A/N Thank you all so much. Rick is not being honest, Beth is not paying enough attention to what's going on and someone asked me to smack Rick in the head with my keyboard. For now, let's just see how things go at Rick's house.
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It wasn't way out of town, only a mile or two. He turned left onto one of those roads that if you didn't live on it you'd probably drive right passed, never even noticing it was there. It was just barely wide enough for two cars and although it was paved, she'd bet it was local homeowners that had it done. It didn't look like a county road, there was no curbing, no lines and no street lights.
She noticed a few houses quite a ways off the road, mostly obscured by trees or brush or both. She supposed the folks out this way were looking for two things; the privacy and feel of rural life while having close access to the conveniences of city life.
They were almost to the dead end when he made a right turn onto a gravel driveway and there, back in a stand of trees was his home. The classic craftsman style house had even more charm in such a rural setting. It wasn't grand but she thought it was so beautiful. The house was painted a dark forest green with a very pale yellow trim. There was a wonderful front porch complete with a porch swing, two wicker chairs with floral cushions that looked comfortable and inviting, and even an occasional table. Flower baskets full of blooms hung from the beam and she knew then, Rick Grimes was a man who took pride in his home.
There was a sectioned-off front yard area complete with a nicely trimmed lawn and hedges and a short fence separated it from the rest of the landscaping, which he kept native. There were gorgeous old trees, flowering bushes, grasses and wildflowers.
"So far I love everything about it, I can't wait to see inside." Her assessment made him smile that beautiful smile she loved.
He took her by the elbow as he led her up the porch steps and through the front door. There was no formal entry, that wasn't really the craftsman style. They entered directly into the living room which spanned the width of the house. His decorating style was quite traditional and that made her smile, it suited him. She'd felt it with him, he was the family man / comfortable-family-home-type, and his style reflected that.
He seemed a little nervous as she looked around, like maybe she wouldn't like it. She liked it a lot. It felt warm and homey. It wasn't fussy or so modern the furniture wouldn't be comfortable. There was a big sofa, an overstuffed occasional chair, a recliner and coffee and end tables. There were lamps on the end tables and a floor lamp next to the recliner. Yes, all so traditional.
There was a little something extra though, the entire left side wall was lined with built-in bookshelves that included a desk in the center. The shelves were stacked with books and music and she knew then those were the things that Rick Grimes enjoyed. The very same things she enjoyed. They had more in common than she'd realized.
There was one other thing occupying the shelves, lots of pictures of Carl. Carl and his Dad fishing, Carl playing baseball, Carl Christmas morning, Carl at the lake and of course, all his school pictures. He was adorable and he had such a bright smile, just like his Dad. She smiled herself when she told Rick, "I can't wait to meet your son. He's so cute and he looks so happy."
Rick responded, "Yeah, he really is a happy kid. Sometimes I wonder how that can be. I worried so much that he'd be sad or depressed forever when his Mom died. I know he misses her but he's bounced back."
He didn't mention any introductions but she didn't think too much about it. She was too busy watching him as he walked to a stereo system and popped in a CD. It was light jazz and she enjoyed it, nice mellow background music.
There was a den with another desk but it was freestanding, and there were a couple of file cabinets, a small couch, chair and a TV. "I bet you spend a lot of time in this room," she smiled.
"You're right. I spend a lot of time reading and I make Carl do his share, but this is where Carl and I come to fill up on sports programming. We're partial to football and baseball but we also watch a little NASCAR. I guess you could say we're just a couple of good old boys." It was obvious how his life was centered around his son and she didn't find that surprising, after all, for a long time now they'd only had each other. Still, for the first time she wondered if she could ever fit in, then quickly chased that thought from her mind.
Carl's room looked like she would imagine a ten year old boy's room would. A double bed, a dresser and desk, a night table and on the walls lots of posters, sports pennants and a bulletin board covered in memories. There was a guest bath in the hall and then they entered Rick's room.
He looked down and then back up at her with a smile, "I'm going to do my best to be good and only show it to you for now. It's not easy but I think maybe it's important we have a nice evening, dinner, talking, a little music and then see if it leads us back here."
She wanted to touch her hand to his cheek when she responded, but maybe it was better not to touch. "I think that sounds perfect. I do want to get to know more about you and your interests, and I want to share with you about myself."
It was everything he could do to simply take her hand as they stood in his bedroom, "It's pretty basic stuff, a typical man's bedroom I suppose."
"It's very nice, Rick. Everything is." There was a big bed, she was guessing it had to be king size. A highboy dresser, night tables on either side of the bed and another low dresser with a mirror above it. French doors lead to what she'd bet was a walk-in closet and there was another door leading to a big bathroom.
"The people I bought from added on the master bath and big closet. These old craftsman homes weren't designed like that."
"You must have a lot of clothes," She smiled.
He chuckled at that, "Not at all. I have three uniforms, one suit, one sportcoat and slacks and a couple of dress shirts. Everything else amounts to jeans, shorts and mostly t-shirts. I barely fill the highboy and the closet could double as a fourth bedroom for as little as I have hanging in there." He was looking down and she thought maybe he was a little nervous. After all, he was letting her see a piece of his real life.
"Well so far I love the place. I'm dying to see the kitchen." They successfully made it out of the bedroom and his hand rested on the small of her back as he lead her through the hallway to the kitchen and dining area.
The two side by side rooms spanned the width of the house, just like the living room. "I'm not sure if I got a little brave or very foolish in here. I knocked down the wall between the two rooms thinking Carl and I would enjoy a big eat-in kitchen a lot more than a kitchen and a formal dining room. A couple of bachelors like my son and I don't do much formal entertaining." Again she wondered if there was room in his life for anyone but Carl. And again she chased the thought from her mind.
"This does seem a lot more practical and I just love it. The big center island and the farmhouse table. It's all so nice and homey. It looks like you kept some of the original cabinetry though, I like seeing that."
"I did, and I even rescued the big deep porcelain sink. The modern version of those cost an arm and a leg. We don't cook a lot of fancy meals but I do enjoy cooking for us and a nice kitchen makes it more fun. I'm also pretty insistent Carl learn how to at least fix the basics. This space gives us plenty of room to work together."
"Good for you. For as long as I can remember my sister Maggie and I always helped Mama with the cooking and cleaning. My Dad and my brother are completely worthless around the house. That's just ridiculous."
His arm was around her shoulders and he gave her such a tender kiss, "Well then, how about you and I make that salad we never got to eat the other day. It should go just right with steak." She was surprised that she blushed but it really was quite the memory.
He opened a bottle of red wine and poured them each a glass, "Maybe we should sit out on the back porch and enjoy this first. I'll get the coals going."
The back was every bit as charming as the front and they sat side by side on a little wicker sofa. He held her hand and smiled, "Tell me all about Beth Greene."
She skimmed over her childhood on the farm, told just a bit about her family and what had made her decide to become an investigator. "It's work I love and so I have no real career goal beyond what I'm doing now. I can't see moving on just for a fancier title and a bigger payday. I'd much rather do what I enjoy."
"I agree, there's no need to feel pressured to impress. Once I became sheriff I felt the same. This is it, what I want to do and what I'm happy doing."
"You said you read a lot and I couldn't help noticing you have about a million books, and I love the built-in shelves. What are some of the things you enjoy reading?"
He smiled and nodded, "I do love to read. I love the classics in literature. I also enjoy history and historically based fiction," then he paused to softly laugh before adding, "but I'm not beyond reading a bunch of modern day detective stories. How about you Beth? What kind of books do you curl up with?"
"I love the classics too, I think I've read Jane Eyre five times and don't even get me started on Little Women. Reading it and The Secret Garden over and over was pretty much as wild as my misspent youth got. I also love poetry, Keats, Robert Browning, again, the classics. When I feel inspired I write poetry and songs." She laughed softly and turned pink in the cheeks when she added, "But I'm not above reading a cheesy romance now and then."
"I'd love to hear your poetry sometime."
"I'd love to read it for you sometime."
Their conversation was so natural, nothing felt forced. It was like they could have talked about anything. They probably should have. They finished the first bottle of wine and he opened a second. They were both feeling the effects but they managed to get dinner on the table and actually eat their meal, then get the cleanup started.
He was putting leftovers away and cleaning the counters off while she stood at the sink rinsing off dishes. Suddenly she felt him come up behind her. His low body was pressing into her bottom while his hands moved up to cup her breasts and tease them through her clothes. His nose was tickling her ear in such a sensual way and she found herself leaning back closer to him. His voice sounded deeper and more throaty as he whispered in her ear, "mmm Sweetheart, I want you in my bed."
There was no use trying to pretend any different, it was where she wanted to be.
They stood by the bed and she started to unbutton her blouse, "No, that's my job." His fingers quickly had the buttons open and he slipped the blouse from her shoulders. He smiled as he reached a hand behind her and popped the clasp on her bra, slipping it off as well. His mouth was on her breast while his hands opened the button of her pants and she whimpered when his fingers slipped inside her panties. She couldn't believe the feelings she was having or the urgent need she felt for him physically. It was like her body had warmed all over, my gawd they'd just begun their touching and she already felt so ready for him. What strange power did he have over her?
He stopped what he was doing long enough to bend over and slip her shoes off and her pants down. As he straightened back up he stopped long enough to playfully nibble the soft curve of her mound then kiss his way up to her breast where he nipped and sucked. His hands slid down the back of her panties and clasped her ass as he slowly moved his hips, rubbing himself on her. She could feel he was becoming aroused and that added to her own desire. When he moved a hand around and slipped a finger in her she groaned and he asked, "Is that what ya want Sweetheart? A little of that?"
She went with it, "Yes, but more than that, I want this." And her hand began massaging his groin. She unbuckled his belt, loosened the button on his pants and carefully slid the zipper down. Her hand wrapped around him and it was his turn to groan.
He drew away, hurriedly removing his shoes, pants and boxers before practically tearing his shirt off. He threw back the covers on the bed and paused to look at her, smiling as he did. His eyes did that thing that both excited and embarrassed her as he looked up and down her body like he was committing every inch of it to memory. Then his hand moved to cup her pussy while he hoarsely whispered, "Lay down Sweetheart." She did and he quickly joined her.
He wanted her but he didn't want it rushed. He wanted to take it slow and take the time to enjoy every moment he had with this beautiful woman.
He slipped his body down until he could reach and lightly grasp her slim ankle. He lifted her leg just a little, and starting with the arch of her small foot he began slowly spreading kisses as his lips made their way up her leg, paused for a moment and took a little extra time at her mound, and then slowly he kissed across her pelvic bones.
For her it was all so slow and torturous, hot and sexy. She could feel herself getting more and more turned on, wetter and wetter, as his lips sucked the skin just below her belly button and then made their way to her breasts. She didn't want him to stop, not ever, but she also wanted more. She needed so much more of his touch, so much more of him. She was starting to have trouble lying still by the time he made it to her collar bones. The anticipation of what was to come next had her squirming and she began to murmur, "Rick, please, I need…please…" and he stopped to smile and then kiss her deeply while slipping a finger into her now wet and ready pussy. She moaned as her hands clasped his face and then her fingers slid back to tangle in his hair.
He moved his body, half laying atop her now. It always seemed to happen that way, in the heat of the moment he'd weaken and tell her what was in his heart, "You're the only woman that's ever been in this bed, the only woman I ever want here." His mouth moved back to her breast where he nipped and sucked at the taut nipple and delicate flesh; while his fingers continued teasing her pussy. She could feel the heat rising as her body craved more of him; but there was something else not so warm and pleasant. She thought she understood why he felt unsure about this and unsure of her. She wanted to put his mind at ease and as her fingers stroked through his hair she murmured, "Rick, it's you I want, just you. Remember that."
More than anything he wanted to believe her but the doubt and what he recognized as fear just wouldn't leave him be. He almost let his thoughts spoil it all when they told him, "Sure, that's how she feels now, but what about when she tires of you and wants someone new to hold?"
She brought him back to the moment when her hand grasped his ass and in a sultry voice she pleaded, "Rick, I need you."
Finally he let himself go. He smiled that killer smile and made love to her like that's what it was, all love. No doubt, no fear and no holding back and as his body moved in hers he knew no other woman would ever be able to satisfy him the way she could.
He'd meant to get up then, clean up, but they never made it out of each other's arms.
He woke a couple of hours later, it was still early, just 10:30. He looked at her beautiful face laying on his chest, her arm wrapped around his waist and he knew he wanted it. He wanted it so much, but he just couldn't believe he could ever really have it. A life with Beth Greene.
It was the need and the desire he couldn't fight though. He slipped quietly from the bed, went in the bathroom and cleaned himself up, and then he went back to her. He tried not to wake her as he took her in his arms, he just wanted to hold her close to him and pretend for a while that this really would be how it would always be, her in his bed and in his arms.
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A/N Hmm, kind of like progress, but Rick just can't seem to just let himself go and Beth is trying real hard to avoid all the warning signs. Please leave a comment / review and share your thoughts. If you'd like to see the chapter photo it's on my tumblr blogs gneebee and bethylmethbrick. I thank you all for reading along and hope to see you back next Tuesday for more of Just Playin'. Until then remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee
