Between the Thorns

Chapter 16

Daryl woke to find himself in the same position he slept in the night before. His larger body was curled around Jean's slimmer one. She was holding one of his calloused hands between hers, anchoring him to her even in her sleep. His other arm was wrapped around her waist, his hand dangerously close to the underside of her breast. He fought the urge to cup her soft round globe in his hand and rub his thumb across her nipple. Instead, Daryl forced his hand down and away from her chest. His dick was painfully hard in his shorts and the new position of his hand, which was now resting on the soft bare skin of her thigh, wasn't helping.

In her drunkenness, Jean climbed into bed with him wearing only her underwear and an old beat up t-shirt with the neckline half ripped. Her ass was pressed against his morning erection, only the thin cotton of his boxers and the tiny bit of lace fabric of her panties between them. He could feel the heat radiating from between her legs. Daryl moved, trying to slide back and put a little space between his dick and the place he was trying to convince himself he didn't want to put it.

Jean was still most of the way asleep. And very comfortable. The warm feeling of their shared body heat lulled her into a restful dreamless sleep. And she wasn't ready to wake up yet. Daryl mumbled a curse under his breath when she caught his hand, dragging his arm back around her and wriggling her hips so that his body was once again flush with hers. It was the arch of her back as she stretched it that undid him, breaking through the last bit of self control he had. With a soft little hum of pleasure, she dipped her lower back in and rubbed her ass against his throbbing erection. Daryl pulled his hand from her gentle grasp, sliding it down and dipping it under her shirt before sliding it back up again. His fingers caressed over the dip of her waist and up to cup her breast. He gently squeezed, massaging her tender flesh before he tugged at her nipple. Her skin texture changed as her nipple went rigid between the rough pads of his finger and thumb. He shifted his other arm, pushing her shirt up instead of reaching under it. He cupped one of her breasts in each hand, toying with her hard pink nipples and enjoying the feel of her hips rocking against him. Her eyes were still shut, her full lips slightly parted as she exhaled her soft little moans of pleasure.

Daryl might have stopped there. Feeling Jean up when she was half asleep was bad enough. He wasn't planning to do anything else. And didn't even really plan to do as much as he had already done. In fact, he really ought to get out of this bed and get himself the hell away from her. But before he could, she put her hand over his, applying more pressure and encouraging him to play more roughly with her breasts. Then she pulled his hand away, parting her legs and pushing his fingers down into the waistband of her skimpy lace panties. The hair on her mound was neatly trimmed into a small patch, the rest of her either waxed or shaved completely bare. When his fingers grazed across her sensitive lips, she arched her back again, pushing her pussy towards his fingers. Daryl was dizzy, nearly drunk off the smell of her arousal and the amount of heat radiating from between her legs. When he didn't plunge his fingers into her immediately, she slid her hand over his again. Guiding his movements, she pushed the tip of his thick finger inside her. Her slim hand pressed down with more urgency, her own finger entering her hot slit as she pushed his finger deeper inside.

Her walls clenched down, tightening around his finger. Daryl adjusted his hand, pushing his finger in as deep as it would go, his palm flat against her clit. Her hand snaked up, clawing at his arm as she rocked her hips. Daryl pulled his finger out, adding a second one and shoving both fingers roughly inside her. His other hand was still squeezing her breast and he couldn't stop himself from leaning forward with his head and sucking the nipple of the other breast into his mouth. He swirled his tongue around her hard pink bud, savoring his first taste of her skin as he plunged his fingers over and over again into her eager pussy. He hadn't even been close to a woman since before the turn. And even then, he never had his hands on one he found as attractive as Jean. When he felt her walls convulse around his fingers as she came, he couldn't stop himself. Daryl came, spilling himself inside his shorts with a curse and a loud groan.

At some point during their interlude, Jean must have woken the rest of the way up. Because when Daryl pulled his hand out of her underwear and leaned back onto the pillows, her eyes fluttered open.

"Mornin'," she whispered, pulling the blankets back up to cover both their bodies.

"Sorry," Daryl whispered back.

"For what?," she asked. Her hand ghosted across his chest. She moved tentatively, not sure if he still wanted her close to him or not. Daryl sighed and pulled her close, letting her rest her rumpled head on his chest. He didn't answer her question right away. Mostly because he wasn't sure what he was sorry for. For groping Jean while she was asleep after he promised her and himself the night before that he wouldn't. For shooting his shit off in his shorts like a fucking teenager. Or for killing her husband.

"I dunno," Daryl finally admitted, "...fer everythin' I guess."

"S'alright," she said. Her voice was soft and still thick with sleep. And she seemed much more interested in nuzzling into his side and going back to sleep than she was in discussing what just happened between them. "We're both just lonely. Don't overthink it."

Daryl decided to take her advice. His eyes were just starting to blink shut again when a loud knocking in the next room pulled him back into consciousness. Jean's head popped up and she started to push herself up off the bed. Daryl pulled the covers back up over her.

"Stay here," he instructed. "I'll see who it is." Daryl expected Jean to object. But she was already snuggling back down into his pillow with her dark hair a wild tangle around her head. He pulled on his pants, zipping them up as he walked across the small living room area towards the door. The knocking must have woke Rose and Lily, because they were peeking out of their bedroom, both their heads still as rumpled up as their mother's.

Daryl swung the door open. He wasn't sure who he was expecting to find outside. But his body was tensed for a fight. Seeing only Mike standing there, Daryl relaxed.

"Isn't it a little early for work?," Daryl asked. Mike took in the other man's rumpled appearance and tried not to snicker.

"Actually, it's not," Mike corrected with a large grin. "You were supposed to be there an hour ago." Daryl nodded, scratching at his head. He stepped back, letting Mike step inside the apartment before he shut the door.

"Lemme just grab a shirt," Daryl said. Mike nodded, not failing to notice that Daryl headed into one of the two bedrooms to grab his clothing. And he could hear Daryl and Jean talking to each other behind the closed door. Just saying with her my ass. Mike gave the girls a little smile. The older one disappeared back into her bedroom, away from his gaze. But the younger girl smiled back. The moment Daryl stepped back out of the bedroom with his shirt and shoes on she focused her attention on him.

"I'm hungry," Lily announced. "Will you take me down for breakfast?"

"Can't," Daryl told her, grabbing a granola bar from the small kitchenette area and tossing it to her. She caught it, looking down at the item with a look of disappointment. "Gotta get to work," Daryl explained. "How about I take ya fer dinner when I get back?" This seemed to please the girl, because she scampered out of her bedroom doorway and wrapped her slim arms around him. Daryl ruffled his hand over her head, giving the girl a rough hug before he hurried out the door. Mike waited until they were well out of earshot of the apartment door before he spoke.

"Just staying there huh?," he teased.