To say that Kate Beckett was embarrassed would severely be an understatement. Humiliated might be closer, but it still wouldn't sum up the variety of emotions she was feeling right now.

Mortified. Yeah, that definitely fit.

Her morning had starting like every other as she ran through her daily routine; wake, shower, dress, brush teeth and grab a bagel on the way to the precinct. Everything seemed fairly mundane…

...until she stepped off the elevator and caught sight of him.

Richard Castle sat smugly in her chair with his hands folded in his lap and his feet crossed, propped up on the edge of her desk. She ignored his smirk and pointed to his legs.

"Move 'em or lose 'em, Castle."

He pulled his feet down, picked up the paper on the desk in front of him and turned towards her. She glared at him, impatiently folding her arms.

"Guess what I have here in my hand?"

"Hopefully a restraining order against yourself, saving me the trip of having to fill one out."

"Why, Detective Beckett, you know perfectly well that you don't have to pursue the legal route to restrain me; all you have to do is ask, assuming you remember my safe word."

"Castle," she warned him, placing both hands on the armrests of her chair and leaning over him in her best intimidating manner, "this is a police station; safe words don't apply in this building and there is a mile-long list of things that I could handcuff you to..."

Rick opened his mouth to comment, but was stopped as Kate continued.

"Do NOT turn that threat into anything remotely sexual or I will meticulously break each one of your fingers and throw you in The Tombs, do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal," he gulped slightly, while never completely losing his smile.

"Now get up," she ordered, watching as he moved from her seat to his, at the side of her desk. She sat down and growled; either she shrunk a foot overnight or Castle had, yet again, readjusted the height of the seat. "What did I tell you about messing with my chair?"

"That it was annoying...and something about touching and yanking things?" he lifted his eyebrow suggestively.

"Exactly, only I think my exact word was 'Don't'."

"Actually, you said, 'Don't give me that look! I've told you a million times to not mess with my chair," Rick mocked her in an outraged soprano tone.

"You also said that it would never happen again."

"It didn't count; you caught me off guard when I thought I was defending myself at the time and that feet-kicking thing you did was adorable."

Beckett rolled her eyes, turned back to her computer to boot it up and opened the file on her desk. While skimming over it, she felt someone watching her. Glancing up and next to her, she found Castle still sitting in his chair, grinning like an idiot.

She slammed the file down in frustration and stared straight ahead of her. "What, Castle?"

"Nothing…Katie…"

Beckett's eyes shot to the man next to her. Very rarely did he use her first name; so rare that she could count on one hand the number of times, but this? Never 'Katie'. It was serious. Meaningful.

Intimate.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh," he said, flipping the paper he held in his hands, "you know, your innocent, obsessive fan-girl side."

"My what?"

Castle cleared his throat. "'Dear Mr. Castle, I'm sure you get this all the time from your fans, but I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciated your work…'"

Beckett was sure she'd heard those words before…

He read on. "'I'm a very devoted fan of your novels and they have helped me through some of the most trying times in my life…'"

Her eyes grew wide in shock.

"I was very impressed when I met you last night at the book signing and I have to say that waiting over an hour in line was…'"

Beckett stood from her chair and grabbed Castle by the earlobe, pinching tightly. Having no other choice, he followed her into the Interrogation Room to save his throbbing appendage. "Sit," she commanded, releasing him to shut the door. Castle cowered in a chair on the other side of the table with his hand cupped to the side of his face.

Kate turned back around to face him, crossing her arms over her chest, standing on the other side of the table. "Well? Go on."

Rick had no idea what to do. "Is this a trap?"

"A trap?"

"Yeah, whether I read on or not, you're still going to kill me and make it look like an accident, aren't you?"

She stared him down. "Read."

Hesitantly, he picked the paper up again and picked up where he left off.

"'…waiting over an hour in line was well worth it. You are a very talented writer and, dare I say, a bit handsome in a rugged way. Thank you, Richard Castle, for your words, your kindness and for being the ray of hope, peace and justice in my life. Katie Beckett'"

He stood up and sauntered over in front of her, rereading the last sentence. "Kate?"

"Yeah?"

"You really meant that?"

Beckett let her face soften and her arms fell to her sides. "Yeah, Rick, I did. Still do."

Castle smiled. "I always knew you thought I was ruggedly handsome."

Kate stood stunned, watching him head for the door. 'I poured out my soul to him and all he caught was that I called him handsome? What an-'

Suddenly, her body was spun around and her lips devoured. She strained to keep herself from melting into it and into him. Slowly pulling from her with great reluctance, he smiled at her. "You're welcome."

She stared at him in awe. "I guess my secret's out."

"Your fansite screen name might've given you away, Miss 'QueenCastleLover'.

Kate blushed. "It was randomly generated."

He smirked knowingly. "I bet."