A/N Hello Bethyl Lovers! This fiction will be a collection of short stories, Little Love Stories, featuring Daryl and Beth. Each story is different, some with a bit of humor, some more serious, but all will be about love between Daryl and Beth. This first chapter is actually a chapter from a multi-lead fic I arote titled The King County Auction, which includes chapters featuring Rick and Merle. All the stories posted here will be Bethyl only. I appreciate you following along. Happy Reading!

The Auction

Merle and his dumbass ideas. But he was just as big a dumbass as Merle because shit, he was following that redneck asshole around just doin' whatever Merle said they'd be doin' that day.

It was Saturday and they oughta be out fishin' but no, Merle had decided he wanted to check out the action at the fair. "The fair Merle? What the fuck? Since when do Dixons hang out at the fair? Whaddya gonna do try ta win me a stuffed animal?"

"Aw now little brother don't be that way. We'll go check out them healthy, wholesome farm girls. I never had me a girl like that. I might wanna give one of 'em a little spin. An I'm sure there's gonna be a beer garden or folks wouldn't even bother ta go."

"Merle you simple minded piece a shit, what healthy, wholesome farm girl is gonna want anythin' ta do with a redneck asshole like you?"

Well the first big disappointment was when yep, no beer garden. Merle said, "No big deals here little brother, I got a bottle in the saddlebag. I'ma just walk back over where we parked an I'll get us a little sumthin' ta take the edge off. Ya just wait here an relax an enjoy the scenery."

Uh huh, classic Merle. Daryl just stood around watching little kids drop ice cream cones, and people power down all manner of deep fried delights. The chocolate covered bacon didn't look half bad. But where the fuck was Merle? Shit he could have walked to the Bikes and back 10 times by now.

And then sure enough here he came with his arm around some hot little mama of a farm gal, and she appeared to be thinking Merle Dixon was the ticket. What the hell was it these women saw in Merle, were they all just completely nuts?

Merle finally sort of looked over to where he was standing there so Daryl raised his arm up high so his brother would see him. And Merle did and he and the gal came walking over there and Merle said, "Hey little brother this here is Sonia Belle, me an her we're gonna head on over ta Charley's Place an have us a few beers. You have fun at the fair now."

Well son of a bitch. That damn Merle. Yeah, now he was off to have a big time with this Sonia Belle gal and Daryl was left standing in the dirt.

Well that's when he found out that when he raised his arm to get his brother's attention, damn if he didn't win an auction. Shit, what did he buy, a pig or a cow or something?

Not exactly. The auctioneer called him up to the small stage. How fucking embarrassing could this get? And then he'd found out he had the winning bid on a pretty little blond. Since when were they just auctioning off women? And the big question was, now that he'd bought one what the hell was he gonna do with her?

What he knew about women he could write on the head of a pin, in block letters.

It turned out her name was Beth Greene and this was some kind of fundraiser for the 4-H. She was the local coordinator or some such thing.

And damn, yeah she really was pretty, and healthy and wholesome looking and he figured he was probably her and her Daddy's worst kind of nightmare.

Well he certainly didn't look like the kind of guy she ever even expected to see at the fair, much less the one who would bid on her in the auction. He looked about 30, he had scruffy facial growth and he could really use a haircut. But oh my did he have beautiful blue eyes. Okay, he was just plain handsome there was no getting around that. But she'd bet all the money in the world he was no farm boy.

"Um, so what the hell exactly did I buy here miss?"

"You mean you have the winning bid and no idea what you bought?"

"Well yeah, it just kinda happened n all."

She couldn't help it, a little laugh came out of her then. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't laugh but that's kind of funny. I'm Beth by the way, and you're Daryl, is that right?"

"Yeah, Daryl Dixon." Fuck what was he supposed to do now?

She looked down at a little index card and read the rules, "You bid to take me on a date tonight. No extra 'benefits' of course, that is definitely not part of the deal, you get that right?"

"Extra benefits? Like what? No, I don't get it."

"You know, like fooling around or something, none of that." She felt the blush come up in her cheeks, but dang if she didn't see color come up in his face too.

"Oh yeah well no, uh I hadn't thought nuthin' like that."

For a strong, rough looking kind of guy he sure was awkward. "So Daryl Dixon, where is it we're going on our date?"

"Shit I got no idea do ya wanna go drink beers or sumthin'? Are ya even old enough ta drink beers?"

"Well yes, I'm 21 but you know it's supposed to be like a date. Something more like dinner and a movie, or dinner and dancing. That type of date."

"Oh, sorry I ain't ever been on a date I got no idea what ta do."

"You're kidding me, what are you, like 30?"

"Yeah, kinda like 30, I'm 31. And no, I ain't ever been on a date. I know some chicks, I mean women, that hang out down at Charley's Place an such as that, but they ain't the kind a gals a guy takes on a date."

"Oh, um, I see. Well if you don't want to do this we don't have to, but I don't think they'll give you your money back."

"Nah, I'll do it, ain't got nuthin' else ta do, ya just gotta tell me what ta do."

She laughed again. "You certainly are the romantic type aren't you Mister Dixon."

"Ya makin' fun a me now? Cuz believe me girl I already know I'm a dumbass. Ya shouldn't laugh at dumbasses it ain't nice." But then he kind of smiled so she knew he wasn't really mad.

"You're right and I'm sorry. I'll tell you what, I'll write my address down, you pick me up at 6:30 and we'll go somewhere casual for dinner. I'll think of a place, how's that?"

He looked at the paper. "Yeah okay I'll be there at 6:30 an I ain't gonna be all pushy 'bout them benefits an stuff. I ain't that way." Damn she was so pretty and sweet. Definitely the kind of girl who wouldn't give him the time of day. But shit, what was he gonna do now? He didn't even know exactly what was expected of him. Well hopefully she'd tell him.

Oh my God he was funny and handsome, and oh man was he built. And he was just about as smooth as a porcupine. She had a feeling this might turn out to be the most interesting date of her life. Not that she was any kind of big dater but the few she'd been on were mostly boring.

He thought he should probably shower up and try to find a shirt he hadn't ripped the shit outta one way or another. He'd never realized how limited his wardrobe was. Oh well, she'd seen him she probably figured he wasn't the stylish type.

Oh shit and he should probably bring a helmet for her. She didn't look like the kind of girl that had a helmet lying around the house. Luckily he still had his old one. He'd use that an she could wear the new one. Yeah, his helmet ought to fit her just right. pft

When he got close to her place he panicked, flowers, was he supposed to bring flowers? Yeah probably. So he went in the market there and he bought some that looked pretty.

He was nervous and he was feeling mighty glad he'd put his deodorant on twice. He almost chickened out, his finger was kind of hovering over that buzzer, but he didn't want to be a complete asshole and just not show up. And anyway she'd probably give him the bum's rush as soon as he paid for dinner.

She'd gotten home and had her shower, kept her make-up light and was trying to decide what to wear. She couldn't imagine Daryl Dixon was the kind of man who was showing up in a tie. Yeah, extra casual was probably her best bet.

She went with skinny jeans rolled up to mid-calf, boots and a yellow blouse. She was as ready as she'd ever be, and she was a little surprised that she felt kind of excited to be going out with this man.

When the doorbell rang she felt those butterflies in her tummy take flight. That was another surprise.

She was so touched when she opened the door and he was standing there with a bouquet of flowers. How sweet, she'd never had a guy show up for a date with flowers. She thought that only happened in movies and books.

"How thoughtful Daryl, thank you very much. Come in for a minute while I put these in water."

"Yeah, sure okay." Yep smooth.

"Do you like Italian food Daryl?"

He shrugged kind of nervously. "Um yeah, I guess. I ain't real picky 'bout what I eat."

"Well there's a nice little Italian restaurant not too far from here, Gino's, have you been there?"

"Nah but if ya like it then we should go there cuz I got no fuckin' idea where ta take ya. Ooops, sorry, didn't mean ta cuss, uh I'm sorry."

"Okay, don't worry about it. When we get in the car I'll tell you how to get there."

"Well I ain't got the car. I mean I don't have a car. I got a pickup, maybe I shoulda brought that but I didn't even think about it. I rode my bike."

"You rode your bicycle?" She was confused by that.

And that would be the first time she heard Daryl Dixon laugh. "Nah I ain't rode a bicycle since I's a kid, I mean my motorcycle."

That's when he panicked for what seemed the 100th time that day, "Ya ever been on a bike before, I mean a motorcycle?"

"Well no but gosh, it sounds fun."

He put the helmet on her and her poor little head practically disappeared. The he got on the bike, told her how ta get on and then he said, "Hang on tight."

"Hang on to what?"

"Hang onto me." And she could tell he was embarrassed because everything that wasn't covered up by his shirt or his helmet turned red, but heck she felt like her own face was on fire, so whatever. "Ya know, like around my waist is what I'm sayin'."

When they got off the bike at Ginos' she was all hyped up. "That was so fun and so exhilarating. I just loved it."

He didn't know for sure why that made him so crazy happy, but it sure did. "Well after we eat maybe ya wanna ride around s'more."

"Definitely!"

The restaurant was small, old school Italian and not too fancy. He seemed relieved. The host showed them to a booth in the corner, and asked, "Wine?"

She could tell her date didn't know what to do then, so she jumped to the rescue, "How about a couple of glasses of your house Chianti. Does that sound good Daryl?"

"Yeah, yeah perfect. Sounds good." Was it possible she was falling for this guy? There was just not one phony or put on thing about him. He was trying so hard and he was so sweet.

They got their wine and she asked him, "So Daryl exactly what happened today at the fair, why did you bid on the date if you weren't even sure what it was all about."

He hemmed and hawed for just a minute, but Daryl Dixon was a truthful man and he told her how it had all come about. He thought she'd get up and walk out on him but instead she started laughing. Hard. "That is the best story I have ever heard. Here I thought you wanted to go out with me."

"Well once it happened then yeah, I did wanna go out with ya. I ain't exactly the guy girls like you go for so I know you'd a never wanted ta have nuthin' ta do with me any other way."

"Oh I don't know about that Mister Dixon. You're handsome, thoughtful – why you're the first man to ever bring me flowers, and you're possibly the most charming person I've ever met."

"Charmin'? Me? Damn girl I been called all kinda shit in my life but never charmin'."

The highlight of the evening so far may have come when their dinner arrived. She'd ordered a cup of minestrone and a Caprese salad, he on the other hand ordered spaghetti and meatballs with extra bread. After all he was a man with a man's appetite. But she had never seen anything quite like the way this man ate.

It was almost like he shoveled it in, in the biggest bites she'd ever seen anyone put in their mouth. And then he'd picked up his glass of wine, took a big drink and swished it around in his mouth. It's not polite to stare, but she couldn't help but watch.

"Sumthin' wrong? Did I do sumthin' wrong?"

Uh Oh. "No not at all, I was just going to ask you how the spaghetti is here, I've never ordered it." Phew.

"Seems real good ta me but I ain't Italian or nuthin', but yeah, I like it, wanna taste of it?"

"Oh no thank you, you eat it I have plenty."

"Don't seem like plenty ta me, seems like a snack ya have before ya eat yer real dinner. You should order sumthin' more."

Yes he was definitely the nicest man she'd ever been out with, a true diamond in the rough. They hadn't even finished their dinner but she was already worried he might be a little too shy and awkward to ask her for another date. She was going to just go for it.

"So what is you like to do for fun Daryl?"

"Fish. Hunt. Camp. And ride my bike, that's mostly it."

"I love to fish maybe you'd like to take me fishing tomorrow."

Well fuck me, she wants to go out again. Damn never saw that coming. "Well yeah we can. Ya got a pole n stuff or ya need me ta bring everythin'?"

"I'm afraid I don't have anything. Would it be too much trouble?"

"Nah don't ya worry I got everythin'. But I usually like ta start early is that okay?"

"Sure, I grew up on the farm I'm used to getting up early."

They rode around on that bike after dinner and she couldn't help but hold onto him just a little tighter than was probably necessary, and she couldn't resist laying her head on his back. He didn't ask her not too.

There was no denying her arms around him felt better than anythin' he could ever remember, but when she laid her head on his back, man. He was thinking he was already in deep with this girl, and she must like him too, otherwise why did she want to see him again? And to go fishing? He didn't think women cared much for that stuff. Only problem was she might smell a little too pretty to be a fisherman.

He picked her up at 6:00 the next morning and she had coffees for both of them, and damn it was good. Pretty, smells pretty, sweet as sugar and knows how to make a damn fine cup of coffee. He still couldn't figure out what she'd want with a dumbass like him, but he wasn't gonna question it any more.

It appeared she had been fishing before, but she had a little trouble with the knot tying and baiting the hook and he didn't mind helping her. In fact he'd help her do just about any damn thing she wanted to be helped with.

They were sitting there on the bank together, a whole lot closer to each other than a couple of fisherman usually sat. That's when she looked at him and said, "You know what I think Daryl Dixon."

"No I'm sure I ain't got a clue, whaddya think?"

And it was a good damn thing he was sitting because she smiled and said, "I think it's about high time you quit being so darn shy and just kissed me. I don't think I can wait much longer."

And her cheeks were pink and she was smiling so pretty at him and he'd wanted to kiss her since he first laid eyes on her, damn! He couldn't believe it but he sure as shit wasn't in the mood to argue about it or ask questions. He set that fishing pole down, took hers and set it down, and then he did like she told him to.

And after they'd been kissing for a while, and neither one had any kind of complaint about that, she smiled at him again. "You're going to fall in love with me Daryl Dixon and we're going to get married and live in a little cabin in the woods. We'll have two point five kids, a little boy, a little girl and a dog named Lucky."

"Sounds just right ta me. Now hush up and kiss me some more."

A/N I think we'd all better go to the County Fair this summer! Thanks so much for reading and please review / comment and follow! In our next story Beth will be winning quite the contest. I hope to see you back for that.

To see the chapter photo please visit my tumblr blog bethylmethbrick and please consider checking out my newest Bethyl multi chapter story, Love's Highway thank you all x gneebee