CLOSE TO YOU
CHAPTER THREE

She can't sleep.

By the time she'd returned home it had been after 10:30, and she'd been so exhausted from the day that she'd gone straight to bed. But as soon as the light was out, she'd been wide awake.

Every time she closes her eyes, she sees his face. His smile, his soft eyes, the warmth of his fingers, it haunts her.

She's been so convinced that she doesn't have time for a relationship, that she wouldn't be able to give her partner the attention he'd deserve.

But she's starting to think that Rick could be worth it.

At some point she hears a ping from her bedside table, and she grabs her phone quickly, her mind automatically expecting it to be an emergency with Reagan. She sits up, turns on the light with one hand as she swipes her thumb across her phone screen to unlock it.

Her lips curl in a smile when she sees that it's not from her dad, in fact, but from Rick.

I'm sure you're asleep, and I'm sorry if this wakes you, but I wanted to tell you I had a great time tonight.

She reaches up and twists a lock of hair around her finger, warmth surging through her despite it being almost three. She almost puts her phone back down, wanting to think of something clever to respond, but before she does, she remembers that it will show she read his message. She doesn't want him to think that she's ignoring him, so she types a quick reply.

I had a great time, too.

Dots appear almost immediately, and she can't help but chuckle at his reply.

Thought you were tired, or were you just sick of being around me? ;)

She rolls her eyes.

I can't sleep. I definitely still wish I was with you.

She wishes she could take it back as soon as she hits send. God, how will he take that? She just means that she wanted to keep hanging out rather than go home, nothing more.

She lifts her gaze, stares at the opposite wall, lost in thought.

Or did she?

Why, Captain Beckett, are you saying you want to stay overnight with me?

She bites her bottom lip.

Well…she doesn't NOT want to spend the night with him.

Take me out again, and we'll see. ;)

Several seconds pass before he responds, and she lets out a shaky breath when she reads his words.

You wouldn't regret it.

No, she imagines she would enjoy every minute.

"Hi Mommy!"

Kate presses the back of her hand against her mouth, covering a wide yawn as her daughter collides with her legs. She and Rick had texted until almost four, when she'd finally drifted off, only to be woken by the harsh blare of her alarm at eight.

Jim smirks as he moves past them, Reagan's backpack slung over his shoulder. When Kate meets his gaze he quirks a brow, but he doesn't comment on her obvious late night, doesn't question why she looks like she just got out of bed.

To be fair, Kate mulls, she did just get out of bed, had just enough time to brush her teeth before the knock on her door. She hasn't even made coffee yet.

"Hi, sweetie," she murmurs, cupping the back of Reagan's head. "Did you have fun with Grandpa?"

Reagan looks up at her with a wide grin. "Yeah, we made dino nuggies and watched Nemo, and Grandpa even painted my nails!" She holds out her hand and wiggles her fingers, and Kate glances up at her dad.

"They're so sparkly," she observes, grinning. "He sure did a great job."

Jim heads towards the coffee maker and grabs a mug out of the cupboard, puts a pod in and turns it on. "And she even went to bed at a decent hour," he calls out, getting creamer out of the refrigerator. "She was asleep by eight."

When it's done, Kate accepts the coffee from him and manages to extract Reagan from her legs. "Wow," she drawls, "I'm impressed." She motions to the couch. "Can you stay for breakfast, Dad?"

Reagan turns to him. "Yeah, Grandpa, can you?"

"Sure, I have some time." He makes his own cup of coffee and follows Kate and Reagan into the living room. "How was your evening?" he asks with a twinkle in his eye.

Kate gives him what she hopes is a stern warning look. Reagan talks about Rick constantly, always asks if they can go to the café to see him, so Kate hadn't told her that she was meeting up with Rick, not wanting her to get her hopes up in case she'd had a terrible time and didn't want to see him again.

In hindsight, she wonders why she would ever think that.

She curls her legs under her. "It was good."

"What did you do?" Reagan asked.

"Well," Kate says, turning to her daughter, "I had dinner with a friend-"

"Rick?"

Kate chuckles. "Yes, actually, Rick," she admits. "We had dinner, and I came home after." She adds the second part for her dad's benefit, not that he would judge - she does have a child, after all, he knows how that happened - but that doesn't mean he needs to know about her sex life.

Reagan bounces on her knees, and Kate puts a stern hand on her shoulder to get her to stop. "Can we see Rick today, Mommy?" she almost shouts.

Kate winces and squeezes her daughter's shoulder. "Not today." When Reagan pouts, she gives her a reassuring smile. "But I'll text him and see if he's free tomorrow?" she suggests.

When she looks up at her dad she feels her cheeks flush at the knowing look in his eye. "We had a lot of fun," she admits in a quiet voice.

Jim nods. "I'm glad, Katie." He reaches out and pats her hand, then stands. "I'll start breakfast."

By the time the following Saturday rolls around, Kate is pacing through her apartment, an utter ball of nerves and anxiety. She's been this way for three days, since Rick had called her with an apology on Wednesday. He hadn't been at the café all week, and probably wouldn't as he'd been roped into volunteer duty at Alexis's school.

Between multiplication tables and two field trips, he'd explained, he couldn't work much during the day, so he was putting in his hours at night. But he'd asked to see her that weekend, and they'd agreed on Saturday night.

The silence in her apartment as she waits is deafening. Reagan is already at Kate's dad's for a sleepover, and Kate is dressed and ready for the evening. Rick hadn't told her what he'd planned, had only said that casual dress would be fine, so she's wearing a dark green sweater, ankle boots, and a pair of skinny jeans that she knows make her ass look amazing.

And she doesn't have to pick up her daughter until morning, so her apartment will be empty all night.

She expels that thought immediately.

Although they'd admitted their growing feelings for each other after dinner the previous week, and reiterated it over their late night text conversation, she has no idea of Rick's intentions tonight. He hasn't said it's a date, but he also hasn't gone out of his way to assure her that it isn't. For all she knows, he's taking her out to end things.

There are no things, she reminds herself, pressing the heel of her hand to her forehead. God, she's an anxious mess. It's a wonder anyone would want to be her.

Or - she looks up in horror when there's a knock on the door - perhaps he does want her, mess and all.

That's more terrifying than the prospect of continuing to be alone.

She takes a deep breath, swiping her palms on her jeans before glancing through the peephole. It's hard to tell with the distortion, but Rick almost looks…nervous?

She opens the door to find him running his hand through his hair, and when the interruption leaves his hairs sticking up in several directions, her nerves evaporate and she chuckles. "Some last minute styling?" she teases, stepping aside to let him in.

Rick's cheeks flush, but the corner of his mouth curls in a smirk, and it takes every ounce of her power not to drag him to her bed and have her wicked way with him.

Instead, she shuts the door behind him. "I just need to grab my coat." She motions to her outfit as she turns to go back to her room. "Is what I'm wearing okay?"

Rick doesn't respond, and when she glances back at him, her breath catches in her throat at the almost predatory look on his face. His eyes are locked on her ass, his gaze dark, and if she'd been unsure of his feelings towards her, there's zero doubt now.

Her body warms when he licks his lips, and she imagines that tongue trailing along her skin, his large hands following. She gives her head a light shake, banishing the desire out of her mind.

No, they have plans now. The time for fantasizing is later, in the darkness of her room, when her imagination won't let her sleep.

Seeming to pull himself out of his trance, Rick clears his throat and lifts his gaze to hers. "Sorry," he husks. "What you're wearing is perfect. You look great."

Kate offers him a small smile. "Thanks. So do you." She ducks into her room, tugs on her coat, and takes his offered arm when she's back at the door. "Shall we?"

Rick chuckles, but the glance at her mouth betrays him, and she wonders just how similar their thoughts are, if he's thinking the same dirty things as she.

He clears his throat again and leads her out the door. "We shall."

"Thank you for dinner," Kate says as they leave the restaurant a few hours later. She pulls her gloves from her pockets, slips them on, and turns back to glance at Rick. "You really didn't have to pay, though," she adds.

Rick's cheeks flush; from the cold air or her words, she isn't sure. When the bill had arrived, he'd snatched it up, had his card ready before she even blinked. She'd offered to leave the tip - she's far too independent not to at least offer - but he'd simply stared at her, his silent message loud and clear.

Now, he grips her elbow, firm but not hard, and guides her away from the door.

She has to crane her neck to look in his eyes, and she's surprised to see that he looks stern, the normal bright blue dulled. "Is something wrong?" she asks, immediately assuming the worst.

He shakes his head. "No. But I need to make sure we're on the same page. This is a date, Kate." The corner of his mouth quirks, presumably at the rhyme. He trails his hand down her arm to her hand, and he tangles his fingers with her, eventually grips her palm and tugs her into him. "At least, it is to me. We'll move at your pace, and that includes me backing away if you want. But I'm treating tonight like a date." He bends down so their noses are almost touching. "That means I pay."

"Oh," Kate breathes. She'd assumed that was his intention - the date, not necessarily him footing the bill - but until now, neither of them had made that clear.

"I'm not saying you have to be exclusive," he continues. "You're more than welcome to talk to other guys if you so desire. But I won't. You're the only woman I want."

Somehow, Kate manages to swallow, her mouth suddenly dry. She's never been one for sweeping romantic gestures or big speeches, but being told that she controls the pace of the relationship, that he'd essentially wait for her, might be one of the most romantic things someone's ever said to her.

As she tightens her grip on his hand and starts to lean forward, a car horn blares nearby, and she jumps back as if she's been caught sneaking around. "There's no one else," she says, stepping back into him when he wraps his arm around her back.

He grins and lowers his head, his eyes fluttering shut, his intent to kiss her obvious. And she wants to kiss him, desperately - and do much, much more if her recent dreams are any indication - but a nagging thought in the back of her mind has her pressing her palm against his chest, pushing him back a few inches.

"You have a kid."

He opens his eyes and tilts his head, obviously confused. "So do you."

"What if they don't like each other?"

He blinks several times. "I…"

"I'm sure Alexis is great, and Reagan loves everyone, but they're, what, four years apart in age? What if we introduce them and they hate each other, or Alexis hates me?" She's rambling, she knows, but she can't stop herself and steps out of his arms. "It wouldn't be fair to them, or to us, if we pursued a relationship without knowing how they'll get along."

"Okay," Rick finally interrupts, lifting his hands to cup her jaw. His thumbs brush across her cheeks and his gaze is so soft, so tender, that she almost melts in his arms. "For the record, Alexis won't hate you, or Reagan. There's no way anyone could hate you," he adds, his lips curling into a smile. "You and Reagan are two of the most lovable people I've ever met."

Kate's cheeks warm despite the cold night air.

"Since you're concerned," he continues, "we should all do something, the four of us. Why don't you two come over for dinner? Are you free tomorrow?"

She shakes her head, her heart sinking. "Sorry, we're not. We're going with my dad to the zoo and then having dinner. I'd offer to reschedule, but-"

"No, don't worry about it," Rick interrupts, waving his hand as if to dismiss her concern. "Next weekend?"

"Sure." She shivers when a cold gust of wind sneaks under her coat, and she looks around, realizes that they're almost in the middle of the sidewalk. "Maybe we can go someplace warmer to compare our calendars?" she suggests, extracting herself from Rick's arms and shoving her hands in her pockets.

Rick gives her a slow grin. "There's a dessert bar on the next block. You down?"

"Absolutely."

"Oh my God," Kate moans a short time later, her eyes almost rolling back in her head. "This is amazing."

Rick grins and wipes the corners of his mouth. "Told you," he teases, nudging her foot under the table.

Kate nudges his foot back. "Yeah, yeah, don't get cocky." She slides her fork through the cheesecake and takes another bite. "You know," she adds, swallowing before she continues, "it might be the best I've ever had."

Rick takes his own bite. "You're right. It's even better than mine."

"You bake?" Kate asks after waiting a moment to see if he's still teasing.

"Yeah. Alexis inherited my sweet tooth, so I watched a bunch of Food Network and YouTube videos," he explains. "It's cheaper than always having to go to the bakery." He glances up, his eyes glancing at her fork, frozen halfway to her mouth. "You okay?"

Kate blinks and lowers the fork. "Yeah, I just…" She shrugs. "I don't know, it's just surprising."

"What, that I taught myself how to bake? It's really not that impressive. I'm good enough to please my daughter but I'm not joining any competitions any time soon."

"No, not that." She sighs and leans back. "I just don't know many men who would do that, even for their kid. Other guys I've dated would have been perfectly happy just supplying storebought cupcakes."

Rick grins. "Well, I can be a little extra. You'll get used to it," he adds, reaching across the table and covering her hand with his.

Kate has to bite the inside of her cheek to stop from grinning at his words. He's going to charm the pants off her if she's not careful.

Well, she decides when his gaze flicks to her mouth and darkens, it probably won't take that much.