Chapter 8: This is me trying
"Wait, Kate... would you like to stay for some wine?"
Kate already had her hand on the door knob when he called out for her. She wasn't expecting that. She could take the coward way out and tell him that she had an early appointment tomorrow and needed her rest. But did she want to do that?
He might be a playboy, but she had enjoyed the time they had spent together this evening after all and she didn't want it to end, no matter how irrational it sounded and how panicked she had been just minutes ago.
"Uhm I don't know, I don't want to intrude, you probably need to get some rest from that movie that you sure not wanted to watch but ended up quoting all Olaf scenes", she grinned at him quickly. But as soon as they made eye contact, she looked down, still fidgeting with the hem of her blouse, still unsure whether to accept his offer or not. Why was she acting like some young schoolgirl who had a huge crush on her teacher?
"Oh some wine would give us the perfect opportunity to talk about this movie... among other things,", he said while moving closer to her, never leaving her out of his sight. "Please?" He asked her while trying to give her his best puppy eyes which were definitely Alexis`speciality but didn't make him look any less cute.
What should she do now? She was already here... it couldn't hurt to get to know him some more and to tell him right away that she wasn't interested in a playboy like him who had some new armcandy every other week. She would just have some wine with him, talk a bit, make herself clear to him that she wasn't here for him. That she was only here for Alexis… nothing more. This sounded like a great plan in her head.
"Uhm, sure why not?!"
Castle was giving her one of his charming smiles. Who was she kidding, she wouldn't have been able to say 'no' to him anyways. She slowly took her jacket and shoes off again and moved towards the living room. She made herself comfortable on one corner of the couch, hoping that would put some space between her and the attractive host.
Short after that, a smiling and seemingly happy Richard Castle moved towards her with two glasses, filled with redwine, in his hands. He handed her one glass while positioning himself right next to her but leaving some space between them.
"I hope, red is okay?", she just nodded while taking a sip of the exquisite wine.
"Mother has a huge wine collection. This occasion calls for some good, old wine, doesn't it?", he teasingly said while taking a sip of his own wine. Kate innerly rolled her eyes and ignored his flirtious act.
"Why would your mother leave her wine collection with you?", she asked out of curiosity because it did not seem to make any sense to her. After a moment, she had an idea and started grinning. "... unless you still live with your mother?"
"I beg to differ. Mother lives with me, not the other way around", he made clear while taking a huge sip from his wine. "Lets say, she got into a disadvantageous situation, having her ex stealing all her money and making her somewhat homeless. So she moved in with me again.", he smiled.
"It's cute, you are letting your mother live with you. Alexis must love it to have her Grandma around!"
"Oh, she does! But wait until you get to know Mother... she is special in her own way. I'm pretty sure she wants to make Alexis the youngest famous Broadway star", he laughs one of his adorable laughs, causing Kate to go all weak.
"We should play 20 questions", he exclaimed excitedly while Kate just raised her eyebrow. He was surely acting like a nine year-old on a sugar rush. Noticing Kate's sceptical look, he began pouting and said in a whiny voice: "It's the best way to get to know each other, and it's fun! Come on Kate, don't be a lame teacher."
This got her. She was no boring teacher and would not let him think that about her.
"Fine...", she rolled with her eyes, watching Castle giving her one of his charming smiles and pumping his fists into the air in victory, "we will play your little game but only because I can't listen to your whining any longer and I don't want Alexis to have to witness any more of your tantrums."
"You've kinda asked me something already, so it's my turn now! What's your favorite Starbucks order?" A pouting Castle asked her, causing her to smile because she had been expecting lots of immature and sexual questions but not that kind of random question.
"If you must know, it`s a Grande skim-latte with two pumps of sugar-free vanilla to be precise.", she grins. "Let me guess , you take your coffee black..", she pauses for a moment and tries to suppress a giggle before adding: "It's simple.."
"Are you calling me easy and boring, Miss Kate", he said while raising an eyebrow playfully and emphasizing the "Miss Kate" part.
Two could play this game. "Oh what if I am, ?"
"I'm in no way easy or any boring. I could show you" Putting his wine glass slowly on the table without taking his eyes off of Kate, he inched closer to her, but still leaving enough space between them, leaving it to Kate to make the next move.
Kate could feel her cheeks heating up seeing that every move of her was being scrutinized intensely by him. What had she been thinking? She wasn't supposed to be flirting with him. She was supposed to tell him to back off…that she had no interest in him and never would have. How did she get from that to this?
Unconsciously Kate started playing with the rim of her wine glass. Castle, who sensed that she was feeling insecure and did not want to go further into the flirting, let it go, changing the subject quickly.
"Alexis tells me every day, that you are one hell of a great teacher", Kate smiled hearing that and thought of that little bundle of energy, which was fast sleep in her bedroom. "She might have told me that you moved here from California, is that right?"
"I studied in Stanford because I needed a change of scenery but it somehow pulled me back to New York after Espo and I finished our degree."
"Espo?", Castle asked quietly feeling that green monster grow inside of him. She had never commented on having a boyfriend, so he had just assumed she was in no relationship. Whoever that Espo-guy was, Castle already disliked him. Kate noticed Rick's quick change in behavior and smiled. Richard Castle, who could have any woman he desired, was acting all jealous. Of Espo?!
"Yeah, Javier Esposito, he actually started teaching at Alexis' school as well. You might get to meet him at school parties some day. We go way back" she tried to give him as less information about Espo as possible, enjoying his jealousy way too much.
"So, you two are... a thing?", he tried to sound unbothered and playful but Kate could see right through him.
"The famous Richard Castle sounds jealous to me! Sooo…. Are you?", she asked teasingly as she looked at him intensely.
"I'm not!", he said way too fast while crossing his arms in front of his chest. During the past minutes they had somehow moved closer to each other, so that their knee were almost touching. "Okay, I might be... a little jealous. But that Espo-guy sounds like a great man." Castle ensured her while looking down and hoping that Kate would not catch on his disappointment. Kate could not hold it together anymore and started laughing. After a moment, that felt like an eternity for Castle, she stopped, trying to catch her breath. Doing so, she had apparently moved even closer to Castle and had gripped onto Castle's left arm. Noticing that, she shyly looked into Rick's eyes, but not letting go of him. He smiled at her as if silently approving her actions.
"I'm so sorry, but you should have seen your face!", Kate had a hard time to restrain from laughing again, especially now that Rick was pouting again. "Espo is my best friend. We've got each other's back. He is family, he is like a brother to me." As Kate gently squeezed Castle's arm, he put his hand on top of hers, not taking his eyes off of hers. Both of them could feel little sparks fly between them. They were sitting so close to each other, they could feel each others body heat. They simply had to lean for and their foreheads would be touching.
"Speaking of family, I've told you so much about my family, you must have heard enough. Tell me a bit about yours, do you still have teaparties with your dad?", he asked teasingly, while gently stroking her hand with his thumb. Little did he know what damage that question would cause.
All of a sudden the color drained from her face, leaving her all pale, her hands started shaking and her breathing frequency increased. She should have thought about this before agreeing to this. Of course he would be asking about her family... She should have known!
Although everything happened 6 years ago, she still couldn't talk about it. The only person that knew about this was Espo... she hadn't even told the men, she had been dating back then. No matter how close she had been to them, one foot always stayed out of the door.
Not to spill the small amount of wine, which was left in the glass, she hastily put the glass back onto the table, trying to steady herself in the process. She pulled her shaking hand back from underneath Castle's and absently checked her father's watch, searching for an excuse how to leave with the small amount of dignity she had left.
"Uhm, I'm sorry, Rick. I have to go. Early meeting tomorrow." While talking she ran towards the door and put on her shoes and jacket. "I had a pleasant evening with Alexis, please tell her that", she begged him in a shaky voice.
Not knowing what was happening, Rick followed her quickly. Before she could reach for the door and open it, he got a hold of her hand, turning her gently around to face him.
Castle moved closer to her, trapping her between his body and the door in a protective way. In a way to comfort her, he cupped her right cheek in his palm and caressed it softly, noticing her eyes watering up.
"Kate, wait. Did I do something wrong?", he whispered worried. Not letting him ask any further questions, she gently pushed him away, opened the door and walked out without turning back again, leaving a confused and worried Castle behind.
Tears were brimming at her eyes, blurring her vision as she tried to get out of the building.
Once she was outside, she ran as fast as she could. Barely making it around the corner, she completely broke down.
AN: Oooops! What will happen next? Will they get to talk to each other again and will Kate tell him about her family or will she avoid him?
Stay tuned! See ya next week.
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