Better than fiction
Spoilers are from Season 3 and Season 2. The LA part of the story comes from To Live And Die in LA and the Niki Heat part comes from Season 2 Episode 4 Fool Me Once.
Things at the precinct remained the same. Castle and I had agreed to keep the new relationship under wraps. Captain Gates did not seem to know or care about what I did in my personal time. It was a completely different story when we stepped out of the 12th into the real world. We transformed into the most attached couple anyone could see. We saw a few Broadway shows and watched a few movies. I found Rick to be the kind of person I never thought he would be. He was a mature, loving, and protective man in my presence. Sure, he still had his silly streak, but that did not show up all that often.
"So Kate, what is on the docket for tonight?" Rick brought me a glass of wine while I sat on the couch.
"I haven't figured that out yet. I have a few ideas but I don't know if you would be interested." I teased.
"You have my attention." Rick made himself comfortable next to me.
"I was thinking a carriage ride through the park and then a nice quiet night back at the apartment." I could see that I was wrong.
"That sounds great. You can count me in." Rick put his free arm around my shoulders.
"Can I ask you a question Kate?" The tone in his voice let me know it had something to do with the past.
"Sure." I put my glass down and looked at him.
"What were you thinking when we were back in the apartment in LA?" Rick's smile made me want to smile.
"I was flattered by your words. Only you can make the word "hotness" sound so complimentary. In the back of my mind, I thought of kissing you." I admitted after thinking back to that day.
"Did I hear your door right? I thought I heard it open that night." Rick stroked my hand.
"Yes it did. I went back into mine when I saw your door close I closed mine again. I probably would have kissed you then. It's too hard to know now. Royce knew how you felt about me I guess. He put it in a letter. I watched you sleep on that flight wondering how different things would have been if I had." I found myself admitting things that I had kept locked away.
Rick did not say anything. He just closed the space between us and kissed me tenderly.
"What was that for?" I asked still looking into his loving eyes.
"I wished you would have back then. It doesn't matter now because I have you now. I get to kiss you whenever I would like to without a thought." Rick's voice was so sweet and caring.
"consider that point taken." I answered contented to have him to lean on.
"My turn to ask you a question writer boy." I turned my head to look at him.
"I sense that this question could be a good one. It will be either thought provoking or embarrassing." Rick did not push me off of him.
"Where did you get that idea for the sex scene in the Niki Heat book? Was that your fantasy or just creativity at work?" I had to know considering how flattering it was now.
"So the detective goes for the embarrassing." Rick laughed just before putting down his empty wine glass.
"It was fifty percent wishful thinking, fantasy if you will. It was fifty percent creative. It was difficult to write and concentrate at the same time if you know what I mean." Rick mixed honesty with a little bit of humor.
"I bet it was. Would you ever try it in real life?" I could feel his touch change slowly to something more than tender.
"I would do that in a heartbeat, as long as it was with you." His gaze was steady and there was something in his eyes we had yet to appease.
He had me thinking the same thing without too much work. Before we knew it we were making out on the couch like a couple of hormone driven teenagers. I could feel his hands on the bare skin of my back. It was an intoxicating feeling. We had made a point of not getting to this point fast. At that point, I felt like we had waited long enough.
"How about we take this somewhere else?" Rick's voice took on a husky tone that was undeniable.
"I think that sounds like a great idea. Cuffs are optional you know." I could not resist the joke.
"No tiger right?" Rick asked.
He guided me back to his bedroom and closed the door behind us. Everything after that was a blur of touches and kisses. When he saw my scar, I thought he would stare. Instead he touched the scar and kissed me. I don't remember what he said at the time, nor did I care. My brain seemed to have memorized every touch.
The moon was shining in on our bare bodies underneath his sheets. It had been better than the book put into words. I had no regrets for it and I detected he had not had any either. I had my head on his shoulder, listening to each beat of his heart. It was hard to believe that she was here next to him.
"You are so damn beautiful, have I told you that lately?" Rick's eyes fluttered open.
"Not in those words." I stroked his hair.
I put my hand on his bare chest.
"Can I tell you something? I promise you will like it." I sat up on my elbow to look at him.
"Well, if you say I will like it, I am all ears." His head was turned my direction.
"You write disappointing sex scenes." I said.
"I am hurt." Rick responded in mock hurt.
"If you let me finish, you will like it." I ran my finger around his bare chest.
"Then please…continue." He put his left arm around my shoulders and his right behind his head.
"You are better than anything you have put in print." I saw a satisfied smile painted on his face.
I expected a thank you but I got two arms wrapped around me in a tender kiss. Josh and Demming became forgotten memories when I laid next to Rick. It had been worth the long wait.
"Sorry to ruin the plans for tonight." Rick stroked my hair.
"You improved our plans." I could not resist the correction.
"By the way Kate, Niki Heat has nothing on you. You are so much sexier and irresistible. I just thought you would like to know." I heard before finally falling asleep in his arms.
I could have thanked him for it but nothing would have come close to what I would have said it enough…