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Chapter 7: Trust

"Hi, baby. Are you feeling better?" Carol asked, standing next to her bed and looking down over the outfit she'd settled on for the day. Her cell phone was wedged between her ear and shoulder.

"Yes, Mommy. I feel better. Daddy made me pancakes with chocolate chips!"

"Oh, your favorite," Carol chuckled. "Are you going to the zoo?"

"Uh-huh," Sophia chirped. "I want to see the monkeys!"

"Oh, that sounds like fun. You hold daddy's hand and be good for him, ok?"

"I will, Mommy."

"Good. Let me talk to daddy now, ok?"

"Ok."

"Love you, honey."

"Love you too, Mommy!" Carol heard static for a moment as the little girl handed the phone to her father.

"Hey. What's up?" Ed asked with a cough.

"She's really feeling better, or she's pretending to feel better so she can go to the zoo?"

"Temperature's normal, and she ate an extra pancake this morning. I think she's ok. She's the same Sophia this morning," he promised. Carol sighed.

"Well, the nurse in me knows everything will be ok, but the mom in me is still worried."

"She so much as sniffles, we'll turn around and come home," Ed promised. "You can join us if you want, if it'd make you feel better."

"I already have plans, but thanks, Ed," Carol chuckled.

"Oh, so things are getting serious?" he teased.

"Oh, shut up," she snorted. "I'm not telling you anything."

"So, what's he like?"

"God, you're as bad as Michonne!" Carol squawked. Ed laughed, and Carol rolled her eyes at no one.

"Alright, you don't wanna talk about it. That's fair. I don't wanna pry."

"Oh, sure," Carol laughed. "Hey, I gotta go. Please watch her carefully, Ed."

"I just thought I'd let her climb in with the polar bears. What the hell, Carol? I'm not an idiot."

"You know what I mean," Carol sighed. "You just read horror stories about kids getting lost and…"

"She'll be fine. I won't let go of her hand, you know, unless she wants to climb into the lion enclosure to make friends."

"Not funny, Ed," Carol groaned.

"I've got this. Sophia's gonna be fine. Stop worrying."

"Thank you."

"You still picking her up after school Monday?"

"As always," Carol promised. "Will you please walk her to the school doors? I know she likes to walk in by herself, but sometimes she forgets she's just five."

"What'd I say? I've got this. Hell, I'll walk her all the way to the classroom if I have to. Stop worrying. You're a good mom, but I'm a good dad, too, and I won't let anything happen to our girl."

"You are a good dad, Ed," Carol agreed. "Thank you for that." Carol heard Sophia's voice calling to her father, urging him to hurry so they could see all the animals, as if the animals would suddenly disappear by the time they got there.

"I gotta go. Enjoy your date," he teased.

"You asshole," Carol sighed. "Have fun." She ended the call and stood there with a smirk on her face. She shook her head and started to pull her clothes on, chuckling about how the best thing she ever did besides giving birth to Sophia was divorcing Ed, because in doing so, she'd created a much healthier childhood for her daughter. Had they stayed married, she was certain only anger and resentment would have filled the house, and Sophia wouldn't be the happy child she currently was.

Just as she was slipping into her jeans, her phone rang again. She peeked down to see who was calling, and a grin spread over her face.

"Hey, Mich!" she called.

"You actually answered? What's up? Where's the hot fireman?" Michonne asked, as she sat across from Andre's highchair, spoon feeding him his lunch with one hand and holding onto her phone with the other.

"I'm getting dressed," Carol pointed out. She'd put her phone on speaker and set it aside so she could get ready. "Daryl's taking me out."

"Oh?"

"He doesn't want last night to be our first date," she pointed out. "As memorable as it was."

"I'm starting to feel a little jealous," Michonne snorted. "Maybe I should've given him a chance." At the choking sound Carol made on the other line, Michonne laughed. "I'm kidding! I'm glad you're getting laid."

"Well, if it helps, Rick asked for your phone number?"

"I know," Michonne laughed. "He called me an hour ago."

"He doesn't waste time, does he? For what it's worth, I think he's really interested."

"Yeah?" Michonne asked. "I hope so. I mean, there's something about that tall, handsome cop type that does things to me."

"He's a little too scrawny for my taste," Carol teased.

"Yeah, I imagine he's got those bird legs," Michonne giggled. "I can't wait to find out."

"Bad girl," Carol laughed, pulling her red blouse over her head. She'd paired it with a pair of dark jeans and her favorite boots.

"Speaking of bad girl," Michonne mused, "when's he moving in?"

"Oh, hush. We're having fun, and we're going to see where it goes. I promised Ed I wouldn't bring him around Sophia until he had a chance to meet him first."

"God, you guys have to be the healthiest exes I've ever met. If only Mike and I could be that civil. You know, Andre came home with a bag of Cheetos and a sugary, green drink the other day. Mike's flavor of the month gave my baby junk food."

"Relax, Mich," Carol urged. "Remember, if Mike knows it pisses you off, it's gonna happen all the more. Andre is loved, and he knows it. Just remember that you're the bigger person. Mike's an asshole."

"Yeah, the asshole I deemed worthy of fathering a kid with," she sighed. "So, tell me about Daryl."

"Daryl? Well…he went home to grab a couple of changes of clothes."

"Oh? He's staying over?"

"For the weekend."

"Go you!" Michonne cheered.

"God, you're impossible. Do you think it's too fast?"

"Honestly? You surprised the hell out of me. I mean, I knew you felt something for him the second you spotted him, but I didn't expect you to be shacking up with the guy after one night."

"We're not shacking up," Carol insisted. "I'm taking advantage of my kid-free weekend. Does that make me a bad mom?"

"No! If anything, it makes you a good mom. You're taking care of you, which is what you need. You need a little you time. You've devoted your life to your kid, and she knows you love her. Now it's time you devote a little bit of your life to meeting your own needs. Sounds like Daryl's doing a pretty good job of scratching that itch."

"Oh, the itch is definitely getting scratched," Carol giggled. Michonne snorted, and Carol heard Daryl's truck door shut. She peeked out the window to see him heading up with a small duffel bag slung over his shoulder. "Oh, hey, I gotta go let Daryl in. I'll call you later."

"You better! I want details."

"Ha. Goodbye!" Carol quickly ended the call, finished dressing and hurried downstairs to let Daryl in. His heated gaze had her head spinning the second he stepped into the foyer.

"That was quick."

"You look great," he murmured, leaning in to give her a kiss before depositing his duffel bag on a chair.

"Thank you. You do, too." He was wearing a nice pair of jeans with a button down blue shirt. He'd brushed his hair, and she could taste mint on his lips. His gaze traveled from her face down to the dip in her shirt. Just a small hint of cleavage was visible, but when he licked his lips, Carol felt as if her spine had turned to jelly. How could the man turn her to mush with just a look? "So? Where are we going?"

"You ever been on a motorcycle?" he asked, slipping his hands around her waist. She chewed her bottom lip for a moment and shook her head. "Good. I get to be there your first time."

"What? You're taking me riding?"

"Got my bite on the back of my truck."

"You…you brought it?" she asked, moving to peek out the window on the door. Sure enough, a shiny silver and black motorcycle was in the truck bed. "Daryl, I don't know…"

"You trust me?"

"I hardly know you," Carol chuckled. She spun back around to face him, and Daryl grinned and tucked his fingers in her belt loops to tug her closer. He kissed her then, slowly backing her up against the door. Carol moaned against his mouth when he pressed up against her. Her nipples were stiff little peaks, and she felt a hot surge rush down her spine and straight to her core. He pulled back then, and he grinned when he saw the little pout on her lips. "You hardly know me."

"Know a few things, actually," he murmured, pressing kisses to her neck. She sighed, running her hands up and down his back. "Know this." He nibbled on her earlobe, and her hands began to shake. Her breath hitched in her chest. "And this." His hands moved down her waist and hips and around to cup her ass. He gave her a little squeeze and pulled her closer, grinding his erection against her. The barriers of their clothes were almost painful. "And this." His hand moved around, cupping her through her jeans, feeling the heat radiating there, wondering if she was soaking wet for him.

"Daryl," she panted, feeling dizzy and like her legs might give out. She clamped her thighs around his hand, trapping him there, and he chuckled, burying his face against her neck.

"You wet for me, sweetheart?"

"Yes," she panted. "Fuck yes." She whimpered then when he wrenched his hand away. "You tease." He snorted at that, and Carol brought her arms around his neck. "You gonna make that up to me?"

"Yeah," he promised, kissing her softly. "You gonna ride with me?"

"Yeah," she whispered, nodding her head. She bit her bottom lip, and his eyes darkened.

"Then what?"

"Hmm?"

"It's your day. Where you wanna go?"

"Hmm," she pondered, sucking in a ragged breath when he nibbled against the hollow of her throat. "I can't think." She closed her eyes, sagging against the door, as Daryl held her up. He kissed her again, slowly, deeply, drawing out another whimper.

"You wanna eat?"

"No," she chuckled.

"You wanna watch a movie?"

"No," she panted.

"Tell me what ya want."

"I want…" She buried her face against his neck, inhaling the scent of him, subtle hints of smoke and cologne. Christ, she couldn't get enough of him.

"Know what I want?" he murmured, running his hands up her sides, sliding his thumbs over her pebbled nipples, leaving her arching against his hand. "I wanna bury myself in you. Wanna feel you, hot and wet, all around me. So fuckin' tight." His words were low and gruff and had her throbbing. "You want that, sweetheart?" She nodded. "What do ya want?"

"You," she panted. "I want you to fuck me, Daryl." She found herself blushing, despite everything they'd done together in the last eighteen hours. She wanted more, and she found she quite liked throwing her inhibitions out the window. He made her feel things she'd never felt before, and God help her, she loved every moment of it.

"Yeah? You want it now?"

"Please," she panted. She squirmed when his hand moved to cup her again, feeling the heat from her core through the fabric of her jeans.

"I wanna know you're wet for me."

"I am. For you," she panted. "Fuck, Daryl. Touch me." He chuckled against her ear, taking a deep breath, inhaling the scent of her sweet shampoo.

"Gonna take you for a ride. Then we're coming back here, and I'm gonna fuck you hard. Fast. Right here against this door." She nodded, head dropping low as he rubbed her through her jeans. He found his hands shaking, unable to believe the words that were coming from his mouth. She brought out the animal in him, and Christ, she was loving it. And he was hard as a rock, hungry for her, eager to please her. He'd never known himself to be a talker when it came to sex, but he loved the reactions he was getting out of her. The more she panted and moaned and whimpered, the more he realized how much he could turn her on without barely even touching her.

His hands fell away from her, and she leaned toward him, nearly toppling over before she found the strength in her legs again.

"You're evil," she panted. "And very full of surprises." She fanned her hand in front of her face.

"That ok? The things I said? You liked it?" She watched him shift his weight anxiously from one foot to another. Carol grinned.

"Yeah, a little too much, I think." She saw the blush fill his cheeks, and that surprised her. Her core was throbbing, and he'd barely touched her. She felt her blood sizzling in her veins, and she was certain it wouldn't take much to push her over the edge.

"You ready?" he asked, getting a weak nod from her.

"C'mon. This'll be fun," he promised, taking her hand. His touch was gentle, and his fingers curled against hers.

"I trust you," she murmured softly. A little grin quirked at the corner of his lips, and he led her from the house. As she locked up, he got his bike down using a fold out ramp he'd rigged up in the back of his pickup. He rolled the bike down onto the pavement, and Carol felt a shiver run down her spine. She took a shaky breath, realizing just how fast everything was going. It made her dizzy. A good kind of dizzy. She'd never met anyone like Daryl. All she'd ever known was Ed, and that hadn't worked out so well, and then Daryl had come along and exposed these little pockets inside of her that she hadn't known existed.

"You nervous?" His voice pulled her from her thoughts, and she realized he was ready to go.

"A little," she admitted. "You're a fireman. Thought you were all about safety." Daryl smirked and pulled a couple of helmets out of the back of his truck.

"Ain't worried 'bout myself. It's the other asshole drivers you gotta look out for. Don't worry. We ain't goin' nowhere busy." He leaned in and gave her a slow, lingering kiss. She sighed softly against his lips, feeling her heart about to burst from her chest. He nipped at her bottom lip with his teeth before soothing it over with his tongue.

"Ok," she whispered, breaking the kiss and closing her eyes when he pressed his forehead against hers. "But can we make it a quick ride?"

"You got it," he promised, running his hand up and down her back. "C'mon. You're gonna love this."