This idea popped into my head when I was watching a poor version of the promo for the LA episode where I couldn't hear much. I thought I heard a guy say "Kiss her!" which I'm now thinking may have been the guy who posted the video. (I was hoping it was actually part of the episode until I saw a clip where I could hear as well as see what was going on) Since it wasn't part of the episode, I decided to change the setting of the story from LA to back in New York. Not knowing for sure what the last three episodes of the season are going to entail, I decided to set this in mid-July and not reference anything past "The Deal Pool."
Disclaimer: Oops, I almost forgot this part. This wonderful show belongs to Andrew Marlowe.
Kate POV
"You're mad."
Castle's accusation took Kate Beckett by surprise. Not because he was wrong, but because she thought she had been hiding her emotions so well. She had made sure her poker face was firmly in place. Obviously, somewhere between the party and her apartment front door the mask had slipped.
Still, there was no way she was going to admit it to Castle. "I'm not mad."
True to form, Castle didn't let the matter drop. "Irate, angry, furious, livid-call it whatever you want, but you, Kate Beckett, are most definitely it," he insisted.
"Castle..." She really didn't want to go into this right now. Actually, she would be completely content to have Castle never find out what she was, indeed, mad about. No, content was too small of an emotion for this. Happy, relieved, grateful-those hit closer to the mark.
"Beckett, I know you," Castle said, something Kate couldn't really argue. He did know her. Too well. Hopefully, though, not well enough for him to figure things out. "You are definitely bothered by something. And you know me. You know I'm not going to let it go until I know what it is."
Kate sighed. Her earlier anger started draining away. Now she just felt tired. Her emotions had been too close to the surface lately and it had taken a lot out of her to keep them hidden.
The question was how to distract him?
If they'd been in the middle of a case, she could merely mention a tidbit regarding that. No matter how small it was she knew her partner would take it and run with it. But there was no case at the moment.
The other way she commonly drew his attention away from something she wanted to remain a mystery was to simply say something shockingly seductive. That would then get Castle's mind on his libido rather than whatever she might be thinking or feeling at the time.
Unfortunately, that was something she couldn't afford to do this time. It would get his mind too close to where hers had been for the last few hours.
Maybe if she played it off as wounded pride, rather than the unexpected hurt she really felt, she could handle this whole thing without making things worse.
"You had the perfect opportunity, and you didn't take it," she told him. It was vague, as much of what she usually said to him was, but she knew it wouldn't take him long to comprehend what she was referring to.
His eyes widened a moment later. "You're mad because I didn't kiss you?" he asked incredulously.
"You did kiss me," she was quick to correct him. "On the cheek."
Kate needed him to think that she was embarrassed. And a part of her had been. They had been at the Christmas In July party at the Old Haunt (only Castle would come up with something like that, a Christmas party smack dab in the middle of summer, only two weeks after the 4th of July party he had thrown at the Hamptons) when Ryan had pointed out that they were standing under the mistletoe. Kate knew she should have expected such a thing, that she should have located the offending plant before anything else so that she could be on her guard against any such possibility. Instead, she had been focused on making sure that she didn't reveal how strongly Castle's close proximity was affecting her. If only she had known that she would end up revealing much more mere seconds later.
"It was mortifying," she told him. "I mean, you're Rick Castle, playboy extraordinaire. After all those years of flirting, you give me the type of kiss that you would give Alexis! You know everyone was expecting..."
Her half-hearted tirade was cut off when Castle gently but swiftly gathered her in his arms and covered her lips with his own. When his tongue brushed against her lips, tentatively requesting to deepen the kiss, refusing didn't even enter Kate's mind. His tongue's leisurely exploration of her mouth left no part untouched. When he lightly started nibbling on her bottom lip, Kate felt her legs give out. She could do nothing but melt against him, helpless to stop the needy moan that escaped. When his arms tightened around her and he pressed her back against the door, his hands lightly trailing up and down her back as he deepened the kiss even more, what little control Kate had snapped. Her lips pushed back against his and her tongue started playfully wrestling with his. She then swept her tongue against his top lip before their tongues started their playful actions once more.
She had no idea how much time had passed when he slowly released her lips from his, planting multiple little kisses against her lips before finally putting some distance between them.
"That was..."Castle breathed.
"Amazing," Kate completed the thought.
"Yeah," he agreed.
Kate expected that he'd drop his arms from around her, but he didn't. Instead, he remained still, seeming deep in thought.
"Castle?" Her tone was uncertain, not a common thing when talking to him. But it unnerved her that he was so quiet.
"You want me," he finally said, his tone tinged with wonder.
Kate's eyes widened at that. She couldn't dispute his words, not after that kiss. But the man sounded surprised by the fact. She couldn't fathom it. The man had women throwing themselves at him constantly. Why would her reaction catch him so off guard?
Okay, she needed to do damage control, and quick. She wasn't sure what Castle's reaction meant, but the last thing she needed was for him to figure out what her reaction meant. An idea popped into her head and she could hardly contain a chuckle at the thought of it. It should definitely work. And after that kiss worrying about where his mind went, or hers either, for that matter, was a moot point.
"You have no idea," she murmured suggestively in the same way she had at the end of that long ago first case. She knew his mind would immediately go back to that conversation, where he had alluded to how good things would be between them if she had allowed them to dive into a fling.
Which, of course, she would never do. Then or now. Any actions she took with Castle would be built on their solid friendship and strong feelings, not mere physical attraction.
She couldn't contain a giggle as Castle's eyes widened in shock. Nerves attacked her, though, when his eyes narrowed in determination. The man was the most easy-going guy she had ever met. His ease with her taking the lead, a necessity when they worked on cases, had spilled over practically since the beginning into every other aspect of their partnership. But there were times, rare though they were, when Castle got an idea in his head and refused to be swayed. She could probably count all of those occurrences on one hand. And each time she had given in. He had that expression on his face now. She was sure that when he said what was on his mind that steely tone would make an appearance, as well.
"That wasn't just an undercover kiss," was what he ended up saying. And she was right, the tone was there.
But wait, what was he talking about? The kiss they had just shared wasn't an undercover kiss at all...
Oh, crap. He'd figured it out.
Hmmm, I'm not sure if I can truly call this a cliff-hanger. But it's close enough that I've decided to wait to post this until I have the rest of the story written. But since you are reading this, that means that you don't have to wait for the next chapter. Lucky you. I had to wait almost three weeks between the first spark of an idea to today's finished product.
Please review. I'd love to know what you guys think.
