"You've been distracted all day," An irritated voice said. "Are you going to help me skin these potatoes, or not?"
Carol shook her head with a slight frown, turning her attention from the window and back to the cutting board. "Sorry, Kathy," she murmured. "I'm helping."
The older woman turned to her with a click of her tongue, following Carol's gaze out the window and nodding when she saw the fence. "You were looking out for him again, huh? That man who was with your group when you came in?"
Carol knitted her brows together, feigning surprise. "Man?"
"Mr. Tall, Dark and Dirty," another voice chimed in with a giggle.
Carol's eyes lowered and she idly watched her hands work, not saying anything.
"Why, honey, he just doesn't seem your type!" The two women cackled.
She snorted. "What would you know about my type?"
"Maybe he reminds her of her husband," The other woman whispered to Kathy in a not so hushed voice.
"Enough!" Carol slammed down the peeler she was holding on the cutting board. "That man is nothing like my husband. Nothing!"
"Now you've done it, Margaret," Kathy said fretfully. "The poor thing just misses her husband and you have to go making jokes."
Carol shook her head. "It's fine. I'm over it."
"Seriously though," Kathy said, placing a firm hand on Carol's shoulder. "People are starting to talk. It's not right for you to mix with that kind."
She didn't say anything, suddenly feeling sick as the blood boiled in her veins.
"I kind of get it though," Margaret said. "How could you not be curious about the bad boy? With those rough, worn hands…"
Her eyes narrowed and she let out a slow breath, keeping her eyes trained on the sharp end of the peeler. "You do realize that that man? Daryl? He's my friend. We went through a lot together. For a long time now. Please be polite."
Margaret sighed. "Honey, we understand the want to move on. Your husband, he's gone now and he ain't coming back. You probably need a big, strong man to take care of… things."
Carol rolled her eyes at Kathy's knowing wink.
"But that man just isn't the right one. Now George, from down the block? He seems to have an eye for you. It might not be a bad idea to turn in that direction."
"Us ladies can't be working all the time," Margaret added. "Maybe it's about time you let ol' George take you to dinner."
Carol set her mouth in a line, still gazing out the window at the fence. "I don't think so…" she said softly.
"At least consider it, sweetie. After all, you're here now. This is the perfect place for you to move on, turn over a new leaf," Kathy said in what she obviously thought was a soothing tone.
"Whatever that man was, that… Daryl," she added, wrinkling her nose in disdain. "You're with us now. You don't need him to protect you anymore."
"You're right about that," Carol replied thoughtfully as she went back to peeling.
It was clear to Carol that after that the women didn't know how to respond to her, and she was glad when they chattered on without including her in their mindless conversation. She continued to peel potatoes silently until she heard a knock on the door.
"Come on in," Kathy shouted from the kitchen.
All three ladies looked up in time to see George enter from the front door.
"Why, George, we were just talking about you!" Margaret said slyly.
"You were?" He asked, eyebrows raised in disbelief. "Anyway, it's just about five o'clock. My shift in the shop just ended and I was wondering if maybe Carol wanted someone to walk home with."
She stiffened, caught off guard by his piercing dark eyes searching her face. "Yeah, yes…" She said with a sweet smile. "That would be very nice of you, George."
She threw down the peeler again without a second thought, waving slightly at her companions before grabbing her bag and moving towards the door.
"I'll take that for you," George said, pulling her bag out of her grip without waiting for an answer.
She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the change in lighting, pulling the gate open and letting George close it behind them.
"Sorry if I seemed too forward in there," George said sincerely. "The sun'll be setting soon and well, I know how you hate walking home in the dark."
The corner of her mouth tugged up in amusement and she lowered her head so he wouldn't think she was laughing at him. "It's true, I do," she said meekly.
George chuckled. "Seems like you couldn't get out of there fast enough today." He gazed at her. "How are you liking it here?"
She shrugged. "It just takes some getting used to, the change in environment," she told him honestly. "Everyone's been real nice, and I do like my job, but…." She trailed off.
"But?" He prodded.
"The ladies here sure do like to gossip a lot," she said, squinting in the glare and holding her hand above her eyes.
He laughed. "I'll tell ya one thing, no truer words were ever spoken right there."
She smiled. "I guess I just like it quiet."
"Oh, they mean you no harm. You'll get used to it," he said sympathetically, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder as they stopped in front of her door.
She stiffened instinctually, her eye on his hand as he set her bag down on the porch.
"Well…. Guess I better be heading on," he said slowly and Carol felt a sinking feeling in her stomach.
"Guess so," she said softly, not looking at him.
"You going to be okay alone until Rick and Michonne come home?"
She nodded, still trying to avoid a direct gaze.
"Okay then. Goodnight."
"Night," she uttered politely.
He leaned closer, his hand brushing the top of her ear and she flinched.
"That's a red light if I ever saw one," George said, unable to hide his disappointment.
"I'm sorry, George," she said awkwardly, lowering her face. "You're a really nice man, but I'm just not ready."
"This doesn't have anything to do with your friend there, does it? Guy who interrupted our dance the other night?"
She sighed. "See you tomorrow?"
He nodded. "Yeah. I'll see you tomorrow."
She stood on the stoop, watching as he retreated down the street until she couldn't see him anymore before turning around and pulling her bag up on her shoulders. She heard a low rustling in the bushes on the side of the house and her face broke out into a grin.
"How long have you been standing there?"
He grunted, coming up beside her and yanking the door open. "Don't ya already know?"
"Yep."
"Good girl." He took her bag and set it down next to his crossbow.
"That prick try ta kiss ya?"
Her eyes narrowed. "Don't you already know?"
"Yep." He fell into step beside her as she made her way through the living room and down the hall to their sleeping quarters.
"What's the matter?" Carol asked over his heavy breathing. "I thought you'd be happy to see me," she added teasingly.
He shrugged. "Wasn't the welcome home I'd been hopin for."
"Oh," she said softly, pushing the door to his room open and letting her arms circle around him. "That's right. I was supposed to greet you with a kiss."
He gripped her waist to steady her and lowered his head to meet her halfway as she stood on her toes to kiss him, long and slow.
"I missed you, so much," she whispered against his cheek.
He pulled her close against him, breathing her in.
"Are you hungry?"
"A little," he admitted.
"Michonne's got dinner duty tonight," she said. "But I could fix you something if you don't want to wait."
"I can wait for that," he said gruffly.
She nodded, leaning into him with a muffled giggle.
"Wha's so funny?" he asked.
"People telling me I can't kiss you. Makes me wanna do it even more," she said, pressing her mouth against his.
"Hold on," he gruffed. "Who said that?"
She shrugged. "Just some stupid ladies gossiping in the kitchen today."
"Oh yeah? Since when do ya care what people think?"
She shook her head. "I don't. Just makes me mad, cause it's none of their business and I can't even show it."
He thought for a moment. "Can't be good for your cover. Lay low?"
"Yeah," she agreed. "Just… not before the others get home."
"How much time we got?"
"A little," she whispered, pressing herself against him until his back was against the wall.
He pushed his tongue into her mouth, holding her close and groping at her waist as they kissed.
She moved her hands to his hair, gently massaging his scalp and shivering as his hands went to the sliver of bare skin between the waistband of her slacks and the hem of her sweater.
"Missed ya too," he murmured into her shoulder when they had to pull apart for air. In a second he was kissing her hungrily and she was sighing softly as his hands roamed her upper body. She leaned into him, lowering her mouth down his throat and pressing her hands against his chest as she began to nibble softly at his flesh.
He groaned at the feel of her teeth and tongue on his neck and his heavy breathing tickled her ear.
"Hold on," he whispered, gripping her forearms with his hands as she began to suck his collar bone. "I gotta stop a second."
She gazed at him in confusion, her body unwilling to separate from his.
"Before this goes too far," he clarified.
She nodded slowly.
"C'mon," he said, wrapping his arms around her and holding her in place for a moment as he pressed a soft kiss into her hair. "Let's go eat with tha others."