From Friends to Lovers

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

She looked away, towards her window, wiping her cheeks of all the tears of sadness that had turned into happiness while he had sang for her.

There was something so very overwhelming about what he just did for her. And it made her heart swell with love for him. She had forgotten everything she had been upset with him about.
She was so lost in her train of thought. she realized he had gotten up now, his shoulders slumped, and he was moving towards her door.

"Rick" she called out.

He turned.
She smiled, the beauty of her smile now reaching her eyes. "Did you save the last dance for me?"
His face lit up so bright! His eyes shining

"I think we can still catch the last song. Come on."

Kate got off from her bed, he came to her, and said "wait, let me do this the right way"

"Katherine Beckett, do you want to go to the Sweet hearts'dance with me"

she laughed
"why Richard Rodgers, I thought you'd never ask"

she teased. And he took her hand in his, lifted it up, and placed a soft, lingering kiss on it.
A shiver ran through her body. And a blush crept up her cheeks, and she could do nothing to hide it. And he smiled proudly that he could have that effect on her.

"I'll be waiting for you downstairs."

Rick was sitting on the couch now, waiting for Kate to come downstairs. An hour ago he had no idea he'd be here, waiting in Kate's living room for her to get ready so that he could take her to the prom. He had this smile on his face.

Finally, they have a chance now. He was not going to screw this up. He needed to show Kate tonight how much she means to him. He would try asking her out on a date after the Sweet hearts'dance, and hopefully they can go further from there.

When Kate finally came downstairs, he was sure he'd never seen any one more beautiful than her. She looked glamorous. Angelic, un-earthly. Like she was sent from another universe. Planet extraordinaire. And surely she had to be the queen of the land.

Her dress was red. Thin straps revealed the creamy skin of her shoulders; her hair was let down, bouncy brown curls hanging loose around her face and falling beautifully over her shoulders. Her makeup was light, allowing for her natural beauty to shine. Her eyes highlighted with a liner. Her dress hugged her body in all the right places to leave Rick standing speechless, with his mouth hanging slightly open.

"You'll catch flies in your mouth son" Jim joked when he saw the way Rick was eyeing Kate.

Rick quickly closed his mouth, and swallowed nervously, then laughed at his own reaction.

"Uh... Kate... You look..."

Kate stared at him with an eager smile, waiting to hear what he'd say.

"Extraordinary"

"thank you" she whispered.

"You kids better get going if you want to dance at all tonight."

Rick nodded, then offered his arm to Kate, "shall we?"

She stepped forward and linked her arm with his, and looked up at him; he was smiling down at her.

"Let's go" she said.

They had just stepped out her door when he stopped and turned to face her
"I'm sorry, I don't have a corsage or something to put on your hand... I would have got you one, had I known I'd end up taking you..."

"Rick, I don't need a corsage, "

she reached out and slipped her hand in his, and said "this will do"

he didn't think it was possible, but that small gesture just made him fall harder for her.

They had just walked through the doors of the hall when Lanie and Javier walked up to them.

"you guys are late"

"better late than never" came Rick's reply.

And Kate felt his hand at the small of her back; she leaned in closer to him. She loved what his touch was doing to her. He was just so warm; the heat on her back radiating of his hand was making her insides warm.

They were dancing now, somewhere in the middle of the dance Kate put her arms over his shoulders and around his neck, and he had happily placed his hands on her waist.

They hadn't said much to each other since they left Kate's place. So Rick finally initiated.

"Have I told you how gorgeous you look tonight?"

Kate looked down, her cheeks turning the colour of her dress.
"Yea, you've said it quite a number of times"

"good, because I think it's important for you to know I appreciate this, you, here with me"
she looked up into his eyes now, and smiled.

He continued. "Kate, I'm really sorry I hadn't figured it out earlier, I had to go through being at the receiving end of Lanie's poking and yelling, and then she finally told me. Your mom let it slip to her, that u were waiting for me to ask you to the Sweet hearts'dance. I just feel so stupid, if I had known earlier..."

"Rick hey, we're here now, together. That's all that matters."

"Yea, but I want to know Kate, why me?"