They walk too close together, shoulders bumping gently as they make their way back to her car. Her thumb rubs along the edge of the keys, trying to find something to say to make him smile. Really smile, not the forced thing he has on his face now.

"You willing to open the Haunt or are we hitting up some sketchy dive bar?" she asks, pressing on the automatic unlock button and circling the front of the cruiser to slide into the driver's seat. "I'm still treating. No 'on the house' shit from you."

Almost a smile. "I think I can talk to the owner about waiving that policy for a night," he muses.

They sit too close together in the empty bar, their knees brushing against one another as he reaches over the counter for the bottle of scotch to top off his tumbler. Her phone rings and Kate abandons her second glass of wine to answer. Castle frowns from next to her and she knows he saw the caller ID on the screen before she could slide off the stool and step toward the corner of the bar.

"Hey," she says, nudging the toe of her shoe against the bar. "What's up?"

"Gonna have to cancel, babe. The surgeon who was working tonight came down with the flu and they're using my on-call shift. I need to stay at the hospital in case something comes up," Josh responds, sounding rushed, people talking loudly on the other end of the phone. "I'll make this up to you, Kate. Promise."

She glances back at Castle, moving further into the soft darkness of the corner. "Josh, I don't think this is working. You're in a relationship with the hospital and that's great but I'm tired of trying to compete for your affections."

"You're breaking up with me? On Valentine's Day? Seriously, Kate?" he asks, offended and angry.

"I'm sorry," Kate says but Josh hangs up before she can finish the sentiment.

"Everything okay, Beckett?" Castle asks.

Kate swallows, shoving her phone into her back pocket. "Guess I don't need that new dress after all," she sighs, sitting on her stool again and spinning the wine glass on the bartop. "Broke up with Josh."

"I'm s-"

"No," she cuts him off. "Do not apologize. Just…" She pulls a hand through her hair, leaning her elbow on the smooth wood of the bar. "I think I'm going to head home, Castle. Take a bath and-"

"Have dinner with me."

He looks surprised that he said anything out loud, eyes wide and mouth gaping open until she sees him own the words. "Kate. Come have dinner with me instead."

She studies him, the serious set of his jaw and the complete lack of teasing in his eyes. "You don't have your own plans?" And she wants to kick herself for attempting to sabotaging whatever this might become.

"A romantic date with my list of edits and Netflix, mostly," he says, pushing back from the bar and holding out a hand to her. "So, will you save me from a night of work?"

She shouldn't. Not when she still vividly remembers what it felt like to have him kiss her, to be pressed up against him with his hands tangled in the ends of her hair. But the thought of spending the night alone makes her ache.

"Okay," she says, taking his hand and standing up. "When're you picking me up?" she asks, slipping a twenty dollar bill next to the register despite Castle's glare.

"Uh. Well, how about seven?" he fumbles, following at her heels as she gathers her coat up and heads for the door.

Kate smiles softly. "Sounds great." She waits as he locks the front door before leaning in and pressing a kiss to his cheek, watching as his eyes widen with surprise. "I'll see you at seven."

She leaves him standing on the steps of the Haunt looking at her like he can't believe she's real.

The knock on her door comes five minutes early and she's surprised he managed to hold himself back for that long; he probably paced the hallway outside her apartment for ten minutes before giving into his own excitement.

She answers him, not letting him stew in the same shiver of nerves she's feeling. "Hey. Just need to grab my stuff, okay?" she greets, already turning back toward her bedroom.

"Beckett," he breathes, catching her wrist to spin her back in front of him. "You look amazing."

Pink stains her cheeks and she ducks her head, her hair tumbling over her shoulder. "Thank you. You look pretty great too." His fingers brush against the bones of her wrist in silent appreciation. "Let me get some last things and we can go."

She already put together her clutch, squeezing her phone, badge, off-duty piece, credit card, and a handful of cash into the little white bag but she takes a moment to look in the mirror propped against her wardrobe. The black dress fits close to her torso, flaring out over her hips with a wide white sash holding the wrap top closed, allowing a deep vee of her chest to remain uncovered.

He's right; she does look good. Still, something bitter coats her tongue that tastes like the rush of adrenaline she gets during a take-down gone wrong. But mingling with the fear is something far more frightening because it feels like love.

"Kate? You read… Oh, wow," he says, stepping into her bedroom and freezing just inside the door. "This is very you."

She glances around her at the prayer flags from Ukraine and sketches of butterflies from France and the assorted ceramic figurines along her window sill, the patchwork duvet cover and the antique reading lamps she found during an impromptu dumpster dive with Ryan. "Yeah?"

Castle smiles, nodding to himself. "Yeah. Very warm and eclectic. It's nice."

"Thanks." She scoops her clutch off the foot of her bed. "Ready?"

They take a cab and she's thankful he didn't get a limo or towncar, trying to woo her. The steakhouse has the feel of a speakeasy, comfortable and cozy and dimly lit when they get seated next to a wide fireplace.

It feels normal, like any other dinner after a case they've had except entirely different. He doesn't hide how he gazes at her with devotion and caring in his eyes and she no longer shies away from smiling softly as he tells her about his first girlfriend and their disastrous Valentine's Day.

He pays, slipping his card into the black folder as soon as their waiter sets it on the table, but Kate insists on putting down the tip as he signs the check.

Castle helps her into her coat, his fingers lingering at her shoulders, tangling with her hair as she works the buttons closed. She snags at his fingertips on the way out, holding on as they hail a cab and slide into the backseat.

He doesn't stop touching her, sitting so their thighs press together and his hands coasting up and over her wrist, sneaking under the sleeve of her coat.

She pays for the cab, pushing the bills through the divider and thanking the driver as Castle gets out onto the sidewalk in front of her building. He looks prepared to say goodbye and start toward his own home until she steps into his space, her forehead falling to his chin.

"Thank you," she whispers. "Want to come up? I have coffee, as cliche as that is."

"Coffee sounds great."

The elevator clanks on the way up, the numbers climbing too slowly as she fights the desire to press her body up against his. But when she unlocks her front door and he stands close to her back, she stops fighting.

She kisses him, soft and gentle with her fingers curled into the lapels of his coat, catching him unaware in her doorway with her name caught in his throat.

"I don't want to push you," he murmurs, his hands at her waist. "You just broke up with Josh hours ago and…"

"I just need you to know, okay? I love you and I can wait but you needed to know I'm done hiding in relationships with people who don't matter," she explains, moving into her kitchen and tossing her coat over the island, dropping inches as she steps out of her heels. "Because you matter, Castle, and I'm in love with you."

He stands, staring at her as she starts the coffee pot like she didn't just drop a bomb on his shoulders. "Kate," he breathes. "Kate, I-"

"Don't say it only because I did," she begs, turning with mugs in her hands. "Just know that it's true."

The silence settles across the kitchen; he sheds his jacket as she pours the coffee, adding sugar and milk before passing a cup to him. The caffeine swirls with the wine from dinner, making her shake with the nerves of what she confessed and how he hasn't responded in any way. Not a nod or a frown or a single word as he sips at the coffee.

"Castle," she sighs, placing her cup in the sink. "Say something."

"I love you, Kate." It rushes out of him as if the words had been building up in him for minutes (and hours and months and years). "Not just because you said it but because I love you."

She doesn't give him time to prepare as she curls into him, her arms strong at his back and her head tucked into his neck. "Thank you for saving my Valentine's Day," she says, touching her lips to the base of his throat and feeling him swallow.

"Anytime," he responds, kissing her temple.

It feels better, lighter, having their feelings floating in the air around them. But fear still lingers, mingling with the unrestrained joy.

"Can we take this slow?" she asks quietly, turning to look up at him, shifting until she feels his hand tighten in the fabric of her dress. "I don't want to screw this up."

He laughs, brushing her hair out of his mouth. "That makes the both of us. Let's leave it at that, then," he says, taking his coat from the counter and sliding his arms into the sleeves.

"Wait!" she shouts, running to snag the elbow of his jacket just as he reaches the front door. He catches her as she surges up into a kiss that is everything the first of the night wasn't, an echo of the kiss in the dark alley. Fire and passion and love flaring bright.

Kate breathes out slowly, stepping back into her apartment with her fingers over her lips as if to hold the happiness in. "There. I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

"Tomorrow, Beckett. Promise."

Her smile doesn't fade for the rest of the night and when he walks into the precinct tomorrow with coffee in his hand, she finds that he can't stop shooting little grins in her direction either.