Dress

A/N: Inspired by Taylor Swift's Dress. I LOVE this song, and I highly recommend you either go listen to it or at the very least read the lyrics. This is specifically inspired by the lines, "I'm spilling wine in the bathtub. You kiss my face and we're both drunk," and also, "I only bought this dress so you could take it off." :)

So yeah. Very mature chapter. Be aware, if you're not into that kind of thing!

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They stayed at the book launch party for the appropriate amount of time. Long enough to mingle with everyone, for Castle to sign a few dozen copies of the next Nikki Heat novel, and for the music to start - bringing everyone's attention to the dance floor instead of the celebrated author.

Kate was wasted by the time Castle's hands gripped her hips through the floor-length black satin gown, fingernails pressing dangerously close to the soft skin below her bellybutton. She swayed against him as he stood behind her, and he pulled her back against his chest.

She wasn't even thinking. She just loved the warmth of his hands on her. But then she spotted Esposito on the dance floor, and Kate tensed, remembering who all was at this party.

"You can't touch me here, Castle," she whispered accusingly over her shoulder, though she made no attempt to actually pull away. She wasn't sure she had the strength of will, despite not wanting to get caught. His hold on her was another form of intoxication - like his hands alone had rendered her prone with paralysis.

She tried to tell herself they were in a dark corner and no one was looking at them, but she kept her eyes peeled just in case. Castle was making no effort to let go. Despite the haze in her brain, she had to be on her guard.

One of his hands moved down her thigh, fingertips sliding into the slit of the dress. He felt the silky smooth skin of her thigh, and just the feel of it alone made him shiver. He pressed a kiss to the back of her neck, and then the spot between her shoulder blades that was exposed by the strapless, sweetheart neckline. Then he sighed, "I can't help it. You're so beautiful, Kate. It's not fair I've had to keep my hands off you all night."

She grinned and bit her bottom lip, sucking it between her teeth - lipstick be damned. "You clean up good yourself, Castle."

He tightened his hold, swaying softly with her. His arms were anchoring her now, having slid slowly up her body from behind. "I love this dress," he murmured against her skin. Goosebumps erupted, and a tingle shot down her spine.

For emphasis, his hands slid unabashedly up and down her stomach. He didn't seem to care who saw him openly fondling her. He just wanted to feel her under her hands; she wasn't complaining. (And thankfully, no one was watching them.)

"I knew you would," she mumbled back, and rested the back of her head against his broad shoulder. "I can't wait for you to take it off later."

He groaned, his hot breath tickling the back of her ear. "My place. Now."

Kate giggled. "What about the party?"

But Castle swiveled her around and took her firmly by the elbow. He placed a soft, teasingly chaste kiss to her cheek before replying, "They won't even notice we're gone."

She knew he was right. She looked into his dark eyes and at the tie loosened around his neck. His skin was red and splotchy there, evidence of the whiskey he'd no doubt been drinking. His hair was slightly unkempt and she was struck by how gorgeous he looked, how his expression changed when he was this close to her.

He looked like he could barely contain himself. Like if she didn't get him out of here, they'd be fucking in the ballroom's bathroom any moment.

(She wasn't strictly opposed to the idea, but his loft certainly sounded much more sanitary.)

They grabbed their belongings and left with his hand on her lower back. They were in a fairly popular part of town, and were easily able to call a cab back to Castle's apartment. Kate was grateful for the darkness and the disinterest of the cab driver, because the moment they were inside, his hands were running up and down her body, from her calves to her shoulders. His mouth crashed onto hers before moving to suck hungrily at her neck and exposed collarbones.

"Slow down," she tried to quietly tell him, a shy, pleased smile plastered on her face. "We'll be there soon." But Castle was insatiable. (She didn't know how that was still possible. They'd been together for several months. Surely his appetite would have slowed down a little by now.)

"Your fault," he mumbled between wet kisses. "That dress."

Kate grinned even more broadly. That had been the effect she'd been going for when her and Lanie had gone shopping for their gowns the week prior. Lanie hadn't known, of course, what Kate had been planning, but she'd certainly approved of Kate's choice. Kate had had no idea it would be this effective, though, and she was grateful she'd chosen this particular piece.

Castle continued. "You look amazing, Kate. I've been so good keeping my hands to myself tonight."

Kate ran a hand along his thigh, gripping his knee hard. "You've been a good boy, indeed."

They got to the apartment in record time, and Castle casually handed a $50 bill to the driver. It was more than plenty, and together they raced up to his floor.

Once inside the apartment, Kate pressed a hand on Castle's chest, keeping him at a distance. "Go draw us a bath," she half-whispered, half-groaned, and then continued, "I'll get us some wine."

Castle looked torn. His eyes ravaged over her body; he wanted her so much, she could see his fingers twitching, straining to reach out. "But—"

Kate arched a single brow. "I've been sweating all night. I want a bath. Don't you wanna take one with me?"

He opened his mouth to argue, and she could almost hear the complaint on his lips. But we're just going to get sweaty anyway. But that wasn't the point. She wasn't ready for this night to be over. She wanted to draw it out, continue the romanticism she always felt when a new Heat book came out. He wrote them for her. She always felt so… adored, at these things, but especially now. Now that she knew what she meant to him. What they really meant to one another.

He swallowed but cupped her cheeks gently with both hands. He kissed her tenderly, slowly, before following her command and disappeared through the double doors that led to his bedroom.

Kate surveyed the wine collection in the wine fridge under the counter. She selected a sweet wine, something light and fresh, and uncorked it. She brought the whole bottle, sans glasses, back through the doors Castle had disappeared through.

She found him sitting on the edge of the tub, his top half completely bare and socks discarded. A bubble bath smelling of lavender and vanilla was frothing in the tub, steam filling the air around them.

His eyes raked over her hungrily before settling on the wine bottle. "Good choice," he commented, and then pointed to the edge of the tub.

"Thanks. It's yours," she teased with a giggle, and then sat it down. Eyes never leaving his, Kate then moved to stand in between his legs. His hands, strong and tanned and one of her favorites of all of his features, slid up the backs of her thighs to rest on her ass.

"May I?" he asked, voice low and barely contained. Kate nodded, and Castle stood, sliding up against the fabric of her dress. It was like he didn't want to leave even an inch of space between them.

With practiced, confident movements, he reached up to the zipper beneath her shoulder blades. Slowly, dark blue eyes locked on hers, he slid down the zipper, tracing her skin with his fingertips. She held her breath, steam tickling the locks of hair hanging at the nape of her neck. God, she just wanted him to rip it off.

She must have huffed impatiently, because Castle stopped, and tsked down at her disapprovingly. "Now now, Kate. You're the one who wanted to take their time - isn't that right?"

Kate swallowed. He stood there, one hand holding her zipper and the other clenched in the side of the fabric, keeping the dress from dropping. How he suddenly had this newfound sense of self control, she didn't know.

"I'm all yours," she sighed, and it was the right thing to say because Castle's pupils dilated even more, his breath began pulsing with heavy pants.

"That's right."

When he at last got to the end of the zipper, his other hand relaxed, and he unwrapped her carefully, like she was precious and fragile, and he just couldn't bear to ever be finished doing so. He pulled down the fabric inch by inch, moving to sit back down at the edge of the tub. His sight was at chest level, and he drank in every inch of skin he could see as he reached down to help her step out of the dress. Then, he handed it to her, gesturing to the hanger on the back of the bathroom door.

"I don't want to ruin it. Not yet, anyway." There was a delicious gleam in his eyes, and Kate's face split apart in an excited smile as she turned to hang the dress up.

Clad in only her underwear, she stepped back in between his legs. He reached over to turn the faucet off, and then placed his hands back over her ass.

"You ready?" he asked, and Kate nodded.

While still looking up into her face, he used both hands to tug at the waistband of her underwear, and slid them all the way down her legs. Using his shoulders for balance in her intoxicated (and needy) state, she stepped out of them, and pressed his face gently against her bare chest.

"You're not, though." She glanced down at his tuxedo pants, and what was already swelling beneath.

"You get in first. I'll join you in a second," he murmured, and kissed the bottom arch of her ribs. It made her shiver.

He helped her get into the tub, and she was grateful for his strong arms holding her up. She was less drunk than she'd been when they left, but she was still completely out of control over her own body.

She sank down under the hot water and moaned, the sound echoing around the bathroom. Castle's crotch twitched in response to the noise.

In seconds, his pants were off. No fanfare, no teasing, just kicked off and tossed across the bathroom floor.

And then he stepped in after her. Kate moved to accommodate him, pressing her back against one end and spreading her legs to either side. He settled between them and then picked her up with ease, settling her ass onto his lap. She tucked her knees against his hips and laughed.

"Someone's eager," she said dryly.

Castle leaned around her and grabbed the open wine bottle. He brought it to his lips, took a hearty gulp, and then proceeded to lean in and kiss her full on the mouth. She could taste the wine, and a little of the whiskey, and him. Just the flavor of his kiss alone was intoxicating.

Her tongue met his, and their combined groans echoed in the bathroom.

After a few glorious seconds of tasting him, Kate drew away to breathe. She took the wine bottle from his hand and brought it to her own lips. She guzzled it. And then, because she could, she let a little spill down the side of her neck.

"Whoops," she tried to say, but Castle didn't care. His tongue was there, ready to lap up the cascading liquid.

"More," he breathed gutturally, and Kate obliged, dripping more of the sweet liquid down her neck. Whatever Castle's wide tongue couldn't lap up dripped down into the tub, mingling with the bubbles around them.

"My turn," Kate breathed eventually, and she shifted her position in his lap. She pressed her center against his erection beneath the water, making him hiss. He leaned back, exposing his throat, and Kate shook her head. "Drink first," she commanded, and handed him the bottle.

His eyes were practically the same color as the night sky beyond his window. They were glassy and unfocused as he took the neck of the bottle and gulped down three, healthy swallows before following her lead and dribbling some down the side of his neck. Kate's tongue latched on, sucking and biting up and down the strong column of his throat. She rolled her hips each time she bent down for a new taste, until finally Castle was huffing like he'd just run a marathon. His whole body was twisting and quivering with each movement.

Wrenching the bottle from his hands, Kate rose up on her knees. She tipped the bottle back, sucking down several gulps, before letting the remnants slide down the front of her chest.

Castle's mouth was on her skin instantaneously. He lapped up the sweet wine like it was the sustenance he needed to survive. And when the last drop was drained from the bottle, Kate reached one hand down to stroke him. She set the bottle on the bathroom counter behind Castle's head and eased herself down on top of him.

It was slightly uncomfortable at first, as her body adjusted to him being inside her while still underwater, but once the ache subsided, and she focused on how full and stretched she felt around him, she began to work her hips in earnest.

Water sloshed over the side of the tub, but neither of them cared. She could only focus on the wet slide of his body against hers; the heat of the water, the steam in the air around them; the sweet smells of the bubble bath and the wine, and of the remnants of his cologne, all mingling together to relax every cell in her body.

And maybe it was because she was so relaxed that it came upon her so suddenly. Maybe it was because she was so drunk - on the alcohol, on him, probably a mix of both - but it didn't take long before Kate's echoing cries were joining Castle's soft grunts like a harmonious melody created just for them. The acoustics of the bathroom really drove her pleasure home, and she was coming so hard around him that she couldn't help but sob out his name against the side of his face. His lips swallowed her last strangled breath and then she could feel his body go rigid beneath her, too.

When they'd both eased down from their high, Castle's arms tightened around Kate's back. He kissed the side of her face, and then the tiny freckle under her eye. His favorite spot, he'd once said. And then he licked the edge of her mouth, no doubt tasting the remnants of wine there.

"Oh yeah. We're keeping that dress forever," he said, all serious except the goofy grin growing on his face.

(Forever.)

Kate laughed. "I knew you'd like it. Somehow, I just knew it."