Chapter 33 Stay Just a Little
It was a two hour drive from Manhattan to the East Hamptons. Rick had packed his luggage in record time and they both loaded their suitcases into the trunk of his silver Mercedes. The traffic was decent since it was actually the weekend before Independence Day weekend. Rick had the foresight to go the week before to avoid the inevitable traffic jams that accompanied major holidays such as the 4th of July.
The Hamptons were a particularly popular destination for summer vacations and holidays for both tourists and native New Yorkers alike. The sandy beaches and crystal blue oceans invariably drew weekend partiers, boating enthusiasts, and rich socialites to the Hamptons for an escape from the mundane hustle and bustle of working life.
They departed from the great city together and crossed the Brooklyn Bridge, the steel gray skyscrapers morphing into brick suburban houses of Long Island. Kate watched the scenery slowly change from cityscape to suburbia through the car window as they made their way further east. Soon enough, the green lawns and single family homes transformed into beige beaches and lofty summer condos.
During the drive Rick and Kate exchanged small talk back and forth easily, making conversation over his place in the Hamptons and his traditions with Alexis. He told her about how he bought the beach house when he first signed a deal with Black Pawn to write the Derrick Storm mystery novel series.
That was a major break in his career and he used the signing bonus to buy the summer home as a celebratory present for himself. It was a fixer-upper in need of TLC when he bought the place, but Rick had invested time and money into renovating the property exactly to his liking. It was now his favorite getaway destination from New York City, a home away from home.
Kate listened intently as he enthusiastically detailed the summers he spent there with Alexis and all the fun they had together, especially when she was little. He recounted endless summer days playing on the beach, building castles in the sand, and wading in the ocean. It was in his private pool where he had taught Alexis how to swim.
Rick also regaled her with a fond memory of the time they played with fireworks of questionable legality one year on the Fourth of July. The fireworks were Alexis' favorite part of that summer, but that had been a one-time thing since nine-year-old girls shouldn't be playing with colorful contraband explosives.
Kate loved listening to his stories, especially the ones of him taking care of a young Alexis, but that didn't stop drowsiness coupled with the gentle hum of the car motor from lulling her to sleep. Rick noticed her nodding off and concluded his narrative to allow her to doze off to sleep. She was tired from a long week at work as expected.
As she slept, he sat in content and comfortable silence, the sound of the engine and her light snores filling the car. They made it to his summer home in good time thanks to a lack of rush hour traffic.
Rick pulled up to his summer loft, an expansive brown shingled dwelling with white accents highlighting the frame, windows, and pillars. Leafy green trees and matching beach grass garnished the sides of the scenic summer home. Rick opened his door and stepped out of the car.
A soft, salty breeze brushed across his skin and ocean waves lapped lazily at the shore in the distance. He inhaled deeply to breathe it all in. It was a refreshing sensation, quite distinct from the inorganic, metallic quality of the city.
By the time they arrived, the sun was setting and night slowly crept into the cloudy sky from above. Storm clouds were rolling in and shrouding the area in shadows, the sky becoming a dark brooding gray. Rick heard the distant rumbling of thunder bellowing from somewhere out at sea. He could feel the electricity humming in the air, loose electrons ionizing the atmosphere and searching for a path to conduct deadly yet beautiful electricity. It was a good thing they made it to their destination before the rain started falling.
Rick looked over into the passenger seat where Kate was sound asleep, her chest rising and falling in rhythmic breathing. She looked so peaceful in her deep slumber that he didn't want to wake her. Rick considered his choices and their consequences, weighing the options.
He could wake her now and face cranky Beckett or let her sleep for a while and deal with irritable Beckett later. Either way, it would lead to an unhappy Beckett; it was a matter of choosing the lesser of two evils. Rick decided to delay her wrath and let her sleep for now.
He opened the passenger door and gently unbuckled her seatbelt, careful not to wake her. With one hand under her legs and the other supporting her back, he picked her up and carried her into the house. Rick brought Kate to the second floor guest room and set her down on the bed tenderly, tucking her in snugly under the covers. She moved to situate herself on the cushiony mattress but didn't awaken.
He stepped back and smiled at his successful operation, pleased with his work. He paused for a moment to watch her quiet sleeping form. Rick moved forward to brush a stray lock of hair out of her face and let his fingers trace her hairline.
He could have sworn he saw a small smile form on her lips as she unconsciously responded to his touch. Rick leaned over and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead before exiting the room and closing the door to give her privacy.
After unloading the luggage into the foyer of the house, Rick took the Mercedes to the nearest grocery store to pick up produce and cook dinner. He didn't know when Kate would wake up and by that time it would probably be too late to find a place to eat without reservations. A nice home-cooked meal would also afford him the opportunity to use his long-unattended kitchen and stainless steel cookware.
He purchased just enough ingredients to make a simple parmesan-crusted chicken in creamy sauce with lemon-roasted asparagus. It was quick and easy enough to prepare in time for dinner that night.
When Kate awoke later, she sat up in the plush bed, blinking and surveying the foreign surroundings. It was a modestly sized bedroom, most likely for guests judging by its immaculately tidy state and lack of personal memorabilia.
Her mind was still a little groggy from the sleep and she was confused as to how she got there in the first place. Kate had probably made her way from the car to the bed in a half-asleep state and promptly fell back into slumber. Yawning, she got out of bed and explored the house.
As she searched the residence for her vacation companion, Kate couldn't help but appreciate the remodeled architecture and luxuriously decorated interior of Castle's beach house. She marveled at the intricate crown molding lining the walls, the rich fabrics that composed the furniture and tapestries, and the décor that adorned the rooms.
Everything exuded an undeniably homely and warm summer feeling, imparted by the marine color scheme and beachy motifs of the design elements. The rooms were expertly furnished with unique pieces, much like Castle's loft back in New York City. The décor, paintings, and furniture of his summer home all tied together into a whimsical nautical theme.
In the living room, two full-length glass doors offered a million dollar view onto the expansive ocean that occupied his backyard. The hardwood floors were pristinely polished and the sofas were so white they glowed in the dim light of dusk. White pillows with painted blue seashells sat upright on the sofas. A large model boat displayed its sails proudly in the center of a wooden side table against the wall. Seashells and corals of different shapes and sizes inhabited the shelves along the walls.
Other pieces with ropes, anchors, and navy and white stripes enhanced the ambiance of the room. Various vibrant shades of gold and blue in the details evoked fluid imagery of the ocean and sand throughout the living space. The careful detail and planning that Rick had put into interior design was evident through each of the beautifully decorated rooms that seamlessly coalesced into the perfect summer home. She could see why this was his favorite getaway place.
Arriving in the kitchen, a post-it on the refrigerator caught her eye. It was a note that Rick had left informing her that he was at the grocery store. Kate decided to take a shower to freshen up and help her shake off the residual sleepiness.
She found her luggage in the foyer and took it back to the guest room to unpack. Kate brought some clothes, a towel, and her toiletries to the bathroom which was located next to the guest room. After she started the water, she stripped down quickly and stepped past the glass door into the stone showerplace.
Following a refreshing shower, Kate toweled herself off and dried her hair with a blow dryer. She put on a satiny white bra and matching white lace thong and applied some light makeup. It was one of the sets that she had bought during her shopping spree with Castle all those months ago.
Running her hand through her luscious brunette locks, an idea popped into Kate's mind. She needed a change and had nothing better to do for the next hour, so she grabbed her curling iron.
Forty-five minutes later, Kate admired her handiwork in the mirror and was pleased with the outcome. She changed into some light apparel and tossed her other clothes in the laundry hamper. Stepping out of the bathroom, Kate trotted back into the kitchen where Rick was finishing up preparing the last touches on their dinner.
"Hey," she greeted him with a soft smile. Rick looked up at her and his jaw nearly dropped.
Kate was wearing a white bohemian tank top with intricately embroidered flowers that hugged her figure loosely. The keyhole neckline with undone tasseled cords offered a dangerously tempting look at her cleavage.
Khaki shorts complemented the top and showed off her toned legs, which seemed to go on forever. Her long hair flowed in curling waves down her shoulders, framing her face perfectly. Those beautiful curls were beckoning him to run his fingers through her soft hair.
She looked so feminine and sweet, which was completely opposite of her fierce, controlling precinct presence. He was so used to seeing her in conservative workplace attire—button ups, blazers, and her beloved Burberry coats. This was quite the change.
"Wow, you look… um…" Beautiful. Gorgeous. Breathtaking. A hundred adjectives crossed Rick's mind as he struggled to choose one.
He couldn't use any of those words because it wouldn't be appropriate anymore. They were supposed to be just friends.
"Nice," he stammered. "You look nice."
"Um… thanks." She noticed his stuttering but didn't think much about it.
"You changed your hair," Rick stated the obvious.
"Yeah it was getting long and I decided I wanted to do something different with it," Kate explained nonchalantly.
She made her way into the kitchen and surveyed the countertop where stainless steel pots and pans were splayed out across the stone surface.
Aromas of delectable foods wafted through the air and her stomach grumbled. "Mmmm, it smells delicious in here" Kate hummed. "What are you making?"
"Creamy, parmesan-crusted chicken piccata with roasted asparagus."
"That sounds amazing." Kate looked around at his workstation. "Do you need help with anything?" she offered.
"Nope, I'm good for now."
"Come on, I want to help out. I don't want you to have to do everything by yourself," she insisted.
"Dinner's almost done. The asparagus is already roasting in the oven, the rice is cooking in the pot, and I'm finishing up pan-frying the chicken," Rick rattled off.
She frowned. There must be something she could do to help out. She didn't want him to pamper and wait on her like this. He had already brought her to his summer home in the Hamptons to spend a vacation together in the first place. The least she could do for him was to help make dinner. Kate started poking around the kitchen, opening cabinets and drawers.
Rick sensed that she wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer. Kate Beckett was obstinate and stubborn in that way. It was a respectable quality for when she was solving cases, but it also meant that she was somewhat difficult to manage at times. She always had to call the shots and have her way.
Rick pondered for a moment and thought of something to occupy her. He turned off the flame to the chicken and turned to face her.
"Okay, there is something you can do for me. Over there." He pointed to a spot where there was an empty space on the light granite countertop. She moved to the area and he followed suit.
"What do you want me to do?" she turned around to face him.
"You can sit here and look pretty," Rick instructed as he picked Kate up by the hips and placed her on the counter. "Which means you just have to sit there," Rick teased with a playful smirk on his face.
"Wow, that's all you think I'm good for?" Kate retorted. She put on a fake pout and crossed her arms to keep herself from breaking into a smile.
Rick tilted his head, entreating her to play along. "Come on, where's that beautiful smile I love so much?"
Kate kept up her pseudo-grimace, trying to shoot invisible daggers out of her eyes at him. Rick was unscathed.
He took his thumbs to the corners of her lips, pushing them up into a smile until she was smiling on her own accord. Kate couldn't help but mirror the grin that was plastered on his face.
"There it is," he cooed softly.
They held each other's gaze intently, lingering in one of their special 'Castle and Beckett moments.' They hadn't had one of those in a while, not since their breakup several weeks ago.
She searched his eyes deeply and found warmth and tenderness, her heart quickening its pace in her chest. She could swear she caught sight of that sparkle in his eyes again, the one that was present in many a loving gaze they had shared previously during happier times.
His hands dropped slightly to cup her cheek and caress it gently with his thumb. They drew towards each other as if magnetically, his head tilting involuntarily to kiss her. Kate's eyes fluttered closed as she anticipated the feeling of his lips against hers.
Before their mouths could meet however, Rick stopped himself and pulled away abruptly. He muttered something about checking the asparagus and moved away from her to take a look in the oven.
What the hell was that?
They had been doing nothing but fighting or not talking for the past few weeks whenever they saw each other at the precinct. Now right after coming extremely close to ending their partnership, they were in his kitchen almost kissing each other on the countertop.
Kate was visibly flustered and affected by the encounter. She had really wanted him to kiss her. Everything was becoming so confusing.
Kate blew out a breath of hot air, trying to recompose herself. She watched him move back to the stove, busying himself with stirring the sauce. Kate bit her lip as she tried to figure out how she felt about him. Despite her persistent efforts to push him away and keep her distance from him, Kate was still incredibly attracted to him. It was undeniable.
She let her eyes wander over him as she watched him cook, her hands steadying herself on the countertop.
He was wearing a short-sleeved navy blue Henley with a white accented placket that was unbuttoned at the top. He filled the t-shirt out well, the fabric snugly defining his muscular shoulders and chest with his biceps visible beyond the sleeves. He was wearing long khaki chinos to match the Henley, but she knew from experience exactly what was underneath those pants. She knew what it was like to have her hands roam over his body, feeling every muscle underneath her touch.
She liked seeing him like this, relaxed and laid back in a casual environment. She missed that between them, the easy companionship they once shared. Kate finally felt comfortable being around him once more and hoped that things could be like this between them again, minus the almost kissing part.
Damn it, Rick thought to himself. That was way too close. He had almost kissed her. That would have had disastrous consequences. Bringing her along for this vacation was turning out to be a terrible idea. The plan was supposed to be to get on better terms with Kate—no funny business as he had promised her. He was supposed to try to be just friends with her again.
Rick had conveniently forgotten that being "just friends" had eventually turned into their complicated "friends with benefits" mess due to their intense attraction, which clearly had not dwindled. It was just too easy to flirt with her and even easier for him to be drawn to her, like a moth to a flame. He was still completely enamored with her, if not more so now.
Rick knew that he had little self-control when it came to Kate Beckett, especially knowing how amazing it felt to be with her—to kiss her, touch her, and hold her in his arms. He needed to stay far away from her if he was going to have even a chance at keeping his promise. It was just so hard to stay away when she looked and smelled so amazing. She was just so damn alluring.
Rick thought about what the rest of the vacation would entail: sun dresses, skimpy bikinis, and short daisy dukes. Fuck. He was getting hot just thinking about it. He would have to keep her at arm's length if he was going to make it through the week, perhaps quite literally.
It just might work, keeping her out of his reach. That way he literally could not touch her, as much as he wanted to. Rick made a mental rule to try to keep at least an arm's length away from her at all times. It would prevent any mistaken advances like that from happening again.
Satisfied with this solution, Rick pivoted in place to face Kate again who was still sitting obediently on the counter, looking adorable as ever.
"There actually is something you can do to help out," Rick informed her.
"What now? You want me to strip?" she quipped sarcastically.
Rick raised an eyebrow, enticed by her statement. "That's not exactly what I had in mind, but if you're offering…" he said, semi-seriously. He could look but he couldn't touch, according to his new self-imposed rule.
Kate rolled her eyes at him and shook her head.
"Kidding. If you could set the table and pour the wine, that would be great. The glasses and dishes are in the cabinet and the silverware is in the drawer." Rick motioned to the respective storage areas. "There's a bottle of Chardonnay already on the dining table."
"Gotcha." Kate hopped down from her perch and made herself useful by setting the table for two.
She opened the bottle of white wine that Rick had just purchased and poured two glasses for them. Rick brought over the chicken, asparagus, and rice and plated them on the gold-rimmed china set on the table. He drizzled the creamy sauce over the chicken as a final touch to complete the dishes.
They sat together at the table ready to enjoy the meal.
"Bon appetit." They clinked glass and sipped the wine.
Kate sampled the chicken first.
"Mmm, this is delicious" she moaned. "I do remember how good of a chef you are," she remarked.
"I really do enjoy cooking," Rick said in between bites. "I plan to make good use of this kitchen while we're here. You're welcome to do so too if you would like."
"I think I might take you up on that," Kate remarked. "By the way, this place is amazing. You rich or something, Castle?" she teased.
"Well not James Patterson rich but I do okay," he said modestly.
"I took a look around downstairs after I woke up from my nap. You did a terrific job with the interior design and decoration. I love the nautical theme."
"I did get creative assistance from an interior designer who helped me tie everything together, but I made most of the executive decisions. Except for Alexis' room, which she decorated herself. That's the one at the end of the hall upstairs with mermaids everywhere."
Kate laughed, imagining a small Alexis requiring her dad to get all the mermaid decorations for her room.
"Oh, speaking of the guest room. How did I get into the house from the car?" she asked. The question was nagging her in the back of her mind and she wanted to know.
"Uhh… I didn't want to wake you so I carried you in," Rick admitted.
"Oh." Kate accepted his answer readily, seeing how easy it was for him to pick her up and put her on the counter. Then she remembered that the guest bedroom was on the second floor.
"Wait, how did you carry me up the stairs?"
"You're not that hard to pick up…" he stated from observation. "I've carried you up the stairs before," Rick reminded her.
Kate racked her mind for an explanation, but came up short. She gave him a confused look.
"When have you ever picked me up and carried me up the stairs?"
Surely she would have remembered him bringing her up an entire flight of stairs before, if she were awake that is.
"Back when we were, you know. We did things… and my bedroom is upstairs." Rick spoke haltingly, trying to explain the events delicately without being explicit. God this was awkward.
"Oh. Right." Kate finally understood what he was referring to and she blushed embarrassedly, a bright red hue tinting her cheeks.
She quickly changed the conversation back to their vacation plans. He told her about the temperature-controlled pool and jacuzzi, the private beach in his backyard, and some nearby tennis courts. There were local shopping places, a spa, and a winery in town too all for her to explore.
"You're free to do whatever you'd like this week. There are plenty of leisure activities the Hamptons have to offer," Rick explained, sounding like a travel agent.
Kate mused over the choices of recreation.. "What are you planning to do?" she asked in return. Kate wanted to spend some time with him in particular and was willing to go along with whatever plans he had in mind.
"Uhh, the main goal is to focus on Naked Heat so I'm trying to get as much writing done as I can. We can probably do some things together if you want though," he offered hopefully. "I haven't had a chance to check out that winery yet. Do you want to go tomorrow?"
"Sounds good."
They spent the rest of the evening chatting over her detective work, his plot ideas, and whatever else was new with them. Kate filled him in on the interesting cases he missed and Rick told her about plans for the Nikki Heat series which included a potential movie option.
The hours flew by as they recounted the past few months of their lives and slowly got reacquainted with each other. Conversation flowed easily along with the wine which facilitated their détente. It was almost like old times when they stayed up for hours some nights sharing everything with each other.
There was still the lingering feeling of emptiness in Rick's heart however, the one that used to be filled with Kate. But for the first time in forever, it didn't ache quite so much to be around her. Slowly but surely the hole his heart was healing, piece by piece. Perhaps this, their rekindled friendship and partnership, would one day be enough to fill up that void.
The hole in the middle of my heart needs filling up
If you stay just a little that's enough
A/N: I really like this chapter. Awkward Castle/Beckett is fun to write. It takes time to write so detailed like this, but I think it gives the reader a better sense of the environment and what the characters are thinking/feeling inside. Hopefully it wasn't too much description of the setting and that I did it justice. If you haven't seen behind the scenes pictures of Castle's summer home in the Hamptons, it's worth checking out. He has a fireplace in his bedroom with a giant ANCHOR in it. It's awesome.