A/N: This story is dedicated to my bestie Magenta's Nightmare who gave me the idea today while I was whining (As usual) about my lack of inspiration for my WIPs, Teenage Dirt Bag, and The Names Have Been Changed To Protect The Guilty. They are both outlined and ready to go, I just, I dunno needed a change. Sometimes banging out a one-shot helps to unstick a writer, so I asked her for an idea and boy did she deliver. She thought of the title and the OC's name and the rest is history. I LOVE YOU MAGENTA xoxoxoxoxoxox
The phone rang too early that morning and Daryl wasn't looking forward to starting the day. This day was going to be a doozy.
He answered the phone though because he knew who it was, he always answered his phone when his son called him. It didn't matter where or what he was doing, he answered when Travis called.
That morning he was hung over thanks to Merle and his efforts to get him drunk and or laid. The former happened, the latter did not, not from lack of opportunity, Daryl could have taken home any woman he wanted last night.
Usually, he got his fair share, when he wanted it.
He just didn't want it last night, a fact Merle could not understand at all. The divorce was two years ago and the marriage had been over long before that. Merle knew his brother was no saint. He didn't understand why Daryl was so picky, but, then again Merle had Lindsay now, he had been picky about who he settled down with too. Still, he wasn't trying to marry his brother off, just find him a female to bang.
Daryl insisted that he felt no spark with any of those women and he needed a spark.
He rolled over and pulled a pillow over his head to block the two bright sun and answered the phone.
"Hey Trav, what's up?"
"Just making sure you and Uncle Merle know what time." His son spoke through the phone.
"I know Trav, two O'clock, don't worry, we'll be there."
"You ain't gonna dip out on me are you?" Travis asked and really, Daryl was a little insulted. He'd never let the boy down once in all his twelve years.
"No I ain't gonna dip out on you," Daryl said reaching for a cigarette and lighting it.
"OK, Dad thanks, I don't know why she's making us do this."
"Because we're all a family, just cause your Mom and I aren't together doesn't mean we don't both want to be with you on holidays."
He and his ex Paige had a good relationship, they genuinely liked each other as people, as humans, as parents to their son, they had just been to young to be married. By the time they had realized it they had been moving in opposite directions for years.
The divorce was painless, for everyone involved.
"Thanks, Dad," Travis replied.
/
Merle and Lindsay pulled up to the small house that Daryl was renovating and living in since Paige threw him out and waved at Daryl, who was on the porch smoking. Soon he was climbing in the back seat of the ford truck that Merle drove and leaning over the seat to kiss Lindsay on the cheek.
"Hey Sis," He said to Lindsay and she greeted him in kind.
Merle pulled out and wasted no time in asking Daryl yet again why they were going to Thanksgiving Dinner at his ex-wife's house. Travis usually spent half a day with each parent on holidays and they shared parenting time equally during the week.
They didn't usually eat dinner together or anything like that, and certainly not Thanksgiving dinner. There was a first time for everything though, as the saying goes.
Being friends was what was best for Travis and so, that's what Daryl and Paige did. They both loved their son, just not each other, but this was new. In a way it was weird to Daryl to be going to the house he used to live in because now he was a guest and another man lived there.
It had always been Paige's house really, it was big and fancy and not at all like his little house that he loved so much now. It was as if he hadn't lived there for ten years at all. It was funny how frequently that happened after a divorce, the places you lived and people you once loved faded over the years.
"Tell me again why we're all doing this?" Merle said, pulling him from his thoughts.
"Merle!" Lindsay said squeezing her husband's hand, "I thought you weren't going to hassle him after last night?" Lindsay had been out with them the night before and had in fact been stone cold sober since she was the designated driver. She witnessed Merle buying shot after shot for his brother and trying to get him interested in one of the barflies at the dive they were at.
Merle just kept saying that Daryl was too picky, over and over again.
Daryl wasn't a barfly guy and neither was Merle anymore. Lindsay had changed all of that the day Merle walked into the ER where she was the nurse on that day. He had needed ten stitches that day and he took it like a man because she was the prettiest thing he had ever seen.
Merle went back a week later to have the stitches she put in removed by her and asked her for coffee. The rest was history, and they had been married three years now.
"Just wanna have it all clear in my head cause it sounds like a clusterfuck," Merle continued.
"She's getting married at Christmas, wants us to meet her new man," Daryl said as he lit a cigarette.
"Paige?" Lindsay asked, "I didn't know she was marrying anyone, isn't this kind of sudden?"
Daryl shrugged, he didn't really care what his ex did, that ship
"This is fuckin weird brother, I don't..."
"Hell yeah it is, but it's important for Travis, apparently this guy James has a kid too who's going to be there too, with his mother."
"Jesus," Lindsay murmured looking back at Daryl.
"What's this prick like, whats Travis think?" Merle continued.
"He's a suit, just like she always wanted, Trav said he's OK; and his kid is OK. Apparently, he's eleven, follows him around like a puppy dog."
"I'm sure Travis loves that shit."
"He said it's cool, the kid likes video games so you know where they're gonna be."
"Yup, I do," Merle said as they turned down Paige's street, she lived only five blocks from Daryl, which was by design, Daryl had wanted to be close by for his son, so he bought a house near Paige's house, his old house.
"Well more power to her right," Merle said and Daryl agreed, "But God help that poor guy, Paige ain't easy to deal with," He continued and Daryl agreed with that too.
/
They pulled up in front of the huge Mc Mansion type house that Paige had demanded when she and Daryl were married and there were four cars there. The rose-colored Jaguar, which Daryl knew was hers, a black Mercedes sedan, which Travis had told him belonged to the next husband.
The other Jaguar belonged to her friends Shelby and Todd from work, he remembered them; but the red jeep had him baffled. It stood out like a sore thumb, like the old truck they were all pulling up in.
Who drove the lifted jeep?
"Which one of these doesn't belong?" Lindsay said as they pulled up and the three of them looked at the cars in the driveway, all knowing that Paige wouldn't be caught dead in a jeep or a pickup truck.
"This is gonna be weirder than I thought," Merle said with a laugh.
/
Elisa Harper sat at the kitchen island feeling just a little bit out of place in this huge glorious house, but this was good for Michael and he was her world. She and Michael's father James had been divorced since he was four, and they co-parented him together with no animosity.
This wasn't the first holiday they had spent together and Paige wasn't even the first girlfriend she had spent time with, this was nothing new to her. She wanted to like Paige, she really did, especially if she would be her son's stepmother, but they were just very different.
Paige had on a showy outfit with fancy shoes and gold jewelry and Elisa had just worn a plain green dress and boots; she didn't realize this was a dress up occasion. She was more of a casual person, wore little jewelry and makeup, and she stuck out like a sore thumb among this crowd.
Elisa always had been a little different, a fact that had bothered James all through their short marriage, they were another mismatched couple that made a wonderful child. Elisa felt like Paige and James were a good match, they were very alike and that was key to any relationship.
Her son would spend half his time with them, she had a vested interest in this, the only interest that mattered to her.
In an effort to make small talk she asked Paige to tell her about the necklace she was wearing to kill some time.
Paige was pleasant to her as they talked and the afternoon seemed like it would be uneventful; Elisa thought nothing could take her by surprise until a beautiful man walked in the door.
Introductions were made and she shook the hand of Travis's Aunt and Uncle and then the father of Travis, a child she had just met ten minutes ago, Daryl. The boy looked just like him, with blue eyes and dark hair.
As she made eye contact to say hello and eyed the rest of him without being too obvious, she knew that Paige was the stupidest woman to ever walk this earth and not just because she was with James.
/
When she stood to shake his hand, Daryl noted she was a foot shorter than him and her brown hair fell in waves down her back. The pretty green dress she wore set off her green eyes perfectly and they were bright and dancing as she looked at him. She also had on a slamming pair of leather boots and for a second he imagined them around his waist.
Although it seemed that he might indeed be picky when someone came along that peaked his interest he was right there one hundred percent.
Spark.
He held her hand just a minute too long and made burning eye contact but she didn't seem to mind at all. He repeated her name after they were introduced, a trick he used on himself to remember people's names, and he wanted to remember her name.
"Nice to meet you, Elisa," He said with a grin and she smiled back, her name sounded so good to her when it was coming from his lips.
Eliza was glad to see someone in jeans and a flannel shirt too, because she had been feeling woefully underdressed, and he wore it so well.
She tried not to be rude, but the blue button-down shirt hung on his lean, hard body obscenely and she felt all the neurons in her brain fire at once.
Merle leaned over and whispered into Lindsay's ear that it was getting hot in here and she swatted him away with a smile, "Shhh Merle."
/
Paige's parents arrived soon after that and there was a flurry of activity as Travis and Michael appeared to say hello. Both boys talked with their parents for a little while and Travis hugged his grandparents before heading back upstairs to play video games again.
Elisa had watched them play their game for a bit upstairs before Merle, Lindsay and Daryl had arrived. Travis was a very sweet and articulate boy and she liked him already. He would be a good influence on Michael, this marriage, in her opinion was going to be a good thing.
She liked Paige so far and she liked Travis, she thought she would like Travis's father as well.
The adults all went to sit in the living room, where Paige had snacks set out. James shook hands with Merle and Daryl and there was none of that awkward BS between them. They weren't going out for beers together anytime soon but they could hold a conversation alright.
"Smells awesome honey," Paige's father remarked as he started a conversation with Merle and Daryl about his 65 Mustang that needed some work. Merle and Daryl still worked on his cars, and the old man still considered them friends.
They enjoyed him and his sense of humor as well and always had, they were a family.
/
His eyes kept track of her as she moved around the room that afternoon. He watched how she interacted with her child and how she and offered to help Paige bring out drinks for everyone. She was a good person, she loved her son; he could tell. This was another check in his column of what caused the spark.
Once in a while, he felt her eyes on him, or maybe it was his imagination. He wasn't anything special that a woman like her would want to look at. She was lovely and sweet, with a smile for everyone and an infectious laugh that he wanted to hear again and again.
If she was looking, he was going with it as far as he could take it.
"Hey Elisa darlin," Merle piped up as James handed him a beer and sat down on the love seat next to Paige, "That your jeep out there?"
"Yes," Elisa replied.
"You ever take it off road?" Merle asked.
Elisa nodded, "Not as often as I'd like to though."
"That's a sweet ride, ain't it brother?" Merle said and elbowed Daryl as Lindsay rolled her eyes beside him.
/
The table was set beautifully as if it was on a magazine cover and Paige was going on with her mother about the theme of her décor for the holiday as Merle, Lindsay and Daryl headed out to the garage to join Paige's father big Al for a smoke.
After a few minutes of empty conversation, Elisa grabbed her purse, excused herself and followed them outside leaving Paige and James, Shelby, Todd and her mother to talk about the theme, which was decorative gourds. They were everywhere, inside the house and out, gourds as far as the eye could see.
Elisa didn't do themes, she was lucky if she could match her tablecloth to her placemats half the time. A theme holiday was way out of her wheelhouse.
"Mind if I join," She said pulling out a cigarette which Daryl immediately lit for her, "I just can't talk about the gourds."
The group groaned and she immediately felt bad about what she had said, but no one batted an eye when she corrected herself and Daryl, who she was finding more attractive by the minute let out a huge laugh that was like music to her ears.
"Hey, someone had to say it," Big Al laughed, "She's out of control, just like her mother."
"Ya think," Merle laughed.
"Paige is a'right," Daryl replied with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth that was so sexy to her, "Just goes overboard sometimes is all."
"And that Daryl is why Sheila and I will always love you, even though you could, you never say a bad word about my daughter." Big Al praised.
Elisa felt her shoulders relax as she took a deep drag of her cigarette and joined in the conversation about Big Al's car. Elisa's father had been a mechanic, and she was known to crawl under a car when she needed to, a fact that both Merle and Daryl did not let go unnoticed when she said it.
Every once in a while she would look over at him or he at her, something was definitely going on.
Merle raised his eyebrows at Daryl in the "She's fucking hot" way and Daryl just shook his head, letting him know he needed to drop it.
But the thing was, she was fucking hot, not just her looks but her personality too.
/
Daryl hadn't made an excuse to talk to a woman since high school and that woman had been Paige. She had been a young girl then in jeans and a t-shirt, swearing she would love him the rest of her life. That was short lived when she decided a man with dirt under his nails wasn't for her.
Something told him that Elisa was his type though, not afraid to get her hands dirty or go mudding in her jeep and he decided that getting to know her better was in his best interest.
When Elisa turned from the refrigerator he was there and she was startled, and not for the first time that day.
He was startling, just by virtue of his existence and she was hooked. They had a few conversations throughout the day and hung out with the kids a little. Daryl made her laugh, she loved to laugh. There was something between them and they both knew it by the time dinner was served.
"Hey, want to sneak out for another smoke before this show gets on the road?" He asked.
Elisa nodded and smiled that smile again, the one that made her eyes dance and somehow he knew that smile was just for him.
/
Daryl lit her cigarette for her as they sat opposite each other on cases of water in the garage. He looked around at the neat rows of shelves that were there now, as opposed to the controlled chaos that used to exist when he and Paige lived there.
"This garage is too clean," He said with a laugh.
"James isn't really a garage kind of guy," Elisa said with a wry smile.
"I figured, but he's alright," Daryl mused.
"He is and Paige too," Elisa answered and took a drag of her cigarette.
It was quiet for a moment.
"What do you do Daryl," She asked, wanting to know more about him.
"Merle and I own a garage in town, do a lot of repair work and stuff."
"He's a riot," She said with a smile.
"Yeah," Daryl leaned back and stretched his legs out, "Try growing up with him, I'm surprised he's not out here looking for me already."
"Give him time," She laughed.
"So what do you do Elisa?"
"I own a tea shop on Main Street," She said proudly.
"The one with the tables outside, Herb?"
She nodded, "Yes."
He grinned at her, and she knew what he was thinking.
"We sell loose tea and diffusers," She continued.
"Sure ya do," He flirted and she smiled bringing her face closer to his.
"You should stop by sometime," She said, feeling goosebumps break out all over her skin, "I'll make you a special blend..."
She let her voice trail off because he was so close to her now.
"I might just do that," He licked his lips, "If I had the right incentive..."
He was close enough to kiss her and she wanted him to. He had been putting out an obvious sexual interest vibe all day and it was irresistible. She was going to let him kiss her.
The door to the house suddenly burst open and they moved apart like two teenagers caught by a parent. Merle was in the doorway with a snicker.
"Hate to break up this little private party you two got going on here but the bird is on the table,"
/
The dinner was excellent, Paige had always been a great cook and Merle didn't mind having her special turkey stuffing, it had been a while since he'd broken bread with her. She always put sausage in her stuffing and Merle actually made his that way now too, since Paige hadn't been cooking for them on holidays as of late.
The conversation was pleasant and although they were two different groups of people, who had changed greatly over the years the day was nice. This was the reality of things now, Paige and Daryl had been growing apart for years, as she moved up the corporate ladder and realized she wanted more than what he had to offer.
James was too buttoned up to appreciate Elisa's quirky personality, and it was what it was. For the sake of the two boys who were the center of this day, they needed to all get along.
By the time dessert came Lindsay took notice that Daryl had a funny look on his face, and was slamming back coffee like it was his day job but she thought nothing of it at the time.
/
Elisa had done something bold and later, when she thought about it, she couldn't believe she'd done it. She couldn't help it really, the more time she spent in his company the bolder she felt. She'd dated plenty since her divorce, but chemistry like this?
She hadn't felt that in ages, if ever at all. She had all but given up on sex and that was OK, she had a son to raise, but she was lonely.
He felt her boot against his leg as Merle passed the mashed potatoes and at first he thought it was an accident. It was no accident when it happened again as he tried to scoop the potatoes onto his plate and he felt it move up his thigh towards his dick.
Daryl fixed his eyes on Elisa's sitting opposite him with a smoldering gaze that told her it was on. He felt her boot graze over the bulge that was forming in his pants and never took his eyes from hers.
Merle would be glad to know someone had finally charmed him, although Daryl had no intention of Merle ever finding out what his intentions towards Elisa were.
The eye fucking and boot rubbing continued on and off throughout dinner and by the time dessert was served Daryl was ready to explode.
/
Luckily Travis dragged him upstairs to watch him play CoD after dessert, which gave him a chance to calm down but later, in the back hallway off the kitchen he bumped into Elisa coming out of the bathroom. For a moment they stared at each other, then both of them looked around to make sure they were alone before his mouth crashed down onto hers and he backed her into the wall.
His body pinned her and his hands rested on her hips as he pushed his tongue into her mouth in the dirtiest kiss she had ever had. Her hands went to his hair and she dug her fingers in as he fucked her mouth with his tongue until she was moaning out loud.
When he stopped kissing her his hands came up to cup her face as he spoke to her, "We doin this or what?"
She nodded and that was all the encouragement he needed, his dick was rock hard already and he needed relief, so he took her by the hand.
"Come on," He said as he led her towards a door at the end of the hallway, far away from the kids upstairs and from where the rest of their respective families were sitting and talking after dessert had been served. They wouldn't be missed right away, eventually though someone would come looking for them.
Merle would notice if they were gone at the same time for more than five minutes, he would come looking just to be a ball buster.
"Where are we going?" She asked in a hushed tone as he opened the door and switched on a light.
"Basement bathroom, far away from everyone; OK with you?"
"Sure," She replied as he led her down the stairs, "But how do you know it's there?"
"I used to live here." He replied with a laugh and she laughed too, of course, that was why he knew his way around the place.
/
After he locked the door Daryl pushed her up against the sink in an almost primal way, they didn't have time for small talk or pretty words but he kissed her again with a passion that swept Elisa off her feet.
"I want you so bad baby," He whispered into her ear as he pressed against her and slid his hands over her ass, "You want me?"
"Yes," She answered trying to catch her breath, but he was everywhere. The room was small and he was consuming her with his lips and body, "I've been imagining this all day, all fucking day."
"Fuck," He groaned, "Me too."
He slid his hands down over her thighs and sucked down her neck to her collarbone and in one swift movement he lifted her up onto the pedestal sink. He could see his reflection in the mirror behind her and grinned to himself; he and Merle had built this bathroom, at the time he had grumbled about doing it but he was a grateful man right now.
The finished basement that Paige had haunted and haunted him about and busted his balls until he and Merle built it for her was his new best friend. Daryl had never had this good a time in this basement before; the irony was hilarious if you thought about it.
His eyes were hungry as he looked at her and Elisa submitted to his will completely if she was going to fuck a stranger, she was going to FUCK a stranger. She leaned back against the mirror and let him get a good look at her as she slid her boot along the back of his thigh.
Daryl reached back and touched the top of her boot and ran his hand over her leg.
They stared at each other for a second, then two before both of his hands went to her bare thighs and pulled her closer until she was against his dick. Elisa felt the hair stand up on her neck and her hands went to the buttons on her dress to swiftly unbuttoned it.
"Lemme see you," He brought his hands to the top of her dress and slid his thumbs over the Lacy bra she wore, "You're fuckin beautiful."
Daryl pulled her dress aside to get to her breasts and she wrapped her legs around his waist. His hand made contact with the soft flesh of her chest under her dress and then his lips were on her left nipple as his other hand palmed the right.
There was no time to waste but he had the moves necessary to make this good for both of them.
Elisa was falling apart already and trying to be silent when she felt his hand against her panties right where she needed it.
"Oh, God you're so wet," He moaned against her neck and worked his fingers against the silky material. They were in a hurry but he was a gentleman after all and wanted to get her off.
"All for you," She breathed out clinging to him as she felt her body start to tingle from head to toe; she let the feeling wash over her and repeated the words, "All for you."
"Goddam right all for me," He growled and pulled her black lace panties off of her and shoved them in his back pocket, then let his fingers go to work on her until she was out of breath and saying his name over and over again.
It was like a drug to him and he was higher than he had ever been before.
"All for you," She whined as he brought her all the way to the top of the mountain.
"Come on baby," He moaned against her ear, "Cum for me, I need you to cum for me."
"Oh God," She squeaked, "Oh God Daryl."
"Come on..."
Then she was falling over the edge and weightless at his touch as her body lit up from head to toe. It seemed to go on forever and took all her breath away.
"Good girl..." He said wiping her hair out of her face, they were both covered in sweat now, his kisses tasted salty on her lips and she needed more, so much more.
Elisa grabbed him by the waist of his pants and pulled him rough against her then her hands were on the button of his jeans as she frantically tried to release him from the denim constraints. Finally, they worked his pants down and he teased her, rubbing against her clit until she was almost ready to beg him, "You ready?"
"Yes," She squeaked out fast and then he was inside her.
"Ohfuckyes," Spilled from his lips in a rush and he fucked her with all that he had. She met him thrust for thrust in a way that told him she was a woman who enjoyed sex and he knew he wasn't going to last long.
He spread her legs apart and pulled them up and wide so he could watch where their bodies were connected, and moaned at the sight and the feeling of her tight heat around him.
She was warm and wet and he wanted her harder and harder. He filled her completely and Elisa ran her hands over his chest and pulled him closer to her.
"Give me everything you've got," She panted, "All of it."
"I will baby," He breathed out, "I will."
He slowed down and rolled his hips against hers and grinned as she sighed out loud, then he pushed into her harder and harder as he was about to let go.
Elisa pulled her legs tighter around his waist and crossed her ankles behind his back and it sent him over the edge. The orgasm overtook him even as the sink collapsed from the weight of the two of them. Daryl thought quickly and grabbed her tighter under her thighs to keep her from falling when the sink went down on one side.
She trembled in his arms and to his utter shock he was trembling too, something that didn't happen that often to him. He held her tight and after a while, they both started laughing quietly, he kissed her again and slowly let her down until she was standing again.
"That's what I'm talkin about," He said wrapping her up in a hug, not ready to let her go yet.
"Mmmm Hmmm," She replied and hugged him back, his strong arms enveloped her as she lay her head on his chest, content and spent, love drunk.
/
"Daryl, you're a great fuck, I don't get it why did Paige ever divorce you?" Elisa asked a few minutes later as she buttoned up her dress so they could go back to the party one at a time and act like nothing happened.
She had been joking, trying to break any awkward tension he might feel, but he answered her anyway, and he wasn't tense with her either.
"She didn't, I divorced her," He said pulling his pants up and zipping them, "She cheated and I just..."
Elisa started to laugh again and he looked at her quizzically.
"What's so funny?"
"He cheated on me too." She said and laughed harder, "And we broke their sink." She roared and then he was full on laughing with her.
"Hey Elisa," He said as he reached for the doorknob, "You wanna get dinner sometime?"
She knew he meant it, and that he wasn't just being nice, then she smiled a smile that made her green eyes light up, just for him, "Sure," She replied, "I'd like that."
Elisa held out her hand and he looked at her, with a smirk knowing full well what she wanted. But he made no move to give her anything.
"My panties?" She said with a quirk of her brow.
He shook his head, "I don't think so."
He expected a fight but she waited for a beat and then shrugged.
"Fine, then." She replied and then she was out the door.
Daryl caught sight of himself in the mirror as he followed her out and he was smiling.
/
"I know you fucked her, I don't know where, probably down in the basement, but I fuckin know it. Why won't you just admit it." Merle insisted as they drove home that night, "You was both circling each other like vultures on roadkill all day long; we all saw it."
Merle kept going on and on as they drove but Daryl kept his mouth shut and smoked his cigarette which aggravated Merle to no end.
"She looks all dainty and sweet but I bet she's a firecracker in the sack ain't she?" Merle wasn't above trying to bait or trick the truth out of Daryl, it had worked when they were kids, but not so much now, "Neither one of you is fooling anyone, ya'll looked guilty as fuck."
Still, Daryl didn't answer and Merle just huffed, "You think you're slick little brother but you ain't as slick as me, you remember that. Don't think I didn't notice the two of you went missing a few times and once for almost half an hour. You noticed it too Linds, don't even try and deny it woman."
"Hey, leave me out of this," She said with a laugh.
"Whatever brother," Merle acquiesced, "Whatever."
When they were almost to his house Lindsay glanced into the rearview mirror and when Merle wasn't looking, Daryl, winked at her and she winked back. Then all of their cell phones beeped as a group text came through and when Merle read it he cackled his signature Merle cackle.
"Well, ain't that somethin," He laughed.
"What?" Daryl huffed and Merle laughed even harder because he had his answer.
"Somebody busted Paige's bathroom sink,"