"I don't want to go home," Rick groaned. Kate looked over at him expressionless as he whined. "I want to stay with you."
"I know you do," she said softly as they walked side by side. She reached for his hand and offered it a gentle squeeze. "But don't you think you should spend a little alone time with Alexis?"
He nodded. "Of course, but she's probably with Ashley anyway."
The detective shook her head. "No she isn't. She's studying," when Rick looked over at her with an adorable curiosity, she smirked. "I texted her to see what she was doing and she said she was in doing homework. Are you sure she's your kid?"
Rick shrugged his shoulders. "God forbid there was a switch up at birth, I'm keeping Alexis. I wouldn't be able to handle a kid like me."
They laughed and Rick let go of her hand to wrap his arm around her waist. Kate smiled up at him and kissed his cheek as they headed down the sidewalk. "Anyway, she's being awesome about us being together and I don't want to ruin it. She's sharing you with me so I need to be fair and share you too."
It wasn't a chore for Rick to spend time with his daughter. They were very close and Kate always loved that about him. She knew he was worried that something would happen to her. She was the cop and constantly had to watch his back, but he'd worry regardless. She couldn't exactly deny that he endangered his own life a couple times to save her own. They were literally the couple that would take a bullet for the other and she loved that.
"What are you going to do when the Nikki Heat books are done?" she asked. He was shadowing her for the sake of his series. Well, that was supposed to be the reason anyway.
He shrugged his shoulders. "Well I was kind of hoping on writing them forever so I could always protect you."
She stopped them in their tracks and turned to face him. "Please stop being so adorable," she kissed his lips, loving the privilege of being able to show the rest of the world that they were together. Public displays of affection never meant so much to her until now. She was proud of their relationship. "As adorable as you are, I'm a big girl. I can protect myself."
Kate Beckett was a strong woman, but Rick wanted to be the one to protect her anyway. "I know you're a big girl," he smiled he held her close. "But you're my girl. I don't know what your past relationships were like, but I want us to be different. I want you to let me do things for you."
"I let you bring my coffee to work," she said with a smirk, a laugh escaping her lips when Rick grinned. He was great for joking around and was a good sport when the joke was on him.
"Please stop making me," he was smiling from ear to ear. "I'm trying to have a serious conversation right now."
"Doesn't it suck when you're trying to talk about something serious and the other person keeps joking around?" she winked.
He kissed her forehead. "Okay, point taken," he rested his hand on the small of her back and they walked the small space between themselves and Kate's car. He slid his hand down her back and stopped when he came to her butt. She looked up at him wordlessly. "I can't help myself sometimes. Sorry."
"Doesn't bother me," she reached back and slapped him, laughing as he jumped. "I can't help myself either."
He kissed her cheek, wanting to get as much of her as he could before they'd be separated, even if it was only for a couple hours. "Can I drive?" he would go as slow as possible so he could hang onto her for a little longer.
"I have a feeling you'd crash my car or something," he pulled her keys out of her pocket. When Rick reached for them, she went to put them down her shirt when she realized that wouldn't stop him. Seeing the look on his face let her know that he was thinking the same thing. "The answer is no," the detective unlocked her car and pointed over to the passenger seat before getting in.
Rick was quiet for a minute and got in the passenger side, sporting a pout that Kate hated to love. "So you're going under cover without me?" he was now stating the obvious and exactly what they've been talking about. He knew it wasn't permanent. She wasn't wrong for wanting him to spend time alone with Alexis and of course he wanted time with his daughter. He just didn't want to have to worry about his girlfriend the entire time he was with his daughter.
"Yes, I'm going under cover without you. I love my job a lot more when you're around but I can survive the night," as she drove, she reached over and took Rick's hand. "Besides, I have Esposito and Ryan for the night. They'll have my back. Does that make you feel any better?"
He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "You know you could have told me that before."
"I know," he glanced over quickly, flashing him a grin. "It was sort of adorable how you worried so I thought I'd humor myself for a couple minutes."
"Katherine Beckett."
"Richard Castle."
"Katherine."
"Richard."
"Katherine Beckett, I am not giving up."
"Why are we even doing this?" she asked as she let out a giggle.
He shrugged his shoulders. "Because you're being very mean to me right now and I'm right to have the upper hand by using your full name and intimidating you."
Kate nodded her head, her eyes on the road ahead of her. "Oh, I see. And how's that going for you?"
"Honestly, not so well. I think I would be a little more intimidating if I knew your middle name."
She laughed. "Forget it."
"Katherine Beckett."
She shook her head. "We're not playing that game again."
He managed a straight face even. "I want to know everything about you. You've been opening up a lot since we met, but I want to know it all. Can we start with middle names? If you tell me yours, I'll tell you mine."
"Baby, you're a celebrity," she pointed out and it was weird to say. She's been a fan of his way before they met but once he started shadowing her, she got to know him on such a personal level that he wasn't an author when she first glanced at him. He was the man she was choosing to spend all of her time with. "Everyone knows your middle name. Or at least your fans do."
"Speaking of," he let the middle name thing go fast and Kate knew better than to think it wouldn't come up again in a couple minutes. If not then, it would by the end of the day. She could picture them later in bed, falling asleep, and him bringing it up as casually as a courteous 'good night.' "Now that we're dating, do you want to tell me how big of a fan you actually are?"
She killed the engine once she parked, front end sticking out since there wasn't enough room. Without a word, she pulled her hand free of Rick's and got out of the car. That was something she didn't want to get into. She knew she'd end up telling him eventually, but on the streets rushing to get back to work wasn't the time or place. He had a disappointed look on his face, she noticed as she looked back at him. With a sigh, she held out her hand and once he accepted it, she walked into the building with him.
Rick finally broke the silence once they were on his floor and opening the door to his loft. "Do you need a ride?" he followed behind Kate, upstairs to his bedroom. He knew that was pointless since she told him just a couple minutes before that she didn't think he'd be a good driver.
"Esposito and Ryan are taking me. They'll probably be here in a minute," she grabbed her bag and sat on the bed as she dug through it. "I just have to change."
Rick closed the door and laid on the bed. He watched Kate pull out folded black fabric. She stood up and without an ounce of shame she pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it to the floor. She kicked off her heels and lost a couple inches, but still stood tall as she slipped her pants off. When she noticed him looking, she winked playfully with a smile that left him wondering how one person could be so beautiful. "You don't have a couple minutes for me?"
"I have to be ready in a minute. They won't be late. They're cops," she unhooked her bra and took it off, seeing the hungry look Richard was giving her. "Sorry," she stepped back in her heels and picked up the dress she had on the bed. She slipped it on and smoothed out the black lace dress. It stopped mid thigh, showing off her slim legs that went for miles and a dramatic 'v' that exposed enough cleavage to get Richard swallowing loud enough or her to hear.
"Baby," he sat up and encircled his hand around Kate's wrist. He pulled her to stand between his legs and let his eyes travel up her body until their eyes met. "People are going to be seeing you like this and they're going to want you."
Kate wasn't expecting this. In the past, he loved when they were going under cover and she ended up in something sexy. Although that was before they were dating and he'd take what he could. Now he was the protective boyfriend and she didn't know just what to do. "It's fine."
He shook his head. "No it's not. I don't think I want people looking at you like that."
"Is that what you think?" she raised a brow.
"No. I know I don't want people to see you like this."
She wasn't used to being told what to do, especially by Rick. It caught her off guard to say the least. "Did you just say no?" she needed to be sure she heard that right.
He was used to be the laid back funny guy and Kate being the one with all the power. This even shocked himself, but the thought of his girlfriend going out without him dressed in next to nothing was something he wouldn't accept.
"I'm going to a club to find a man who killed a prostitute. I have to look the part or else he'll never talk to me. I need to get him cornered Rick, you know that."
"You can catch anyone's attention regardless of what you're wearing. Put on some clothes Kate."
After a stare down, Rick reached back with his free hand and took Kate's bag. He started to sift through it. She pulled her wrist free of his grasp and stepped back. "You need to stop being insecure Rick. Drop it right now," she was trying to gain control of the situation. "I could walk in there naked and they're still just staring. You're the only person who gets to touch me and that's the way I want it."
Rick opened his mouth to speak but just as he did, she lifted her dress and worked to rest her gun and badge against her inner thigh. A few seconds later, her dress was covering it and he finally realized how she did it all this time. Right at that moment he wanted to get her out of her dress. That was exactly why he didn't want her to be seen like this. She was too beautiful and far too sexy.
"Let me ask you something," Kate's words had Rick looking her in the eyes. "Who am I coming home to tonight?" When he didn't answer, she cocked her head to the side. "Exactly. You're my one and done, we've been over this," the doorbell rang and she grabbed her phone. "I love you," she leaned over and kissed him gently on the lips and started to walk out.
"Katherine Marie Beckett."
"Not my middle name."
"It is until I know your real one," he stood up and started to walk after her. "Change your clothes."
She picked up the pace and from behind she heard him gaining on her. She went down the stairs, skipping one with every step. She was almost jogging when she saw Martha and Alexis in the kitchen with Esposito and Ryan. She slowed down to a normal walk and seconds later, Rick took her hand.
Alexis and Martha smiled when they saw Kate. "Oh darling, you look wonderful," her boyfriend's mother said as his daughter nodded in agreement. She looked over her shoulder at Rick and smirked.
"Don't encourage her."
She rolled her eyes and turned to face him. "We'll talk about this later."
He knew she won the fight and even though he was mad, he kissed her softly and slipped a set of keys in her hand. "Don't forget to lock up when you get in."
She could tell he wasn't happy with her decision, but they'd talk about it later. She wasn't going to let a murderer get away and Rick would understand it once he calmed down. "Okay. I love you."
No matter how mad he was, he couldn't leave her hanging. "Love you," he looked over at Esposito and Ryan and waved before going back up to his room without another word.
There was a desperate need to break the tension. Thank god for Esposito.
"I love that dress."
Kate hugged Martha and Alexis before leading her fellow detectives out. "You should. I took it from you."
"I'm sorry," Kate whispered as she wrapped her arms around Rick from behind and rested her head on the pillow. Her legs, now covered by yoga pants tangled with his as she relaxed her weight into his. She didn't know if he was awake, but she needed to tell him in case he was up. "I know I upset you and I didn't mean to. I'm not used to being told what to do and even though I don't like, I get it."
When she left, she wasn't expecting to be the one apologizing by the time she was crawling in bed with him. "I love you so much and maybe you're a little possessive over me. I want to say that's not good, but I can't. I hate when other women even look at you. I always did and I know it's going to get worse now," she kissed the back of his neck. "We'll figure out how to deal with it all. I have all the patience in the world for you and I hope you do for me."
He didn't answer. She'd have to say it again in the morning. She didn't want to, but she was willing to do anything for him to stop being angry with her. Throughout the night, the guilt ate away at her. She was so happy to be back in his bed with him where she belonged.
Rick laid quietly, wanting to answer and let her know that everything would be alright. More importantly, he wanted to tell her that he loved her. Since he couldn't turn around and hold her, he was thankful to have her hold him.
But something wasn't right and that was why he stayed so quiet. Something in her voice told him that something else was wrong. He waited it out and once her breathing steadied, signaling that she was asleep, he carefully turned his body around to look at her. The moonlight came in through the window and was enough for Rick to see that Kate had been crying. He kissed a dry trail of tears and wrapped an arm around her waist, startled when she flinched at his touch. He lifted her shirt and felt a wave of anger take over him. Not toward Kate, but toward the person who put the fresh bruises on her ribs.
Now he understood why she was so fast to have a change of heart. After a rough night like this, he ruled out gloating and held her close to keep her safe. He was never leaving her to go under cover without him again. He couldn't let anyone hurt his girl again.