I was right, I thought, as the sunlight of a new day woke me. It caught the tiny diamonds of my promise ring and my smile grew. Waking up next to Negan was something that would never grow old and it would always be amazing. I stretched, feeling his entire body tight against the back of me, his hardness pressing into my lower back and I let out a mew of pure pleasure.

"That's a new sound." His growl vibrated the top of my head, since my head was cradled under his chin. "I like it." He rocked into my back to show me just how much.

"I can feel that." My smile grew as his hand roamed down my side, finding my knee and lifting it to drape over his own leg. "Why, Coach Negan, do you have a lesson plan prepared for this morning?"

I felt him chuckle, and then he slid a bit lower behind me and slid something else inside of me. "Fuck." Same, Coach, same. "Damn it, princess, it always feels like the fucking first time with you."

I rolled my hips back to meet his thrust and moaned long and low. "No fucking kidding, Negan." We moved together, both reaching for it, the urge to make the other feel fireworks and electric currents running through us. His hand was cupping my breast, fingers stroking the hardened bud, as his mouth found the back of my neck and he flicked his tongue against the sensitive skin he found. The only sounds were our moans, the gasps of breath when one of us moved in an unexpected, yet completely wonderful way, and the sound of our skin moving together.

It was over far too soon. At least for me. I wanted Negan more than I could ever imagine wanting anything else. And feeling him bite into the soft flesh of the side of my neck, I thought he might feel the same.

"Marking me?" I teased, feeling the flutter of want building in my stomach at the thought.

His teeth were replaced by his lips, his tongue, and I felt him rolling me over so we were face to face, finally. "Can't help wanting every single asshole in this town to know you're mine, Amara."

His eyes were focused on mine, until they closed when our lips met. Kissing Negan would always take my breath away. The way his mouth knew mine. The way he knew when to be soft and slow, or hard and demanding. Negan knew me inside and out, literally.

"I think they do," I whispered when he pulled back. "They'd have to be blind to not see it." He was hovering over me and I studied him in the bright morning light. "You're gorgeous, you know that, right?"

"Gorgeous?" His eyebrow lifted at the thought. "Me?"

I nodded. "This scruff," my fingertips touched the roughness. "I like it. And yes, Negan, YOU are fucking gorgeous."

He shocked me by sliding back inside of me and grinning. "You're right, princess." I arched up with a moan. "I AM fucking GORGEOUS." His mouth teased mine. "Because you, sweetheart, ARE gorgeous."

We had breakfast after a long, lingering shower. We cuddled on the couch. Me with a book, and him with the newspaper. Thinking of the image we must be creating, I chuckled to myself.

"What's so funny, princess?" His lips brushed my temple.

I snuggled closer. "I bet we look like an old married couple right now." He chuckled at my words.

"Newlyweds or settled into one another?" I considered the differences.

"Does it matter?" I asked, thinking I need more information.

One of his hands dropped the corner of the paper and he let his fingertips sliver up my bare arm. "Very." His voice had THAT tone. Still hungry. "Settled into one another would mean that cuddling on the couch is as good as it gets." I swallowed hard as his fingertips almost tickled my skin. "Newlyweds on the other hand, would mean far more nudity and-"

He was forced to stop thanks to my destruction of his newspaper and the toss of my book, seconds before my mouth attacked his. "Newlyweds." He muttered when I gave him a slight reprieve. "Definitely newlyweds," and then he was pulling me onto his lap and being lazy wasn't nearly as appealing anymore.

Hours later, again in bed, we were laughing at all the absurdities that had led us to this moment. Living together, committed to one another, and so tangled up that no one could even fathom how to part us.

"Eric and that fucking cilantro," Negan was muttering as I giggled beside him.

I remembered that night vividly. "My mom asked if you had 'groomed me'." I snorted and he gave a howl of laughter. "Dear God, we've had the strangest courtship, haven't we?"

"Courtship?" I could hear him pondering. "We haven't really been on a real date, Amara."

I looked up at him. "Yes, we have." He waited. "The drive-in. The diner. My graduation party."

He shook his head. "The drive-in was because we COULDN'T have a real date, ditto the diner. As for the party," another shake of his head. "We were surrounded by people who were there to celebrate too. Doesn't count."

"It doesn't?" I asked, watching him. "And what does that mean, exactly?"

"That I've got a first date to plan, princess."