A shout out to TORONTOSUN, your review made my day. Thank you!
To BB, thank you for your suggestions. (I am looking for a Beta.) You were helpful without being hurtful and that means a lot! Thank you for that. If you are not a teacher, you should be.
I've never written before, I read the stories here and decided to give it a try. It's a lot harder than I'd imagined. Having someone connect to something that you've written, It's hard to describe, but the feeling is powerful.
I appreciate any and all comments, I want to get better!
When I Thank you for reading I'm not trying to be glib. I mean it. So once again, I say Thank you for reading.
The sound of the water filling the tub was muffled by all the bubbles. Kate shut off the water and climbed in. She submerged herself in the silkiness. The hot water caressed her slightly sore body. She hadn't been 'active' in a while, certainly not like the past couple of days. She giggled as she scooped a hand full of bubbles. She needed a moment to be silly; otherwise she would start crying again. Missing him, she glanced at the mirror again, it was comforting. His message to her, they were real, she was more than a conquest. She pursed her lips and blew, bubbles went flying.
She felt complete, for the first time in her life. She'd found her one and done. Richard Edgar Castle, the crazy, man-child, with a heart the size of Texas, was hers. He was right, all she had to do was believe, his magic surrounded her.
She soaked for twenty minutes and then washed up. Time to get out she thought, as she stood, she noticed the problem; she looked like the Pillsbury dough boy.
She had to turn on the hand-held sprayer to remove all the excess bubbles from her body, using her long legs she stepped out of the tub, her feet landed on the oval rug stretched out beside her tub. She saw something on her neck as she was combing out her hair, she step closer to the mirror, and her mouth fell open. I'm gonna kill him; he'd marked her throat with a Hickey. It was a good thing it was still chilly enough for her to wear a turtle-neck. Kate shook her head and bit her lower lip. She hadn't sported a Hickey since 7th grade. It was really more of a bruise, the PERP was a scrawny pre-pubescent boy….Tommy, she couldn't remember his last name. She was so going to get him for this. Hmm...I have something in my naughty box that just might work. She had plans for Writer Boy when he returned.
Rick hung up the phone, he wasn't sure if Paula was finished with her rant or not. Judging from past experience, she probably wasn't. Right now he didn't care, the only thing on his mind was Kate, checking his messages, just in case she'd tried to reach him. There were three people he would accept calls from no matter where he was: His Mother, Daughter, and Kate… He was replaying the week-end in his writer's brain. He knew they would be good together, but Holy Hell he wasn't expecting this. He believed she was his Bashert. He wanted to hear her voice. He'd have a better idea of how she was feeling if he could hear her. He quickened his steps to reach his room.
He swiped his room card, then he tried to turn the doorknob, it was still locked. He swiped the card again this time he noticed the light was green, he opened the door. The room was typical, a bed, an armoire (inside was a flat screen TV) a desk with internet connections, and drab light-killing drapery. He flipped the air on. He noticed most rooms smelled stale. He liked to get the air circulating. If there was a window or a balcony he would open it to allow fresh air in. He didn't want Paula to book him in the presidential suite. He preferred to blend in as much as possible, besides he didn't spend much time in his room. His schedule filled. Paula kept him going from morning to late into the night. No one was looking for him on the lower level floors. It allowed him to have some time alone.
After a full day of smiling and signing autographs he usually needed it. Most of his fans were respectful; it wasn't like he was a rock star with groupies. He did get an occasional room card pressed into his hand. He'd decline, and return the card with a smile. Despite his page six pictures with a beautiful buxom women hanging on him. He didn't go for one night stands. It was Paula, marketing his image, a rich handsome playboy dating Models and rising starlets. The 'dates' were arranged by her. The model or starlet was looking for exposure. Paula proclaimed it was a no-brainer, she propelled the fantasy he was living the good life.' Fast cars and beautiful women'. His 'real' life, going home every night, to his Mother and Daughter. That image didn't sell books. He knew he'd have to prevent Paula from exploiting the fact he was in a relationship with his muse. Nikki and Rook together in his books and in 'real' life. She'd already promoted the fact he was shadowing his muse. He wouldn't let Paula use Kate for cheap publicity. He would walk away from the Nikki heat series for good. He'd killed off Derrick Storm, because he was bored. Kate meant more to him than the books. His ex-wife publisher knew he would stand his ground. Family was everything to him. Kate was family.
The bathrooms always smelled like disinfectant. He left his toiletries in his bag. He wouldn't be here long enough to unpack. This room was a far cry from the guest house he'd been in this morning. The biggest difference, Kate wasn't here.
He liked comfort, but he wasn't comfortable in a hotel no matter the size of the room. He could be if she were here. When Kate traveled with him, he would stay in a suite; he wanted only the best for her.
He scrounged around in his bag; he was looking for his shirt, the one she'd worn. He removed the plastic bag and held it up to inhale. It smelled like her. His mind filled with the images of the night she'd worn it. She'd told him when they first met. You've no Idea she was right he didn't know then. He did now. He looked at his watch. Then picked up his phone, he sent her a text.
R: Hey beautiful are you awake?
He laid he phone down as he prepared for bed. He slept in a t-shirt and boxers when he was at a hotel. When he was home, it was boxers or nude. He'd pulled back the covers and laid the shirt on the pillow beside his.
His phone rang. He'd changed her caller ID to a picture of them standing in front of the waterfall at the foot of the Queens staircase. Kate was the name displayed on the small screen instead of Beckett.
"Hey," seeing the photo, and how happy she looked made him smile.
"Hey, what 'cha doing?"
"Missing you," He could hear her breath catch
"I'm going to be wearing a turtle-neck to work for a week," She was trying her best to use her integration voice, she couldn't pull it off. She was so happy to talk to him.
"He laughed…so I gave you a Hickey?"
"Yea, you did."
"I must have gotten carried away when I was nibbling your neck."
She had goose-bumps remembering his kisses on her neck while he worked his way up and down her body. "I miss you too." She tucked her head and inhaled. She was wearing his shirt.
"Are you going to punish me? Just remember my safe word is apples," His voice was reflecting his growing arousal.
"Oh, you wish….I may have plans for you." She used the lower range of her voice the one that drove him…
"Kate, are you trying to torture me? 'Cause its working."
She didn't want to tease him, and not be able to back it up. She switched gears her voice was softer "I read you message on the mirror, it was….perfect, thank you"
"You have bewitched me woman, all I want is to be near you, I…I have my shirt, the one you wore our last night, it's laying on the pillow next to mine," he sighed.
Kate smiled it was time to fess up; "I'm wearing the shirt you put on this morning. I packed it in my bag while you were in the shower." She waited for his response with her tongue between her teeth.
He laughed "How are we going to last three weeks?" He visualized her in his shirt, this was not good. He was trying to think of anything other than the way she fit perfectly in his arms.
She could hear the frustration in his voice. "Babe, you need to get some sleep, you have a full day tomorrow, Paula has you so busy the time will fly by," she was trying to convince herself too. She wanted to comfort him.
"Promise me, we will be together, the minute this tour is over."
"I...I promise. Rick?"
"Mmm" He was trying so hard not to lose it.
"I love you too" Kate worried when he didn't say anything, then she heard him sobbing. He must have pulled the phone away, his sobs were muffled.
That did it. He felt she loved him, but when he heard the words he lost it. She'd told him before, but this time he actually believed it was true, "Kate…I've waited, hoped, prayed, that one day you would say those word to me."
She was crying too. "I...I told you but, you didn't hear me, you'd already gone out the door, before I could speak."
"If I'd heard you, I'd never got on that plane."
"No…no Babe, we have the rest of our lives, I'm not going anywhere. You're books saved me. I read them over and over, this is important. The people who stand in line for hours, waiting for you to smile at them and sign their book, it means the world to them. They will treasure that moment. You will never know all of their stories; maybe you're not supposed to. I do know what it meant for me. As much as I will miss you, I know this tour is important. You need to do this. The fans are counting on you."
He was listening to her every word. To hear how his words touched her, it's the reason he wrote he only dreamed his words would resonate with the reader. To hear her voice it, it was the second best thing she ever said to him. "Thank you, for telling me," She helped him, she knew he was about to charter a plane and return to her. She wanted him to finish the tour.
"Have you talked to Alexis and Martha?"
"No, I generally call Alexis in the mornings, before she goes to school, Mother sleeps in, I'll talk to her tomorrow afternoon…. You?"
"I sent my Dad a text; we are meeting tomorrow for our make-up dinner."
Rick was calmer, he felt better getting to talk to her. She was open and honest with her feelings, and that was a huge step for her. Honored it was him. He'd always wondered how open she was in a relationship, she'd admitted to him she wasn't as open in her past relationships. "It's late, you have to get up in a few hours….
"Just a little longer….Okay?" She hated that she was so needy, she couldn't stop herself.
Rick smiled "Okay, get in bed and I'll tell you a bedtime story."
They each held the phone to their ear, and listened as the other climbed in to bed, almost 400 miles from one another. Their voices the lifeline that bridged the gap.
"Once upon a time, a ruggedly handsome prince came upon the bridge that led to his kingdom. He prepared to cross, he couldn't forge the river below, for the swift current would surely drag him under.
The prince was returning from his successful quest. Before a Prince could marry and claim his kingdom he had to slay a dragon, not an ordinary dragon. This beast was the most feared in all of the land. Many brave men fell trying to slay him. The prince carried with him proof of the fallen beast, a golden tooth.
The bridge lay guarded by a wicked troll. Many men tried to outwit the troll, because they want to claim the treasure, It was a rumor throughout the land that A pot of gold hidden in the stones of the bridge.
The prince was unafraid, he stepped onto the bridge. The troll appeared before him. "Pray tell what gives you the right to cross my bridge." The prince reached into his bag and pulled out the golden tooth. "This I freely give to you, for my treasure lies in the kingdom across the way. Having slayed the dragon I am permitted to marry. True love is the only treasure I Seek."
The Troll waited for this day, many tried and failed. She'd deemed them unworthy. They only sought the gold, but on this day she reveled her true self to him. The Prince stood admiring the beauty that stood before him. Entranced the Prince dropped to one knee and asks her to take his hand and follow him to his kingdom. She was the one, from this day forward they began their adventure side by side.
Kate listened to his deep soothing tone, his voice reaching across the miles, comforting her. After she met him she imagined him reading his books to her. She loved tonight's story,(he must have spun tails for Alexis as she was growing up.) That settled it, she was going to ask him to read his stories to her.
"You need to go to sleep," as much as it pained him he knew she had to be tired. "Good night my love."
Kate smiled, "Until tomorrow, my Prince"
Rick said "Tomorrow," and hung up the phone. He grabbed the extra pillow and buried his face in her scent. He fell asleep.