He was looking at me again, in that way he did. There was nothing steamy or sexy about it, just deep, deep love and adoration. He was sitting on the couch and I was sitting in the adjacent chair; we were just talking, enjoying each other's company after a long day at the precinct. I had been rambling enthusiastically for a little while before I noticed that he was just looking at me with the smallest of smiles.
"What?" I asked as I felt the heat flood my cheeks.
He smiled at me and said, "You're just beautiful."
So simple. So sweet. It touched me somewhere deep down. It felt like I was stretching a muscle I hadn't flexed in a few days. A peace washed over me and I forgot the stress of the day.
From our short distance, I matched his steady gaze. We had an entire conversation without speaking a word; we let our eyes do all the talking. Finally, I said what was so important, what I absolutely needed him to know. I made sure he wasn't going to break eye contact. "I want you to know that I love you."
His smile spread and suddenly the whole room was radiating and I felt very light. "I know you do."
"I know you know, but sometimes you just do something, say something, or even just look at me like you were and it just overwhelms me how much love flows between us. I am so in love with you, Richard Castle. I feel like I can't say it enough. I love you."
Most people in relationships would get sappy and emotional, hugging and cuddling. Castle knew me well enough to know that I wasn't overly emotional, just stating what was in my heart. With that knowledge, he just leaned back on the couch, looked at me, and said, "I love you, too."
Just when Castle thought our conversation was over, I surprised him by saying, without looking up from the book I had resumed reading, "I'll show you later."