Chapter 20
They woke up fully clothed for the first time in a while. Kate was nuzzled into his side, one leg entangled between the two of his. They lay in silence, each aware the other was awake, just giving each other time to fully wake up.
"I don't want to move." She said, rubbing her hand down his chest and over his belly.
"Yeah, me either, but my stomach veto's that idea." He said, and almost on cue his stomach started growling.
"Yeah, mine isn't too pleased with me either."
"I'll go make us some breakfast while you shower, and then after we can go to some boutiques and find you a perfect dress for dinner."
"Where are we going?"
"It's a surprise, so get up and shower so we can get going." he playfully smacked her butt as he slid out from underneath her.
Her head hit the mattress, she was still too tired to really move but she kicked the blanket off and rolled out of bed anyway.
After breakfast they made their way to Main street, Castle insisted on taking her into Gail Rothwell first, the store was filled with designer clothing and accessories. Kate was in heaven, designer clothes were something that she was use to wearing at photoshoots, but she didn't own very many expensive pieces on her own. The sales associates were very hands on in helping her find things to try on. Rick sat outside the fitting rooms patiently, weighing in on some of the dresses, but he loved most all of them.
"Babe, you aren't being much help. I need you to choose one for me."
"Choose whichever one you like the most, Kate, or you can pick more than one. This is my treat, I want you to pick whatever you want out."
"Castle, I don't need a new wardrobe, just a single dress, for tonight," She crossed over towards where he sat and took a seat on his lap.
"Well they all look amazing on you."
"Pick one, Rick."
"Why do I have to choose?"
"Because you're the one I want to impress. Which one do you love, or do you love any of these?"
"I love the black one, it fits perfectly, and it's not too revealing, which I like, because I already know what's underneath, no one else has to know. "
She shoved at his chest playfully, "But does it make me look sexy?"
"Sexy? Kate, you're sexy to me when you are wearing sweat pants."
"Okay, well the black one it is then, if that's the one you like." She stood up, heading back into the small changing room and sliding the curtain over for privacy.
"Kate, if you don't love the black one you don't have to get the black one."
"I love you, and you love the black one, so I love the black one."
After paying for the dress, the two of them decided to grab lunch at a nearby café, something small and light, Kate wanted to make sure that she didn't look bloated in her dress for dinner. She had just began to notice a real difference in her body since eating healthier but she was still self conscious about what she looked like, especially when she and Castle were out together. She knew that he often made the tabloids, and although they had kept their relationship pretty private, she was still aware of the possibility of the paparazzi seeing them out. They had never made the tabloids together, even after their very public display of affection outside of Alexis' school, which she thought was odd considering the pictures the paparazzi must have gotten that day.
"RICK CASTLE" a tall, slim, blonde woman called across the café, "Is that really you?"
She was walking towards their table, clothed from head to toe in designer duds, her long, beautiful blonde hair was sitting perfectly in place over her shoulders.
"Lauren… uhhh, how are you?" he nervously choked out.
"I'm good, it's been a while, well since last summer when I woke up and you were just gone. I mean we had a week of great sex, things I've never done with anyone, and then you're just gone. Thanks for answering my text and phone calls, what a true gentleman you are."
"I. I am really sorry about that, I was going through a hard time, ex-wife problems." He said nervously, trying to find a way to veer the conversation away from their weeklong sex-capades.
"Excuses, excuses," She looked towards Kate, who was sipping on her tea, watching their interaction, "So is this your latest fling?" she questioned, looking Kate up and down.
"Uhh, yeah, I mean No, she is my girlfriend, not a fling," he looked nervously towards Kate, who appeared to be growing more agitated by the minute.
"Hi, Kate Beckett," she waved to the woman, not even trying to hide how annoyed she was.
"Oh, and she's territorial. Honey, you don't have to worry about me, I have been over this one for a while." She laughed, looking back at Rick.
"Well, I'm kind of over you already, so you should probably go." Kate threw back at her.
"KATE!" Rick interrupted, throwing a glare in her direction.
His glare was matched by one of the same intensity, "Really? You know what, maybe I'm the one that should go." She stood from her seat, grabbing her purse and headed straight for the door without a word or glance back at Rick.
Rick made eye contact with Lauren again, both of them in shock by what had just happened, he threw money down on the table, and ran after Kate. When he got out of the Café, he couldn't see her anywhere on the street. Knowing that she had no clue where his house was or where anything else was for that matter, he pulled out his phone and called her.
"What do you want Castle?"
"Kate, where are you?"
"Why does it matter? You just scolded me for taking up for you. I'm suppose to be your girlfriend, you're suppose to be on my side."
"Kate, I'm sorry, I didn't know what to do, and things got out of hand so quickly."
"Yeah they did, you basically introduced me as your latest fling. I'm going to call Lanie, I think it's best if I just go back to the city."
"Kate.. please. Don't do this right now. I made plans for us, I made plans for you."
He could hear the sniffles over the phone, he knew she was crying and all he could think about was getting to her. He continued to search the streets for her, looking into every boutique and restaurant.
"Kate, just tell me where you are, can we at least talk, and then if you want to go back to the city, I'll take you to the city."
"Promise?"
"I promise?"
The phone went dead, and he thought that she had hung up on him, when she felt his arm being grabbed from behind. He turned around to find her tear soaked face. Pulling her into a tight embrace, he kissed the top of her head.
"Don't ever run out on me again."
"I'm sorry, I was angry, and I'm sorry."
"No," he pushed her back away from his body, looking her in the eyes, "I am the one that should be sorry. You didn't ask for that. Lauren knew that she was provoking you and I am so sorry that I yelled at you. I wasn't taking up for her, I just didn't want any conflict."
"I know, I know. I reacted like a child, but I couldn't help it. Not only is she beautiful but she was talking openly about having sex with you. I don't want to imagine anyone else having sex with you, ever."
He drew his hands up to her face, cupping her cheeks and drying her tears with his thumbs.
"I hate seeing you upset babe. I'm sorry about that, I can't change my past and who I've slept with, just like you cant change yours, but we are together now, and we have been so good. Let us be good, please."
"I want us to be good, I want us to be happy. I want to have a great weekend with you."
He pulled her body back in for a tight hug, she nuzzled into his chest, wrapping her arms around his torso.
"Does this mean you'll stay?" he asked.
"Of course I'm staying, I'm not leaving you, so that you can run off and do dirty things to that girl."
"She was right, you are a little territorial." He teased, giving her butt a tight squeeze.
She took a step back from him, releasing her hold and giving him a look of confusion, "Am I enough Rick? When we are intimate, are things okay, or is there more that you want from me?"
He grabbed for her hand, pulling it up and kissing her knuckles, "Baby, you are more than enough for me. Our sex life is amazing, and maybe we haven't done those dirty things to each other that she mentioned, but we don't need those things. I am satisfied completely, and I hope you are too."
She nodded her head excitedly, "Oh, I am completely satisfied." She grinned.
He took her hand, pulling her along the sidewalk.
"Where are we going?"
"Home, so I can satisfy you before dinner."
"NO." she halted their movement, "I don't want to before dinner, I actually can we maybe go buy something special, for tonight?"
He gave her a look of intrigue, "What kind of special?"
"Nothing crazy, just some new lingerie, I'll even let you pick it out."
"I know the perfect place." He took her hand again, pulling her into a small boutique down the block.
I know I am throwing out excuse after excuse for my update delays, but I go to University of Kentucky and so I have been partying going crazy with my school because we are kicking ass in the NCAA tourney!