AN: As always, thank you for the reviews and for following this story thus far. There may not be an update next week since I will be out of town for the weekend.

CH6

He returned home from seeing Kate with a million (or at least it felt like that) thoughts in his head. First, there was the fact that she read his work, that they met before and he didn't remember (he was kicking himself for that), that she was probably currently reading the words that he wrote for her in particular, how just touching her made something spark inside of him that he never felt before, and how he desperately wanted to just pull her into his arms and kiss her like rejection didn't matter. He had never been scared of rejection before, but that was because Kate was different. He didn't want Kate to be just a one-night stand. He didn't want Kate to be a month or two fling. He didn't want to lose her from his life.

He placed his keys on the small table he had by the door. He wondered if she started reading the minute he closed the door. He knew she wasn't feeling well, so he shouldn't be so impatient...but he was. He couldn't help it.

It had been about an hour, maybe longer, when he heard the chime of his cellphone. He wasn't paying attention to the time as he was seeing how many things he could stack in his office before they fell over. He picked up the phone and saw Kate's text. "There's a sex scene?!"

It didn't sound like she was thrilled about that. "It adds to the story." With that, his phone rang. "So is that you're enjoying the book or…"

There was a pause. "Yes, I am enjoying it...but I wasn't expecting a sex scene."

"Prepare for the unexpected. How are you feeling?"

"Castle, it's only been a few hours since you last saw me."

"Which means you could have gotten better or worse. Are you sure you don't want me to come over there?"

"How bored are you?"

As on cue, his pile of stacked items tumbled over. "Extremely."

"I'm still sick and I'm still reading. I'll let you know when I'm done reading. Goodbye, Castle."

It was obvious to Kate that Rook was based on Castle and that her friends were portrayed in this book as well. It made her miss being a detective. She knew her life was different now and she was happy doing what she was doing….just not as happy as when she was a cop. There was no feeling like getting justice for the victims that were murdered. Sure, it felt great having someone compliment her baked goods, but it didn't compare to that justice. She knew if she went back though that she wouldn't stop looking to get that justice for her mother. Maybe at first, she would take a break from it….but she knew eventually she would be back to looking into it and with a target on her back.

It would be fun though, having Castle shadow her instead of Ryan. She could already picture the smile he would have when he was told and how he would follow her like a lost puppy. She shook it from her head, knowing it could never happen.

When she got to where Nikki and Rook gave in to their desires for one another, or just drunken sex depending on how you looked at it, she wondered if he thought about doing those things with her. Was this his fantasy that he wrote out? She knew that he wanted to get into her pants, well at least that's what she had thought the first few days that she had met him. In the weeks of having Castle come into the bakery, that look of lust disappeared. Of course, she did catch him checking her out from time to time, but it was….different. It was like he was studying her instead of just imagining what she looked like naked (which she was sure he still did).

She finished the book while taking a bath. She was tempted to call him, tell him she just finished it, but if somehow he heard that she was in the bathtub over the phone he would have never let it go. That and it was late (late for her anyway). She figured that tomorrow wouldn't hurt...well at least for her. For him, she was sure that the wait was killing him. She debated on texting him, but she was sure he would call her up and want to chat about what she read. She felt bad leaving him hanging though.

She sent him a text once she got into bed. "Finished reading. Heading to bed. See you tomorrow to talk about it?" With that, she put her phone on the nightstand and turned off the small light to go to sleep.

She didn't tell him last night if she liked it or if she was going to work tomorrow. It took everything in him to not call her when he read her text last night. He reminded himself that she was sick and that she needed rest. That he shouldn't be bothering her. Yet, he barely slept because he had so many thoughts running in his head that only a certain baker could put to rest.


He took the chance and went to the bakery when he knew Kate would be there, preparing the fresh baked goods for the day. If she wasn't there, he knew that she was still sick. He smiled when he saw her behind the counter making what looked like bear claws. He knocked on the glass of the door and she looked up. She didn't flinch or anything. She had been expecting him. She went over to the door and unlocked it.

"Early murder or you just couldn't sleep not knowing what I thought about your book?"

"The latter." He yawned as he locked the door behind him. "So...what did you think?"

"I...liked it."

He smiled so wide she was sure his cheeks were going to hurt if he kept that up. "You did?!"

"Yea, I did enjoy it." She went behind the counter and pulled the manuscript from her bag. She handed it to him. "Figured you'd want that back."

He took the manuscript from her, but before she could take her hand away, he took her hand in his. "Kate, what would you say if I asked if you wanted to have dinner with me tonight?"

That came out of nowhere. "What?"

"Dinner. You and me, tonight. I promise, no funny business and nothing too fancy. You don't strike me as someone who wants to dine at a five-star restaurant and rather find a good food truck instead. I just want to thank you and get to know you a little more than just you behind the counter and me...well here."

She was that type of girl. "Alright, Castle. Pick me up at 6 at my place?"

He smiled. "6 it is. Any food allergies that I should know about so I know what to avoid when looking for a place?"

"No, I'll see you at 6 Castle. Don't be late." It didn't register that he was still holding her hand until he felt the gentle squeeze to his hand before she let her fingers slip from his.

"I would never." He had a date with Kate Beckett, the woman who just said she liked his book (based on her), and that was all that was going to be on his mind for the rest of the day.