WARNING: This chapter contains very explicit depictions of sex...
i can feel you breathe, i can feel your heart beat faster
While Daryl stood near the front door and talked with Denise, presumably apologizing for fighting in her house, Beth stood on the other side of the foyer with Clem. The ruckus had died down and most of the other party-goers had left, wishing Rosita a happy birthday and their condolences for the crappy ending. Rosita seemed to brush it off, though, and continued sipping on a drink as she smiled and thanked everyone for surprising her. Meanwhile, Denise had put Tara to bed with a puke bucket stationed next to her – Daryl volunteered to carry her limp, passed-out body from the bathroom to the bedroom. Now it was just the few friends remaining: Beth, Clementine, Rosita, and Daryl.
Denise offered everyone to stay the night, assuring them all that it was late and they didn't have to make the trek home after the exhausting and dramatic ending to the party. But Daryl insisted he was fine to walk home – in fact, he looked forward to it. And Beth agreed that she'd like to sleep in her own bed, and a short walk home in the crisp, night air didn't sound too bad either.
Beth's hands were shoved in the pockets of her jacket as she stood near the door of the spare bedroom with Clem and talked quietly. Clem had her arms crossed over her chest as she leaned back against the wall and shifted her weight from one foot to the other while they spoke.
"You sure you don't want us to walk you home?" Beth asked.
Clem nodded. "Yeah, Denise said she'll give me a ride in the morning. I, uh, kinda wanna stay and talk to Rosita anyway…"
Beth nodded and didn't have to ask why. She hesitated, then asked quietly, "Was that… what you texted me about? I was lookin' for you, but then he cornered me an' – "
"Yeah," Clem said. "He was being weird as hell in the kitchen, and then I went to use the other bathroom in the master bedroom and he came in the bedroom and tried to slip his hand up my leg… I dunno. It's fucking weird. He was so… ugh. The whole time. And… I didn't even say anything. I don't know why. I just… ducked back into the bathroom and hoped he'd leave."
Beth raised her eyebrows and looked at Clem with concern, but the tawny-skinned girl wouldn't meet her gaze. "It's not your fault… I froze up, too. It was just… unexpected. One minute, we're all havin' fun, and then the next… I dunno… I'm sorry I wasn't down here."
"It's not your fault either," Clem assured her. "It's like my mom likes to say – he was just a wolf in sheep's clothing."
I know a thing or two about those, Beth thought to herself.
But she just pursed her lips and nodded.
Clem sighed, frustrated, and stared down at her shoes. "I just – I know five different ways to break a dude's finger, and when the situation actually arose… my mind just went blank. It's like, I was caught so off-guard or something…"
Beth didn't like the emptiness that was forming in the pit of her stomach. She swallowed hard and fidgeted with the lining of her jacket pockets.
"Well, next time we see him… keep one of those ways in mind an' we'll try it out on him," Beth said, a faint smirk growing on her lips as she watched Clem raise her head and look at her. "I'll hold him down for ya."
Clem smiled weakly and nodded. "I dunno – I'm pretty sure Daryl cracked his jaw tonight."
Beth chuckled and said, "So, that's the least he deserves."
Clem raised her eyebrows. "True."
About ten minutes later, Daryl and Beth had said their goodbyes and taken the elevator back down to the lobby. C.J. was gone for the night, and most of the lights were off. The door of the lobby was locked from the outside, and Daryl held it open for Beth to step outside before following her and letting the door fall shut, the lock clicking back into place.
The streets had grown foggier as it got later, and there weren't many cars out as Beth and Daryl headed down the sidewalk through the neighborhood. They passed a few people, but the streets were noticeably quieter than before the party, and most of the businesses were dark and locked up, some of them with big, black cages pulled down over their front doors and windows.
Beth kept her hands in her jacket pockets and stared straight ahead, but she was watching Daryl in her peripherals as he kept pace beside her, keeping on the side toward the street. Every other block or so, their arms would brush against each other – black leather against bare skin. After three blocks, Daryl pulled his pack of cigarettes from his jeans pocket and shook one out, placing it between his lips and lighting the end.
They passed a house that was still pumping loud rap music from inside, the windows all alit and the sound of loud voices drifting out to the sidewalk. Beth and Daryl both glanced over at it as they passed, seeing the silhouettes of party-goers behind the curtains of the windows.
"Huh, looks excitin'," Daryl commented casually, flicking the ashes from his cigarette and taking another long drag.
Beth glanced over at him. "Maybe we should crash it."
He looked at her and gave a small smirk and a grunt that was almost a chuckle, then went back to gazing around at the surrounding houses and businesses.
After the rollercoaster of a night they'd experienced, the tension between them seemed to be keeping at bay. They were both walking together comfortably, the exhaustion evident in their long, slow strides. Another cold breeze chilled Beth's neck and she shivered and hugged her jacket closer, then looked over at Daryl.
"Aren't you cold?" She asked, nodding toward his lack of a jacket.
He shook his head and exhaled a thick cloud of smoke. "Nah. I run hot."
Beth raised her eyebrows and moved her gaze down from his exposed arms to the knuckles of his hand – even from a short distance, she could see that they were red and slightly swollen.
"Oh – is your hand okay?" She asked, and slowed her pace to instinctively reach out and take his wrist in both of her hands, lifting his hand to inspect it closer.
Daryl twitched like he was going to pull his hand back, but then seemed to stop himself and slowed his pace to match Beth's while he allowed her to squint down at his swollen knuckles. She touched them gently with her fingertips, watching the pressure create a white indentation before quickly turning back to red. He shrugged.
"I'll be fine," he said.
Beth touched his middle knuckle gently. "Does it hurt?"
Daryl shrugged again. "Ain't bad. I've had worse... Just gonna put some ice on it when we get home."
She nodded and let go of his wrist, and he let his arm fall back to his side as he resumed smoking his cigarette. Beth shoved her hands back in her pockets.
"Are you alright?" He mumbled, and when she looked at him, he kept his eyes on his boots while he took a long drag off the cigarette.
She nodded, and he turned his head to finally meet her eyes. "Yeah, I'm fine."
He was silent for a second, maintaining eye contact, then muttered, "You know what I mean..."
Beth broke their gaze and turned back to look ahead. She swallowed past a knot that was forming in her throat and said plainly, "Ain't bad. I've had worse."
She hesitated but then turned her head to look at his face again and found his eyes studying her while he chewed on his lower lip. She wondered what was going through his mind.
They continued in silence for a few minutes, but it felt heavy around them now, like the fog that surrounded them. Daryl tossed the butt of his cigarette out into the street and kicked a small rock on the sidewalk in passing, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans.
Beth's mind was racing with a handful of different thoughts, but she remained silent. She tried to stop replaying the incident with Austin in her head, but it wouldn't leave her. She had a cluster of feelings blending around in her gut, but the strongest was guilt. A dozen words began to form on the tip of her tongue, a hundred sentences that she'd started in her head. But none of them sounded right… and then she'd waited too long to bring any of it up casually. So she didn't even open her mouth. Instead, she chose to remain silent, continuing to watch Daryl from her peripherals as they took their last turn toward the apartment.
As they approached a particularly empty street, Beth noticed that Daryl was looking around a lot more than usual, and he had begun to walk closer to her, until their arms were touching with every step they took and the musky scent of his aftershave was filling her nostrils. She finally looked over at him and realized he was leaning into her and speeding up their pace.
"What's wrong?" She asked, quizzical look on her face as she glanced around in search of an explanation.
"Huh?" Daryl asked, looking at her but not leaning away or slowing down.
"What – why're you walkin' so fast? An' you look – paranoid. Are you okay?" Beth asked.
Daryl frowned and glanced around again, then lowered his voice and muttered, "'S jus' a bad area. Got robbed on this street a few months back."
"Oh, God," Beth said.
"Don't worry, it's fine, jus' walk a little faster till we get farther up the street," he assured her, but she didn't stop glancing around and watching Daryl's movements.
They didn't get far when Beth saw movement from the corner of her eye, and she turned her head to see a shadowed figure emerging from an alley across the street. In the dark and the fog, Beth couldn't see their face or their clothes, but she could tell they were tall and hunching their shoulders over, and they looked like they were staring right at her and Daryl. A shiver ran down her spine and she tore her eyes away, but she could still feel the figure watching her.
She started, "Um – "
"I know, I see 'em," Daryl muttered, just loud enough that Beth could hear it, and she pursed her lips tightly.
Then he reached out and gently took her wrist, pulling her hand from her jacket pocket and grasping it in his own, letting their arms hang together between them. He laced their fingers together and clasped her hand firmly, giving it a reassuring squeeze as he sped up their pace again. She was too busy worrying about the dark figure to give any attention to the rapid fluttering in her stomach.
She took longer strides to keep up and leaned into his side without a second thought. Her heart was beating faster, but she could feel Daryl's body warmth radiating out from him, and she found herself feeling safer.
It didn't take more than five minutes for them to get out of the sketchy area and come within viewing distance of the apartment. When Daryl finally decided they were safe, he slowed his pace again and Beth let out a silent sigh of relief. But he didn't lean away from her or let go of her hand.
She was afraid he would notice how sweaty her palm was becoming.
When they approached the front door of the apartment building, Daryl reached out with his free hand and opened the door, then let go of Beth's hand so she could step through the doorway. They walked through the dimly lit lobby together in silence then climbed the three flights of stairs to their landing, both of them breathing heavily by the time they'd reached the top.
Carol's apartment was dark and quiet, and Beth and Daryl stepped softly through the hallway. Daryl pulled out his keys and unlocked the door to 3A, then opened the door and held it for Beth again.
The apartment was silent and settled, and the air was a bit stale from having the windows closed all day. There was still a hint of soap and Clementine's perfume in the air from hours before, as well as a trace of Daryl's aftershave. He flipped the light switch and filled the living room with light. Beth slipped off her jacket and hung it up, then crossed the room to one of the windows in the living room, lifting it a few inches and letting in a burst of damp, chilly air.
Daryl headed for the kitchen in silence while Beth stood at the window and looked down at the fog and the street, breathing in the fresh air.
"Were you even drinkin'?" He asked from the kitchen as he peered into the fridge.
"No," she answered, turning around and walking toward the kitchen to stand by the bar. "Didn't feel like it."
"'Spose ya don't want a drink now then," Daryl said, still gazing into the open fridge.
Beth shook her head. "Think I'll pass for tonight."
He nodded, reaching into the fridge toward the bottom shelf. "Me, too. Want a water?"
He pulled out a plastic water bottle from the fridge and held it out in offering.
"Thanks," Beth said, taking it and carefully twisting off the lid.
Daryl reached back in and grabbed a bottle for himself, then closed the fridge and twisted off the plastic cap to down half the water in one drink. Beth couldn't help but notice his swollen knuckles.
He then turned around and opened the freezer, reaching in and pulling out a small, blue icepack. He shut the freezer and set the water bottle down on the counter, then pressed the icepack to his knuckles and held it there. He let out a sigh of relief.
"That's better," he said, meeting Beth's gaze as he held the icepack to the red skin. "Might be a li'l sore tomorrow, but I'll be fine by Monday."
Beth nodded, feeling that familiar stab of guilt again.
"You don't have ta protect me, ya know."
The words had come out before she could mull them over. It was a thought that had crossed her mind multiple times already, and it was a thought that caused as much guilt as it explained. But she felt she needed to say it, just so she'd know that he knew.
A look of confusion passed over his face and he said, "What? 'Course I don't. Don't have ta do shit, but I like bein' able t'sleep at night."
Beth knew she shouldn't have said it, and the look of indignation he was giving her right now assured her of that. But then his features softened, though his brow remained furrowed.
He shrugged and added, "I know ya coulda handled yerself. I wasn't gonna step in, but he wasn't backin' off… an' then he touched you an' – well, I kinda lost it. But…"
She reiterated, "I just mean – I don't want you to feel like you have to protect me or somethin'…"
His expression didn't change and he paused. Then he said, "That what ya think a me? Ya think I do shit outta obligation and not just 'cause I wanna be a… decent person?"
Now it was Beth's turn to furrow her brow. "No, of course not. I know you're a decent person – a good person. I just – I dunno. Sometimes, I feel like such a – "
"Burden?" He finished for her, his eyes softening.
She sucked in her bottom lip and nodded.
Daryl shook his head and looked down at the icepack on his knuckles. "I can't fix that feelin' for ya, I know that much. But I can tell ya it's bullshit… Yer not a burden."
Beth looked down at her boots, feeling the awkward tension, as well as Daryl's eyes on her again. She had a lot of things she wanted to say, a lot of things she thought she might be able to explain to him. But she decided against it, knowing better than to follow her first impulse.
"Carol likes ya, Mal likes ya – an' obviously, I like ya," he continued after a moment of silence, then awkwardly added, "…Hell, even Clem likes ya."
Beth raised her head to see his cheeks turning pink and he looked back down at his icepack, letting his hair fall over his face.
"You know it ain't about bein' liked," she said softly.
He met her gaze again and chewed on the inside of his cheek, then slowly nodded. He looked her up and down and asked, "You sure he didn't do nothin' to ya? I mean – nothin' more."
Beth started, "I told you – "
But Daryl stopped her, "I know what you said – but tellin' me you've had worse don't ease my mind... Don't mean fer you what it means fer me."
This caught her by surprise and she swallowed hard. But then she nodded and said, quietly, "Yeah, I'm fine. He didn't do anythin' except creep me out."
Daryl's dark eyes were studying her but he seemed satisfied with this answer and convinced that she was telling the truth. "Good… 'Cause I woulda had ta kill him."
He smirked at his joke but Beth couldn't seem to get her mouth to form a smile at that particular sentiment. She looked away and shifted her weight from one foot to the other.
"Wanted to after what Clem said," he grumbled. "Had a weird feelin' about him from the get-go… Met him a couple times but I didn't know shit about him ta say nothin'."
Beth blurted out, "I'm glad you were there."
She looked up to see his reaction and found him looking away sheepishly.
"Really," she continued. "I… didn't know what to do. It's like… I was so – I'm just glad you were there, and… thank you for that."
She lost track of what point she was trying to make exactly and let her awkward statement hang in the air, avoiding looking at his face. She couldn't seem to find the words to explain exactly what had happened to her when Austin touched her, or why she hadn't just slapped him or stepped away or something. Not that Daryl would understand anyway, even if she were able to put it into words.
"Ain't somethin' ya gotta be thankin' me for," he said. "Ya coulda handled yourself, when it came down to it… But ya shouldn't have to. I was expectin' ta find ya barfing in the bathroom. Holdin' yer hair or crackin' some asshole's jaw, it's all the same to me."
Beth couldn't hold back the smirk that formed on her lips at that, and she finally met his gaze to find a sparkle in his eyes and a playful half-smile on his face.
"Really? You woulda held my hair while I barfed?" She asked, quirking an eyebrow and suppressing a laugh.
He chuckled. "Why not. I'm a dad – a li'l vomit don't scare me none."
Without a single thought of the awkward physical tension in her mind, Beth stepped forward and closed the distance between them, her lips forming a grateful smile. She opened her arms and leaned in to wrap them around his middle, the cold icepack pressing against the front of her jacket.
When he realized what was happening, he brought the icepack away from his knuckles and clutched it in his hand while wrapping his own arms tentatively around her small frame, resting his hands together in the middle of her back. She couldn't see his face, but she had a feeling that he was smiling, too.
Beth gave his torso a light squeeze with her arms, closing her eyes and resting her head against Daryl's broad chest. She breathed in his musky scent mixed with cigarettes and whiskey, and all the nerves that had been jittering around inside her for the last hour seemed to calm and relax. She could feel his muscles tensing beneath her, but after a couple of seconds, they relaxed, too, and then he was taking a deep breath in and holding it until his heart sped up. Beth could hear it pounding away through the soft, plaid cotton beneath her ear – or was that her own heart pounding in her ears?
They stayed like that for at least a solid minute. It felt like longer, though. When she finally pulled away, Beth knew she didn't have to explain herself. There was a look of contentment in Daryl's eyes, and she was just now noticing how tired he appeared.
"Um – are you hungry?" She spoke past her unusually dry mouth. "Think I might… make a sandwich or somethin'."
He nodded, licking his lips and clearing his throat before he answered, "Yeah, sounds good."
Beth stepped around him and started gathering what she needed to make two sandwiches. Daryl stepped out of her way and stood on the threshold of the kitchen to watch her while he held the icepack to his knuckles.
A short while later, they were sitting across from each other at the small dining table, eating turkey and cheese sandwiches and sipping from their bottles of water. Daryl ate like he'd been starving for hours and Beth tried not to stare, but she started giggling to herself and it caught his attention.
"What?" He asked, still chewing.
She smiled. "Should I have made you two sandwiches? You're eatin' like you haven't had food in days."
He smirked and wiped his face with a napkin, "Whatever, I'm enjoyin' my meal. Don't judge me."
Beth chuckled and went back to eating.
They ate in silence for the next few minutes. Beth was focused on her sandwich, as well as all the thoughts in the back of her head that had been nagging her all night.
When Daryl spoke, he was still looking at the last bit of sandwich in his hand, as though he were contemplating how to properly ingest it.
"'S been almost two weeks… so whatcha thinkin' about stayin'?"
She looked up, mouth stopping mid-chew. It took her a second to process his question, but he was still staring at his sandwich.
She shrugged, chewing and swallowing her food before answering. "Well, I paid for a month, so I figured I'd at least stay… that long…"
Daryl finally stuffed the last bite of sandwich into his mouth and chewed it thoughtfully, still not looking at Beth. He finished it and wiped his mouth with the napkin, then his hands.
"'Course, but what about after that? 'Spose you'll get all yer paperwork together an' start makin' a plan 'fore too long… Ya tryin' ta get outta New York, or…?"
Beth was a little surprised by the question and the expression of concern. But if she were being honest with herself, she could hear the subtle tone that lay beneath it. There were some things that even Daryl couldn't hide, and Beth was far from unobservant.
"Honestly," she started, staring down at the half-eaten sandwich in her hands. "I dunno… it's kinda nice bein' off-the-grid, and – well, it's nice to feel safe. For the first time in… a while."
"Yeah, I get it," Daryl mumbled, but she saw the brief flash of a sheepish smile after her last statement. "So, maybe ya jus' stay an'… figure it out. Later."
Beth looked up and gazed at Daryl until he lifted his eyes to meet hers. He leaned back in his chair and started chewing on the tip of his thumb but didn't break their thoughtful eye contact.
"When is 'later'?" She asked quietly.
He shrugged and returned his hand to his lap only to start picking at his fingernails, almost nervously. His response was muffled grumbling. "I'ono… later…"
"Five months? Six?"
"Whatever," he grumbled, then quickly looked down at his hands. "Don't matter t'me."
Beth smirked knowingly. "Not at all? I mean, I s'pose you could just find another roommate on Craigslist – "
Daryl's voice suddenly became clearer as he cut her off and the words spilled from his mouth like they'd been building up, "Look, I fucked up the other night. I know you say it's okay, an' I know you say ya feel safe, but if ya wanna leave, I ain't stoppin' ya. There won't be hard feelin's or anything. Just – gimme some notice so I can make arrangements. That's all."
She was a bit taken aback by his words, but when she saw the anxious look on his face as he waited for her reaction, she smiled again and said, "Daryl – I don't wanna leave. I do feel safe, I'm not just sayin' it... I promise."
He studied her face like he didn't believe her at first, and she gave him a look of reassurance.
She hesitated, "The other night… was…"
"Stupid," Daryl finished for her. "I'm a goddamn jackass. Ya still had a black eye from the last douchebag in yer life when I met you, ya don't need a different kinda douchebag in yer life."
Beth noticed how bitterly he spoke of himself, and she shook her head. "No, that's not at all what I was gonna say. Or what I was thinkin'... You're not stupid, Daryl."
I am, she thought, but she couldn't say it aloud.
She started hesitantly, "It was…"
The gravity of their conversation suddenly struck her and her cheeks began heating up. She tore her eyes away from Daryl's and looked back to her sandwich, then set it down and wiped her hands with the napkin, finding her appetite to be rapidly fleeing.
"…We can jus' forget about it," Daryl said quietly.
The silence hung around them for a moment, and then Daryl was standing up from the chair and stretching. He reached out and collected their plates and used napkins.
"Thanks," Beth mumbled, and he nodded before heading to the kitchen.
She watched him for a second, debating on whether she should say anything else. But he seemed to be pretty over the whole conversation, and she didn't want to push it and irritate him. Nor did she want to sit here and try to convince him that she wasn't lying about feeling safe – which was hard to do when it wasn't the main thing she was lying about. There was no possible way for her to explain that he could never – nor anyone else alive – make her feel truly safe again. Not while she was still in America, anyway.
Which also meant that she couldn't explain to him that he actually did make her feel about as safe as possible, under the current circumstances.
She stood and went to the coat rack to get her phone from the pocket of her jacket, then walked to the doorway of her bedroom. She turned and watched Daryl drying his hands with a towel.
"I'm – gonna go to bed," she said.
He nodded. "Me, too. 'Night."
She turned around and slipped into her bedroom, shutting the door quietly behind her. For reasons she couldn't explain, her heart was racing.
Beth unlaced and kicked aside her boots, stripped off her clothes, and slipped on a baggy shirt over her panties before she plopped down into bed and slipped beneath the comforter. She switched off the bedside lamp and grabbed her phone. Then she spent the next fifteen minutes scrolling through the news sites and absent-mindedly checking for any updates on her story while she listened to Daryl leave the kitchen, use the bathroom, and then shut his bedroom door.
She found nothing new from Georgia (for now, thankfully), and miraculously, national news was still completely ignoring the Greene name. There was nothing else new to check on – no text messages or emails, which also meant no word from Jesus. But that was expected.
She climbed out of bed quietly and went to the drawer that held her bag, pulling it open carefully so as not to make any noise. Then she reached into the bag and dug around for a second before pulling out the pocket watch. She could barely see it in the dark bedroom, but she didn't need to. She grasped it tightly and held it against her chest for a moment, and something that sounded like a prayer or a desperate plea to God ran through her mind. Then she went back to the bed and slipped the watch beneath her pillow.
Once the apartment had remained silent for at least five minutes, Beth plugged her phone in and slipped on some pants. Then she quietly walked out of her bedroom and through the hall to the bathroom. She shut the door and turned on the light, running warm water in the sink and grabbing a clean washcloth.
As she scrubbed the makeup from her face and watched her old self reappear in the mirror – the blonde hair reflecting in the fluorescent lighting of the bathroom even beneath the layer of black dye – she found herself unable to shake Daryl from her mind.
She felt selfish and shallow for it, but for the first time in two weeks, her mind was filled with something other than the doom her family was facing. And also for the first time, this was a problem that she had her own kind of control over. And she could probably fix it – if she could muster the courage and take a leap of faith, that is.
When was the last time I did something out of faith? She asked herself. When was the last time I felt… unconditionally safe?
After patting her face dry with a towel and running a brush through her hair, Beth shut off the bathroom light and stepped out into the hallway.
It took a second for her eyes to adjust to the darkness in the apartment, and when they did, she found them staring down at Daryl's bedroom door. Her feet urged her forward, and she wasn't sure why, but she let them.
And then she was standing against the wall, staring at his closed door. And all his grumbled words and racing heartbeats were replaying in her mind.
She could smell his musky scent from where she stood. He'd left traces all over the apartment, from the bathroom all the way down the hall. The fluttering was starting back up in her stomach and she placed a hand over the thin cotton covering her tummy, as if to ease the chaos inside. A hundred different images were flashing through her mind, and most of them were the kinds that she didn't picture except when she was lying in the bath or in bed. She could still feel Daryl's heartbeat pounding against her ear. She could still feel his tight grasp on her hand. She could even feel his hands, so hesitantly, slipping beneath her hips.
Beth shook her head, trying to empty her head of those thoughts.
But then all she could picture was the other night, and then she was reliving how his calloused fingers felt against her face and how his hair tickled her cheek and how gently and impossibly softly he kissed her, like…
Like I was made of glass, she thought.
But it was more than that. It wasn't that he was trying to avoid cracking the glass – it was already cracked, maybe even shattered. No, he was just trying to avoid getting cut by the sharp edges.
And then Beth's hand was absent-mindedly wrapping around her wrist and running her thumb over the thick line of scar tissue that was there.
This is stupid, she told herself. I'm being so stupid. This isn't important – I won't even be here long. I shouldn't be worrying about this kind of shit, not when I have an entire bag's worth of bigger problems. Not when my ex-boyfriend is buried six feet under and my entire family is sitting behind bars…
She sighed and looked away from Daryl's door, the guilt weighing down heavily on whatever had been fluttering inside her stomach.
I'm so… selfish, Beth thought.
She didn't know how long she was standing there. Admittedly, she zoned out for a bit and was lost in thought. Looking back on it, she realized it must've looked pretty creepy. And she certainly understood the startled look on Daryl's face when he finally opened the door and found her there, less than a foot away from him.
What Beth didn't understand was how he'd known she was out there – or had it just been coincidence? She didn't get the feeling that he had been on his way to the bathroom. And when he looked at her, a look of recognition came over his face, like he could see all the debris flying around inside her head.
And then the guilt was floating away and her body was light again, and she stared through the dark at Daryl's shadowed face and his shirtless form. Her heart skipped.
There it was: that tension. That giant, invisible something that was constantly hovering around them. That thing that Beth had told herself she had no explanation for and didn't want to think about at least a million times over by now.
That thing that… if she were completely honest with herself…
I know exactly what it is, Beth thought.
"Ya alright?" Daryl asked quietly, but she could tell from his voice that he hadn't fallen asleep yet.
She wondered if he'd been lying awake in bed, too, trying to calm a noisy mind.
She nodded, and before she could allow herself the chance to hesitate, she said, "We don't have to forget about it. I – I didn't hate it. It was… I didn't know how t'react..."
She watched his face, waiting to gauge his reaction, but it was unchanging, and he seemed to be waiting for her to go on.
She suddenly felt stupid and added half-heartedly, "But, uh – maybe we were just… drunk…"
Daryl narrowed his eyes in confusion for a second, but then clarity crossed his face and he said softly, "I… wasn't drunk."
Beth paused, and the feeling of stupidity was quickly replaced with surprise. Then she asked, "You weren't?"
He shook his head. "Pretty buzzed, but – nah, not drunk."
"Oh," she said.
She felt her face turning red and she was grateful for the lack of lighting at this end of the hallway.
So he feels it, too… right? She wanted to ask, but couldn't find the words.
"…Were you?" Daryl asked, and in the silence of the apartment, she could hear him swallowing hard right after the question came out.
She shook her head. "No…"
She paused for a beat to see if he would say anything, but she could see him chewing on the inside of his cheek.
"Are you drunk now…?" She asked, and her mouth was so dry that she nearly choked on the words.
"…No."
One second, Beth was watching Daryl's lips close after the word slipped out, and the next, her body was moving before her brain could register it, and she was taking a step forward and reaching a hand out to place her palm against the warm skin of his bare chest. Her fingers rested just to the left of his Malachi tattoo, and she stood up on tiptoes and stretched upward until her eyes were closing and their lips were hesitantly meeting.
A shiver started at the top of her head and made its way down her body to the very tips of her toes. The fluttering in her stomach was exploding into fireworks. She didn't want to lean away, or lean any farther into him. She was still expecting him to push her away or step back and tell her she was acting ridiculously and that she needed to go to bed.
He didn't do either of those things, though.
His voice was ringing in her head with what he'd said earlier. "Ya still had a black eye from the last douchebag in yer life when I met you…"
And she asked herself, Then how come it feels like so long ago? Why does it feel like that happened to a different Beth and not me?
But within seconds, everything floated away. All the uncertainty she'd felt and the thousands of questions that had been running through her head, all the guilt that had threatened to pull her down beneath the earth…
All the doubts she'd had about being able to – or even wanting to – confront the feelings that Daryl had been giving her.
Why did I avoid this for so long? She thought as he deepened the kiss and sucked on her bottom lip.
A warm, pleasant tingling was forming in her gut and she couldn't remember the last time that the feeling had been so pure for her. There was no obligation behind it, no unclear intentions or hurtful words, no bruises or red wrists. It wasn't an annoyance or another burden, and – at least for now – she didn't feel an ounce of guilt or regret.
The tingling was quickly spreading downwards, between her legs, and she was suddenly very conscious of the thin layers that covered her – and the lack of clothing on Daryl.
After an impossibly long couple of seconds, she pulled back and stood flat on her feet again.
She opened her eyes and looked up at him, studying his face in the dim light.
He looked like he was about to say something, but then his hooded eyes drifted to her lips and he was reaching out to wrap an arm around her waist and place his hand in the small of her back, pulling her back into him. This time, though, their bodies were pressed together, and he leaned his head down to press his lips against hers once more.
All the unfamiliar and forgotten feelings that had been forming inside Beth for the last week were swirling up stronger than ever and brewing to the surface. She leaned into Daryl, letting him hold her close with one arm as he reached up with his other hand and placed it softly against the back of her neck. She placed both her hands against his bare chest, sliding one hand up to rest on his shoulder.
They kissed deeper this time, mouths hungry for each other. Their breathing grew heavier, and Beth could hear nothing but Daryl's wet lips on hers and her own heart pounding in her ears.
A full minute later and they were both panting, and Daryl finally pulled his head away briefly. Beth opened her eyes to find him staring at her, and she could almost see all the questions inside his head. But he didn't move his hands, and he didn't pull away any farther. They were pressing their bodies so tightly together that she could feel his heart beating through her own chest.
He licked his lips and visibly swallowed, then breathed out, "What're we doin'…?"
His dark blue eyes were searching her face for an answer, and she returned his intense gaze, unblinking.
She had to find the ability to speak before she could whisper back, "We can figure it out later…"
She thought she saw his lips forming a smile, but before she could really tell, he was pulling her face back in to meet his and she was happily allowing him. Their lips crashed into each other again and quickly turned into a desperate grappling of mouths, their breathing heavy as both their heartrates jumped.
Daryl seemed content with standing in the doorway and having a heated make-out session, but Beth's legs were beginning to grow tired – and some of her other, more neglected muscles were crying out for attention as well.
Without breaking their kiss, she gently pushed on his chest with her hands and urged his body backward with her own. He picked up on the physical cues and carefully led her along with him as they blindly stumbled toward the bed in the corner of the dark bedroom.
They refused to pull apart, even for a second, and when the back of Daryl's knees ran into the edge of the bed, he carefully sat down. Then he placed his hands gently on Beth's hips and eased her down into his lap until she was straddling him. She had a leg on either side of his lap, resting on her knees.
He left one hand resting on her hip while the other slid up to the small of her back, slipping beneath the fabric of her shirt to rest his warm palm against her bare skin. She shivered at his touch and he seemed to notice, because he slipped the fingers of his other hand underneath her shirt and pressed his thumb against the exposed flesh on her hipbone. She shivered again and his tongue darted out of his mouth and against her lips, and then he was sucking on her bottom lip again, then nibbling.
And then his fingers were pressing harder against her skin and she could feel all the built-up tension between them beginning to burst open, like an overinflated balloon popping in slow-motion.
Beth could think of nothing else except Daryl's taste, his smell, the feel of his skin and stubble. Her lips were raw and swollen, but she had no desire to stop kissing him. The sensation between her legs had grown to an aching, and she was a bit surprised at how eager her body was for Daryl's. There was no part of her that had thought she'd feel anywhere close to this comfortable with someone she just met, let alone this someone.
Yet here she was, slowly inching a hand down the smooth skin of his broad chest, along his tummy, and then to the waistband of his pajama pants. Her fingertips teased his bare skin just beneath the waistband while she nipped at his lower lip, and he groaned from deep in his throat. Another shiver ran through her at the sound, and she felt his fingers digging into her lower back. She was reminded of the sounds she overheard from the bathroom and how she'd recreated them, privately, in her head so many times.
She thought she felt her fingertips graze over a thick scar somewhere near his hip, and for a split-second, she thought about looking down and asking him what it was. But she didn't want to pull away from his lips for that long, and once her fingers were beneath his waistband, she'd completely forgotten about it.
And then Beth had pressed herself just close enough to feel Daryl's bulge poking at her inner thigh from beneath his pants, and the fabric that separated them was so thin that she could feel it twitch against her. She smiled against his mouth and he groaned again, but he seemed to be keeping his hands in place despite his desire to move them elsewhere.
As she pulled away from his mouth, she kept his bottom lip clamped lightly between her teeth before letting go. Then she leaned back in and whispered against his mouth, "Touch me."
She left her hand in his waistband where it was and moved the other to grab his hand. She thought his palm felt a little clammy but didn't care in the least as she slowly guided it up and under her shirt, across her bare skin until his fingertips were grazing the underside of one breast. Then she pressed her lips against his again and returned her hand to his shoulder, giving him the silent go-ahead to freely roam.
Hesitantly at first, Daryl inched his hand up farther and farther until his palm was cupping Beth's breast. He gently groped and massaged, and she could feel his erection twitching against her thigh again. She groaned into his mouth in satisfaction, and his hand switched to her other breast eagerly. His calloused skin was a stark contrast to the pale, supple skin of her breasts, but he touched her so softly that goosebumps formed all along her back.
She found herself grinding down into him, spreading her legs wider to slide down and get closer to him. His erection was twitching wildly as she pressed herself against it. Daryl groaned into her mouth again and she flicked her tongue out to meet his. His fingers dug into her skin harder, and his other hand gave her breast a firm squeeze.
When they finally pulled apart to take in a few deep breaths, their lips hovered over one another's.
Daryl breathed out the start of a sentence. "Fuck, yer so…"
But the words seemed to escape him as Beth stared back with licentious eyes, eyelids hanging heavy and lips parted while she still struggled to catch her breath. He pressed his mouth against hers once more and pressed his palm firmly into her lower back, pulling her in closer against him. Beth didn't object, and he gently pinched her nipple between his fingers, causing her to instinctually moan against him.
The sudden realization that her nipples were unusually sensitive made her forget about what he had been about to say, though she could almost read the last word in his eyes before he'd leaned back in.
She could feel his erection growing harder against her inner thigh, and the hand that was still beneath his waistband began to slip its way down until she could feel coarse curls and heat against her fingers.
But just before she could reach down any farther, Daryl was letting go of Beth's breast and moving both his hands to grab her by the hips. Then he flipped her around until they had traded spots and she was sitting on the bed while he rested on his knees over her. He leaned down and kissed her again, then softly pushed her back until he'd guided her into lying down.
She started to feel frustrated that he'd stopped her, but it quickly faded as his lips left hers and began trailing kisses along her jawline, down her neck, right under her ear…
His lips on such a sensitive spot caused her entire left side to tingle, and she squirmed against him, suppressing a giggle. Then he was flicking his tongue out here and there, trailing his lips down her neck, across her collarbone. He lifted the hem of her oversized shirt with careful fingers until he'd pulled it up above her breasts, giving his mouth access to the rest of her bare chest. He left tiny wet kisses like a pattern down her skin, until he was sliding his hands up her sides to grasp her pert breasts.
Beth squirmed beneath him, his facial hair tickling the sensitive skin of her tummy while his lips teased the tender spot just above her pantyline. He let the very tip of his tongue leave a tiny trail across her skin, sending more shivers and goosebumps up and down her legs.
The spot between her legs was practically pulsating by now. She slightly thrust her hips upwards, against Daryl, physically begging him to do something more. He slid his hands back down and gently tugged on the top of Beth's pants until he was slipping them down her thighs and pulling them off, one leg at a time. While he tossed them to the floor, Beth quickly lifted her shirt over her head and tossed it aside as well.
She reached out and slipped her fingers underneath the stretchy waistband of Daryl's pajama pants, giving it a meaningful tug. He glanced at her through the darkness – she could see how red his lips were in the dim light coming from the nightlight in the opposite corner of the bedroom. They made a wordless exchange with their expressions and he stood up just long enough to slip off his pajama pants before resuming his position.
But he didn't give her a chance to see him, or to reach out and touch the erection that was begging to be freed from his boxers. He immediately leaned back down to kiss her hungrily, and then he was kissing one breast and sucking on her nipple, causing her to squirm beneath him once more. He switched to the other breast, which was just as sensitive. She could feel the heat rising between her legs and her desire pooling and sticking to the cotton of her panties.
Daryl kissed his way back up to the spot right under her ear while simultaneously slipping a hand down, stopping and letting his fingers rest on the skin above her panties. She pushed her hips upward into his open palm.
He whispered into her ear, his voice low and full of need, "You… want me to…?"
Beth squeezed her eyes shut and pushed up against his hand again, then turned her head to face him and whispered back, "Please…" Then she captured his lips in a greedy kiss.
This time, Daryl didn't hesitate as he slipped his hand beneath her panties. His fingers traced tiny shapes through her soft curls before finding their way to the aching, swollen mound at the crest of her damp lips.
He moaned against her mouth and pressed one finger against her clit, and she shuddered at his touch. She could feel his erection poking into her thigh again, and he absent-mindedly pushed it softly against her for the friction. Then he was moving his finger in slow circles, gradually gaining speed before pressing a second finger against her clit. She bucked her hips upwards and into his hand.
He took this as a cue and slid his fingers farther downward, slipping between the moist folds and curls until he had two fingertips gently teasing her entrance. His fingers were slick with her juices now, and he made sure not to neglect her still-throbbing clit by maintaining a steady massaging with his thumb. Meanwhile, he was sucking lightly on the thin, tender skin of her neck, and Beth's fingers were digging into the sheets beneath her as she fought not to writhe and squirm.
"God, yer so wet," Daryl growled into her ear, and she thrust upward into his hand again. With the same motion, he slipped his fingers seamlessly inside her, and a tiny gasp escaped from her parted lips.
One second, he'd slipped two fingers inside her and she was feeling a sensation that she'd nearly forgotten existed, surging through her with a pulsing life of its own. The next second, he was massaging her clit and wiggling his fingers around inside her until the combination of sensations was the only thing her brain could focus on. It only took him about thirty seconds to make himself at home and find his way around, because once he bent his fingers at a certain angle and nibbled lightly on her earlobe, Beth was opening her mouth and letting out a loud, uninhibited moan.
She could hear the faintest sounds of a chuckle coming from Daryl's throat, but she was far from caring. She thrust into his hand, bucking her hips upward and against his fingers, begging for more as he relentlessly pressed into a spot that made her gasp for breath.
"Shh, whole damn buildin'll hear ya," he whispered against her neck, but his thumb was still pressing against her clit rhythmically.
"Oh, god, I don't – give a-a fuck," Beth gasped, and she swore she was seeing stars in the black of her eyelids.
Daryl chuckled quietly again, then kissed his way back to her lips, covering her mouth with his own as she kissed him insatiably.
He pulled away shortly, and she lifted her eyelids just a bit to look up at him as he hovered over her. He was staring down at her with hooded eyes, biting his lip.
"You like that?" He breathed, his eyes darting from Beth's lips to her eyes and back.
She nodded and shut her eyes again, groaning softly as she accommodated his flexing fingers inside her.
When his fingers were dripping wet up to the knuckles, he slipped a third inside her. She gasped again, and he quickly kissed her to swallow the sound.
A giant ball of tension and primal need was growing inside her. She writhed against his touch, craving more, more, more.
She bucked into his hand and bit down on his lower lip, causing him to groan deeply. She pulled her lips away and gasped out, "Oh, Daryl – "
Then she let go of her tight grasp on the sheets and reached out to wrap a hand around his protruding erection. He shuddered at her touch and pulled away slightly.
"Hunh-uh," he growled against her lips before carefully slipping his fingers out of her and pulling his hand from her panties to grab the hand that was on his bulge. "Not yet."
She moaned in need, but he was kissing her again to silence her before reaching down and slipping off her panties in one swift motion. He tossed them to the floor and positioned himself between her legs, his knees resting between Beth and the edge of the bed. Then he quickly started trailing light kisses down her neck, her chest, and her tummy, before finally reaching the wet warmth between her thighs. This time, she moaned in satisfaction.
Electricity ran up and down her limbs as Daryl groped her breasts with his hands while he planted soft kisses around her clit. Then he flicked his tongue out and teased the swollen, pink nub, and Beth moaned loudly again. He groaned in return against her wet lips and wrapped his mouth around her clit, sucking gently. She gasped and bit down on her lower lip, fingers digging into the sheets again. Her thighs tensed on either side of Daryl's head, and she didn't even notice his shaggy hair tickling the tender skin there. She could feel his facial hair poking into the sensitive skin around her lips and entrance, but it only sent more goosebumps traveling down her legs.
"Oh – oh, my god," Beth groaned out, her throat and mouth dry as her chest heaved with gasps, and all her muscles clenched and relaxed, over and over.
She could feel Daryl smiling against her skin as he nuzzled his nose against her soft, blonde curls and let his tongue explore her folds. She instinctually thrust herself up into him, and his hands moved to her hips to hold her steady. Then his tongue was finding its way to her entrance, where it traced around and around and teased her, licking up the wetness that kept forming.
His fingers dug into the skin of her hips as he flicked the tip of his tongue inside her, causing her to squirm and gasp loudly. Then he slowly licked his way back up to her clit, taking it between his lips again and sucking gently. Beth didn't even realize that one of his hands had left her hips until it was tickling her inner thigh, and then he was slipping a finger inside her soaking wet cunt while his teeth nibbled lightly on her clit.
She moaned as he slid his finger all the way in and began twirling his tongue around her clit, and then he was wriggling it around inside her and finding the spot that had made her squirm before. It didn't take him long, and then she was moaning so loudly again that the sound was echoing off the walls of the small bedroom.
But Daryl either didn't care or didn't want to break away long enough to quiet her, because he groaned against her pussy and slipped another finger inside, flattening his tongue against her clit and then sucking on it harder while she bucked up against his face. By this point, Beth had forgotten that any other part of her body existed besides the parts being touched by Daryl right now.
Ecstasy surged through her and she felt her climax building – higher, higher, higher. Every time Daryl wiggled his fingers inside her and pressed against that one spot, while at the same time, his teeth nibbled on her clit right before his lips wrapped around it and gave it a hard suck, she could feel herself getting closer and closer to the edge. Like something was being inflated inside her and if it didn't stop in the next few seconds, there would be no way to keep it from bursting.
"Oh – yeah, yes… yes," she cried out desperately, breath catching in her throat and eyes squeezed tightly shut. Daryl seemed to be watching her carefully because whatever had made that sound, he kept doing, and he didn't slow down.
Within seconds, the pressure had reached its boiling point, and Beth was frozen mid-gasp as Daryl's tongue lapped across her clit once more and she finally tumbled over the edge. It felt like a dam had burst inside her and for a few blissful seconds, her mind went completely blank, and the stars behind her eyelids were back for a grand finale.
Her hips were still pushed up against Daryl's face, and his tongue and fingers didn't stop their motions, even though he was groaning with insufferable need against her clit. Or was that a groan of satisfaction at seeing, feeling, and hearing her pleasure?
The aftershocks of the orgasm pulsated through Beth for several seconds, and when her muscles began to relax, Daryl slowly pulled his fingers out and gave her clit and lips a parting graze with his tongue. Beth opened her eyes and looked down, unsure of what to expect. She almost felt disoriented from the intoxication of her climax, and she blinked a few times to clear her vision.
Her body was still desperate for more – for what she really wanted to feel. She wanted to say, "please," but before she could form the word, Daryl was sitting up on his knees between her legs and grabbing her thighs purposefully. She could tell he wanted it just as badly as she did by now.
She looked down and realized he'd taken off his boxers when she wasn't looking, and she tried to see what he'd been hiding, but the nightlight wasn't bright enough in the bedroom and he had leaned forward too quickly. But she was still dripping wet between her legs, and when he parted them enough for him to slip between, she felt the tip of his hard cock graze her lips.
She moaned and reached up to grab the back of his neck and pull him down to kiss her. She kissed him hungrily and he groaned against her mouth, and she felt his cock twitch against her. She could taste herself in his mouth and on his lips, and his mustache was still wet. She reached her other hand around and placed it in the middle of his back, and for a second, she thought her fingers had grazed over the thick, telling lines of scars. But she quickly put it out of her mind and dug her nails into his skin, desperately pulling him in closer to her.
Daryl obliged and positioned his throbbing cock right at her entrance, the tip teasing her swollen, dripping hole. But before Beth could urge him any more forward or thrust up against him, he briefly broke their kiss.
"Is this – you want this?" He whispered breathlessly, and she opened her eyes to find his searching her face.
She quickly nodded.
"…You sure?" He asked, studying her.
"Very sure," Beth whispered, then leaned up to capture his lips in another kiss.
Daryl seemed satisfied with this answer and kissed her back hungrily, and the next thing Beth felt was his rock-hard, throbbing cock slowly and carefully sliding inside her.
She gasped in surprise and sucked at his lower lip, her fingernails digging into his back. But she didn't wince away, and she was more than lubricated enough for him to easily slip inside. But then she realized that he was only halfway in, and he was hesitating to gauge her reaction. She hadn't noticed how tense her muscles had become, so she consciously relaxed and loosened her death-grip on Daryl's back. He flicked his tongue out against her lips, then gave a slight thrust and shoved the rest of his thick length inside her, stretching her walls and sending all new waves of pleasure coursing through her body. He was bigger than she'd expected, but also bigger than she'd ever experienced. Her kisses grew more desperate and breathless, and finally, he was completely submerged inside her.
Daryl groaned in ecstasy and paused for a second, just barely pulling his lips away to take a deep, shuddering breath before pulling his throbbing, twitching cock out, and then he was sliding it back in, and Beth was moaning against his lips. He slid outward again, and this time, he thrust into her dripping, wet cunt with more force, and Beth's breath was catching in her throat again and her fingers were desperately digging into the skin of his back.
"'S that… okay?" He breathed out, and Beth nodded wordlessly, her lips still parted.
She closed her eyes and bucked her hips up into him, and he followed her motions with a more intending thrust, a deep groan coming from the back of his throat. He began to thrust in and out of her in a rhythmic motion, but he would pause every couple of seconds and take shaky breaths. Beth could feel his cock somehow getting harder inside her, and the head was pulsating and twitching and she could tell it was throbbing and ready to burst.
"Fuck – I think… I'm gonna…" He mumbled, voice shaky, and Beth could see it in his face before he even said it.
She bucked up against him again and he groaned loudly, pulling his cock back and thrusting into her again, gritting his teeth.
"Come for me," she whispered, then pressed her lips roughly against his and kissed him greedily.
She felt a shudder run through his body and then he was shoving his cock as deep inside her as he could. He seemed to let loose and began thrusting in and out of her wet pussy faster and faster, having no choice but to break away from their kiss to gasp for air as sweat formed on his forehead. Beth wrapped her legs tighter around his thighs and moaned in pleasure, staring up at him and watching his face scrunch for only a few seconds before it completely relaxed.
He didn't try to pull away or slow down, so when she felt his cock pulsing and about to burst inside her, she pulled him in even closer with her legs, and moaned his name loudly.
"Oh – Daryl…!"
That seemed to be the last tiny push he needed – or maybe it was just the cherry on top, but his eyes shut tightly and he gave one last, heaving thrust, and a breathless "fu-u-u-uck!" And then Beth could feel him exploding inside her, and she could feel the orgasm wracking through his body against her. It almost felt as good as having her own orgasm, and the sensation of his cock finally erupting inside her was almost enough to send her into another climax.
For a moment, they lay motionless. Beth's muscles had tensed around Daryl, but now they were relaxing, and she could feel his entire body doing the same as he gasped for breath. His hair was damp with sweat and when he finally opened his eyes and looked at her, she saw how flushed his face was, even in the dim lighting. She thought she must've looked about the same, though.
"Shit," he muttered, still breathing heavier than usual. He remained hovering above her, resting on his elbow. He gave her a worried look and said, "I dunno why – I shoulda pulled out, I didn't – "
"Don't worry about it," Beth assured him quietly, finding her mouth to be dry. She licked her lips. "I'm – on birth control. It's fine."
Daryl's face relaxed again and he looked relieved. He nodded. "Oh – okay. Good."
He glanced at her lips but didn't kiss her, even though she wanted him to. Instead, he slowly and carefully pulled his cock out from between her legs, then began standing up on shaky legs. She watched him search around in the dark for his boxers, and he grabbed her panties from the floor, as well, and handed them to her.
When they'd slipped their underwear back on, Daryl flopped back down on the bed and heaved a tired, relieved sigh. Beth scooted up to lie next to him, curling in close against his side.
She leaned over and kissed him softly on the lips, then pulled back and watched his face as he looked at her with surprised and tired eyes. She could see his mind working tirelessly behind them. She wanted to ask what he was thinking about, but for now, she was just glad he'd kissed her back, and that he wasn't pulling away as she wrapped an arm around his middle and rested her head on his chest.
"Sorry that was so… quick," he mumbled, his voice heavy with sleep.
She smiled and gave a light chuckle. "I'll tell ya again – don't worry about it. I got mine."
He made a sound of disagreement in his throat, then said quietly, "Still. 'S just… been a while. And… well, you felt… really fuckin' good. I couldn't really… hold back…"
Beth felt herself blushing but it didn't matter because he couldn't see her face. She smiled anyway. "I know."
They laid together in silence for several minutes, relaxing while Beth found herself growing sleepier and sleepier. Daryl's heartbeat was a steady rhythm in one ear and his chest rose and fell with each breath he took.
"You… sleepin' in here?" He whispered, so quietly that she thought he must've assumed she was already asleep.
She nodded against his chest and asked sleepily, "'S that… okay…?"
Daryl wrapped his arm around Beth and pulled her in even closer to his side, but she barely noticed as sleep began to quickly overtake her.
Right before she drifted off, she faintly heard his voice answering her, "…Was… kinda hopin' ya would…"
to be continued…
A/N: So yeah, I felt it was time. I have a lot of reasons and a lot of plans for them having sex this soon. Please let me know what you thought of this chapter! I have the next chapter written and will post in a week, but I really want to know what you thought of this - especially since it's the first real sex scene...