She really can cook.
"This is delicious." He at least remembers not to talk with his mouth full. "Really, really amazing."
"Thanks." She flicks a glance up, and it feels like forever since she's met his eyes but even now she seems - shy?
It's not a word he'd have associated with her. Especially not after last night. It's all absurd, complimenting her chicken and getting that soft response, sitting next to her and her father, as if he were actually part of this little family, when he's still thinking about the way she moans when she comes.
But Jim doesn't seem to be suspicious. "Wonderful dinner, Katie. As usual."
So she cooks for her dad on a regular basis, then?
He's seized with this need to know everything, to maybe just sit down and ask her a thousand questions about stupid things and little things and pointless things and adorable things, and as much as he wants to see her naked he wants this too.
Nothing makes sense.
But he's noticing more. Like how they're drinking lemonade, not wine. At first it's hard to imagine this pleasant, mild-mannered man drowning his sorrows in alcohol, but - the way Jim looks at Kate. Like she's an angel. Like she's the shining star in his life. Like she's all he's got left.
Rick thinks about Alexis and his chest knots.
But he likes Jim Beckett. He does. Jim's friendly, unassuming. He has a natural knack for putting people at ease. Maybe this is what Kate Beckett would look like if she didn't constantly have an expression on her face that said Castle, I'm going to kill you.
"So, Katie, you said you had some police thing going on yesterday? We were going to have dinner last night," Jim explains aside to Rick.
She nods. "Uh, yeah. We were looking for a guy. At a club. Didn't get him, though. I thought we could get him by getting thrown out, but by the time we passed the door, he was gone."
"So how exactly did you get thrown out?" asks Jim, innocently curious.
Um.
Well.
She's frozen, he can see, and before Castle realizes what's happening, he's talking. "I did it, actually. I, uh, pretended to be drunk. Picked a fight with a bouncer."
"Wow." Jim chuckles. "I'll bet that was exciting."
"Oh, it was. One of my finest moments in law enforcement."
Jim goes back to his rice, and Castle chances a look up at Kate. Her face is softer. Her eyes are warm.
Her lips move, silently forming the words Thank you.
Castle stubbornly insists on helping Jim clear the table, over Kate's protests that they're both guests and she can do it herself.
It's okay until his hand brushes Kate's as he picks up a plate. He flinches, his eyes flicking back to hers involuntarily. So close. Too close. She's staring at him, her eyes deep, rich, mesmerizing hazel, and for a moment he can't remember why he shouldn't kiss her.
"Katie? You want me to turn the dishwasher on?"
Oh. Right. Her dad.
And other reasons.
She slips past Castle into the kitchen and he stands still for a moment, still wrapped in the delicate scent of her perfume. And the lust that's been churning in his veins since last night is mingling with something softer now, something that snuck in without his permission.
"Nice of you to bring dessert, Rick."
But Jim pauses, looking over the Magnolia's box, and Castle doesn't underst-
Oh. Right. Two cupcakes. Three people.
He's an idiot.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't realize - I only got two - "
"Not to worry, son. You didn't know I'd be here. We can fix that, no problem."
Jim neatly cuts them all into pieces, and they all get one third of each cupcake. Perfect solution.
Rick notices that while she seems happy enough with red velvet, she licks the chocolate frosting off her fingers with a little more gusto. Okay. Chocolate. Noted.
He wants to lick chocolate frosting off of her.
He clamps down on that thought because her father is still sitting between them. No. Stop. Control it, Rick.
He's made it through dinner and dessert. He can keep it together.
Jim sneaks a quick glance at the clock. "Getting late, Katie. I should be going."
"Thanks for coming, Dad."
He kisses her cheek and offers Rick another firm handshake. "Have a good night, Katie. Rick, nice to meet you. Hope to see you again."
Jim leaves with one last wave.
And then there are two.