Chapter 9
Kate woke, securely wrapped in Rick's embrace. She shifted experimentally and found that her backside didn't hurt anymore. The cool water and aloe must have worked their magic. "Good morning!" he said. She realized that her fidgeting must have woken him. "So, what's in store for today?" she asked after they shared a kiss or two. "More surprises of course. You should get dressed, and then I am taking you out to breakfast. You should bring your bathing suit, and a long sleeve jacket if you have it."
Since Kate learned that trying to wheedle the information out of him was pointless, she agreed. She met him downstairs a short time later, carrying a canvas bag with the extra clothing items. They drove to a marina. They had breakfast in a restaurant with a lovely ocean view, then Castle escorted Beckett down among the boats, until he stopped at the ramp of a small yacht. He motioned gallantly toward the ship, even throwing in a tiny bow. She ascended the ramp and a crew member waiting at the top offered her his hand to step down onto the deck. Castle came up behind her and suggested that she have a look around. "Won't the captain mind?" she asked. With a wink, he said "If he does, I'll have to find his replacement." Kate's eyes widened as she took in his meaning. She hadn't had the opportunity to see the name of the ship because of the angle from which they had approached. But as she looked around she found a brass dedication plate. "Dream of the C" she read. 'C' for Castle. This was his yacht, as she suspected. He found her just staring at the horizon. "Would you like to sit up here on deck or down in the cabin?" he asked. She told him she'd prefer to take in the view for a while. They cruised along until lunchtime, when he escorted her below. A table had been set, and a vase held a few fresh flowers. They were served lunch, then after dessert, the steward discreetly vanished. Rick withdrew a remote control from his pocket and pressed a button. Romantic music filled the cabin. He stood and held out his hand. "Dance with me again?" Kate smiled and nodded. They danced a few songs. He stepped back and regarded her. "Would you like to go for a swim to cool off?" he asked.
"That sounds really good, actually!" she responded. He flipped a switch to activate an intercom and told the captain to drop anchor. They both got changed into their bathing suits and went up on deck. Kate dove into the water and gasped at the shock of the cold. Castle dove in next to her, splashing her. They played around a little, then climbed the ladder and lay down on the benches to get warm and dry.
The boat headed back to the marina and docked, and they drove back to the house. Kate offered to cook their dinner, and prepared a lasagna. After dinner they sat on the patio and Castle started a fire in a copper kettle type outdoor fire place. They roasted marshmallows and made s'mores. More than once, they found themselves lost in one another's eyes in the flickering firelight. Rick excused himself and hurried back into the house. He returned with an armload of blankets, which he spread out on the patio next to the fireplace. He beckoned her over. He made love to her again, there under the stars, and when they were done, he cradled her face in his hands. "Thank you" he said. When she blushed, he said "No, not for this, though it was incredible. No, thank you for taking a chance on me. I know it must have been tough, I have been flirting with you forever, it would have been easy not to take me seriously."
"I'm glad I took the leap, too. Just one thing worries me, and believe me, I am not saying this because I am ashamed of what has happened here. Obviously our little team knows there has been a development. But I would prefer to keep my private life separate from work." She held up her hand when he started looking crestfallen. "I still want you around, if you still want to come and help. We DO make a good team, but Esposito was probably right when he said you have done ample research by now. I am still a cop, there is still going to be danger. I don't want you trying to talk me out of dangerous assignments just because you will worry. I could be just as tempted to bench you to keep you out of danger, and I would be within my rights because Mayor buddy or not, you are still a civilian.
Also, like any workplace relationship, we need to be professional. There will be plenty of time for touchy feely off the clock. We need to keep that stuff AND any personal disagreements we have OUT of the squad room. Do we have an understanding?" she asked.
He could only nod and smile. "Esposito said what?"
"UGH were you even listening to the rest of what I said?"she asked, exasperated.
"Yes, Detective Beckett, I fully understand. Now, let's get to bed, because in the morning we have to pack up and head back to reality.
In the morning they packed their bags and took a car service to the airport, where they took a jet back to NYC, back to the real world.
