Dinner was agonizing and he didn't want the coffee she sat down in front of him, giving it an extra nudge to put it within easy reach. "And Daryl?" Her voice trailed off, drawing it out, waiting for him. He was right on the edge of asking when she whispered, "Maybe I'll take you up on your offer." He hadn't been able to think about anything else the whole evening. Part of him wanted to cut bait and make a run for it...the part that vowed never to go back to that damned doctor every time he left her office. Another part...that little voice in the back of his head that whispered it was time for him to man up and see where this could go...kept his ass in the chair, forcing a limp dick smile when he looked up and saw her smiling back at him.
"We could go to the couch if you want," she offered. "Or out on the porch. It's a beautiful night."
"Porch sounds good." Daryl rose and then picked up both cups, ducking his head as he gestured for her to lead the way. Carol flipped on a light as she pushed through the back door, letting him come out before turning it off again and closing the door. Eschewing the comfortable wicker chairs with their pretty flowered cushions, he sat down on the steps and stretched his legs out, crossing them at the ankles. He flinched when she eased herself down beside him and took one of the coffee cups.
"It's Irish," she confided after taking a slip. "Just enough whiskey in there to make it taste good."
Daryl mirrored her, taking a healthy swallow of the warm brew. The whiskey was there all right but mostly he tasted the rich smoothness of the cream coating his tongue. He could see her watching over the rim of her cup and then she shocked the hell outta him when she slid closer. "What'reyadoing?" The words came out in a rush, one breathless whisper.
"Do you like stargazing?" The question utterly confused him. Star gazing? What the hell? He followed her pointing finger to where a bright white speck hung on the horizon. "That's a planet, but the principle is the same. Do you ever just lie back and look up at the sky? It's amazing."
He'd never done such a thing in his life. A brief memory of Merle tracing constellations out of the stars back when they were kids flickered through his mind. Aquila the Eagle, Sagittarius the archer, Orion the hunter. Those were the only bedtime stories he'd ever gotten growing up. A phantom feel of frost bitten fingers and smoky breath and the grumpy hoot of an owl somewhere out in the dark. His eyes sought out the half forgotten forms and he pointed to Gemini. "My brother used to say that was me and him. Said we were going to find Sagittarius and Orion and get them to teach us. He got me my first bow for my tenth birthday. Best present I ever got."
"You have a brother?" Carol questioned eagerly as she inched ever so closer. "He's older then?"
"Older," Daryl answered absently as he sought out another familiar pattern. "That there is Cassiopeia. And over there is Andromeda. Merle knew their names but he didn't tell stories about them."
Carol laughed softly. "I don't know the names. I just like looking at them and feeling like I'm part of something bigger than myself. There's so much out there that we don't know but it's so beautiful, it's hard to be afraid."
Looking at her profile, bathed in starlight, Daryl knew exactly what she meant. It was hard to remember all the reasons he had for keeping his distance. She was sweet and good and there wasn't anything keeping him from making good on his offer. Throwing caution to the wind, his arm crept up and wound around her shoulders until she was right up against him. Carol didn't say a word as she nestled closer, a contented hum slipping out. Her hair was soft where it brushed his cheek and smelled of violets and sunshine. He bent his head until it rested on her crown and closed his eyes. Never in his life had he ever felt anything so good.
Still, she managed to one up him when she turned her head and kissed him lightly, closed mouthed and chaste and gone as soon as it appeared. Carol drew back, watching him with a gentle smile on her face. "There. That wasn't so bad, was it?"
"Not bad at all," he returned, after giving a noisy sigh her grandma always called 'blowing out the butterflies' back in the day. "Think I might like to try it again though. Just to be sure."
"Daryl, I think that's a wonderful idea."
Carol did learn something from all the kisses that followed after. You could see stars even with your eyes closed.
