Once Lost But Now Found
Chapter 10 – A Night On the Town
Kate gets a call from Roz Karpowski on Saturday morning after Rick and her have their first breakfast upon her return that night before.
"Kate, we are all meeting up at Studio, a local hot spot for drinking and dancing tonight, can you make it?"
"Who's going?"
"All of us, including Edwards who insisted that I call you and let you know of our get together."
"So Espo, Ryan, Edwards, Demming, and us girls?"
"Yeah, we all want to let off some steam from the Academy pressures, so be prepared to go a little crazy. If you want, bring Castle."
"I don't know if we can get a sitter."
"Well if you get one, you can come as a couple, Anne is bringing her significant other, Paul, and Demming is bringing a hot date. So you won't be alone. Otherwise, there are enough singles, you won't feel out of place."
"Sure, what time?"
"Nine-ish, there about, club should just be getting hot just about then."
"Okay, see you there."
They had managed to get Kate's father, Jim Beckett, to baby sit for his grand daughter. Martha was on tour. Jim was more than happy to do so, and it also allowed Kate and Rick some alone time together once again, but in some-what of a romantic setting. Jim was secretly wanting them to get more serious with one another and he was giving them every opportunity for that.
Rick wore his Armani sports jacket with matching trousers, and his blue silk shirt, no tie, the shirt unbuttoned down to his second button. He was ruggedly handsome and sexy in this attire; looking every bit the charmer of his reputation. Kate wore her long sleeved sequined black dress, low V cut just to the bottom of her breasts, and exposing the sides of her breast with a tantalizingly teasing view of her cleavage. The hemline was mid thigh length, exposing her long and sensuous legs. She accented her dress with four inch black stiletto heels making her appear taller than she really is. As black dresses go, Kate's gave her an extremely sexy aura that spoke to her hotness. They were a handsome pair and had the look of a serious couple. Kate was feeling attractive and drawn to Rick in much the same way she had been that first night they met and then slept together.
Rick likewise felt the tension between them.
Despite this unresolve sexual tension between them, Rick had asked her to give them time to see where they were going. Kate revealing that she wanted to commit to an exclusive relationship sooner rather than later. Still, Rick was hesitant to do so as he was still healing from his divorce from Meredith and wanted to play it safe with Kate. Nothing spells 'caution' like a badly failed first marriage and nasty divorce. Rick want his second time to be lasting. He was being 'smart' with Kate in this 'relationship'. He needed the time to get over his brutal divorce and betrayal by Meredith. He would not rush into a exclusive commitment with Kate only to have it crash. Rick would not be a two time loser in marriage, and would be careful this time around.
At Studio, The Club
When they got to the club, it was slamming. It was a good thing the group had gotten a table and saved a seat for them. Otherwise Kate and Rick would have been SRO. Quick introductions were made. Edwards was looking over Castle, as well as Demming, each trying to assess the competition Rick offered to them both if they pursued Kate in earnest.
Edwards felt a little intimidated by Castle. Rick after all was wearing an Armani sports coat, Ferragamo shoes with matching belt, and a Rolex watch on his left wrist. He was every inch the image of the wealthy, handsome playboy author of his reputation. Demming likewise saw Castle as a viable obstacle for Kate's affection. For Demming, though, he just wanted to sleep with her until he lost interest in her. Then he would dump her and on to another conquest. Demming also welcomed the challenge of besting Rick Castle at the game of 'the chase' with Kate. Edwards on the other hand was seeking redemption from Kate for having broken up with her in the first place, by cheating on her. Thus ending the relationship some time ago. Brent was wanting a second chance with Kate.
The Castle bearing, ease, and confidence, was attractive for all the girls in their group and to the female club crowd as a whole. Even Demming's hot date, one Sophia Turner, also in law enforcement, was interested and shamelessly flirted with Castle, despite being with Demming. Paul Whittaker, Anne's BF noticed how all girls were drawn to Castle including Anne to a certain degree. Still Paul knew where he stood with Anne and so was not as intimidated in Rick's presence, like Edwards and Demming. After a few fast paced dances with all the males in their group, the girls excused themselves to freshen up in the Ladies Room. Roz and Lanie managed to get Kate alone with them.
"Girl, you better stake your claim on Rick, that man is one hunk of fine American male", says Lanie.
"Yeah", responds Roz, "every girl in the club had eyes on him when you two came in. Did you catch Demming's reaction to Sophia flirting openly with Castle. If looks could kill, Demming would be in cuffs."
"Kate, you hit the mother lode with Rick, why are you holding back Girl?", Lanie exclaims.
"If Rick were with me, he would never see daylight. I would be knocking boots with him 24/7", Roz says.
"Please stop. What Rick and I have is complicated. You two are not helping."
"Ain't nothing complicated in that man. He is one tall drink to quench your thirst", Lanie explains, "and you have an edge. He is your baby daddy."
"Stop it Lanie. I want Rick to be with me because he wants to and not because he got me pregnant."
"Oh Kate, ever the idealist", Roz says in wonder, "that man is hot for you. So go for it."
Kate is silent and does not respond, but gives a glare to Roz.
"Come on Kate, let's get back before some other woman sinks her hooks in your man", Lanie declares.
Kate rolls her eyes in response to Lanie's declaration. The eye roll was fast becoming the signature Beckett response when she heard an unwanted comment aboutherself from the group…the eye roll which was now a customary look for her with her group of classmates.
The academy ladies get back to their table and see a circle of other women around it. Castle is signing autographs. As he hands them back to each requestor, it is greeted with sighs, giggles and a throaty 'Thank You' to Rick. With the academy girls arriving at their table, the other fan girls get stares from them, which they fully understand. The fan girls exit the scene meekly as if they had been caught breaking some universal girl code about stealing another woman's date.
"Well, I see female fans are here in droves drooling over you, Rick", she tells him trying to get a rise from Castle.
"Kate, it's an occupational hazard that comes with the fame and attention of being a popular author. I needed to ensure they got my autograph to keep my fans interested. It's good for book sales."
"So that's your story Castle?"
"Kate with their attention on me, it keeps you and Alexis off page six."
"Oh, I forgot about that!"
"Comes with the territory, and you need to feel more comfortable with the situation. You'll be an open target to the paparazzi once they find out about you. Every gossip columnists who wants to draw more readership will exploit our situation, especially when they learn about our daughter."
Rick had previously disclosed to Kate some of the many encounters he had with the paparazzi. He told her about how he could not get any time alone without being noticed when he went out in public. Rick even told her about how he had taken his publisher, Gina, out one night for dinner and dancing. A 'thank you' to her for her help in making his recent Storm Novel a NY Times Bestseller. That one event had led to stories on page six of all the major newspapers about Gina and him being seriously together in a relationship. One that surpassed any of the other celebrity couples at the time. Kate learned from that discussion the real truth of Rick's 'relationship' with Gina Cowl.
The reality of being Rick Castle's baby momma was just now hitting Kate squarely in the face. This is a complication she did not consider in their eventually becoming a couple. They had not even declared themselves an item and were already dealing with what it means to be a celebrity couple. Even though they were not yet a couple and only one of them was a celebrity. Kate was starting to get the feel of being with Castle and what his world was like.
Dirty Dancing
The DJ at the club puts on a slow dance, but before Rick can bring her to the dance floor, Brent Edwards comes up to Rick and asks if he can dance with Kate.
"Sure Brent, Kate's her own woman, ask her. You need no approval from me to do so. We are not exclusive."
"Thanks man", Brent responds and then turns to Kate, "Can I have the privilege of this dance Kate?" He offers his hand to Kate. She blushes from his request and takes his hand. Brent leads her to the dance floor.
They go into a intimate dance embrace and Brent whispers in Kate's ear, "Remember our nightly Saturday dance dates at school, and Prom."
Does she remember?
Kate has a flashback of those times. It was after one of those school dances that Brent had driven her to the school's notorious makeout spot. Then in the backseat of Brent's car they had both lost their virginity. It was a glorious and equally horrifying event. Despite all they learned in sex ed, the practice was far different from the theory.
Brent got so aroused, he entered her before she was ready. Being both virgins, Brent pushed inside her when she was not fully there yet. It was initially painful for Kate, but then eventually turned enjoyable. Brent on the other hand lost all control to hormones, and even though he had a condom in his pocket, forgot to put it on. Realizing this just before he climaxed, he withdrew from her, and spilled on her dress, which had been hastily pushed up around Kate's waistline.
"Brent, you did not just ruin my dress? What if my mom sees this when it gets cleaned? She'll know what I did. We need to clean up the mess."
Brent was mortified. He had some tissues in his glove compartment and in haste clumsily jumped to the front passenger's chair to retrieve them from the compartment. It was a sight, his pants and boxers were around his ankles, so getting to the front seat was a chore. It was comical. But after that first time their other sessions were more enjoyable and not clumsy. Still, after being together for a time as a couple, Brent eventually had cheated on Kate. He had been with Kate when he cheated on her with Maddy, her best friend. When both found out what he had done, they broke it off with him. Afterwards, the two friends did not speak to each other for a good amount of time until they reconciled when the hurt on both sides had subsided.
Kate comes out of her thoughts and tells him, "Yes, I remember Brent. We were so young and inexperienced. And then you cheated on me with my BFF. Or did you forget that?"
"I've changed Kate. I am not that young man any more. I have had some bad hookups since then and have come to realize what we had was special. If I had not messed it up, who knows where we could have been now."
The slow dance is ending and another slow number is being started by the DJ. But before Brent can finish his talk with Kate, Demming is up, tapping Brent on the shoulder.
"Come on Edwards, give me a chance with Beckett."
Brent has no choice but to leave and let Demming have a dance with Kate.
As Tom pulls her close, his hands roaming all over her back, suggestively, he tells her, "Looked like you and Brent were having a serious discussion there."
"Why..., were you looking?"
"Kate you must sense that I am interested in you. I am a much better choice for male companionship then clueless Edwards."
"Really", she says responding to Demming's boast, "and what would your date, Sophia, is it, think about your disclosure?"
"Come on Kate. She is not interested in me, otherwise, she would not have flirted so brazenly with your baby daddy, Rick."
Demming was secretly steaming about his date flirting with Kate's baby daddy.
"So you know about Rick and I?"
"Just saying, I heard the talk."
"And what talk is that and who's it coming from?"
"Really Kate, did they not teach us in class that the identities of your Confidential Informants should be kept undisclosed for their safety? Besides I also heard that you have an open relationship with your baby daddy, so I am just letting you know I am interested."
Before Kate can respond, the next dance is being played, a fast dance, and Rick is there tapping Demming on the shoulder for the next dance. Rick and her dance the next three fast dances but the fourth one is a slow dance. For that fourth dance, they are in an passionate embrace and dancing closely, in step with the music.
Rick speaks, "So looks like I have competition for your affections with Brent and the other guy, Demming is it?"
"It's not what it seems like Rick."
"And how does it seem Kate?"
"I'm flattered by the attention both are giving me, but I am not interested."
"Kate, remember, we have till after your rookie year to learn what we want from each other. We are not exclusive for that time and you can be with other men. At the end of your rookie year, we can talk about how serious we want to become and if we want to be exclusive. But till then, we need that time for exploring our feelings and discovering what we truly want from each other."
When they finish the night of clubbing and get back to the loft, it takes all of Kate's will power not to take Rick by the hand and drag him to the bedroon to have her way with him. She would honor their agreement to the one year of finding themselves, that included no carnal contact with each other. They did need to assess where they would go with their non- traditional and unconventional union, but both had discussed that having sex during this time might cloud the issue. Their physical wants dictating their decisions.
Sex had gotten them into this situation, and it should not unduly influence their desire to become a committed couple. Besides, they both knew each other physically, so when they did decide to sleep together again, it would be as an exclusive couple. Still, Kate wondered is she could keep her hands off Rick for that long. She intuitively knew where they were headed, and she would let herself enjoy that journey of discovery.