Exculpatory

Chapter fourteen

"I can't believe you know how to handle a gun and didn't show off the first thing you did when we first met," Kate shook her head as they walked side by side towards her apartment.

Castle had again showed how great he was with a gun, telling her about the time he learnt how to shoot and also about a few accidents that had happened in that time being. She'd laughed more than she had in a while, since before that dinner she guessed, and he'd happily shared more of his embarrassing stories. She kind of wondered if he gave them away only to keep that smile of hers pulled up during the whole evening. When they decided it was time to head home he had insisted on walking her to her apartment, claiming they were safer in numbers. She'd rolled her eyes and reminded him she had a gun and the training to defend herself, but he'd still insisted.

"Well, the first time we met I don't think that would've impressed you at all seeing how you had me in a pretty tight grip," he reminded her and she chuckled at that.

"Yeah, I'm still sorry about that," she offered and he shook his head, big smile on his lips.

"I'm just glad you confronted me at that book store, otherwise I would've never had known you," his voice was way too gentle to be considered the goof-around tone he'd used earlier.

"Me too," she revealed after a few minutes of silence, bumping her shoulder into his in a friendly way.

She could feel his eyes on her, which was why she didn't dare look at him. She was afraid that if she did, she would see some emotion in his eyes that would prove Lanie right, prove Elisabeth right. Though, she already knew they were. They both came to a stop outside her building, none of them making the move of parting ways. She turned towards him but kept her gaze on her feet, biting her lip. When his hand suddenly brushed past her ear to tuck away a stray of hair she finally looked up at him, thinking she could drown in those blue eyes if she stared into them for too long. His hand didn't leave her skin, gently cupping her cheek, and she felt the hot string of a blush entering her face. It tingled, it actually, literally tingled having his thumb stroking her cheek. Her eyes wandered to his lips, her mind having a battle between imagining his lips on hers and pulling away from the intimacy that would mean. He seemed to have caught her looking because it only took two hesitating seconds before he started leaning down and even though a part of her screamed at her to pull away, the other part of her was sighing 'finally'. His lips were barely touching hers at first, only just nudging, but her eyes fell shut immediately and when she didn't pull away she felt his lips get bolder, pushing their lips closer together. She had never had a kiss like that, the gentle movement of his against hers, as if he was shy and scared she'd pull away. It was as if her lips started moving on their own as she started kissing him back with a feverish hunger she had no idea she could feel. The hand on her cheek tilted her head a little in order for him to kiss her more deeply and god she could feel her breath disappearing. Her heart was pounding with quick feathery beats and she was overwhelmed by the warmth her chest was imploded with. She didn't know what did it but her hands started moving to his chest, gripping the shirt he had on, pulling him closer as she let her tongue glide over his lower lip in askance for permission. Almost immediately his lips parted and her tongue was met with his, her mouth filling with the taste of him and fuck her head was starting to spin. It didn't take more than a second more of his taste and her knees were giving up, weak by... by what exactly? Him? Castle's free arm went around her waist, keeping her up as he slowed down the heated kiss to slowly pull away with a breath of 'wow'. He held her close as she tried to regain her breath, panting against his lips that were still so close she could feel the warmth of him. Their noses were bumping together with small touches with each breath they inhaled. He was the one recovering first, and she felt him pull away slightly, felt his eyes land on her. Observing her, always observing her.