AN: This chapter is dedicated to Jenna, who practically co-wrote this chapter with me, and Stacey for all of her help. And in case you didn't notice… this one isn't rated T anymore. *wink*
Thank you to all my reviewers: UltimateBethylFicList, Carowen, mhustler, BetaGirl09, rckyfrk, heatherrk, DarylDixon'sLover, An Amber Pen, 2carlaa, Reignashii, Joise, Kem AKA Idon'tlikecats, and Anne. I appreciate every since one of you!
The walk back to the hotel was spent in tension filled silence. Daryl's mind kept replaying the horrible vision of the lithe woman next to him with that knife to her throat, and how helpless he had felt. His breath caught in his chest when that sickening voice in his mind that sounded just like his brother asked 'What would ya have done if he'd killed her?' He shuddered to think of the consequences. Maybe he shouldn't do this anymore. Zach was gone so what purpose did he serve now?
Beth reached out and grabbed his hand and Daryl instinctively squeezed tightly; the overwhelming desire to feel her alive next to him was consuming him from the inside out. He looked down at her, and she up at him, before she came to an abrupt stop. He looked at her in confusion.
"Don't. I can see the pain on your face and you can't blame yourself." Beth stated. Daryl regarded her for a few moments before breaking her intense gaze.
"Shouldn't've happened. This is on me." His voice was full of self-loathing.
"You gotta let it go. He's not a threat anymore but he's still controlling us. We gotta let it go otherwise it'll kill us." Beth's voice was soft and wise. Daryl glanced back to her and if she hadn't had those cuts on his neck, he'd never guessed that her life had been threatened just an hour ago. Daryl nodded and she stepped up to kiss his cheek.
"I'm not sorry." She whispered as she pulled back and began walking again, his hand still in hers.
They didn't say anything else as they made their way back to the hotel. Once at the door, Beth let go of Daryl's hand and slipped the key card into the lock and pushed it open. Michonne was sitting on the couch waiting for them to get back. When she saw Beth, she was immediately on her feet.
"Are you ok?" Her fingers traced the cuts on her neck delicately and Daryl had to look away to keep the guilt from bubbling back up.
"I'm fine. Still shaken up." Beth admitted. Michonne pulled Beth to the couch but Daryl didn't miss the glare that was shot his way from the woman.
"M'gunna go to bed." He muttered and left the women to discuss the night's events. Once inside his room, the shower he wanted to take earlier long since forgotten, he dropped down onto his bed and tossed his arm up over his head. His mind ran wild over the events of the night. As much as he tried to focus on the feel of her lips on his and her soft breath against his cheek, all he could see was the look on Zach's face and how close he'd come to losing her. If he wasn't an effective hunter and quick with his aim, she would be dead now. That should stand for something, right? He was able to save her.
But he shouldn't have had to. He never should have let his guard down. But try as he might, he couldn't bring himself to regret enjoying their kiss. He also couldn't stop the selfish voice in his head that prayed to a God he didn't believe in, that it wasn't the last one. Once his silent prayer was complete, guilt billowed in his chest until he felt like his lungs were going to collapse from the pressure.
His internal struggle between hate and need continued on for what felt like hours and would have likely gone on for hours more, had there not been a soft rapping on the door. He pulled himself from the bed and pulled the door open slowly. Beth was standing there in a tank top and sweat pants. She'd removed her make-up and her hair was damp from just getting out of the shower. Her neck was redder around the cuts then it had been earlier and he could tell she'd ran her fingers over them more than once. She looked stunning and he wished she hadn't come to his door like this.
"I knocked this time." She said meekly. "Can I come in?"
He stepped away from the door and allowed her to enter. She crossed the threshold and closed the door behind her. He wanted to ask her why she was here and how she was holding up but before he could, her lips crushed themselves to his, taking him completely off guard. He blindly pressed her back against the door as their mouths dueled in a passionate kiss filled with every human emotion possible.
Fear. Relief. Lust. Desire.
Her hands tangled in his hair and he felt wrong for allowing himself to enjoy this. This girl had been through enough today, this should probably be the last thing to do tonight. He couldn't help but wonder if she felt she owed him something, but as her mouth opened to his, he pushed that thought from his mind.
Her hands slowly detangled from his hair, gliding against his shoulders, chest, and stomach. His hands resting on her hips slowly began to explore, one between her back and door pulling her closer to him, the other running up her ribcage, her shirt rising slightly with the motion.
He felt drunk on all things Beth. He was intoxicated by her taste, her smell, and the feel of her body rubbing against him tauntingly. His head begin to swim from the lack of oxygen so he pulled his mouth from hers to kiss her cheek, her jaw line, a spot on her neck just below her ear. He was getting carried away and he didn't want to stop himself. Is this what she wanted? That thought, and the feel of her hands grazing his chest and stomach again, he pulled his mouth away from her.
"Beth, we gotta stop. Can't be like this." It was almost a whisper as the words slipped from his lips; his voice sounding foreign to him. A look of disappointment on her face gave way to embarrassment as she pushed him away from her softly. She looked like she wanted to apologize but the slight tremble of her lips told him she couldn't. His resolve shattered in that very instant. His arms reached out and snaked around her waist and pulled her back to him, his mouth colliding once again with hers. He heard her sigh and moan against him as she pushed him back to the bed. She was desperate, he knew, and he was too.
They reached the side of his bed and he once again broke the kiss. Her eyes raked his body as her hands slowly followed the trail she was making. His skin tingled at the contact she made with his arms and the fluttering against his stomach make him ache to touch her again. As her hands trailed their way back up his chest, she flicked each button of his shirt open until she could run her hands across his bare chest. Daryl's heart raced as she pushed the shirt from his shoulders, allowing it to fall, immediately forgotten.
"Ya sure ya want this? Tonight? After…" He trailed off, giving her one last out.
"More than ever." She whispered, before reaching for the hem of her shirt.
He grasped her wrist, stopping her from doing what he wanted to do. He slid his hand up under her shirt and ran his palm over the flat of her stomach and up to her ribs. He felt her shudder under his touch. His hand slid back down and he grabbed the thin tank and pulled it up and over her head. His hand gently slid around her back as his mouth lowered to place small open mouthed kisses on her shoulder. His normally graceful fingers were fumbling at the snaps of her bra. A few moments of trembling attempts and the clasp gave way and the bra slipped down her arms amongst the other discarded piles of clothing. He pulled his mouth from her bare skin to appraise the woman before him. Her breasts weren't the largest he had ever seen but they were perfect. Perfect for Beth.
Her arms moved from her side and for the briefest of moments, he thought she was going to cover herself from his stare but she didn't. She lightly stroked the skin above his pants as she worked to undo the belt with her own trembling fingers. She worked, next, at the button and fly of his jeans. He hissed as the zipper grazed his erection and she looked up to meet his eyes. Her once bright blue eyes were now dark blue and sucking him dry of all the air in his lungs.
She bit her lip before placing her hands on his hips and pushing the rest of his clothes to the floor. She looked down in her own appraisal of his body and he couldn't help the involuntary twitch that was a result of her stare. She moved her hands back up his hips and he tugged his feet from the jeans and boxers pooled at his feet. He felt her hand start to move slowly towards him in an exploratory manor but he stopped her. He sat down on the bed and brought his lips to her stomach and placed wet kisses on the delicate skin above her hip. He heard her gasp at the sensation and a glance up with his eyes gave him a beautiful view of her head thrown back. Even with the marks on her neck, she looked like an angel.
His fingers slipped more confidently between her skin and her sweats until, like his jeans and boxers, they were a mess around her ankles. His head dipped lower to kiss the indention of her hip causing another moan to be pulled from her throat. His tongue trailed to the opposite one that bared his ink; the thing that started all of this. Placing several small kisses to the dove, he pulled back and reached out for her hand. She took it without hesitation and pulled her down into his lap. Her legs straddled his and he could feel her warmth hovering just over his aching hard on. He wanted nothing more than to pull her down onto him and bury himself inside of her but she needed this to be slow. Not frantic and wild as she was likely feeling. His barriers had broken when he'd kissed that dove and it was taking every ounce of willpower he had to keep his primal instincts in control.
He reached up and gently cupped the back of her neck to pull her lips back to his. The kiss began to increase with feverish need as she began to slowly lower herself until he was just at her opening. His body stiffened at the feeling as he waited in agony for her next move. She pulled her mouth from his to look at him. He saw her muscles twitch as she started to move off of him and he quickly placed his hands on the back of her thighs to stop her. Without thinking, he pulled her further on the bed with him until he was lying flat on his back and she was perched on top of him. If there was nothing else he was certain of, he was certain that she needed to be in control tonight. After having that control taken away from her tonight, he knew what it meant to need to have that power.
She seemed to understand his actions and a look of appreciation graced her features. Her body relaxed further as she positioned him, once again, at her entrance. Their eyes locked on each other as she lowered herself slowly onto him. He didn't want to break the contact but his eyes snapped closed as a groan escaped his lips. She felt like heaven and hell wrapped around him. She sat for a moment, her body adjusting to him inside of her before she rocked her hips against him. A thought crossed his mind suddenly and his hands snapped out to stop her.
"What?" She asked. Daryl grunted in response in an effort to hold himself together. Every slight movement from her walls twitching around him in tempo with her heart, to the vibrations in her voice, was sending jolts through him. He'd never felt this way before. And he'd certainly never been so wrapped up in his desire that he forgot a condom.
"What a sec." He stuttered as he lifted her hips from his and climbed off the bed. He couldn't help but miss the feel of her the second he left. He reached down for his jeans and pulled the foil wrapper from his wallet and went back to the bed. She smiled in understanding and he was grateful she didn't misjudge his actions as rejection.
"I'm on the pill." She whispered as she watched him lay back down.
"Can't be too careful." He muttered as he tore open the package and rolled the latex over himself. She looked at him for a moment and then stretched her body down the length of his to lie beside him. Her hand moved to the side of his face to turn him to her. He kissed her softly as his arms wrapped around her body. His fingers trailed over the heated skin and his muscles twitched to pull her back on top of him. Instead, her arm wrapped around his neck and pulled him closer until she was on her back and he was on top of her. He had wanted her to be in control but she apparently had other ideas.
"Ya sure?" He asked one more time and she nodded quickly. He lined himself up and pushed into her slowly, relishing in the feeling but realizing at the same time that this new barrier wasn't allowing him the feeling he was already addicted to. He was thankful for it though because the exquisite sensations were dulled marginally and it would allow him more time.
A few tantalizingly slow stokes later, she began to move her hips, urging him to move fast. His thrusts increased as his mouth grazed over her shoulder and softly to her neck. His movements didn't falter as he kissed every cut that had been left. Beth gripped at his back as he began to pick up the pace. Her breathing came out in short gasps as the air was being pushed from her body with every thrust he delivered. Her back arched off the bed and Daryl took the opportunity to wrap his arms around her and roll them over, with her back on top. She smirked at him as she righted herself, the connection never breaking, and began to move against him.
Her hand pressed flat against his stomach and her head fell back causing her hair to cascade behind her. He reached his hands up to tease his fingertips with the silky strands before running them across her hips. As her pace quickened, Daryl slid one hand to her folds and pushed his thumb against the swollen bundle of nerves she was trying desperately to hit with her grinding.
The contact caused her body to tighten and a gasp to escape her lips. A few strokes later and he began to feel her walls tighten around him. Her movements became frantic and uncoordinated as she began to moan and mew at the feeling of her body slipping over the edge. He reached up, his arm behind himself to hold himself up, to press his lips to hers in an attempt to silence her cries of ecstasy. He moaned into her mouth as her body pulsed around his cock but he didn't give into the feeling entirely. He wasn't ready for this to be over.
As her movements started to slow, he released her mouth and trailed his lips down her body to her breasts. He took one of her pert nipples between his lips and licked the tip until it puckered even further in his mouth. He released it and blew on it, causing her to tremble once again. He repeated the action on the other breast and was delighted when the same shivers ran down her body a second time. This time he bucked his hips slightly causing her already sensitive body to come alive once again.
"Daryl, please." She whimpered as she collapsed on top of his body. The feeling of her breasts pushed up against his chest and the sounds of her pleading snapped the last few strings of his resolve like a taught piano wire. She lifted herself slightly to allow him room to thrust into her over and over again. She pushed her body back and forth, meeting him thrust for thrust. He felt the tale tell signs of his orgasm creep its way into his belly which only increased his motions.
He rolled them over until he was back on top and slid his thumb back down to her clit to give it the same treatment he just had moments ago, hoping to pull another delicious orgasm from her that would no doubt send him spiraling over the edge. His pulled himself almost fully out of her before driving himself back in quickly and with urgency. His thumb moved quickly against her as he didn't know how much longer he had.
Suddenly, he felt her body tighten under him again and her walls began to clench at him in a desperate attempt to milk him of everything he had. The sensation was all he needed to make that final leap. His body felt like it erupted into flames from his groin and spread wildly through every nerve ending he possessed. She reached up and claimed his mouth and they silenced each other yet again. They continued to kiss languidly, as their bodies came down from their free fall into blissful, sinful, pleasure.
Her hands gently caressed his back, her fingers tracing over the divots in his skin. He released his hold on her mouth and looked into her eyes. The deep blue was fading back into the bright sky color he'd come to recognize and admire. The look of satisfaction that graced her face made him smirk. He kissed her chastely once more before pulling himself from her and falling down onto his back. She immediately curled into his side and rested her head on his chest. He closed his eyes as he wrapped her in his embrace and felt the pull of the day's events drag him under.
"Thank you." He barely heard her whisper.
"What for?"
"Everything."
AN: I hope this was worth the wait. Let me know!