I don't quite know where this came from.

"Oh, God."

The words came out in a barely audible, trembling breath and Carol's fingers tightened around the slick, heaving muscle that was Daryl's back. Her thighs were splayed, knees clenched tight around his hips as he thrust inside of her and she felt as though each thrust would push her further into the cold, concrete floor.

It had been a hot day, the first real one of the summer and the air around them was thick and heavy. No-one seemed inclined to do much of anything, least of all anything that required any effort.

Carol had opted to go down to the now empty A block, to sort through some supplies. The sun hadn't hit the barred windows there and she thought it might've given her a little cool relief, if only for a while.

Daryl hissed in her ear as her fingers curled tighter, ragged nails biting into his already scarred flesh. But it had hardly been a deterrent, she noticed with pleasure, because he only pulled back, teasing her, she realised, before slamming back into her, sending her into another round of moans and sighs.

Her head lolled back against his jeans, bunched up in a heap under her head and his hand crept closer from resting on the floor to push the sweaty strands of curling hair off her forehead, a tender action that she had never expected from him.

But truthfully, she'd hardly expected them to ever come to this. It had been years in the making, really. They were coming up to having known each other for two years and whatever it was that had been brewing between them hadn't gotten more heated over their second winter together.

"I'm almost there." Carol practically grunted the words into Daryl's shoulder, the hand in her hair tightened and he twisted her head to gain access to her neck, sucked and nipped at her exposed skin.

There was subtle shift in his pace, his thrusts became slower, more purposeful, like every last one them meant something.

It had taken a long time to get like this, even longer, to have it be any good. The first time they had sex, Carol had been sharply reminded, that no matter how much you loved someone, it was never like it was in the movies. Someone either came too soon, or even worse, not at all. Sometimes they got interrupted and they were both left with itches that desperately needed scratching. Sometimes they just didn't find their rhythm.

But finally, they were there.

Daryl's mouth travelled up her neck, drew her lips in and kissed her deeply. She could feel her orgasm building, the wave of pleasure that began deep in her abdomen and travelled throughout the rest of her.

She slipped her hand down his back, gripped one ass cheek firmly and pushed him into her.

Daryl smirked against her mouth, sucked her lip in between her teeth. "Feelin' sassy today, huh?"

They both were. Quickly realised that they wouldn't get anything from their couplings if they didn't. There wasn't time for dancing around each other, being frightened of saying anything. It was easy, now. It had to be.

Their friendship had taken on that easy way, the way where they didn't need to worry about offending each other. Didn't panic if they said too much, or nothing at all. They could communicate in glances and touches.

So it hadn't taken them long to regain that hold on their friendship once they had added intimacy to the mix.

"You're holding out on me." She huffed out, gave the flesh of his ass a squeeze.

"What's the damn rush?" Daryl had practically come to a standstill, he held himself up with one hand, the tip of his dick just inside her slick folds.

"There's always a rush." Carol pushed herself off the concrete floor, her chest crashing up into his and pressed a kiss to the side of his mouth before pushing him off her, letting him roll beside her.

He let out a low rumble of laughter as she clambered onto top of him, with all the dignity of a newborn calf, shaking and stumbling but finally she managed to grip his length in her hand and guide it inside her.

The feel of him inside her, a tight, wet fit, it made her knees snap tight to his hips, her arms going rigid as she braced them on his stomach to grind against him. The laughter died on Daryl's lips, replaced with a low hiss and he thrust his hips up to meet her own movements.

It was the best of their times together, Carol already knew. She was inches from orgasm and judging by the way Daryl gripped onto the flesh at her waist, so was he.

There had been no awkwardness, no fumbling. Daryl had come looking for her and had been the first one to press for a kiss, to slide his hands under her clothes. He hadn't once hesitated to touch her, or mumble apologies for being what he deemed too rough.

"Fuck." The curse came from his lips lowly and one hand moved from her waist to cup her breast and his thumb rolled her nipple into a peak. When the swears started tumbling from his lips, Carol knew that was her signal. To get her own release before he did.

She pressed her hand over his on her chest, gave his fingers a squeeze before slipping them over her stomach, to fumble over her clit, press where she needed to get herself off and for Daryl to finally let go inside her.

And when she did climax, everything seemed to disappear, it was just her and him and total, utter bliss. Hot, white pleasure that started in her middle and exploded out into her limbs, forcing her to choke back a cry as she fell forward, face resting on his sternum.

He grunted, hips bouncing off the floor to embed himself deep in her one last time and Carol felt his heat as he came inside her, his arms holding her tight to his chest.

It took them a minute to collect themselves. To regain some breath in their lungs and to stop the blood pumping so furiously through their veins.

She exhaled against his neck, pushed herself up off the floor but Daryl kept his grip on her back.

"Ain't no rush." He muttered, running his fingers teasingly up her back to tug softly on the curls of hair at her neck. "Ain't no-one callin'."

She smiled into his skin, but pulled upwards anyway, failing to hide her pleasure as his hand fell to her thighs and rested there.

Who knew that they could ever get so comfortable that they could just sit there, naked, with his dick still twitching inside her and enjoy the peace of each other's company?

"How long do you suppose that will last? Pretty sure I am supposed to be on watch any minute now." She leant over, her breasts draping over Daryl's chest, still-hard nipples dragging over his and placed a kiss just below his ear, let her tongue run over his skin for a second.

And then she was up, hunting out something to clean themselves up with. He tugged his jeans over his hips, eyeing her appreciatively as she bent over to scoop up her bra.

"Hey." Daryl called out to her and tossed the twisted bundle of her underwear at her, one eyebrow raised when she didn't bother to pull them on, instead zipping up her pants and stuffing them into her pocket.

"What?" She shook her head and bit her lip coyly.

He didn't say anything, just ran his tongue over his bottom lip and picked up his crossbow.

"Doesn't seem much point anymore." She mumbled, but the defensive was half-hearted. She should've been embarrassed, she thought, but she couldn't work up the energy. But it was true. Besides, she knew faking some sort of prudence wouldn't wash with Daryl Dixon.

He waited for her at the door as she scooped up a basket of clothes, long forgotten. They were mostly things for the children, although there wasn't as much as there should've been. He held his red rag in his hand and as she met him at the doorway, he ran the thing over her face, rubbing away the sheen of sweat off her skin, the last evidence of their tryst. With the heat, she wasn't sure anyone would've even noticed, but she liked that he did it anyway.

Their footsteps matched in pace. The perfect rhythm.

But their peace barely made it to the end of the corridor before other voices could be heard. Daryl ran his fingers over the inside of her palm. The voices got louder and soon there were faces to match them.

He gave her a nod. The best she would get in front of others. The conversation demanded her attention and she felt him turn around, heading out in the opposite direction.

She clutched her basket tighter and smiled at them, swept along with discussions of sewing and mending as his footsteps quieted and disappeared.