Chapter 1

"Look, I know I'm not the easiest person to get to know, and I don't always let on what's on my mind, but…this past year, working with you, I've had a really good time…" Kate said, with a small smile.

"Yeah, me too…" Castle said, watching her carefully.

"So, I'm just gonna say this, and probably make a fool of myself doing it." She paused, taking a deep breath and working up the nerve to continue.

"Foolish is one of the last adjectives I would ever use to describe you, and since being a writer makes me a expert on adjectives…." He winked.

"ANYway, as I said, I know I am hard to get to know, but I would like to change that, and I think a weekend in the Hamptons might just be the perfect opportunity" Kate blurted out, biting her lip.

Castle's eyes widened. Did she really just say that, or was he dreaming? "I'm sorry, the beer must be going to my head. Did you just agree to come with me to the beach house?"

She smiled, a bit ruefully. "Aww, c'mon Castle, are you going to make me beg? YES, I said I would like to go away with you. I think we have something special here, the way we finish one another's sentences, it's like we're one mind sometimes. And you have a way of making me smile, even when I want to be mad at you. I just would like to see if this relationship has more to it than the work stuff."

The whole time she was talking, Castle's head was spinning a bit. He could hardly believe his ears. All of the morning coffees, the flirting, the saving her life, twice, he had hoped he was getting through to her how important she was to him, but then seeing her in the hall with Demming… Hold on, what ABOUT Demming? What was she doing about the pretty boy….

"First of all, most likely I will be the one doing the begging, and enjoying every second of it. But we seem to be skipping an important detail here, and I know how you are about details. What happened to Demming the wonder boy?"

"Gave him his walking papers…I told him that though he was a great guy, he wasn't what I was looking for right now" Becket said, shaking her head.

"And that would be…. Please say 'A ruggedly handsome, yet boyishly charming, witty, successful author who is a heck of a shot'… See, the begging has started already" he said, folding his hands as if in prayer and giving her his very best puppy dog eyes.

She rolled her eyes at that. "More like egomaniacal pain in my butt. BUT you make my life interesting, and as I said, I want to see if there's more where that came from. SO, handsome, I give you permission to sweep me off my feet, and whisk me away to your little paradise."

He gave a sideways glance toward the conference room window, where Lanie, Ryan, Esposito, and the captain had been watching this whole exchange, wishing they could read lips.

"Sweeping you off your feet sounds like a fantastic idea, however it would make for a VERY public declaration of my considerable affections." He jerked his head toward them. "I hear there has even been wagering involved about when and how this would resolve" He stepped toward her. "As much as I would love to make somebody a winner…I would NEVER want to embarrass you with a public display you weren't comfortable with…."

"So, Detective Beckett, since you made the first move, I am going to let you make the next call. Do we go back in there like nothing has happened here, or do we walk away now, hand in hand, and get started on our weekend? And let me give you fair warning, if you thought I was an outrageous flirt before, wait till we are alone, the gloves are OFF"

Kate looked up at him and grinned, then met Lanie's eyes through the window. Lanie was as good with body language as she was with the body of evidence, and she had pretty well figured out what Kate was up to. Lanie slowly nodded at Kate and gave her a subtle thumbs-up.

Beckett smiled again, and held out her hand to Castle. He took her slightly trembling hand in his and squeezed gently. As they turned to walk away, they both looked back and waved at the team. Everyone in the conference room waved back enthusiastically.