Ryker's Guide (Spicy)

Daryl's Milkshake

Meriwa

Meri fidgeted as she stole a fry off the appetizer platter she'd already ordered for D. She knew he should be there any minute, and she was growing increasingly nervous because she was going to finally try to speak with him about her sort of, maybe, slight attraction to him and his mate.

As if summoned by her, the bell over the diner door chimed, and quite a few people cut their eyes to D's toned, muscular form striding into the restaurant. Meri's breath caught when she saw him, all sweaty and flushed as if he'd been-

"Hey, Mer." He smiled before plopping down in the booth seat across from her and pulling off his hat, fanning himself with it for a moment before placing it on the seat next to him. "Man, it's hot out there. Oh, fries."

He grinned and grabbed a fry, shoving it into his mouth before unbuttoning the top few buttons on his shirt. Meri fought the urge to look at his now-exposed chest and ignored the flutter in her stomach. Why? She'd seen him nearly naked countless times while they were working jobs together before she'd died.

Why was this happening to her now?

"Hello! Are you even listening?"

"What?" She asked, Daryl's words finally drawing her out of whatever spell she'd been under.

D chuckled. "I said I almost got killed by a bull today."

Mer snorted and shook her head as she grabbed a chicken strip off the platter and nibbled on it before she saying, "I thought you gave that real cowboy shit up."

Daryl smirked, that mischievous glint that she loved so much entering her best friend's eyes as he held his index finger up to his lips conspiratorially. "Shhh. It's a secret."

She was about to say that she thought he wasn't keeping secrets from Ryke anymore when the server approached their booth to get their drink orders. They came here enough for the employees to know that after the food came the milkshakes. "Chocolate shake for the cowboy and strawberry shake for the lady like usual?"

Daryl grinned, flashing the older woman the near-debilitating smile of his before saying. "Of course. Chocolate is the best."

"I want mint chocolate chip this time." Meri piped up, speaking rapidly enough that D looked at her curiously.

For her part, the woman seemed not to notice as she smiled and nodded. "Sure thing. Chocolate for the cowboy and mint choc chip for the lady this time. Coming right up."

When the woman left them, Daryl gave Meriwa a confused look before asking, "You didn't want strawberry, mer?"

She frowned. "No, I didn't want strawberry! It's not bad to want to try different flavors sometimes! Carbry says that-" She paused then, suddenly realizing she'd snapped at him. She hadn't meant to, and the fact that she had snapped meant she needed to get ahold of herself. These nerves were getting the better of her.

D at least seemed unaffected by her outburst, and luckily the server returned with their shakes then, offering a much-needed diversion.

Once their treats were in front of them and the woman had left them alone again, D spoke, "I don't think I really need to get a different from normal flavor." Before she could react, he picked up a fry and leaned across the table to dip it into her milkshake. "I can just dip my fries into your shake whenever I want. That way I get a little taste of something else, but I keep my main milkshake."

Meriwa was shocked into silence, and she couldn't keep from licking her lips as she watched him shove the whipped cream-covered fry into his mouth then slowly clean a little bit of chocolate syrup from his fingers with his tongue. She scowled at herself. If she didn't keep it together, he was going to catch her staring.