A/N: I was drunk when I wrote this. I think it holds up though.


Kevin was about to have a panic attack. He could stare down the barrel of a gun without so much as breaking a sweat, but tonight he was going on a first date. That was significantly more terrifying. After Gwen's pep talk, he had spent several days ruminating on her advice. When he reviewed his happiest moments since his divorce, he had recognized a trend. Alexis.

It wasn't just the moments he'd spent with her. Sex with an indescribably gorgeous young woman was an obvious highlight, but less expected was the indirect interactions they'd had. The little notes she had left him and the time he'd spent thinking about her weighed on him just as heavily. Everything just felt lighter in her presence, and he liked who he was around the young woman.

When Alexis had first given him her phone number, Kevin didn't plan on using it. He never should have had fucked her in the bathroom at the Old Haunt. He had been able to forgive himself for the first time. After all, it had been an accident and he'd lost count of the drinks he'd had that night. The night of Castle's Christmas party he'd only had three beers, and with his tolerance that was practically nothing. That time he'd known exactly what he was doing when he'd pulled his friend's daughter into the bar bathroom and had his way with her.

At first, he'd felt guilty about what he'd done, and a small part of him still did, but his sister had convinced him he deserved pursue what would made him happy, and Alexis was a key piece of that. So, Kevin had texted her. He reached out at the exact moment the new year started, wanting to let the redhead know that she was on his mind. A few days later, he called to ask her out.

It was a few days into January, and Kevin was making good use of his lunch break. While he made a quick run to Remy's to pick up burgers for himself and Esposito, he decided to finally make the call he'd been putting off. He'd programmed Alexis's number into his phone the same night she'd given it to him but hadn't gathered the nerve to actually dial it yet.

He paced outside the diner, while he waited for Alexis to pick up. It rang several times, and Kevin prepared himself to leave the world's most awkward voicemail, but then she answered.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Alexis. It's Kevin," he started tentatively.

"Kevin, hi! I've been hoping to hear from you," Alexis responded enthusiastically, reassuring the detective that the young woman would be receptive to his advances.

He had never been particularly smooth when it came to asking out women, but in his experience, they usually found that endearing. The understated charm paired well with his boyish features. Kevin wasn't sure if that helped or hurt him considering the woman in question was eleven years younger than him, and he was very out of practice, so he wasn't feeling too confident.

"Oh, that's good," he said, more to himself than her. "I was just calling to see if you're free to get together tomorrow night."

"For you, I can be free tomorrow night," Alexis suggestively replied, unknowingly earning her a smile from her nervous admirer.

"Wow, great!" Kevin let out a sigh of relief at her agreement. "I'll come by your place at 7:30. Just text me your address before then."

"I'm looking forward to it!" Alexis sounded downright chipper at their newly made plans. "Kevin, I've got to run. My next class is about to start, but I'll see you tomorrow!"

"See you tomorrow, Alexis," he ended the phone call with that goodbye. He resisted the urge to pump his fist in victory, not wanting to make a spectacle out of himself where he stood on the sidewalk, but Kevin was giddy. He had a date tomorrow night with an amazing woman. Things were looking up.

Kevin's positive outlook had faded as the nerves set in. The closer to Alexis's apartment he had gotten, the more terrified he had become and now he was standing in front of her building gathering the courage to go inside and pick her up for their date.

He'd made a reservation at a nice Italian restaurant and wore one of his nicest suits, along with a blue shirt and tie his mom always told him made his eyes pop. Kevin had endured teasing from Esposito at work all day for 'playing dress up' but it was worth it to make a good impression on Alexis for their first date. The last first date he had been on was years ago, and he was sure he was going to mess it up somehow.

The elevator ride felt eternal as he rode his way up to Alexis's floor. Thankfully she'd sent him her address as requested, saving him the trouble of having to look it up on one of the databases at work. He made his way down the long hall, finding the door to her unit at the far end. Kevin internally recited the refrain that he'd been repeating all day in preparation: You can do this. She likes you. Everything's fine.

Kevin knocked. He heard footsteps on the other side of the door and braced himself for her to open it, but nothing could have prepared him for the sight that met him. Alexis answered the door wearing nothing but a sheer, black negligee and a sultry smile.

"Oh, shit," he muttered absently.

He was stunned by the risqué greeting. Kevin hadn't anticipated her being so forward, and he honestly didn't know what to make of it. Part of him appreciated the brazen display, how could it not, but he already felt like they had gone about things backwards, and he wanted to take tonight to talk and get to know Alexis better. When she waved her hand in front of his face, he realized that he was just standing in her doorway gawking at her.

"I'm flattered, but why are you so shocked?" Alexis questioned him, grabbing one of his hands and pulling him into her home. "It's not like you haven't seen it before."

Kevin finally brought his gaze up to meet hers, managing to tear his eyes away from all the tantalizing flesh that was visible to him. "Oh, um, I just thought we were going out," he told her. "I made reservations at Via Carota in the West Village."

Now it was Alexis's turn to look shocked and he couldn't believe he'd managed to screw up so quickly. "Okay, I'm confused," the young redhead tilted her head as she spoke to him. "I thought this was a booty call."

Kevin felt like such an idiot. He'd shot himself in the foot before the date even started, since she hadn't been able to tell he was asking her out. He knew he was off his game, but he couldn't believe it had gotten this bad. He'd had more charisma in middle school.

"Crap, I'm even more rusty at this than I thought," he noted, running his hand through his hair nervously. "I was trying to ask you out to dinner, but clearly I failed to make that evident when I called you."

The bright smile that spread over Alexis's face did a lot to alleviate Kevin's embarrassment. "Then I think you should try again," the young woman suggested to him.

He took both her hands in his, looked into her eyes, and asked, "Alexis, would you like to have dinner with me tonight?"

"I would love to," she beamed up at him. "I guess that means I should put on some real clothes now."

Blood rushed to her cheeks, making them flush, something Kevin had grown quite fond of seeing, especially when it was directed towards him. Alexis started making her way towards a door that he assumed led to her bedroom. Before she could make it a few steps into the living room, he stopped her.

"Alexis," she turned at the sound of him calling her name. "Who calls a day in advance to schedule a booty call so early in the evening?" he questioned, holding in his laughter.

She blushed at him again. "I don't know!" she exclaimed, halfheartedly stamping her foot and flailing her arms as she did so. "I've never had one before, so I was making an educated guess," she defended herself.

In two strides, Kevin closed the distance between them. His hand found her waist, and he pulled Alexis close, fusing his lips to hers in a fierce kiss. Their tongues battled for dominance and hands immediately began to wander. He could feel himself getting pulled into the haze of lust, but her hands going straight for his belt buckle startled him enough to regain his focus for just a second. That was all he needed to clear his head and step back from the tempting woman he was entangled with.

"As much as I enjoyed that, you need to get dressed if we want to make our reservation," he checked his watch, confirming the time. A smirk spread over Kevin's face as he continued, "I promise I will never ask you to put clothes on again."

He leaned in to plant one more peck on her lips before using his hands on her hips to turn her in the direction of her bedroom. She giggled at his handling of her, before scurrying off to change. Kevin used the few minutes alone to gather his thoughts. The night had gotten off to a rocky start, but he'd managed to course correct and now things looked promising.

He hoped she wasn't feeling roped into a date that he'd sprung on her. It wasn't typical first date conversation, but due to the circumstances in which they knew each other, Kevin felt obligated to be very upfront about his intentions. He was hopeful that if they made it through the night, this could turn into something really great.


A/N: I can't tell if parts of this story are funny, or if I'm delusional. It's probably the second one.

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