On November 23, 2011, I posted the very first chapter of KMC. Hard to believe we've passed the one-year mark. As always, I'm grateful to all you wonderful readers and reviewers, and to wonderful editors Sparklemouse, chezchuckles and Sandiane Carter.
Bushels of love to Cartographical for editing this chapter, and for all her amazing help throughout this series. My stalky leopard.
Queen of editing,
docile, sweet, pleasant, gentle:
Cartographical.
Chapter 42: 2x23, Overkill
We make a good team.
Case closed. Kate actually gets home at a godly hour. Tom wanted her to come over, but - she just - she couldn't form a yes and so he kissed her goodnight and left.
It should have been an easy choice. It should. Tom's hot. He's normal. He's easy to deal with. He's been straightforward about the fact that he likes her. He really, really likes her. This shouldn't even be a question, should it?
Too much to figure out right now. She shrugs out of her work clothes and pulls on yoga pants and a t-shirt. She's tired. She just wants to relax.
She's in her kitchen, reaching for a water glass, when there's a knock at the door.
Who – it's not Tom, is it? He was nice about it, but she could tell he was hoping she'd stay over tonight. And she just - she doesn't -
She opens it to find Castle, of all people, leaning on the doorframe with an unreadable expression on his face.
"Castle? What are you doing here?"
"If I had asked you out two weeks ago, would you have said yes?"
"What?" What is he -
"Would you have gone to dinner with me?"
"Castle - " He can't be serious, but - his face. His eyes are so keen, so bright, blazing into her, and she's mesmerized. "I - " Her voice falters as she suddenly realizes she doesn't know.
She really doesn't know.
"I just - I think you don't realize that I'm serious, Kate." She swallows hard when he uses her first name. "But I am. I'm interested in you."
"What?" She can't really form words beyond what, because this absolutely cannot be happening.
"And it's not just - I mean, I've always been attracted to you, but it's not just like that. You're smart. And funny. And beautiful. And - and everything about you is so far beyond extraordinary." His voice floats over her, low and rich and so warmly sincere it sends a shiver down her spine. "And I know I was a jerk to you at first. But I like you, Kate. And I think if we give it a chance, we could really be something."
It can't be real. It can't. But God, now she's thinking about it. About him. About the words us and we and extraordinary.
The only word she can come up with for Tom is hot. There are so many other words that are just missing.
"Kate - " Castle takes a deep breath. "Kate, I'm going to kiss you. If you let me."
Her mouth goes dry as he leans in. Too close. Too much. This isn't right, it's too fast, this isn't like him and they don't talk about this. But she can't shape her mouth into a no, and he must take her silence as permission because she gets a single breath and his hands come to her face and then he's kissing her.
It's - not what she expected. It's gentle. It's warm and soft and delicate and she's honestly too shocked to realize she should really step away. Or slap him. Or not kiss him back. Or do something other than, well, let him. But - but -
- but it's perfect.
He finally pulls away and she can hardly breathe.
When she slowly opens her eyes, it's a mistake. His eyes are so bright, so endlessly blue, and any protest she might make is dead on her lips. She liked it. She wants to do it again.
And he knows, of course he does. Because he knows her. He runs his thumb over the swell of her bottom lip and she actually feels herself getting lightheaded.
He leans in and she thinks he's going to kiss her again. Her eyes flicker shut. But instead of her mouth, his lips graze the curve of her jaw, slow and deliberate and hot. He presses a gentle kiss to her cheek, lingering, whispering directly into her ear.
"Just give me a chance, Kate."
He steals one last brief kiss. Then with a gentle brush of his fingertips to her cheek, he takes a step back and turns to leave.