She watches. Silent and focused, her head angled to one side and her bottom lip slipping between her teeth as she puzzles him out.
He's not, at least from a distance, as cut and dried as she expected or was led to believe he would be.
There are hangers on, of course there are, he's famous. Renowned novelist and international bestselling author Richard Castle, whose books she not only reads and collects but is somewhat fascinated by, and here he is flinching as the woman before him screeches loudly about being his biggest fan.
She's his biggest something alright, Kate observes, taking in the way she casually snaps open her dress and thrusts her chest out at him. It simultaneously makes Kate wary and disgusted.
But she's working so wary wins out.
She assesses the woman from head to toe, knowing that with Espo on the door, she's got about a ninety percent safe zone that no one is getting in here with a weapon. She trusts her team to have her back, she couldn't do this if she didn't.
But he is still her client, and she is still wary.
She lifts her hand to her ear, presses at the small device discreetly located at the outer edge of her earlobe and hears the barely there click of the microphone.
"Got a visual." She murmurs into the cuff of her sleeve, turning on the spot and smiling casually at the waiter as he walks past. "Keeping my distance, but I'm staying with him, these people are nuts."
She hears the snicker on the other end but she ignores it, resuming her assessment of the situation.
She's not wrong.
The woman with his name now in large swirly print across her chest is currently fanning herself with her hands, almost miming air drying her nails in a ridiculously girly and over the top way that grates at Kate's skin.
But he's on the move and she has to stay focused.
She follows, silently slipping into the crowd that surrounds him when he nears the stage, and Kate begins to mingle with his - for want of a better word - groupies. She smirks when one looks her up and down, knowing she stands out a little too much, and next time she will forgo the pant suit in favor of a dress.
Nothing anywhere as revealing as these bimbettes are wearing, but fitting in to any given situation and blending into the background are both a part of her job. And she takes her job very very seriously.
She trades off with Espo when the writer and the publicist who hired her - Gina the ex - walk the gauntlet of paparazzi. Their descent from the roof makes it easy enough for Kate to slip ahead and take a turn around the bar before he arrives.
She finds nothing out of place, save for the gaudy, over the top twinkle lights and a sedate looking teenager already propped up at one end of the bar.
She must be the daughter.
There is nothing of her father about her in looks, and given his reputation and the serious way the girl pours over the text in front of her, Kate wonders exactly how alike the two are in personality as well.
It's not really any of her business, but it is one of the intricacies of her job that intrigues her. What makes people tick, and how they interact with each other divulging so much about their personalities.
The still waters of the Castle daughter spark her curiosity and Kate starts to wonder how much truth there is behind the things she was told about this somewhat unorthodox family.
The thought slips from her head as quickly as it came when someone barrels into her back. Kate turns, arching up into the balls of her feet, one hand slipping under her jacket as the other rises to her ear in readiness.
"Sorry, dear." The woman grins, pulling her green dress from her heel, where it has obviously snagged. "Took a turn too many on my return from the powder room."
She's gone in the blink of an eye, a cloud of intense perfume and a tinkling laugh, leaving Kate staring after her with her mouth open. His mother, the actress, darts to the bar and thrusts something at her waiting granddaughter.
Kate smirks and lowers her hand, stands down and watches as the flamboyant woman all but gets ignored.
The girl drags out her pen and taps at the book viciously, unaware of Kate watching her, of the fact that she drops back into the shadows as the volume increases and people start to fill the room.
There is a hum of awareness of all around her, but Kate keeps her eyes on Martha for just a few seconds longer, watching as she leans into the girl and laughs.
She claps her hands, drawing as much attention to herself as she can before she cries, "That calls for a drink."
Kate puffs heated air up over her face, she's going to have her work cut out with these people.
Leaning heavily on the foot that taps continually, Gina stands in front of her with this fake smile plastered on her face that Kate knows is about ten seconds away from really bugging the crap out of her.
"He has been made aware of the situation." Gina confirms, "I've had the go ahead from your boss to make the introductions, if you would just-"
"I find in these situations." Kate states holding up a hand to silence the woman, "That approaching the client alone tends to build better bonds of trust. Makes it feel less like an ambush." She folds her arms across her chest in defiance, the harsh lights above making the other woman's eyes dance manically in front of her.
"Bonds of trust?" She scoffs, "You're not getting married. You're here to stop one of the crazy fangirls jumping him. And speaking of ambushed, look around you Miss. Beckett, does it look like he's not used to it."
"Look, Gina." Kate steps closer, her voice dropping down low and filled to the brim with warning, "Can I call you Gina?" The blond opens her mouth to protest and Kate smiles back sweetly, interrupting before she can, "Good. You hired us for a reason. We are a discreet company, it's our job to work long hours, tirelessly putting the life and needs of the client above our own." She steps closer still, "We do it fast and efficiently and we do it well."
Kate watches the woman before her shift uncomfortably, clearly not liking this turn of events but Kate doesn't care. She takes pride in the next statement as another heavy step brings her almost nose to nose with the writer's ex, "No one has ever died whilst under our protection, we have a stellar record counting some of the more well known names of our fair city as not only former clients, but friends." Kate's eyes glimmer with confidence, "In fact I believe I was personally recommended to you by a Judge and the Mayor."
Gina nods.
"Like I said, it's my job, and you'll understand that means I operate in a certain way, starting with introducing myself."
There is a pause, a heavy silence that falls between them and whilst Kate continues to smile serenely at his publicist, the blond fists her hands at her sides and almost vibrates with frustration.
"Fine." Gina snaps, reaching for a champagne glass as a waiter and tray slide past her. "But don't come crying to me if he bites your head off."
"Wouldn't dream of it." Kate hums, turning and rolling her eyes as she strides off. She wouldn't ask that woman for a damn thing if her life depended on it.
Kate cradles her jaw, pressing her finger to her ear as she activates the device again. The shallow click and hiss almost comforting in their familiarity.
"Yo?"
She smirks into her sleeve.
"Espo I've got the green light, eyes on target. I'm going to make myself known. You got the floor?"
"Sure thing boss."
"Espo don't call me boss." She hisses into her sleeve. How many times do they have to have this conversation?
"Pfft, you love it."
"Shut up."
Kate listens to their conversation, standing just a little off to the side, her elbows resting on the high table littered with discarded drinks.
His daughter's funny, she's impressed. They bounce off of one another with ease and control and a remarkable wisdom bleeding through their interaction that, given her age, takes Kate by surprise.
But it's through the girls beration of her father, the way she in equal parts parents him and listens attentively, that Kate finds her stride and a perfect opportunity to jump in and introduce herself.
He drops his glass to the table forlornly and turns towards his daughter sighing. Kate smirks and tries not to roll her eyes, he is dramatic isn't he? She shakes her head and listens.
"Just once, I'd like someone to come up to me and say something new."
"Mr. Castle." She starts off formerly, dipping her head to his daughter when she looks up appraisingly.
His back is to her still, broad shoulders slumped over and his head turned away, but at the sound of her voice he raises himself up and almost shimmies. Kate observes him continually, the roll of his body, the way he tips to one side and twirls. Brandishing a pen, and a smile his voice tells her doesn't really belong on his parting lips, he steps towards her.
"Where would you like...it?"
She bites the inside of her lip when he stutters through the end of his sentence, fights the smile that wants to erupt when their eyes meet for the first time. And though he manages to quickly find his grin, his swagger and charm, Kate doesn't miss the flash of surprise that passes across his face.
"I'm Kate Beckett." She glances down at his pen, when he waggles it in her direction, and quickly up to his face. If he thinks he's coming near her with that, let alone signing anywhere on her body...she rolls her eyes, so not happening.
He must catch her drift because the cap stays on, the pens slides deeper into his palm like he's hiding it from her sight and he 'aha's' sounding almost as if he's seeking forgiveness.
Until he winks.
Illusion shattered.
"I've been assigned to protect you." She waits when his lips part, open, close, and his eyes dart from side to side as if he's confused. She looks behind him to the bar, wondering exactly how much he has had to drink before she tries again, "I'm your bodyguard Mr. Castle."
Oh, how she hates that word. The sleazy connotations so often associated with it by the lesser members of her clientele, Kate has lost count of the amount of times she has heard that particular turn of phrase twisted into a skeevy innuendo.
Kate tucks her hair behind her ear, twisting a curl at her shoulder as she waits, feeling somewhat stupid now, with her hand extended and him staring at it mutely. His eyes are a lot bluer than his book jacket photos make them seem. Deeper, more intense, maybe that's just the way he's staring at her, but there is something about the penetrating way his eyes devour her presence that keeps her hand floating between them.
There is a snort from behind him, that somehow breaks the tension and draws them both from the awkward introduction. His daughter's head pops over his shoulder and she grins mischievously, snatching the pen from his hand. Then she laughs and whispers loud enough for them both to hear, "That's new."
Maybe it's his daughter's voice that does it, but somehow the light switches back on and the charm offensive reappears in full force, "Rick Castle." He grins, taking her hand in his, palm to palm so his thumb can sweep over the back of her knuckles. He tugs her towards him, stepping in as he does and murmurs just loud enough for her to hear, "Are you seriously here to protect me?"
His eyebrows dance and Kate shrugs him off, ignoring the way his breath felt when it tickled her jaw, and she delves into her pocket looking for one of her cards.
"Here." She hands it to him, "That's my private work number, should you need something when I, or a member of my team, are not currently at your side, you call that and I'll be there as fast as I can."
"This says Katherine." He comments inanely, plucking the card from between her fingers with two of his own and raising an eyebrow at her as he reads. "Thought you said your name was Kate?"
"Short for Katherine." She sees him grin, like he feels he's winning something, some sort of competition that she's not even a part of.
"I like it." He smiles again and she can feel the blood rise to her cheeks, part anger and annoyance, part embarrassment and a little bit of something she's not even going to think about.
"Mr. Castle" She says testily, growling his name with menace, "I put my life on the line doing this job and I expect you to take it seriously. I am not here to flirt with you." She presses one hand to his chest and pushes him backwards, poking at him as she does, "I am here to protect you, and your family."
He laughs, and when she doesn't respond in kind his eyes narrow, his brow furrowing deeply, "Wait this is getting ridiculous, I thought this was a minor issue with fan mail." His eyes dart to his daughter, her head currently bowed over her textbook, and clearly he isn't comfortable with her hearing this discussion, "Are you seriously telling me I need to be concerned?"
"People rarely call me unless there is a problem, I thought you'd be better informed than this. You really should know what's going on."
"Ya think?" He runs a hand through his hair and huffs, loosening another button on his white shirt, his fingers pulling at the material.
Kate fights to drag her eyes away and clears her throat, "That is something we can rectify in a more convenient location." She flicks her gaze to the woman lingering at their side, back the other way to his daughter and, thankfully, he catches on fast nodding. "But for now I suggest you enjoy the rest of the party. My team and I will remain in place and tomorrow morning we can talk. What time would be convenient for you?"
He laughs, "After all this, I doubt I'll be up before Noon."
Kate lets her eyes roam over his face and for a second he thinks he's winning again, then she smiles, "I'll be there at 8am."
He groans, "I will most definitely be hungover at 8am."
"Then I suggest you make yourself some coffee before I arrive. Mr. Castle lets make this easy on the both of us, trust me when I say you do not want to be the guy making my life harder." The threat behind her words makes him stand straighter, his body almost snapping to attention at the authority in her tone.
"Yes Ma'am." He blurts, wanting to smack himself in the face when she fixes him with a deadly glare.
"It's Beckett." She reiterates, plucking the card from where it hangs limply between his fingers and sliding it down into the front pocket of his shirt, "Don't lose that Mr. Castle." She smirks, before slipping silently back into the shadows, leaving him staring at the sway of her hips as she drops out of sight.
He breathes out heavily once she's gone, feeling this almost forgotten ripple through his abdomen, it's all so very... inspiring.