Beth turns her head to look at Daryl over her shoulder and he freezes. He's staring her so hard in the face that Beth knows he's deliberately not looking at her naked body. Beth smiles gently and steps out of the spray. She tries to steady the thrum of excitement she feels fluttering in her stomach as Daryl stands nervously at the edge of the shower.
For Daryl's sake she turns her attention and her body to the various soaps and shampoos behind her. As she picks up a bottle at random, she finds herself smiling when she hears Daryl step under the spray. Squeezing a generous amount of shampoo onto her hand she begins lathering it into her scalp. Beth doesn't move her head any more than it takes to sneak a glance at Daryl, naked and suffused in water.
Beth's hands freeze in her hair and for about a minute she just stares. His face is turned up into the spray, the water slicking his hair back and revealing his closed eyes, stream pouring directly onto his face. Beth's eager eyes follow the water as it rolls down his thick neck to his broad shoulders and bounces off his rugged chest. Her gaze falls to his impossible arms, corded with hard-earned muscles. Arms that scoop her up easily and close around her protectively, now the sight of them causes heat to pool at the base of her spine.
Beth is steadily following the water as it trickles down Daryl's taught stomach when he opens his eyes. Her eyes flick up to his and when their eyes catch the heat at the base of her spine flares out until she feels it across her entire body. She blushes intensely, blinking several times as the shampoo rolls down her forehead into her eyes and starts to sting.
Daryl takes a step back and she steps forward, ducking under the spray and rinsing her hair. When she pulls her head back and opens her eyes Daryl is watching her, staring like he did the last time sheets of water fell between them, the same enraptured look on his face. She swallows and watches as his eyes follow the movement down her throat.
"Your turn," She says, her voice coming out a little husky, enough for her to hope he doesn't notice. But of course he does, Daryl notices everything.
Beth reaches behind her and grabs the shampoo bottle. She holds it unassumingly between them and Daryl almost seems confused looking at it. "Can I?" She asks.
Daryl grunts and Beth knows that's the closest thing to a yes she's going to get.
She fills her palm with shampoo and then reaches up on her tip toes and begins lathering it into his hair. After about a minute Daryl's eyes drop to her chest and she watches with fascination as a blush spreads across his cheeks and down his neck. She feels his breath come out in unsteady pants across her cheek, like he's finding it hard to breathe.
Beth had always felt embarrassed about her chest, or lack there of. Prayed that she would fill out so that she might be desirable some day. But stood here under Daryl's heated gaze she doesn't feel a shred of embarrassment. She doesn't feel lacking in any way. If she could bare more of her flesh to him she would in an instant just to watch his eyes devour it inch by inch.
Her hands drop to his shoulders and she guides him under the spray. Daryl blinks and looks back up to her, pupils blown wide with barely caged need.
Beth looks at him and exhales slowly. She puts her hand on Daryl's cheek, moving forward and joining him under the spray. Stroking his cheekbone with her thumb, Beth watches his eyes flutter like they want to close. The tension in his shoulders releases and suddenly he moves forward, pressing his wet lips solidly against hers.
Daryl's lips are softer than she expected them to be and she's only just beginning to respond when he pulls away. He stays close though; leaning his forehead against hers, hands coming to spread lightly across her back, his solid arms bracketing hers under the spray.
"This ok?" He murmurs, his eyes searching hers.
"Yeah," she smiles, leaning in, and feels the shiver run through Daryl's body when her hard nipples brush his chest.
Daryl's large rough hand comes up to cup the back of Beth's neck, pulling her forward and covering her mouth with his. Beth returns the kiss enthusiastically, her tongue licking deep into Daryl's mouth. His calloused fingertips tighten on her bare flesh as she draws his tongue into her mouth to suck on it. A moan surges from the back of his throat, sparking pleasure between her thighs.
When they come apart they're breathless. Beth's hands are holding onto Daryl's biceps as if they're the only thing keeping her upright. She thinks they might be.
She feels his stubbled cheek scratch her jaw before he presses his mouth into the crook of her neck, and when he does she closes her eyes and holds on tighter. He mouths his way down her throat and each lash of his tongue sends a wave of pleasure rolling down her spine until she groans loudly in Daryl's ear.
Daryl trembles, his hands tightening into a death grip around her waist. He makes a sound that starts out as a whine and ends as a growl against her shoulder.
She gasps when Daryl's hard cock brushes against her inner thigh.
Feeling the moment Daryl goes rigid with panic, Beth quickly cards her fingers through his hair so she can pull him forward and kiss him.
"Beth, I'm sorry, I didn't-" Daryl whispers against Beth's open lips until her tongue in his mouth shuts him up.
Beth is almost surprised when Daryl reciprocates, wrapping his arms around her more fully and pressing his mouth against hers as though he can't get close enough. She can't either, grasping at his neck, cheeks, shoulders and pressing her forehead against his as she breathes in the air from his lungs. When they pull apart their chests are racing wildly yet they simply hold each other and catch their breaths. Even once they've caught them, neither Beth nor Daryl make any attempt to move from their tight embrace.
"We should be getting back," Daryl murmurs against her temple.
Beth hums in agreement, suddenly becoming aware that the water is starting to run cold. They must have been in the shower for some time, and she's almost surprised that Maggie isn't knocking the door down.
Daryl reaches past Beth and turns the shower off. She feels his dick still hard against her hip but she knows he doesn't expect her to do anything about it. She doesn't offer because it doesn't feel like this is how it's supposed to happen.
Her thoughts are interrupted as Daryl's large rough palm smooths her hair back from her forehead and he kisses her again. Not like the last kiss, not hot and heavy and demanding; just a press of lips to lips, quick and familiar, like a habit. And because she's allowed to now, or at least she thinks she is, Beth turns her head to flutter a kiss against Daryl's palm. Daryl smiles, not just a curve of his lips but a real, full smile that stretches his face and brightens his eyes. Beth feels her own face grow warm under the light of it.
He steps out of the shower and grabs two towels, bundling her up in one before patting himself dry. They're in a happy haze as they dry off and get dressed. Once they're dressed they brush their teeth. Their eyes catch from time to time, unable to keep their eyes off each other just as neither one if them can stop smiling.
Daryl grabs his bow and Beth's hand before unlocking the door.
They both freeze when they step out of the bathroom to find Rick sat on the bed waiting for them.
...
Rick stares, eyes darting from their damp hair to their linked fingers and widening like he can't believe what he's seeing.
Then Rick's gaze drops, zeroing in on where the fabric stretches just right, outlining Daryl's hard cock. He seems confounded by it, as though it shouldn't be there, grazing the front of Daryl's jeans.
Rick glances back up at Daryl's face, then clears his throat as gently as he can.
"So," Rick says. Daryl's hands twitch at his side as though wanting to bring them up. To defend himself, Beth realises. In the fight he expects to come. Rick huffs a laugh nervously, dragging a hand across his jaw. "People are concerned-"
"I'm eighteen, Officer. We ain't breakin' any laws."
They all seem shocked, Beth included, when Beth is the one to speak. All eyes fall on her and she feels her face grow hot under them.
"No, I guess not," Rick frowns, and she doesn't miss the way that his eyes flick to the front of Daryl's jeans again.
He sighs, leaning forward and scrubbing both hands across his face. He looks like he doesn't want to be there. And he's not the only one. Daryl is vibrating with anxiety. His mouth twitches as he chews furiously at his bottom lip, knuckles bone white against his trembling fists.
"I think y'all have bigger problems than me an' Daryl," Beth says.
Rick blinks and if she didn't know any better she'd say he looks a little impressed.
He nods, glancing at Daryl who doesn't look at him before swinging his eyes back to Beth.
"We do," He agrees, leaning forward and clasping his hands between his knees.
Rick stares at Beth for a long moment, steadfastly ignoring Daryl now, and Beth swallows, trying not to falter under the scrutiny of his intense blue gaze. She suddenly feels like she's under interrogation by Atlanta's finest.
"I know you found something back there," he says finally, "I think it's just going to take people some time to get used to... whatever this is."
Rick gestures between them and Daryl looks up then, following the motion.
"They better," Daryl mutters, finally looking Rick in the eye, chin up in challenge but gaze almost hopeful.
Rick nods and Beth lets out a breath she didn't realise she'd been holding, feeling Daryl's death grip on her fingers loosen.
