Firstly apologies to my loyal readers for how long it took me to get this chapter out, and thanks to all those who offered words of encouragement to do so, via "Doghouse" reviews and PMs. (For those of you who have no yet encountered "Doghouse", in flagrant self-promotion I urge you to check it out; it's a humorous piece which is a spin-off from Plum Crisp).

I've had bad writers block on this one so it's been a good exercise in self-discipline to keep going and get this chapter done. Hopefully this will break the drought and future chapters will flow a bit more freely.

DISCLAIMER: obviously I don't own TWD cos if I did I'd be too busy parting with the likes of Rooker and Reedus to hang about writing fan fiction.

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Merle's hand moved quickly to the front of his pants and in moments he had the top button undone and was working his way down the rest. Carol wondered briefly at a one-handed man who still insisted on wearing button down pants. It seemed Merle was unwilling to make any concessions to his disability, and truth to tell he still seemed more capable with one hand than most men did with two. She could tell, since her hand was on it, that he still dressed to the left, and that must be awkward with no right hand to flip it out, but clearly he had little interest in changing the habits of a lifetime. Or at least, that habit.

He pushed back the heavy cotton fronts of his pants and in a matter-of-fact manner took Carol's hand, sliding it under the waistband of his grey fitted boxers until it encountered his prick, hard and heavy, the skin smooth and silky against her palm. She knew her cue, and wrapped her hand about it firmly, enjoying the contrast of the hot solid flesh and satiny skin, sliding her hand slowly and steadily back and forth. Merle was kneeling now, resting back on his heels, and he closed his eyes, breathing steadily and enjoying the pleasure a woman's hand on his dick brought him.

"Is this the way you like it?" Carol asked softly, watching his face. She didn't need to really ask; she knew the basics, she could tell from Merle's reaction that he was enjoying it, and she had no doubt that if he hadn't been, he would not hesitate to show her what he liked.

"Yeah baby," Merle murmured swiftly, absently, eyes still closed, closely focused on the feel of her soft smooth hand. He caught his breath a little as she swirled her thumb up and around the head of his prick. His "Yeah just like that" was a little distracted sounding. He opened his eyes to look at her, rueful amusement in his blue-grey gaze. When he spoke again, he was a little less distrait. "You know exactly what you're doing."

"Well maybe not exactly," Carol replied, ramping things up a little by repeating the move and then tracing her thumb back and forth across the slit, causing Merle to close his eyes momentarily and repress a grimace of pleasure, "but I think I have a fair idea."

"Hell I'd say you have an unfair idea. Just as well I don't mind evening things up," Merle said. He moved lithely, and suddenly Carol let out a small squeak as she found herself being tumbled sideways onto the blanket, Merle's muscular arms around her, controlling her fall.

In moments she was on her back with him on top of her, his large solid body covering her, supporting his weight on his elbows as he kissed her, at first with firm determination and then with increasing urgency. His groin pressed down hard against the crease of her thigh, and she instinctively began to move against him in slow upward circles. The hands that had initially clutched at his back as he'd flipped her down, moved now, one up to his neck, sliding up to caress her fingers through his clipped hair. The softness of it surprised her. The other arm was laid closely across his waist, but with no conscious decision on Carol's part her hand moved to Merle's ass, to press him more closely against her in time with her roiling movements, her tongue matching the rhythm.

Still kissing her, Merle's hand went to her breast, and then he suddenly lifted his head, making a mutter of displeasure. She had just begun to concern herself over what it was he didn't like, when his hand moved to the hem of her top and started to pull it upwards. Quickly she mirrored his actions and in moments their combined efforts had the top dragged off over her head and cast to one side.

"Tha's better." Merle took advantage of the way she'd lifted her upper body a few inches clear of the floor, and slipped his hand around her back to the clasp of her bra. Seconds later her bra was undone (left-handed! Impressive!), Merle dragged the straps off her shoulders and then tossed the bra to one side.

Swiftly his large hand was back on her breast, cupping it, lightly squeezing, and running a thumb over her hardened nipple. She automatically arched up into it, closing her eyes and enjoying the sensual pleasure of his touch. His hand was a working man's hand, big hard and calloused, and a complete contrast to her own. She murmured in pleasure, and in another moment Merle's mouth was on her other breast, his warm wet tongue mimicking the motions of his hand, flickering over her nipple then his mouth closed on it to suck hard. The twin action of mouth and hand stirred her greatly and she moved restlessly underneath Merle's ministrations. She thought if he still had a right hand it would have tending to her clit, and he'd be able to feel just how wet he was making her.

"You got real nice titties." Merle's voice was a little ragged. He did not cease his attentions to her body.

"Really?" Carol queried in disbelief. She didn't need false compliments. She'd thought Merle would be all about size, and apart from when she was breast-feeding Sophia, she'd never been larger than a B-cup.

"Mmm." Merle's response was perfunctory, and she certainly didn't mind that his mouth was busy with... other things. After a moment her tone filtered through to him, and he looked up to find her regarding him, a quizzical look on her face. He caught on immediately. "Oh, sure they ain't that big, but they're a real nice shape, and they're kinda…perky." He tugged lightly on the nipple as he said the last word. Carol tried not to gasp too hard.

Good to know that all those years of wearing a good bra had paid off. Perky huh. She'd always been proud of the fact that even after having a child her boobs hadn't drooped; pretty good for a woman in her forties.

"I'm glad you like 'em," she replied breathlessly, running her hand up his arm to stroke his shoulder. It felt so good to touch him; he was so hard and warm, with that incongruous baby-fine fair skin everywhere the sun hadn't touched.

"Oh I like 'em just fine." Merle proceeded to show her just how much he liked them, licking and sucking and stroking until she was panting with pleasure, her fingers digging in tightly to the heavy muscles where his shoulder and neck met.

Delightful as this was, Carol was starting to feel like she wasn't pulling her weight, just lying back and letting Merle do all the work. Propping herself up on her left elbow, she reached down with her other hand to hook a finger around one of his. She drew his hand up to her lips, and flickered her tongue along his middle finger. Merle lifted his head from her breast and watched, his pupils hugely dilated, his irises just a thin rim of blue around the black, as she tilted her head to one side and ran her tongue along then around the finger, slipping upwards then delicately tonguing the gap between the fingertip and closely trimmed nail. Merle let out a hiss when she brushed her tongue back and forth over the supple webbing between his fingers. Carol glanced briefly at him and then repeated the action with the next space.

Just as Merle grunted and began to shift she headed him off at the pass, dropping his hand and pressing hers firmly against his chest, pushing him back. Somewhat to her surprise, he complied, rolling onto his back, but taking her upper arm in hand and resolutely drawing her up and over him. She knelt astride him and settled her weight down onto her heels and his thighs, careful about where she positioned herself. Squashing any… vital parts, would really spoil the occasion.

She had planned to tend to Merle straight away, but his hand went again to her breast, his other arm resting on her hip. She couldn't help putting her arms behind her head and arching into his hand, slowly surging against his skilful grip, gently rocking her thigh against his erection, her eyes closed in sublime pleasure.

"You look good baby. Take your pants off."

Carol smiled in slow amusement at the contrast in Merle's tone, from the husky pleasure of his observation, to the brisk authority of the order. She'd do what he said, but in her own way. Eyes still closed, she dropped one hand to her pants button, the other to the breast that had been left stranded by Merle's missing right hand. As she slowly undid her pants, she copied the motions Merle's remaining hand was making on her right breast, with her own hand on the left, giving him a show. She continued the slow roil of her thigh against his prick. She was very glad that Merle was exercising some self-restraint and hadn't just pushed her down and taken her. This was all so much better; and still left them plenty of time to build up to more … vigorous… activities.

Once her zip was undone, she stood up carefully, and quickly stripped off her trousers, tossing them carelessly aside. She was not vain about her body, considering that she had little to be vain about, but did not think Merle would be too critical of her appearance. She still had boobs and an ass, despite the boniness of her limbs and ribs, and her stretch-marks, once very obvious, had faded down into soft silvery barely-visible lines. Besides, there was that whole apocalypse thing going on; he was lucky to be getting any trim, regardless of its quality.

"Jesus Carol, you go commando?"

"Tonight I do." She smiled mysteriously, and moved back down over him, this time pushing his legs apart so she could put one knee in the space, the other off beside him. Her hand went back to his prick, which had not lost any of its interest in her. She slowly repeated on his prick the motions her tongue had previously made on his fingers.

"What about the rest of the time?"

"You may never know," Carol replied archly. She saw no reason to tell Merle that the reason she was bare-assed tonight was that she had inventoried her small collection of underwear – it could not be conceivably described as lingerie - and had come to the sad conclusion that there was nothing in the worn, tattered, saggy-elasticked assortment, that was fit for a seduction scene. And if she was going to do this, she was at least going to do it right. So she had chosen to wear nothing, rather than kill the mood with nanna-knickers.

Judging by the look on Merle's face, and his quickened breathing, she had made the right decision. Lord only knew what he was envisioning about "the rest of the time".

She leaned forward, resting her free arm against his upper chest, keeping her other hand busy, and placed light kisses across his broad chest. He ran his hand over her shoulder and back, stroking her with his thumb, then his body went rigid as she simultaneously flicked her tongue over his small pale nipple, and her thumb over the slit of his prick.

"Oh, do you like that?" Carol inquired innocently. At least, she made it sound innocent.

"Woman, don't make me spank you," Merle warned, an amused little growl in his voice.

Her stomach went taut, but she pressed the unwanted alarm down; she knew he only meant it in play. She diligently re-applied her mouth to his nipple, slipping her tongue back and forth, then gently took the nipple between her teeth, tenderly tugging.

Time to get some real work done.

She brushed her lips against the nipple, then slowly trailed them down his body, kissing and licking, blowing gently over the tiny wet patches, and enjoying Merle's shivers at the contrasting sensations. She skimmed her tongue over his skin, briefly circling his belly-button, and continued on down, down…

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To be continued… Hell yeah!