Shit! Fuck! Damn! Enough? What exactly does Rick mean by "enough"? "Can you please be a bit more specific?" Amanda asked sheepishly.

He ran his hand through his hair, and stared at her. "Possum-"

"I told you to stop calling me that."

"And I told you I thought it was cute," Rick exhaled sharply, humor bleeding into the harsh tone he had taken on before coming up the stairs.

"Fine, great, it's cute," she complained. "You gonna tell me what you heard?"

"Before or after you punched your uncle?"

"Mother fucker!" Wait. Was that out loud? "Excuse me while I go throw myself at the walkers and end my misery."

Amanda made her way toward the stairs, but Rick caught her upper arm on the way by. "No need for such drastic measures."

"Oh, this definitely calls for drastic measures. Please, let me pass. The walkers seem really hungry tonight. Don't want to keep them waiting."

"I think we need to talk."

"I think we just did."

"You know what I mean."

"F-fine, then talk." She wasn't going to do much talking. The butterflies that had been in her stomach were now stuck in her throat. Rick was way too close for her brain to form any kind of rational thought. Especially now...after Daryl had so rudely forced her to face her real feelings about the man who's large hand was currently searing a hole in her arm. As much as she tried to pretend they were just friends there was an underlying sexual tension between them. Her body recognized it even if her brain had been in denial.

"Look at me, Amanda."

No. "Don't think I can, Rick."

"Why?" Because I'm afraid you'll see exactly what I feel inside. He gently tilted her chin up with his other hand, forcing her to face him. Amanda squeezed her eyes shut tightly. Nope. Not gonna happen. She couldn't breathe. Too close. "That's really mature." She peeked and closed her eyes again quickly. He was so damned beautiful. So damn close. This might be a romantic moment in any other time or place, she thought. Just like those silly chick-flicks about forbidden love. Lovers secretly come together in the moonlight. Eyes meet, lips touch, they sway together all the while being the serenaded by...by the moaning and groaning of stinking dead people walking. Shit. Would they ever go away?

Rick pressed his forehead against hers. His lovely lips mere inches away. He whispered "So, you think I might need some of your, uh, shit?"

She laughed in spite of herself, "Well, when you put it that way..."

His hand slipped down her arm and into hers. "Do you have a crush on me, Amanda?"

"I think I'm a little too old for a crush, Rick."

"Good. Because I don't think it's a smart idea."

"Why?"

"I don't even know where to start."

"Try."

"Carl, for instance, and Judith. Trying to keep us all, our people, safe..."

"Shut up." She rose on her tiptoes covering his mouth with hers, effectively smothering any more excuses he might come up with.

He shivered slightly as she pressed light kisses onto his firmly closed mouth. His mind screamed No! Bad idea! But his heart and body cried out for more. He put up a brave front for the others but he was still hurting inside. The palpable sadness he tried to hide was beginning to show and it broke her heart.

"You don't have to be strong all the time, Rick. Not with me," she whispered, trailing kisses along his jaw line. "Let me take care of you. Just for tonight." She traced his lips with her tongue trying ever so tenderly to tease them apart. His hands went to her hips with the every intention of pushing her away but pulling her closer instead.

"Amanda..." he sighed. Her arms wrapped around his neck, soft warm body flush against his. With a shudder of "defeat" he parted his lips, allowing himself to partake of the sweet comfort she offered. It had been so long since he felt a woman's soothing touch. A woman who saw him as nothing more than what he really was...just a flesh and blood man. God, it felt good. He buried his face in her neck inhaling her scent and released her hair from its restraints. Amanda arched her head back, a soft sigh forming in the back of her throat as Rick's fingers brushed through the ends of her hair. He pushed at the half-formed curls, tucking some of them back behind her ear as he dotted kisses up the side of her neck, to her ear. A deeper moan sounded as his lips lingered over the soft skin in the hollow just behind her earlobe.

Amanda pressed her cheek against Rick's allowing the stubble there to rub against her skin. Her hands moved to his chest, her fingers splayed against him. She dipped her chin and her mouth searched for his, finding it in a flash of lips tongue and teeth. She felt his reluctance for a brief moment before fisting the front of his shirt, pulling him closer to her. His leg pushed its way between hers and she rubbed against the soft material of his worn jeans as he pressed her into the wall of the tower.

"Oh, God, Rick," she moaned into his neck as he grabbed her ass and lifted her up. She wrapped her legs around his lean waist and her arms around his head. He buried his face in her chest and slipped his hands under her stretchy knit tank top.

She searched out his lips hungrily and he returned her kiss with equal fervor. Her hands slipped between their bodies unbuttoned his shirt, her mouth never leaving his. He reached around her back to deftly unhook her bra and he pulled it up enough to fill his hands with the soft warm mounds. "So beautiful," he whispered against her lips. Her eager hands traveled across soft curls of chest hair to trace the outline of the hard little pebbles nestled there, teasing, tugging, rolling them between her fingertips making Rick groan in her ear.

Amanda leaned back against the wall with her legs still around his waist. She wanted to see his face when she touched him. His eyes were dark with passion, breathing ragged. She smiled and cupped his scruffy cheek. He leaned into her palm and kissed it. Then he kissed her wrist, eyes on hers while ghosting kisses up her arm until he reached the sensitive hollow at the base of her neck. He ran his tongue along a path ending at the delicate skin behind her ear. "What are you doing to me?" he asked with a voice thick with passion.

"Whatever you want."

"Fuck," he swore and devoured her mouth. She couldn't remember Rick ever using that word before. It turned her on even more. She slipped her hands between their bodies and stroked the hardened length bulging through his jeans. Too much fabric. Loosening his belt, she slipped her hand past the waistband of his boxers to his hot bare skin. "Fuck, Amanda," he growled and nipped her earlobe sharply. She delved lower and stroked the shaft down to his balls gently squeezing before stroking him again.

"You like that, baby?" He shuddered and tangled his fingers in her hair roughly pulling her lips to his in a scorching kiss that threatened to melt her clothes off. "I'll take that as a yes," she murmured against his mouth and nibbled at his lower lip. Watching him, feeling him lose control set her every nerve tingling. She rocked against him wanting to rip her own clothes off but not want to break contact with his skin.

He grasped at her ass, her breasts, her hair, leaving a trail of flames licking every inch of skin he could reach. But, his shaky hands paused when he reached the top of her cargo shorts, the tips of strong fingers resting just beneath the band burning her flesh. Oh God, yes, please, she silently pleaded. "It's okay," she whispered and reached down to pop the button open. His fingers didn't move as the fabric fell to the side. "Rick, baby, it's okay."

He shook his head and buried his face in her neck. "No. No it's not." He gently loosed her legs until she stood unsteadily before him.

"Why?" The hurt in her voice pierced his heart.

He cupped her face in his hands. "Mandy, hon, oh God, it's not that I don't want you...'cause I do." He struggled to find the right words. "Lord, knows I do but we have to be careful. I can't take a chance of getting you pregnant. Not after Lori...God I can't go through that again. We've lost so many...I just can't take the chance."

"You do know that there are other things we can do, don't you?" Don't beg. Dixons don't beg.

Rick smiled sadly as he buttoned her shorts, hands still trembling, then he carefully zipped his jeans and fastened his belt.

Damn it, she wouldn't cry. Cryin' ain't never fixed nothin'. He reached under her top, pulled her bra into place and fastened it. Not crying, she told herself.

"Mandy, sweetheart," Don't look at him. Damn him. She bit her lip and tried to leave but he pulled her into a tight hug. She didn't struggle. She didn't want to but she hugged him back resting her head on his chest gasping for breath. Cryin' ain't never fixed nothin'. To be so close...not gonna cry. He stroked her back and hair and kissed the top of her head. "Please, baby, don't cry." I'm not. Not crying. Dixons don't cry.