AN: Thank you, everyone, for all the reviews and alerts! You are making my maiden posting voyage a lot of fun. :)

Apologies to chezchuckles for doubling up on your title in the same fandom. D'oh! If only I'd done a title search 5 minutes before I posted instead of 5 minutes after...

DISCLAIMER: Oops, forgot this last time. These are not my toys. But I'd like to think I play well with others.

Chapter 2

Castle fiddled with his hair with one hand and lightly bounced a small grocery bag in the other while he waited for Kate to answer her doorbell. She had wanted to meet him at the loft, but he insisted on picking her up.

"What, were you hoping to meet my dad and assure him of your good intentions?" she had joked earlier that day as they sat on stools in his kitchen, finishing lunch. Secretly she was pleased that he also recognized this as their first official date and that his old-fashioned streak was kicking in.

"Of course not," he'd replied. "I would deflect and evade rather than lie to your father about my intentions." He had waggled his eyebrows and grinned lecherously, dragging her dramatically into a tight embrace. She had let a slow, seductive smile spread across her face and brought her lips within a half-inch of his before she spoke.

"Chocolate."

He had blinked at the non sequitur. "—what?"

"My dad won't be there, but I will, and if you want to impress me enough to get a second date, I expect to see chocolate." She put a finger to his lips and pushed off. She didn't even turn around on her way to the door as she added, "Pick me up at 9."

It was now 8:59 p.m., and the door opened to reveal Lanie. "Come on in, Castle. She's almost ready."

Castle headed for the kitchen with the contents of the bag as he asked, "Will you be playing the part of the scary, protective father this evening? I can give you some tips from the voice of experience."

Lanie snorted. "Since I know for a fact that she has already taken full advantage of you," ("Oh so many times," he added with a mock sigh), "then I'm obviously too late to save your virtue. You're on your own."

"As long as she's there with me, I'm not complaining."

Lanie shook her head. "That made no sense. But still managed to be romantic. And kind of poetic."

Beckett's voice sounded from the doorway to her bedroom. "That's why they pay him the big bucks."

Castle turned, and his next quip died in his throat.

Her black dress alternately hugged and flowed over all her curves. Her usual 4-inch heels and a cocktail-length hem meant that her legs were displayed at their shapely best, and the neckline managed to simultaneously cover her scar, show just enough cleavage, and leave the observer wanting more. Of course, when it came to Kate Beckett, wanting more was not a new experience for Castle. He took a few steps toward her, eyes settling on her face after an appreciative sweep.

"You look stunning."

"Thanks. You look stunned." They both grinned. Point Beckett.

Lanie gave an exaggerated sigh. "That's my cue. My work here is done. You kids have fun hob-nobbing with the rich and famous," she cut a glance at Castle, "or at least the richer and famouser. I look forward to seeing you in the funny papers tomorrow. Remember: don't eat anything with spinach." She gathered up her purse and headed out the door.

Castle gave Kate another admiring head-to-toe-to-head look. "So where'd you find the dress? And don't say 'this old thing?' because I won't believe you."

"Can't a girl have her secrets, Castle?" Kate gave him what she hoped was an inscrutable look to postpone his inevitable deduction. It didn't last long.

"She could," he said, "if she didn't get Martha Rogers involved. At which point all hopes of long-term secrecy are doomed."

Beckett dropped the poker face. "She told? I don't believe it!"

"She didn't have to. The satisfied smirk on her face as I left home was a dead giveaway that she knew something about my evening that I didn't. And once I saw the dress— well, it has Victor's impeccable instincts written all over it. You called my mother, and she called her inside man at Saks for an emergency dress delivery."

Kate decided to concede this one gracefully. After all, it had only been a matter of time before he found out. Despite her insistence that she pay for it herself, Kate was fairly sure that Martha had charged the dress and shoes to her son's credit card. "You were right. I had nothing to wear."

Castle, in turn, chose not to start their first date on the wrong foot by gloating. "And now you do, and it's fantastic; everybody wins." He offered her his arm. "Are you ready for your close-up?"

She slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow and practiced her gracious smile on him. "Let's go rip this Band-Aid off."

TBC