Chapter 24 – I Believe in a Thing Called Love

'I wonder if Lanie found the Tylenol in the side-pocket,' Kate thought, chewing her thumb nail. Her brow furrowed. 'Did I remember to tell her about it?' Her expression cleared for a moment. 'Crap, I didn't!' She immediately dropped her hand, tensed ad straightened. Rick, who had his arms wrapped around her from behind and his chin on her shoulder, noticed. They were in the elevator of their apartment building, lost in their own thoughts – Rick about how he was going to take off the figure-hugging, emerald green dress and Kate about how she was going to call Lanie and make sure her child was still alive.
As if to sense what she was thinking, Rick spoke. "I talked to Lanie earlier." Kate immediately cocked her head to look at him, her expression expectant. "She told me to assure you that our daughter was fine and I quote 'sleeping like an angel'."
She let out a breath, relaxed her posture and smiled faintly. "Oh." Her brow furrowed once more as she looked at him again. "When did you talk to her?"
Rick pressed a kiss behind her ear and rubbed her arms that were now fully submerged in his black suit jacket that she had on. "Just before we left. You were still inside, so I made a quick call." He pressed another kiss just below her jaw. Kate, however, wasn't focused on his lips on her skin, but rather on finding out what Lanie's exact words were.
"And that's all she said?"
"Mmm-hmm." Another kiss, this time on her pulse point. A devilish grin grew on his lips. "Well that and the request that I get you laid." He lightly nipped at her skin. "Apparently, Mrs. Castle, you are way too tense," he said in a low, husky tone. "I'd be more than happy to relieve some of that tension." He moved up to lightly suck on her earlobe.
Kate's eyes closed involuntarily and she bit her lip, fighting off a moan. "Is that so?" She teased back, her voice a little shaky.
"Mmm-hmmm," he murmured, moving down to kiss the side of her jaw again. Before Kate could reply, the elevator dinged and opened. Rick stepped out in front of her and took her hand, smirking when he saw her dazed expression.
"C'mon. I think there's a bottle of ridiculously expensive red wine just waiting for our consumption."
Kate smiled and weaved her fingers with his. "Lead the way, Mr. Castle."
The Tylenol in the side-pocket, Lanie's potential ignorance of that fact and the wellbeing of her mini-me, however, were not far from Kate's mind as they entered the loft.

Ten minutes later...
"Castle, are you trying to seduce me?" Kate asked with a raised eyebrow and a teasing smirk. She was comfortably sitting on the large leather couch, shoes off, hair down and a glass of wine in hand. She was feeling more relaxed - partly due to the wine and largely due to the knowledge that her baby girl was fine and apparently fast asleep.
Rick turned around and flahsed her a devious grin. He was busy lighting a multitude of candles in order to set the mood - tonight wasn't just going to be a quick tumble in the sheets. Tonight he was going to make love to his wife - All. Night. Long.
At least that was the plan.
To say that the last few months had been a dry spell for them would be a grave understatement. After getting the go-ahead from the doc to resume the privileges of married life again, they celebrated the joyous occassion by having a quickie in the shower one morning while Martha watched Lizzy. It wasn't sexy or sweet or planned - it was pure primal need. And a little bit of lust. Other opportunities of coital bliss, however, came (no pun intended) few and far between; mostly in the afternoons between 14h00 and 15h00, and if they were lucky up until 15h15. Again it was usually hard and fast; no time for foreplay, their usual playful teasing or gentle caresses - it was pure, blistering primal want... and, again, a good dose of lust. But it rarely happened because most afternoons the two newbie parents would collapse into exhausted heaps, taking the opportunity to recuperate while their little person napped. Tonight, however, Papa and Mama Castle were going to have themselves a little bit of uninterrupted adult fun...
At least that was the plan.
"Is it working?" He asked, waggling his eyebrows.
"Throw in a striptease and we'll talk again," she shot back casually, her eyes dancing playfully. He cocked his eyebrows as the grin on his lips grew mischievous.
"I think that can be arranged," he replied before starting to hilariously mimick Hans the Male Stripper; getting rid of his bowtie with a flourish and playing with his suspenders before oh-so-very-slowly pulling them down one by one. Kate laughed at his silly antics and occassionally whistled in encouragement. Her husband was hot, handsome and sexy as hell and she was damn proud of the fact that he was all hers. Eat your heart out Vivienne Rutterford...
When he started to (very comically) dance in front of her, swinging and pushing his hips suggestively in her direction with his hands behind his head, Kate laughed, grabbed hold of his suspender-free shirt and tugged him towards her on the couch.
Once next to her, he quickly pulled Kate onto his lap and tightly encased her in his arms. "Well, did it work? Are you aroused?" He asked wiggling his eyebrows.
"Don't quit your day job, Writer Boy," she replied biting her lower lip while absent-mindedly playing with his shirt collar.
He pouted unhappily. "Do you know how difficult it is to do that without music?" Kate threw her head back and giggled (yes giggled). He grinned broadly upon hearing her very girly giggle.
She looked at him again, her eyes filled with amusement. "Move that ass, get on the floor," she deadpanned.
He laughed heartily, his eyes crinkling in delight. They looked at each other for a few moments, grinning like the two besotted idiots that they were. Rick's smile, however, slowly faded as he brushed a loose strand of her previously up-do hair behind away from her cheek. His eyes started their sacred journey again, a slow fire building behind their smoldering gaze. Kate noticed how his gaze swept over her appreciatively and how his cobalt blues darkened.
"You really did look beautiful tonight, Kate." The sudden softness and sincerity of his voice took her by surprise. She swallowed and felt her heart rate pick up. Kate knew that she wasn't looking at Richard Castle, mystery novelist extroadinaire or Richard Castle, shadow and pseudo-partner or Richard Castle, father of two now. The man currently making love to her with his eyes was simply Rick. Her Rick. Her best friend, adoring husband and, right now, her fervent lover.
"Thank you," she replied almost shyly, her voice a mere whisper.
"You still do," he murmured, cupping her cheek. He softly caressed it and tenderly ran his thumb along her mouth in silent admiration. She closed her eyes and leaned in to the touch. "You always do," he continued in a quiet whisper before meeting her lips in a gentle kiss; his lips devoted pilgrims on hers. His tongue joined them in devotion while her mouth molded into his. The meeting of their mouths was a slow, sizzling and erotic dance. Not new or unexpected, yet still utterly intoxicating and electrifying - just like the first time they did this. Eventually he moved his pair of worshippers to the curve of her jaw and the column of her neck, taking time to pay homage to that hallowed parts of her body. He drew out that first pleasureable moan when he left a trail of hot, opened-mouth kisses on her pulse point, nipping lightly at her skin. He smiled against her skin - she was done for it... Putty in his hands, just like he was in hers.
'Did he tell Lanie about the Tylenol?' The thought unexpectantly and without invitation rushed through Kate's head. She tried to shake it off, her mind fogging when her husband plunged his tongue into her mouth again in another toe-curling kiss. The Tylenol and Lanie's potential ignorance of that fact, unfortunately, did not leave her thoughts. She had to make sure.
"Rick." Her voice was breathy and low, sending a delicious shiver down his spine. He had her now pinned on the couch beneath his body, assualting her with his mouth and hands and rendering her completely speechless.
"Mmmm?" He responded, expecting her to say something sexy and maybe even a little dirty.
He loved it when she talked dirty.
"Did you tell Lanie about the Tylenol in the side pocket?" She asked, her eyes closed and her voice shaky as he dragged his tongue across her collarbone while one of his hands copped an enthusiastic feel inside the front of her figure-hugging dress.
He wanted to reply with something equally raunchy but it suddenly occurred to his sensory-overloaded and completely-melted brain that what she said wasn't dirty or sexy or even remotely linked to what he was trying to do to her.
"What?" He murmured in confusion while continuing to plaster opened-mouth kisses on her collarbone.
"I asked if you told Lanie about the Tylenol that is in the side-pocket of Lizzy's bag," she repeated, her voice a little more steady.
"Uh..." Rick looked up at her for a moment and gave his head a brief shake. "-no." He went on to plant kisses on her jawline while his zealous hands moved down to try and haul up her dress. He was way too horny to have any coherent thoughts about anything else but a naked, moaning and arching Kate underneath or on top of him. In fact, he was way too horny to have a properly functioning (larger) brain. Kate, in contrast, was now struggling to keep her focus on what he was doing to her body. She bit her lip and frowned while he continued to ravish her. A battle was raging within - her mind yelling at her to call Lanie because her tiny human's health might be at stake (even though her babysitter was a qualified medical doctor) while her body screamed for release and some good lovin' only the man who currently had his oh-so-talented hands dangerously high on her thighs, could provide.
Mind and motherly concern eventually won.
Suddenly she sat up, pushing him away slightly. Rick, undeterred, moved back to capture her lips hungrily with his.
"Honey... Mmm... I..." she spoke in between moans, groans and mind-numbing kisses. "-have to-"
"Have to what, Baby?" He asked in a husky tone, again expecting her to say something sexy and maybe a little dirty. "Tell me."
"Mmm... call Lanie." With that she dragged her now-swollen lips away from his and slipped out from his embrace. He blinked a few times, licked his equally swollen lips and frowned in confusion while struggling to make sense of her words.
"W-what?" He asked as she stood up.
"I'm just quickly going to call Lanie and tell her about the Tylenol. I realised that I never told her where it was," Kate repeated while gingerly running a hand through her tousled hair and glancing around for her purse.
He was a little dumb-founded. "Now? You want to call her now?" Now when he had his tongue down her throat and his hand up her dress. Now when the defining part of his male anatomy was throbbing almost painfully. Now when all he could think about was ripping off her clothes and taking her on the couch. She had to this now? His mind and body (especially Rick Jr.) were protesting loudly, very loudly.
Kate briefly glanced at him and nodded. "Mmm-hmm."
"Uh, Honey," Rick started with a thin smile, getting up. "-it's eleven-thirty." 'And we're kinda in the middle of something here,' he added in his mind.
"So?" she replied with a shrug, searching for her phone.
"They're probably asleep by now."
"I'll be quick," she said without looking at him, already scrolling down her contacts list.
He decided to use another tactic. "We'll call them first thing tomorrow morning," he coaxed, flashing his typical Rick Castle smile as he loosely wrapped his arms around her waist. "Now c'mon, Mrs. Castle, let's take this party upstairs."
She looked up at him, unfazed. "I won't be long. I promise. I just want to make sure everything's fine and that her fever hasn't returned. And that Lanie knows about the Tylenol."
Rick clenched his jaw in frustration and slowly let out a breath.
"I already called to make sure that everything was fine, remember?"
"I know... I just-"
"You just what, Kate?" He cut her off sharply. He dropped his arms and rubbed a hand over his face, slightly turning away from her. "I already told you that she was fine, that she was sleeping," he reiterated, frustration seeping into his tone. "I just spoke to Lanie, barely forty minutes ago."
"I know you did."
"Then why don't you believe me when I tell you that everything is perfectly fine?"
"I do believe you!"
"Okay, so what's the problem then?" He asked, folding his arms. She looked at him in silence for a few moments before sighing and dropping her head. She didn't have an explanation, at least not a rational one. She just needed to hear Lanie's reassuarances with her own ears. And maybe even get some photographical evidence that her daughter was indeed perfectly fine and sound asleep.
Rick's expression cleared in understanding upon seeing her reaction: he spoke to Lanie, she didn't. He was assured of their daughter's wellbeing, she wasn't. And that was the problem. 'This must have been in the back of her mind the whole time,' he thought. He couldn't help but smile a little at his wife's motherly concern and protectiveness. And he felt a tug at his heart strings because of it.
Gosh, he loved this woman.
Unfortunately, her motherly instincts had atrocious timing - he was about ready to explode with arousal. But whatever she needed, he was willing to sacrifice for.
It was his turn to sigh, knowing full well that his next words would be considered traitorous by Rick Jr. He stepped forward and took hold of her shoulders, gently rubbing his hands up and down her arms. "Look, Honey, if you feel that you have to talk to her for your own peace of mind, then go ahead." His voice was soft and reassuring. "I'll be waiting in my office." With a kiss to her forehead, he turned and walked away, silently cursing the tightness of his pants.
Yep, Rick Jr. was protesting. Very. Loudly.
Kate looked at her phone for a moment, debating whether or not to call. Again, motherly concern outweighed all other considerations and she pressed the call button.

"Everything's fine," she announced quietly. A less wound-up Rick turned to look at his wife from his position at the window and offered a soft smile.
"That's good... And the Tylenol?" He asked walking to where she was standing.
Kate bit her lip and avoided his eyes, seemingly feeling a little sheepish. "She found it, but it was not needed - Lizzy doesn't have a fever." Rick bit back his 'I told you so'.
He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her temple. "What did she say about you calling?"
Kate locked her arms around his neck, offered him a lopsided smile and shook her head. "Well, she wasn't surprised. But she did scold me."
His brow furrowed. "Why?"
"Because I was busy talking to her rather than having my hands down your pants."
He threw his head back and laughed. Yeah that was Lanie alright. "Did you tell her that at least I had my hands up your dress?" He asked in a lowered tone, waggling his eyebrows. She rolled her eyes and chuckled while playfully slapping his chest.
"No, she would have bitten my head off if she knew that!"
He watched her for a moment, idly playing with a lock of her hair. "You feel better?"
Kate took a breath and nodded slowly. "Yeah... a little." She paused for a moment, bringing her hands to his chest. "I'm sorry for being... so-" She frowned, struggling to find the right word.
"-worried?" He finished for her. She smiled faintly and nodded.
"Sweetheart, you don't have to apologize for that. For feeling protective towards your child. For reacting like this." He gently cupped her cheek. "You don't have to apologize to me or anyone else for being a mother, okay?" She nodded again, but lowered her eyes to her hands on his chest.
"I know, but-" She bit her lip, wishing away the sudden emotion threatening to overwhelm her. "-am I a good mother?" Her tone was unsure and vulnerable. "I mean I left her alone for a whole night and it's killing me."
He laughed softly and kissed her forehead.
"I think that alone proves that you are, indeed, a fantastic mother... You were made for this, Kate." He leaned in to give her another comforting kiss. "And, Honey, what you're feeling right now is perfectly normal. I promise."
She smiled at him and leaned up to kiss him. "Thank you... for be so patient with me."
"Hey, I love you even more now that you're a mom. If that's even possible. Besides, I intend to make you the mother of many more babies." She laughed and shook her head. "In fact, Mrs. Castle, I believe practise makes perfect," he said with a teasing grin.
She bit her lip and returned a sly smile. "I believe it does, Mr. Castle... But first, would you mind terribly helping me out of this dress?"
His impish grin grew. "Not at all, m'lady. It would be my absolute pleasure."
"Well then, let's take this party upstairs... Big Rick."
He smiled wickedly. "I love it when you talk dirty."

Images of the last few hours' events flashed through his mind as he drifted in between consciousness and unconsciousness.
Three rounds.
They had three rounds of limb-numbing, mind-blowing and, more importantly, uninterrupted sex. The first round was slow, sensual and gentle - truly an exercise in lovemaking. The second round, in contrast, was rough, back-to-front, bent-over, bed-breaking (which they actually did), dirty-talking, screaming-your-lover's-name-in-ecstacy kinda sex. The kind of sex you can't have with a four-month old - or anyone else for that matter - in the house. The third round, which only ended about thirty minutes ago, was one that involved teasing foreplay, a lot of laughter... and multiple orgasms.
He turned onto his side and reached for his partner-in-crime. But instead of finding his very naked wife, he found a cold mattress.
He did, however, find his leggy lover in the kitchen - in his shirt and nothing else. (Was that a tightening in his groin again? You betcha.) Kate was making breakfast - pancakes to be exact - and humming cheefully. He smiled and walked towards her - in a pair of silky boxers and nothing else.
"What are you doing, KC?" He asked, tightly wrapping his arms around his wife's middle from behind. She startled slightly but then relaxed into his embrace.
"Breakfast," she answered, continuing with her activities.
"Oh? Why? I thought we were going out for breakfast," Rick said, pressing a kiss to the side of her neck.
She turned in his arms, smiled and bit her lip enticingly. (There was that tightening down south again.) "Weelll, I just wanted to say thank you. So. Much. For. Last. Night." She emphasized each word with a kiss. "Or rather this morning."
"No Mrs. Castle, thank you," he replied with a knowing grin. He pressed a kiss to her lips which quickly escalated into a moan-inducing make-out session with her being backed up against the kitchen counter.
Kate reluctantly broke away. "Sorry Sweetheart, but I'm already struggling to walk... You kinda wore me out." She patted his cheek and smiled at him. He shrugged and placed a sweet kiss in her hair.
She turned back to the pancakes while he took a seat at the kitchen counter. "So, how late are we picking up Lizzy?" Rick asked after a few moments of staring at his wife (more specifically her impossibly long legs).
He was starting to miss his little girl terribly. A night of great sex was well great, but strangely it didn't beat cradling his baby girl or reading to her or watching her sleep.
"Missing her, huh?"
"Like crazy."
She sighed."Me too. Lanie said we could pick her up at 9h00."
He frowned. "Nine? But that's an hour and a half away," Rick whined with a disappointed pout. She smiled - her back turned to him - and nodded.
"I know, I know... Lanie and Esposito, however, are holding our adorable daughter hostage and nothing I say will change their minds. So, I'm just trying to make this hour and a half go by quicker."
"By making pancakes?"
"Exactly."
A devilish grin pulled his lips upward. "We could always kill time by-"
"No," was her firm response.
His brow furrowed. "But you don't even know-"
"We're not having shower sex," she interrupted, reading his mind.
"Why not?" He immediately whined in protest.
She turned around and raised a perfectly sculptured eyebrow. "One, we've had three rounds already and two, I just told you-"
"Oh, right. Struggling to walk. Sorry," he responded like a kid whose balloon just deflated. His expression, however, quickly lit up again. "It really was that good, huh?"
Kate only rolled her eyes and smiled.
'You have no idea.'

Lizzy let out a squeal of delight upon seeing her parents. Her parents almost did the same upon seeing their little girl.
"Hey Honey, hey baby girl," Kate cooed with a brilliant smile as she took her daughter from the petite ME. She tightly hugged the little body to her and kissed her head. "I missed youso much," Kate whispered, tenderly running a hand over her daughter's head.
"She's was so good, Mommy," Lanie said, taking Lizzy's miniature hand in hers and kissing it lightly. "We had a blast! Didn't we, cutie pie?" Lizzy smiled and gurgled as she looked at her godmother.
"Did you now, Sweet Pea?" Rick stepped in behind his wife. When she saw her father, Lizzy started to giggle and excitedly throwing her tiny arms around. Rick chuckled and kissed her fat little cheek. "I missed you too, baby."
"Girl, you and Castle seriously make the most adorable babies," Lanie commented with a grin and then without missing a beat, she added, rather seriously: "When are we getting another one?"
Kate laughed a little nervously, catching her husband's twinkling eye.
"Yes, KC, when are we getting another one?" Rick teased, playing along. He was only pulling her pigtails; they hadn't really discussed it, but there was an unspoken agreement that they would wait a few years before starting on a sibling for their daughter.
The smile immediately dropped from Kate's face. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down there. This one-" She pointed to Lizzy, who was now fascinated with her mother's necklace. "-is more than enough right now." She instead opted to change the subject and put some of the heat on her friend.
"Besides, Lanie, I'd say it's your and Esposito's turn next." The smirk fell from the ME's lips.
"Turn for what?" The burly detective enquired as he joined the group after retrieving one of Lizzy's bottles. He handed the baby bag (and Snuggles) to Rick and turned his attention back to the two women, while draping an arm around his fiancé's shoulders.
"Oh you know, your turn to have a baby," Kate said casually. Her colleague visibly stiffened, his face paled and and his eyes grew wide.
Rick patted his friend shoulder and smiled widely. "So Esposito, how was the diaper-duty?"
As if on cue, the cute little culprit shrieked happily while the tough Hispanic detective's mind replayed the horror that was Lizzy Castle's diapers.
He was scarred. For. Life.

X-X-X

Can't explain all the feelings that you're making me feel
My heart's in overdrive and you're behind the steering wheel

Touching you, touching me
touching you, god you're touching me

I believe in a thing called love
Just listen to the rhythm of my heart
There's a chance we could make it now
We'll be rocking 'til the sun goes down
I believe in a thing called love

Lyrics at the end is from the song (and title of this chapter) 'I believe in a thing called love' by the Darkness. Such a feel-good song, love it!