Rick and Daryl spent the next half hour going over the security and supplies details. They would need to make a run in the next day or two for formula and diapers. Could never have too many diapers. Daryl had finally relented and allowed Amanda to accompany him on his last few runs. She was quick, quiet and efficient. He and Merle taught her how to be silent and fast in the woods but he figured she'd forgotten all that learning growing up in the city with that snobbish mom of hers. Why that bitch ever hooked up with Merle, he'd never know...oh yeah, she was slummin' and drunk as a skunk. Merle never turned down a willing or a drunk woman, especially a pretty one like that bitch. Oh fuck, he didn't want to think about that messed up shit.
Rick decided to send Glenn and Maggie with the truck to clean out another daycare center he'd seen on their last run. If Amanda went with them, they'd have it done in no time. Daryl agreed. He was impressed with his niece's ability but he wasn't gonna tell her. Didn't want her getting careless.
"About Amanda..." Rick started hesitantly.
Oh, shit. Here we go. Daryl was ending this talk before it got started. "If you're gonna ask for Possum's hand in marriage, save ya breath. I ain't her daddy."
Rick's eyes widened, "Ummm, no. That's not what I was gonna ask. I just wanted to know if you're going to be okay with it...me and Amanda. I don't know where its going..."
"Well it's done gone to your tongue being down her throat..." Daryl interrupted with a growl.
"She told you about that?"
Not in so many words, but yeah. "Seems to think she can talk to me like one of her goddamned girlfriends or somethin'...won't shut the hell up." He shook his head and rubbed his eyes. "Givin' me a damn headache."
"Daryl," Rick continued, "I think I need to tell Amanda about Merle."
"Fuck!" Daryl pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes shut. "I don't know, Rick. You wanna tell Possum that for yourself or her?"
The two men stood side-by-side in the guard tower, watching the few walkers ambling along the road that led to the prison gate. Rick thought about his friend's words for a moment. He didn't know how anyone could think of Daryl as slow. He went straight to the heart of the matter every time. If Rick was honest with himself, he had to tell Amanda for his own sake. Did he feel guilty for leaving Merle on the rooftop? Sure, he did, but he wasn't losing sleep over it. He did what he had to do at the time. But...but, whenever he looked into her soft, trusting blue eyes...the image of her father's severed hand taunted him. Daryl said she had Merle's eyes but he couldn't see it. Hers were gentle, smiling, whereas Merle's were hard and cold. Even in the man's drug-induced state, Rick felt the defiance, saw the hatred and contempt and knew if he was still alive, Merle wouldn't hesitate to kill him on sight.
"You think your brother's still alive?"
"Like I tol' Possum, I ain't seen nothin' to make me think otherwise. He's one tough sumbitch." Daryl exhaled sharply and rubbed his eyes again. "Rick?"
"Yeah?"
"Gonna have to add aspirin to that supply list. Or Jack Daniels."
"Sure thing." He laid a hand on Daryl's shoulder. "Sorry, man."
"You oughtta be. Make it right so she'll leave me the fuck alone." Daryl turned away from his friend indicating their conversation was over.
Amanda waited impatiently for Rick's return so she could talk to him alone. She was dying to know what he wanted to talk to her uncle about. That couldn't be good, could it?
"Watcha doing?"
"Shit, Beth! You scared the holy hell out of me!"
Beth giggled. "I called your name twice, Amanda. Guess you didn't hear me. Must've been thinking about Rick."
"That obvious?"
"Yes. I can't believe you have to ask. Everyone knows ya'll like each other no matter how discreet you try to be. Of course, when he held your hand at dinner..."
"He didn't hold it...he just...just patted it." Yeah, that was it. He didn't squeeze her hand with his big warm one sending fire through her veins to pool in her belly like molten lava. He didn't do that.
"Whatever." Beth chuckled. "But, you should have seen your face when Rick asked Daryl to wait up. Oh my gosh, Amanda. I thought you were going to keel over!" The blonde girl laughed again. "I don't know why you're worried. They talk all the time. I'm sure it has nothing to do with you."
"I guess you're right. I'm just being paranoid."
"You'll probably want to do something with your hair before you see him, though."
Amanda's hands flew to her head. Beth laughed again. "C'mon, I'll help you."
Back in Beth's cell, the teenage girl chattered as she tamed Amanda's dark curls with a pretty headband. She fingered combed them into place and pulled out a few to soften her face. Amanda admired herself in a small hand mirror. "You are a magician, Beth!"
Beth smiled. "Thanks. I miss doing girl stuff. Maggie's busy with Glenn and all I do is help out Carol and take care of Judith. Not that I mind, but sometimes, I just...miss my old life."
Amanda hugged her. "Me too. I'll be happy to do girl stuff with you. Wanna talk about fashion? I hear combat boots are the latest rage."
"I prefer hiking boots," she countered and pointed her leather-clad toe. They both laughed and she gave Beth a quick hug.
"Thanks. I really appreciate your help."
"Anytime. Um, er, wait a minute." The young girl dug deep into her back pack, looking for something. "Ahh, here it is. " She turned to Amanda, blushing. "Take it! just in case..." and she hurried out the door, not looking back.
Amanda stared down, open-mouthed, at the condom Beth placed in her hand. That girl and I need to have to talk.
"Hey, there you are." Amanda quickly shoved the condom in her pocket. Rick smiled down at her. "What are you doing in here?"
"Um, Beth helped me fixed my hair," she said self-consciously.
"Looks nice." he said brushing his fingertips across her cheek. His blue eyes sparkled in the fading light.
"Thanks."
"Judith's asleep and Carl's on watch with Daryl. Wanna help me get some things from the infirmary?"
"Okay."
He put his hand on the small of her back steering her out of the cell block. "You're awful quiet, Mandy. Somethin' wrong?" Yeah, I got a fucking condom in my pocket! She shook her head. He stopped by his cell to retrieve a large duffle bag. "Here. Just in case." He handed her a bat and a flashlight. He had single-handedly cleaned out most of the walkers in this area but a stray one showed up now and then.
They walked in silence until they reached the double doors of the infirmary. Rick pulled out the keys, unlocked the doors and motioned for her to enter. Locking them again, he began going through the drawers and cabinets. "Just grab anything you think we can use."
"Rick?" She couldn't stand it anymore.
"Yeah?" He shoved some bottles of alcohol and bandages into his bag.
"What were you and Daryl talking about?"
He stopped, turned and grinned at her. "Prison stuff. Food. Supplies. Security."
"That's all?"
He grinned even wider, knowing exactly what she was getting at. "What else would we talk about?"
"Nothing, I guess." She turned away, paying extra close attention to the drawer she already raided.
Two long strides carried him into her personal space. "You think we were talking about you?" His breath tickled the back of her neck and his lips brushed that sensitive spot behind her ear.
"No."
He pulled her earlobe into his mouth, gently sucking on it delighting in the small gasp that escaped her lips. "Yes, you did, Mandy." She tried to push him away but he didn't budge. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back against his chest. Her hands tightened on the edge of the counter.
"What did you say to him?"
"I didn't say anything." He pushed her hair aside and trailed kisses down her neck, smiling when she moaned.
"Liar. What did Daryl say then?"
"He said, 'Fuck off.'"
She chuckled. "...So you did talk."
He laughed against her skin sending heat waves through her body, "You're good, Mandy."
He pressed his hardened length against her back and slipped his hands under her t-shirt. "Do you really want to talk about your uncle right now?" he asked as his hands slipped into the cups of her bra.
She turned her head to capture his lower lip between her teeth. He growled and slid a large calloused hand leisurely down her smooth stomach, fingertips circling her navel then moving lower, hesitating only a moment before slipping past the waistband of her shorts to palm her through the thin cotton of her underwear. She was wet, so wet. "Oh God, Mandy," Rick groaned against her neck, nipping at the small vein pulsing there. Her breaths quickened. She jerked her shirt over her head and he freed her bra with his other hand then quickly pulled his own shirt off wanting to feel her bare skin against his.
She leaned back into his chest basking in the feel of his lips, teeth and tongue against her skin as he nibbled, licked, and kissed her shoulders while his hands explored the rest of her warm willing body. She was so damned wet and he was so damned hard.
Rick pushed her panties aside and let his fingers play in the soft curls between her legs before dipping into the hot, moist folds. She shuddered and threw her head back against his shoulder. He thrust his tongue in her mouth keeping rhythm with the hand that stroked her. Slowly at first but quickly picking up the pace as, she rocked against the finger inside her. Reaching back she grabbed his ass, pulling him closer. He squeezed and rolled a tight nipple between his fingertips. She pulled at his head deepening the kiss. He slipped a second finger inside and smiled against her lips with satisfaction as he felt her tighten around him. Her breath was coming in gasps and his body shook with the effort of holding his own release back. "C'mon baby," he whispered, rubbing her clit with his thumb, pushing her harder against the counter to keep them both from falling. When her legs buckled he quickly covered her mouth with his to stifle her cries as she finally exploded around his hand. He gently lowered them both to the floor, resting against the cold steel cabinets.
With shaky fingers and a satisfied smile, she unbuttoned his jeans releasing his straining cock. "I don't think we're through yet, officer." She straddled his lap and buried her face in his neck while stroking him. "If I remember," she reached down to cup his balls, "you really liked this."
"Oh God, yes!" he muttered through clenched teeth. Damn, he wasn't going to last much longer...Shit! His body jerked as she gently scraped her short nails up his cock.
He grabbed her still quivering thighs and tugged at her shorts. "Take 'em off, Mandy. I want to see you." She smiled, a smile of pure female satisfaction and stood up, feet on either side of his legs, slowly unfastening the button, lowering the zipper. "Fuck," he cursed, grabbing the hem and jerking them down.
She squealed and giggled stepping out of them. "Hey! Slow down a minute, baby..."
They turned simultaneously to stare at the small foil packet that had tumbled out of her pocket. He looked up at her, "You weren't gonna tell me about this?"
"I was distracted."
"Do I wanna know where you got it?"
"Definitely not!" She sat back down on his lap. "Well?"
Rick tore the package open with his teeth and handed her the prize.
He groaned as she rolled it down his hardened shaft, gritting his teeth, thinking he might not make it past this point.
Amanda leaned over to kiss him while raising her hips for him guide them over his impatient cock. He thrust swiftly into the slick opening, stretching, filling her completely. He held her as she adjusted to his girth, then, she began to move, slowly at first, savoring every sensation. Skin against skin. His rapid beating heart in sync with hers. His beautiful eyes, dark with passion, watching her. The small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. She touched his lips with a fingertip. He sucked it into his mouth and with one hand in her hair and another holding her hip he rocked against her hard, desperate for his own relief. Her pulse quickened and her walls tightened around him as she began spiraling out of control again. She cried out and Rick's grip in her hair became almost painful as he rode out his own climax. "Fuck, Mandy!" he cried out, gasping for breath. He wasn't ready. Not this soon. Amanda collapsed against his heaving chest trying to catch her own breath. He weakly stroked her hair and back and rested his hand on her bare ass. She kissed his nipple, her tongue darting out to taste the damp, salty skin. He grunted in her hair. "You trying to kill me?" She smiled, resting her cheek against his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist.