Kate found herself immobilized by the intense stare from the nearly nude man before her. She could not pull her eyes away from his, even though she desperately wanted to. It wasn't as if she didn't enjoy losing herself in his bright blue orbs, but losing herself meant losing control, which was something Kate Beckett could not handle. Sensing movement, her eyes left his for the first time in what seemed like hours. Kate, biting her lip the entire time, watched Richard unbuckle his suspenders and slowly slide them downward over his shoulders before peeling his shirt from the remainder of his body, exposing his chest to her for the first time. Gulping down a large lump in her throat, Kate soon remembered the recently emptied wine glass she had set on the bureau next to her. Tearing her eyes from his movements, Katherine grasped the glass in her right hand, revolved on the spot, and walked rapidly into the hallway.
"Kate?" Castle called after her, his tone filled with worry and regret. Head down, Kate continued her march to the kitchen, calling to him over her shoulder without looking back.
"I need more wine," she answered curtly. As Kate entered her familiar kitchen, she couldn't help but notice a smell that had not been there on previous occasions. It was the smell of Old Spice and something else that was distinctly Castle. Kate couldn't help but close her eyes and take in the scent, letting it wash over her completely. A gentle hand was suddenly placed on the small of her back and a soft voice whispered in her ear.
"I thought you were getting wine," he murmured, causing her to jump and nearly drop the glass in her grasp. The heat from his body warmed her from behind and she couldn't help but smile as she relaxed into him. A confused expression crossed her face at the unexpectedly soft sensation that met her back.
"What are you wearing Castle?" Twirling swiftly, she considered the man before her, giving him a quick once over. Castle smoothed the fabric of his ensemble out against his abdomen, smiling slyly.
"You didn't expect me to come out here in nothing but my underwear, did you?" Throwing his hands in the air, Castle let out an exasperated cry.
"I wouldn't put it past you, Ricky, just like I shouldn't have put this past you either, I guess." Katherine shook her head, rolling her eyes at Richard. The latter shook his finger in the former's face, raising an eyebrow in her direction.
"Never judge a book by its cover," he reminded her in a mock stern tone. Kate laughed.
"Yeah well, you know what most people would think about you right now?" Gesturing toward his choice of outfit, she rose both eyebrows and waited for his response.
"Transvestite?" Rick questioned, shrugging his shoulders as he did so. Pausing, Kate took in the garb once more, reveling in the experience.
"Something like that," she mumbled, almost too quietly, attempting to look at anything other than Castle himself in order to control the laughter that was threatening to escape. Mistakenly taking her avoidance for a flustered sense of attraction, Castle took a step forward, grasping her waist, and bringing his body into contact with her own.
"You know you're having trouble resisting me right now. Don't deny it," he joked, nearly serious.
"You're right, Caste," Beckett conceded, now unable to control her laughter. "I want you, I need you, oh-" Castle cut in before her thought was finished.
"You don't have to quote 90's movies to get my attention, Katherine," Castle whispered into Beckett's ear, his lip grazing her lobe as he did so. Closing her eyes, Beckett tried to steady her breathing to a more acceptable pace. As it finally slowed back to normal, she chanced a glance at the man still pressed against her body.
"And you don't have to dress in my extremely short terrycloth bathrobe to get mine." She pulled the fabric between her fingers and attempted to collect her racing thoughts. Both seeing and sensing her actions, Castle smiled.
"I knew you were enjoying this," Rick whispered, taking in the smell of her hair with a deep breath.
"Sure, Castle." Smiling, Kate pulled back to look into his eyes. "Just let me go get my camera so that everyone we know can enjoy it was much as I am." Turning away from him, she made to walk toward the living room, but was caught by the arm just before she had the chance to step away. Pulling her back to him, he looked at the teasing expression on her face and scoffed at her witty repartee.
"You wound me, Kate," he informed her, faking offence.
"Of course I do, Rick." She couldn't help but smile at the ease at which the pair bantered between themselves. "Would you like some more wine?" she offered, effectively changing the subject as she made her way to the fridge in order to acquire the promised liquid. Castle followed closely behind as if he were magnetized to her body.
"Why yes, I would. How did you know?" Kate turned, wine in hand, toward the man she hadn't expected to be so close behind her, nearly crushing the bottle against him. She rolled her eyes and glanced at him quickly.
"Possibly the empty glass in your hand and the suggestive look in your eyes." Making a show of pulling the lose cork from the bottle, she reached for his glass. He pulled it away from her reach, raising his eyebrows evocatively.
"Maybe that's not all they're suggesting, detective. I'd be willing to let you investigate." Kate scoffed and pursed her lips, holding the wine bottle out for him to see.
"Of course, but I think I may need to drink this entire bottle of wine before I get to that point." Taking her comment to heart, Rick reached outward for the bottle, taking her off guard.
"Oh, well then allow me." Grasping the bottle in one hand and wrapping his other around one of hers that currently held her empty glass, he began to pour a more than necessary amount into it. "That's what I call the 'Martha Pour'." Kate laughed and brought the glass to her lips, unhurriedly sipping from it.
"Somehow, I'm not surprised," she murmured between drinks. After pouring his own glass, Castle replaced the wine in the fridge and motioned with his head for Beckett to follow him into her living room.
"Well, what can I say? My mother loves her alcohol." Sitting down on the couch, he slid over in order to give her just enough room to sit down next to himself but not enough to evade him. Smirking, Kate followed suit, setting her drink down on the table next to her.
"And obviously, she rubbed off," she mentioned, motioning toward the glass still within his grasp. Due to their close proximity, as her hand fell from her gesture, it landed on his exposed thigh, rather than on the couch as she had intended. Castle reached out to grasp it, but was too slow, as Beckett pulled it away as quickly as it had settled there. Passing it off as nothing, he continued.
"How could she not?" He quickly took a large gulp of wine before carrying on. "The woman moved in with me. You know, I could always send her here to live with you instead." Smiling at the idea, he added, "then you'll understand." Kate smirked as well before picking her glass back up and responding.
"I'm fine, thanks." Raising her glass, Kate toasted the moment before imbibing in conjunction with the man beside her. The two sat in silence for what seemed to Castle to be an hour before he finally broke the hush that had come over them.
"Let me know if you change your mind," he told her, "the offer is always on the table." Glancing down at the now empty glass in his hands, he appended, "or you could always trade for me, if you prefer." Studying Kate's face, he couldn't help but smile and wish that she would take him up on the offer.
"I think I'd rather Martha," she interjected, wiping Rick's smirk right off his face.
"I'm hurt, and I should probably put my clothes back on, but after a week of my mother, I think you might change your mind. I had to get my mannerisms from somewhere, now didn't I?" Rising from his spot on the couch, Castle began to make his way back toward Beckett's bedroom, motioning with for her to follow, stripping the robe off along the way. Instead of doing this, she slid into his recently vacated spot on the couch. Reveling in the warmth it brought, she called down the hall to him as he changed.
"I suppose you're right. I'll take Alexis." Out of the corner of her eye, Kate detected his head pop around the doorway into the hall. She couldn't help but notice the lack of clothing on the upper half of his body.
"Knowing her," he offered, reaching back for his shirt which he slipped on and began to button as he made his way back down the hall. "she'd probably be up for the transfer." Stuffing his tie into his pocket, he reached for his shoes before sitting in Kate's recently vacated seat on the couch.
"Any teenage girl would be," Katherine countered as she watched Richard slip his feet into his Armani dress shoes before lacing them. Pulling his leg up beneath himself, he turned to face her fully.
"What were you like as a teenager?" he asked, studying her face intensely as if he would find his answers somewhere within it.
"You don't want to know," she countered, shaking her head and looking at her hands. Reaching outward, Castle placed a finger beneath her chin and lifted her head to meet his once more.
"Actually, I do." A scowl took up residence upon Kate's face at the serious look on Richard's.
"Well, let me rephrase that" she began, "you won't find out, so drop it." With that, she got to her feet and made her way to the other side of the room, reaching across the counter for Castle's jacket.
"Oh, touchy are we?" Taking the article from her, he made a point to linger and touch her hand more than necessary before she stubbornly pulled it from his reach.
"You have no idea," she retorted, wandering toward her front door, sensing Castle's presence behind her the entire way.
"You never fail to surprise me, Katherine," he mentioned, slipping his arms back into his tuxedo jacket as they neared the door.
"How so?" Beckett inquired as she opened her door and allowed Castle to meander out. He sighed as he turned to face her once more, leaning against the doorway for support.
"It's like you said, there are so many layers to the Beckett onion. Only now am I even beginning to peel them away." Turning his words into actions, Castle grasped the bottom of Beckett's t-shirt and tugged it away from her body, effectively pulling her to himself. "I have to say that I'm liking it quite a bit." Biting his lip lightly, Castle inclined his head toward hers, and leaned in for a kiss. As their lips touched, Beckett could feel a jolt of electricity transfer between them. "Goodnight, Katherine," he muttered as he pulled away from their chaste kiss, allowing his fingers to slip from the silky strands at the base of her neck. With one last glance and a small smirk he started off down the hallway toward the elevator, leaving Beckett in her doorway, eyes wide and fingers against her lips.
[Finito]
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Notes: Sorry it took me so long to get to this. Life always seems to get in the way. Plus, I had to finish Arrested Development, which needed my full attention. Man, that show is funny. If you have not seen it, I suggest getting on Hulu right now. The first episode is funny, but it gets more hilarious as it goes. I swear. Very funny stuff my friends. :) Hope you enjoyed this ending, btw.