Different kind of comfort

Chapter 32 - Coney Island

"I don't think I'll ever get used to seeing that" I whispered for myself, not knowing Castle was standing in the door until he spoke up.

"Get used to what?" he asked and I felt myself blush.

"Nothing" I said as I put up my hair in a ponytail.

"One day Kate Beckett," he said and I looked at him, "one day you'll not be able to keep even the slightest of things from me" he smirked and I rolled my eyes but wasn't able to stop my growing smile.

"If that day ever come" I teased and sneaked past him.

"Oh, you know it will principal" he teased back and I snorted back playfully.

I knew very well he would be able to make me tell him everything. I walked out to the kitchen and took out food from the fridge to make something we could take with us on the road. As soon as I was done Castle came out from the bedroom with a big smile on his lips. I couldn't help but get a small lump in my stomach thinking he would do something I didn't like but I quickly pushed that thought away. I gave him the breakfast I've made and we headed for his car while eating. 

"So, what do you say about telling me what you were thinking earlier?" Castle asked as soon as he had eaten the food and started the engine. 

I laughed and he pulled out of the parking garage.

"You're still thinking about that?" I questioned, eyeing him.

"Of course I am! You're a mystery I'm never going to be able to solve! I would love to at least find some of the puzzle bits" he exclaimed before he started to mumble instead of talking normal.

It was almost like he was embarrassed how big of a power I had on him. 

"So many layers to the Beckett onion, how will you peal them all?" I teased before I gave him a gentle smile. "I was thinking about us, about how my lips always swell after you've kissed me the way you do" I quietly confessed while I was looking down in my lap.

"I love that" he said and I looked up at him to see him glance between me and the road. "I love how your lips react to mine, makes me believe our lips are meant to move together" he added as an explanation before he made a face filled with thinking, "god that sounded much sappier than I thought."

I chuckled and his hand landed on my thigh. I took his hand in mine and we intertwined our fingers, staying quiet for the rest of the ride to the hotel Martha and Alexis had been staying in. The second Alexis got her eyes on us she started waving excitedly and I couldn't help but feel the joy spreading in my whole body seeing her that way.

"Kate!" the little redhead yelled when I jumped out of the car and before I knew it her small body came crushing into mine.

I laughed pulling her up in my arms, hugging her tight.

"I saw you on television last night, are you okay?" Alexis whispered into my hair.

"I'm more than okay now" I answered truthfully and kissed her head before I put her down on the ground.

"Good, because I can't wait to play with you again" she said happily.

I chuckled and turned to look at Martha who had walked up to us. Castle came from behind and hugged me with his hands around my waist. 

"We should get going, we don't want to get stuck in line all day long" he said and I agreed as I felt his lips kiss me right behind my ear.

Alexis immediately jumped into the car and Castle walked towards the driver's seat. Martha on the other hand came up to me and gave me a big hug.

"I'm glad you didn't give up on Richard. I'm relieved you took care of what stood between the two of you" she said low into my ear and I hugged her back.

"I could've never done it without him, he's the one who found the tape" I said before I added, "thank you Martha, for everything."

"No problem kiddo, now let's go to that amusement park Alexis can't stop talking about" she said with a chuckle as we let go of each other.

I insisted on sitting in the backseat together with Alexis on our way to Coney Island, that way I could easily talk with her and a little now and then surprise her by tickling her.

Rick Castle's POV

Once we got to the park I saw Alexis take Kate's hand and set off towards one of the carousels in the park. I couldn't help but chuckle at the eagerness my daughter expressed and adore how Kate immediately followed her with an amused face. I figured this would be the perfect timing to talk to mother without Kate being able to hear about my plans. 

"Mother" I started to get her attention.

"What is it Richard?" she asked worriedly probably feeling the nervousness coming out from my body.

"I'm gonna ask Kate to marry me" I breathed out before I could regret telling her about it.

"That's about time!" she exclaimed and I looked at her with a confused face. "Well, it's obvious you're crazy about her and it's obvious she's head over heels in love with you, but I should warn you Richard" she pointed out and I looked at her serious, "she doesn't seem like the fast going type, if she's not ready you shouldn't push her" she added and I let go of a breath I didn't know I was holding.

At first I had thought she was going to say something about Kate that she didn't like, just like she had done with my ex-wives of whom she disliked more than I thought had been possible. 

"So you approve?" I asked carefully, just to make sure she wouldn't come at me later and telling me how wrong I was, just like she had done before.

My question earned one of my mother's very famous looks.

"Richard... Katherine is your soulmate, I don't only believe so I know so" she said deadly serious.

I couldn't help but smile big at my mother's words. She knew as much as me that Kate was the one, and she would always be the one. I looked up and saw the love of my life fooling around with my daughter. They had apparently found a carousel which music was good enough to dance to, so a few meters from me and mother I saw Kate dancing around with my daughter who laughed at the silly side Kate was showing her.

"When are you going to do it?" mother interrupted my thoughts and I looked at her.

"I'm thinking tonight, but I don't know yet, I don't know how to do it" I confessed and my mother smirked.

"I have an idea" she said before she started telling me the best proposal I had heard in a long time.