Chapter 10

Playful. That's how he made her feel. Kate wasn't usually this giggly, flirtatious person around anyone unless she was really comfortable with them. Being with Rick felt natural. She was free to be anyone she wanted to be, especially herself. He allowed her to lower the wall that had shielded her heart for so long to reveal the true Kate Beckett. Someone very few people had seen before. When was the last time she had this much fun?

Maybe that's why Kate agreed to this friends with benefits relationship. Under normal circumstances, she would never allow herself to be a part of such a sleazy liaison. But Rick was fun, and she needed some fun. Plus, it would have been too awkward to just forget that they slept together twice. The hookup would have severely injured their partnership and their relationship.

She always knew that she was attracted to him, but Kate never wanted to show it. Of course she had a thing for bad boys, and Kate had adored Richard Castle because of his books for the longest time. She never expected him to come crashing into her mundane world, once upon a freaky case. Not to mention him sticking around and writing her into his next series of novels, as the main character nonetheless. The dedication he wrote to her was the most meaningful thing someone had ever done for her.

However, because of his reputation as a playboy bachelor, Kate declared her feelings for him strictly professional. She kept him at a safe distance and pretended not to care when he kissed Kyra or went out with her friend Maddie, much to her chagrin. Inside, her green-eyed monster was fuming with jealousy but on the outside, she kept up the unfazed disposition that years of being a detective had taught her.

The poker face she developed from playing Texas Hold 'Em sure comes in handy.

So for the time being, she'd just enjoy this… whatever this is. Love the one you're with. And right now, she was with Rick, in his bed with their naked bodies intertwined between his Egyptian cotton sheets.

Kate turned to face Rick and watched him sleep. She reached up to touch his face tenderly and pressed light kisses to his lips. Rick's eyes fluttered open, a lazy smile forming on his mouth.

"Hey," he breathed.

"Morning," she smiled back at him.

"Best wakeup call ever."

Kate replied by kissing him again. They were slow, sensual kisses meant to be savored. She ended the kiss with their mouths only a breath apart and looked up into his eyes.

"Why do you wake up so early?" Rick asked.

"Hmm…" she pondered. "I guess it's just natural. I'm used to waking up early."

"Ah. It's a Kate Beckett thing."

"Yep."

"Hmm, this is only the second day of us sleeping together. And both times you were slightly intoxicated," he frowned.

"This is the third time we've slept together. Yesterday morning I wasn't tipsy."

"Well were you too drunk to know what you agreed to last night?"

"Of course not. I can hold my alcohol."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, it just loosens me up a little."

"I can tell."

"I could probably drink you under the table," she provoked.

"Is that a challenge?"

"Definitely."

"We'll have to have a competition one day. Poison of choice?"

"Tequila."

"You're a tequila girl?"

"Maybe I am. I like the burning sensation."

"Hmm… tequila makes a girl's clothes fall off. I didn't need any tequila to get your clothes off last night."

"Haha, very funny," she replied.

"Oh how I enjoy our pillow talks."

"Pillow talks?"

"Yeah. You know, we just talk about whatever when we wake up. I kind of like it."

"Pillow talks," she repeated.

"Pillow talks and cuddling."

"I do not cuddle," Kate asserted.

"And what do you call what we're doing right now?" he questioned, referring to their close proximity.

"Playful physical interactions."

"Normal people would call it cuddling."

"No cuddling. Cuddling is for couples. We are not a couple."

"Fine then," Rick pulled her close and pressed his nose to hers. "No cuddling."

She looked into his eyes as they just lay there together, holding each other close with their noses touching.

"You do that a lot," she pointed out.

"Do what?"

"Press your nose to mine."

"It's an… Eskimo kiss."

"Eskimo kiss?" she laughed.

"When you rub your nose against someone else's, it's called an Eskimo kiss. I think Eskimos started doing it because if they kiss with their mouths, they would probably freeze together because it's so cold where they live. So they settled for Eskimo kisses."

"Eskimo kiss huh? Like this?" She rubbed her nose to his and laughed.

"Learn something new every day," Rick mumbled as he reached over to cup her face and bring his lips to hers again.

"Mmm…" she moaned against his lips as he kissed her. "If you keep kissing me like this, we're never going to get out of bed."

"And what's wrong with that?" he smiled against her lips.

"Some of us actually have jobs to attend to," she sighed, breaking the kiss. "I can't be late to work again today."

"You can and you will."

"Ryan and Esposito are already suspicious of my absences."

"If they need you, they'll call. You're not the only homicide detective in New York."

"What am I supposed to tell them later?"

"Hmm… you could always tell them the truth."

"I don't want them to know that we're… sleeping together."

"Why not? Are you ashamed of me Detective Beckett?"

"Yes. You are my dirty little secret," she smirked as she trailed her fingers up and down his bare chest.

"I say you just play hooky today. Let the murderers and bad guys of New York run amuck for just one day."

"I've never spent all day in bed with someone before…"

"Then after today you can say that you have. Try something new today."

"So we're going to stay in bed all day?"

"If that's what you want."

"Let's just lie here for a while longer."

"Anything you want, snookums."

"Snookums? New rule: no pet names."

"What happened to your one rule about no rules?"

"Fine, but you're not calling me snookums."

"Buttercup?"

"No."

"Honey bun."

"No."

"Tinkerbelle."

"No!"

"Kitten."

"That's your name, isn't it?"

"Kitty-cat. Cat is kind of short for Kate."

"That's even worse."

"Sweetie, angel, baby cakes, muffin, cutie patootie?"

"Now you're just making up ridiculous names."

"Only because you're rejecting them all. How about I just call you Katie?"

She thought for a moment. "You know, my dad's the only one who calls me Katie now," she said quietly. "My mother used to, but after she died, I didn't like other people using that name for me."

"So come up with a better name."

Contemplating his offers, she decided, "I'm fine with you calling me Katie, but I get to call you… Ricky."

"Of course."

Kate leaned back into his arms and stared at the ceiling.

"Katie and Ricky," he said dreamily. "Hey, our names rhyme."

"Only if you add the 'y' at the end."

"True."

"We sound like idiots."

"Fools even."

"Even better, we can be fools together."

"See? You can rhyme too."

She giggled and nuzzled herself further into his arms. This she could definitely get used to. They had been waking up together in the morning for the past few days, and Kate was comfortable sleeping in his arms every night. Their 'pillow talks' and non-cuddling were becoming a daily routine, not that she minded. With him, she was free to be. Free to laugh uncontrollably and talk about stupid things. Free to bend the rules and write their story as they went along. Free to just let go and have some fun.

All that I'm after is a life full of laughter
As long as I'm laughing with you

A/N: Sorry for disappearing on you for two weeks, but I bear bad news. My story is going on hiatus for a bit (no definite dates yet, but at least a month) because I need to finish up my summer homework and other things before I can focus on this fic again. I hope you enjoyed this bit of fluff (kind of OOC), because there's going to be more when I get back. Hopefully, I can find some time during the school year to write, as I have plans in mind for this fic and I just need to sort out my ideas first. See you in the fall ;)