45. Date Night

X~~~X

They stepped into the elevator, a respectable distance separating them and while the car was bringing them down, they kept stealing glances at each other, their hearts beating fast and feeling like two teenagers on their first date. When the door opened on the ground floor Castle reached for Kate's hand, unable to fight his longing for her anymore and he didn't let go as they walked through the foyer and out into the street.

The chilly November air greeted them, surrounded them, causing Kate to step closer into the warm shielding that Castle's body provided while they waited for the cab the doorman had called for them.

"You look gorgeous," he whispered into her ear, leaning in to catch a hint of her perfume, "and you smell delicious."

Kate just leant closer, humming into his ear, letting her free hand run over his chest when she asked, "How long is your mother staying tonight?"

She leant her head against his shoulder, hoping that Castle wouldn't tell her they needed to be back at midnight, because she wasn't ready for that, not at all.

"She is sleeping in the guestroom," Castle replied, putting his arm around her waist, "So we have all night if we want to."

Kate turned her head to look at him, raising one eyebrow, "Someone's planning on getting lucky tonight, huh?"

Castle's head shot around, looking at her with big, panicked eyes, "What?"

"Giving away my room?" She asked and felt him tense beside her. "Where are you planning for me to sleep tonight?"

"No, no," he shook his head, "that's not - I didn't - I mean," he stopped when he heard her laugh.

"I'm just messing with you, Castle."

"Not funny," he pouted, standing a bit straighter, when he felt her fingers at his collar tugging him down.

"I think we've waited long enough," she breathed seductively, her lips so very close to his, "I'll kiss your wounded ego better tonight," she grinned against his mouth, feeling him respond to her closeness and when Castle thought she would finally stop talking and kiss him, Kate pulled away, "but first you'll need to feed me."

He growled, tightening his grip on her, wanting to get back at her for teasing him but he had to let go when the cab pulled up beside them. Later, he promised himself.

She sat close to him in the backseat, not wanting to let go, fearing she might wake up and realize it was all a dream. It had been so long since she'd been out on a date, or out on the town at all for that matter. She didn't need to worry about Jamie, didn't need to hurry back home to release the babysitter. The only thing she had to do was to enjoy her night out with the gorgeous man at her side.

She sighed, turning her head to look at Castle who was currently staring out the window, giving her the chance to study his handsome features without getting caught staring. He was good looking, there was no doubt about that and his body was … she shivered thinking about his broad chest, his strong arms and that gorgeous ass of his. Gosh, she was already turning into a nervous bundle of need and desire and they weren't even at the restaurant yet. She needed to stop. Besides his good looks were not what had made her - she stuttered in the middle of her train of thoughts – was she falling in love with him? Or was it already too late for that?

She tried to take a deep breath to calm her nerves, but it was no use so instead she tightened her hold on him to get his attention, there was something she wanted to tell him.

When his blue eyes met hers she leant in to press a kiss against his jaw, "Thank you, Castle." She mumbled against his cheek before sitting back into her seat.

"For what?" He frowned surprised.

"For being you," she shrugged, "for pushing me when I needed it. I know that you are the one who got us here."

"Kate," he moved closer to her, "We both got us here. I could have pushed all I wanted but if you hadn't let me push you we wouldn't be anywhere."

"I don't know," she looked down at her hands. She hadn't planned to turn the matter into a big discussion, especially not tonight but apparently it was too late for that, she knew he would try to convince her otherwise.

"But I do," Castle told her, his voice firm as his right hand cupped her cheek to make her look at him, "and I know you don't want to hear this, but I'm proud of you."

She tried to turn her head, but he wouldn't let her, "Kate you are still so young and I know it must have been hard for you doing it all on your own," she tried to object, wanting to tell him it was her own stupid choice to do it alone for so long, but Castle stopped her with a finger on her lips, "You've been through a lot, through more than anyone should be and I think you have every right to be careful and not give you heart easily. I'm glad you let me in though." He smiled at her, his fingers caressing her cheek. "I've waited a long time for you to come around Kate. You are the one I've been looking for."

He heard her sigh and hoped it was a good sign, tonight was supposed to be fun, not about dwelling over the past and the what ifs. He hoped it was the start of an amazing future for them.

He got his answer when her lips met his, her arms sneaking around his neck to pull herself closer to him as she seemed to have forgotten they were still in the backseat of a taxi with not much privacy.

Her tongue was eager to enter his mouth and he gladly granted her access, pushing her back into the seat, his hand on her knee, slowly travelling up, before she pushed it away and leant back.

"Stop Castle," she panted. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes a shade darker than before.

"Food first, I know, I know," he nodded, sitting back into his seat, trying to calm his racing heart and other parts of his body. He just wanted her so much, dinner would be pure torture, for sure.

"Where are we going anyway?" Kate asked, looking out of her side of the window to see where they were.

"Actually, we are already there," Castle pointed out of his window at a place that looked like an Italian restaurant, "Tony serves the best spaghetti with meatballs in the whole city," he continued, while he paid the cabby and helped Kate out into the street.

"Spaghetti with meatballs?" Kate frowned, looking at the restaurant that didn't look at all like a place she would have pictured Castle choosing for their first date.

"Trust me, it's Alexis' and my favorite restaurant," he told her before his hand at the small of her back guided her forward toward the entrance.

"Ricky, you son of a gun," an elder, bulky and obviously Italian guy greeted him effusively, "Where have you been? I haven't seen you and Alexis in ages."

"Ah, I've been kind of busy Tony, but I promise we'll come around more often from now on," Castle told Tony, who was apparently the owner of the restaurant.

"And who is the lovely lady at your side?" Tony asked directing his attention to Kate.

"This is my friend Kate Beckett," Castle introduced her with a big smile, not sure if Kate would have liked to be introduced as his girlfriend in public just yet. "Kate this is Tony."

"Buonasera signorina," Tony smiled at her, kissing the knuckles of her hand, before leaning back into Castle's personal space. "I can see why you have been busy." He winked at them, before taking the lead, guiding them into a more secluded area of the restaurant.

"Your favorite table, as requested," Tony told Castle, before leaving them alone with the menus and taking their coats with him.

Castle pulled out the chair for Kate, letting his hands linger on her shoulders before taking his seat on the opposite side of the table.

"Your favorite?" She asked and Castle detected just a slight note of uncertainty in her voice.

"Mine and Alexis, yes," he nodded and saw her relax.

"Oh," Kate sighed, feeling ridiculous all of a sudden. She knew he wasn't the man the press liked to make him appear to be and he had never given her a reason to doubt him not once in the past three months.

"I've only ever been here with Alexis and mother," he added, "You're the first besides them that I take here."

"Why?" She asked, feeling pitiful in her need for reassurance.

Castle just shrugged, reaching over the table to hold her hand, "You're family."

Her smile lightened her whole face as she gave his hand a soft squeeze. How did he always know what to say? And why wasn't he getting tired to reassure her all the time? She sure would have given up on herself by now.

When Castle was sure she was fine, he reached for the menu, "Of course you can choose anything you like but I really recommend the meatballs," he told her, his eyes never leaving her. "You would really miss something."

"Okay," Kate nodded with a grin. "Bring it on Castle."

Castle had been right, the spaghetti and the meatballs were to die for, plus the whole evening clearly showed that he had been listening to her when she had asked for something simple and not too fancy. Surprisingly she realized that she could have afforded this restaurant on her own and she didn't have to feel out of place among New York's high society. The food was one of the best she'd ever tasted, the wine lulling her into a very comfortable state of mind, loosening her body and easing her insecurities.

They both looked a bit stupid with their napkins tucked into the collars of his button down and her dress and it made her giggle to see Castle's face smeared with tomato sauce, reminding her of their daughter.

"What?" He asked, seeing her happy eyes dance across his face.

Kate shook her, "You have tomato sauce all over you."

"Oh," he grinned sheepishly, before wiping his mouth clean with his napkin. "Better?"

Kate shook her head, leaning over the table and signalling him with her finger to do the same.

She gave him a quick kiss, her tongue teasing the corner of his mouth before leaning back into her seat, "Better."

He grinned like an idiot, his hand finding hers again and then he felt her bare foot at his calf.

"Let's forget about dessert and get out of here," she breathed and this self-confident, demanding version of Kate Beckett turned him on like nothing else ever had.

He was out of his chair in no time, leaving a generous tip on the table, before heading to the front of the restaurant to get their coats.

They more or less stumbled into the backseat of the first cab that had stopped in front of them, Castle's hands reaching for her, wanting to have her close, unable to stop touching her, "Broome Street -," he started to tell the driver but was stopped by Kate who gave the cabby her own address.

Castle frowned at her, honestly he hadn't thought about going to her place or had she changed her mind?

"All night without possible interruptions," she mumbled into his neck, "I'm not sharing you tonight Castle, not even with our daughters."

He growled, attacking her neck, oblivious to the driver who kept throwing them interested glances through the rearview mirror.

He felt her nibble at his earlobe and he needed to take deep calming breaths so he wouldn't rip her clothes off right here and now. Only ten more minutes he told himself over and over again.

They almost fell through her front door, their hands trying to take each other's coats off at rapid speed, while their lips tasted and licked their ways over the barely exposed skin.

Castle pushed her up against the wall in her hallway, eliciting a sweet moan from her mouth as his thigh pressed between her legs right where she wanted him the most and Kate thought she was going to explode from an overdose of emotions and feelings. He was just everywhere and it had been so long since she had done this, she hadn't been with anyone since him and she just couldn't wait any longer.

"Forget the foreplay," she groaned, "Bedroom. Now."

He picked her up, Kate's legs coming around his waist and he carried her toward the bedroom, his lips never leaving hers while her hands cupped his face to keep him close, their tongues exploring each other's mouths.

"Kate," he panted, resting his head against her chest, feeling the swell of her breasts under his forehead as he stopped in front of her bed. He wasn't sure what to do next, well he did but …

"I need you," she whispered into his ear and it was all it took to get him moving again.

With a growl he put her down on the bed, studying her from above, amazed that they were really doing this again after all this time. In some ways it truly felt like this was their first time together.

"Stop staring," Kate told him, sitting up and reaching for the zipper of her dress and he quickly sat down next to her to help her get out of it.

Kate stood, letting the dress pool around her ankles and stepping out of it, shedding her high heels on the way to stand in front of him in only her underwear. Black lace, Castle swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry.

Sure he had seen her naked before, as a matter of fact had seen her in just a bikini only weeks ago and yet this time it was different. Everything felt brand new.

Kate stood there, worrying her bottom lip and staring at a spot on the floor. It has been so long since she slept with a man, since she slept with him and while she knew she was what a lot of people called attractive, knew it from the way men's eyes followed her frequently, she suddenly felt insecure. Her body had changed over the past three years and she wasn't sure she could live up to his memories, to his expectations.

"God, you're beautiful," Castle breathed unaware of her inner turmoil and pulled her close, pressing his lips against her flat, toned abdomen, his tongue coming out to taste her skin, "So gorgeous."

His fingertips trailed over her bare skin, eliciting goose bumps in their wake and Kate shivered, her hands running through his hair as she pressed his face against her middle, needing more, wanting him to be closer, wanting everything.

"Your skin is so soft," he stated amazed and unable to let go of her, his fingers running up and down her body.

"And you're overdressed," she mumbled and reached for the buttons of his shirt.

"Kate," he breathed, taking her hands into his, "I wanna do this right."

He sounded more insecure than she had ever heard him and it helped to know she wasn't alone in this, it gave her the strength to be the one taking the lead for once.

She straddled his lap, running her hips in slow circles over his, feeling him respond to her every move and then she pushed him back into the covers, unbuttoning his shirt to kiss her way down his torso.

"I love your chest," she mumbled against his skin, leaving a hot trail of kisses around his belly button before going for his belt.

"God, Kate," Castle groaned, having no idea when he had ever been so turned on, probably never. She was every dream come true and he couldn't believe they were finally here.

He turned them, covering her body with his and slowly worked down the straps of her bra to reveal more delicious skin before kissing his way down her body, shedding his shirt on the way. There was no doubt in his mind, she was the most gorgeous woman he had ever laid eyes on, her body toned and strong, yet soft and curvy where he liked it.

It didn't take them much longer and they were both naked and panting heavily as they completed each other in a way neither of them had experienced before. Their first night together almost three years ago had been fantastic but this, tonight, it was more, it was everything. They mumbled words of tenderness into each other's ear before their lips met in their very own dance that was still in rhythm with their moving bodies as they took each other higher and higher, away from everything and everyone, leaving only them.

After their third round he finally collapsed on top of her, totally spent and fulfilled and turning onto his back, he pulled her with her, letting her rest on his chest.

"Wow," he breathed, still not able to form a coherent thought.

"Yeah," she whispered, content, snuggling deeper into his embrace, her right hand running circles over his chest, playing with the soft hair she found there.

"That was amazing," he sighed, pulling the covers up over their sweaty and heated bodies, both way too tired to even think about taking a shower.

"Yes," she agreed, placing a kiss over his heart, "it was."

"You okay?" He asked tentatively, not wanting her to regret anything that happened tonight.

"Never been better," she sighed happily, closing her eyes, "but tired."

"Then sleep Kate," he told her, placing a soft kiss on top of her head. "Just sleep."

Her right arm sneaked around his waist, pulling herself closer, her right leg hooking over his as she draped herself half over his body and with one last happy sigh she was gone.

When he was sure she was asleep he closed his eyes, trying to treasure everything about this moment. She would be here in the morning, they were done running and if he did it right she would be here for the rest of his life.

"I love you," he mumbled against her hair, thinking she was asleep, but feeling her hold on him tightening. She didn't stir though, so with one last deep breath he followed her into dreamland.

Kate's heart was beating fast as she tried to lay stock still. He loved her. And while she wasn't ready to say it back yet or acknowledge his confession, she suddenly realized with a certainty she had never experienced before, he was the one. He was the one for her and this was it.

X~~~~X

AN: I know it took me longer than expected. But the weather was so lovely.

I want to thank you guys for your ongoing support of this story, every review, every new follower feels amazing! THANK YOU!