"Have you given any more thought to the kind of wedding you want?" Castle asked as they drove uptown to interview a witness. He and Kate Beckett had been engaged for six weeks and she had been stalling to set a date.
"Castle, this isn't the time or place to discuss our personal life."
"Sure it is. We're just driving and nobody can hear us." He protested.
She remained silent.
"If I weren't such a fantastic catch, I would start to wonder if you're having second thoughts."
She rolled her eyes at that.
"You're not, are you?" He gave her his best GQ grin.
This time she laughed out loud.
"No." She looked up at the building where their witness had his office and started looking for a place to park. She pulled to the curb in a loading zone, and put the car in park. "I promise we'll talk about it when this case is tied up. I just don't like to lose focus when I'm in the middle of a murder investigation."
"I know." He hopped out of the car and made his way to her side. He leaned against the car and blocked her way. "Problem is, you're always In the middle of a murder investigation. This is New York." He smiled.
"You're right. I know."
"Look." He moved out of her way and placed his hand on the small of her back as they walked toward the door. "I'm not going to pressure you." He looked at his reflection in the window of the revolving door and pretended to fix his hair. "Until you're ready to talk, I'll just act like your dazzlingly handsome volunteer partner."
Beckett rolled her eyes and continued into the building. "Great." She did smile to herself when he gave the receptionist his best cheesy grin and introduced himself.
Beckett, Ryan and Esposito were all sitting in the squad room, staring at the murder board. Their current case had baffled them for days and every time they thought they had made some headway, something else was uncovered to make it more confusing. Castle came out of the break room carrying coffee for all of them and leaned against Beckett's desk. She looked over at him and felt the tremendous urge to reach out and touch him. She resisted, but it made her smile inwardly to think about how much the feel of him next to her had become a reassurance. She stood and walked to the board, running through what they knew aloud. When she finished, she sat back on her desk, her shoulder just touching Castle's. He pretended not to notice.
"Alright, guys. Why don't we call it a night and start looking with fresh eyes in the morning." She sighed and stood. "Why don't the two of you start in on the financials again tomorrow and Castle and I will have another go at the roommates. Maybe we missed something."
"Sure." Esposito seemed less than enthusiastic.
"Yeah. Maybe we did." Ryan walked to his desk and picked up his jacket. "See you in the morning." He and Esposito headed for the elevator.
Beckett looked back at Castle who was cleaning up the coffee cups and the remnants of their dinner, which were spread all over the top of her desk. She watched him, thinking of all the times he had cooked for her while she was obsessing over crime scene photos, all the times he had cancelled plans with his friends to stay in the station with her, even when she was only doing paper work. She thought of last night when he had stripped off her shirt and massaged her back and her shoulders and, in spite of his obvious desire, he just held her while her mind raced through the evidence. He had still been holding her this morning when she awoke. She had been overwhelmed then and she was now.
She watched him walk into the break room and put the coffee cups in the sink. "You don't have to do that, you know." She said as he soaped them up.
"Just trying to earn my very high salary." He laughed.
She took a cup from him and dried it.
"You guys need clean coffee cups in the morning."
She took the cup from his soapy hands and put it back in the sink. "I love you." She whispered as she kissed him and wrapped her arms around his neck. He placed his hands on her behind and kissed her back.
"What about your 'No PDA's in the precinct' rule?" He looked around then dramatically. "There could be spies everywhere."
"No doubt." She kissed him again then released him. "Come on. Let's go home."
They finished the cups and walked out together.
"I don't have soapy handprints on my ass, do I?"
"Are you inviting me to stare at your ass?" He asked as they stepped into the elevator.
"Oh, like you have ever needed permission."
When the doors closed, she placed a lingering kiss on his lips. He responded by clutching her to him and kissing her desperately. His tongue tasted hers until he thought he would lose his mind. When they were working on a case, they rarely shared this kind of physical contact, let alone made love. They were usually so physically and emotionally exhausted that when they got home, they usually ate a quiet meal and went to sleep, spooned together for comfort.
"Oh, Kate," He groaned. "You're making me crazy." His hand cupped her breast.
The bell rung, announcing their arrival at the garage. When the doors opened, they broke apart and headed for her car.
"Castle," she said as he opened the door for her. She leaned back against the rear door and took his hands. "Will you marry me?"
"Name the time and the place." He leaned into her and brushed her hair away from her eyes. "Haven't we done this before?" He kissed her. "But as I recall, I gave you jewelry."
"Is that a deal-breaker?" She whispered against his mouth.
He shook his head and slowly kissed her, allowing his tongue to taste hers. Her teeth grazed his bottom lip, making every cell in his body to stand at attention. "God, I love it when you do that." He moaned.
"Do what?" She asked as she grazed his lip again, running her fingers through his hair.
"I'm not sure that making out in the station garage fits in well with keeping things a secret." Castle said breathlessly. "But I'm game if you are."
"I guess not." She said against his mouth. She backed away and brushed her lipstick off his mouth. "We should probably continue this at home."
"When this case is wrapped up why don't we get out of town." Kate nestled her face against his neck.
"Really?" He asked.
"Why so surprised?"
"You never want to get out of the city."
"I was thinking that we need some time together, as a family." She ran her hand over his chest. "I was thinking that, maybe, you and I could get married at your place in the Hamptons."
"I hate to repeat myself." He said with a broad smile. "But Really?"
She nodded and kissed him. "It's time." She sat up and met his gaze. "I am so happy here, with you and Alexis and Martha. We're a family already, so I think It's time we make it official." She rolled on top of him and straddled his lap kissing him deeply. "I'm sorry I have kept you waiting so long."
"We need to get this case solved." He slid his hands down her back to rest on her ass and kissed her passionately. He moaned as she took him in.
Kate stood in the living room of Castle's Hamptons beach house, looking out the gigantic windows to the ocean. The sky was beautiful and blue with a few white puffy clouds scattered about. She watched as Castle stood on the beach, speaking to Judge Hernandez, who owned the house next door. It was early in the season, so there weren't many people on the beach, which suited her just fine. The whole idea had been to get married quietly and secretly, with only their families knowing what was happening.
"You look so beautiful."
Kate turned to see Alexis coming down the stairs. "So do you, Honey." She hugged her and toyed with a beautiful red curl which was framing her face.
"Are you ready to become my mother?"
"You already have a mother."
"The more the merrier." She hugged Kate tightly. "I love you, Kate."
"I love you too, Sweetie."
"Good." Alexis took her hand and led her toward the door. "Let's go get you married to my dad."
Kate walked with her out to the porch and she stopped at the top of the stairs. The sun was starting to set and the sky was ablaze with reds and oranges, which were reflected off the ocean, giving the illusion of a gently flickering circle of flames. She locked eyes with Castle and smiled at the look on his face. She slowly walked down to meet him. She took his hand and he pressed hers to his lips.
"Are you OK Castle?" She whispered in his ear. "You look a little like a deer in the headlights. Second thoughts."
"Not on your life." He kissed her on the cheek.
They stood and in front of the Judge, holding hands. Martha stood with her arm linked through Kate's father's and Alexis stood next to Kate, holding the rose she had carried down from the house.
"Do you, Richard Castle, take this woman to be your wife?" Judge Hernandez asked him.
"I do." He answered, his eyes never leaving hers.
"Do you, Katherine Beckett, take this man to be your husband?"
She looked at the man standing in front of her and was overwhelmed by the love she felt for him. He made her crazy a lot of the time, but he also made her happier than she had ever thought she would be in her lifetime. "I do." She said as she finally found her voice.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife." The judge declared to the delight of those gathered. "You may kiss the bride."
Castle took her face in his hands and looked deeply into her eyes for a moment before pressing his lips to hers. "I love you." He breathed between kisses, then he hugged her to him.
"I love you too." She whispered against his neck. He spun her around, her feet leaving the ground completely.
"Good." He said. "Because now you are legally obligated to love me." He kissed her again. "And you're a cop so you can't very well break the law."
"You got me there." She laughed. "I guess I'm stuck with you."
Alexis came over and hugged them both. Kate kissed her and wiped the tears from the corner of the girl's eyes.
"Welcome to the family, Kiddo." Martha hugged her new daughter in law. She turned to her son and kissed him on the cheek. "Congratulations, Darling."
Kate hugged her dad. "Are you happy?" He asked her.
Kate looked at Castle and took his hand. She nodded as Castle pressed her hand to his lips. "Very happy." She said.
He kissed his daughter. "I wish your mother could have been here to see you today."
"Me too, Dad." He hugged her again.
Jim, Martha and Alexis went on ahead to the restaurant where they had planned to celebrate, allowing the newlyweds some time alone.
"I have never found you more attractive than I do at this moment." Castle whispered as he stood next to her on the porch of the beach house. He had his arms around her waist and his head resting on her shoulder. She covered his hands with her own and leaned her head against his. "And that's saying something, because you are seriously hot."
"Can't you ever be serious?"She smiled.
"Oh, I'm serious."
Kate turned in his arms so she was facing him, and kissed him slowly. She started with his lips, then she kissed his cheek and behind his ear. She trailed kisses down his neck, allowing her tongue to taste the salt water mist which clung there. She ran her hands inside his jacket, loving the feel of his chest through the silk of his shirt. She pulled pushed the jacket off of his shoulders. He helped her remove it completely and tossed it to one of the Adirondack chairs nearby. He pulled his tie off and opened his shirt.
"Come on Mrs. Castle." He said as he pulled her by the hand and led her into the house. No sooner had the door closed than he was on her, pulling her body against his and kissing her desperately. He lifted her dress over her head and kissed her neck, her chest. He kneeled in front of her, kissing her belly as she fell onto the couch. He shed his pants and joined her there.
A short time later, they walked on the beach in the moonlight, stopping on the end of his dock and watching the waves,
"We should really go meet the others for dinner." Kate said with a hint of regret in her voice.
"We really should." He agreed, not making a move to loosen his grip on her.
"Castle," she began, "can I ask you something?"
"To you, I am now officially an open book." He kissed her.
"It wasn't all that long ago that you were completely against getting married again. What changed?"
"You."
"That's not a good enough answer."
He seemed to think a long time before speaking. "At first, I thought of you like I thought about other women. Fun to have around for a while. Definitely fun to get into bed. The more I got to know you, the more I thought about the life I wanted. You were a very big part of it." His gaze never waivered from hers.
"So you stopped fantasizing about me?"
"Hell, no." He slid his hand to her ass and pulled her against him and kissed him. "But I also started dreaming about you. Real dreams, about us, living like a couple." He caressed her cheek. "It took me a little while to realize it, but my life is with you."
Kate smiled and slowly leaned in to kiss him. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
"This is sounding a little bit like a Lifetime movie." He laughed.
"You're right." She laughed too. "We're definitely not that."
"Let's go eat dinner with our family."
"I like the sound of that." She smiled and kissed him.