A/N Hey you guys! Thanks so much for reading along, for the follows and the favors. I appreciate you all.
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The First Date
He showed up just a bit early, there was no way he was keeping that pretty little farm girl waiting. Part of his plan was to show her what a good man he was. He figured a good man showed up on time. As he stepped out of his pickup he took a quick look around. The place looked just like he'd imagined it might. It was big, what you'd call sprawling, old fashioned and oh man it was quiet out there.
He looked up just in time to see her peek out the upstairs window and it made him smile. She must be in her bedroom, he'd like to be there with her. But for now he'd settle for her being every bit as anxious for this evening to begin as he was.
He was anticipating there could be some kind of trouble with her folks. Hell, why wouldn't there be? Aside from the fact that she was barely eighteen and he was pushing thirty, a man had to ask himself, what Daddy in his right mind wants a man like Merle Dixon coming for their daughter? So when Hershel Greene asked him, "I wonder if we could have a quick word in my office," he wasn't surprised. But shit, he hadn't even seen her yet. Maybe they had her locked up in that room.
He was prepared for the worst. He knew his family had a reputation and whether these folks knew him or not they'd surely heard stories about him and his family. He was pleasantly surprised when it was just reasonable Daddy-type stuff. "I want you to be aware that Beth's mother and I have our concerns. Beth hasn't been one to date, and well you're quite a bit older and I'm sure you have experience with women. All I can do is ask you to respect her and remember that she is young and she is innocent in the ways of men, and she's precious to us."
Merle was a polished bullshitter and he had no problem at all coming up with the appropriate response. "I understand that sir an I plan ta treat your daughter with the care n respect she deserves." Suddenly it struck him, shocked him a little really because he realized then, somewhere deep in the recesses of his mind and heart, he meant what he said.
When he and her Daddy came out of the office her Mama called up the stairs, "Bethie, your young man is here." He had the urge to turn and go right then. "Bethie?" That even sounded too pure. "Young man?" Who were these people?
But then she came walking down the stairs and he knew he wasn't going anywhere. All he could do was smile and tip his head to her, and she gave him that sweet shy smile right back.
She was wearing a dress and there wasn't one thing sexy about it. It was cotton, pale blue in color with little pink and yellow flowers on it. It had a high round collar and was fitted at the waist then flared out in a full skirt that hit even with her knees. She had a little white sweater draped across her shoulders, just the top button was buttoned. Yep, there wasn't one thing sexy-looking about it, it was quite prim really. He'd never felt so turned on by the look of a woman.
Maybe it was the hair, the way it hung down in soft curls that looked like they could spin out of control if a man were to run his fingers through them. Or maybe it was the big blue eyes that seemed to speak to her innocence, or it could be the shy smile. Or it could just be her. She radiated some kind of sweetness and all he knew for sure was he wanted to taste that sweetness. Wanted it in a real bad way.
He could see she was nervous and he already knew how shy she was, he simply said, "Ya look real pretty Beth. Ya ready ta go have a little sumthin' ta eat?"
She looked at him with those eyes, those damn eyes might just be the death of him, and she simply answered, "Yes, thank you." Quickly casting those killer eyes down.
He stepped it up with the folks, "It was real nice meetin' y'all, I won't keep her out too late and I'll take good care."
For Beth's part, well she nearly fainted when she walked down those stairs and saw him standing there, waiting for her. He looked so big and so rough and so perfect. His broad face and bright blue eyes, and that great big smile. And there was the body, the broad shoulders and the muscular build. Everything about him was appealing to her, she didn't really understand why and she didn't really care.
She just felt it, for some reason all of it combined to make her feel oddly comfortable in his presence, like nothing could ever go wrong if Merle Dixon was around. But that wasn't all of it, not at all. He also made her feel warm all over. She'd never wanted a man to touch her, but she thought maybe she'd like to have Merle Dixon touch her.
He didn't usually open doors for women or help them in a vehicle but she was different. He did those things for her. He wanted to. And watching her get her small self up in that truck, well it was just more sweetness. On their way into town he kept glancing over at her, she sat straight up with her delicate looking hands folded in her lap. Such a proper lady and everything about that proper lady seemed to get him going.
He knew, he knew like he knew his own name, she was not at all the woman for him. This was way too much sweetness, way too much innocence, she was way too young. But he didn't give a fuck, she was the woman he wanted and he didn't think he could ever change that truth.
Within just a few minutes of being with her his mindset had gone from thinking she was just some young pretty woman he'd play with and break in real slow, have all manner of fun with and then leave her be. To being the woman he knew he'd never want to lose, never want to give up, that he'd kill any other man who tried to get close to her. And shit, he barely knew her. It didn't seem to matter.
This whole deal had pleasure and pain written all over it, and a freight train couldn't stop Merle Dixon from pursuing it.
He didn't eat out a lot himself. Just occasionally he and little brother had a meal out together. He sure as hell didn't take women out for meals, he took women out for drinks. But she wasn't just any woman and she was too young for bars.
There was a nice little Italian joint in town and he'd made a reservation there. Now he thought he should check with her, make sure she'd like that, "Beth, I thought if ya like that sorta thing we'd go for Italian. Is that alright, ya like that food?"
She seemed to be wringing her hands and her voice sounded almost apologetic. "I think I do. The only Italian food I've ever had is Mama's spaghetti. Oh wait, and pizza. Sometimes my sister Maggie and I go have pizza. And I've watched lots of those cooking shows where they make Italian food. It looks very good."
Shit, he thought, she really didn't get around much. "Well how 'bout we give it a try an if we don't like it we ain't ever gotta go again."
"That sounds very nice to me. Thank you, Merle." It was the first time he heard her speak his name and he was surprised by the little thrill it gave him.
The place was dark. Dark tables, black leather seating, dim lighting. It was perfect. She slid in the booth and he slid in next to her. "Whatcha need ta drink Honey? Coke? Sweet tea?"
She turned a little pink and acted nervous again, "Don't be shy now, I want ya ta have what ya like. What would that be?"
"Do you think they have lemonade?"
"I got no idea but I'll sure find out."
Lemonade, yeah, he should be a standup guy and just leave her be. That's what he should do, but he wasn't going to. When the waiter came he ordered her the lemonade and himself a bourbon rocks, he was having some kind of little case of the nerves his own self and the bourbon was a good relaxant.
Things were definitely a lot easier when a man and a woman went out drinking, both knowing already exactly how the evening would end. He had no idea how this evening would end except that he was pretty sure there wouldn't even be a goodnight kiss, much less any bouncing around in bed.
He took a quick look at the menu and decided right away on the lasagna. She studied it like she was trying to memorize it. "Whaddya think Honey?" He found that he couldn't help himself, he had to touch her even if it was just innocent. He let his finger lightly run along the back of her hand. When she made no protest, when she just shyly smiled at him with those flushed cheeks, he kept doing what he was doing.
"I don't know Merle, there's so many choices. What do you think?"
Just because she was young that didn't mean he was going to treat her like a kid, or like someone who didn't have their own likes and dislikes. That wasn't at all the kind of relationship he was craving with her. "Well I think ya oughta have what ya like, whaddya hungry for?"
She turned an even brighter pink before saying, "I think I'd like that pasta primavera." That would be one of the last things he'd ever order, a bunch of vegetables, but somehow it seemed just right for her.
He smiled, softly squeezing her hand while he did, "Sounds real good."
He knew if there was going to be conversation it was going to fall on him to get it started and to keep it going. "So ya been workin' there at the bakery a long time, ain't ya?"
"Yes, I guess so, just over two years now. I always notice when you come in the store." She didn't look at him when she said it, but she didn't have to. How could he have missed it? This sweet little gal had been interested in him for as long as he'd been interested in her?
"Well I ain't ever in there that I don't notice you. You're the best lookin' treat they got in that bakery." He smiled broadly at her while she looked like her face was on fire. He quickly asked, "So ya like that kinda work pretty good do ya?"
And that's when Merle Dixon saw Beth Greene suddenly come to life. She was animated and her voice had a level of excitement, "Oh yes, I love it so much. I love baking, I always have. What I really like though is when I get to decorate the baked goods, make them look even more special. It just makes me feel happy."
"Well ain't that nice. I always do notice that, when you're decoratin' cakes or cupcakes an whatnot, ya always got a big smile on your face. So I guess you're plannin' on stayin' there at the grocery, huh?"
"Well I am for now. Someday I'd like to be a real pastry chef. It's been a dream of mine for a long time, but it's very expensive to get the education. I'm not really a trained baker. Mama taught me everything I know, and I've experimented with recipes and things. I just don't know that I'm ready yet. I've been putting almost all my money back though. I'm saving to maybe go to Baking and Pastry school."
"They got schools for that stuff?"
"Oh yes. Well there are all sorts of culinary schools and you can specialize in different areas, but I'm really only interested in pastries and baking."
"Culinary, huh. I guess it's obvious I don't know nuthin' about it, but yeah, it sounds like fun if you're into all that. I bet you'd be real good at it too. I notice they keep ya where they actually do the work and not at the counter."
She smiled, he was so nice, so complimentary. She thought she ought to be the same, "Well I guess I know what you do, do you like your work? I've watched you at it and I always think it's a good thing you're so strong."
It was flattering coming from her. He wondered if she really gave a shit, but she must, she didn't seem phony. "I do like it fine, it gets me out an about. But I'm going ta night school a couple nights a week."
"Oh really, what are you studying Merle?"
"Logistics. I'd like ta get outta the truck drivin' and delivery part of the business someday and move into the logistics side, ya know, like how much ta order, how much ta send here and there, what days ta go ta different locations, the best freight means and timin', warehousin' all that kind a stuff."
"That sounds complicated."
"Well I guess it kinda is but I think I got a pretty good feel for it an I kinda like the challenge of it. An the truth is, I don't wanna be 50 and still luggin' around cases a beer and coke."
"You're very smart to plan ahead that way. As far as my planning goes gosh, I've never gotten past the point of just wishing I could save enough for culinary school."
"Well ya got plenty a time ta plan." He didn't mention that she probably didn't need to worry, he'd be more than happy to take care of her and every one of her needs. At this point he already knew, he was into her.
She didn't eat much, that's how it seemed to him, but then she didn't look much like a girl that ate much. He'd never been with someone so tiny, not even when he was a teenager. He still thought he ought to ask her though, maybe she was just shy about it, "Ya sure ya had enough ta eat Beth?"
"Well I promise I won't waste it, I'll take it home and eat it for lunch tomorrow. It's just that, well I was saving room for the best part, dessert."
He fought the urge to throw his arm around her and start laughing out loud, but yeah that would really embarrass her, so he kept it together and simply said, "I ain't worried about ya wastin' it Honey. And I think that's some good thinkin'. Ya see there? Ya are a planner."
She had her dessert and he had a coffee while he watched her enjoy it. He thought only little kids got that excited about sweets, and he tried to shut it out of his mind when he remembered, shit she was a kid.
He asked her if she'd like to take a little walk after dinner and she smiled and said she would. He was getting the hang of this dating thing and as long as it was her he was dating, he was liking it real well.
He kept an open palm on her low back as they walked by the now closed shops looking in the windows and just making idle conversation. It amazed him he wasn't going out of his mind with boredom. But he wasn't, not at all. He was liking this with her.
She was pretty sure this was the most perfect night of her life. He was so nice, such a gentleman. She loved the way he made her feel like an adult, and the way he seemed so interested in her. He wanted to know what she thought about things, and he worried if she'd had enough to eat. And he just smiled when she said she didn't want to finish her meal, that she'd rather have dessert. Of course, it didn't hurt at all that he was so handsome. Now it had a face for her, she knew what sexy looked like. It looked like Merle Dixon.
As much as he never wanted to take her home he also felt like he had a little something to prove to her folks, that he could be trusted, that he was a man of his word. He said he'd have her home early and he would.
As he opened the pickup door he held his hand out to her. She took it and he helped her up, but she didn't get up in the cab. She stopped and stood with both feet on the running board as she turned to him. He didn't think he'd ever been more stunned by anything than when she laid her pretty little hands on his shoulders, bent down and kissed his cheek, "Thank you so much Merle, I had such a nice time tonight."
He could see she'd made herself blush and for him that just added to his desire. His big rough hands went right up, but they were gentle as they engulfed her small face. He pulled her into him kissing her hard and with a passion even an innocent young woman couldn't mistake.
As much as he would have liked to have her right then and there, he used every bit of self-restraint he could muster and pulled away. "Sorry, I just couldn't seem ta help myself Honey."
Her face was crimson and she was breathless when she told him, "I liked it Merle."
He knew it, ah did he ever know it. He'd lost the battle, he'd lose the war. Shit he didn't even think he'd fight it. This sweet and tiny wisp of a woman had him thoroughly and completely whooped. And he didn't even mind her owning him. Not one bit.
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A/N Well gee, it appears Merle is all kinds of twitterpatted and Beth seems to be right there with him. This is not exactly how he expected it to all go, but it appears he's ready to just roll with it. We'll see how that works out. I thank you so much for reading along and please leave a review / comment. There's a chapter photo on my tumblr blogs gneebee and bethylmethbrick, please check that out. I hope to see you all back here next Thursday for more of The Sacrifice. Until then remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee
