"So.. you and that beautiful little fox have been getting awfully close, little brother?" Merle smirked asking his brother as they cashed up the till. The last few nights hadn't gone unnoticed to Merle from seeing the way his little brother spoke to the lovely young woman at the bar and the way her face gleamed when she delved into conversation with Daryl.

"Her name is Carol." Daryl replied not looking up at his older brother knowing he would only be faced with one of Merle's knowing looks. "And we're just friends." he said. Yeah, and my name is Jesus. he thought sarcastically.

"She's a pretty little thing.. I mean, if you're just friends.. then maybe I should introduce myself." Merle replied smirking even more than before. Daryl grunted quietly and looked up at his brother.

"She wouldn't be interested, Merle.. she's just been through a nasty divorce." he replied.

"Well, he must have been a complete idiot! ..But seriously, quit it little brother.. anyone can see you're starting to get smitten with the girl." he laughed. "Just ask her out already.." he winked.

"We're already going out. Tonight in fact." Daryl replied making his older brother look up at him in shock. "She wanted to show me her favourite jazz club.. it's not that far from here actually." he explained.

"I bet that's not the only thing she wants to show you.." Merle muttered under his breath as he turned to walk back to the staff room to gather some files. It hadn't gone un-noticed to Daryl and he heard exactly what his brother said. He just rolled his eyes and continued with his work.

…

"This is amazing!" Carol exclaimed with wide eyes as Daryl had just fixed her up a rather yummy cocktail and to Daryl's knowledge it was also a 'dirty cocktail' as they called it.

"I knew you'd like it." he replied with a cheeky grin.

"What's it called?" she asked noticing him trying to stifle his giggles.

"The leg spreader." he replied smiling and Carol's eyes widened.

"Sexy." was all she said. "Never tried it.. but I'm definitely going to have to try 'The Leg Spreader' again tonight.." she winked at him and wrapped her wet lips back around the straw sucking up the beverage. Daryl stiffened and felt all the blood rush straight to his groin. Suddenly, things weren't that funny. Great, a hard-on in work. Well done, Daryl.

"You okay?" she said realising he looked a bit hot and bothered.

Daryl stole a glance from her. "Uh, yes.. I'm fine." he laughed nervously and decided he needed to carry on the conversation. "So, we'll head down to Riko's jazz club about half 12?" Daryl asked. Carol had arrived at the bar a bit earlier tonight and Daryl managed to get off a few hours early. She surprised him the previous night by asking him to go and check out her favourite jazz club which was only a few blocks away. Of course, he was more than happy to oblige.

Grabbing his coat and wallet, Daryl made his way through the staff behind the bar and said his goodnights to the guys. As soon as he swept past his older brother he was suddenly stopped.

"Just in case." Merle said slipping a small foil package into his coat pocket. Daryl could only roll his eyes at his eager sibling. "Give it to her good, boy."

Daryl scowled. "Merle, shut the fuck up." and with that he made his way through the back door of the club and met Carol outside where she was just finishing her last drag of a cigarette. She smiled as soon as he became present.

Daryl hugged his coat tightly around his chest and rubbed his hands together from the cold air. "You know, you don't really look like the smoking type." he said to her.

She laughed. "I never used to smoke." she replied squashing the bud beneath the toe of her heels. "I can't fucking stop now." They both laughed. "You ready then?" and he nodded as they hailed down a cab.

…..

Daryl set down their drinks at the table and swung his coat around the back of his chair before he sat.

"He is amazing." he said looking to the stage at the older guy in about his 40's and how he delicately played the sax to the audience.

Carol smiled. "That's Herschel.. he play's here most nights. I mainly come in here to listen to him.." she said her eyes transfixed to the stage. They were both sat in one of the secluded booths of the jazz club but still had a pretty great view of the stage.

Daryl took a swig of his bourbon and setting it back down, he started to speak. "So.. Carol? I never did ask what you do for a living." he said.

She smiled. "I'm a nurse."

"Oh wow! That's amazing." he replied and suddenly had images of her in a tight white nurse's outfit and bending over as she checked his temperature. The visions were making him see stars and he knew he had to stop right now. "So, how long have you been a nurse?"

"About 3 years now. I love my job." she smiled. "It took a lot of medical training and studying through my college years but I eventually got there."

Daryl smiled and then spoke again. "I never really knew what I wanted to do. College definitely wasn't for me and I'd had a few jobs there and then but I guess working at the bar is pretty alright." he explained. "Pays the bills anyway."

"And don't forget all those hot babes draping over the bar to get to you.." she laughed, her eyes were literally sparkling. She had a made a few jokes about hot girls or busty blondes but Daryl genuinely wasn't the type to give a shit about those sorts of things. He was at the bar for now to earn his living and that was it - until he met Carol anyway. His job had gotten a lot more interesting since she started paying him visits.

"Yeah, I suppose." he said. "But the thing is, Carol.. I'm only interested in one woman right now." he smiled at her flushed cheeks. "And I think you know her pretty damn well."