Another long chapter covering the day of their date. We get angst from Kate and Castle in this one and some nice development of their relationship.
Thank you for all the lovely reviews I got following the last chapter. You did me proud. More please?
Disclaimer: Just a girl trying to do a little justice to a fabulous creation that's not of her making.
Chapter 11
Kate woke naturally from a deep sleep, rolling onto her side to check the time. 5.59am. Why did she always wake just a minute before her alarm was set to go off? She never understood this internal clock of hers that seemed to rule her waking and sleeping hours. Reaching over to the nightstand to turn off the alert on her cell phone, she felt her heart beat a little faster as she noticed the new text message symbol light up on the screen. It was from Castle.
Morning gorgeous. I hope you slept well. Will miss you today. Until tonight, stay safe. Rick.
Kate smiled the goofiest smile and was glad she was alone at this moment so no one else would witness how pathetically pleased she was by the short message. You need to get a grip Kate, she thought to herself. But he said he would miss her today and she was glad. When he'd told her last night on the phone that he wouldn't be joining her at the precinct her heart sank. Yet he had still seemed so upbeat. The fact that he would miss her too, for the few hours they would be apart, until they met for dinner that night, meant that they were on the same page, matching one another step for step. And I need to get a life and stop over-analyzing this, she thought, getting out of bed to brush her teeth and shower.
Once settled at her kitchen counter with a cup of strong coffee and a slice of, nearly fresh, toast Kate picked up her cell to reply to Castle's text message. She was aiming for short and breezy, but sincere at the same time.
Miss you too. Have a good day. Soon, KB
Too little or too much? Kisses or no kisses? Kate squeaked as she pressed send. My god this is driving me insane. I'm turning into a high school cheerleader. I've never felt so unsure of myself in my whole life. Okay, so you've told him you miss him, for that alone he's got to be doing a happy dance right now. It'll be fine. Now just drink your damn coffee and find your spine somewhere so we get to work. And now I'm talking to myself…in the third person!
She went to the bedroom to get dressed, selecting a white t-shirt and a pair of well-worn jeans, black boots and her tan leather jacket. Kate got her badge and gun out of the dresser drawer and strapped on her father's watch. The chain holding her mother' ring slipped down the v-neck of her t-shirt, coming to hang between her breasts. Her purse was sitting on the kitchen counter where she'd left it the previous night. After applying a slick of lipgloss and running a brush through her hair, she threw her cell in her bag and headed for the door.
They weren't making enough headway on this multiple homicide case and she needed to focus on the details today so that the trail didn't go completely cold. She mulled the case over on her way to the precinct picking apart the little they knew and trying to fit it all back together again.
The Homicide floor was mercifully quiet when she arrived. So she made herself a second cup of coffee and then came to stand in front of the murder board to refresh her memory with the few facts they'd already gathered before the boys arrived.
But her mind drifted back to Castle as she stared, unseeing, at the images of Livia Caliente and Edward Mason. She pictured his face when he came to wake her yesterday morning, that hesitancy, like he thought she might flee from his very presence. It troubled her. How much she'd pushed back at him and the times she'd shut him out or let him down. He'd always been there in front of her. Helping, supporting, shoving his way in when he thought it was for the best. Maybe it was time to surrender to that. But she needed to find a way not to lose herself in him. That was the danger of being with a man like Richard Castle. They were likely to want to take you over and Kate had worked too hard to make a life for herself to allow that to happen. But maybe things didn't need to be so black and white, so all or nothing. She sighed. Work now. Worry later.
"Morning boss." Said Ryan, walking into the bullpen with Esposito on his tail, jolting her from her thoughts.
"Morning guys. Good date last night Ryan?"
"Great, actually. Took Jenny to a romantic little Italian, few drinks, then a little dancing and home before midnight."
"What about you Espo? You get that library book back on time?" Asked Beckett, picking up where they'd left off last night, as she fist bumped Ryan.
"Oh so funny boss. Where's your shadow this morning?"
"Castle's not coming in today." Said Beckett, trying to mask her own disappointment.
"What he do?" Asked Esposito. "You want us to have a word?"
"No. That won't be necessary, thank you Esposito. He has some meetings is all." But she was touched by their brotherly concern. The fact that she would be dining with him later than evening was something she would keep to herself. "So guys, these murders. I want us to run the timeline, the suspect pool, the alibis and the background checks together today to see if there's anything we've missed so far. We're not clearing this as fast as I'd like and we don't want this guy to strike again before we get out of the starting blocks."
So they gathered round the murder board with the information they'd collected so far and ran the murders as a team.
"Okay, so we've got Livia Caliente. Found on Monday night, strangled but posed to look like a drowning." Said Kate. "Rape kit was negative so we can rule out sexual assault as a motive. Her tox screen was negative which would indicate that her attacker must have over-powered her. This was a violent and personal attack."
"So boss, you think she knew her attacker? Or are we talking random bad luck?"
"Not sure yet. She was working locally and would have routinely passed the crime scene around the TOD window Lanie gave us. But maybe to understand more, we maybe need to look at our second vic. Esposito, can you take us through Edward Mason?"
"Second vic is male, 53 and a property developer. Also strangled, but posed to look like a suicide. Again negatori for barbiturates, narcotics and prescription meds. Toes of his shoes indicate he was dragged across the rough ground of the playground, thanks to Castle's Imelda Marcos fixation and this matches the scrapes to our first vic's heels."
"So they were strangled somewhere in that playground and then dragged over to the dump sites." Said Ryan.
"Maybe a less public area out of view of the street? We should run that down. Might be important for forensics. Any joy on drawing a link between the two yet?" Asked Kate.
"Nothing boss. Their worlds don't seem to have crossed at all. He's rich, uptown, male and older. She's a student, albeit with a recent inheritance. But she's from Brooklyn and studies in Greenwich Village at NYU. The only possible crossover we saw was her retail job and the property Mason owned in Soho. But even that turned into a bust when we checked it out." Said Ryan.
"Her clothes and belongings were missing. Possibly a sexual motive or could we be talking robbery?" Asked Kate.
"Nah Beckett. My money's on plain old concealing her identity. Slow us down. Mason's ID was missing too. But maybe this dude ran out of time to strip him, or maybe a naked suicide is just too unbelievable." Said Esposito.
"What about contacts? Did you find anything in Mason's diaries? Anyone Daniel Caliente might have mentioned in connection with his daughter?"
"Negative again. Mason's friends and family all checked out and his appointments were all with business contacts in property or building trades. Livia didn't seem to know any of these people. She certainly had no obvious enemies." Said Ryan.
They threw a few more theories around, but without the facts to back them up they were getting nowhere. Kate was getting frustrated and her mind was starting to wander. She needed to get away from her desk, to find a bit of perspective.
"Guys it's nearly lunchtime. Why don't we take a break? I'm going down to see Lanie. See if there's been any more developments since we last spoke." Kate knew this excuse to visit her friend sounded lame, but she needed to get out of there before her head exploded and she needed to talk.
As Kate left the bullpen, Ryan leaned over to Esposito and said "Well unless those bodies rose from the dead while we weren't looking, I'd say there's not much left to talk about."
"Look on Beckett's face, I'd say they've got plenty to talk about bro and ain't none of it got anything to do with no dead bodies."
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
"Hey Lanie. How's it going?"
"Wassup girlfriend? Said Lanie by way of a casual greeting, but when she turned and saw the look on Kate's face she knew there definitely was something up. "Okay spill. You didn't come down here to hang around with me and a bunch of stiffs for nothing and if I'd got anything more to tell you about your vics you know I'd have called you, so spill your guts girl cause I'm in no mood for playing twenty questions."
"Oh god, Lanie. What am I doing?" Groaned Kate, hopping up on the edge of a table to sit swinging her legs.
"I take it we're talking about Writer Boy?" Asked Lanie. "What'd he do now?"
"He didn't do anything. It's me. I…"
"You? Well you what? Spit it out Kate."
"I kissed him."
"You kissed him. Is that all? Girl what are you in the second grade?"
"No, Lanie you don't understand. I kissed him in my apartment three nights ago, then I kissed him on his sofa, I kissed him in his kitchen, wearing his clothes in front of his mother and then yesterday, I dragged the man out into the stairwell at work, threw him against a wall and kissed him again! I'm turning into a maniac Lanie. I've lost control…and I think I even like it!" She hissed this last part in case anyone could hear them.
"Well it sounds like you're doing fine to me," said Lanie with the biggest grin on her face, "finally!"
"No. No! This cannot be happening. He's not even here today. He has meetings and a parent teacher thing for Alexis, and it's like I can't think for thinking about him…and he's not even here Lanie! What am I going to do? I'm a one foot out the door girl, you know that. Walls so big no one's getting in…but dammit Castle…it's like he's brought out the big guns and he's taking my damn walls down stone by stone."
"Oh, you've got it bad Kate. Problem is this man knows you too well. He's been following you around for so long he's found out most of your secrets. But you have to ask yourself did you let him do that? And if you did, why'd you let him?"
"I don't think I meant to, but he's just so damned persistent." Kate's mind ran back over his promise to her as they left the loft yesterday morning. "You know what he told me yesterday as we were leaving for work? He said that he was here for me, that he wanted me in his life, and that he was a patient man. He made me cry Lanie…in front of him…and then he kissed my tears away!"
"I'm damn well choking up here myself Kate. Guy says something like that to you, you know he's not kidding around."
"Oh and I haven't even got to the most humiliating part. His mother…she announces over breakfast, in front of Rick and Alexis, that he'll soon be asking me to move in with him! I didn't know where to look. I was freaking out Lanie wearing just a button down and a pair of his boxers in front of his daughter and I can see he's freaking out too, but I just had to get out of there and so thank god Alexis came to my rescue and dragged me upstairs to her room to get some clothes. It was awful! But you know the worst part? The worst part was seeing the panic in his eyes, panic that I was going to run and never come back. That's how well he knows me Lanie and it scares the life out of me."
"You know I've always been rooting for you and Castle. The man has his annoying moments god knows, but deep down I think you know he's good for you Kate. I haven't seen you laugh as much as I have over the last three years. You've put up some pretty big barriers in front of the guy and he's waited it out or snuck around them. He's seen you at your worst and he's still here, waiting patiently til you're ready girl, just like he said. When you seeing him again?"
"Tonight. We're going to dinner."
"Dinner date, huh? Nice."
"It's not a date Lanie! It's just…oh god who am I kidding? You put on a black cocktail dress and heels for a guy it's a goddam date."
"The D&G?"
"Uh huh." Said Kate, nodding with the hint of a smile.
"Bringing out big guns of your own Miss Beckett. I like it."
"Oh Lanie don't. I'm nervous enough as it is. We've christened this thing a "non-date date" to stop me running a mile. I've been behaving like I am in second grade. God knows what he thinks of me. Tough savvy Homicide Detective by day, emotional cripple by night. Not very attractive or grown up. God Alexis has more emotional intelligence than I do at times."
"You're doing fine girl." Said Lanie, trying to sooth her friend. "He loves you for you. Like I said, he's seen you at your worst and he keeps showing up. The man deserves a medal…and you, in that D&G dress, are the best reward you could give him. Come here, give me a hug and then get back up to work before the boys send out a search party for you."
"Thanks Lanie. I really appreciate you listening to me drone on. Let's grab dinner over the weekend if you're free?"
"Wouldn't miss it Kate. Now scoot, before my next autopsy gets up and walks out of here on his own. And Kate…have fun tonight sweetie. I mean what's the worst that can happen? The tall, dark, handsome, rich, author asks you to move in with him?" Said Lanie, winking at a shocked Kate and laughing out loud.
"Lanie Parish I swear…" And with that Kate broke into a peel of laughter, shaking her head at her friend. But somehow she did feel lighter. Maybe confession was good for the soul.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
Several hours later Kate stumbled through her own front door her dry cleaning slung over one arm and a bag of essentials from the pharmacy in the other. She hung her clothes up in the closet, pausing in the bathroom to start filling the tub, before storing the toiletries she'd just picked up in the bathroom cabinet. She had an hour and ten minutes before Castle was due to pick her up, so a quick soak would be just the thing to relax her in preparation for going out.
Once she was lying back in the tub however, thoughts of the evening to come started swirling in her mind. She actually started to feel sick with nerves, just sitting still in the one spot and having little else to distract her. You've spent countless hours alone with Castle, her rational, adult brain counseled her. There's nothing to worry about. Ah, but not alone in a romantic restaurant, the child within piped up. And never when you felt it mattered so much. Shaking her head to clear these conflicting thoughts, Kate quickly finished shaving her legs and made a beeline for the shower to rinse off and wash her hair, trying to outrun her own psyche. She toweled herself off, before covering her body in lotion and then wrapping her hair in a towel.
Her dress was hanging in the closet. It had been an expensive purchase when she and Lanie had spotted it in the Barney's sale. But it had looked so good on Kate that she'd hardly needed Lanie's persuasion to buy it. Kate knew it flattered her figure. A black, D&G matt satin sheath dress, it hugged every curve of her slender figure and was cut daringly low in a deep v at the front forcing her to go without a bra. The back of the dress was bare to the waist, exposing Kate's toned back and shoulders. The straps narrowed to the shoulders, finishing barely an inch wide at the top. The hem of the dress landed above her knee and there was a deep split up the back of the skirt, drawing the eye up from her shapely calves to give a flash of thigh when she walked, hinting at even greater possibilities beyond her hemline.
She laid the dress out on her bed and ran her hands over the luxurious fabric. She had a pair of black satin, four inch, high heeled pumps to match and a clutch big enough to carry her badge, gun, a lipstick and her keys. The weather was still so warm out at night that she wouldn't even need a wrap. She was excited to see Castle's reaction to her outfit and her mood started to lift at the thought of his face.
She set about drying her hair, giving lift to the roots on top and then curling the ends so they fell in soft waves around her bare shoulders. She smoothed a little scented oil over her shoulders, cleavage and down the front of her shins to catch the light and dabbed a few drops of perfume behind her ears. Kate struggled to keep a steady hand as she applied eyeliner and mascara to the smoky eye shadow effect she had created. Her make-up looked more done than it would during the day. But she wanted Castle to see that she had made an effort.
My god, this is a slippery slope, she thought. I never dress for a man or do my make-up to please him. That's just not me. Lanie's right god dammit, I'm losing myself in him. At this point she was tempted to raid her liquor stash to try to calm her nerves, but she'd eaten so little that day without Castle to look after her, that she knew the alcohol would go straight to her head. That was the last thing she needed. Castle already joked they wouldn't make it to dinner because she would be so rampant with desire for him, throw in a glass of vodka and he might just be right. So no, better to go back to deep breathing and just finish getting dressed. Twenty minutes to go.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
Meanwhile, over at Castle's loft there was a commotion in the bedroom as Richard Castle rummaged through every drawer in his closet looking for his lucky cufflinks.
"Mother! Lexi!" He called out. "Have either of you seen my Walther PPK cufflinks?"
"What dad?" Said Alexis, appearing at the door to his room. "Why would Grams or I have taken your cufflinks? What do you need them for anyway?"
"They're my lucky James Bond cufflinks."
"Lucky, as in…do I really want to know?" Asked Alexis, screwing up her face in disgust. "Where are you going anyway?"
"I'm taking Kate out for dinner."
"Oh!" Said Alexis, the panic over the lucky cufflinks finally making sense. "Here, let me help you look."
Five minutes and several more drawers later they finally located the pair of platinum cufflinks with their miniature handgun motif and Alexis helped her father put them on.
"You look amazing dad. Kate will be blown away." She beamed. Her father did look handsome in his black Armani suit, white open neck shirt and highly polished black Berluti square toe lace ups. The cufflinks set the whole look off. "What girl could resist. Tell Kate hi from me and will you ask her when she's coming over next?"
"Thanks sweetie. I will. Now I need to make tracks or I'll be late picking her up."
"Dad," said Alexis, squeezing her father's arm, "take a breath. Kate really likes you. So just have fun and be yourself. You'll do fine."
"Pumpkin you're the best daughter a guy could have. Love you."
"Love you too dad."
"Richard, where are you going all gussied up?" Asked Martha, floating down the stairs in a Chinese silk patterned kimono.
"Dinner with Kate mother. Have to dash or I'll be late."
"Well you look simply stunning dear. Have a wonderful time and give the beautiful Kate my love."
"I will mother. Be good you two. No wild parties while I'm gone." And with that he dashed out of the door and caught the elevator to the ground floor where his regular driver, Ted, was standing chatting to the doorman.
"Evening Mr Castle. Where to this evening?" Asked Ted.
"We're headed to Waverley Place. But I have to make a quick stop on the way to pick up my date." He smiled to himself as he said this. Kate would kill him for referring to her that way, but what she didn't know and all that.
They made good time and arrived at Kate's apartment building a few minutes before half past seven. Castle felt nervous but was excited to see her, having missed being with her at work that day. "I'll be down in five or ten minutes Ted. Circle if you have to. You know what women can be like." But even as he said it he thought, but not Kate. I'll bet she's all dressed and ready to go.
Kate meanwhile was pacing the floor of her living room, wearing a groove in the rug. The breathing had worked for a while, but as she checked her father's watch for the umpteenth time, her heart rate started to creep back up.
There was a knock at the door. She nearly screamed out in panic. Oh my god he's here! I can't do this. Why did I think I could do this? Okay calm down. Breathe and go answer the door. It's only Castle, she muttered under her breath. Who am I kidding? I think I'm going to throw up. But she made it to the door and turned the handle, swinging it open to reveal the singularly most nervous looking guy she had ever seen. And in that instant Kate felt back in control.
He looked amazing. Sharp, incredibly handsome in his designer suit, the crisp white shirt setting off his tanned skin. He really quite took her breath away. "Rick. Bang on time as ever." Was as much as she could muster at this point, greeting him with a lovely genuine smile.
Castle for his part just stared. Standing in front of him, holding open the door to her apartment, was the most beautiful woman he thought he'd ever seen. She was so tall in her heels, almost as tall as him, and so elegant and sexy in the black cocktail dress she was wearing that he couldn't take his eyes off her.
Sliding his gaze up towards her face he found a warm, open smile looking back at him. "My god Kate. You look…" A lump formed in his throat and he struggled to speak. "Truly amazing. I mean, just so beautiful." And with that he leaned across the threshold to kiss her lightly on the cheek.
"Thank you. You look pretty amazing yourself." Blushed Kate, squeezing his arm and pulling him into a loose hug. "Let me just get my purse and we're good to go."
"Great. Ted's waiting downstairs."
"Ted?" Asked Kate, puzzled.
"My driver, Ted. If he's not there he's had to circle the block, but he won't be far."
"You have a driver, Castle?"
"Well I only use him if I'm going out and want to avoid a DUI. I thought it might allow us let our hair down tonight."
"Oh." Said Kate. "So you're planning on getting me drunk, then having your wicked way with me Castle? That your game plan?" Teased Kate, not so very disappointed if it was.
"Two things, Kate. Firstly, as I think I already said, I have no plan for tonight and secondly, could you please call me Rick, at least over dinner? We're not working and it would make me feel more comfortable. Would that be okay?"
"Sorry, sure Rick." She purred as she rolled her r to tease him and watched as he blinked hard.
When she turned back round to face him after locking the door to her apartment he looked shell-shocked all over again. The backless D&G was working its magic on the man who thought he had seen it all.
"Shall we?" Said Kate, offering Rick her arm in a chivalrous roll reversal, as she propelled the shocked author towards the elevator.
Ted was indeed waiting for them at the curb, the black Mercedes limo glinting in the evening light.
"Mr Castle. Miss Beckett." He said, bowing slightly to Kate as he opened the back door to allow them to enter.
Kate slid inside and moved over to allow Castle in behind her. They settled back against the seat, shoulders almost touching, eyes facing forward. Castle was obviously more overwhelmed by the start to their evening than Kate had been and her nerves dissipated quickly as a result. He sat there quietly as Ted nosed the car out into the traffic, heading south towards Washington Square Park.
After a few uncharacteristically quiet moments Kate reached over and slipped his hand into hers, giving it a light squeeze. He looked down at their joined hands and then turned to look at her face, a weak smile breaking the serious expression he was wearing. He's doing worse than me, thought Kate, and her heart flipped over.
Arriving at the restaurant, Rick jumped out of the car, allowing Ted to help Kate to exit on the sidewalk. He thanked his driver and came round to offer Kate his arm and they walked the short distance to the front door of the discreet, almost non-descript restaurant entrance. Pushing the door open, they stepped into the dark, wood lined interior and were greeted by the noise of couples flirting, chatting and eating at the bar.
"Good evening Mr Castle. It's my pleasure to welcome you back to Babbo." Said the maitre d', stepping forward to greet Rick.
"Harry, good to see you too and thank you for fitting us in at such short notice." Said Castle, shaking the man's hand warmly. Turning to indicate Kate he said, "This is my par…my Kate…Eh this is…"
Watching Castle stumble over the introduction Kate put a soothing hand on his arm and stepped forward to shake hands with the maitre d', "Kate Beckett." She said by way of greeting, ending Castle's misery.
"Well that was awkward." Said Kate, as she and Castle were led to their table. Several male and female diners turned to admire the handsome couple as they crossed the floor of the restaurant.
Rick trailed after Kate, marveling at the sway of her hips in the tight satin sheath, the length of her legs in those heels and the naked expanse of skin the dress exposed at her back. He felt so proud to be with her and so terribly off-kilter.
"I know. I'm sorry. You seem to have robbed me of the power of speech tonight, Kate. I'm not normally this inarticulate."
"I had noticed, writer boy." She smiled, enjoying the feel of his hand on the bare skin of her back as they crossed the floor and the power she had over him tonight.
They sat down at their table, a small booth that allowed them to sit side-by-side, facing out across the restaurant. Their waiter quickly appeared with two menus and a bottle of sparkling water. As they began to read separately, quiet descended over the table for a few moments before Castle began to speak.
"Kate, I'm just going to be honest here and say that you've blown me away tonight. You always look stunning, but tonight…I think you're the most beautiful creature I've ever seen. And so if I tell you I'm a little intimidated, it might go some way explain my lack of coherent speech. I hardly know what to say to you and that's never been a problem for me before. I'm at something of a loss here. Help me out?"
Kate had been agonizing over this evening for a couple of days and so had a better handle on the situation than Castle. She decided to take pity on him and put him out of his misery. "I think it's maybe quite simple. The way I see it we moved past first date chat a long time ago. We know too much about one another to pretend we're uncovering a mystery here tonight. Shhhhh, Rick, let me finish." Said Kate gently, reaching over to take his hand as he threatened to interrupt her. "We're here because of who we are. Who we really are. You've seen me at my worst and yet you still want to spend time with me. Remember your plan for tonight…to just be yourself. I like that plan. So please, will you just relax? We've already done all the groundwork. The getting to know you stuff. Let's just enjoy each other's company and the time we have here, away from work and home and other distractions."
Castle listened to her perfectly insightful summation of their predicament and he respected her even more for her honesty and her kindness. But the sight of her tonight had overwhelmed him. He felt like he never wanted to let her go again. How to convey that to a woman as independent as Kate Beckett without totally scaring her off? He didn't know the answer, but he needed to express something of his feelings to her or he would self-combust. So he went with, "But this just means so much Kate. Being here with you."
"I know. But it doesn't have to mean everything." She said gently. "We'll still be who we are tomorrow and the day after that. You'll still be following me around and the boys will…"
"But what if that's not enough anymore?" He blurted out. "Just following you around. Kate what if I want more? Need more?"
Silence descended on the table again and it was time for Kate to try to find her voice. "I'm not saying no, Rick. I just need time. I hate to even ask you for that. But I need to be sure. If it gives you some comfort, I need time to be sure because this…us...means too much to me to screw it up."
"You know I'd do anything for you Kate. So if you need time, then of course I'll give it to you. But can you give me something? Anything I can hold onto?"
She thought for a moment. "Well, how about since our first date is going so well," she laughed "I get to choose the venue for our second date?"
At this, Castle beamed. His mood lifting and his chest unclenching just a little. "Deal, Detective."
The waiter who had been hovering discreetly off to the side, observing what was plainly a heavy scene between the two, took the smiles now being shared by the couple as his cue to approach the table.
"Sir. Madam. Are we ready to order?"
"Kate?" Said Rick, placing his hand on her lower back again to absorb the delicious heat of her silky skin.
"I would like the Asparagus Milanese, followed by the Wild Striped Bass please."
"And Dave, I will have the Grilled Octopus, followed by the Brasato al Barolo. Oh, and can we have a bottle of the Montevetrano Imparato 2002?"
"Very good choice, Sir." Said their waiter as he headed off to place their order.
Kate leaned back into Castle's arm, snuggling closer to him as she finally started to relax, their awkward start now behind them. "I always wonder why they even bother to tell you you've made a good choice. I mean it's their wine list after all. They're not likely to tell you it's bad now are they?"
"Funny, Alexis always says the same thing. Smart girls you two. She sends her love by the way. Not to crowd you, given what we've just been discussing, but she asked me to ask you when you're coming over next."
"Smart man. Use the cute daughter to snag the girl." Said Kate, nudging him playfully as he started to protest. "I can see how that would work. Lex is adorable and smart as her daddy, so how could I resist a request like that? You can tell her I'll come over this weekend or early next week. Whatever works for the three of us timewise."
Castle silently thanked his daughter for the second time in as many days for bringing he and Kate together and he loved that Kate had said the three of us. That had a fabulous ring to it and it conjured up even better images. Baby steps, there Castle. He reminded himself.
The sommelier poured the wine, allowing Castle to taste it before pouring some into Kate's glass. The expensive red wine shone a brilliant ruby in their glasses, catching the candlelight and spreading a warm glow on the white linen tablecloth. Finally their appetizers arrived and talk turned to the food.
"Oh god, this is delicious. Rick you have to try this." Said Kate, holding a forkful of asparagus topped with duck egg and parmesan to his lips.
"Only if you try the octopus." Said Rick, wiggling a baby mollusk towards Kate, who wrinkled her nose and closed her eyes, but accepted the morsel nonetheless.
"Mmmm, that's so good." She agreed. "The lemon vinaigrette, it's so fresh, not at all bitter. Sure beats the tepid Chinese I had for dinner last night."
"So how was work today? I missed you." Said Rick, with disarming honesty.
"The boys missed you too." Said Kate cheekily, receiving the anticipated pout. "But I missed you more." She added, putting him out of his misery. "The guys wanted to know what you'd done wrong now and whether or not they needed to have a little chat with you. It was quite sweet really."
"So much for the brotherhood. I might have to revoke their poker game rights for that."
"How was your day? Meeting go okay or was Paula on your case about the speed of your writing again? I don't think she likes me, you know."
"Oh she likes you plenty. She just thinks you're a bit of a distraction. I'm glad she isn't here to see you tonight, then she'd know just how much of a distraction you are." And with that he leaned down to kiss her on the bare skin of her shoulder.
Plates were cleared and the wine topped up and they took the break in the meal to observe their fellow diners. Kate laced her fingers with Castle's as they leaned back in their seats. A tall man with a shock of white hair and his blond wife rose from a table nearby and Kate whispered, "Is that?"
"Governor Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, if I'm not mistaken. Well spotted."
"Should have made the Secret Service agents over by the door by now. My radar's gone offline tonight. Now who's a distraction Mister?" Said Kate, bumping against Castle.
"But a nice distraction. Right?" He asked hopefully.
"Oh and don't' you know it! But don't push your luck or I'll hold our second date to ransom."
"You wouldn't! You're having as much fun as I am missy. I challenge you to hold out a week on that one."
"Oh pretty sure of yourself there big Rick." Teased Kate, squeezing Castle's left thigh, the wine making her relaxed and slightly frisky.
"Kate, unless you want me to throw you down on this table in front of these good people and take you right now, I'd keep your hands away from down there while you're wearing that dress." He whispered huskily in her ear, as the waiter brought their entrees to the table.
"Saved by the bell." Said Kate, straightening the hem of her dress, which had ridden up to reveal several more inches of smooth, tanned thigh.
"Spoil sport. I was enjoying the view." Said Castle, sighing dramatically, but then reaching down to run his fingers gently along her thigh.
"Not fair, Rick. I'm warning you. I could flip you on this table just as easily. So for now, be a good boy and let's eat."
"So how'd you go with Alexis' parent teacher conference? Your girl a genius or what?" Asked Kate, pulling the conversation back to a safer topic.
"That's so thoughtful of you to remember Kate. The whole time I was married to Gina I don't ever recall her so much as expressing an opinion on Alexis' schooling."
"Can we just skip the Gina comparisons Rick? Hamptons ring a bell? Bad memories. Moving right along."
"I'm sorry. That was insensitive of me and you're nothing like her. In fact that's what's so great about you. You're not like anyone else Kate Beckett." Kate blushed at the intensity with which he said this to her. "Her teacher says she's doing really well. In fact there's talk of her graduating early, which although it's amazing is also kind of sad because it would mean she goes off to college earlier and I'd miss her, you know?"
"I know you would. You guys are really special together. Anyone can see that. But she won't stop being your daughter just cause she's at college and she might even choose a school here in the city. So I think the time for worrying over that one is a little way off."
"Thank you for that pep talk, Detective. How'd you get to be so darn smart?" He said, dropping his fork to stroke her arm. "I'm surrounded by smart women these days and I don't mind it one little bit."
They finished off their entrees and decided they were both too full to eat desert, so they ordered coffee instead.
"My goodness I am so pleasantly full and just a teensy bit tipsy." Said Kate, smiling sweetly as she leaned back against the cushion of the booth and closed her eyes.
"Sorry, couldn't resist." Said Castle, after leaning in to place a gentle kiss on her lips. "I know we have a PDA rule and I just broke it but you just looked so relaxed sitting there, I thought I might risk life and limb just this once."
"We're out for dinner. No one knows us here. Kisses are okay. In fact I might even encourage them." Said Kate, definitely flirting with him now.
"Good to know Detective." Said Castle, reaching over again to touch her cheek, as he leaned in for a second, more lingering kiss.
"Are people staring?" Asked Kate, afraid to look out across the restaurant.
"Maybe a few." Said Castle, past caring. "But only because you look so beautiful and I'm so dashingly handsome."
"Conceited, much?" Asked Kate, swatting him on the arm. "Hey, what are these?" She asked, taking hold of his wrist to inspect the platinum cufflinks.
"They're my lucky cufflinks." He said, grinning suggestively at her.
"Lucky, huh? As in…get lucky?"
"Maybe." He twinkled back.
"Well, Mr Bond. You'd better hold that thought." Said Kate, as her phone started ringing in her clutch and she looked at it with a puzzled expression before answering, "Beckett?"
Castle trailed lazy circles up and down Kate's spine as she listened to the person at the other end of the line. He was delighted she had got the Bond reference from his Walther PPK cufflinks. What a girl.
Rick's touch was making Kate tingle all over and she had to concentrate hard to understand the ramifications of the information the phone call was delivering.
Ending the call with an "Okay, I'll be there as soon as I can." She turned to Castle and frowned. "That was Ryan. Another body's been found at the Vesuvio Playground. Karpowski's called in sick, so they need me down there. I'm going to have to go. Rick I'm so sorry."
"You mean we're going to have to go." Said Castle, already signaling their waiter to bring the check.
"Castle you don't have to come." She trailed off as he raised his index finger and pressed it gently to her lips to silence her.
"Okay, that statement is just wrong on so many levels. Firstly, I'm your partner, so why wouldn't I be there? Secondly, he's my serial killer, so ditto. Thirdly, do you think I'm going to let you out of my sight in that dress and fourthly, am I really going to sit here alone and have everyone in the restaurant think you walked out on me? Thought not. Ted's outside, so once I get the bill it'll take us ten minutes max to get to Thompson from here."
"Castle we can't turn up at a crime scene dressed like this in a chauffeur driven limo. Nah huh. No way. We said we'd keep this to ourselves for now. The way we look, we've got date written all over us. You may as well smear my lipstick on your collar and muss my hair."
"Mmmm, well as much as I like the sound of that, I think people will be too busy working to notice us turning up in a dark street, in a dark car, to see who's driving. I'll send Ted home as soon as we get there and we can get a cab back if that makes you feel any better?"
"Oh god, I don't know. Castle!" Said Kate, squirming. "I hate this." She whined, panicking already at the thought of the looks they'd get from her colleagues.
"It'll be fine Kate. You'll see. Now let's get going before you lose your nerve and that body gets any colder."
Rick finally persuaded Kate out to the waiting car by pressing how important time was in getting to the crime scene. A dirty trick, but it worked. Once they were inside, he told Ted to take them to the corner of Thompson and Spring and drop them there. Then they could enter the playground from the quieter entrance and hopefully avoid too many prying eyes.
Kate settled back in the seat. Pulling her badge out of her purse, she clipped it to the outside of the clutch. "I don't think I've ever felt less prepared to attend a crime scene. I don't even have my police note book with me."
"Allow me." Said Castle, gallantly pulling his leather bound pocket memo from his inside jacket pocket and offering it to Kate, together with a pen. "Unless you'd like me to be your stenographer?" He asked suggestively, winking at her little frown.
"The note pad will be good thanks and Castle…"
"I know. No staring, touching, ogling, stroking or other public displays of affection. I got it Beckett." He said using her surname to indicate they were back on the job.
"Thank you and before things get crazy, thank you for tonight. I had a really great time. In fact it was the best non-date date ever." Said Kate, beaming at him.
"Oh no, you said first date earlier Kate. There are no take backs on that one. And you have our second date to organize, so make it snappy."
With that Kate reached over and, cupping his face in her hands, kissed him deeply on the lips. "I won't let you down." She said, clearly meaning more than just the date.
"Good girl. Now let's get this show on the road." Replied Castle, as the car slowed to a stop.
But when they got out of the car all hell broke loose. Instead of the quiet, back door entrance they'd hoped to make, they were faced with a NY1 News crew, complete with portable lights, barreling towards them from the gates of the playground and following hot on their heels we an assortment of press journalists and photographers all baying for blood.
A/N: This was a long chapter to write, but I've decided to stop at this point, so I can focus properly on the new crime scene. I struggled a bit with Kate and Castle's angst over their dinner. The date was initially going to be a fun interlude, but it wrote itself out differently. I'm trying to keep them recognizable, so it's a slower burn than some might like, as Kate's still struggling against giving herself over to him completely. But she's getting there.
A note on the restaurant – the first time I ate at Babbo Bill & Hilary Clinton, together with Chelsea, did actually walk right past my table, complete with Secret Service agents. The bottle of wine Castle chose to accompany their meal costs $160. Oh and the black D&G dress is hanging in my closet!
Please review if you would. I love reading your comments.