"You catching feelings for her," Merle asked as they were getting ready to go play pool on a Monday night like they had done every Monday night for as long as they could remember, it was tradition, "Or is this just about the boom boom?"

"Don't matter. We both know we're only 22 and we don't want to be tied down. "

"So she fucks some guy at school or something, you're ok with it?"

Daryl shrugged, "Well, I hope she doesn't. I mean we've known each other for so long, and we care about each other a lot. But it's casual and please keep your yap shut about it."

/

"Heads up Adrianne, Merle's coming for their first round." Maggie said to her as she wiped down the bar. "A shot of Jameson, a Heineken, a St. Pauli Girl, one rum and coke, two light beers on tap and a Jameson and Coke."

Adrianne giggled as Merle walked up and Maggie already had started mixing the drinks and getting the beer bottles.

"Evening ladies, how's tricks." He said sitting down on a bar stool and sliding a hundred-dollar bill over to Adrianne. "No change cookie."

"Thanks Merle, you're paying our way through school with all these tips." Maggie said as she placed the drinks on the bar for him.

Both she and Maggie would buy Merle drinks that night if he wanted them. Maggie and Adrianne were both photography majors in school, with Michonne and all with a minor in journalism. Their goal was to own a newspaper one day the three of them.

Merle's tips and all the other tips of the guys that came in helped both of them work towards that goal.

Adrianne came around to the other side of the bar and grabbed three of the drinks and Merle got the rest. When she wasn't busy she always helped people carry their drinks to the table or wherever they were going.

The place was small enough and the few tables were close enough, there also weren't any waitresses. Tara Chambler would be in soon to bar tend too, and they all took turns as the pseudo waitress Dale and his protégée's Andrea and Amy worked in the kitchen making bar pies and burgers, Merle would eat two and then drive his girl Andrea home at last call. Shane was at the door bouncing and that was the entire staff.

Rick and Daryl were chalking their cues, leaning against the pool table when Merle and Adrianne arrived and sat the drinks down on the raised table that was next to the pool table. Merle always bought her and Maggie a shot too, so he sat down Adrianne's Vodka along with the other drinks he had.

"Lookin good Age" Daryl drawled from his spot next to Rick, giving her his award winning panty dropping smile, "You busy later?"

She turned and smiled back at him. "Daryl, where have you been all week? I'm done dicking around with you, try not to get too loaded tonight and I'll take you for a spin after last call."

Merle almost broke his neck turning around to see what the fuck hid brother was doing, he told him to keep his yap shut and now he was running his mouth. He knew Daryl had two beers before they even left the house and clearly, it turned him into a mouthy bastard. hen Merle grinned, this was about Eugene.

Daryl grabbed Merle's shot glass and drank it in one shot, slamming the glass on the table. "I'm serious."

"Hey, that's my drink." Merle said laughing because this was the best entertainment he had seen in a while.

She grinned. "Then stay sober."

Merle watched them, there was an electric current in the air that sizzled low key when they were acting this way, but it never got like this before in front of people. They preferred the sneaking around shit, it seemed.

Cookie had thrown down for real, in public, with his brother and Daryl suddenly developed some alcohol courage. Merle could barely believe his eyes and this night was going to be interesting, to say the least.

"Cheers Merle." Adrianne said going for her shot now.

"You make sure you stay sober Adrianne." Daryl said as she reached for her drink and threw her head back to take the shot. "You know, like when that asshole Eugene comes sniffing around wanting to buy you those martinis you like."

Merle chuckled, did he know his brother or did he know his brother, he was jealous of Eugene, who had always been sweet on Adriane, for as long as anyone could remember.

She sat her shot glass down. "They're dirty martinis Daryl, my favorite."

She turned to walk back to the bar but he trapped her against the column in between the two rooms. He had one hand on the column on either side of her shoulders as he leaned down to run his nose along her neck, then brush his lips softly against her skin.

"Why don't you let me take care of anything dirty you might be needing tonight." He whispered in her ear and his voice was hot as fire and deep as the ocean. She felt his breath on her neck and goosebumps erupted along her collar bone.

She didn't take her eyes away from his, and she wasn't letting him have the last word. "Bring it." She purred back at him and brought her lips within inches of his, and their eyes locked in in a trance.

"You bring it." He said openly staring at her lips now.

She was not letting her eyes leave his. "Be at the back door after last call," She slid out from under his arms just as he was moving closer to kiss her and when she turned she saw Maggie and Tara staring at her with eyes as big as saucers.

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Rick turned to Merle and shrugged as if to say 'Did you see what just happened.' Merle nodded and watched as his brother's eyes followed Adrianne's ass back to the bar. It was ten pm and the last call was at 1:45 am, this was going to be a long night.

Glenn came up behind Merle and said. "What was that all about."

"Got me swinging, kid. Seems like they don't care who knows about this arrangement they have now."

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Eugene Porter and his two buddies Abe Ford and Milton Mamet came in around eleven thirty. They were old friends of everyone's from school too and they came in to play darts with Tyreese and Bob a few nights a week. Ty's girlfriend Karen and his sister Sasha were there by that time too sitting at the bar talking to Maggie.
No one was talking about what almost happened between Adrianne and Daryl earlier, but it was there in the room, like the proverbial elephant. Eugene waved to Adrianne as she watched them come in the door. Tara shook up a drink in a metal tumbler with ice next to her and then sat the Martini on the bar in front of Adrianne.

"That's from Daryl, he said Eugene isn't buying you any dirty Martini's tonight." Tara laughed and made a quirky face. "Whatever that means."

"It means I have a big mouth is what it means." She laughed.

"You don't have to do anything you don't want to." Maggie chimed in from behind them.

"It's kind too late..." Adrianne replied.

"Yeah we know." Tara said and even Sasha laughed at that, "I mean you and Daryl knocking boots for kicks sounds like a great idea. What could go wrong? Right?"

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"You're drunk." Adrianne said to Daryl in the hallway by the stairs that led to the basement. Everyone had gone for the night, Shane was in his cave downstairs and Dale had gone to bed in his apartment upstairs.

"I'm not I told you I was staying sober tonight." He grinned at her and reached for her in the darkness. He missed and ended up pinning her against the wall. "Oh, this is good." He whispered.

He settled against her and ran his hands up her arms as his lips ghosted along her neck and over to her lips, it wasn't fast at all. He slid one hand up to the back of her head to hold her in place and touched his lips to hers.

He was gentle but his lips were firm. He also took control of it, sliding his tongue along her lips until she allowed him access. Her heart leaped into her throat as he glided his tongue against hers.

He was a good kisser, not too wet, not too sloppy, he was just right.

He sucked on her lower lip and held it between his teeth briefly until she let out a little squeak. Then he smiled at her and put his forehead to hers.

"What? Not like we haven't kissed before." He laughed.

"Its just…"

"I know, it feels like it should be awkward, like when we were younger. But it's not."

She laughed. "We were fourteen and you didn't stick your tongue in my mouth."

Daryl grinned. "That's true." He grabbed her hand and led her down the back steps of the bar, "Come on."