Chapter 16

He wanted to trace each and every single one of the freckles on her face.

They have been lying down on the bed, foreheads pressed together, naked ever since they had finished their shower. The mere thought of that time together brought a smile to his face.

Daryl stopped denying himself and softly moved his hand from Carol's shoulder up to her face.

He had never felt as close to another human being as he felt with her, it was beyond what he had ever thought sex would feel like. And to be honest, it wasn't even that… yet. She had made him feel the kind of intimacy, the kind of love and caring he had only ever imagined in his deepest dreams.

She made him feel safe, she made him laugh when he felt at his most vulnerable… she made him feel like it was okay to allow himself to feel for once.

"You're so beautiful." He felt as Carol grinned beneath his fingers, his gentle touch absentmindedly tracing her freckles from her nose to her cheekbone and back. Carol giggled softly and moved to kiss the tip of his nose, nuzzling against him while still chuckling as he made a face at that. "I'm not joking," he grumbled.

"And you're so cute," she murmured as she bit his lower lip, dragging a moan out of him as her hand moved to grab one of his buttcheeks and pulled him closer to her.

"You're a menace, woman."

"And you better never forget that." Daryl shuddered in her arms as she growled the words, just before she caught his mouth in a deep kiss.

He could feel himself stirring finally after he had busted a nut faster than a teenager would have. Carol made him feel so many things he had never felt before, from the feelings deep in his chest to those she stirred lower in his body that no one had ever done before.

Daryl was at loss as to what to do. He allowed her to stir the shit, so to speak, as she pushed him onto his back, climbing on top of him.

The look of utter adoration in Daryl's eyes as he looked up at her, made her heart clench for a second. She had never imagined she would ever have someone looking at her the way Daryl was looking up at her.

"Stop."

Daryl frowned, a half smile on his face as he moved his hands to rest at Carol's hips, watching as she looked away from him, one hand covering her red face. "Now you're getting shy on me? Now?"

He could see her shoulders shaking with repressed laughed, as she covered her face with both hands now.

"After all you've put me through, woman? You're killing me here!" Like most things when it came to her, he couldn't imagine he could be this person, a teasing and fun- loving person while in bed with the woman he loved. Not until her.

"Now you're getting shy? Pffttttt please." Softly he grabbed her wrist, pulling her hands away from her face.

The smile she gave him was the brightest he had ever seen in her life, not even her tears could make it less grandiose.

"Shit, I'm sorry," Daryl said as he pushed himself up, one of his hands moving to her back, the other tenderly cradling the side of her head. "I'm sorry, sweetheart."

"You beautiful man," Carol said as she chuckled, taking his hand in hers and kissing the back of it. "These are tears of happiness." She sighed. "I love you so much."

"I love you too." Daryl was still frowning slightly when she moved to capture his mouth in a long drawn out kiss. Her hips softly moving against him, feeling as his cock started to stir under her.

"I don't know what I'm doing here," Carol confessed anxiously against his lips as she moved back a little.

Daryl huffed, dropping himself back on the pillows, looking up at her before starting to chuckle. "Want to know the God to honest truth?"

Carol smiled, her daunty hands running up and down his chest, frowning a little as she saw him look away from her to the ceiling; just before he took a deep breath before meeting her eyes once again.

"I have no fucking idea what I'm doing either."

"You've never had a girl be on top?" Daryl couldn't help but chuckle, wishing he hadn't let her convince him to cut his hair. It was a lot easier when he could hide behind it.

"I've never had a girl, period."

He knew she wouldn't laugh at him, but he wouldn't deny there wasn't a certain nervousness in the pit of his stomach as he waited for her reaction. He didn't give a shit about how many men she had slept with before him, he just wanted it to be good for her.

He knew whatever was meant to happen was going to be good for him. Just being like this with her, was better than anything he had ever had in his life.

"Never?"

Daryl just shook his head in answer. The smile, the genuine grin on her face was not exactly what he was expecting, although he didn't really know what he'd been expecting.

"Just want you to tell me what to do so I don't fuck up," Daryl mumbled running his hands up and down her sides, loving the feeling of her soft skin under his rough hands.

"You would never." Daryl felt his eyes sting with tears of his own as Carol leaned forward to kiss him sweetly, her hands caressing his cheeks, his hair, whenever they were able to touch. "I'm honored that you want to do this, with me."

"It's only ever been you."

"Stop saying all these sweet things," Carol mock-scolded him as she wiped another lone tear from her cheek. "I want this to be perfect for you, having a blubbering mess of a woman won't get us close to that."

"It's you, it's already perfect."

"Stop."

"That's my line, sweetheart." Carol shook her head as she slowly laid herself over him, her lips kissing his cheek softly before she started to move down to his jaw.

Daryl's hands clenched involuntarily as Carol nibbled his neck, his cock stirring beneath her ass as her teeth sank gently into his neck. He didn't even try to keep himself quiet this time around; he had felt how she had reacted at his noises, and he wanted nothing more than to give her everything she'd ever wanted.

And if that included him getting over his embarrassment for once, well he was going to do that.

His hips bucked when Carol reached his nipples on her way down, and he could see from her smile she was enjoying his reactions greatly. He was getting hard fast, and he couldn't help but bite his lip as he felt her wet center rub against his hard cock.

"Carol."

Her name on his lips sounded like a prayer. It sounded like the last words from a dying man. It sounded like what she imagined heaven would sound like.

She knew he was not going to last, her mate was easy to rile up and easy to finish. He would get there in time, but it didn't really matter right now. What mattered to her was to make him feel loved, to have him as close as humanly possible; to show him just how much he was loved.

Carol skimmed her nose against this abdomen, giggling when he suddenly sucked it in, shaking with repressed laughter.

"Are you ticklish?"

Daryl tried to hide the laughter bubbling up, but at the look on her face and her hand skimming over his side, he just couldn't any longer.

Carol grinned as she heard his laughter escape his lips. He was thrashing a little as she continued to tickle his side, trying to push her hands away as she pushed it under his armpit. They both knew he could throw her off him easily, but they also both knew he would never do that.

He would never consciously hurt her.

Daryl finally seemed to have enough, rolling them so he was lying between her legs on top of her. Carol smiled as she felt his weight on her. The sensation, that once had been constricting with her former husband, now only made her feel safe. It made her feel loved.

"Are you happy to see me, or is that a gun in your pocket?"

Daryl could barely catch himself before he dropped his full weight on Carol as he tried to control his laughter. The fact that she was wiggling her eyebrows under him was not helping at all.

"Stop."

Carol grinned, moving her uninjured arm to drape itself over his shoulders, her hand grasping the hair on the back of his head. "Who's stealing whose line now?"

Daryl smiled before he caught Carol's lips in a kiss. The hand tangled in his hair tightened and he couldn't help but pump his hips at the sensation, dragging a moan from deep within Carol as his hips moved against hers.

"I'm not going to last," Daryl mumbled against Carol's cheek, leaving open-mouthed kisses as he moved to her neck. "I'm sorry."

Carol just pulled harder at his hair, moaning as he moved against where she needed him the most.

"Carol?" He needed her reassurance, he wanted it to be good for her and he was terrified of fucking things up between them. That was probably the one thing which had kept him from coming all over himself once again.

Carol ceased her movements as she heard the underlying fear in the way he murmured her name. He needed to be stirred to, he needed her to guide him home. But if there was something he didn't need to feel right then, right now with her, it was fear.

"It's alright," Carol gasped against Daryl's chin as she wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him closer. "I want you so much."

"Carol."

Her name on his lips always made her heart skip a beat, and it was no different this time around. It was something he didn't do often to her face, and every single time he did, it was like a small gift just for her. This time around, it was like nothing before. It was full of want, of need. Of love.

"Do I just push in?"

His voice was rough, with the strain she knew it cost him to keep from coming all over himself even before it actually started. But the question was too precious, it was so Daryl that Carol couldn't help it.

She started giggling. It started like a light chuckle, which just kept growing until she was full on laughing as Daryl looked down at her with a frown on his face. She could see the moment he realized what he had said exactly when he squinted his eyes, his mouth a firm line before pushing himself off of her and dropping to her side.

"Fuck off. I know where it goes in," Daryl growled, frown still creasing his brow, but Carol could see the corner of his mouth starting to rise slightly as she started to calm down. "Don't be an ass, I meant do we needed protection?"

They were on their sides once again, and Carol raised her hand to trace the lines on his face as she let out a chuckle once in awhile. "No worries about that, had my tubes tied after Sophia."

"Oh."

"Did I kill the mood?" Carol said, chuckling before moving so their fronts were pressed as close together as they were able to be. "I take it I didn't," she added as she felt his hard cock slide against her lower abdomen.

"Shut up," Daryl said chuckling as he burrowed his face against her neck.

Carol laughed as she moved her leg over one of Daryl's, moaning when they felt his cock slide against her.

"I'm not going to last long," Daryl whispered against her ear as she felt the head of his cock against her entrance.

"Who said I will?"

-.-.-.

He hadn't lasted long that first time. But neither had she. All it had taken for both of them was to feel him coming inside of her to tilt her over her own edge.

He had lasted just a little longer the second time around a few hours later.

It had been barely midnight when they had both been woken up by their hungry stomachs and a trip to the kitchen had been needed.

Daryl never thought his life had the slight possibility of becoming this perfect dream he was living at the moment. That perfect image of having his woman wearing only his shirt and panties, while he lounged in sleep pants and an undershirt as they both cooked a midnight snack.

He never thought he would get a woman who understood him, a woman who loved him, a woman who venerated every inch of his body during their round two until he could barely think straight. And then in turn who had taught him how to take her there, how to show her his love.

But that had been at midnight. And his internal clock said right then was closer to dawn.

He was naked in their bed, with just a light sheet barely covering his lower body. Carol's arm around his waist as she slept plastered against his back.

Something had woken him, something which made the hairs in his arms stand. They weren't alone.

Daryl's body tensed.

The lights turned on.

"Son of a bitch!"

Daryl looked as the form which had turned on the lights drop at once, while Carol continued to curse like a sailor as she clutched her injured shoulder tightly.

"What the fuck happened?" Daryl asked, his voice gruff as he quickly got off the bed, his gun still in his hand as he went to see who had dared to enter their room uninvited.

Jesus was clutching at his head, blood flowing through his fingers, as he groaned in pain.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing here?"

The growl in Daryl's voice, bare-assed naked as he pointed his gun at Jesus should not have made Carol that hot. Even less while the pain in her shoulder was still killing her. But well, that was life.

"Glenn sent me to get you guys!" Jesus' voice was a good octave higher as he pressed his hand against his wound, his eyes looking everywhere but at Daryl's naked form. He could feel himself flush as his eyes started to drift before he made himself look at Carol instead.

"Don't look at her! You asshole!"

"Daryl!"

All it took was for Carol to say his name, for him to stop taking the small threatening steps he hadn't even noticed he had begun taking towards Jesus, who was still sitting on the floor looking worse for wear.

"He said Glenn sent him, you can calm down Pookie." Daryl glared at Jesus one last time, before glancing back at Carol quickly who was looking a little pale but otherwise fine, before huffing and moving to grab the sheet and try to wrap it around his waist.

He pulled at it, but Carol had been faster than him and had grabbed it tight. With a sheepish look Daryl moved to sit on the bed, his back away from Jesus while he used the sheet to cover himself.

"I'm not going to apologize for throwing my clock at your head," Carol stated, looking at Jesus as he sat at the foot of their bed. "But why are you here?"

"We just got back, Rick wants to talk to everyone and Glenn told me to wake you up." Jesus grumbled as he looked at the hand he had been using to push against his wound. "You got me good."

Carol smiled softly at the wonder in his voice, trying not to laugh when Daryl loudly cleared his throat.

"And on that note, the meeting is in five at the church."

"Fucking ninja asshat," Daryl grumbled as the two of them watched Jesus leave the room without looking back. They waited until they heard their front door closing, before Carol bursted into laughter.

"Oh My God."

Daryl was still glaring at the empty doorway, before his eyes turned to the woman at his side. She was laughing hard enough that she had to clutch her stomach, tears running down her face.

"Poor Jesus! That must have been terrifying!"

"Poor Jesus?" Daryl asked as he shook his head, starting to look for some of his clothing in the dresser. "The asshole deserved that and more, walking in like he owned the place."

"Daryl." He hadn't even realized she had moved until he felt her slender arm wrap itself around his waist from behind. The feel of her soft chest, against his back, made him stir, but he knew there wasn't time. Their perfect night had ended and they were back to the real world. "Glenn set him up, he knew either you would kick his ass or I would."

"Fucking Glenn," Daryl grumbled, turning so he could pull Carol properly into his arms.

"Do you know what this means?" Carola asked him up, a small tender smile on her face that he couldn't help but mirror.

"Payback?" Daryl asked, his small smile slowly turning into a grin.

"Payback."