Chapter 8
Castle stayed up for a couple more hours in stunned silence before he made his way to his room. He laid down but couldn't find it in himself to sleep. He tried reading, listening to calming music, he even got up and exercised a bit to make himself tired. Nothing worked, so, he made his way over to Kate's room. Once inside the room he found a chair near the window and sat down to watch Kate sleep.
'She truly is beautiful. Why did I take so long to invite her up here? Hell, why did I take so long to ask her out in any capacity?'
His thoughts were interrupted by a noise Kate had made. He looked at her and saw a smile on her face, but she was still asleep.
'She must be having a pretty good dream. Now that I think about it, I did sort of take her out when we went to that charity event to catch a jewel thief. I know she had more fun than she would let on and my, did she look beautiful. Mother and Alexis really had picked out the perfect dress for her, and then when mother lent her that necklace, it only added to Kate's stunning beauty.'
He couldn't wait for her to wake up. He wanted to have that talk with her. In the calm of watching her, he soon found himself dozing off.
Kate woke up around 5:30 and looked out of the window only to find Richard Castle sitting next to it. She wasn't shocked to find him there and she really liked that he was there. However, he couldn't know that yet. Maybe she should play with him a little more, kick him out and get angry, or maybe that would be a little too much. She decided against kicking him out but got up and slowly made her way over to him. She smiled as she quietly nudged him awake. He yawned and grinned when he saw who was waking him up.
"Hey Rick, how about we go and get some breakfast?"
"Sounds good to me."
They made their way to the kitchen and both worked on making their specialties. Castle made those pancakes Kate had sadly missed out on at her place while Kate made scrambled eggs and bacon. They sat down and enjoyed each other's company while they ate and then they separated again as Kate went to get dressed and Rick went to take a shower.
When Rick finally came back out to the living room Kate was waiting for him and she was stunning. They way her fell down her face and how her green eyes pierced through him. She really had gone out of her way to make herself look wonderful today. He went right over to her and she sat him down on the couch.
"Now we need to have that talk I foreshadowed last night."
"Okay, I have been waiting for this."
"Well Rick, I have lots to tell you so I just need you to wait until I am done to say anything. Okay?"
Castle pulled an imaginary zipper across his mouth letting her know he would let her speak.
"I have thought long and hard about everything that has happened the past two years we have known each other. I am pretty sure that I hurt you when I started dating Tom, but I want you to know that I broke it off with him the very same day that you left for the Hamptons. As soon as you left I looked back and realized that you have been courting me for pretty much the whole time I have known you. I pushed that fact away for the longest time partly because I didn't notice my feelings, and partly because I really didn't want to get hurt again. I could have sworn you would have no idea how it felt when Sorenson just walked away on me but then I saw Kyra and how the same thing had happened to you. I should have took that as a sign that you could understand most of what I had been through and that while you annoyed me and messed with me all the time, when the time came, you could be the man I needed in my life to care for, and love me. It took me all this time to realize it and when you sent that text to me a few weeks back I knew I had to come up here and make my move. So, Rick, I wanted to know if you would like to by more than just my friend and partner. Will you be my boyfriend?"
She blushed in embarrassment but then she saw the grin that she loved so much work its way onto Castle's face.
"Oh, Kate, I thought you would never ask. Also, I have been hurt before which is probably why I didn't jump right in with you. All that time I was trying to change for you, I know you want a one and done sort of deal, and I changed just so that I could be that one and done. I have never felt this way for any other woman; even Kyra didn't make me feel as you do. I have spent the first part of my summer regretting how we left off. I should have never walked out on you like that, especially knowing that you wanted to say more than just, have a great summer. However, in my fear and anxiety, I couldn't bear to stay and have my heart shattered and in the process of saving myself, I hurt you. For that, I am deeply sorry Kate. And in response to your question, I would be glad to be your boyfriend."
They both smiled, in the blink of an eye they had closed the small gap between them and had pressed their lips together in a kiss that neither of them would ever forget. It was one of those kisses that was filled with bliss, happiness, and love. Richard Castle had never had one with so much meaning behind it before and neither had Kate Beckett. They both knew that the rest of their stay in the Hamptons would be memorable in the most splendid of ways and Kate had to make sure she called Lanie.
'That ME sure will be thrilled to find out she just won $350. I wonder what their next bet will be at Rick and I's expense. Anything that happens from here on that they would bet on would be good, so really, what will the bet be at our pleasure.'
Chapter 9
The next two weeks passed in the blink of an eye. The pleasure that both Rick and Kate had experienced during that time was unrivaled by any previous time in either of their lives. Kate had been worried that something in their dynamic would change while they were together for that time but boy was she wrong. Castle never ceased to amaze her; he put her first no matter what and showed that what he felt was more than just a liking of Kate, it was love.
"Could he really love me? I wouldn't be shocked if he did, we have spent the last two years together. I know only the last two weeks of it have been TOGETHER, but it just feels right that he would love me."
Then the thought creeped into the back of her head.
"I love him. Oh my god, I can't love him. It is Richard Castle. KATHERINE BECKETT!"
Had she really just referred to herself in the third person in her own thoughts? She smiled; she knew why she had thought that. She loved Richard Castle, but she was definitely waiting to tell him this.
She had been shocked when he agreed to come back to the city with her after the two weeks. He had said that since he was done with the book and that his girlfriend was leaving, he might as well go too. He beamed at her when he had said it and she turned a violent shade of pink. She still wasn't used to being called his girlfriend, but she really liked it, LOVED it.
