And this installment's song is …"Change of Time" by Josh Ritter. I don't own the song and I don't own Castle. Just borrowing them for inspiration.
So, you probably can't see moonlight shining through windows in New York City but for this story let's just pretend that you can.
-o-o-o-
I had a dream last night
And when I opened my eyes
Your shoulder blade, your spine
Were shorelines in the moonlight
-o-o-o-
He's not sure what it is that wakes him but something pulls him out of his dreams and back to consciousness. He can sense without opening his eyes that it's still the middle of the night. It's the quiet stillness and the slight chill in the air that tell him morning has not yet arrived.
He sighs and keeps his eyes firmly shut, trying to hold onto the visions in his head. He was dreaming of her again, as always, but the specifics of the dream are already slipping away. He remembers the sea and the stars, swimming and an old fashioned wooden-hulled ship.
And Kate, there beside him, floating in the water, a small secretive smile on her lips, the starlight reflected in the green depths of her eyes and the pale skin of her shoulders glistening and glowing in the soft light.
As the last remnants of the fog of sleep clear his mind it dawns on him that he's not in his own bed. This place he's in is new but there is still something familiar about it and in an instant, images burst into his mind- Kate and him, all lips and hands, skin and heat and yes … finally. They're things he has dreamt of before but the images are so vivid, encompassing all his senses, that they can't possibly be anything other than real memories.
His eyes snap open, clear and awake, and the sight that greets him is so perfect he's ready to believe this is all just some elaborate dream within a dream scenario. Kate is there on the other side of the bed, her chestnut waves tumbling over the pillow and the creamy skin of her back dusted with moonlight where the sheet has slipped to her waist.
He can't help but move closer as his eyes drink her in. Strong muscles under soft, smooth skin, the length of her spine, the ridge of her shoulder blade and that spot just below her ear he now knows will make her moan his name and dig her nails into his skin.
He leans forward and gently presses his lips to that spot now, holding his breath as he waits for a reaction from her, but she doesn't stir and her breathing remains deep and even. He slowly pulls back and as his eyes drift over her he notices for the first time a tiny birthmark at the top of her shoulder blade.
It's more of a freckle really and he reaches out to brush his thumb over her skin there, marveling at the fact that although he already knows her so well, there is still a whole world of things to learn about Kate Beckett and he is more than willing to spend the rest of his life trying to discover as many of them as he can. And if last night was any indication, there is a pretty good chance she will let him.
The thought propels him forward again and he presses gentle, feather-light kisses up the line of her scapula ending at that newly discovered freckle before she softly sighs and rolls over to face him. Her eyes are vivid green when she opens them and blinks at him, a small content smile curving her lips.
"Sorry," he whispers, "I didn't mean to wake you."
"It's okay," she replies quietly, her fingers reaching out to trace the line of his jaw. "It's a good way to wake up."
"I'll keep that in mind." He dips his head to press a kiss to the pulse point of her wrist and their eyes connect for a moment in an intense gaze that chases away any signs of sleepiness before she leans in and captures his lips in a lingering kiss full of tenderness and promise.
When they pull away they're both a little breathless and he admires the way the moonlight dances over her hair and face now, illuminating her features like some mythical siren.
"I'm really here, aren't I?" he asks suddenly, remembering all the times he has dreamt of this only to have it all crumble and slip away and wake up alone in his own bed once again. "I'm not dreaming, am I? Because this feels a lot like a dream."
She smiles softly at him but there's a glint of mischief in her eyes as her hand slips under the sheet and her fingers drift lightly over his side before snatching a bit of skin between her thumb and forefinger.
"Ow! Apples!" he exclaims, jerking backwards and out of her reach. "What was that for?"
She laughs at him, amusement sparkling in her eyes.
"I pinched you to prove you aren't dreaming," she explains and grabs his arm to pull him back to her, closing the space between them.
He pouts even as he wraps an arm around her waist and pulls her against him. "It hurt."
"Sorry, but that was kind of the point," she says and traces her thumb over the curve of his lower lip, wiping away all thoughts of complaint from his mind.
Her finger is warm and soft and her touch makes his lip tingle, makes him want to feel more of her skin against his mouth again. It would only take the slightest of movements to trap her thumb between his lips and from there he could keep going over her palm, across her wrist, up the length of her arm and on to the rest of her. But for now he is content to just stay still and watch her.
He sighs softly and looks at the woman before him, this beautiful, extraordinary woman who has enchanted him since day one, and despite the lingering stinging sensation in his pinched skin he still can't quite believe that he is really here with her in his arms. It seems too good to be true.
"I'm really here, in your bed, with you, naked, and last night really happened?"
There's still a note of amazed disbelief in his voice and she smiles at him, her eyes shining with affection and amusement. Her fingers trace his jaw again before her hand settles on his chest, right beside his heart.
"Yeah, it's all real. Why is it so hard to believe?"
"I've dreamt of this for so long," he confesses and her eyebrow arches as his hand slides down her side to rest at her hip. "Not this," he says and his grasp on her tightens momentarily to emphasize the word, "well, not just this, but being with you and falling asleep and waking up beside you. All that… everything."
His voice has turned serious and the amusement fades from her eyes as she listens to him continue.
"There were times when I thought this would never happen, that it would only ever be a dream."
She dips her head, breaking eye contact and her gaze falls on her hand resting on his chest.
"I'm sorry it took me so long…" she starts to say, her voice tinged with regret, a quiet apology, but he shakes his head and runs his fingers through her hair, the silky waves shimmering in the glowing light filtering through the window. His hand cups her cheek, directing her eyes back up to meet his.
"Don't," he whispers, his thumb sweeping over her cheekbone in a light caress soothing away her worry. "It doesn't matter how we got here or how long it took to get here, it just matters that we're here now."
Her hand comes up to cover his against her cheek and the look in her eyes, the depth of the emotion shining there, makes his chest feel tight, breathless. She leans into him, her lips gliding over his in a slow, sweet kiss.
When she pulls away several moments later, she looks at him through narrowed eyes, one corner of her mouth turning up. "You can be kind of sappy sometimes, you know."
He pulls her to him again, his palm warm as it slides over the smooth line of her back, settling low, just above the base of her spine. "You secretly love it," he whispers against her lips.
She lets out half a snort of laughter, which he thinks is adorable but he'll refrain from admitting that to her right now. "Yeah, keep dreaming," she tells him and rolls her eyes. It's a move that's wholly familiar yet entirely new because she's never rolled her eyes at him while lying in bed beside him covered only by the thin cotton sheet.
"I'm not dreaming. In my dreams you never call me sappy." His voice is low, full of suggestion, and he sees a spark of interest cross her face as her eyes darken.
"So," she says slowly, drawing out the word as her fingers start sliding down the center of his chest, "what do I do in these dreams of yours?"
He sucks in a quick, sharp breath when her nails glide over his stomach and her lips curve up in a slow, enticing grin. His hand reaches down to intercept her wandering digits and he rolls, pinning her hand above her head and bracing himself over her. Her eyes are wide with surprise and dark with desire as she looks up at him before his lips fall on the tantalizing skin of her neck and she moans softly as he blazes a trail up to her ear.
"You do all sorts of things," he whispers roughly, "but this is a good place to start."
Thanks for reading, extra-special- thanks for everyone who has reviewed in the past and advance-extra-special-thanks for everyone who leaves a review right now (hint, hint).