26. Feel The Rhythm(2)

"Kay… can we go play now?" Eliza asked.

"Come on," Beckett said with a laugh.

Castle, following with Julia, smiled as the little girl went into the room and he watched the girls getting things ready for them to play with their friends before the youngest would need to go to bed. He sat with his wife on the couch and they looked on as the kids were playing together first, holding her to him while their daughters were laughing and talking about the games they'd play the next day already.

"What did you say?" Beckett said as she walked out of the bathroom. She'd been washing her face and had heard her husband say something but hadn't been able to make it out over the sound of the water.

"It's great to be back in our bed," Castle said, looking at her. "It feels like we've been gone for six months; not three."

"I know," Beckett said with a smile. She walked around the end of the bed before she took off her robe and said, "It's cold."

"It is," Castle said as he hurried to sit up, holding the covers up for her. When she was underneath with him he set them down and made sure they were draped over the other side of the bed. He settled on his side as she was doing the same facing him and he said, "Do we have everything for tomorrow?"

Doing her best to fight her smile, since she knew the question was a desperate attempt at a distraction, Beckett said, "We've checked, it's all there."

"Yeah," Castle replied with a nod. He then moved to lay on his back and wrapped his arm around her when she followed.

"What is it Rick?" Beckett asked with a smile, watching him.

"I agreed to this celibacy but… hard to stick to it in my mind," Castle replied.

Leaning down Beckett told him, "We could do something tomorrow." She watched the indecision on her husband's face and then said, "Let's wait and see though."

"Yeah," Castle said as they were going to be busy with the holiday the next day. "Come here," he told her.

Moving quickly to lay down next to him, Beckett pressed close and said, "I thought of something."

Castle didn't answer at first, too busy nuzzling her forehead with his lips, before she was moving away from him a little. "Okay… what?" he asked, trying not to sound frustrated at her making him stop.

"We'll be going riding," Beckett told him.

"Sure," Castle said before it suddenly came to him. "Are you sure? Everyone will be here-"

Covering her husband's mouth with her hand Beckett told him, "Nothing that would take too long. But we wait to see how things are with time before we commit to at the very least fooling around."

"I'm fine with doing that," Castle said seriously before he was laughing when she playfully pinched his side. He shared a kiss with her and held her tighter against him, unable to let her go as they continued to delve into several more kisses after that.

"And if it ends up we only have time for this?" Beckett whispered to him as they kept their lips close though they were catching their breath.

"I'm fine with it," Castle said, talking as shortly as he could so he could crush his lips to hers. He couldn't keep himself from turning her onto her back but made sure his lower body was away from hers while their tongues were tangling together.

"Okay," Beckett said, breathing heavily once they'd stopped. "We… we should stop."

"Just one more," Castle said, moving to kiss her again. He lingered that time, though it was more sensuous than anything else and he had to tear himself away as they went on. "Damn it," he groaned as he pushed himself away from her over to the edge of the bed.

"Don't worry," Beckett said. "You're not the only one." She smiled when he turned to look at her and she said, "Lay down." When he hurried to do so she tried her best not to laugh and she moved to press against his side. "We might have to do something," she commented.

"But we're still celibate," Castle said swiftly.

"Of course," Beckett said, looking up at him. When he smiled at her she raised her head enough so they could kiss, though it was brief. "I love you Rick," she told him once they'd parted.

"I love you Kate," Castle told her, pulling her tighter against him. They kissed again and as the one before they were soon after parting and he waited for her to lay against him after she reached for the lamps to turn them off. "Night love," he told her.

"Night Rick," Beckett said with a slight smile as her husband was caressing her hair. It took her little time to fall asleep after that, soothed by his touch and his warmth and content they were finally home for the upcoming holiday.