A.N. So it's midnight here in the UK and I have decided now is the time to update. I gotta say after the first chapters response I'm a little disappointed in the reviews but there are a few people who have reviewed most chapters and Beckett NYPD who has reviewed every single one :) thanks mate!
Chapter Four – The Balcony
They had moved to the balcony area but he was still talking to Paula. They both caught the laughs coming from their table and then the ending of the conversation between Paula and Castle as they exited the main room and opened the balcony door to approach them.
"... don't know why you're so worried, she didn't care you broke up for the last four books you published and even though this 'love letter' is far less subtle than the first until last night you didn't have a problem and she saw the final draft including dedication weeks ago," Paula said, "Why do you think you'll be better with a new publicist now?" she asked, not seeing that Kate and Lanie were mere feet away. "The only available good publicist is Hank Peters and I distinctly remember you telling me you prefer gals over guys."
Lanie arched her eyebrow at this and looked questioningly at Kate who rolled her eyes at such a typical Castle request.
"Look Paula, I don't care who my publicist is, if Gina says she can deal then that's great because she's one of the best publicists that there is but if she doesn't think she can promote the Nikki Heat character then I'm gonna need a new publicist." He told Paula.
"Why wouldn't she be able to promote Nikki Heat, she never had a problem with Derrick Storm?" Paula asked. Kate felt herself anxiously awaiting Castle's response to this. He paused before answering.
"Let's just say she's ... jealous of Nikki," Castle sighed heavily.
"The one on paper or the one you're NOT sleeping with?" Paula asked, sarcastically stressing the word 'not'. Before Castle could respond he happened to glance in Lanie and Kate's direction and realised they were close enough to hear everything they were saying. He hastily turned to face them fully and grinned.
"Beckett, Dr Parish," he greeted smoothly, "Have you met Paula?" he asked, gesturing towards her. They both shook their heads and smiled politely as he introduced them.
"Pleasure to meet you at last Detective Beckett, I've heard nothing but good things from Ricky here." Paula smiled as she took in the distracted way the woman was looking at Castle and seemed to be anchored to the spot by her friend's linked arm.
"I'm sure he's exaggerated everything knowing his talent for embellishment," Kate smiled back politely.
"Ah ha!" he exclaimed, "So you admit I have a talent!" he grinned, "Thank you Detective, I never knew you cared so much." He placed his hand over his heart as he said this and watched as she rolled her eyes.
"Dream on Castle, a talent for embellishment is nothing to be proud of."
"Oh really?" he grinned as he stepped closer to her, "You seemed to think the embellishment of page 105 of Heat Wave was good enough," he goaded. At this Kate let go of Lanie's arm and stepped closer to Castle, pushing her finger into his chest to highlight the next point.
"I so was NOT looking for page 105 that day!" Kate exclaimed, "And whilst we're on this point, since when has it been ok to look over the top of a toilet stall!" she asked, heatedly. Castle just smirked at this.
"I saw the book in your bag Detective, all day you were trying to torment me and there it was," he smirked, "Your date was with my book wasn't it?" he asked, leaning forward slightly to catch the slight blush that heated her cheeks, "AH HA! I knew it!"
"Oh please, when I got home I did read the book but that's hardly what you'd call a date." She mocked.
"I don't know," he mused, "I have a pretty broad definition of the word ..."
Neither the Detective who was trained to notice the small details nor the novelist who naturally noticed the small details noticed Lanie gesture to Paula that they should leave the two to their argument and at this point Beckett turned to tell Lanie that they were going back to their table when she realised they were gone. She took a deep breath and realised she was now alone with Richard Castle and as she looked back at him she realised just how close they were and her breath caught in her throat. She looked up and realised he was looking down at her lips, staring would probably have been a better word. Before she knew what was happening she felt his lips softly touching hers and everything froze for a split second before she gathered herself and kissed him back, just as softly. As they pulled away from each other, Castle seemed to realise what he had just done, getting a deer caught in headlights look in his eyes.
"Oh Kate, I'm sorry," he started, "I know what you said and I just ... I ..." he stopped babbling and grasped her hand as he realised something, "You kissed me back?" he asked in wonder. Here was the moment, she could either tell him to forget it ever happened or she could be honest with herself and him. She took a deep breath.
"Castle, I wanted to tell you before the summer but ... well ..." she started.
"Gina happened." Rick finished with a slight grimace, "I'm so sorry Kate, I had no idea."
"I know you didn't," she squeezed his hand, "I hadn't given you any encouragement and the truth is I think I was in denial about how I feel about you. Don't get me wrong, you infuriate me so much sometimes that I just want to tell you to get lost but then most of the time you're just being you and that's what I love about you." She half whispered but before she could continue with her confession Castle was kissing her again, this time with more passion. Her arms wound their way around his neck pulling him closer and his arms were wrapped around her middle. After a few minutes, Castle pulled away far enough to rest his forehead against hers and smiled.
"I love you," he whispered to her, "I have since the first time you told me about your Mom, the first time I got to see more about you than just Detective Kate Beckett, the perfect cop, although she's pretty great too," he winked, "But most of all I love Kate the woman."
"Has anyone ever told you that you have a way with words?" Kate laughed softly, moving his hands to place them on his chest where she played with the lapels on his tux.
"Once or twice." He replied and he pulled her into a tight hug. They happily stayed like that for a few minutes until Kate reluctantly pulled away.
"There's a party going on in there for you," she reminded him as she noticed the small smudged of lipstick that had smeared on cheek. She lifted her hand and rubbed it away before kissing him softly once more, "We should continue this discussion later."
"I don't want to wait until tomorrow when you've had the chance to talk yourself out of wanting to try a relationship with me." He told her, firmly keeping his arms around her waist.
"Who says it'll take that long?" she smirked but Castle looked at her seriously and she sighed, "Ok, I'll meet you at your apartment later." She promised and grinned at the way his eyes lit up.
"Do you still have your key?" he asked and smiled as she nodded. "We shouldn't leave here any later than 1am because of Alexis, she doesn't have school tomorrow but I try to avoid the 5am finishes these days."
"Ok," she agreed and as they moved apart, he took her hand as they walked back to the main room, "Oh and Castle?" she stopped walking and turned to face him, "Not a word of this until we've discussed it properly."
"I give you my word." Castle said solemnly and raised her hand to kiss the back of it, "Until later Kate." He smiled softly and opened the door allowing her to enter the room first.
A.N. We're only half way through guys :) please review!
