At 9 pm Beth hadn't wanted to call it quits but she'd known Shane had to wake up early the next morning. They'd managed to get everything apart and clean, the cleaning taking far longer than she'd either expected or wanted. But the cabinets were old and the age had never been more obvious than when she was wiping away a few layers of grease and trying not to feel ill. When Shane knew they were about to call it a night they went ahead and laid down the plastic to protect the kitchen and then he showed her how to sand the wood, insisting she wear a mask and refusing to quit until he was confident she had the skill mastered enough for the job.

And it was times like that, the times when he stood close or leaned over her shoulder, that using the work as a distraction was impossible.

It'd been hard enough when he wasn't close to her, when she couldn't even feel his warm breath on her bare shoulders. All it'd taken was a quick glance in his direction, her eyes full of how low his shorts hung around his waist, and Beth had forgotten what she was supposed to be doing. It'd be the previous night again in her head, his body would be between her thighs and his moans would be in her ears. Him being shirtless didn't help. Patricia and the nurses got an eye full too and Beth knew if Shane hadn't been the type to manscape they may have seen more than they ever wanted. The cargo shorts had sat just above his dick. There were moments she couldn't believe she'd actually slept with him, with Shane, that for a few precious moments he'd been inside of her, that some of him still was inside of her.

But when he was close? Somehow that was even worse.

Still, they'd put a nice dent in the job. If she'd worried any changes would slow their pace, it'd been a useless fear. Other than a few lingering stares and some small unnecessary touches as they brushed by each other in tight confines, not much changed with the momentum they always built or the quick conversation.

By 9:30 she was freshly showered but wanted to give Shane time to do whatever it was he did when he was alone. When she checked on her father Beth found Patricia asleep in the chair next to him, the book she'd been reading dropped on the floor. For a split second Beth felt it, the bitter thought she'd been keeping buried, raise its ugly head.

For a man who'd spent his life worshipping his God, Hershel Greene was being done dirty by The Almighty.

Why else let him stay in such a state for so long? It wasn't helping anyone - not Beth, not Maggie, certainly not Hershel. It was an awful thought and Beth felt her cheeks redden from shame, but it was there all the same. The kiss she placed on his cheek was the same as ever and Beth whispered him a quiet apology, feeling guilty for wishing it'd all be over and not just for the sake of finishing her cabinets.

The breeze that greeted her when she stepped outside the main house was as welcome as it was unexpected. Georgia's suffocating humidity had decided to take a night off and it'd been long overdue. Beth hadn't climbed the steps to the apartment over her dad's office since high school and before she could stop to question if she should just knock or announce her presence through the screen door, Shane told her to come in, having heard her approach.

Nothing had changed about the space except it felt smaller to Beth now, the way rooms always did after a person grew up. Just as bare and simple, the only two differences being the fan pointed at the bed and the man in said bed, sitting up in just a pair of thin gray sweatpants, his face buried in his phone.

"You stole one of the fans?" she asked when he glanced up to smile at her.

"Yeah, came back and got it while you were in the shower."

"Thank God. It feels amazing in here."

Amazing was a bit of a stretch but after days in the 80s and 90s, anything felt better.

"Pop a squat," he told her, patting the spot next to him.

Beth kicked off her shoes and settled down beside him, the scent of his Irish Spring hitting her nostrils when she sat back and stretched her legs out. Her t-shirt was so large and her cotton shorts were so tiny it gave the appearance she wasn't wearing any shorts at all and judging by Shane's sideways stare on bare thighs, he'd noticed too.

He wasn't the only one stealing glances. Beth was only human and Shane had his phone open in his hand, right next to her, barely an inch between them. Her dad had always told her she was too curious for her own good and he'd rarely been wrong. She wasn't sure what she'd expected to see Shane scrolling through on his screen but it definitely wasn't what looked to be pictures of paint colors.

"What ya painting?" she asked.

"Your cabinets," he answered, unphased by her wandering eyes.

"I thought we'd already decided on a color."

"We did, but look at this." He stopped scrolling long enough to close any distance between their shoulders so they could both look. Beth watched his thick fingers slide across the screen until the gallery was open. Before she could get a good peek at any other pictures lurking on his device, he'd handed it to her, a picture of a beautiful cabinet open. "What ya think? We'd need to test a sample, make sure it looks good in person. But I'm thinking that dark chocolate color is gonna look a lot better. It's just a touch darker than what you were thinking but it makes a big difference."

Beth took his phone. The case was faded, the screen was scratched, and she didn't have to ask to know he'd had it forever. She imagined him dropping it on the job, wondering how many times it'd fallen out of his pocket getting in and out of his cruiser - explanations for all the scuffs and dents on the case. When she finally took the time to inspect the picture she could feel his eyes on her, waiting on a response.

"No...I, I think you're right," she agreed. "I think it'd match the countertops too, actually."

"Go on, keep going. I saved a few more."

The more pictures she went through, the more positive of the decision she became. Until finally she hit the end of painted cabinet pictures and instead scrolled to a picture of some car part, something Shane had probably taken to know what to buy at the parts store.

"Doesn't this make you nervous?" Beth finally asked, turning the screen off but keeping his phone in her hand. "Someone else scrolling through your gallery?"

"No. Why would it?"

"I dunno. Most people I know don't like the idea of someone else getting their hands on their phone. They're afraid the person might keep scrolling."

"Scroll your heart out. If you find anything interesting in there you've got a dull life, lady."

She almost told him that he was wrong. Even the pictures of nonsense would be interesting, much less the texts. Who did Shane text when he needed help with something? What apps did he download? Did he ever take a picture of something just for fun? And if he did, had it been of Rick and his family and had Shane deleted them or did he glance at them from time to time, missing the person she knew was probably still listed as his emergency contact?

"Go on, you can keep looking if you want," he urged, turning to face her as their eyes met.

Suddenly the phone wasn't the most interesting thing in the room anymore.

"So you've never used it to take a dick pic and send it to some poor unsuspecting woman?" Beth asked, biting her lip at the very same time Shane licked his.

His laughter told her his next words were truthful.

"Hell nah. Back in my day, we were smarter about this shit. You make 'em want the dick before you show it to 'em. Then they won't care what you're packing. Not point in comin' out the gate with a disappointment."

He held her eyes a beat too long before finally looking away just to give her a quick once over. And the room may have been cool but Beth felt the heat return, his gaze setting every inch of her aflame.

"I really don't think you gotta worry about that disappointment part," she whispered, watching him grin.

"Well if that's the case, gimme my phone back and I'll send you one."

"Might be nice to see a different type of wood tomorrow."

They were both laughing and Beth tossed the phone back towards him, where it landed on the sheets forgotten.

"So that means you got some dirty pictures on your phone then?" Shane asked. "If everyone you know would get anxious about someone looking through it. That means you too."

Beth smiled, gave him a weak shrug.

"You'd have to find it and see."

"Find it, hmmm? I have a feeling it's in those tiny little shorts you got on."

She giggled when he made a move towards her, except his hands didn't go anywhere near her phone. Just a quick shift of their bodies, until he'd gotten Beth onto her back and he was leaning over her, face to face, the 22 pendant he wore around his neck dangling between them.

They stared at each other for a moment, until his eyes traveled her face and parked on her lips.

"I don't think this was the conversation we're supposed to be having," he finally said, stroking a hand down Beth's face.

"No," she agreed, her words bringing his gaze back to her eyes. "But. I think it's the one we want to be having, yeah?"

Shane didn't answer with his words.

Instead, his answer came when his lips claimed hers in a delicate kiss, both of them sighing as though the weight they'd been carrying all day had finally been lifted. Beth supposed it had. His next kiss came after a pause, his skilled hand tilting her chin so his tongue could slip between her lips. Immediately Beth moaned and wrapped her hands around his neck, until her fingers danced across his nape, willing him inside.

The free hand that brushed across the tiny bud under her shirt made Beth's nipples immediately stiffen as a whimper caught in her throat.

His touches were feathery light but it didn't matter. Part of her had been terrified the previous night really had been nothing more than a one-time thing, that never again would she feel him grow hard between her legs or hear his sighs when he slipped inside of her. The fear had been so great that even just the gentle rub from his thumb felt like it was rubbing elsewhere, she'd needed the reassurance that badly, and eventually she had to clench her thighs together to help relieve the ache he building with his fingers.

She knew his desire was getting the better of him too.

Already Beth had come to learn what Shane sounded like when he was filled with need, the throaty grunts and hisses that grew in volume with his urgency. Yet he was still patient, putting her needs first. Every time he circled her nipple, to the same tune as his tongue in her mouth, Beth felt the pressure growing, so tightly wound her legs trembled.

What kind of man spent his free time double-checking paint colors and then using all his effort to push her into oblivion? Shane had never asked her for anything and all Beth wanted to do was repay the favors he was doling out to her, to make him feel as good as he made her feel. They came up for air for a moment, just long enough for Beth to catch her breath, and she stole her chance - pushing Shane until he was on his back and making quick work of straddling his thighs.

When she glanced up he was comfortable, propped against the pillows, watching her every move.

Already the erection was visible through his sweatpants. The fabric was thin, leaving almost nothing to Beth's imagination, and it was with great pleasure she stroked a hand over his length - her palm flat and steady, pulling a moan from his lips. She did it again, refusing to neglect a single inch until he stiffened even more under her touch. The moment she gave his balls a firm squeeze she watched the wet spot appear against the gray cotton and smiled to herself. His cock twitched, he cursed out loud, but he never rushed her.

After one last brush of her hand, Beth started removing his pants, both of them growing eager to see the article of clothing on the floor.

The first kiss was barely even a brush of her lips. Beth inhaled his scent, kissed the skin around his dick and moaned when he did. The stubble around his base was starting to grow back but Beth didn't mind the scratch against her lips, if anything it made her linger longer, forcing his cock to raise every time she grazed his warm flesh.

When his breathing grew shallow Beth finally took mercy on the man under her and kissed the base of his cock, working up the spit in her mouth as she licked her way towards the top. It was only then she took him into her mouth, adding just a bit of suction with each lazy bob of her head.

He tasted just as good as he smelled and Beth was patient. She wanted him to enjoy it as much as she was, even though it was only adding fuel to her own flames and making moisture collect between her legs.

But pleasing him was pleasing her too. Maybe she'd told him thanks for all of his help, but Beth wanted him to feel it, for Shane to know how very grateful she felt.

When he started to strain against her, Beth finally took him into her mouth completely, relaxing her throat to make room for his width. She felt him pulse in her mouth, his hand coming up to stroke her jaw. The taste of his first few drops of precum made her moan, wanting nothing more than to taste the entire load. Working him a little faster Beth added suction, using her free hand to work his base when her mouth wasn't there.

It would've been easy to get him all the way there - it was what she wanted at least. His warm skin was stretched tight, ripe for release, and Beth realized she was grinding against legs, willing to do anything to alleviate her own anguish too.

When his cock pulsed again in her mouth Beth thought he'd let her have it, he'd allow her the pleasure of taking care of him. Instead, when he stiffened and cursed, his hand lifted her mouth, pulling himself free.

"C'mere," he whispered, his voice hoarse.

All it took for Beth to start pulling the shirt over her head and the shorts off was a quick motion of his head, directing her to get on his lap. And Shane wasn't the only one that could go commando. Beth hadn't bothered with panties or a bra and it made stripping down in front of his watchful eyes all the easier.

She positioned herself on his lap and with a shaking hand, carefully guided him inside, whimpering with every inch.

It was a stretch, it always was, and Shane moaned in appreciation once she was finally settled.

"Give me a minute," she told him, coming chest to chest to press her forehead against his.

"Take your time."

He planted a reassuring kiss on her lips, his large hands exploring her hips and ass, and just knowing she was in his arms again and he was inside her made the warmth flood her entire body.

And Beth may have been aroused but Shane was a thick man and it was almost too much for how sensitive she'd become. He filled her to the brim and with the first slow rock of her hips, they both grunted.

The air smelled of their efforts and when Beth ground against him again she could hear their bodies working together and felt herself stretch to accommodate him. There was no rush and Beth's motions were almost lazy, both of them breathing hard with each roll of her hips. The strong shoulders she gripped were saturated in sweat and Beth dug her nails into Shane's skin when she rocked again, never allowing him to completely leave her, staying balls deep and grinding down with as much pressure as her shaking legs could muster.

Their lips met and Shane's hands held her tightly but still allowing Beth the freedom to control his needs. She rocked deep, moaning into his mouth, and felt the first flicker of her walls when his cock twitched and his lips trembled. She was getting there fast - her body throbbing with each grind, her clit rubbing against him in just the right spot. When she whimpered it sounded small to even to her own ears, not believing how wet she was or how badly she needed to unravel.

"Hold on, sweetheart."

His whispered plea almost did her in. But Beth knew Shane could feel her release building, quicker than his.

"Wait," he begged, finally rocking his hips into her, taking the lead.

Tears sprang to her eyes, overwhelmed by the request. It was a struggle to hold on, to will herself to wait, to not give in to the throb that overwhelmed her entire body with every roll of his hips. Shane thrusted harder, his hands stroking down her back until finally his drive became more purposeful and Beth knew he was about to boil over.

Her walls were already fluttering when he pressed his lips to her sweaty forehead.

"Alright," he moaned. "Okay.'

She rocked with him, crying out when he finally pushed her over the edge, her eyes watering as she pulsed and pulled him in deeper, his cock stiffening, spilling his load. Each pulse of her walls milked another drop until finally their hearts were pounding together and Beth had drained him dry.

Beth couldn't breathe, she couldn't talk, she couldn't move.

She stayed atop him, clinging to his chest, as his understanding hands stroked her back and he buried his lips in her hair with a few reassuring kisses. Neither moved until her body stopped shaking and her shallow breathing had regulated until the only sound in the room was from the cicadas outside.

He woke up much the same as the previous morning, except this time with an alarm going off. Beth was still wrapped around him, their skin was clinging together, but Shane's frantic search for his phone woke her up far quicker than the last time when he'd gently eased himself from the bed. It'd gotten tangled in the sheets and blankets, both of them awake by the time Shane managed to find it and turn it off.

"Waking up before the sun should be illegal," Beth whispered, her blue eyes opening, much quicker to spark to life than the previous morning.

"You get used to it after a while," Shane told her. "You don't have to wake up, anyway. Nothing is stopping you from going back to sleep."

"Not true, I gotta beat Patricia to that coffee maker."

"Fair point."

They were lying face to face when Beth came in for a lazy good morning kiss, pulling away slowly just to rub a hand down Shane's bicep, then his chest, finally settling on the necklace that he hadn't taken off since the day he'd received it.

"What is this?" she asked, holding it between her fingers. "I've never seen you without it."

"22 was my high school football number."

"Really? And you still wear it? Were those like...your glory days? Still holding onto 'em?"

"No," Shane laughed. "Not at all."

"Then why the necklace?"

"Rick gave it to me the last game I ever played. He was always the sentimental type. Just never took it off, I guess."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"It's okay." And it was. Rick would always be a sore subject but Shane knew he couldn't avoid the man's name for the rest of his life. "He was my best friend since we were kids, I can't spend forever pretending those years didn't exist."

And perhaps he couldn't but Beth seemed to understand that it was neither the time or the place to dig into such a meaty subject. Shane was already eating into his shower time but some things were worth sacrificing for. Beth kissed him again, both of them lingering longer than Shane could afford, but he wanted to savor waking up to company. It'd been too long.

"I'm probably gonna get back late tonight," he said, knowing what it was he needed to do. "I gotta stop and talk to Sheriff Blake."

"That doesn't sound like a good thing."

"It is. I told Tara I'd talk to him about moving her to days."

"So the partner thing, you were serious about it?"

Shane just shrugged. "May as well. Shootin' the shit with someone sure beats twiddling my thumbs for twelve hours."

"That's nice of you, she'll be happy."

"Well, she shouldn't get too happy just yet. Blake's a dick. He'll probably say no just because I'm the one askin'. You don't make too many friends when you betray your partner of twenty years."

"Still. Doesn't hurt to ask."

Shane tried to remember that advice as they both finally managed to peel themselves out of bed. His usual twenty-minute shower got cut down to five and by the time he was finished, Beth was still fishing parts of her clothes out of the tangle of sheets. He was attaching his gun belt and buttoning his shirt when she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and whispered to be careful before showing herself out.

And he'd been right.

Twiddling his thumbs was growing old. He managed to go the entire day with only receiving two calls - both of which were ridiculous. One was nothing more than a possible petty theft, a missing wheelbarrow that someone had decided was worthy of dialing 911. The other had been a domestic dispute between two neighbors and Shane knew he'd hit rock bottom when a part of him had wished they'd start throwing fists instead of just cruel words simply because an arrest would eat up hours in his day.

Afterward, he parked his cruiser under a shady tree, facing traffic, and filled out the two pointless reports on his county assigned laptop. He missed having a partner for that part too. Reports were more tedious than anything, it was just a rehashing of the events for the calls he'd left and unless it was a serious crime the files were typically saved and never seen by anyone again. At least if someone else had been in the car with him they could've laughed together as they typed up the nonsense they'd just witnessed.

And Shane may have been dreading his appointment with the sheriff but the good news was that it meant he was almost done for the day.

"Do what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"

Shane sat across the Sheriff's desk, his legs spread and his back aching. His radio had been turned down but even the squawking that came from it would've been more pleasurable than Blake's voice.

"Came to put in a request," Shane answered, not bothering with any sir at the end. Most deputies wouldn't have been able to get away with the disrespect but Shane had years on the force under his belt and with it came leniency.

In his opinion, Philip Blake was a joke. The man knew nothing about actually being on the ground, not anymore anyway, and instead devoted his time to saying whatever he needed to guarantee re-election. Every four years Shane voted for the man's opponent but so far it hadn't mattered.

"For?" Blake asked. "Spit it out, I'd like to go home."

"A partner."

"Rick's wife wasn't enough? You wanna make your way through the wives of the entire force now too? While I admire your positive attitude, I have to say, Walsh, you might be a little too old to scrounge up the stamina for that job. The answer is no."

Shane didn't even sigh. He just blinked and went on, pretending he didn't hear anything the man had said. His skin had grown thicker than ever in the last few months and it'd never been easy to get under in the first place.

"There's a rookie," Shane continued. "Tara Chambler. I want her."

"I don't think you're her type."

Again, Shane ignored the bait and pressed on.

"She wants day shifts. I looked - right now she's with another deputy, they barely got 5 years experience between 'em. You and I both know that's a recipe for disaster. Pair her up with someone who knows the ropes. You wouldn't want 'em to fuck up, get nervous, shoot some poor schmuck that don't deserve it. Don't think you could talk your way outta that one in a press conference...sir. Spoil any plans to run for Governor one day."

Finally the other man sighed and leaned back in his office chair.

"You trying to play politics with me, Walsh?"

"I play whatever game I need to get what I want."

"As we're all so painfully aware. Didn't you get your last partner shot?"

Shane had blamed himself for Rick's injury but he damned sure wouldn't let anyone else do it. He was a good cop, he knew it, at least when it mattered, when he wasn't just writing bullshit reports or tickets.

"Some could argue that. I didn't see the third man but it's hard to look for a third man when you're told there's only two by poorly trained dispatch. Some could also argue that had I not acted as fast as I did, if I didn't keep pressure 'til the slow ass EMTs showed up, he'd be dead. I may have gone home with blood on my hands but it was from keeping him alive. He'd be dead if it weren't for me."

As soon as the words were out, Shane realized they were true. It wasn't just a bullshit reply, but the truth and the truth could always lift the weight off the weariest of shoulders. Shane's were no exception.

"You know it'll take a few weeks, I have to juggle things around. I can't just take her off days and not fill the spot with a body."

"That's fine, I'm a very patient man. Comes with experience."

"Hmm, I'm sure," Blake replied, clearly feeling like he'd lost a battle. "You can leave now, go home. Or wherever it is you go."

"Thank you, have a lovely night."

When Shane answered it didn't sound nearly as sarcastic as he'd meant. Then again, as he left the office and headed towards his cruiser in the parking lot, his feet felt a little lighter. His phone rang and Shane smiled when her name flashed on the screen.

"What ya doing?" Beth asked when he answered.

He leaned against his car to take the call and stared down at the boots he couldn't wait to kick off.

"Just left Blake's office."

"How'd it go?"

"Well...I think Tara will be pleased. Gonna take a few weeks to all come together though."

"Either way, that's great news."

The smile in her voice was contagious.

"I'm actually calling because I have a favor to ask," Beth went on.

"Ah shit, what'd ya break now?"

"Nothing," she laughed. "I was just wondering...it's late. I'm tired. You're probably tired. The kitchen is a wreck. So if I ordered some pizzas do you wanna stop by to pick them up on your way since you're already in town?"

"I think I can manage that."

"Good, cuz I already ordered them. Had a feelin' you'd say yes."

"How's the working comin'?"

He heard her sigh and the ruffle of her moving around on the other end. It was easy to imagine Beth settling down on the couch, stretching her milky thighs out as she took a break. When she answered Shane realized he was grinning. By the sounds of it, he wasn't the only one.

"Well. I'm not finished sanding, but I've made progress. Had to take more breaks than usual today though, it's hot and my arms feel like jello."

"Hmmm, I seem to remember it was your legs feelin' like jello last night."

The words were out before he could even question if he should say them but Beth never missed a beat.

"Yeah, it's rather strange. These symptoms just keep happening, I think another episode might occur tonight."

"That right?"

Finally, Shane glanced up to let out a laugh, a laugh that caught in his throat.

Beth was still on the line talking but he'd gotten distracted by the figure walking towards him, just a few feet away, crossing the parking lot. At first, Shane had almost nodded in the man's direction, a quick hello, what he'd normally do for anyone, until the blue eyes he'd recognize anywhere connected with his and Shane realized it wasn't just anyone.

It was Rick.

Their eyes tracked each other as Rick walked towards his own car and Shane's smile faded. The air had changed, Shane's mood dropped, part of him wishing he could just nod to Rick like he would anyone else, that he could tell the other man about his day, that he wasn't there to request a new partner because his old one was still by his side. When Rick passed the closest point between them Shane felt that steely blue glare, Rick making it known he'd never want any such thing, like he hated Shane simply for having caught him smiling.

Shane missed him and he hated him at the same time. For a blissful moment he'd forgotten everything between them, forgotten that Rick and Lori refused to budge about the baby, his baby. Officer Friendly wasn't so friendly after all and Shane could really only blame himself for the change in his ex-best friend. Rick hadn't volunteered to raise Shane's kid but it was expected of him, especially when doing so was the only thing that could save his marriage. Shane knew that. Still, he hated it and Rick and Lori by extension.

Rick's car was parked only a few spaces away and Shane didn't even remember he was still on the phone until he'd watched Rick drive off.

"Hey, you there?" Beth asked, still on the other line.

Shane looked around and caught his breath before answering.

"Yeah...yeah, I'm here, sorry."

"Something wrong?"

He considered not telling her. Beth had enough on her shoulders, she didn't need his mess too. But he also remembered the innuendos that had been flowing before their interruption and he wouldn't allow her to feel bad for it.

"Rick just walked by," Shane admitted. "I'm still at the sheriff's office, I honestly didn't think about him maybe being here, now that he keeps to an office."

"Oh...shit."

"Yeah."

"Did you say anything? Did he?"

"No, unless you count the fuck you he told me with his eyes."

"So they haven't moved?"

"Guess not."

"Maybe Lori's waiting until the baby's born. I can't imagine that's an easy move when you're pregnant."

The mention of her pregnancy shut Shane up again, until he finally got in his cruiser, started the engine, and put the AC on full blast.

"You okay?"

When he stayed silent, Beth just pressed on.

"It's okay if you aren't."

"I don't know. I miss him," Shane confessed. "But I wouldn't mind knocking his teeth out either. And I know he feels the same way and I deserve it. I fucked his wife and ruined his family but he gets to stake his claim on my kid."

"I'm sorry, Shane. I can't imagine how you feel."

"Like shit," Shane clarified, feeling the smallest hint of humor return. "Today was going pretty good, I really didn't think The Sheriff would approve my request but he did."

"Two steps forward, one step back. It'll be okay."

It would've been better to have the conversation face to face, but he had to admit having her ear was better than nothing, even if she was just sitting with him in silence for a minute before finally speaking again.

"If you want, we can skip the pizza. I know you probably don't feel like stopping now."

"No," Shane answered. "I'm looking forward to it."

"Alright, well, I'll make sure there's some really cold Miller waiting for when you get here, deal?"

"Deal."

"Good, see you soon."

Shane hung up, the smile in her voice ringing in his ears.

And she hadn't lied. The only thing colder than the Miller upon his arrival was the pizza, the long drive doing nothing to keep it fresh. Not that they minded. The harsh sun was finally going down, Shane had kicked off his boots and unbuttoned his uniform, and the couch was the perfect place to eat their old pizza and drink beer. Patricia and Hershel's evening nurse came and went while Beth told him about the progress she'd made throughout the day. Her blonde hair was sticking up in a frizzy mess, there was dust all over her clothes, but her smile was easy and the conversation good.

Shane offered to pick up where she left off, she was too tired to continue, but Beth would have none of that. Instead, she suggested a shower and bed - preferably her bed, because the mattress was better. He could tell she was hesitant to ask. It was one thing to end up in bed together, it was another to suggest it but Shane knew his quick agreement squashed any of her uncertainty.

The shower washed away the angst of the day, Beth's hands helped speed the process along. In a room filled with steam, their hands grew curious, massaging sore muscles and lingering on others that threatened to stiffen. When the hot water threatened to give out Beth kicked him out with a giggle so she could condition her hair and Shane passed out in the bed that smelled like her, still wet, in only a pair of boxer briefs. He was faintly aware when the weight of her body joined him, he was already lost to sleep, but he still managed to press his chest against her back and wrap his arms around her small frame.

It wasn't until the middle of the night they began to stir.

The room was pitch black when their bodies tangled together, using only their sense of touch and sound to guide the way. Face to face, he stroked her in all the right places, until her leg wrapped around his waist and he slid into her on a sigh. They were barely awake when Beth claimed his mouth, their bodies swaying together, and Shane could feel her growing wetter with each lazy roll of his hips, until the scent and sound of her arousal filled the room. When Beth's need began to ache around his tight flesh, Shane would back off again, waiting, but never pulling out. Finally, when she whimpered and whispered a quiet please against his lips, Shane rolled them both over the edge, until the flickers of her walls pulled him in deeper and he emptied himself with a moan. With a quiet shushing, Shane guided her through her climax, until the leg around his thigh relaxed and they both were lulled into sleep as he softened inside her.