A/N: Thank you for all the reviews for the last chapter! I appreciate it.
And now on with the show.
Disclaimer: they're not mine... unfortunately.
(Italics - flashbacks from L.A.)
Chapter 10 - Turning Page
"You know what I thought when I first met you?"
"Mm?"
"That you were a mystery that I was never gonna solve." She looks at him, puzzled and beautiful and vulnerable. And he's completely in love with her - body and soul. "Even now, after spending all this time with you I'm… I'm still amazed at the depths of your strength, your heart… and your hotness."
Oh.
It pours out of him, love letters streaming out of every cell of his body. It's all over his face, in the blue of his eyes, on the curve of his parted mouth. The seal has been broken.
He's in love with her. And it's as plain as day.
She smiles at him, affection blooming all over her face. "You're not so bad yourself, Castle." Her eyes confess, reveal what she's not ready to say, to admit, to accept.
But she feels it. It must be. Everything in her is shouting it out: she's in love with him.
Oh wow.
Maybe, just maybe, they're on the same page. Maybe, just maybe, their happy ending is written in the stars.
[][][]
"Hey there, can I get your order?" The perky waitress asks, grinning broadly at Rick and Kate.
Kate glances at him and smiles. "Uh, two grande skim lattes, two pumps, sugar-free vanilla."
He doesn't say anything, just watches her. The way her hair curls around her cheeks, the strong line of her jaw, the pink softness of her mouth-
Yeah, she's still stunning. And yeah, he's still hopelessly in love with her. But that doesn't change a thing.
Doesn't change the fact that his heart has a tear in it.
Because of her.
But she's also the only one who can repair it. Him. Make him whole again.
The love of a good woman and all that.
Kate looks at him again, tucking a dark curl behind her ear. "So... h-how are you?"
Hmm. She's nervous. Interesting. "I'm good," Rick simply answers, looking at her, daring her. The ball is in her court, after all.
She shifts in her chair, briefly glances at the chatty couple passing them. Her heart is beating so hard, she can feel the earth moving beneath her feet, her world shifting. She looks at him again and tentatively smiles. "That's... great. I'm good too, you know just busy at work."
This is so awkward.
"How are Ryan and Esposito?" He'll play her game, making small talk, dancing around the subject like they always have. He wonders if she's still with-
No. No, no, no. He's not going there. She wouldn't do that, would she? Come here, give him hope when she's still with-
No.
"Uh, they're fine," Kate responds, smiling slightly, cautiously. "Everyone... is great."
"I'm glad to hear that."
There's another moment of deafening silence. She looks at her fiddling fingers, jittery and unsure. So unlike her. "I- I heard that the book is selling very well."
Rick slumps back in his chair and rubs the back of his neck. Really? She asked him to coffee so that they can discuss his book sales? They might as well be discussing the weather. One step forward, two steps back.
Screw it.
He sighs and she can hear the weariness in his limbs. "Did you ask me for coffee just to talk about book sales, Kate?" He asks softly, his eyes pleading wit her to cut the crap.
She looks away briefly, caught out for using a stalling tactic. Finally, her eyes find his eyes again. "No. I wanted to talk about the dedication," Kate answers simply.
There's a sharp intake of breath on his part due to her directness.
Well, that was clear enough.
He swallows tightly and frowns. His heart is slamming against his rib-cage. "What about it?"
She's not flinching. "Did you mean it?"
Yes, a million times yes.
He takes a moment before answering, carefully trying to take his heart out of his eyes, off his face. He loves her and its mapped all over him. In the way his eyes embrace every inch of her, the way her name is sung when he speaks, the way the walls around his heart break down every time she smiles at him.
He will always love her.
Rick finally brings his gaze back to hers, dark and questioning. "Of course I meant it, Kate." He leans forward, allowing his eyes to tell her everything. "Did you like it?"
Moment of truth.
Her face softens, the anxiety leaving her posture, as her lips quirk. "I loved it."
I love you.
[][][]
"Kate...," he sighs as she nips and sucks on his pulse. This feels so, so right and he's wanted this - her - since the very beginning. Maybe even before time existed. But, somewhere in the haze of heat and lust and love, he knows. He knows that this is wrong. And he doesn't want this to be a one night stand or something that's she's going to regret-
Oh. Ahh.
But when her hand slides down his exposed chest and stomach and lower, and even deliciously lower, all reason flies out the door.
She wants him. Badly. And vice versa. He can't contain or deny himself any longer. Not when her warm, wet mouth is stealing his breath, not when her hands are turning him into a quivering heap of limbs, not when her voice sounds like sex.
He scoops her up easily without preamble, without warning. She's startled for a moment, wide, dark eyes locking with his before her legs wrap around him in carnal encouragement, consumed by desire and grief and... somewhere, hidden from sight, love. Mouths are fused, bodies humming in sync. They are a cacophony of breathless moans, tongues and hands and hot skin.
It's fast and violent in its passion. But then-
He gently, slowly lowers her down onto the bed, intent on making love to her. She had expected, wanted this to be a quick, rough tumble, but he's turning it into something beautiful, meaningful.
Lasting.
But it cannot last. Even if he is worshiping her with the bend of his body, the caress of his lips, the beating of his heart.
It cannot last.
They're walking on promises, drunk with dreams of a lifetime of happiness.
But morning will come and callous light will drive the dreams away.
[][][]
"I," she starts then stops, unable to properly find the right words. She's not the best-selling author here, he is. "Nobody has ever... done something like that for me. Said something like that... to me." Her throat suddenly burns. Her eyes are bright and beautiful. "Thank you. It's really beautiful, Rick."
He hopes there isn't a but here, a gentle let-down. An 'oh thank you so much for writing your heart into that dedication, but I don't really feel the same'.
They sit in silence for a while, watching people walking by, nursing their coffees. He finally looks at her again, his eyes blue flames. He needs to know.
Now.
"Why are you here, Kate?"
She purses her lips and looks down again. "Maybe a month ago, Josh..." He tenses, carefully trying not to show any reaction. She meets his gaze, something serious in her tone. "Josh asked me to marry him."
His heart plummets painfully, his eyes falling away.
"-But I said no."
At that, he meets her eyes again, his heart back in the game.
"I said no because... because my heart belonged to someone else." The truth will set you free. "It belongs to you, Rick. All of it."
I love you.
A/N: Okay, I know it's short, but I think this is the best place to end this chapter. What did you think of the flashbacks? I wanted to bring a little bit of that in. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to let me know. In the next chapter I will continue this conversation, giving you Rick's reaction and will the take the story from there.
Thanks for reading and please review! It feeds the muse.
The title of this chapter is from the stunning Sleeping at last song, 'Turning page.'
I apologize for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes.