A/N Kudos for Micrazy2! She caught my error! I have seen "AlWAYS BUY RETAIL" more than a dozen times but missed the part where the doorman let Meredith in! Hence the key. But since I need it for my scene, I will claim A/U and bow to her superior Castle wisdom! ;)
"Michael J. Fox? Back to the Future?" He sighed. "Seriously, do you not watch cable?
Kate laughed softly, cupping his cheek in her hand. "I don't have time for TV, Castle. I have to babysit you."
"Ahhh!" He made a face at her. "Like I am the only one that needs babysitting."
Beckett frowned, her spine stiffening. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"It means," Rick picked up his mug and sipped from it. "It means that you need to let someone care about you as much as you care about the world."
Kate's face blanched. For a moment she looked angry, her mouth opening and closing several times as she tried to figure out what to say. Finally the anger drained from her and she let out a long sigh. "I'm trying. I really am trying... with you."
Castle touched her face tenderly. "I know you are." He stared into her eyes until the emotion got too thick and then he smiled, holding up his coffee cup. "You know what this could use?"
Beckett shook her head, biting her bottom lip and loving him all the more that he let the conversation go for now. "What?"
"Cinnamon."
"Cinnamon?" She tried to hide her smile. "Really?"
Castle shook his head. "Real men can like cinnamon!"
"Okay." Kate looked across the wide counter, seeing the shaker on the other side. Standing on her tiptoes she reached for it.
Castle's mouth went dry; his fingers clenching as he watched his own boxers slide up her thighs... as he watched the muscles in her ass clench.
A second later he was behind her; his hands closing on her waist as he ground into her.
Kate gasped in surprise. "Castle!"
He pulled her back against him, loving the feel of her... needing the feel of her. "What?"
"What are you doing?"
Rick paused for a moment... and then slipped his fingers under her boxers. He pushed them down her legs and then untied his robe; making Kate gasp when his erection pressed into her.
"Loving you."
Kate's breath caught. The feel of him coupled with his words... Dropping her head she pushed back against him.
Groaning, Rick took hold of himself, sliding through her wetness.
"Castle..." She warned.
He laughed softly. "Not what I want, Detective. I never want to hurt you."
She smiled; nodding as she grabbed the counter in front of her.
For a moment, all he could do was look at her.
Then he pushed up against her, sliding into her from behind in one smooth stroke.
"Oh!" Kate gasped harshly. "Castle..."
"Don't call me Castle..." He used his grip on her hips to pull her back as he slammed into her.
Beckett dropped her head to the counter; using the cool marble to center herself as her world spun out of control. "Rick..." She whispered.
"That's it..." He shifted his hips, slamming in to her harder. "What else?"
Kate shook her head, holding on to the counter as he rode her hard from behind.
She had never felt anything so exquisite.
"What else?" Castle demanded; shifting his hips to pump into her harder.
Beckett shook her head wildly as the pleasure curled deep in her stomach, making her shatter apart uncontrollably. "I love you." She gasped.
Rick's head dropped as he came, filling her with himself... giving her himself.
"I love you too." He whispered. "So much..." Slowly he lowered them to the floor, tightening his arms around her as she shivered in his arms.
"I'm sorry." Beckett whispered tearfully.
Castle blinked in confusion; turning her in his arms so that he could look into her eyes. "For what?"
Kate bowed her head, trying to stem off the tears that were already running down her cheeks. "For lying to myself. For making you wait so long for what was obviously so right..."
He shook his head; taking hers between his hands as he stared deeply into her eyes. "I wasn't ready." He swallowed as he traced his finger down the side of her face." "When I met you... I was a mess. I was angry. Trying to figure out where my life took a wrong turn. Meredith...Gina... I was cynical." He smiled. "Then I met someone more cynical than me." She blushed and Castle smiled. "That wasn't a bad thing. It was the one thing I needed. To care about someone else... more than I cared about myself." He closed his eyes, trying not to cry himself. "You are the only one that ever gave me that chance."
Beckett looked at him closely. Finally she smiled. "You realize this is the worst babysitter cliche ever, right?" She winced as she opened her hand; the key had left indentions in her fingers from how hard she had clutched it. Laughing lightly she held it out.
"What?" Castle looked at her blankly.
"Your key."
He smiled. 'Not my key. Your key."
Kate stared at him. "Castle..."
Rick wrapped his hand around hers, hiding the key inside. "You are welcome here anytime." He swallowed. "I have nothing to hide from you... because you are all I want."
A/N 2: Please review if you have time! Gives me a happy!