More Than a Comet


The man standing in front of Kate in line is only vaguely familiar, based on what she can tell from her view of the back of his head, and she blames her waiting-induced boredom for the fact the fact that she stares more intently than she probably should. But he's all broad shoulders with a sharp jaw and when he turns to the side, she sees a kind smile curling at his lips.

A smile directed at the little girl with bright orange hair who stands next to him. She would guess the girl is about seven, and from what she can tell, not fond of the idea of her father getting on the roller coaster.

"But Daddy," she says, for what Kate would guess is the fifth or sixth time. "You saw the pictures, right? The rollercoaster went right off its tracks and people got hurt. I don't want you to get hurt."

And oh, it's pretty adorable, the little girl's concern. Even though she's trying not to pay attention, to focus on the ride, the Comet, rushing along its tracks until it slows to a stop. But she finds her eyes drifting back to the pair when he ruffles his daughter's hair, offering a reassuring smile as he bends down to look his little girl in the eyes.

She's sure she's seen him before. But from this angle, she just can't figure out where.

"Don't worry, Pumpkin," he tells the girl, and she finds herself finding that adorably sweet too.

What is with her today, anyway?

It must be boredom. And maybe the lingering effects of her last case, which involved a young girl too similar to this one with bright orange hair and a father that was far from the man standing before her.

"Nothing's going to happen to me," he continues, squeezing his daughter's shoulder. "So I'm going to ride the Comet, and then you'll see that rollercoasters aren't that bad and aren't that scary, okay?"

The girl hesitates, Kate notes, seconds passing before her response comes, quiet and unsure but seemingly enough for her father.

"Okay, Daddy."

And it's right about then that the rollercoaster in front of the them, for which they're standing in line, roars to life and she's stepping forward, following in his footsteps towards the front of the line. She watches it race along its tracks, the ups and downs and twists and turns that she loved when she was younger, that she knows will allow her a momentary escape from the world and memories of the case that had her banished from the precinct for the weekend as time to regroup, Detective Beckett.

She blinks away the memory as the noise calms around them, shouts fading and the cars slowing to a stop at the end of the coaster. There's only a few people in front of her now, and she watches the man step towards the entrance to the ride, bend down to speak to his daughter once more.

"You're going to stay here, okay, Alexis?" he says. "And I'll come find you as soon as the ride is done."

The girl nods. "Okay, Daddy. Be safe."

He smiles. "I always am."

"Not when you tape yourself to chairs when no one is there to let you free."

Kate muffles a chuckle behind her palm, a feeble attempt to disguise her eavesdropping even as she continues to watch.

The man pinches his daughter's side playfully, until her laughter rings through the air. "That was one time," he argues.

"Two!"

"Fine, two," he concedes, looking like he's about to say something else until the teenager manning the ride, who shows zero interest in the father-daughter relationship, clears his throat loudly, purposefully. And then the man turns serious. "You promise you're going to stay right here until I'm back?"

The girl nods. "Pinky promise."

Kate watches them shake pinkies until the man is taking his seat in the empty car in front of him, and the teenage employee is motioning for her to slide into the vacant seat next to him. She waits for him to get comfortable before drawing the safety bar down to rest against their thighs.

It's then that he turns to her, smile friendly, genuine. "You like these things?" he asks.

And shit. Oh shit. That's where she knows him from.

It's Richard Castle.

She's sharing a rollercoaster car with Richard Castle.

"Uh, yeah," she stutters, a feeble attempt at a response. "Y-yeah, I like these things."


The rollercoaster speeds into movement not too long after the man sitting next to her has turned back to look forward instead of at her. It loosens the coil of tension in her gut, relief coursing through her even though she can't quite figure out why he has her so nervous.

Maybe because she's never been good at conversation, and the prospect of speaking with her favorite author seems more daunting than it probably should.

He just so happens to be sitting next to her, nothing more to it. The ride will continue, rush to end, and she'll be able to escape his proximity with nothing but a story to tell Lanie come Monday. And maybe slightly more respect for the man who spends too much time on Page Six, after witnessing him with his daughter.

That's it.

She forces herself to set thoughts of him aside, focusing instead on the movement of the coaster. Watching the world start to fly by a little faster, feeling the wind lift her ponytail from where it had been resting against her neck. The tracks rise before them, cars tilting back and their own follow suit, anticipation already unfurling in her stomach.

Tendrils of adrenaline begin to clutch at her heart as they climb the first hill in the ride. The biggest one, too. She knows what's coming next, cannot wait for the rush of falling towards the ground, following the twists and turns of the coaster and forgetting, just for a moment, about all the things that haunt her. Letting her head spin and world tilt and heart be free just for a moment before it all comes rushing back.

She needs it. And it's so close.

But it's at that very moment that she turns her head, towards him. To find him clutching too tightly at the safety bar draped over their laps, his face a ghostly shade of white and oh no he cannot throw up on them both right now.

The ride lifts over the top of the hill, goes racing down and in front of her, hands fly free of the carts, screams echoing loud over the sound of the tracks beneath them.

Richard Castle releasing the cart, too.

And takes her hand instead.


He's still holding her hand when the ride slows to a stop, fingers clutched so tightly around hers that his knuckles are going as white as his face. And even when the car stops completely, the employee walking alongside to ride to let people free, he keeps clutching at her, like somehow he still needs whatever comfort her tense hold can offer.

So she does something stupid: lets him keep holding her hand.

She stumbles from the rollercoaster car first, dragging him with her when he fails to let her fingers slip from his. He's unsteady on his feet when he stands, his face going from white to green and for a moment she expects him to dash to the nearest trash can. But all he does is swallow once, then twice, and blinks the haze from his eyes to look at her instead.

It's then that he seems to realize he's still holding her hand, and finally lets go, his arm falling to his side.

"I'm sorry," he says. "I guess reading stories of people dying on rollercoasters is probably not the ideal thing to do the night before you go to Six Flags."

She laughs at that, can't help it when color is finally returning to his face and he's offering a crooked grin. "No, probably not," she agrees. "Probably makes the ride a lot more terrifying."

"Terrifying?"

It's a whisper, in a small voice she recognizes too well, that has her spine straightening and shoulders locking as his eyes fall closed in disappointment.

His plan had been to ride to rollercoaster to prove to his daughter that the ride wasn't scary. Leave it to her to ruin that for him.

But he hesitates only for a second before turning to his little girl, smiling wide and warm as he leans down to be at eye level with her. "Huh, Pumpkin?"

"The lady said terrifying, Daddy," said the girl. "I knew rollercoasters were scary!"

Kate stands, stock still, as he reaches for his daughter's shoulder, squeezes gently before motioning in her direction so both Castles are looking up at her. Matching blue eyes locked on hers, his laced with hope that she'll go along with whatever he's about to say, and his daughter's filled with fear.

"It wasn't that scary, Alexis," he promises. "Only for a moment, and then you know what? This lady…"

He trails off, and it takes her a moment to realize he's waiting for her to fill in the blank.

"Beckett," she says, pausing to curse herself for her idiocy as her cheeks flame, surely bright red by now. "Kate. Kate Beckett."

His smile stretches wide across his face, and anger begins to unfurl in her gut until she realizes he's not laughing at her. He looks like he finds her…

Adorable?

No, that can't be right.

"Kate, here, let me hold her hand and made it all better," he finishes, turning back towards his daughter, but the young girl is still staring up at her.

"You did?"

She swallows thickly, nodding her head slowly because how could she deny this little girl what little relief she may get from the information? "I did."

"And you didn't think it was scary?"

That has her shaking her head, smiling down at Richard Castle's daughter. What had he called her?

"I didn't. Not at all, Alexis," she promises. "You know, after your ride a rollercoaster once, it gets a lot less scary. Have you ever tried riding one?"

Alexis shakes her head. "It's scary," she says in explanation, staring down at the ground. When she looks back up, her face is alight with an idea, beautiful and bright like the blue of her eyes. "Can you ride on my rollercoaster with me? That way, if it gets scary, you can hold my hand and make it all go away too?"

Richard Castle's—Rick's?—eyes go wide at that, and he's turning to Alexis, probably to tell her the request is inappropriate.

But so is the response that tumbles from her lips without her permission, set free just to see the little girl's eyes light up at the promise.

"Sure."

And then Alexis is bouncing on her toes, her father pushing himself from the ground to stand next to her, eyes still wide, but no longer with disapproving shock.

But with awe.

"Are you sure?" he asks.

She shrugs. "What's one ride, if it will make her less scared?"

His response is a stutter, a mess of syllables before he gives up and lets the smile of appreciation—and admiration?—bloom across his face. "Thank you," he breathes. "I'm Rick, by the way."

Her own smile mirrors his. "I know."

And then she's following Alexis as the young girl rushes towards the line for the rollercoaster she plans to ride now that she has a hand to hold.


The rollercoaster only allows one adult to ride with each child, and somehow she finds herself being piled into the small car with the daughter of a man who only knows her name. It crosses her mind, only for a second, that it's probably not the most responsible choice for a parent to make. But then she's looking at the platform, wondering when the ride will start, to see him lingering on the platform, watching them both, waving at his daughter from the sidelines.

It eases the knot in her chest, fills her with some kind of warmth that shouldn't be allowed, shouldn't be caused by him. But he trusts her with his daughter.

His daughter seems to trust her, too.

As soon as the ride whirs to motion, Alexis is clutching at her hand, eyes squeezed shut in fear. But the kid's ride is slow, and it only takes a short moment of motion before the young girl is relaxing in her seat, starting to enjoy the ride.

And Kate finds that, even though she's riding with a child she barely knows, and even though the ride is slow and rather boring, she doesn't hate it.

Alexis is a good kid.

And Rick, who rushes to his daughter the moment the rollercoaster slows to a stop, already asking about all the fun she had, seems to be a great father.


She'd expected to be dismissed the moment her ride with Alexis was done, when the girl's fears were alleviated and Rick was once again deemed a suitable partner for any other rides she'd want to go on. But instead, after Alexis is done telling him about how fun the mine cart coaster was, he's standing next to Kate and striking up a conversation with enviable ease, asking about her plans for the day.

"So, are we stealing you from someone?"

She turns to him at that, to catch the glimmer of hope in his eyes only to realize with startling certainty that he wants her to say no. Wants her to be free to spend the day with him and his daughter, for whatever reason, and she finds that she doesn't hate the idea.

Why doesn't she hate the idea?

"No," she answers. "I got, uh, told to take a few days off work after a rough case and decided this would be a good place to come and forget about it."

And why is she being so honest with him?

"A case?" he asks. "Lawyer?"

"Cop."

Her answer has his steps still, eyes going wide as he turns to look at her again. And there's that thing again, that awe, which shouldn't be written so blatantly across his face when he doesn't even know her.

Which shouldn't send a rush through her system when she doesn't even know him.

"You're a cop?" asks Alexis, continuing at Kate's responding nod. "My daddy writes books about cops!"

Kate laughs at that, bobbing her head up and down dumbly once more. "I know he does," she says. "But my job isn't quite as dramatic as the stories in your dad's books."

Alexis stares for a moment, and Rick still hasn't said a word when his daughter speaks once more. "Do you take down bad guys?"

She smiles. "I try my best to," she offers as an answer.

But it's enough for Alexis, who beams up at her before tugging on Rick's hand. "Daddy! Kate takes down bad guys," she says, words lilted with glee. "That must be why she can make the rollercoasters not scary."

Next to her, Rick finally offers more than his awed stare, smiling down at his daughter before turning to direct his gaze at her instead. "That must be it," he agrees, and her cheeks burn red again, under the lock of his eyes. "She's pretty awesome, isn't she?"

Alexis nods her agreement, but Kate is dumbstruck by his words, the happiness that creases his features as he speaks, about her, to her.

And she isn't awesome by any means, but he looks at her like he really thinks she is.

"So," he breathes, and she blinks away the thoughts to catch his question instead, "would you like to join us in the Krazy Kups?"

She could say no, she knows. But she finds there's no desire to, not even a lingering desire to run from whatever feelings bubble up within her chest.

So she nods.

"That sounds great."


She doesn't leave when they stop for lunch, finding herself sliding onto a bench across from the Castles. Alexis takes the seat next to Rick, her corn dog sitting on the table in front of her as her father sets down the huge plate of nachos he ordered for them to share. Between him and his daughter, he wedges the giant bag of candy that, now starting to know the pair, will be eaten mostly by him before the end of the day.

They'd ridden a few more rides that Alexis had wanted to try. The Krazy Kups first, and then she'd stood in the backseat as they'd ridden the Krazy Kars, and finally the Balloon Race, which had had Alexis clutching at her hand once again as the ride tilted and spun.

And now she finds herself reaching for a nacho just as Rick does the same. Letting her fingers brush against his before she picks one off the top, from right beneath his fingers, and pops it into her mouth even as he squeaks in indignation.

"Did you see that, Pumpkin? She stole my nacho."

Alexis giggles. pressing her corn dog into the pool of ketchup she's created. "You got the plate to share with Kate, Daddy," she reminds him. "That means it wasn't your nacho."

He squeaks against at that, pinching his daughter's side in retaliation for her betrayal, but his gaze slides over to where Kate is sitting, a hand pressed to her mouth to muffle her chuckles.

It's adorable, watching him with his daughter.

Since when does Kate Beckett find men adorable?

And since when does she find herself giggling a meals with a man she just met and his daughter?

She plucks another nacho from the top of the pile, swallows it with a sip of her soda, grinning at him when he straightens in his seat. He reaches to grab a nacho for himself, and she finds herself doing the same, purposefully brushing her fingers against his just to see his eyes widen in delight.

Yeah, he might be adorable.


The afternoon goes about the same. He gives her the chance to excuse herself, and she almost does, tempted to let him resume his time with his daughter, but then he's staring at her with wide eyes, waiting, betraying his true desires. He doesn't want her to leave anymore than she wants to excuse herself, and Alexis is already asking her to stay so they can all ride the bumper cars together.

And it's weird, this feeling of inclusion, of not wanting to go and them not wanting her to go. Budding friendship and something that feels suspiciously like more.

Something she tries not to examine too closely, scared it will send her running if she does, as she agrees to continue the day with the pair.

Per Alexis' request, they end up going to the bumper cars next, and it's when they're standing in line that that something more blooms into something warm and terrifying and maybe a little good. When Alexis makes a request that has her jaw dropping and stupid, traitorous heart, skipping a beat.

"I wanna ride with Kate!"

Rick's hand seems to tighten around his daughter's at the words, and Kate feels her heart do the same.

"You do?" she asks Alexis.

The girl nods. "That way we can make sure Daddy gets bumped the most," she says, a simple explanation as her smile widens her rosy cheeks.

Her response has Rick snapping out of whatever stupor he'd been in, smiling down at Alexis, his voice lilted and teasing when he speaks. "Oh, I see. You guys are ganging up on me already."

Already?

Doesn't that imply that he wants there to be more than just today? Or is she overanalyzing? Making stuff up? Wishful thinking?

Wishful thinking?

And doesn't that mean she wants there to be more than just today?

A hand closes around hers, and she looks up to find Alexis staring up at her, eyes wide and hopeful just like they were before she'd first requested that they ride the rollercoaster together.

"Is that okay, Kate?"

It might be stupid of her, she notes, and yet she finds herself smiling down at Rick's daughter. "Of course," she promises. "Your dad is going down."


It's after a few other rides that they pause for a bathroom break, and her moment of panic that she lost Alexis fades when she walks from the room to ask Rick if he saw her come out only to find him leaning down and whispering in his daughter's ear. She tucks her hands into the back pockets of her jeans as she rocks on her heels, finds herself leaning against the wall by the bathroom entrance to keep from interrupting their conversation. To enjoy the sight of their family, so happy, even as it forces her to ignore the fluttering lift of her heart.

She tries to tamper it, has already given up on expecting success.

So she presses herself harder against the brick wall at her back, lets her smile bloom across her face, untampered as she watches them. Lets herself wonder if he's always this sweet with his daughter, and if he knows how great a father he is, that it evokes something within her that she's fairly certain she's never felt before.

And it's only been a day.

She is so screwed.

Why doesn't that send her running?

Instead, she finds herself stepping towards them, just as Alexis notices her. The little girl, blue eyes bright, offers her too familiar, brilliant smile. Next to her, Rick stands back up, shoving his hands into his pockets as she draws nearer, offering a lopsided smile that makes her insides flip.

"You ready to continue our day?" he asks.

She nods. "What's next on the agenda?"

His cheeks tinge pink at that, and she finds she wants to feel the warmth of his skin against her palm, that he's far too adorable for his own good. Or hers.

"Well, Alexis here thinks I should take you on one of the adult rides," he says.

"The adult rides, huh?" She smirks, raising one brow just to watch his cheeks turn a darker shade of pink even as his eyes gleam with mischief.

"Not that kind of adult ride, Kate." He grins. "Maybe another time, if you want to."

And oh how she wants to. Can feel the budding warmth of desire when he's staring her like that, something she hasn't allowed herself to feel in far too long. But when his grin is so stupidly sexy and his eyes are just the slightest bit darker than usual and his words hold a promise she's sure he would keep if she voiced interest…

She doesn't have a choice this time. There's no allowing herself to feel this.

He's already plowed past her self-control and she's certain he's turned her powerless to stop him.

All in a matter of hours.

She is really screwed.

"What kind of ride, Daddy?"

And shit, his daughter is still standing right next to them, tugging on Rick's hand to get his attention and an answer to her completely innocent question.

About a completely non-innocent exchange.

Her cheeks burn as Alexis stares up at them both, embarrassment replacing the flood of desire, making her stare at her feet even as Rick is quick to come up with a perfect response.

"One of the adult rides that isn't a rollercoaster, Pumpkin," he says. "Kate and I can ride those another time, but right now I want to go on another rollercoaster with her."

"Because she makes the scared go away?"

Rick smiles, not at Alexis, but at Kate. "Exactly."


They end up on a rollercoaster called Flashback, with two loops that are done forwards, then backwards, and she can't help but think that if The Comet scared him, this would certainly be terrifying. But she doesn't say a word, worried it would scare Alexis again, and wondering, silently, if it might be part of whatever plan he may have.

If maybe this is all to hold her hand again.

He slides into the car first, after giving Alexis the same speech he'd given her the last time. She follows suit, squeezing herself in a little too closely so her thigh brushes his and their shoulders are pressed together. Only for a second before the ride operator comes by to lock the safety mechanisms into place.

As soon as the ride spurs into motion, he's scrambling for her hand, feigning fear even as a smile stretches across his face.

And she's sure gripping at the safety mechanisms would bring greater comfort, but she doesn't point that out, doesn't say a word that could risk making him pull away.

She likes feeling his hand in hers too much to do so.


By the time evening starts to fall and the park floods with teens and young adults, Alexis is complaining about how her feet hurt so Rick sweeps her off the ground to rest on his shoulders instead. They continue walking after that, side by side, even though Kate isn't sure they have a destination planned.

So when they walk by one of the gift shops, one brimming with stuffed animals, she doesn't hesitate to point it out, offering both Rick and Alexis a smile.

"Would you like something?" she asks the young girl. "A souvenir?"

Alexis smiles. "Can I?"

"If it's okay with your dad," she answers, even as Rick is already nodding his approval at his daughter getting a gift. "Then I'll buy you something. Why don't you come choose what you want?"

Rick sets Alexis back on the ground, and the young girl rushes to shove the door open and step inside, Kate following, right on her heels. They walk through every aisle of the store, doubling back through a few where Alexis' favorites are before she decides she can't choose between two.

"What do you think, Kate?" he asks, holding up one stuffed animal in each hand. "The blue bear or the elephant?"

Kate smiles, crouching down to feel the soft fabric of the stuffed elephant beneath her palm, letting her hand drift along the animal's trunk before turning to look at Alexis instead. "It's up to you," she promises. "But, you know what, my mom loved elephants."

"She did?" asks Alexis, eyes bright before the joy fades and she stares at the ground. "My mom was supposed to come see me this weekend,'" she mumbles. "But she canceled so Daddy brought me here to cheer me up."

Oh. Oh.

Rick hasn't mentioned Alexis' mother all day—this is probably part of the reason why—but she'd assumed they weren't together anymore. She hadn't expected…this.

"I'm sorry," she tells Alexis, reaching out to curl her hand around the young girl's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Alexis."

But she's already wiping away the tears brimming her eyes, seemingly far too used to this kind of disappointment and it only breaks Kate's heart more.

"It's okay," says Alexis. "I had fun with Daddy. And you." She pauses, twisting the elephant's tail around her hand. "Thank you for hanging out with us today. You made it extra fun, and less scary."

"You know what?" she responds. "You guys made my day extra fun, too. Extra, extra fun."

Alexis giggles. "We did?"

Kate nods. "You did."

And the little girl giggles again, but she leans forward this time, dropping the bear to the floor, to cup her hand around Kate's ear instead. "You know what?" she whispers. "I think my daddy likes you lots."

Oh, she hadn't expected that. It has her cheeks burning, an uneasy chuckle escaping her lips as Alexis pulls away, and yet the response she utters is far more honest than she would have expected.

"You know what? I think I might like him too."

It makes Alexis' smile bloom bright. "Good! Because I like you, too," she says, and before Kate can muster a response, she's holding up the hand still clutching at the elephant's tail. "I want the elephant."

Kate grins, reaching forward to tug lightly on the stuffed animal's trunk. "I think that's a good choice."


Alexis is too focused on her stuffed animal when they leave the store to remember the supposed ache in her feet, skipping along the street as Kate and Rick hang a few feet back, watching her. Watching the little girl who is too busy to notice when her father slips his hand into Kate's draws her a little closer.

"Thank you," he breathes.

"Don't worry about it," she whispers. "She's a good kid, a stuffed animal is the least I could get her."

He squeezes her hand, drawing her closer once more. "No, it's a lot." He pauses, and she glances at him to see his face creased with thought. "Trust me, Kate, it's a lot."

She wonders, for a moment, if he's thinking of Alexis' mother. The woman who couldn't spare a weekend to spend time with her wonderful little girl, who seems to do so so often that Alexis, at only seven years old, is used to wiping her tears and pretending it doesn't hurt.

But before she can think of a way to ask, he's looking back up at her, eyes bright, hopeful.

"Let me repay you," he says. "Dinner?"

"You don't have to repay me, Rick."

His smile widens, hand tightening around hers once more and he tugs her closer, lets his words brush across her ear when he speaks. "Call it a date, then."

It sends a shiver up her spine, a smile curling at her lips even as she forces herself to put distance between them.

"Okay."


He holds her hand under the table during dinner, as Alexis tells her all about school and her friends and the books she's reading and her Gram. His thumb drifts over hers, their plates empty, glasses the same, his eyes bright as he stares at his daughter, just as happy when he turns to look at her.

She tells them about her job, the PG version of what she does for a living, about Ryan and Esposito, and even explains to them both why her mother loved elephants despite the way it makes her chest ache. He wipes that away, or tries to, with a swipe of his hand over hers and a reassuring smile before calling the waiter over to order dessert and give her time to compose herself.

The chocolate cake is delicious, based on the bite he lets her take. And he steals pieces of the funnel cake she'd ordered, Alexis giggling at their antics as she smothers chocolate ice cream across her face.

It's a strange idea, this weird sort of first date with his daughter sitting across the table from them. But she thinks she might consider it a date anyway.

Only a date would end with her wanting so desperately to smudge her lips to his and feel the warmth of his body pressed against hers.

Only a date would make her heart flutter with forbidden feelings she can't stand to tamper.


Alexis falls asleep shortly after they leave the restaurant, exhausted from her long day of fun, clutching the stuffed elephant to her chest only to squish it between her head and Rick's shoulder as he carries her. It's precious, the way he combs his free hand up and down his daughter's back, all the while his gaze stays locked on Kate.

"Do you have a room?" he asks, the words a whisper.

She shakes her head. "I'd been planning on going back to the city today."

"But it's late," he whines, exaggerating, pushing his lip out in a pout that makes her want to lean forward and catch that lip with hers. "Even if you leave right now, you won't get back until midnight."

She bumps his shoulder with hers, hides her smile at his concern by dipping her head. "I'm a cop, Rick. I can handle driving home at night."

He sighs. "'I know," he says. "But you could stay."

That has her looking up at him, catching the gleam of hope in his eyes that says more than he's saying, more than she thinks she could handle to hear.

"And stay where?" she asks.

His shoulder lifts in a shrug, still pressed against her cheek. "In our room."

"Rick-"

He drops his hand from Alexis' back, reaching down to tangle his fingers with hers instead like it's the most natural thing. Walking through a theme park with his daughter sleeping on his shoulder and her hand locked in his.

"Nothing like that, Kate. No adult rides tonight," he says, smiling as though to reassure her that he's teasing, "But our room has bunk beds for Alexis, and then a queen-sized bed and a pull out couch. You can take the bed and I'll take the couch or, ooh, bunk beds are fun. I could bunk with Alexis."

She laughs, pressing her her face harder against his shoulder to muffle it. Of course this man, who all but dragged his daughter onto a go-kart style ride, would be amused by bunk beds.

"I really can take care of myself," she mutters against his shirt.

He squeezes her hand once more. "I know," he says. "But…humor me?"

There's that hope again. Those words laced with don't go and stay and I don't want today to end yet.

She doesn't want it to end yet, either.

So she presses herself against his side even more, lifting her head from his shoulder so she can catch his gaze when she nods her head and lets him lead her to the hotel room.


She drops onto the couch as he tucks Alexis into bed, legs crossed beneath her and hands curled around her knees, listening to him inform his daughter that it was time for bed and kiss her goodnight. Her smile tugs at the corners of her mouth when he returns, as she watches him drop onto the bed only a few feet away.

"Tired?" he asks.

"A little. Maybe," she answers, the words a hesitant mumble. "You?"

He shrugged. "I could stay up, if you want to," he said, the words laced with uncertainty, leaving an awkward silence heavy in the room. "Would you like to…watch a movie?"

"Yeah, that sounds good."

And then it's a blur, as he rushes to settle against the pillows, reaching for the remote and already searching for a movie. She remains, awkward, on the couch, until he's turning towards her, Forbidden Planet highlighted on the list of possible movie rentals, a smile stretching across his face, so very happy.

"Am I lucky enough that you would like a movie like Forbidden Planet?"

Lucky?

He considers himself lucky because he met her?

"I love it," she tells him, mirroring his smile, making him turn back to the television to choose that movie, only for him to turn back to her. "Yeah?"

His brows furrow, and without saying a word, he adjusts the pillows on the empty side of the bed, slaps the mattress with his free hand. "Come on. You'll have a better view of the TV."

It's stupid, so very stupid, that only finds herself hesitating for a second before she's pushing herself from the couch to drop onto the bed next to him. Curl up on her side so she's facing him, sinking into the pillows he'd propped up for her.

He drops the remote when the movie starts to play, and she's sure it only takes a few seconds for his hand to find its way to her hair.

And it's crazy that she doesn't mind.


By the time the credits roll, she's pressed against his side, head resting on his chest and eyes falling closed to the draw of sleep and the soothing motions of his hand in her hair. Her legs are tangled with his, hand drifting along his chest and she should pull away, fulfill her promise of sleeping on the couch, put distance between them but she can't bring herself to move.

Not when his arms tighten around her, and the scent of him is so very overwhelming, so very good. When she's wearing his shirt and sweatpants and spent the entire day with him and his daughter, when she thinks he might be breaking his way into the heart that she's had closed off for so long.

When he presses a kiss to the top of her head before settling into the pillow, still holding her close.

And she falls asleep in his arms.


She wakes the next morning to the smell of pancakes and Alexis' voice as she and Rick try to decide when to wake her. It's only then that she realizes her head is nestled in what was his pillow, the covers drawn around her body where they weren't last night, strands of her hair curled behind her ear. She rolls over after a moment, to where Alexis is sitting with her plate of breakfast on her lap and her father sitting next to her, pulling her long hair into braids.

How is it that he is so adorable with his daughter? So unbelievably kind with her, Kate?

And how is it that she thinks she could fall for this man that she's known for a day?

"Look, Daddy! Kate's awake," says Alexis, pointing at her, smile wide. "Can we ask her now?"

He laughs, following his daughter's hand to see her, a smile stretching wide across his face. "Maybe we should wait until she's eaten breakfast."

"But Daddy, I wanna ask her now."

That draws a laugh from her, and she pushes herself from the bed to step towards them. She settles on the armrest right next to where Rick is sitting, her hip pressed against his arm but neither of them opts to move.

"It's okay," she tells him before turning to his daughter. "What did you want to ask me, Alexis?"

"Do you have to go back to New York today?"

And oh, there are those big blue eyes that demand honesty and erase any hesitation from her response. "I suppose not. I don't have to work until tomorrow, so I have to get back tonight, but I don't have to leave soon." She pauses, offering Alexis and Rick a smile. "Why?"

Alexis bounces on the couch cushion. "Daddy and I were gonna go on the waterslides today," she says. "And I think you should come with us."

Something inside her twists, and for a moment she thinks it's dread, only to realize it's affection for this little family that welcomed her so easily and has her not wanting to let them go. Rick's hand settles on her knee, squeezing gently and she silences his reassurances with the thread of her fingers through his.

"I would love to, Alexis."

The young girl continues bouncing on her seat, chattering happily about their plans for today and Kate turns her attention from Alexis to Rick. She squeezes his hand gently, leaning down so only he can hear what she whispers in his ear.

"You don't mind, right?"

He turns his head, lifting his chin so his response is a whisper to her, as well. "Of course not," he promises. "Honestly, I might have wanted you to come as much as she did."

That has her giggling, swallowing back the response of good that threatens to rise from her throat and opting to whisper in his ear once more instead. "Okay, but I will need to stop by the gift shop and get a swimsuit first," she says. "Maybe I'll get a bikini."

He sputters, covers it with a laugh, and before he can come up with a response, she's lifting from the couch, going to get the plate of pancakes he'd kept warm for her.

When she turns back, Alexis' plate has been set aside and she's standing on the couch, teasing Rick about how he has to go on the big waterslides just like the big rollercoasters.

And she's never been more thankful for a theme park ride.


Thank you for reading! And, as always, immense gratitude goes to Lindsey for being a beta rock star and helping me plan this and looking it over for me.