Starting with Dessert
"Splish-Splash I was taking a bath..."
Kate finds herself quietly singing the silly diddy to herself as she walks into her room to get dressed. It was Castle's fault of course. He'd started saying it under his breath while he's been washing her hair. Only he'd changed "I" to "Beckett's." Her eyes had been closed, so she couldn't quite tell how deliberate he was being, but it made her smile all the same. After a minute or so she decided he wasn't being deliberate at all. He was sort of unconsciously humming, saying words here and there as his fingers massaged her scalp and combed through her curls.
"Tilt your head back, Kate. "
He'd spoken quietly and when she did as asked, warm water, starting from the front edges of her scalp, cascaded down her back without a single drop in her eyes. She'd blinked up at him then, but he'd been focused on his rinsing and hadn't noticed. She'd never forget that furrowed brow and blissful smile. She'd been thinking about splashing him, but instead closed her eyes again. She saved the splashing until after he'd wrapped her head in a towel, and seemed to have thought he was going help her out the tub to wrap her up in another one. At that point she'd managed to get him so soaked that he'd had no choice but to undress and dry off. He made a show of starting to do a striptease, and honestly the idea had held much appeal. Instead she'd grabbed her hair dryer and told him to take a quick shower himself - promising to go down and get his spare clothes out of the Crown Vic.
She remembers that first rain-soaked, mud-splashed chase through Central Park, when he'd convinced her that he should let him keep a spare of clothes in the trunk along with his "Writer" vest. In his annoying but persuasive manner he'd pointed out that since he wasn't official , he had no police locker to store extra clothes. Besides, even Beckett kept an old NYPD sweatshirt back there. Tonight, she's glad she'd gone along with it...not that she'd mind him walking around in a towel, but it will make things easier tomorrow if he's not seen in the same clothes. Tonight has been a long time in the making, but she's not sure if she'll be ready to announce to the entire precinct the change in her relationship with Castle. Him showing up in the same clothes, and being entirely too happy would certainly spark some questions. (She, of course, has always been able to hide that 'just got laid' glow.)
She holds up the red bra he's seen once before, years ago, on a case that made her briefly have to play a Russian harlot. She's sure the memory would get him extra hot-n-bothered, but she puts it aside. Not when his hands have so lovingly caressed her body, albeit while holding a washcloth and cleansing her skin. No, tonight is just for them: Kate and Rick, no pretenses, no hints of their undercover games. She wants him to have no doubts that it's all her that has this overwhelming love and desire - for him.
She puts down the red, and picks up a simple satin navy blue. NYPD blue, true blue...Beckett blue. She smiles as she slips it on and fastens the front clasp. It makes her feel incredibly sexy and turned on to be choosing lingerie with him in mind. Stepping into the tiny matching panties she debates if she'll wear heels in the apartment. She'd caught his reaction when she'd come out the pool in L.A. and imagines his reaction to the visual of her in heels, this little ensemble, and nothing else would be even more appreciated. Especially since it'd be for his eyes only. Granted, she hadn't been shot back then, hadn't had a knife slice running down her side...she brushes the thought aside. Rick's already seen her scars and washed them clean. There's nothing she needs to hide or disguise.
While quickly blow-dries her hair - nothing fancy, she lets it keep its curl - she ponders all the times she's felt his eyes on her like that day. There was the night she drove his Ferrari... God, there've been so many times she's teased him with her body, given him come-hither looks, and words full of sexual innuendo - with no intention of following through. Flirting with him is what it was. She realizes that now, even when she thought it was just about gaining the upper-hand in some situation or another.
Kate smiles knowingly at herself in the mirror, because tonight is all about the follow through. Still smiling, she fluffs out her mostly dry tresses and does a few swipes of her basic make-up. Walking over to her closet, she ponders her seduction. Easy on, easy off... A midnight blue sweater dress catches her attention, its loose fit, Bateau neckline and long Raglan sleeves are simple and comfy. She usually wears it with leggings or jeans because it hits high on her 5'9" frame - not quite mid thigh. Not tonight. She slips the sweater over her head, and dons a pair of 4 inch shiny, candy-apple red, "fuck me" heels. She takes a final look in the mirror, and grins. Oh, yeah, tonight he's getting all the come-on she's capable of, only with the absolute intention of taking everything he wants to give her. A hot shiver runs through her body. She'd better go get those clothes, because if she DOES catch him in just a towel, those clothes of his will stay in the car all night.
C&B&K&R&B&C&R&K
At first Castle let the shower run comfortably warm. However, it became apparent that getting too comfortable let his mind drift, and what it drifted to was Kate. Kate's smooth skin, soft shoulders, slender yet strong arms. The slope of her breasts, the scar on her chest...he's got sex on his mind and "s" words are filling his brain. Her silky hair... He turned the water to cold.
He hoped she hadn't heard his high-pitched yelp as his warm shower turned to ice. With any luck she was already getting dressed in her bed...room. Martha. Think about Martha. His mother would find this situation highly amusing. Martha. There, that was better. Ironically, he'd had better control of his southward thoughts when she'd been there with him. The bath thing really had been a fantasy of his. He'd daydreamed of having her relaxed and trusting of him. To be able to touch her freely and know that she KNEW he wouldn't try to push, that wasn't always a kid on a sugar-rush. It meant alot to him.
WHY it meant alot, he wasn't sure. His antics were just part of the Castle charm, and that was what women fell for, even her. Still, she was different for him...or maybe he was different. He didn't want to be wanted just because he was "charming." That was a part of him, yes. He'd cultivated that part of himself and created his playboy exterior out of it. He'd lived in that persona for so long that when the feelings he had for Kate had started to become more than sexual it had confused and surprised him. Sure, he had always been "a nice guy." The fact that his ex-wife was still his publisher attested to his ability to end relationships well. He never saw a reason to be deliberately mean or cruel, and treated whatever woman he was with well. Still...he'd never wanted to give a woman a bubble bath without being in the tub with said woman. Yeah...Kate was different.
Turning off the water Castle hears the faint buzz of Kate's hair dryer. He wonders if that means she's dressed...or not. Oh, Fuck. It hasn't been even an hour since he'd come, and harder than he can ever remember. Yeah, thinking about THAT wasn't helping. He turns back on the ice water and grimacing, steps back in. Not that he wasn't accustom to being able to do a few rounds in night. 40 or not, Little Ricky was still pretty energetic that way. However, being brought to full attention with just the thought of her...Uhmm...it was so tempting to just let his hand drop down and - "
"CASTLE, I'm heading down to get your clothes out the car! "
Oh, thank God. A distraction. He needs to get out of this shower!
'Kay!"
He hears the door slam shut, and with it, some of the tension leaves his body. Quickly he turns off the shower and dries off. His shirt is pretty useless without the buttons. He thinks about going commando with just his slacks, but really, he's had them on all day. The smart thing to do would be to just wait there in the bathroom until Beckett brought his clothes up.
That's when his stomach growled. Dinner. Maybe he could just wrap up in the towel and go puruse the take out menu.
Kate's towels are white, long, fluffy, and wide. She must like wrapping up in them, and with her long legs... HEIGHT, with her HEIGHT, the larger towel would stay securely around her while keeping her covered in all the right places. He's able to tie it around his waist with just a tiny sliver of thigh showing through on the side.
Walking across her living room his eyes dart to the scene of the crime, so to speak. His gift to her is still on the coffee table and as he thinks about his evening thus far he can't help but wonder if they really did have magical powers...
His stomach growls again. Maybe Beckett has some snack food?
That's when he remembers that he'd brought dessert. A grin lights up his face as he sees the box is still sitting on the counter. She hadn't even opened it, which is probably a good thing. He'd stopped in Little Italy and gotten a box full of italian pastry. Cannolis and Biscotii, an assortment of cookies, and two delectable pieces of tiramisu. He's quickly standing in her kitchen opening the box and grabbing a cannoli. He bites into it and groans. They are so good!
He's so wrapped up in savorying the sugary treat that misses the sound of the key turning in the front door lock.
"Couldn't wait for dessert, Ricky?
He nearly chokes on the cannoli, and Kate chuckles. She's wearing that cream-colored coat of hers and carrying his small duffel bag.
"I, I didn't hear you come in."
She's lowered her eyes and is biting her lip in that way she does when she's holding back a thought, usually something she finds amusing. However, when she looks up he sees the smoky darkness that he now recognizes as Kate being turned on. Her eyes are taking in the towel, his chest, his shoulders, and then finally meet his eyes.
"I can see that."
She lets the duffel bag drop to the floor and slips off her coat. She's gorgeous in some kind of blue sweater thingy that's barely covering her thighs. Her legs go on for days into...red high-heeled shoes.
"I see you also like my dress."
He nods.
She's smiling that secret, oh, so sexy smile again as she walks towards him.
"I thought it would be nice for dinner."
"It's...very nice."
"Yes, but since we're gonna be starting with dessert..."
She pulls on a sleeve, then the other, sliding her arms out. A little shimmy and the dress slides to floor. Rick drops the cannoli.
"It's really not...appropriate."
Her voice is husky as she speaks, but he can't breathe, nevermind answer her. His brain is on overload with blue satin, red pumps, and everything inbetween. The blood that started rushing down from his brain continues even faster as she turns and starts walking away, the view from behind somehow even more arousing and it makes him gasp.
"Kate."
He can barely get the word out.
She doesn't even look back.
"Time for dessert, Ricky...and oh,"
She glances over her shoulder then, and her eyes dance with mischief.
"You can bring the pastries along if you want."
C&B&K&R&B&C
Thanks for all the reviews and follows! I'm glad people are enjoying this. I SWEAR, I don't mean to be a tease. :D. I promised two chapters...but the two ended up merging into one. However, I promise, the next chapter is ALL ABOUT "dessert," and i should be up in a week or so. Happy 2012 Castle fans! Who else can't wait 'till January 9th!
Also, thanks for all the prays and messages about my health. I'm having surgery on January 18th. I have a great team of doctors and while it's still a hard thing to be going through, I'm going to be fine at the end of it. Funny thing, like Beckett, I too think having Castle around does make things a bit easier. Never underestimate the value of great entertainment! :)