Beth wasn't sure if it was the pouring rain that woke her up or Shane's body, giving a quick jerk in her arms. The sun was barely up, the down pour they'd been expecting was still going strong, but all Beth was really aware of was that, when she nuzzled tighter under the blanket, Shane's grip on her hips tightened too. It was a bit disorienting coming to when it felt like she'd just fallen asleep, but judging by the sun rise, they'd been passed out for hours. Hours that had been spent in the exact same position – Beth's arms wrapped around Shane's torso, her leg draped over his waist, her face nuzzled into his chest.

She should've been stiff, with limbs intertwined for hours, but Beth hadn't felt so relaxed in months. It felt like she'd melted into him and that nothing could intrude in the safe place they'd created under her quilt – not thoughts of her dad, selling the farm, or even the drafty air from the storm outside.

"Should I close the window?"

Shane's question was muffled, partly from sleep, but also because his face was buried in her hair.

"No," Beth answered, almost moaning when he stretched against her.

Beth didn't want him to move. Even if every muscle in her body felt like putty, she couldn't claim the same for Shane. There was one part of him, hard and warm, digging between her legs and Beth didn't want that to leave either. Beth wasn't an idiot. She'd woken up next to a few guys in her day and knew to expect an old fashioned case of morning wood but having Shane pressed against her, unabashed in his arousal, was completely different. It felt like second nature when Beth pressed herself against him a little more, acknowledging Shane's state without words.

He let out a long, easy sigh, one that made Beth want to do it again.

"Well, mornin' to you too," Shane finally whispered, one of his large hands stroking down her bare thigh.

Beth had fallen asleep in the same old dress she'd worn the day before and now it was bunched up around her waist, exposing every inch of her flesh to Shane's palms.

"You sleep well?" she asked, pulling away just enough to run her hand down his cheeks, to trace the blemishes and stubble that, until then, only her eyes had explored.

"I did. Wakin' up well too."

He sighed again and Beth was aware of the heat growing between their bodies, not just him, but her as well. Despite the draft, her skin was flush against his, her mind narrowing in on the erection trapped between them. They were never allowed to share moments like this. Moments when they could just breath and not work, not talk, not anything, except enjoy the touch of someone else. Beth couldn't remember the last time she'd woken up to thoughts of something that made her body burn with life and she didn't want to let the chance slip through her fingers.

"I slept well too," she told him, refusing to move her hand from his face.

Beth watched his tired brown eyes open, stare back at her, and as much as she expected him to pull away, Shane never did. He always objected at first, he was always the first to say no, but this time there was no dancing around him, trying to drag him into her plan – Shane stayed put and let Beth run her thumb over his lips, even giving her a small kiss in the process. Gentle lips led to more slow strokes, flaming the fire that was beginning to burn in Beth's belly.

"Beth..."

She barely heard the whisper, the rain was coming down too hard outside. But mother nature wasn't the only thing that felt like coming hard.

"This shouldn't happen."

"No," she agreed, still tracing his lips. The man had a cupid's bow that any woman would envy.

"But it's going to, yeah?"

That time Beth just met his eyes and nodded. Regardless of the whys or why-nots, Beth knew there was only so much dancing around the issue either of them could do before it came to a head. How many times could she catch Shane's gaze on her ass? How many nights did she have to fall asleep thinking about the way his sweaty t-shirt clung to him? It'd been too long since a man had been between Beth's legs and some things were best gotten out of the system.

It was just a simple nod, Beth giving the faintest of agreement, that made Shane's grip on her hips tighten. She pressed against him in response, the large bulge between them rubbing eagerly between her legs. His dark eyes watched her reaction, witnessing her bottom lip quiver. The next time it was Shane that forced his hips to roll between her thighs, holding himself against her center, making Beth ache to feel the real thing. Those big hands she'd always admired from a distance found her ass, giving it a hard squeeze, still adding pressure to the place their bodies touched.

She shut her eyes, but only for a moment. The second Shane's hand reached for her face Beth met his stare, goosebumps painting her flesh when he leaned in.

His lips were gentle, milking a moan that caught in her throat just as their mouths connected. Just a peck at first, then another, Shane resting his lips against hers as their foreheads touched. As soon as Beth's nipples stiffened and she felt him pulse against her, his next kiss came, this time longer, his tongue slipping between her lips to deepen it until Beth heard him moan too. Her fingers ventured straight for his hair, desperate to keep him in place.

When his hands held her still so his hips could grind again, Beth whimpered into his mouth, sweaty and flush despite the open window. Shane kept her there, his lips working against hers, all the while moisture collected in Beth's panties, seeking relief.

"You don't happen to have a condom in that night stand of yours, do you?" Shane finally asked, his breath hot and heavy against her neck, leaving a trail of kisses after the question.

"Yes..." her voice trailed off, her heart sinking a little at the thought of a barrier between them. It was a horribly reckless thought born from the need to feel him.

"But what?" he asked, pulling away to watch her answer.

"But...I'm on the pill." It was true, so were the next words out of her mouth. "So if you'd rather..."

Was it her imagination or did his cock twitch when she playfully darted her eyes and bit her lip, insinuating he slide into her a free man? She watched that shit-eating grin form on his face, easily picking up on what she was laying down.

"I think I can handle that," he nodded, looking damn pleased with himself. And he should've been, Beth had a puddle between her legs, one he pressed against again while making eye contact. He sucked in his lip, watching her clench him tighter with her thigh. "Didn't realize you were such an eager little thing."

"Mmmm, it's been a while for some of us," she answered, her words catching as Shane rolled her onto her back.

"Well then, won't kill ya to wait a little more then."

The sun had completely risen, lighting the small room as the rain continued to pour. Beth watched as Shane kissed his way down, brushing over both of her nipples with light lips, just enough to make her pulse quicken and her body throb. His head of thick, dark hair traveled farther south, making a trail as Beth parted her thighs for him.

When he arrived at his destination the slow, easy kisses stopped as he took a moment to rid himself of his cargo shorts. Beth followed his lead, sitting up long enough to remove the sundress from over her head, pausing to get an eye full of of the sizable bulge straining inside Shane's boxer briefs. Just the sight made her stomach flutter, ready to open herself to him.

Shane had other plans.

A quick push and Beth was flat on her back again. Shane worked her slick panties off, his lips quick to return to her soft flesh, the prickly stubble on his jaw scraping against her chest when he sucked a hard nipple between his lips. The slick suction hit Beth fast, her body growing antsy as her legs parted in a silent plea. It was tempting to hold his head in place, the tugs from his lips sending a shiver of pleasure to her lower belly where it collected and threatened to unravel, but Beth knew she'd never be satisfied with that.

Down he went, Shane's strong hands forcing her thighs to part as wide as her body would allow, pinning her to the mattress.

Was it the thunder or Beth that groaned? Both, definitely both.

His mouth touched her everywhere except the place she desired. Her navel, her thighs, her sticky lips. He was roughing her up, patiently, sucking and scraping teeth against the pulse point on her sensitive thighs, always willing to travel back to her center but only to avoid the one achy spot that was throbbing for his relief. His sloppy kisses missed it each and every time.

It was a cruel tease. And attempting to relieve it was futile. Beth twisted under his attentive lips, her hands clutching at the covers, the sheets sliding through her fingers just as quickly as the hope Shane built up every time he inched closer and closer. Finally her hips were straining under his hands and she'd had enough, reaching for his hair and burying her fingers in the sweaty strands, forcing his mouth where she needed it. She felt him chuckle, just as his tongue finally slid down her slit.

The musky scent of her own arousal hit Beth's nostrils just as Shane groaned, lost in the taste. He licked her again, his tongue flat as he lapped at her fluids, finally latching onto her swollen clit and moaning again. Beth's hands stayed twisted in his hair, her nails digging into his scalp as he sucked, his tongue occasionally fluttering, fueling the flames.

With each flick of his tongue Beth felt herself inch closer and closer to that peak but still needing more – something else, just a tiny little shove to get her over the cliff.

She whimpered, she begged, she moaned his name. Not until Shane was good and ready did he finally free one of her thighs, using two thick digits to slide into her walls. And it was that – that onslaught of him filling both needs at once that made her legs tremble and back arc.

Her breath was coming heavy. They were creating a wet mess, Shane's tongue flicking faster than ever against her clit, his fingers pumping just as harsh. Each thrust made the throbbing build, forcing Beth to gasp until the humid air filled her lungs. Finally when Shane's eyelids fluttered open and his eyes met hers, Beth unraveled in his palm. She let him watch, allowed him to see her most vulnerable moment – when his fingers hit just that perfect rhythm and his mouth sucked her clit, until the fluttering of her walls began to pound, squeezing his harsh strokes into her climax.

Even as she lost control, he pushed through it, the brutal assault of his mouth and fingers never letting up until he drained her dry and she collapsed, panting for air.

"You ain't throwing in the towel on me?"

Beth could hear the laughter in his voice but she took a few deep breaths before looking towards him, a lazy smile on her face. The boxer briefs were coming off. Beth watched, her body already perking up again at the sight of his thick cock, standing at attention, proving what she'd always suspected – every part of Shane Walsh was large.

"Definitely not," Beth answered, her stomach fluttering in anticipation when he settled on his knees between her thighs.

She knew that outside her bedroom door the house would be beginning to come to life but for the first time in a long time Beth didn't feel the pull to go help, to make herself useful. Instead she could only concentrate on one thing – the man positioning himself between her legs. Judging by the hard flesh he aligned at her entrance, Shane needed her more in that moment than anyone else on the farm.

Her pulse had just started to slow, just like the rain outside, when Shane finally came chest to chest with her. His sigh was heard before Beth felt it, his muscles relaxing as he adjusted into position, his mouth finally claiming hers again. He still tasted like her and Shane was eager to share the flavor, his tongue dipping inside again, in tune with the first roll of his hips, until Beth felt herself stretching around him. The climax that had just ripped through her had left her sensitive and that first rock of Shane's hips left her gasping for air. Beth's hands held his face in place, kissing and moaning into her neck, his stubble was still coated in her fluids too. The next thrust was just as slow, Shane pushing in as deep as her body would allow. Every time he moaned the legs Beth had wrapped around him tightened, desperate to pull him in.

He found a steady beat, rocking them both, always pushing in with as much force as his straining muscles could manage. Their bodies were sticking together, covered in the sweat and scent of each other.

Beth could feel that familiar throb return, the one deep in her belly that grew and grew until it traveled south and her hips were rocking with his, her hands clawing down his back, sure to leave a mark.

Every time he grunted Beth moaned back, the sound of such a strong man losing himself too much for her to bear.

Finally his thrusts picked up speed. Slow and sloppy no longer seeming to satisfy him, Shane grinded into her hard and fast, always bottoming out, her sensitive flesh making his journey slick and tight. Using a free hand he worked Beth's arms above her head, pinning her down as his brutal thrusts hit harder, faster, the sweat from his brow dripping on her face.

Beth didn't even fight his tight grip around her wrists. She let go of the hold her legs had on his waist and spread open for him until her hips hurt, whimpering every time her body pulsed and walls tightened. Each time his cock slid inside of her Beth inched closer and closer to exploding, lying beneath him spread eagle and stumbling over sounds that were supposed to be his name.

It was another of his grunts that did it – her nipples stiffening and her arousal boiling over, until Shane was pounding into her climax.

There was a mess between her legs when Shane finally freed her arms, allowing her to cling to him, a soft kiss placed on her forehead between his heavy breaths. Shane peaked right behind her. Beth felt his body stiffen, just like his dick, a few more harsh strokes until he buried himself inside of her, his hips rolling and his lips meeting hers as he moaned in her mouth. A few more gentle, easy thrusts and Beth knew he'd emptied himself within her. She cradled him when he collapsed against her, his mouth buried in her neck, both of their hearts still pounding in their chests. Every part of her body felt weak, limp in satisfaction, sore muscles were guaranteed.

After a few moments of silence as their breath steadied, Beth heard Shane let out a few fake snores, making her cackle and give him a shove.

"You ain't quitting on me now, are ya?" she asked, mocking his earlier question as he rolled over and splayed out next to her, one eye barely opening.

He just snorted at first, still a little out of breath. "Give me a few."

"Few what? Days, old man?"

"Cute."

"No? Weeks? Should I go get the Viagra?"

When the pillow hit her in the face, Beth just laughed, tossing it on the floor with all the other covers. The small room was muggy, their skin sticking together when Shane pulled her to him and Beth nestled in his armpit, her thigh draping around him once more. The sun was finally starting to shine through the rain clouds but Beth couldn't find it in herself to bother closing the window. A part of Shane was still trickling out her and onto his bare thigh but if he seemed to mind, his steady heartbeat said otherwise. When he snored again, Beth was certain it was real, although she wasn't willing to check, her eyes were already closing.

The room was so hot when Shane's eyes flickered open that for a moment he questioned if someone had turned on the heat. Until he remembered, not that it was easy to forget, that they'd done exactly - turn on the heat. Beth was still wrapped around him, the blonde hair that had been sweaty earlier was now dry and covering part of her face, the part that wasn't pressed against his sticky skin anyway. He didn't want to move, but judging by how high the sun was in the sky, he hadn't slept so late since high school. Half the day was gone, important hours they'd need for jobs to be done and of course, Shane knew, conversations to be had. But still he hesitated, breathing in the scent of her shampoo a few more seconds, trying to assure himself he wouldn't forget even though it would've been for the best if he did.

He was careful when he finally twisted out from under Beth, trying his hardest not to wake her up. They'd both needed sleep and for the first time since starting work together, Shane's body didn't ache from the effort of getting up.

He almost managed it. She moaned a little as he got up, rolling over in the warm place his body had left behind, and it wasn't until he'd given up the search for his boxer briefs and pulled his shorts on without them that her eyes finally opened, squinting from the sunlight.

"What time is it?" she asked, already closing her eyes again.

Shane grabbed the phone from his pocket, barely charged, and cringed when he saw the time.

"You don't wanna know," he told her. "Late."

"Hit me with it."

"It's after noon, 12:33 to be exact."

"Fuck."

"Yeah, fuck." Shane agreed, buttoning his shorts.

He felt her eyes on him, catching a quick glimpse before burrowing back into the pillow. If her body felt anything like his, Shane didn't blame her for wanting to stay put. The muscles that had ached the night before felt brand new again and Shane was in no rush to put them back to work but he'd always been good at doing the things that needed doing and just getting on with it.

His shirt stayed on her floor, intentionally. It was too hot, he was already sticky, and why not put his male privilege to good use? There was no doubt that anyone that might stop by that day had seen a shirtless man before and Shane certainly wasn't shy.

"Just a few more minutes, okay?"

He was at the foot of the bed putting his boots on when she spoke and he'd assumed she'd already fallen back asleep. Standing up, he finally allowed his eyes to drink her in - every bare inch that his hands had been all over. Beth didn't seem to have a shy bone either, her naked flesh was comfortably on display. Then again it was easily over 80 degrees in her bedroom.

"No rush, okay?" Shane told her, stretching to click the ceiling fan above her until it was spinning as fast as it could.

Next he covered her with the thin sheet, knowing all too well how the smallest of a breeze could chill sweaty skin.

"Mmmm, but there's a lot to do."

"Hey...I got it, alright," he whispered, leaning down to give her shoulder a squeeze, his next words muffled from the lingering kiss he placed in her hair. "Just rest."

She mumbled something in response but Shane couldn't even make out the words, just the small nod of her head. By the time he stood up and quietly opened the door he knew sleep had already come to claim her.

Heading out, Shane was almost afraid Hershel Greene would rise from his bed just to bust him for coming out of Beth's bedroom. Of course, no such thing happened and it never would. Instead, he was greeted by the sight of Patricia in the kitchen, surrounded by what appeared to be the contents of all the cabinets, stacked high on the table. She was still at work emptying them out when she noticed Shane's presence. There was no mention of his lack of shirt or what direction he'd come from. Not yet.

"Thought I'd help you out," she told him, placing a few canned goods on the table. "I started last night...this about does it."

"You didn't have to do this."

"No, but I like to feel useful. Plus, I'm excited to see what the finished product is gonna look like."

Shane just nodded, thanked her, and headed towards the coffee maker where a pot was already brewed and waiting on him.

"I started that too," Patricia spoke. "Probably about two hours ago, thought y'all would be up earlier considering how early you went to bed. Probably tastes like death by now."

"It's fine."

He grabbed a cup, poured it, and took a sip just how he liked it - straight black. She hadn't been kidding about the taste but Shane kept that to himself. And maybe he could ignore her comment about their early bedtime but it was harder to pretend her eyes weren't digging into his back. If he had a sixth sense it was the ability to know when a woman was staring at him and it was a trick that had served him well in the past.

"Look, if you got something to say, just spit out," Shane said, finally turning to face the older woman.

He leaned against the counter, bracing himself for her ugly words more than anything else. Ugly words that never came.

"Shane, I know that I watched that girl grow up but you're both adults. I don't have anything to say about what y'all do in your free time."

"But...c'mon, Patricia. Don't be shy. You're thinkin' something or else your eyes wouldn't be digging into my back. Since when were you the type to hold back?"

Finally, she smiled and took a few steps closer, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Just be careful-"

"I know," Shane interrupted. "I'm not-"

"Let me finish," Patricia told him, getting pushy the way only an older southern woman could. "This isn't just about her. Obviously if you ever hurt her I'd go get Hershel's old shotgun and chase you off myself."

Shane didn't doubt it.

"But that's not all there is to it. Frankly, I don't think either one of you could take another lick of hurt after all that's happened lately, for both of you."

Even Shane knew better than to interrupt. Clearly, she had something to say and adding his two cents would only prolong the matter.

"Shane, you lost everything after what you did. Rick Grimes was your family. You might not wanna admit it now, after bad blood, but we both know it's true. You loved him and that little boy, Lori too, in her own way, I'm sure. It's hard enough to recover from that but you also lost your reputation, probably lost a few friends at work after a move like that...hell, you're lucky you didn't lose your job too. If she sells this farm like she claims she's going to...well. I'm not so sure a man that's already in debt can afford a loss like that. Just be careful, that's all. I'm not sayin' don't do it...just do it carefully."

A part of him wanted to remind her that he was a grown ass man and that what he chose to gamble on was his business. But he also knew that not only was she right but that few people were looking out for him anymore. The contents of his coffee cup were no longer interesting and finally Shane met her eyes.

"Thank you," he said, giving a simple nod of his head.

"That's it?"

Shane just frowned in that over exaggerated way he had and shrugged.

"Yeah. Thank you."

"Well...okay." She'd clearly been ready for a fight and upon realizing there was none, she started folding the dish rag that'd been draped over her shoulder. "Is there anything else I can do to help then? I know you're getting a late start."

A late start wasn't even beginning to cover it. They hadn't started at all. But already the sweat was dripping down Shane's spine and settling in the small of his back.

"Actually Patricia, I've got a job for ya."

"Really?"

"Yep. I want you to open every last damn window in this house and make sure every ceiling fan is on high. If you got any other fans, bring them out too."

The pep in her step quickly disappeared.

"That's it?"

Shane just sighed and drained his cup of bad coffee in one swallow, too fast to taste it.

"It's either that or I sweat my dick off."

"We wouldn't want that," she replied, rolling her eyes and clearly disappointed by such a small task. "But sure, I think there's some old fans in the barn."

"There ain't any central air lurking out there by chance?" Shane joked.

Patricia just shook her head, already back to business.

"Hershel always said he grew up without it and he managed just fine."

Shane almost told her it was no wonder the old man had suffered a stroke but went with the more sensitive reply given her earlier statements.

"Well, that's fine for Hershel. But if Beth wants to sell this place to anyone that lives in the 21st century, she's gonna need AC. It's that simple."

"You're really gonna help her sell, aren't you?" Patricia asked, a look of disbelief on her face.

Again, Shane just shrugged.

"If that's what she wants then it's what I'll do."

She walked away in search of the elusive fans, grumbling to herself, but Shane ignored any urge he had to ask her to repeat herself. There was too much to accomplish and thanks to his late morning, very little time. He'd be up at 5am the next day to go to work and he wanted to get everything going so Beth would be fine working on her own in his absence.

They'd decided to simply paint the cabinets, it was slightly less work and a lot less money but it would still take awhile. Since Patricia had already emptied everything out, Shane set to it - first removing all the handles and knobs they'd be replacing, then he got started on taking out all the drawers and removing the hinges and doors. He tried not to think about Beth. And it was easy at first. Any large project required organizing and planning, deciding what needed to happen next, and there was no room in Shane's mind for Beth's bare ass, her wet panties, or even the way she'd wrapped herself around him in sleep.

Of course, having a busy brain only worked for so long.

By the time he was removing the cabinet doors his knees were hurting from crouching on the tile and the work was growing dull. The only thing he had to distract himself with was trying not to slip in the perspiration he was dripping on the floor.

"You work incredibly fast."

He'd been putting in extra effort to not conjure memories of Beth but her sneaking up on him, freshly showered, in another pair of cutoffs and a tight tank top, surely didn't help.

"And you sleep incredibly late," he answered, sneaking a glance at the bare thighs that hours before had been wrapped around him.

"It wasn't all sleep. I showered, checked in on daddy."

"How is he?"

"Always the same. And, if memory serves me, I remember someone telling me to just rest."

Shane snorted and finally stood up to give his knees a break.

"I thought women never listened to men."

"Hmmm, and I think you've got that archaic statement a bit backwards."

It was Beth's turn to pour herself a cup of coffee and judging by her expression it tasted just as badly to her taste buds.

"Patricia made this, didn't she? I know this weak coffee anywhere. She brew it last night?"

"Oh no," Shane assured her. "A few hours ago. She was waiting on us to get up."

"Us. So...she knows."

"She does. I don't think it took a great detective to put those clues together though."

"She say anything?"

"Nothing bad."

Beth nodded and sipped her bad coffee. Shane liked that about her - she was never one to kick up a fuss, not over things that didn't matter. If a person couldn't make do with a shitty cup of coffee once in a while they'd never make it very far at anything.

She had a sneaky little smile on her face and he waited for her to say it. Say that she shouldn't have rolled around in the sack with a man almost twice her age, that it'd been a mistake, something she'd simply needed to get out of her system. And when she did, Shane would agree. Except it never happened.

"So, I guess this is the part where we talk about last night," Shane said, once again taking it upon himself to get the job done. Beth looked well rested and more relaxed than he'd seen her in days...maybe ever. Who could blame her for not wanting to acknowledge anything? "Where we both agree it was a bad idea, a horrible mistake, that it shouldn't have happened. And then we get back to work."

"Well. It definitely was not horrible."

Shane just laughed and leaned against her, shoulder to shoulder. Her cheeks flushed with the memory and he had a difficult time separating the fragrance of her freshly washed hair from the sticky scent of her body that was still clinging to his skin, not that it mattered, both were appealing.

"We should talk," Beth finally conceded. "But maybe somewhere that doesn't have eyes and ears, you know?"

"I do. What do you suggest?"

"Tonight...I can go over to your place once we're finished, if that's okay. Give us both a chance to shower first, catch our breath. But right now? I just wanna get back to work. See how much we can knock out with the little time we have today. And you work tomorrow so...we gotta get to it."

"We do," he agreed.

"So how far did you get without me?"

"Well, I'm about halfway done getting all the doors off. When you start you gotta remember to mark which door is what, I've just been slapping some painter's tape on the back to label 'em, so we know what goes where when we're ready to put em back on. And check anything you remove, I've got em separated by what needs to have some dents and scratches sanded out first."

"How long do you really think it's all gonna take?"

"Longer than you're comfortable with," he answered honestly. "We can probably prep everything today...but then you gotta clean the years of grease off, sand. It ain't gonna be pretty."

"Then I guess we should get a move on it, huh?"

"Yep."

But neither of them moved. Beth bumped her shoulder into his and after a few seconds, he did it back, both repeating the process and swaying where they stood until she'd finished her cup of coffee.