Why didn't she let him come with her? Shower time is one of Kate's favorite parts of the day. It's where she collects herself and has her best ideas. Her best idea this morning is having him in the shower with her all soapy and wet. Damn. She missed that opportunity. Hopefully it will present itself again soon. Maybe even later today. He's got to shower sometime, right?
That's presuming a lot but she hopes he'll spend the day with her. How she wants him to. They have making up to do. Not making up with each other but making up for lost time.
Kate finds herself humming. And smiling. And picturing Richard Castle lathered in bubbles in her shower. She's in deep trouble. How had they gotten to this point so suddenly? Was it not just 8 hours ago that he showed up at her apartment and they fought? All it took was 8 hours. 3 ½ years and 8 hours. Okay, it's not *so* sudden.
No more waiting. She can do this. She *wants* to do this. Now is the time. Kate isn't ready. She's not ready for how this will change them. But no more waiting on that because she will *never* be ready. Never not be afraid that they will crash and burn and not only will she lose the man she loves (there, she thought it) but lose her partner too. It's too late to stop it now anyway. Once out that toothpaste can never be put back in the tube. She can do this and she wants to show him that she's willing and brave. And she will, everyday starting right now.
IVIVIVIVIVI
Despite not wanting to get out of bed when the shower turns on Castle immediately flees to the other end of the apartment. It's not possible to lay there hearing the whooshing cascade of water knowing that it's sliding down her naked body and not jerk the door open and act like a caveman. He needs distance. He finds it in the kitchen. Sips the coffee Kate made for him. A gesture he *knows* she put more thought and feeling into than just the average hot beverage. He savors every drop, just the way he likes it.
There is no food in her kitchen. This is not a surprise. It won't do. He's got a few minutes to go out and get something. Or a bunch of minutes if she washes her hair. Her hair. Best not think about her hair. What it would look like under the shower spray, feel like in his hands washing it, rinsing it, pulling it back, tangled in wet knots in his fist, using it to steer her head and grant him access to her neck, her chest… Aw hell. He wants to go in there. He's got to focus on something else, gain some prospective, control.
Castle goes back and puts his jeans on, grabs his coat, finishes his coffee and starts to leave. Keys. He doesn't have a key to her apartment and doesn't know where a spare might be. He could leave the door unlocked but even for just ten minutes that idea makes him nervous. He'll take her keys. He finds them along with a pad of sticky notes and leaves a note on the fridge saying he's gone to the store. That should be sufficient.
It gives him an oddly domestic thrill to lock the door with her keys when he leaves. Damn he's got it bad.
IVIVIVIVIVI
It takes him longer than he thought it would. The store is two blocks further than he'd remembered. But he comes back with everything he had set out for and more. Pancake mix, eggs, bacon, syrup, a can of whipped cream (you never know…), and strawberries. Also, milk, bread and peanut butter for later. He's visualizing not wanting to have to cook but needing to keep their strength up. There are also two tight little bouquets of sunflowers and deep crimson amaryllis both wrapped in parchment. He's ashamed that it was an impulse buy. He should have thought on his own about buying the woman flowers before seeing them at the checkout. She doesn't have to know that. He bought one more thing. He bought a toothbrush. He wonders if it's pushing too far to already be planning on leaving something at her apartment. It's kind of for her too. Fresh breath is a benefit. It's a risk he's willing to take.
He unlocks the door still thrilled to be using her keys. Her bedroom door is closed but his note on the refrigerator is gone. Castle sets about taking off his coat, putting away what he's not about to use and pulling out bowls and pans needed to make breakfast. Oh, flowers first though. Need to get them in water.
Castle's humming at the counter pouring pancake mix into a bowl when she comes up behind him, wraps one arm around him and stretches the other out to the counter, pulls their bodies flush, and nudges him, gently, into the cabinet. He chuckles at her mirroring his actions. She doesn't. Oh. It's like that. He pushes back. She pushes harder. He's frozen. Completely and utterly surprised and aroused. Who is this Kate? Oh, yes. It's the Kate he's always known. The Kate who is driven and decisive and takes what she wants. And she wants him. Well she can have him. He's always been hers anyway.
Fingers all warm and soft find their way under the hem of his shirt to the soft flesh a few inches above the waistband of his jeans. He wishes he'd done sit-ups this morning instead of going to the store. She tracks a path southward and he hopes she doesn't feel him gasp. Kate stutters a laugh. She did feel it. Damn. Teeth very lightly nip at his shoulder blade through the fabric. No fair that she's having all the fun. He wants to play too. He lifts the hand off the counter and kisses her palm, works his way to the crook of her arm. She shivers and jerks slightly when his tongue flicks at a vein. Ticklish, huh? That's good to know. He searches for his voice, finds it foreign and raspy.
"Do you want me to get on the counter?"
Kate's laugh directly into his back shoots through him like a bullet. Pierces his heart.
"No. I want you in my bed." She's muffled because her mouth is still against him but it's a voice that's new to him. One completely filled with want. For him.
He can't help but turn. He has to get a good look at her. Hair pulled up in a messy bun, face scrubbed clean and eyes gleaming black as night.
Fingernails scrape up into his hair and tug. "And then I want you in my shower."
His knees will give out any moment, he's sure of it.
"But first I want you to make me breakfast. I'm starving."
He blinks. Food? What the hell is she talking about? "What?"
"You don't want me to lose my strength do you?"
No he does not. He doesn't want lose his either and he hasn't eaten a thing since a late breakfast yesterday morning and doubts she has either. Fine. Food. But first…
He *HAS* to kiss her. It's been… how long… four hours since he's had her lips? That's too long. Kate beats him to it though. No matter. In this competition they are both winners. Parted, insistent lips find his and work on him. Arms slide around his neck. He needs her closer. He stoops down, hooks his arms around her lower back and straightens so that she's above him, pulling her just barely up off the ground. She moans when his tongue brushes past hers. They have to stop this or he has to take her to bed.
Her mouth slides slowly from his and across to his jaw.
"Castle, put me down."
Placing a kiss on her neck (he'll never get used to how soft it is there) he loosens his grip and her feet slip back to the floor.
"I bought whipped cream. We can have that for breakfast, right?" He breathes husky in her ear.
"No." She sighs. "That's our lunch."
A/N: Only one more chapter to go, y'all. As always this has not been betaed. All mistakes grammatical and otherwise are mine.