Castle: Locked out

Chapter 8

KATE'S POV

How long since I have given him back his beautiful, silver ring? It felt like an eternity, but I knew that it couldn't have been long. I could remember every single detail of our last kiss, and this felt so different, but oh, so good. Too good, too addicting that there was no way, no solution for us to ever forget that kiss. Even if I stopped this madness now... or now, we would always feel what we felt now. Why not give into temptation before it was gone forever?

Rick's hands ran up my legs, and down again, leaving a trail of goose bumps even through the fabric of the pants. As our lips met again, our eyes met, and I knew that we both realized that this could with only regret.

"Stop," Castle muttered, and I stared at him in disbelieve. Since when was he responsible enough to stop? But before I could even respond, Castle just pulled himself of me and carefully placed my legs back on the floor.

"Since when are you responsible?" I jokingly reply, trying to light the sullen mood. Rick just smiles tiredly, and his mind goes somewhere where I don't want it to be. Claire.

"Well, I better get home... Oh." And that's when I realise it. I'm homeless. I have never been homeless in my life and all thanks to Mr. Castle.

"What?" Worry runs deep through his face, and for a second he just stares at me.

"Oh, your home." He thinks for a second before looking at the ground. "You could stay with me. You could just sleep in the guest room until you found a new apartment. Or just for tonight. It's already midnight."

And once again, Castle had me tied around his little pinky. There was no way I could say no to his warm and spacious apartment. I should at least look like I didn't directly decide to stay at his apartment, so I gaze out of the window. It's raining, and normally this wouldn't phase me, but today had just been terrible. It had been a nightmare without a chance of waking up from it, and his words sounded so nice, and his apartment was warm, and he was Castle. He could always, always convince me.

"You know that I can't say no to that offer." I smile as I step away from Castle. I should start distancing myself from him before he is ripped out of my life for good. But you did that to yourself! A small voice in my head shouts at me, begging for me to take him back.

"Come." Castle simply whispers and we step into the waiting elevator.

-✎-

CASTLE'S POV

Relieve floods my body as the words of agreement tumble out of her soft lips. Maybe there is hope... I think, but in reality I know how stubborn Kate can be, and this time she definitely has a reason to stay away from me. Why doesn't she? When I asked her if she wanted to stay at our... my place I could have sworn that she was going to disagree, or at least take more convincing. Still, she is with me now, and I can't complain. Even the short moments in the elevator and the silent and awkward ride home were heaven to me. Like living high of a drug and never wanting it to end. Who in their right mind would want it to end when Kate was the drug? No one, of course. She was perfect.

"Are you hungry?" Kate asks me, pulling me out of the depths of my thoughts. She sits herself on the couch and looks up at me.

"Starving. Are you? I can order something, or I think we still have leftovers from yesterday." I hastily reply, wanting to see a smile on her lips again.

"Leftovers sound great. I will get the plates, and you can warm it up?"

"Sure." I nod. Warming up the food doesn't take long, and in a matter of minutes we are eating lasagna on the wooden dining table.