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Kiss

Chapter 1

Bruised and dirty, tired and wilting as they slumped up the porch steps, Carol leaned against Daryl, fingers curling against the hem of his vest, finding purchase on something tangible. Her eyes prickled and burned as tears threatened to fall for what felt like the millionth time that day. She took a breath, and her shoulders shook. He turned to her, bringing his thumb and forefinger to her chin, tilting her head up so the porch light glinted off the tears in her eyes.

"We can talk about it," he offered before clearing his throat. "We'll talk about it." Carol blinked then, as Daryl's touch lingered against her skin, and then she felt the tremble in his fingers as he brushed his hand up her face, gently stroking over her temple, smoothing back her hair. This was new. It was different. It was good.

Ripples of warmth spread from her cheek, and she felt goose bumps spread over her arms. He hadn't touched her like this before. He hadn't looked at her the way he was looking at her now. He hadn't had been this brave. But neither had she. Her lips parted in a soft gasp, before he bridged the space between them, fingers finding purchase at the place behind her neck, between her shoulder blades, and he pulled her closer until his lips closed over hers, chapped and dry but warm and soothing.

She shivered against the kiss, and her heart hammered against her chest. Her crystal blue eyes blew wide, and she froze for the briefest moment before she let herself feel it. She closed her eyes and her hand moved up, fingers ghosting over the stubble along his jaw. He pulled back and a puff of warm breath hit her lips before he licked his lips, as if to taste her. And then he bent forward again, catching her bottom lip between his before his arms were circling around her, bracing her against the darkness of the night, against the darkness she fought against every day.

When he pulled back, he felt the heat in his cheeks, and he watched as her eyelids fluttered open in surprise, in a fleeting moment of panic and awe, and she touched her fingers to her lips, as if committing the kiss to memory should it never happen again.

"We'll talk about it in the morning," she promised, before he reached around her to open the door and followed her inside.