Chapter 13

Things had been moving slow between the two of them. Almost three weeks had passed since they began seeing each other again. Their time together had been limited due to Kate's heavy class schedule and Rick couldn't really sneak away from Alexis to see her. They had mostly settled on lunch dates, which were absolutely fine with both of them. Kate enjoyed being able to escape school for a little bit to sit with Rick and eat, or chat; sometimes they did a lot of both. She could feel him starting to loosen up around her. She didn't want to overstep her boundaries so she let him lead the way.

It was a lazy Saturday afternoon for Kate, she had spent the morning doing laundry and cleaning her apartment. She had finally settled in on the couch to watch tv when she heard a knock on her door. She hadn't been expecting anyone and when she opened the door she was shocked to see Rick standing there with a bouquet of flowers.

"Hey" she said, a grin spreading from cheek to cheek.

"Hey, these are for you," he said, handing her the bouquet of flowers.

She pulled them up to her face inhaling the beautiful scent of the dozen red roses he had shown up with.

"What are these for?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to surprise you, stop by and say hi, you busy?" he said, looking past her into her apartment.

She stepped aside ushering him in the door way, "No, just being lazy about to watch some tv. Thank you for the flowers, they're beautiful Castle."

He spun around watching her walk into the kitchen to put them in a vase. He eyed her up and down, studying her, and when she looked up and caught him he looked the other way as if he was embarrassed by his own ogling.

"You look beautiful today," he said, looking towards the living room, and then back at her.

She ran her hands through her hair, trying to fix the tousled pieces that she knew were all over the place.

"You're sweet, but I look like a mess. I wish you would have told me you were coming, I would have showered or done something with myself."

He took her hand pulling her into a hug, "Then it wouldn't have been a surprise, right?"

She giggled, wrapping her arms tight around him, unwilling to let him go. "Right. I'm happy you came, I've missed you." She said, tilting her head up to place a soft kiss on his lips. One in which he returned, deepening it a bit. She opened her mouth to allow him entrance and he obliged, sliding his tongue inside. As soon as they broke for air, Kate let out a giggle.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing, you just make me feel like a little kid sometimes."

"I kiss like a little kid?"

She slapped him on the chest, breaking contact, "No, crazy. I love your kisses, and they are in no way childish."

The truth was Kate loved it when he returned her affection towards him. She could never read him, sometimes he was okay with being affectionate, other times he rejected it completely. Kate took a seat on the couch first patting the space next to her for him to take. He took a seat, cuddling in close, and wrapping his arm around her.

"Where's Lex? Shouldn't you be with her? Not that I'm disappointed that you're here, because believe me I could really use some time with you."

"She is spending the day and night with my mother. I think she could tell I needed a break so she gave me the whole day off."

"I would love to spend the whole day with you, but I kind of have plans tonight with my best friend Lanie, and her boyfriend Javi. You are more than welcome to join, we were just going to dinner. I am sure that Lanie would love to meet you."

Rick didn't respond immediately, she could tell that he was thinking, but couldn't quite read him.

"I mean you don't have to come, if you're not comfortable."

His head shot back towards her, and pulling her closer into his side he placed a kiss on the top of her head.

"I would love to come, I just don't want to impose."

"Don't be silly, I want you there."

"Well if you want me there, then I want to be there."

"Good, it's settled then, you're coming."

As they walked into the dimly lit restaurant, Kate immediately spotted Lanie sitting at the bar next to Javi, and as she approached she could tell she had interrupted an argument.

"Hey Lanie,"

"Hey girl." She said, standing to give Kate a hug.

Kate looked back at Rick as the hug broke, "Lanie this is Rick….. Rick, Lanie."

The two shook hands Lanie's eyes widening, giving Kate a knowing look.

"So this is the handsome author Kate has told me all about."

"You've told her about me?" Rick looked towards Kate.

"Of course I have, Silly." Kate gave him a smile and a shoulder bump.

"She never mentioned just how handsome you really were though, holding out on me I assume because she wants you all to herself."

Lanie turned around slapping Javi on the shoulder, getting his attention immediately.

"Javi, stop being so rude, this is Rick."

Javi stuck his hand out, shaking Castles hand.

"Hey, dude, wanna sit, have a beer, let those two do their thing."

Rick nodded, "yeah, of course, sounds perfect."

Rick took a seat next to Javi at the bar and ordered a beer. Meanwhile Lanie and Kate took a seat at a small table not far away.

"Sooo, spill. Things must be going well if he is here with you, right?"

Kate smiled, showing her excitement over Rick's decision to come with her, showing that he was becoming more comfortable with being with Kate.

"Honestly, I was surprised when he agreed to come. He has been distant, which I cant blame him for, but he's been getting better and I think things are only going to get better for the both of us."

"Have you heard from Josh anymore?"

"No, he has left me alone, which is surprising but I'm glad. I don't know that things would be able to progress for Rick and I if Josh were still pursuing me. I've been working really hard to give Rick his space and let him lead with what he is comfortable with, and it's been challenging at times. Mostly because we don't really get to see each other that much because he has Alexis, and he still isn't comfortable with me being around her I guess. I don't blame him, I screwed up, not him."

"Well, coming from someone who has a very bumpy relationship, it is all worth it. Javi and I struggle everyday in our relationship. You know how much we fight, and disagree, but at the end of the day, he is there, laying right next to me."

"Well Rick isn't ever laying next to me at the end of the night," Kate let out a deep breath, looking over at the writer, enjoying his beer with Javi. They looked comfortable, like they were enjoying each other's company.

"Still, nothing?" Lanie asked.

"Nope. Nothing. We barely kiss, I mean, he hardly ever initiates it, I do. He wants to take it slow in that department, and that's fine, but kissing doesn't count right?" Kate looked back at Lanie, searching for her friend to agree with her.

"I mean, if you're asking me, intimacy is intimacy, and kissing is intimate. I think he is afraid of being intimate with you after what you did, and rightfully so. If someone had done to me what you did to that poor guy I would be hesitant too."

"I mean he was willing to give me a chance, which means that he has to feel something for me, right? How long is he going to punish me though?"

"Punish you? He's protecting himself, Kate." She explained. "If he didn't have real feelings for you, he wouldn't be here right now. He wouldn't have ever given you a second thought after he found out about Josh. Give him his space, and time, and everything will work out for you all. You might have to put in extra work to gain his trust again, but if you care about him as much as he has already proven to care about you, then you'll do what you have to do."

Lanie looked up and over Kate's shoulder, drawing Kate to turn around as well. She saw Rick walking towards her, taking a seat right next to her.

"So Javi and I were talking, and thought that maybe you all might want to go ahead and order, we can eat here and then take this party back to my house and drink, seeing as you two are underage. That way we can all have fun, and you all won't want to kill us here in a few hours when you're prying us from our barstools."

Kate gave Lanie a look and with a nod in return and no words exchanged, "I think that sounds perfect." Kate said, grabbing Rick's hand under the table and giving it a tight squeeze.

Javi joined them at the table, they ate and drank, and by the end of the dinner both men had developed quite a buzz. Rick covered the ticket for all for all of them, Lanie and Javi thanking him profusely, and Kate gave him a more private thank you. A sweet kiss as they walked out of the restaurant.

"What was that for?" He asked, a little shocked by her public display of affection.

"Just because you're amazing, and I appreciate you being so nice to my friends. You didn't have to do that, pay for everyone's meals." She said as she took his hand in her, giving it a tight squeeze and pulling him close to her as they walked down the sidewalk. Lanie and Javi walking behind them. Javi was a little bit tipsier than Rick, and he couldn't keep his hands off Lanie.

"I know I don't have to do it, but I can afford to take care of those things."

"I know you can, and we all appreciate it very much, but you don't have to do that every time we go out. Okay?"

"Okay….."

"Hey," she stopped, pulling his arm to a stop as well. "Thank you though, for dinner, for being such an amazing man, for treating me so good, even though I haven't done anything to deserve it. But I am going to make it all up to you, and I am going to do everything in my power to be everything you need me to be, or want me to be for you. Okay?"

"Kate, you are already everything I want you to be. You fucked up, we are both aware of it, but I'm not dwelling on that anymore, and you shouldn't be either. Lets leave it in the past, and not revisit it again, ever. Got it?"

She nodded, and they started to walk again. They didn't talk the remainder of the walk to his loft, but he held her hand tightly. When they walked into the loft, both Lanie and Javi were in awe. His apartment was huge, nothing like most New York apartments they had seen.

"Rick, this place is amazing," Lanie said, walking around checking out every nook and cranny of the living room.

"Thanks, make yourself at home. I'll grab some booze and a deck of cards and we can play a few games."

After a few rounds of Ring of Fire, and a few too many drinks, Kate's legs were thrown over his lap, hands around his neck as they sat on the couch. Lanie and Javi noticed that it was getting late and decided that they should probably go ahead and go.

"Rick, Kate, I think it's time for us to head out." Javi said in between kisses from Lanie. Everyone had had quite a bit to drink and they were all a little handsy.

"Don't be silly, you all. I have a guest bedroom upstairs you all can stay in. No need to leave, we've all had too much to drink.

"You sure, dude?" Javi asked.

"Of course, second room on the right when you go up the stairs."

They both got up and started up the stairs, hands still groping each other as they did so.

"Well, looks like they worked whatever they were fighting about out." Kate said, watching them turn the corner up the stairs.

"Yeah, alcohol can be the best thing for an argument or the worst thing."

"I'm getting a little tired, I don't mind sleeping out here, but I'm gonna need a big blanket and pillow to keep me company." Kate said through a yawn.

"Don't be silly, you're staying in my bed." Rick pulled her tighter to his body as she sat on his lap, peppering kisses up her throat and up over her jaw.

"Rick, We've both had a lot to drink and you're already a little handsy, not that im complaining, it's just unlike you. I don't think it's a good idea." Kate explained.

"Kate, it's fine. I want you in my bed, fully clothed, but there. I wouldn't mind a little make out session with my beautiful, sexy girlfriend."

She knew that he had been drinking, but he had seemed fine before, now he seemed to be more under the influence then she first believed. She pulled back from his attack on her neck.

"Girlfriend? Hey slow down,"

He only pulled her tighter, running his hand up her neck into the back of her hair and pulling her into a deep kiss.

"Is that okay? If I call you my girlfriend?" he said as he finally pulled back from the kiss.

"I don't know if now is the time for us to have this conversation either, you're drunk and I don't know what you really mean and what's alcohol induced." She explained, looking away trying not to get emotional.

He loosened his hold on her, freeing her to move as she wished. She slid off his lap to sit next to him on the couch.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled.

She could see his mind running when she looked over at him.

"Don't be sorry, lets just talk about it another time, okay?"

"Yeah, that's a good idea. I do want you to sleep with me though, I might be a little drunk, but I can be a gentleman and I would really like to snuggle with you tonight."

"Okay, I can do that, but if you try to make any moves on me, I'm back on this couch, got it?"

"Got it!" he said enthusiastically.

He stood up, pulling her up with him and they retreated to his room. They both crawled in, both making their way to the middle of the bed and wrapping themselves around each other.

Vegas has been a little out of control. I'm surprised that I am even alive to write this.

I am currently on my death bed after 5 days here, and I still have three more.

AHHHHHH!

Also, whoever reviewed my story just to tell me that they enjoy the reviews more than my story….. If that's what you do with your spare time, and it gives you joy, have at it. Of course I would prefer positivity but it's the internet and people can be really mean. I choose to only respond to positivity for my own sake. I read every review and I am trying to make everyone happy, but it's hard.

Thanks to all that are still reading and reviewing.