How he wasn't drooling over her he wasn't sure, everything about her caused him to salivate like she was his last meal on earth. The sex appeal she was giving off was almost too much, from the curve of her hips, to the long cascading curls on her open back, the plunge of her dress that delved into her breasts, that sexy little smirk she kept giving him, a man only had so much will power.

He'd watched her walk away back over to her friend, then he turned to give the men who also seemed to be watching a death glare, one that told them to back the fuck off. He swivelled his drink around his glass planning out his next move, he caught eye contact with one of the other guy's in the room and Daryl held his stare down as the man's eyes flicked to Carol. He gave his head a very small shake as the man looked back at him. To Daryl's surprise the guy simply snorted and walked straight for Carol, guy didn't fucking know how to take a hint.

Daryl stalked towards Carol as the other guy approached, but he reached her before Daryl could. He felt a twinge in his jaw as the guys hands went around her waist from behind her.

Carol spun around in surprise, her face now away from Daryl's as he reached her side. The next thing he knew her arms were around the man's neck pulling him in for a hug. The taller man's arms tightened the embrace around her waist, giving Daryl a smug smirk over her shoulder.

Daryl bit down on his tongue hard, he had to remind himself that he didn't have a claim on her, hell he barely knew her, knew damn well what he wanted to do to her though.

"Abe!" he heard Carol say as she pulled back from the man who's eyes now flicked back to her.

"Hello gorgeous," he said giving her a kiss on the cheek, "how've you been?"

"Good thanks, you?" she smiled, still not noticing Daryl behind her.

"Not too bad, nice dress," he said giving her a once over.

She pushed him in the chest and rolled her eyes, laughing, "this, oddly enough, wasn't for you."

"For your boyfriend then?" he asked cocking a brow at Daryl.

Carol turned around to notice Daryl and the words caught in her mouth for a moment, "…not my boyfriend, this is my friend Daryl, Daryl this is Abraham."

She gestured between the two of them and Daryl simply grunted a greeting, this jackass needed to back off.

Abraham saw his hostility towards him and let out a bark of a laugh, clapping his hands together.

"Calm it man, I ain't chasing after your tail," he said his eyes narrowing down at Carol.

Carol shot him a scowl and he laughed, "she shot me down on that one long ago."

He said nothing more as he went to Michonne, finding himself being introduced to Rick.

Carol turned towards Daryl, "it was like a real long time ago, me and Abe went high school together back along, he's always been quite forward."

"Yeah noticed," Daryl grumbled back.

Carol couldn't help but giggle a little, the alcohol now getting to her, "Daryl are you jealous?"

Daryl glared up at her, "naw ain't jealous, got no reason to be, we ain't on date or nothin'."

"Exactly," she replied, her eyes gleaming up at him suggestively.

His eyes narrowed into slits and he gave her a small smirk, "what you playin' at woman?"

"Me?" she asked playing with a lock of her long hair, "I'm not playing at anything, girl gets tired of playing games you know?"

Her eyes devilishly bored into his, yeah they needed to leave, like now.

"You wanna go?" he asked hoarsely.

She let her mind wonder for a brief moment before answering him, she thought back to when she told herself she wasn't the type of girl to put out on the first date. That wasn't the kind of girl she was, was she? Her whole life she'd played it by the rules, going on the five date rule, no casual hook-ups, well look where that got her last time. Ed, her ex-boyfriend, had turned out to be a complete jackass and they dated for almost four months before having sex. She wasn't sure she was ready to be someone's quick fix and she most certainly wasn't ready to ask what he wanted from her. Maybe she should just fucking wing it, it's not like she knew this guy overly well, they could just get what they needed from each other and leave it at that, no harm done. She was done overthinking things.

"Carol?" Daryl asked quietly pulling her out of her thoughts.

"Oh," Carol said shaking her head a little feeling the room start to spin a bit, "yeah, let's get out of here."

Carol had said her goodbyes to Michonne, Rick and Abraham, Michonne briefly pulling her away to talk to her.

"So you and waiter boy over there going home to do the nasty?" she asked directly.

Carol let out a small squawk, "no, good god Michonne."

Michonne simply rolled her eyes, "have a little fun Carol, lord knows you need it."

Carol narrowed her eyes at her, "I do not need it, I've only just met the guy, he might not even want it?"

"Carol the guy has been acting like your bodyguard all evening, cockblocking you left right and centre, if you're game he is, he thirsty for that tight ass," she laughed at Carol's stony glare.

"You are of no help you know that?" she sighed letting out a small laugh, "I'll text you in the morning."

"The morning after your hot and steamy sex with Daryl? I want details, like R rated details, I don't want a PG cop out."

"Only if I get the same from your night with Rick," Carol quirked laughing as Michonne's face dropped.

"What? We- I mean- it's not-" Michonne started getting another chuckle from Carol.

She raised her hand up making Michonne stop.

"Hey I don't need to know details right now, I've got stuff to do, places to be," she said walking off throwing her friend a wink as her arm looped through Daryl's.

Daryl opened the door of his car for her again, catching a glimpse of her exposed thigh as her dress hitched upwards.

He internally groaned to himself, self-control was proving to be rapidly declining.

Carol smirked from inside of the car, seeing his eyes slowly close as he tried to compose himself, all evening they'd be fighting for control of the situation but she knew she was swaying him. She needed him to make the first move and she knew she was definitely making progress. If he made the first move it'd be a lot easier for her to push away her doubts, she needed means to forget and he was going to provide them.

However she was aware that she had had a considerable amount more to drink than him, Daryl not having very many drinks at all knowing he had to drive. This left her wondering. What happened when they got back to hers? Should she invite him inside for a drink? Would he make a move on her in the car? If he doesn't make a move should she just go inside and leave it at that? Oh god, she hadn't thought this through at all and the alcohol mixed with the fresh night air had not done her any favours. Her brain was a hazed mix of conflicting thoughts.

Daryl slipped into the drivers seat, bringing the engine to life and rolling down the window, a cigarette hanging loosely from his mouth.

Carol watched him in silence as he seemed overly focused on driving. As they stopped at traffic lights she leant across and took the cigarette from his mouth, inhaling the smoke deeply, filling her with heat which was more than welcome as the cool air of the night surrounded her.

She cast him a sideways glance, looking up through her long lashes, rolling the cigarette between her fingers. He was already staring at her through his bangs, his eyes dark and menacing.

She slowly licked her lips, biting down slightly, propping the cigarette back in his mouth. The fuck was she doing? She was acting purely on instinct at this moment and she had to not let herself panic. Over thinking things would not help the current situation. Alcohol and arousal were what was driving her judgement at that moment, it may not have been the smartest thing to drive judgement on but she was so done with over thinking this.

He took in breath and carried on driving, his eyes going back forwards.

The corner of her mouth upturned, they hadn't spoken a word to each other since leaving the gallery and she could practically hear the cogs in his mind turning just like hers were. But she was putting an end to that now.

Her hand went to his thigh before she could convince herself not to, absentmindedly running her nails up and down, from his knee and back up, dangerously close to his crotch.

Her eyes flickered as she watched his knuckles turn white as he gripped the steering wheel tighter.

He had to focus, dammit he needed to focus. Her nails were getting higher and higher up his thigh and he was having to bite his tongue to contain himself. It didn't take much to know she was drunk, a lot more since she had got out into the fresh air. Her forwardness towards him was a sure sign of that. God he wanted her, her perfume invaded his nose with their close proximity, it was a smell that could easily make him feel as drunk as her. He had keep control though, as much as he wanted this, he was very sober compared to her. The thought of driving her home and leaving her made him uncomfortable, she was going to need someone to take care of her, if not tonight then it was going to hit her in morning.

"Carol," he said quietly grabbing her attention as her hand went to his belt buckle, "you're a bit drunk my dear, I don't want you doing anything you're going to regret in the morning."

Carol hesitated but then moved her hand, "do you want me to stop?"

Daryl sighed as her hand went under his shirt, her nails grazing along his waistband.

"It's not about what I want," he said in a strained voice, inwardly cursing himself for not just booking a taxi and drinking with her.

"What about what I want?" she asked darkly.

Daryl ran a hand over his face, "wants become very different when you're drunk."

"But you know I wanted this when I was sober, right?" she asked cocking a brow at him.

Daryl shook his head, "it doesn't make it okay. I'm not drunk Carol, I won't take advantage of you, whether you want it or not."

The man had good morals, Carol knew that, but right now her irrational drunken side was far more dominant.

"Then why are you driving me home? Drop me off here I'll take a taxi, I don't need you babysitting me," Carol said snatching her hand away from him.

"Carol I'm not babysitting you, I'm taking care of you, now I'm going to give you the choice do you want to come back to mine or do you want to go home?"

"What fucking difference does it make?" Carol muttered.

Daryl gave her a small smirk, god he was going to give her shit in the morning, "my house is closer that's all."

"Fine, go on then," Carol snapped.

Daryl shook his head laughing and took a right into his street, feisty little handful she was turning out to be.