Author's Note: Thanks to those of you who alerted/reviewed etc. VERY much appreciated. I know these are on the side of more-than-brief but bitesize chunks aren't overwhelming at least. ? #silverlining
Disclaimer: I am one of billions of people who do not own Castle. I am one of millions of people who trust Andrew Marlowe and co. to treat my babies well. I am one of one people who is currently wishing I was curled up in bed watching the episode of Morecambe and Wise that had The Beatles on it. That last point may not be particularly relevant...
you and i have memories
longer than the road that stretches out ahead
Year Two
[ in which Castle nearly gets kicked out of the car for not having any boundaries ]
She is actually going to pull the car over, grab her gun and shoot him. In the chest. Castle is tilting his head back slightly, squinting as the sun gets in his eyes. "Soooooo, Ryan mentioned that the gym's been seeing a lot of you lately."
Safe. So far. "Yes," she replies cautiously, hesitant to answer lest he turn this conversation the way he's turned every other on this ridiculously hot day.
"I wouldn't mind seeing a lot of you in the gym."
And there he goes. Beckett rolls her eyes (has she been doing that more since she met Castle, or is it just her imagination?) and waits it out. Don't feed the animal.
"How much of you has the gym been seeing exactly? Please tell me you exercise in the nude."
Don't engage, Beckett, don't engage. He's leaning in close to her now, eyes light blue and curious.
"You do, don't you?" Excited, he's almost bouncing in his seat as they pull up short at the red light.
"Yeah, Castle, of course I exercise nude in the precinct's gym. Surrounded by all my fellow, mostly male, cops. Sounds like fun."
"I could make it more fun..."
"Mmm, you and me, sparring in the gym, all sweaty and half-naked..." His eyes have narrowed now and Kate doesn't think he's realised how his eyes keep dropping to her lips.
"I thought you said 'nude'?" He has the gall to pout at that.
"Oh, but Castle, we wouldn't want all those other cops to be intimidated by your perfectly chiselled abs and your large..."
The light flashes green and she turns away from her pseudo-partner, ignoring the shocked look on his face. Too easy.
Three minutes later as they pull up at the kerb, Castle finally responds. "My large what, exactly?"
"Ego, Castle, ego." And then she winks. Oh, god. Why, oh why, oh why...
"Well played, Detective," he grins, "but know that when we do exercise in the nude – and it IS an inevitability – you'll be revising that answer. Favourably."