Was that a good gasp or a bad one? It's ambiguous enough that he errs on the side of trusting that she'd stop him if she wanted to, so he doesn't stop, though he doesn't try it again. Partly, too, that's just positioning, it's not worth trying to snake his hand back up. Maybe he's moving a little fast. It's hard to gauge, when they've gone about everything as backwards as they have. Hard for him because what they do have going-- what they've had for a while, what's been building since Atlanta, that unspoken affection-- matters so much more than anything physical. Even Daryl, who is not exactly the king of confidence, is pretty sure he could've gotten laid here in Teleios if that was all he was looking for, but he isn't. Hasn't been for longer than he likes to admit, honestly, because even before the dead he was tired of one night stands and meaningless fucks. Whatever this is, it's not about sex; or, it's not just about sex; and maybe it's a little bit about proving to himself that he doesn't actually want what his body was pretty damn sure it wanted in the road earlier; but mostly, he thinks, it's just about closeness, about trying to sort out what she wants because he'd settle for anything she'd give him.

He makes a low, little noise as she cards her fingers through his hair. It's undignified and he'll probably deny it ever happened if necessary, but yeah, he's more than okay with that. She doesn't have to kiss him to get away with it, even, because he trusts her as fully as she trusts him; he can let himself like being touched, trusting affection not to have an ulterior motive.

If she hadn't just relaxed against him he might have broken this off, uncertain and awkward of where to go next though he can't deny he's pleased, but with the way she's pressed against him... he relaxes, too, unaware he'd still been tense to begin with, giving in, inexpert but passionate, like he's sure this is what both of them want.