With thanks to Diane who had a vivid 'movie' playing in her head involving C+B pressed up against a coffee machine.
Disclaimer: i own nothing! but after yesterday and kill shot i just needed a little mush.
She was standing at the coffee machine when he walked up behind, he stopped a few feet away watching as she growled and yanked at the machine, waving her hand to waft away the cloud of smoke that was erupting from it.
"Stupid thing"
Steam hissed out, burning her finger, she shook it in the air cursing under her breath before she sucked it into her mouth.
He smirked.
"Having trouble?"
"Castle, seriously, this machine hates me."
"Why didn't you just ask me to make you one?" he said stepping closer.
"What are you, my personal Barista?"
He made a face "Yes, obviously." he shrugged.
"I'm a big girl " she said indignantly "I am perfectly capable of making…"
He opened his eyes wide, looking at the sad disfigured machine, before he looked back at her with her burned finger and splattered milk stains.
"Shut up." she said before he spoke, turning back to the machine, staring it down.
"Here." he stepped forward, coming to stand behind her, close but not too close. He brought one arm around her and, guiding her hand, helped her fit the jug underneath the steam nozzle.
"What are you doing?" she said jumping back as his arms encircled her, fruitlessly trapping herself closer to him.
"Just showing you how to do it" he fought a laugh as she spluttered. He loved it when she got side tracked by the double meaning of his words, especially when they were unintentional.
He felt her elbow poke back slightly, she must be fighting the urge to jab him. The fact she resisted made him bolder.
He leaned into her more, letting his body mould itself to her back, his chin fitting into the groove of her neck, resting lightly on the hair that fell across her shoulder. He brought his right arm around her waist and guided her hand to the button.
"Flick the switch." he instructed holding his breath as he waited for her to comply or break his arm.
He could almost hear her thinking, her hand poised before the machine. He was just about to drop her hand and step back when he felt her shift, her finger reaching out and flicking the button as she sighed.
"Fine, make it quick."
He laughed, feeling braver, and moved his left hand to capture hers, turning it over lightly in his. He lost his train of thought though when he caught sight of the burn, wincing on her behalf.
He ran his thumb across the red mark, it burned under his touch, hot and angry. He felt her jerk as he touched it, realising it must hurt.
"Castle, focus!" she said, pulling her hand from his and yanking his sleeve, unconsciously, he assumed, pulling him closer. He was fitted flush with her body now, his arms encircling her.
"Right, sorry." he guided her hand to the jug, his fingers wrapping around her wrist. His finger tip glanced her pulse, feeling it beat, fast and steady, under his, he paused over it for a second, relishing it.
"Show me how you were holding the jug."
She moved her arm, the skin of her wrist sliding fluidly through his fingers.
"Like this" she said.
"Ah ok," he caught hold of her again, resting his chin in its earlier space on her shoulder so he was almost whispering into her ear "you're tipping it the wrong way, this is why you keep getting burnt."
He smiled as she leant back lightly against him.
"And there's me thinking the machine was out to get me."
"No that's just me." he said without thinking.
He felt her stiffen and freeze against him briefly before she leaned back, jabbing him gently with her elbow.
"Yeah…anyway," he scrunched his eyes, forcing himself to concentrate and breeze past the comment. "When I was in Italy…"
"You were in Italy?" she interrupted.
"Yeah I was being…"
"Why were you in Italy?" She turned a little in his arms trying to look at him.
"I was on vacation and I was learning…"
He felt her inhale, preparing to speak so he made a pre-emptive strike, squeezed her wrists where he held them and said "shhh."
He waited for her to yell or shove him away, but instead he felt her hands grow heavy in his, relaxing.
He wasn't positive, but, from where he leant on her shoulder, almost cheek to cheek, he could have sworn he felt her face raise a little as if she was smiling. As quickly as he felt it, it was gone and she jabbed him again, harder this time, waiting for him to continue.
He cleared his throat in her ear, feeling her tilt away from the sound before he carried on.
"I took a course on making the perfect cup of coffee, and the instructor said something that stuck with me."
He lifted her hands, running his thumbs across the backs of them as he moved her into position, guiding her so she held the milk jug under the steamer.
"What was that?" she asked as he angled the jug in her hands.
"She said…"
"She?" her voice gained an edge that made him smile. He fought the urge to ask her if she was jealous, knowing she would probably end up elbowing him and stomping off, he instead chose to keep her in his arms and be honest.
"Yes, she was a 60 year old grandmother of five." he squeezed her briefly again before he continued "She said that you should imagine that every time you make a cup of coffee its like your first kiss. Whether it's a soft and simple brush of the lips, like…"
He waited wondering if she would play along, smiling widely when she did, her voice sounding far away
"Cream and two sugars."
"Exactly." he said grinning into her neck. His hands becoming bolder as they traced patterns on her fingers and arms, trailing her skin as he spoke. "Or a knee buckling jolt to the system."
"Like a double espresso." she jumped straight in this time, huffing out a laugh as she spoke.
"Or a soul melting, tender touch of the lips, full of promise and love and all good things to come."
Her voice dropped off softly, "Like a Grande skim latte…"
He finished for her "…two pumps sugar-free vanilla."
She squeezed his hand, and he felt her cheek lift again, sensing an advantage he pressed on.
"You have to get the ingredients right, the temperature just so. Its all about the combination."
"The timing?" she asked again tilting her head so that she could look at him out of the corner of her eye.
"Definitely, he said "it's all about timing. Too early and its weak, insubstantial. Over and done before it can be properly enjoyed and savoured."
He felt her nod
"Too late and it spoils." he tensed his fingers around her hand, making her set the jug down on the little shelf of the coffee maker, pulling her hand into his, lacing their fingers together.
"Burns up into nothing," he continued, "but catch it at the right moment and just like the perfect first kiss its…"
"Mouth-watering." she breathed the word out on a deep, rich sigh, settling her body flat against his, her head tilting back to rest properly on his shoulder.
It took every ounce of strength he had not to spin her on the spot and mash his lips to hers, to grant her that first mouth-watering kiss, before stealing a second and a third and an eternity there after.
She must have read his mind in that special way she did, because he felt her tense up.
He went to speak to dispel some of the tension he was feeling but she beat him to it.
"I don't count undercover kisses as first kisses." She said
"No? he asked feeling relieved because, honestly, neither did he. First kisses shouldn't have an agenda outside of being lost in the person you were kissing. They shouldn't be stolen in the heat of the moment, in fear of your life, whilst pretending to be someone else. They shouldn't be tricked from the lips of the person you were dreaming of.
"No," she stated "its like…really good coffee cake," she laughed and pulled his hand around her waist, letting her fingers drift under the edge of his sleeve, stroking the warm skin under her fingers "tastes and smells" she circled his hand with her fingertips "feels like the real thing, but its just not the same. The first real kiss should be…"
"Mouth-watering?" He asked
"Breath taking" she added "the vanilla latte of all kisses" she smiled.
He shook his head, but smiled in return "I think it would be all of the coffees mixed together."
"Keeps you awake for days?" she asked laughing.
He ran his fingers higher up her arm, squeezing her waist with the hand she held.
"Humming from head to toe!" he affirmed. Shifting back slightly as he felt her start to turn in his arms, to face him.
She angled her head, tilting up to look at him, her hands creeping up to wrap around his neck. She smiled at him softly as his hands wound around her waist and they leaned into each other.
At that moment Esposito walked in, a smirk wide across his face.
Without releasing each other they both turned to stare at him incredulously, pressed against the coffee machine, bodies close.
"Am I interrupting? he asked looking them up and down, as he slouched, leaning against the door of the break room.
They spoke at the same time.
"No." Castle said on a sigh as he tried to step back.
"YES! she said loudly keeping a tight hold of his hand, "Don't you move, I want my damn coffee."
Esposito held up his hands "My bad." and left the room grinning.
"So," she said as she pulled his hands back tight to her waist, tipped her body against his and reached her hand up to his jaw. "Where were we?"
"Somewhere around coffee!" he said leaning down towards her.
"And kisses." she replied as she tipped forward and pressed her lips against his