Kate woke up slowly taking in a deep breath. Castle. She could smell him all around her. She smiled. Just knowing he was close made her feel very calm.
She recalled the events of the day before and was glad that she hadn't stretched out like a cat, as she normally would. She was certain the bruises to her ribs would be bad, they felt bad. In fact some pain medication would probably help. Or a shower, that would be nice.
She untangled herself from Castle's grip and moved her feet to the floor, only then noticing the cast and remembering that she had a broken foot. Damn! She couldn't even shower without help. Kate sighed loudly.
"Hmmm Kate?" Castle's muffled voice sounded.
"Hey Rick, it's okay, you can go back to sleep," she whispered whilst smoothing his hair.
He woke up more fully and stared at her. "It's okay, I was ready to get up anyway," he smiled. "What's up? Can I get you some more medication?"
"Oh, well ummm, I was thinking I'd like to have a shower, but I remembered that I can't really do that with the cast," she told him frustratingly.
"That's okay I have a tub," he announced.
Kate had forgotten about the tub, she had been imagining all kinds of ways Rick would help her in the shower, she immediately felt her face flame.
"Katherine Beckett! Are you blushing?" he asked her.
"No," she answered.
"You so totally are! You're blushing! Perhaps you were recalling my offer from the other day?" he said happily. "I'm still happy to help you and be equally as naked as you at the time however, I'm fairly certain that you'd be more comfortable in the tub and that I probably wouldn't be much help in the shower," he said honestly.
She smiled at him. "No, I don't think either of us would be much help to me in the shower," she reddened further but allowed it to be so.
"I'll go run the tub," Rick jumped out of the bed and across his room into the ensuite. Kate just shook her head and smiled. He was telling her the truth. He really is a gentleman.
She had been certain when she arrived with Esposito the other day that Rick would find a way to see her body by helping her, and his arguments regarding their seeing each other naked had been compelling. So naturally this morning she had imagined that it wouldn't be such a bad thing, it would be a natural progression. One she was sure Lanie would be proud of.
Rick returned from the ensuite. "Baths ready," he said. The first thing Kate noticed was that he was only in his boxer briefs. She hadn't really had a chance yet to see him sans shirt, so she admired the way his toned body appeared, natural. He wasn't built like a body builder but he was muscular, he had nice pectoral muscles, and a toned stomach with a hint of a six pack, not to mention those oblique muscles that moved down around his hips.
Before she had time to really take everything in Rick had picked her up bridle style and carried her off to the bathroom. She was only wearing Rick's button down and a pair of panties.
"Really Rick, you don't have to carry me everywhere," she said with not so much fight in her voice.
"I know, but I figured it would make things easier," she accepted his reasoning.
He placed her down on the closed toilet seat and began to start undoing his top that she was still wearing.
"I think I can probably handle it from here Rick," she stilled his hand on the second button and looked at him.
"I'm sure you can," he smirked. "But look at the tub."
Kate looked over and for the first time took in the bathtub. It was huge. No wonder it had taken him so long to run her a bath.
"Oh." She stated dumbly.
"Exactly," he said. "Even if you could undress yourself and move over to the tub you'd never be able to get yourself in safely without damaging the cast," he stated matter of fact.
"So I guess you finally get to see me naked, huh Castle?" she whispered not making eye contact.
Rick was worried; she hadn't called him Castle since she had arrived here. That couldn't be good.
"Yeah, I didn't really think this through, I sort of only realised after I'd run the bath," he said sheepishly.
What he said seemed to have calmed her spirits because she just smiled at him and he smiled back.
"Rick, even if you put me in the bath, look at how big it is! I won't be able to rest my foot at the end of the tub, it'd still be half a foot away, I mean I am tall, but not that tall," she huffed.
"I have a solution!" he spouted.
"Well? Go on then," Kate insisted.
"Okay well you know how I was suggesting yesterday that you'd need my help to shower and you said it wasn't exactly fair. Well, if I were in the tub with you, you would be able to lay back on me and the cast would reach the end of the tub!" he said excitedly.
Kate smiled at his boyish antics. He was right, that would work. She didn't necessarily feel comfortable with Rick seeing her naked, I mean they hadn't even been intimate yet, which was a miracle. Being in the bath together, naked, certainly would put strain on the inactive part of their partnership.
"Okay Rick, answer me this. If you're in the tub, how do I get in?" it was a reasonable question. Rick's eyebrows furrowed for a moment before his eyes widened.
"Easy, we get in at the same time," he said crossing his arms in victory.
Kate was all out of arguments so she nodded her head at him and sighed.
They were going to bathe together.