What if they've met before? How did that go?
Disclaimer: they're mine. Really. That's why it took them 4 freaking years, almost five, to do the nasty. Uh huh.
A/N: English is not my first language, but I think it's readable.
Thanks for Reading!
2001
His head was buzzing with all the little squeals he'd heard all afternoon from all the women flirting with him to get an autograph, and maybe more. And the endless chests of the beautiful women and sharpies of every color weren't that much of a trouble. No, he didn't mind it at all.
Every autograph he signed made ten more appear from nowhere in an endless line. His face's muscles were getting tired of smiling – huh… for 3 whole hours now - and he was running out of scot- err, coffee, that is – great, it was just the cherry on top of his sunday. Paula owed him big time for that last minute signing.
A promise of a headache was starting to make him uncomfortable. He was bored. Really, really bored. And a little bit tipsy. Although it flattered him to hear all those nice things about his books, it was extremely boring after three hours. And he had one more exciting whole hour to go.
Fresh out of his divorce, struggling to parent Alexis all by himself and completely averse to any kind of commitment, there sit Richard Castle, surrounded by fans. Female fans. His youngness made him shine, his eyes sparkle and his smile that much more charming.
A femme fatale stood in line for about two hours now, slightly getting pissed off with the (practically zero) line progression. Butterflies partied all over her stomach while she waited for him to sign her book. So what if she had a crush on her favorite author? Everybody in that line seemed to have one, too.
Her hair was as blonde as it could be, almost white; her lips with a reddish lip gloss and eyes with heavier eyeliners than it should in day light. Her nails and her jeans were blood red, her black high-heeled stiletto boots, knee-high; a fitting top and leather jacket and she had the most beautiful piercing green eyes, pale skin and naturally pink cheeks, which made she be noticed anywhere. Ready to rock and too smart to be in that line, barely legal and eager to spend a few minutes of her time with her famous crush.
That's what he would've read across the library if he had spotted her. But he didn't. Neither did him one hour later when it still wasn't her turn to get the book signed. The thing that caught his attention was her perfume. It was bittersweet, intoxicating, and while he searched for the source the mystery burned inside his lungs.
All too soon it went away. Only to be brought back by its owner. She looked like a tigress. He liked it, but again, he was tipsy enough to make any woman in the world look hot like that. And she was H-O-T.
In her head she had planned their brief conversation. She was going to compliment him on his books and tell him they rescued her from a dark place. And maybe finish it saying that his books meant the world to her. Yeah, that sounded good. So she replayed the lines in her head while she waited to meet him. Her stomach complained about its emptiness. A coffee sounded really good, and maybe a bear claw.
"Who should I make it out to?" He said reaching out for her book. "'In a Hail of Bullets'? Good lord, tell me you read any of my good books…?" He squeezed his eyes shut realizing he said that last part out loud. Liquid truth… who'd know?
Her breath was caught in her lungs. 'OMG he's talking to you! Say something! Anything!' She took a deep breath "Kate. You can make it out to Kate." She replied with a shy grin on her face.
Her voice was sharp enough for him to not want to be in her way. But husky enough to make him really want to do it. In every way.
The tortured flesh she had between her teeth slowly slipped back to its place. And she smirked at his lack of words capturing her lip again. She was just too nervous to say anything.
He signed it, closed the book and gave it back already smiling to the next on the line.
'That's just great, Kate.' She tossed the book in her bag and went to the coffee shop just around the corner.
She didn't get a chance to open her book, as she went to get herself a cup of coffee and something to eat. She was tired of being up for so long only to get a glance, a smile and a maybe a minute with him. She let out a sigh in frustration.
When she got home, she tossed her bag over the table while she sorted through her mail. Almost tearing the paper apart, she opened the letter she so much waited for: she was accepted in the Police Academy – and all but forgot about Rick Castle for that night. And also for that week. And for the duration of her training, she never gave him a second thought.
After a month, neither did he.
In the following year she was on a mission: to become a detective as soon as possible. And her looks worked on her behalf. After six months she was assigned to Vice – the shortest way to get a promotion to detective.
Ready to move to her own place, she got herself a roommate. He was a tough guy with a sad history, and she was a tough girl with a sad history.
"Yo, Beckett! Do you need any help?"
"Yeah! Could you help me with those boxes?"
"Damn, chica! What the heck do you have in this?" He complained as he walked two of them to her bedroom. In the middle of their tiny living room, the bottom box tore across its middle, scattering her mystery novels all around.
"Espo, you alright?" Kate ran to the living room to check on him.
Javier Esposito an officer just like her - maybe a couple of years older. In the Academy they bonded just like brother and sister.
"Yeah, yeah… Sorry about your books"
"Don't worry, they'll live" She chuckled as she kneeled down on the floor and started to pile them up carefully "Wow, Javi… you've cleaned up nicely… You're going out with her again, aren't you?"
"After my shift. Is she that bad?"
"I don't know, Espo… She's bossy. Like, really nosy and-"
"-and she's here" Said Lanie Parish, MD, entering the apartment.
Kate snorted and began to separate her books by authors organizing them in the shelf by the TV.
"Do you have all of his books?" Said Lanie snooping around.
Kate huffed trying not to roll her eyes "Yeah. Actually, I do. I own even a signed copy"
"Wow! Did you get to meet him? I hear he's hot!"
Kate widened her eyes at that. Did she have any boundaries at all?
"I did" Kate answered dryly taking the book from the girl's hands.
As Kate turned around, Lanie made a face.
"Well, my shift starts in half hour, so I'm gonna go. You comin'?" He asked Lanie while he kissed her forehead.
"Nah… I think I'm gonna stay and help Kate with your stuff"
"No!" Kate shouted all too soon, cleared her throat and continued "You don't have to. Really. I'm fine"
"Well, I'm gonna stay and help anyway" Lanie said as she reached for another book, 'In a Hail of Bullets' as Kate made the same move.
Both girls' knuckles turned white, both with a dead grip on the book arguing about Lanie's nosiness.
Kate didn't really know that it was best not to argue with Lanie by then. And so, she let go of the book, as the MD fell backwards.
"Bro, I'm outta here" Javi closed the door behind him.
She landed on the couch with the book in her hands.
"Was that really necessary?" Lanie asked dryly.
"It's my signed copy. Hand it over, Lanie." Kate barked.
"Well, let's see…" she really enjoyed pushing Kate's buttons "Are you sure he signed this?"
"Of course I'm sure! He even made a comment about this not being his finest work. Why?"
"It's not signed" Lanie shot back.
"What?!" Kate made a move to grab the book, in vain.
"Are you sure this was the book?"
"Yes, Lanie! I'm sure!"
"SHUT THE FRONT DOOR!"
"WHAT?!"
Lanie took a leap and reached for Kate's cell phone, immediately starting to dial. "If this is the book he 'signed', he gave you his number"
Kate furrowed her brows, thinking for a moment.
And then she looked at her phone in Lanie's hands. Her eyes went wide.
"Oh, no! Shit! Lanie, no! What do you think you're doing!?"
"I'm helping you help yourself!"
As they began a physical battle for the phone, one of them accidentally hit the speaker button and suddenly a male voice froze them both.
"Hello?"
The girls looked at each other and silence was settled.
"Hello? Is anybody there?" The voice insisted.
Lanie whispered 'it's your phone' and gave it to her.
"Uh. Yeah. Hi." Kate said with the most unsure of voices.
"Hi...?" The guy expected a name
"I'm sorry, I don't know if I have the right number…" her voice trailed off.
"Rick Castle, at your service."
Both girls covered their mouths and squealed with wide eyes.
Thoughts?
