Thank you to everyone who has favorited/followed this story, and an extra special thanks to Jeanf, AnAmberPen, Leah Pensotti, and galwidanatitud for taking the time to review!
I own neither Daryl nor Merle, and everything else is make believe.
Thank you so much for reading!
*.*
It was dark when Daryl turned the truck off the small tree-lined country road that wound out beyond Goat Rock, and onto the dirt driveway of his and Aisling's new home.
Our home, Ash's n' mine. Fuck, sounds weird, even in my head… but real good. Keep thinkin' I gotta pinch myself, that all this ain't real. Don't think I've ever been happier though.
He had hardly slept at all the night before, his mind conjuring up wild scenarios where Aisling's plane would get hijacked and explode, or be flown to a desert island by a crazed evil mastermind who wanted to repopulate the earth, or her car would crash on the way to catch her flight... or she would simply come to her senses and realize that she could do so much better for herself than a life in Goat Rock with Daryl Dixon.
Now that she was finally here, in his truck, on the way to their new house, he allowed himself to stop bracing himself for the worst, and relaxed.
The knots in his broad shoulders loosened, and he found himself stealing glances at her when he could, watching as she dozed against the passenger side window, her arm stretched out to allow her fingers to idly graze the side of his thigh.
To the casual observer neither Daryl's face, nor his body, betrayed the happiness that filled him and made his stomach flutter, and he appeared as stoic and nonchalant as he ever was. However, every time Aisling roused and looked across at him she couldn't help smiling at the way his eyes were a little wider than usual, his lips twitched up a little more, and the tension that was usually present in his body wasn't there.
As he pulled the truck to a stop outside the house he watched Aisling's big, green eyes take in the lamps either side of the front door, which cast a warm glow around the entrance, and the large amount of space around the property. It was bordered by white painted fences that she could just about make out in the absence of any moonlight.
"Wait here," Daryl issued a gruff command and hopped out of the truck before he took her bags from the back and manfully hoisted them into his strong arms. She smiled as she watched him stride up the four steps to the front door, two at a time, unlock it and toss the bags inside.
"Thank God there's nothing breakable in there" she giggled to herself, as he quickly returned to the truck and opened her door for her to get out. His lopsided little squinty smile was shy, his head tilted to the side as he looked at her from under his bangs, and he bit at the inside of his lip as he held his hand out for hers.
*.*
As soon as she stepped into the house, Aisling's stomach gave a little flip, as she took in the space, the feeling of warmth and security. The owner had left some furniture there for them, until what she'd had shipped from London arrived, and they'd been able to shop for the other items they would need, so although it was a little sparse it was perfectly habitable and very homely.
Daryl tugged gently at her hand, and led her through the cosy living room where thoughts of them curled up together enjoying the warmth of the fire struck them both.
He let his mind wander to a cold winters day some time in their future, where he would come in and light a fire in the grate that would warm her and their children, their skin cold after a day out enjoying the icy, brittle forest. He'd teach them to hunt, and they'd love it out there as much as he did, and afterwards they'd run to their beautiful Momma and she'd make them hot chocolate and warm their little hands in hers.
Part of him wanted to ask Aisling if that was what she thought too, but he pushed the idea from his head before he did something stupid like land that question on her after a transatlantic flight and only a few months together.
He didn't let go of her little hand in his though, and pulled her in towards the kitchen "See, there's tons more space than your old place."
There was lots of storage, and a great stove to cook on unlike the cheap, horrible one she'd had at her last place. A table stood in the middle of the room – not squeezed into a corner like her old house – and she immediately pictured having the table full of people, laughing and talking.
She could have friends round for meals, or maybe even fill the table with hers and Daryl's kids… but she shook her head as the thought popped into her mind, wondering where it had come from. Aisling wasn't the having-kids kind. Her own mother was enough of a deterrent… what if she ended up as disinterested and uncaring as that?
Briefly, she wondered what Daryl might think if she told him what she was thinking, and she was torn between giggling at the appalled expression he would probably have, and feeling sad because of the same. But, she shoved those thoughts aside and concentrated on the here and now, and allowed him to lead her through the house at breakneck speed.
Daryl stopped at the top of the stairs, and opened the door which led immediately to the right.
"An' this… this is our room, I reckon," Daryl said, biting his lower lip nervously as he led her into a large room off the wide hallway. It was the room which had jumped out at him when he had viewed the property, as being somewhere perfect for him and Aisling.
Three large windows lay along the south facing wall, allowing them views of the woods around the house and plenty of sunlight, and there was plenty of room for any additional closet space that Daryl would need to build for them… well, for her really, seeing as how his entire wardrobe could fit easily into one small drawer, and she was a television star whose expansive clothing collection could have filled his old trailer bedroom twice over.
The windows that faced the woods didn't offer her much of a view in the dark, but Aisling could already imagine how gorgeous her waking view would be, with her gorgeous redneck lying naked beside her, framed by the trees beyond her window.
In the middle of the bedroom sat a large, dark, polished wooden bed, made up with crisp white sheets, a plethora of soft, fluffy pillows and a warm comforter.
"Corinne came round, brought beddin' an' stuff' 'til we get some" Daryl explained, gesturing towards the linens that made up the bed.
Daryl sent a silent prayer of thanks that Corinne had been there that afternoon, helping him to get the place ready for Aisling.
"Daryl!" Corinne shrieked from the bedroom door, making him jump in surprise "What are you doing?"
He paused, bewildered, as he held the two sleeping bags he was about to spread out across the mattress. "Makin' the damn bed up, what the hell's it look like?"
"No!" she yelled, a look of horror on her face as she darted forward to grab the sleeping bags from him.
"The hell woman? Actin' like I was shittin' on the fuckin' bed or somethin'!"
Daryl had no idea what Corinne was so dead set against. The sleeping bags were clean… sort of, and they were better than the bare mattress, weren't they? He hadn't bought any bedding, figuring that Aisling would want to be involved in that kind of 'woman decision', as Merle called it, and short of using the old blanket from the back of his truck he had nothing else.
"Aisling is not spending her first night here on yours and Merle's stinky old sleeping bags," Corinne said firmly, bundling the sweaty blue nylon bags into her arms with a look of faint disgust on her face. "I will go and get some bedding from home for you to use," and with that she had swept out of the room.
Aisling sat down on the bed and bounced slightly, testing the mattress, which was soft, but cushioned and springy. It was perfectly comfortable, but she was eager to have their own virgin mattress, that nobody had ever slept on before. They had spent all their relationship so far on other people's beds, where other bodies had caused the dips and gulleys that their own bodies had adjusted to, but this would do just fine for now.
Daryl sat down next to her, and bounced slightly himself. "This ok for ya, 'til we get a new one?" he asked, eyeing her nervously from underneath the dark hair that had fallen in his eyes.
"It's perfect. It's all absolutely perfect, Daryl. I was thousands of miles away, and you found us a home. You did all this for us, and I love you so, so much."
Aisling reached out and hooked one finger underneath his scruffy chin, like she had the first time they kissed, and tilted his head up so that she could look into those gorgeous blue eyes, noticing his pupils blow out darkly and his tongue dart out quickly to lick his lips.
Unlike that first time, it wasn't Aisling who made the first move. Daryl's hands went to either side of her face, and quickly pulled her closer so that he could press his soft, warm lips to hers, hungry for the sensation of their mouths moving against each others again. As his tongue pushed past her teeth to tangle with hers he exhaled noisily through his nose, his body struggling to operate his lungs and heart properly in the heat of his desire for her.
The weeks spent apart felt like months… no, years too long, and his body ached for hers as though he'd been trapped in a sealed chamber, then released, gasping for oxygen.
He pushed her back onto the bed, her gasp of surprise and desire spilling into his mouth as he continued to kiss her, his hot, wet lips frantically claiming hers in a kiss that said everything about how he felt about her absence, and what he was feeling now that she was back with him.
Aisling's fingers curled into the soft, long hair at the base of his neck, and her breath caught in her throat as his mouth moved to nip and suck at her throat. "Missed ya so much, sweetheart," he rasped against her skin "love ya like crazy, y'know that?"
Aisling tried to tell Daryl that she felt the same, as he tilted her head back and his lips moved to suck at the smooth skin behind her ear gently, but all functioning speech had left her. Instead, she just sighed and breathed out incoherent words.
"Love you.." she was able to gasp eventually as his mouth softly pulled her skin into his mouth and his big, rough hands slid up along her denim-clad legs until they landed at her hips.
The low growl that escaped his throat as he tore open her pants made Aisling's hips buck up towards his, desperate to feel him against her. His rough hands pulled down her jeans and panties, exposing her fully to the gaze of those intense blue eyes as they raked over her body.
"Gotta taste ya again, darlin'… been too damn long" he groaned as he grabbed behind her knees and pulled both her legs over his broad, strong shoulders. He dipped his head and sucked in a mouthful of the soft skin on her thigh, teasing the flesh with his tongue before he moved his head up, slowly nipping, sucking, and kissing his way up to her wet folds.
She had a lot less hair there than she'd had before. The little triangle above her lips was gone, replaced with a thin strip which was the perfect width for his nose to trail through, making her inhale sharply. He dipped his head and lapped a long stroke along her slit, parting her with his tongue, and buried his face greedily in her wet pussy.
She was soft, sweet and juicy like a perfectly ripe peach.
Her thighs tightened and she emitted a deep, low moan as she reached down and pushed his head harder against her.
Daryl worked his tongue and his fingers to make her tremble, and he felt a shiver run through her as she bit back a moan, and then after only a few minutes her breath hitched, her pelvis lifted even higher and her whole body shook. Tremors racked her body in time with his tongue and she yelped his name out in a broken gasp.
Daryl relaxed his tongue's assault on her, but continued lavishing attention on her until she gently guided his head away and her hips relaxed with a contented sigh.
"Oh fuck… Daryl… come here," she breathed, and grasped his hair in her hands to pull his mouth up to hers. She tasted herself on his lips and tongue as he kissed her, deep and hungry.
As he pulled her shirt up impatiently, and tugged at the cups of her bra to release those delicious, full breasts of hers, he felt her little fingers trace their way down across his stomach towards his pants.
Aisling's fingers dipped just under the waistband of Daryl's pants and tickled the top of his pubic hair. He involuntarily sucked in a breath, and she smiled at his response. "Still ticklish, Mr Dixon, hmm?" He answered her with a low groan.
Her hand sank deeper into his pants, never touching his growing erection, but sending sweet, tingling twinges its way. Aisling's leg wormed between his, and created delicious friction against his cock which was straining against his pants, her soft, full breasts warming his chest.
He couldn't control himself any longer, and tore her shirt and bra from her body, before doing the same to his own clothing, with the help of Aisling's frantic hands.
His mouth, his tongue, his teeth… they were everywhere - her mouth, her nipples, her neck - greedy for the taste of her skin.
And then, he was sliding against her wetness, working up the strength he would need to last more than a minute inside her.
Fuck, gonna be like a virgin on prom night. Girl get's me so out of fuckin' control… damn!
Aisling whimpered, and reached between their bodies to grasp him in her hand, sending fireworks through his body which was already like a lit powder keg above her. She guided him towards her pussy and moved her hips in an unspoken plead for him to enter her.
"Ain't gonna last long, Ash" he warned her, as he lined himself up against her.
"Don't care" she gasped, "just want… just want..." She couldn't speak any more.
Her mouth and hands took over when her voicebox failed, and she gripped his broad shoulders, pulling him to her, trailing her tongue across his collarbone.
Daryl slowly pushed the tip of himself inside her, releasing a shudder of pleasure as he felt her warm, wet heat squeeze around him.
"That what ya want, sweetheart, huh? Ya want me to fuck ya?" he growled, his voice deep and thick with want.
Aisling whimpered her agreement, and Daryl threw his head back and groaned "Fuck!" as he pushed himself deep inside her tight walls.
Slowly, he moved inside her, drawing himself almost completely out before plunging back into the warm embrace of her. Gradually, he allowed himself to move faster, grunting noisily with every push deeper, until his balls were slapping against her ass. The heat in his groin tightened them to the point of no return, gradually building to a breaking point, and his body spasmed to a climax alongside hers, their breathing ragged and punctuated with soft, muffled swearing and the other's names breathed against each other's hot, sweaty skin.
As Daryl collapsed down, his warm body heavy on top of hers, she snaked her hands around his shoulders as she peppered his shoulder with soft, open mouthed kisses. He reciprocated, sucking lazily along her collar bone, as he worked his way towards her face, and their mouths collided, sloppily.
"Missed you so fuckin' much, Ash" he breathed against her mouth as he struggled to find the muscles in his body that he needed to raise himself off her and avoid crushing her "love ya more than I got words to tell ya".
When he'd finished adjusting himself to lean on his side so that he could look at her, one arm under, and the other resting heavily across her the soft dip of her waist, she leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to his unbelievably soft lips.
"I missed you too, Daryl," Aisling nuzzled against his throat, and pulled herself closer to him. His arms wrapped around her, drawing her closer, so she could hear his heart hammering away in his chest.
They were quiet for a few moments, as their breathing evened out, and both were close to sleep.
"Love you, Daryl" Aisling whispered against the sparse hair on his chest.
"Love you too, Ash," Daryl's voice came low and sleepy from above her head, his skin vibrating against her ear as he spoke.
The September wind swirled around the property in the woods, whistling through the trees and swirling great gusts of leaves around outside, but Aisling and Daryl were oblivious to anything going on outside of their warm bed.
With their arms wrapped around each other, they fell into a deep, deserved, dreamless sleep.
*.*
Aisling squinted against the low sun which shone directly into her eyes, and whimpered as she buried her face into Daryl's armpit. His comforting scent of forest, motor oil and sweat from last night's exertions filled her senses, and she would have fallen immediately back into the warm embrace of sleep if she wasn't for the pleasant realization that she was back in the warm embrace of Daryl's arms.
If the heating ever fails, I don't need to worry about getting cold. My man's a walking furnace!
As she lay there, enjoying the feel of Daryl's hot – in more ways than one – naked body pressed against hers, Aisling ran through a mental list of things she wanted to do today.
She wanted to have a proper look around the property, and she wanted to do some grocery shopping. Apart from that, the only other pressing engagement she had was with the hot, protective man currently sleepily nuzzling against her neck.