A Modern Love

What Happened?

What Happened?

When they finally get to the ice cream stand, Daryl hunches down so Beth can get down. To support her, he holds her gently around her waist and from afar they look like a happy couple. Up close it's obvious that Beth is either embarrassed or overly infatuated by Daryl's naked chest and arm slung around her "claiming" her as his own.

"What can I get for you lovely couple?" The guy is wearing a paper hat and a red and white pin-striped apron. Beth goes to protest the thought of Daryl being a couple. "It's couple's Saturday so you get a free medium sized soft serve with the purchase of another medium soft serve."

"Well, I'll have death by chocolate, medium and... Honey what would you like?" Beth stares at Daryl with shocked eyes, until she realizes he's just into deals.

"I think I want a medium triple chocolate with sprinkles, Babe." She uses a cutesy voice she didn't know she had.

"Alright sweetheart." Daryl kisses the top of her head and the guy starts packing the ice cream into the cones. Beth is taken aback by the kiss. She didn't know why, but it felt...right. Beth hugs into his side for effect an the guy smiles at them, along with others. Girls gawk at how lucky Beth is to have such a hot guy on her hip and guys whistle and make nodding gestures of approval to Daryl. Was this what it is like to have a handsome guy with you, into you, for the most part, and be in public.

"That's $6.65, sir." Daryl places exact change on the counter and holds the ice cream. Beth tries to grab her cone, but Daryl puts a finger up.

"Open up." Beth doesn't understand. "Stick yer' tongue out." Beth does and he holds it up to let her lick it. She licks a small portion and then he tips it forward so some gets on her nose. She just stares at him with a huge grin on her face in disbelief. Then what really gets her heart fluttering is when Daryl leans forward and kisses it off of her. "Come sweetheart." He helps her hobble down a few benches before finding the perfect one that over looks the pond.

She's captivated by his nature. Rough and yet sweet and soft. Her nose still tingles from where he kissed the ice cream off. Was that all the show, or was he sincerely messing with her because he feels something for her? She wants answers, but doesn't know how to go about asking them. They rest and eat their ice cream with the occasional laugh or snicker at one another. He notices so much about her. The way her hair is slightly wavy was it dries, the curve of her body, and the fullness of her lips, suckling gently on the dairy treat without losing her wowing smile.

Daryl tries so hard to keep pace with her while eating his treat. He doesn't want to finish first and seem like a pig, but he doesn't want I eat to slow and seem like a lag. At one point Beth notices a small dribble of ice cream on her chest. Without fully thinking, she reaches over and scoops it up with her finger. He notices and looks at her. She holds it up to his mouth, waiting, wanting, hoping for him to catch on. He does. He takes her finger in his mouth and gets all of his ice cream off of it. He boldly leans over and kisses her cheek.

Could this really be happening to me? Why am I so calm with all of this? Is this what I want, a new open relationship with public displays of affection?

Beth's mind is racing with these thoughts. He is like a firecracker an she the dwindling fuse about to send it into the sky.

They finish their ice cream and he once again gives her a piggy back. They walk up the path to the baseball field, where Beth can see Carl's team winning by 4 and are in the last 5 minutes of the game. He stops by the bleachers and Michone can now see them, but keeps quiet, lending an ear to what they are saying and one eye to what was going on. He lets her down and she leans against the bleacher's support beam. He hovers gently over her with on arm above her right shoulder on another support beam.

"Thanks fer' bringin' me back. It would've taken me hours." She looks up at him, blushing and gazing into his eyes. Michone notices her friends higher tone and knows she's got something going on. Then she sees him. The guy from the hospital, who Beth was concerned about because of his "gentlemanly" nature. "And the ice cream, and everything else."

"No problem, Princess Peach. Had a good time, spite gettin' thrown in a pond and gettin' stitches." He smirks and his lips linger closer to her face.

"Sorry again...bout tha'." She fiddles with her bag, wanting him to kiss her again.

"Ain't no big thang. Glad I gotta see ya again."

"Let's hope it's not the last time." Beth looks up into his blue eyes and melts again. He is so gorgeous and all she wants to do is kiss him all over.

"Then whatcha say to me askin' you out for dinner this Friday night?"

"Sounds great. What time is good for you?"

"No. What time is good for you, Miss Save People." He leans closer and her breath catches in her throat.

"Umm, Can we do 7:30?"

"Sounds like a date." Finally he leans in an kisses her on the lips one last time before disappearing. The scoreboard rings to signal the end of the game and reality to Beth. The Cardinals won and Beth waits for everyone to leave and for Michone, Carl, and Rick to come to the Yukon.

"What happened?" Michone smirks At Beth, knowing more than she wanted to about the matter. She wanted this though for Beth. They pack up the car and Beth hashes out the story to them. Carl finds the whole, pond crash amusing, a and Rick teases about how they don't need ice cream now.

She knows that this Friday could change everything, and that's what Beth wants most.