Did he?
Author's Note: So, this story kinda starts during the elevator scene in 'The squab and the quail' and takes a life of its own. Was written all thanks to some lecture-induced boredom, so it may either be really good, or really ,really bad. Lets hope for the former. Fingers crossed.! Oh, and also, this hasn't been beta-ed since one of my betas was snoring away to glory, and the other was at work. So all mistakes (And I'm sure there will be more than a few) are mine. Sorry! Now, read on!
Disclaimer: Nope.
...
"Do you?" The simple question asked by Eric Vaughn before he left, had Rick Castle pacing the break room floor long after the former left the building.
His initial reaction to the question had been an indignant 'of course!', but the more the thought about it, the more it began making him restless. He knew she was extraordinary. That he was an utterly lucky bastard to even be considered by her, never mind loved by her. And that he loved her back with every nerve in his body.
But did she feel that way? Did she knew how special she is to him? How she is the centre of his world? Her words from the night before indicated otherwise. She knew he cared for her. And she reciprocated it with gusto. Hell, every single act of hers proved to him what she had yet to put in words. She loved him. That much he was sure of.
But she still was insecure. About him, about herself, and about them. And his actions from the previous evening had only served to confirm her fears.
'Well done Rick! You ass-hat! You finally get the girl you have waited for, for 4 damn years, and you blow her off for a blasted video game? Bravo!' He muttered, banging his head against the shelf next to the coffee machine, making a few mugs rattle.
"Everything okay, bro?" Esposito's voice came from the doorway.
"Yep. Just peachy!" Castle answered, voice sarcastic.
"In that case, could you please not break my new coffee mug? Its custom-made!" Espo called back, equally sarcastic, walking over to the vending machine and giving it a shove.
Castle watched absently as a lone bottle of water rolled down.
"Do you not need to put money in that?" He asked, curious at the actions of the detective.
"Naah! I used to at first, but now I kinda got used to getting it for free." Espo replied with a wink, before walking away with his loot.
The casual statement had Castle pacing again. Is that what he was doing as well? Taking Beckett for granted, making no effort because he now got the girl?
'Wow, that's rude!' He thought to himself.
'Yeah, well, that's you!' His conscience called back promptly. 'No wonder she kissed Vaughn!'
Right! And then there's that.
Castle knew without a doubt that Beckett would never ever cheat on him. She was as loyal as loyalty could get. Not just to him, but to everyone she cared about.
Her job, her team, her partner, her family, the victims, and definitely her boyfriend. Yes, Katherine Beckett is nothing if not loyal. He had seen proof of that and more, that night they spent at the L.A hotel. Even alone, vulnerable and completely filled with desire, she had held back that night, due to the sole reason that she was still with .
Yep. She would never have cheated on him. But then why did she even let the guy get close enough to make a move on her?
'Maybe because she felt that her boyfriend didn't want her anymore." His conscience badgered him.
'Plus the fact that he is also themost desired and eligible bachelor in the entire country!' his brain supplied.
'And you treated her like she was a piece of furniture!' they both finished smugly.
Uh Oh! He was now completely scared. Had he really pushed her towards Vaughn himself with his actions? She did say it didn't mean anything to her, but then why did she do it? Or let him, anyway.
"Well, only one way to find out. But first, I have some making up to do. And that's gonna need a pair of scissors and some warm oil." Castle spoke out loud, before walking out of the break room like a man on a mission, leaving a puzzled looking L.T by the door way.
A couple of hours later, The loft.
"What is it Castle? I was really comfortable on that couch." Beckett says following him into the office.
"There's something I need to do. Something you need to see. You were right. I have been taking you for granted." He says, snapping the cord of the play station into two. Symbolic, he explains, off of her puzzled look.
"But not anymore. Because tonight, it is all about me." He says, setting it up for her.
"Shouldn't it be about me?" Beckett questions, readily taking the bait.
"No, tonight is all about me, giving you, a full body massage." He says, pushing open the door to his bedroom which he spent an hour, setting up.
Giving him an impish smile, Beckett leans in for a much earned kiss. Before either of them could get lost in the kiss though, she pauses to ask the question that has been nagging her all day.
"Castle, where are we going?"
As any writer worth his money, Castle used the question to his favor, making it an opening for whatever he had to say.
"We are going to the bedroom, where I am going to spend the rest of the night trying to prove to you how extraordinary I think you are and trying to make it up to you for being a world class jack ass and taking you for granted."
She can't help the smile that adorns her lips at that little speech of his. But before she can say anything, however, he starts talking again.
"And the best part Beckett? I'm going to do all this, without bringing sex into the picture. No, tonight, I will be cherishing you and worshipping you, not sexing you up." He finishes, making her chuckle at his use of the word 'sexing'. Espo sure was rubbing off on him.
"But before that, there is something I need to know. Not because I doubt you in anyway, Kate, but because I want to know what did I do wrong. What did I do to make you falter, albeit momentarily. Why did you let Vaughn get close enough to kiss you Kate?" He questioned, his face filled with guilt rather than doubt or insult.
"Rick, I'm so sorry. It was a mistake, and one that I never intend on repeating for as long as we are together. As for the reason, well, its just that, we have been together for almost a year now. And it has been wonderful. But being with you…It's different from any other relationship I have ever been in. With you, I don't want to hold back anymore. I want to put all my cards on the table. So when I felt like you were taking me for granted, I just…I thought maybe you didn't want this to go any further. I was vulnerable, and Vaughn was right there, saying all the things I wanted you to say, and I faltered. For just a moment. But I swear Castle, it felt so wrong. And I ended it immediately!" She finishes, her tone pleading him to understand.
"I know, love. I know." He said soothingly.
"You have ruined me for every other man on this planet, Richard Castle." She says in a low voice, utterly relieved that he understood.
"And you, me, Katherine Beckett. Now, how about that massage and make-up session I had planned as an apology?" He asks, eyes twinkling with excitement and relief.
"Sure, except, there is a slight change of plans." She said, pulling away from him.
"Name it." He blurted, eager to make this all about her.
"Change the 'Massage and make-up' to a 'Massage and make-out', and you can consider yourself truly forgiven." She finishes, winking and leading him into the bedroom.
Later, much later that night, two last sentences were heard in the dark before the loft fell silent.
"Kate, I want you in my life, forever and then some. I will never ever stop wanting you. You know that right?"
"Yes, me too. Always."
Author's Note: *peeks from under the bed* well?