So, I have five (five!) stories in the work. Since I can't finish them, I'll post one at a time, maybe some reviews and alerts will kick.. something.
Disclaimer : I don't own Castle.
Castle is really regretting this night out. He is also entertaining the idea of throwing everyone out of the Old Haunt. Especially the swarm of guys buzzing around Beckett and Lanie at the bar, buying the two girls drinks and throwing charming smiles. He doesn't understand how they can laugh – giggle, really – at them like that. Like they are enjoying the attention. Apparently, neither does Esposito.
"This is so wrong," the detective says, shaking his head. "Don't they see what those guys are after?"
Castle's jaw clenches at the idea. He's about to answer but Jenny beats him to it.
"They're flirting. It's a good way to get free drinks," she teases.
"They already drink for free here. It's my bar," Castle snorts.
"I'm gonna..." Esposito gets up from the booth but Ryan grabs his arm and pulls him down.
"No, you're not."
"Javi, this is so not the way to win Lanie back." The newlyweds work as a team so calm him down.
"She's, she's," Esposito stutters, his hands waving madly in the air.
"I know, I know," Ryan soothes.
"What you need is to invite her on a date. Show that you're upset but don't be all macho about it," Jenny advises. Esposito starts to deny ever being a macho. None of them are paying attention to Castle.
He is sipping his fifth scotch, staring at the group at the bar. He shouldn't have drunk this much. His over imaginative brain is making him see things with a painful intensity. Like the light in Beckett's eyes as she drinks her cocktail and looks at this lawyer type guy. Her finger twisting a strand of hair when this other man pays her a compliment. Or her hand on a muscular arm when the owner is making her laugh. He finishes his drink in one last gulp, slams the glass on the table as he stands. The others are still arguing about Esposito's macho attitude. They don't have time to react, Castle is already on his way, marching towards the bar. He pushes through the crowd of men surrounding Lanie and Beckett. He plants himself before the detective. He doesn't let her time to acknowledge him.
He takes her face between his hands and kisses her. Just a few seconds. Just enough to taste the alcohol on her lips. He pulls away and sees the shock on her face. His own eyes widen.
"I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. I'm sorry," he stammers before he walks away.
He finds himself outside, shivering in the cold. His shirt is way to thin for this winter weather. But he doesn't want to walk back in. He swears under his breath. He let his jacket, his coat and his wallet inside. Which means he can't take a taxi. He considers calling his car service. He pats his pocket and swears again. His phone is on the table next to his empty glass. He paces on the sidewalk, trying to warm up and find a solution.
Inside, Ryan, Jenny and Esposito, who jumped to their feet to see Castle's action, are now looking at a stunned Beckett, still sitting at the bar. Lanie is repeating "Oh my god!" next to her.
They are both oblivious of the conversation between the confused wooers. "Who was that guy!" "Isn't that the owner?" "Is he her boyfriend?"
Jenny is the first to recover and walks right to Beckett.
"You're okay?" She asks.
"Yeah," Beckett answers, still dazed. Taking her coat, she pushes past Ryan's wife and her two colleagues behind her. She flees, too.
"Don't kill him," she hears Lanie shout behind her.
She surprised to run into Castle outside. He's hugging himself, trying to keep warm.
"You're gonna catch death," she speaks without thinking. He turns around.
"Please, don't shoot me."
She frowns. "Why does everyone thinks I want to kill you all the time?"
"Because you often threaten to?"
"When was the last time I did that?"
Castle shrugs.
"I guess it's been a while." He shivers again. "I should go back inside. Get my coat," he adds but doesn't move.
"Why did you do that, Castle?" Her voice is barely above a whisper.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have. It's just, those guys... I'm a bit drunk," he admits.
She moves closer to him.
"I'm sorry too. I guess I didn't realize. Lanie wanted to make Esposito sweat a little. And, after the third mojito, I didn't see the harm. Stupid idea, now that I think about it."
"Can we forget about it, please," he begs. He still feels mortified.
Her eyes meet his and suddenly all is clear in her head.
"No."
"Kate... Beckett. I'm sorry I did that. Please don't kick me out of the precinct."
She moves closer again, close enough to feel him shaking in the cold.
"No. We're not forgetting about this. We don't talk about enough things already, don't you think?"
"What? I don't..." Castle squeaks, confused. He shivers again, this time it is because of her proximity. "Are you going to hurt me?" his eyebrows arch, his hands cover his ears. She chuckles and shakes her head.
"You're quite dense sometimes."
She pushes his hands down with her own. She cups his face like he did a few minutes ago. She observes his eyes grow wide in realization before leaning in and placing a kiss on his lips. She stays there longer than he did. Waiting for him to react : pull away or deepen the kiss. He does the later. His arms encircle her waist, he pulls her closer, plunges his tongue down her mouth. Her hands leave his face so she can throw her ams around his neck. She feels liberated, he feels alive. She comes to her senses when she feels the cold wall at her back. She pushes him a bit. Both palms on his chest.
"We need to stop. I can't be arrested for public indecency," she pants. He looks down at them, body flushed, legs intertwined in the middle of the street.
"You kissed me," he laughs.
She beams at him. "Yes, I did."
"Does that mean..." He trails off, still a bit unsure.
"It means you need to go get your coat so we can leave. Together." She gives him a pointed look.
He gasps, between a laugh and a shudder.
"I'll be right back," he throws behind his shoulder as he sprints down the stairs of the Old Haunt.
He stumbles through the door. Catching himself just in time, he makes a dash to the booth. He gathers his stuff in a hurry. He's about to run back out but he collides with a group of people.
"What the hell happened?" Esposito asks. Castle looks past them, anxious.
"I don't have time, guys." He tries to go but Esposito stops him.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm really fine. I'd be even better if you let me go."
Once again, Jenny is the one to put the pieces together.
"Oh. She's waiting outside, isn't she?" She's smiling knowingly. Castle tries hard to keep a straight face. He's pretty sure Beckett would disapprove any hint of a smug smile, even more any high five with the boys.
"What are you waiting for, then? Go!" Ryan pushes him.
"Tell her to call me tomorrow. Or I'll call. I want details," Lanie tells him.
"Ew, Lanie, I will not tell her anything of the sort," he answers over his shoulder.
Outside, he slows down when he sees her. She's checking her phone, looking utterly beautiful. He's mesmerized. She senses his presence or hears him and looks up. She pockets her phone and smile shyly at him, intimidated but his awestruck face.
"What took you so long," she finally asks in the taxi. He took them a while to talk. Both feel weighted by what is happening. Four years of yearning make this night a high pressure one. He shifts beside her, uncomfortable.
"Our friends were asking question, they wouldn't let me go at first."
"Oh... So, they know..."
"Yeah, that's awkward..."
Beckett hides in her hands.
"That means Lanie is gonna call me first thing in the morning," she mumbles.
"Yeah, she said something about that."
Beckett groans.
"This is kinda embarrassing," Castle states again but he is amused. He takes one hand off her face, and slides his into her palm. He tugs at her until their lips meet. She responds to the kiss, moaning softly. They pull away when their driver clears his throat. They are just in front of her building.
They pay quickly and hurry inside. They manage to keep their hands off each other in the elevator. If only for the presence of Beckett's neighbor's daughter and his date. When Castle's gaze meets the teenage boy's, they share a strained look. A 'you're ruining my elevator fantasy' look.
Should I continue?
I apologize for the mistakes, I proofread it but I'm highly fallible on this front.