Title: Hit and run

Author: TracyT

Rating: T

Category: Humor and Romance

Summary: Kate learns not to play with fire

Spoilers: The Late Shaft—sort of.

Archive: yes, please

Feedback to:

Disclaimer: Not mine, but I wish they were. No profit will be made on this, it's a labor of love.

Author's Note: I have no idea where this came from! I plead temporary insanity! Taking a break from "Worst Case Scenario" to play with this.

#######

Kate took a deep breath and breathed it out slowly. She remembered a long time ago, before she and Rick married, hell, before they even got together, she'd teased him about his relationship with Ellie Monroe. She's made some flip comment about him impressing Ellie with his "mad sexual talent." He'd risen from his chair and said, with a twinkle in his eye, "Don't knock it until you try it, detective," and walked away.

Well, much, much later she had tried it, and found that , yes, it was all it was cracked up to be.

So, what made her play with fire today was beyond her. It was more like gasoline and matches.

She'd gotten to the convention center a bit late. Rick was doing a reading today, and autographs after, but it was a larger venue than the bookstores where he usually did readings and she wanted to be there for him.

As she walked in the door, she found she had a certain spring in her step. Life was so good since she married him. She loved him to distraction, and found that feeling returned ten-fold, so yeah, she was happy, truly happy.

"Paula!" She spotted Rick's agent coming toward her.

"Kate." Paula smiled. "We were wondering if you'd make it. Rick's in his dressing room. Come with me." She led Kate through some doors and down a deserted corridor. She stopped and knocked on a door.

"Rick," she called out. "Look who's here."

Rick pulled the door open and smiled at her. "Hey, look. My wife. I was hoping you'd show. Come on in." He was totally relaxed. She'd be nervous as a cat if she had to speak publically in front of all those people, but he thrived in these conditions.

"Three minutes, Rick," Paula cautioned.

"Got it," Rick said before closing the door on her. He took Kate in his arms and kissed her once on the mouth.

"I'm glad you're here." The room had a large mirror with lights all around it and a makeup table underneath. There was a straight-back chair in front of it, and a blue and white striped love seat against the far wall.

She fiddled with the collar of his shirt, and grinned up at him. "I had to break all land speed records to get here. The deposition took longer than I expected."

"You might have to give yourself a ticket."

"Mmm," she agreed, getting an evil idea in her head. She started to undo the middle buttons on his shirt.

"Kaaate?" He said softly. "Whatcha doin'?" She leaned in and pressed her lips to the bare skin she'd uncovered, letting her tongue peek out and touch him. He moaned softly. He speared his fingers into the hair on one side of her head and said tightly, "My darling, as much as I whole heartedly endorse this idea, we just don't have time for this right now."

Kate chuckled low in her throat and her hands wandered lower. "What's the matter, Ricky? You don't wanna play?"

"What's gotten into you?" He had a little frown between his eyes.

She scratched her fingernails lightly over his chest. "Nothing yet."

He met her eyes with a half smile. "Kate, I'm warning you. Don't start something you don't want me to finish."

She grinned up at him, enjoying tormenting him, confident there was no way he'd carry out his threat. "Then you'll just have to hold that thought until we get home tonight, huh?"

He kept his arms around her as she kissed the hollow of his throat, and then he leaned in to whisper hotly in her ear, "Oh, I don't think so. Just remember, you asked for this."

Before she could respond, he'd broken away, opened the door and stuck his head out to say, "Paula, five minutes."

"Rick," Paula's voice protested. "I don't think…"

"I wasn't asking," he said, a little sing-song. He kicked the door shut with one foot, latched the lock without looking and was bearing Kate back against the love seat before she could think, holding the back of her neck with one hand as he devoured her mouth, unbuckling his belt with the other.

#######

In seven minutes he was already out on stage, working the room, relaxed and confident, and Kate was left to wonder what the hell just happened. The last thing she remembered, he'd kissed her quickly on the mouth and said, "Gotta go," before he left.

She sat up, still a little shaky, and pulled her skirt down from around her waist. She refastened her bra and pulled her shirt down. It took a few moments to locate her panties where he'd flung them, but she finally stood and examined herself in the mirror. Her face was still flushed, and her breathing was a little fast. She pulled the comb from her purse and fixed her hair.

She looked almost presentable. As she walked out into the corridor, Paula was standing at the end, watching Rick on stage. She turned and gave Kate a knowing grin, but wisely, didn't say anything.

Kate thought, note to self, when it comes to matters of sex, never challenge Richard Castle.

Fin