10
"Then you'd better get your shirt back on." Was that disappointment in her voice? He hoped so.
But he obeyed her suggestion and pulled the blue sweatshirt back over his head. Her hands were still on his stomach, so he only pulled it as far down as he could without moving her. Then he pulled her into an embrace, kissing the top of her head.
She wrapped her arms around him and savored every bit of it. How she could feel his back muscles under her hands, his heartbeat pounding against her cheek, how 'happy' he was pressed against her belly. Wow.
"Are you still cold?" Concern showed in his voice. "You're shivering."
She was? Quivering, not shivering. She wasn't about to say that, though. She nodded.
He pulled the blanket up around them and held her close again.
He got the remote and found Princess Bride on demand, then skipped to the Fire Swamp, so that it would look like they'd been watching it for a while.
"Really, Castle? You're conning your daughter?"
"Well, do you want to tell my innocent child what we've really been doing for the last couple of hours?"
"Not so much."
She ran her fingernails softly down his side and kissed his neck gently.
He hummed in pleasure.
"I can't believe you're skipping the sword fight." Her lips brushed against his jaw.
"I've got fencing rapiers if you're interested in a sword fight. But be warned. I'm really good with my sword."
"So I've heard." She smirked, knowing he wasn't talking about a sword at all.
They could hear female voices outside the door and Alexis's key turning the lock. They separated. Mostly. They made sure their shirts were pulled down and moved a respectable distance apart before the girls came into view. But they still shared the blanket as they turned their attention to the movie.
"Dad, we're here!"
"Hey girls. Did you have a nice time?" Nothing in his tone betrayed the state of his emotions or his body.
Alexis prattled on about the new boutique they went to while getting out a plate for Paige. Paige caught sight of the pair on the floor and waited until she thought the sound of the microwave muffled their voices. Then she asked, "Is that your dad's girlfriend? I thought we came here so we wouldn't have to listen to old people sex."
Alexis scoffed. "No, they work together. It took four years before they got to that. The rate they're going, I'll be pregnant before her."
Kate blushed a deep crimson. Castle erupted in a coughing fit.
Alexis's eyes bulged in humiliation that they heard her comment and stammered, "Uh, we're going to… go eat... um… in my room. And watch TV." The girls ran up the stairs with their plates.
Castle was mortified. "Kate did that mean she's having sex?" The words rushed out.
Kate had her hands covering her face. She shook her head. "No, Castle, it means, we're going to take a long time before we have 'old people sex,' even longer than she'll take before she does it. Sounds like she's not and doesn't intend to do it for a while yet."
She finally uncovered her face to see the look of panic she knew he wore. It was there, but not solely focused on his little girl upstairs. He was much more focused on Kate than she expected. Gauging her reaction, perhaps? She couldn't quite make out what he was thinking.
The idea that his baby girl could already be sexually active was certainly a mood-killer. But she was gone upstairs, and while the concern still lingered, the woman at his side was still red with embarrassment. Embarrassment, because his daughter expected them to eventually have sex. She expected him to get Kate pregnant. Was everyone expecting this?
Rick hoped Lex was right. As Kate removed her hands from her face, he watched her, completely in love with the idea of making a baby with her. Or two, or three, or ten. Or just practicing for it all the time. This would be a bad time to say that out loud, right? Too soon?
Rick pulled Kate back to him, hoping she wasn't about to freak out and abandon him, rubbed her back, and affectionately whispered, "She's right about one thing."
Kate tried hard to not tense up. "What's that?" She mumbled against his chest.
"It took us four years to get here." He nudged her so he could look in her eyes. "Rushing things isn't something you have to worry about. I can be patient."
She relaxed and smiled her tight-lipped smile. "Really, Castle? You? Patient?"
He cocked an eyebrow up and pressed her firmly against him and asked in a low growl, "Why? Do you want to see me be impatient?" The tender reassurance was gone from his face and voice, replaced completely by desire.
Kate's breath caught again. Yeah, she liked it when Castle was bold. She swallowed and hesitated, flicking her eyes down to his lips while she decided on what she wanted.
What she'd always wanted.
"Careful, Castle, your kid might take this as permission for her to make you a grandpa."
He backed up, not sure how to take her joke. Um, did that mean she's ready for sex? For a baby? For Alexis to know about this? That Alexis will start having sex?
"Kidding, Rick. I don't have any intention of getting knocked up before I get married."
Whoa! What? Does that mean she wants to marry him? Or is she just messing with his mind?
"And I'm sure Alexis doesn't either."
"Kate, you're really not helping."
Kate laughed at him. That full laugh where she tilts her head back and all her teeth show. The one he loves, but rarely gets to see.
"Relax, big guy. Enjoy whatever happens, at whatever speed it happens."
Then she snuggled up to him, using his arm as a pillow, and wrapped her arm around his torso.
This, right here, was perfect. She could stay wrapped up in him forever.
"Stay." His voice was soft. She nodded into his neck.
In silence, they stayed like that for a while. She was sometimes totally lost in thoughts, of wondering if they really would manage to make it to marriage and babies. She sometimes let the background noise of the movie influence her thoughts.
You were mostly dead all day. Andre the Giant's voice reminded her of the terror in Rick's eyes when she first broke the surface of the icy water, gasping air into her burning lungs and gagging on the water she was coughing up.
Funny how a brush with death makes you more willing to go after what you want in life.
She was thankful she'd obeyed Gates's rule and called in where they were and asked for back-up. She'd shoved the handcuffed man at the uniformed officers (Why didn't they jump into the water to help? Maybe the fight was faster than it had seemed?), told them to book him and to tell Gates that they were going home to get warm and dry. Hopefully, they wouldn't have to deal with any more interruptions, because hopefully no one expected them back in this evening.
She wanted to stay here, in her cocoon of Richard Castle. Warm and safe and loved.
His slow stroking up and down her back was calming and relaxing, but the floor was hard and not very comfortable.
"Rick?"
"Hm?"
"Is there a fireplace in your room?"
"No, but there are silk sheets. Silk is an excellent insulator. We'll get you warmed up in no time."
He kissed her sweetly and helped her to her feet. He threaded his fingers through hers and led her to his bedroom.
Please leave me a review! I'm addicted to them like I'm obviously addicted to Caskett Unresolved Sexual Tension. Are y'all about ready to resolve some of it?