A/N: I had a toss-up, and I wanted to do both, and most of the reviewers were ALSO undecided… so I came up with this. If I do BOTH in two separate parts, you tell me which way I should go… :)
CUTE!
"Well…" Beckett pushed. "How did you get the table?"
Castle hesitated. "You promised NOT to get mad."
Beckett rolled her eyes. "I won't promise anything until I know what it is…"
Castle shook his head. "I ain't walking into that trap, ma'am… forget it," he denied.
"Castle!" she warned.
He sighed. "Fine. When we first met… when there was the copycat with my book…"
"I know when we first met," she was getting impatient.
"Hold onto your undies, don't push the story," he smiled.
Beckett leaned back in her chair and folded her arms across her chest, she felt anxious about his reply. Knowing Castle it was going to be wild, and inappropriate. ANYHTHING where Castle was concerned made one anxious. "I'm waiting…"
"I was attracted to you," he stated matter-of-factly. She could feel her cheeks flush but she ignored it, she didn't want him drawing attention to the color of her cheeks. "I liked you… I don't know if that mattered," he didn't wait for a response, and she didn't give him one. "Anyway, I sort of made the booking the same week we met, thinking that maybe…"
Beckett frowned. "What do you mean, that was like 18 months ago…"
Castle nodded his head and lowered it.
"You made a booking JUST in case I agreed to go out with you," she couldn't be hearing this. No man had ever gone to this much trouble for her, but especially one of an immature IQ. It was too mature and thoughtful. It both surprised it, and made her body flood with warmth. He did ALL that, for HER!
"Yeah, so…" he made it sound like it meant nothing.
Beckett knew different.
"Castle, I…" she wanted to say something but she was speechless.
CLASSIC CASTLE!
"Well…" she folded her hands in her lap as she waited on his response.
Was she always this beautiful? He stared at the way she composed herself, she was SO incredibly stunning. It knocked the wind from him. He liked the way she held herself, the way she put up that wall, it gave him a challenge. But he also enjoyed the fact that occasionally she let it fall, and he stepped over it, eager to talk to her, it was easier to reach her…
"I'm waiting…" she looked impatient.
Oh, she's waiting on an answer. What was the question again?
"What was the question?" he asked shyly.
"How did you get this table, when the majority of celebrities have trouble," she pushed. She tapped her fingers on the white cotton cloth on the table, and then took a sip of water.
"Oh, well…" he wasn't even sure why he was compelled to tell the truth, why he couldn't smile, bat his eyes and tell a sweet white lie. He didn't know what possessed him to be honest, but he was. The words spilled over and he regretted them the moment her expression changed. He was expecting it. "I told the Manager that I was undercover with another detective in the police force… we had important business and we were trying to catch a perp, that would be in this restaurant. I promised to keep it on the down-low…" he wasn't sure why he expected her to smile.
She did no such thing.
Beckett shook her head. "Why am I NOT surprised to hear that?"
"Kate… I-" he reached out for her hand and she snatched it back quickly.
"Don't even think about it!" she barked. She glared at him. "You never change, Castle. You are the same IMMATURE boy I met the first time I saw you. It's pathetic really, but I'm more pathetic to have agreed on this in the first place. I'm an idiot… and so are YOU!"
She stood then and pushed back the chair.
"I'm sorry you bothered to go through all that trouble to make up a story, I won't be eating dinner. Enjoy it on your own," she said, then she took her exit.
I hope you liked BOTH ways… nevertheless, now I need a path… you decide! Hopefully this is an easier choice than the last one. I do promise though, that Castle and Beckett will have a HAPPILY EVER AFTER no matter what you choose. It's in the cards… you can't deny it… HAPPY choosing :)