A/N: Detective Carter is an OC of mine, that you may see in a longer fic at some point

Lanie arched an eyebrow. "You still haven't made a move?"

Esposito gave her a hard glare. "Don't start with me, Parish."

She held up her hands. "I'm not sayin' anything." She smirked as she took a sip of her drink. "Except that you're a pansy."

The whole table laughed, enjoying a night out on the town. The cases had been hard lately, and the team was running ragged. Beckett and Ryan were still rebuilding after their respective breakups, and Castle had even been taken hostage by a suspect. The break was well-deserved, and they all intended to enjoy it to the fullest.

Except that Esposito wouldn't man up and make a move on Detective Carter.

"She's right," Ryan said.

"Bro, don't even start with me," Javier said, giving him a pointed look. "Seriously."

But the rest of the table wouldn't let it go.

"No one is saying you have to be romantic or eloquent," Kate said. "Just ask her to dinner."

"Or coffee," Ryan suggested.

Castle glanced over at the female detective at the bar. "Actually, at this point, you might be able to execute a grab-and-kiss."

Kate's eyes widened. "Ooh. That might work."

Ryan frowned. "Really?"

"You gotta be sure," Lanie added. "It only works if you go in there and own it."

Esposito took a long pull from his beer. "Too risky," he muttered.

"Pansy."

Ryan's frown deepened. "I've never done the grab-and-kiss."

Lanie patted his cheek. "That's because you're not the grab-and-kiss type, sweetie." She slid off her stood. "Anybody need a refill?"

No one did, and she turned towards the bar. She hadn't made it ten steps, though, before she was spun around by her right arm. There was just enough time to register Ryan's face, and then his hand was in her hair and he crashed his lips down onto hers.

Lanie didn't even have time to think. His mouth was insistent against hers, and when she gasped in surprise, he slid his tongue in. It was forward, and forceful, and nothing she had expected from Ryan. Her head spun in a maddening whirl, and she had to cling to him just to stay upright. The boy could sure as hell kiss.

When he pulled away, they were both panting. He stared at her in amazement, as though he had been the one caught off-guard. Another beat, though, and he was letting go of her, giving a brief nod and moving back to his seat.

Lanie ignored the stares of her friends and headed for the bar.