his hand over his face and clenched his jaw, suddenly feeling like all these people and all the noise were suffocating him. He needed to get out of here. What the hell was he still doing here anyway?

His mother and Alexis had headed home hours ago, the team went home, and now she was gone too. There wasn't a single person in this room he cared about. He pushed past the chatting and dancing people, avoiding everyone who looked like they wanted to start a conversation. All he wanted was to get out of here and get some fresh air.

Halfway over the dancefloor he caught a glance at the giant digital clock at the other side of the room. She had left what, about five minutes ago? Without consciously deciding on it, his feet started to move faster, hurrying through the crowd as fast as possible. Maybe there was a chance she was still waiting outside, trying to get a taxi. Maybe he could still get a chance to catch her before she disappaered, and this night and all the hopes he had had for it would turn to dust.

He reached the glass door and almost stumbled out onto the dark sidewalk. Frantically, he scanned the street, but after a few seconds, his heart already started to sink. She wasn't there. He knew if she was, he would spot her immediately, no need for a second look. She definitely wasn't among the few people standing outside the club. She had left.

His fists clenched at his sides as he felt anger flaring up in his chest. Why had he let her go? He should have held her back and told her what he had wanted to tell her for months. The way she had looked at him, how her eyes had literally pleaded for him to say something. Why did he realize it just now after she was gone?

He shot a glance back to the door, the party behind the glass still roaring. Nothing could bring him to go back in there. Looking over to the taxis, he made a decision, and before he could give it a proper thought, his arm shot up, waving for one of the drivers to pull up to him. Paula would kill him, but he didn't care.

The car stopped in front of him, and without a second thought, he got in and told the driver Kate's address. His heart was racing in his chest, and it didn't calm down one bit on the twenty-minute car ride to her place. His mind was spinning in circles. He had no idea what he wanted to do. He only knew that he had to do something. Anything to fix how he had allowed their moment to slip by.

When the taxi pulled up in front of her building, he tried to make out which windows were hers, but he wasn't sure. He just prayed that it was one of those with light still shining from them. He paid the driver by pressing a hundred dollar bill to his hand, receiving a surprised look. He didn't care, all he wanted was to get to her door.

Slamming the car door shut behind himself, he hurried over to the entrance door and decided on the stairs, unable to wait for the elevator to come down. His feet took two steps at once, and when he reached her floor and saw her door at the end of the hallway, he was a little out of breath. But that didn't stop him from running the little distance and firmly knocking his hand to the wood as soon as it was within his reach.

The second he heard the sound of his knuckles against the door, he regretted not giving himself a chance to compose himself for a moment. He exhaled deeply and straightened his shoulders, trying to catch his breath. Seconds went by, and he almost feared she had gone to bed already when he heard the soft clicking of heels on the floor of the other side of the door. His heart skipped a hurried beat and picked up its pace again when he heard the clinging of the door chain before the door cracked open.

Her face lit up in surprise before the wrinkles of confusion creased over her forehead. "Castle?" She opened the door completely, and his heart stumbled once more.

She was still wearing her dress, still looked so incredibly beautiful. The only thing that had changed was that the seductively long necklace and the sparkling earrings were gone, and she had loosened up her hair, causing it to fall around her face. Just like he loved it. He swallowed hard and blinked a few times to stop himself from staring.

"I.. I'm sorry, I…" All the words he had thought about on his drive here drained from his mind. For a moment, he closed his eyes. He couldn't gain back his concentration while looking at her standing in the dim light of her apartment, looking like she had just escaped one of his fantasies.

"I feel like I didn't get the chance to say everything I wanted to say back at the party." Daring to open his eyes again, he found her face looking even more confused.

"And what's that?" Maybe his hope was tricking him, but he thought he noticed a longing in her voice, the sound remembering him of the look in her eyes before they had been interrupted.

Rubbing his damp palms together, he tried to remember what he wanted to say, but it was gone. Damn, that speech had sounded so good.

"Kate, this past year... You have no idea. It means so much..." His voice got caught in his throat as he took in her expression of pure anticipation, looking like she was about to be the one to finally take the last step. If only he would tell her to.

Oh, fuck talking. One long stride and the air between them was gone. It was replaced with the warmth of bodies crashing together, his lips meeting hers in a desperate attempt to say what words failed to explain.

Kate's shock only lasted for a second, not even long enough for Castle to question whether he had made a mistake. She melted into his touch as his hands found her neck and waist, trying to pull her closer than physically possible. Kate was surprised by herself. She would have expected herself to at least give him a little resistance. But there was none.

Instead, she felt like the little flame she had somehow managed to keep under control the entire evening was now mercilessly burning her down. All she could do was give in and let it roar through her veins, let the heat reach every fiber of her body. And still, it demanded more, demanded to be fueled by skin and touch and everything her senses were able to take in.

She twisted her hands into his shirt to support herself while she stumbled backward into her apartment, pulling him along even though he followed her every movement. Kate heard the door close with a loud bang as he kicked it close. She wouldn't even have thought about the door. But it was good that it was closed now because the next moment, his lips left hers, only to meet the sensitive skin on her neck while he pinned her to the wall of her hallway.

Her back met the wall with a thud, and when her body got stuck between his and the wall behind her, his hot lips running down her neck, she couldn't stop the moan from slipping from her lips.

To Castle, that sound seemed to be an invitation or, better, a permission to let go of all restraint. His hands left their spots and roamed freely over her body, her skin aching to feel the touch of his fingers on it and not through her dress. Desperately, she searched for something of him to touch herself, anything that wasn't clothing.

Her hands found his cheeks, feeling the slight stubble on them, and then wandered into his hair, surprised by how soft it felt. But she needed so much more.

Pushing his jacket down his shoulders, he carelessly let it fall to the ground before his hands returned to her hips, pulling her in and firmly holding her against his body. Blindly, she searched for the buttons of his shirt, undoing them one by one as fast as her trembling fingers could.

Her hands wandered over his chest, palms firmly pressed against his skin to feel as much of him as possible. She slid her arms around his back, returning the pressure he applied to her body.

"Kate." He sighed against her neck and slowly kissed his way back to her mouth, leaving a damp trail on her skin, the cool sensation a maddening contrast to the heat underneath her skin. She needed to feel his lips again and cupped a hand around his cheek to lead his mouth back to hers.

Brushing his tongue against hers, trying to burn her taste into his memory, he shrugged off his shirt and let his fingers search for the tiny clasp on her neck, holding her dress together. It was easy to open, and suddenly, the tight fabric only covered her upper body loosely, only a slight pull away from revealing what he was longing to see and touch.

But he didn't need to pull. Before his hands could reach her shoulders to strap her of the unnecessary fabric, she rolled her shoulders and let the upper part of her dress fall down from her chest. Freeing her arms from it, she wrapped them back around his shoulders, making him moan at the feeling of her soft skin and the curves of her body perfectly fitting against his.

He wasn't able to let go of her lips, although he desperately wanted to look at her. But the way she kissed him was too consuming to step away even one inch, so he let his hands explore her body instead of his eyes.

Running them down her sides and to her waist, thinking she felt small and fragile under his touch, completely different from what she seemed to be when he looked at her. When he ran his hand up and over her ribcage, he felt her panted breathing underneath his palms and the low vibration of her moan when he cupped one hand around one of her breasts. He could only take it for a moment, then he had to tear his mouth from hers to bring his lips to her body.

"God." She moaned as his lips reached the valley of her breasts, kissing right and left, unable to decide where to go first. Her fingers tangled into his hair, and he finally closed his lips around her right nipple. It all felt so wonderful, but all of it was taking too long, every touch making her want more.

She pulled him back up again, and for the first time since he had taken that step towards her, their eyes met. Breathing shallowly, he leaned his forehead against her, taking her in for a second. There was no fear or hesitance in her eyes, just pure desire.

He felt her hands working on his belt and closed his eyes in anticipation. Her movements were determined and firm, and when her touch finally reached him, he dug his fingers into her hips like he could hold on to them while her soft strokes took him dangerously high within only a few seconds.

That dress had to go now. He hooked his fingers into the fabric around her waist and pulled it down until it fell from her body and to her ankles. Instantly, she pressed herself into his groin while not relenting her touch on him for a moment. He ran his hands down her hips, searching for the underwear he was expecting, but there was none.

Her lips trailed along his ear, her breath on his skin causing him to shiver. "Not under a dress like this." Her voice was just a whisper but still tantalizing as she led him towards her center. Another groan escaped his throat when he felt her wet heat on him.

He shifted, desperate to connect their bodies, causing her to moan at the friction against her core. A frustrated growl formed in his throat, the angle wasn't right, she was so close and yet out of reach. And still, she kept on stroking him, covering him with herself.

It was almost too much to take, and he had to step away, though it cost him all his willpower. For a second, she looked at him, confused, then a smirk blossomed on her lips at his desperate stare at her body.

Wordless, she brushed past him, not removing her eyes from his as she turned and walked backward toward her bedroom. "Come on." She whispered, barely hearable. His mouth slightly ajar, he stared at her, for the first time able to take in the view of her body. She was breathtaking.

Taking another step, she kicked off her left heel and tilted her head. He pulled in a sharp breath when his body demanded oxygen. Unable to even blink, he stared at her as she kicked off the other heel, suddenly a couple of inches smaller when she turned her back on him and walked into the bedroom. For some reason, that and the salacious sway of her hips made him want her even more, almost enough to lose his mind right then and there.

She threw him a glance over her shoulder that tore him out of his freeze. He kicked off his shoes and pants and stumbled after her, not caring one bit that he looked like an idiot. He reached her just when she approached the bed and pulled her back into him, her back pressed against his chest.

She let her head fall back to his shoulder and softly moaned at the touch of his hands on her body, pressing him to her. "Do you have any idea what you're doing to me?" He murmured into her ear. Her body vibrated with a low chuckle.

"Oh, Castle, I am just getting started." Her tone made something snap in his mind. He had to have her now.

"I need to look at you." He rasped, his voice strained with arousal and impatience.

Torturingly slowly, she turned around in his arms, and her lips found his again without having to search for them. He leaned into her, this kiss so different than the one by the door. Instead of an outburst of passion and longing, this one felt like a promise that no matter how driven by lust they were, this meant more to both of them.

As she melted into his arms and let him lower her down to her bed so slowly, he felt something inside of him shift and a realization sinking in. He didn't want to have her. He wanted to love her. To worship every inch of her body and anything else, she would be willing to reveal to him. He made a promise to himself to do everything in his power to try and get to see every part of her if only she would let him.

But he was more than willing to start with the here and now.

Her body felt like silk under his touch. Smooth and soft, and like he would never be able to touch enough of her skin. Hoovering over her, he pressed his lips to hers, trying to make her feel what he felt.

Kate held on tightly to him, trying to pull him down on her body like she couldn't handle the air separating his skin from hers. The roaring fire in her veins had long taken over, and she let the pleasant burn consume her completely. Touching him, guiding him, she closed her eyes to intensify the feeling of his touch while his stare prickled on her body. She didn't mind him looking at her, she almost wanted him to see right through her and see everything she had failed to tell him.

Castle followed her guidance, his movements no longer frantic or rushed even though desire was roaring through his body, centering down at his groin. But there was no need to rush, and he didn't want to. He wanted to make this moment last for as long as possible, savor it, and lock the feeling of her into his memory.

He hooked one arm under one of her knees while resting his weight on the elbow of the other arm, pressing his body down on hers. Kate easily gave in to his touch while her hands framed his face, her lips begging his for more, tender and full of longing.

He didn't make her wait any longer. With a slow, smooth movement, he led himself into her. And when the world stopped spinning for a moment, her moan mixed into his. For a couple of precious seconds, nothing seemed to exist anymore, apart from the feeling of her surrounding him so softly and tightly at the same time that he felt himself melting into her.

His body started to move out of pure instinct. And it found the rhythm of her body with ease, like they had been meant to move together. Both of them gave in to the desire guiding them, setting a desperate yet gentle pace, carrying them higher with every movement.

The room was filled with swallowed groans, gasping breaths, moaned names. Hands searching for hold on each other's bodies, leaving marks no one cared about. Castle lost track of time and space as the tension in his groin built up to become unbearable. But all he wanted to do was to bring her to unravel with him. Desperately, he held on, no longer able to hold his eyes open but instead feeling her more intense than he had ever physically felt anything before.

When his name fell from her lips, nothing more than a hushed but raw whisper, he felt himself falling over the edge. With one more deep thrust, he took her with him, feeling her tensing and then collapsing around and underneath him.

He didn't know how long it took for the room around them to become present again. Still buried deep inside of her, he kept his eyes shut, breathing heavily into her neck. He didn't want this moment to end or the feeling of connection to vanish. He longed to stay like this right here forever.

Tender fingers stroking through his hair and down his spine to his shoulders cut forever short. But when his eyes fluttered open and were met by the most gorgeous smile, he didn't mind. Copying her movement, he tangled his fingers into her hair, brushing it from her face to take in her features.

Her eyes were bright and filled with the same satisfaction he felt spreading through his entire body. He searched for a hint of fear or restraint, but her gaze was clear as she arched a questioning brow.

"What?" She murmured, her voice still a little hoarse. Her fingers started to draw lazy patterns onto his back.

When he smiled back at her, he realized he must have looked worried. Probably, she had searched his face for the same feeling as he had hers. He didn't want her to doubt for a heartbeat that this was the only place in the world he wanted to be.

Leaning forward, he brushed a soft kiss to her lips.

"Nothing." He mumbled. "I think I just needed a moment to realize this really just happened."

Her gaze briefly shifted from his as a low chuckle escaped her throat, not completely free of insecurity.

"You better do because I…"

Both of them froze when her words were interrupted by the sharp noise of her doorbell ringing. Kate's head shot up, looking towards the open door of her bedroom while a worried crease formed on Castle's forehead.

"Sorry." She mumbled and freed himself from the cage his body had built around hers. He didn't hold her back, but the cold air replacing the warmth of her skin fit the icy feeling spreading in his stomach. Her doorbell ringing in the middle of the night couldn't mean anything good for whatever had just started to form between them.

Kate got out of bed and pulled a bathrobe she took from a hook on the door over her body. The scary thought that he would possibly never see her like this again crossed his mind, but he fought it back. Instead, he sat up and shifted to the edge of the bed, trying to get a look at the door.

The partly closed bedroom door hid it from his view, so he turned his head to catch the sound of a quick rustling better and then her low voice, mumbling something that sounded like "Thank you". The confused crease on his forehead deepened as he heard her soft footsteps coming closer again. It vanished when his brows shot up in surprise as she appeared in the doorframe.

Seeing her holding a huge paper bag as the smell of Chinese food hit his nose, he let out a relieved huff that turned into a little laugh as he saw her blushing in the faint light coming from the living room.

"You ordered food?" He hadn't even realized how quickly the weight had settled on his heart when she had left the room until he felt it lifting back up again.

She crossed the distance to the bed and sat down beside him, avoiding his eyes but smiling.

"The food at your party was a bad joke." She mumbled, her smile radiating from her voice.

He chuckled and reached out to pull the bag towards him, glancing inside the bag.

"And for how many people exactly did you order? Is there someone else hiding in the closet?" His tone was teasing, and Kate's eyes shot back up to him.

Playfully slapping his fingers from the back, she tilted her head and smirked at him. "I had a lot of frustration to kill. And what better way than to drown it in takeout."

He raised his brows, and a provoking smirk drew over his lips. "Oh, is that so? What kind of frustration are we talking about?" Without tearing his eyes from hers, he took the bag out of her hands and placed it on the other side of the bed.

Kate didn't stop him but followed his hand when he placed it on her hip, slowly pulling her towards him. Lifting one leg over his hips, she sat down on his lap, bringing her face close to his.

"Let's just say that it's not a problem anymore." She murmured, her breath warm on his face as she nudged her nose against his. His hand ran up her back to her shoulders, pushing the bathrobe off of them.

"Does that mean you would be willing to share?" He whispered, softly brushing his lips over hers.

She hummed against his lips, and the vibrating sensation sent sparks rushing down on him, pooling where she pressed her body into his with slowly circling movements.

"Maybe." She sighed, slowly pressing him down to the mattress and breathing soft kisses onto his cheeks. "If you'd be willing to share what you wanted to tell me at the party."

He gasped when her hand took a hold of him, guiding him back to her core as she sank down on him. "Deal." He sighed as he felt his mind fogging again at the feeling of her taking him into her body.

"Good." She whispered as she straightened up, slowly grinding her hips to his. "Cause I would like to tell you something, too." He intertwined his fingers with hers as her movements turned into a slow but demanding pace.

He couldn't wait to hear what she wanted to tell him, feeling deep in his soul he already knew and felt the same way. There was nothing in this world he wanted to hear more. Maybe except for the moan he muffled with another kiss as he pulled her back down to him again.