Preacher's Daughter
Chapter Three: Dixon vs. Dixon
The sound of the tractor starting up fills my room, my bedroom window open halfway. The sudden feeling of something heavy across my waist causes me to look down to see Daryl's arm draped over me.
The memory of holding Daryl in my kitchen, him telling me that he loved me and the two of us sitting in my room just talking about his mother till we both fall asleep plays over in my mind.
Looking up into his beautiful face I watch as the sun casts an iridescence ray of light across his features, making him look more handsome than ever.
The need to relieve my bladder was more than urgent, but I didn't want to wake him, not after the night we both had.
Moving a strand of his shaggy bangs from his forehead, I fight the urge to kiss him, the burning need to just feel his lips on mine. Instead I just lay there, my bladder throbbing.
A loud rapping coming from the front door wakes my sleeping prince, his body bolting up in the bed. "Bobbie Jo?"
His sleepy tone makes me giggle, his hair spiking out in every direction.
I hop from the bed, rushing to the bathroom. As I close the door, I greet him good morning. "Morin sleepy head. Care to go get the front door?"
He bounds off the bed, stomping down the stairs. In the quietness of the house I can hear the conversation at the front door, Jack sounding very baffled.
"Morin ... Daryl? Uh ... Jeb and I were wonderin if B.J. needed anythang. Uh ... tell her were tilling the lower bottom today if she wants to stop by." The door closes without Daryl uttering a word.
Starting the shower water I go to the closet to get a pair of cutoff jean shorts and my favorite worn out gray concert t shirt. Pulling a pair of white cotton panties and gray bra out of my dresser I watch as Daryl's face turns slightly red upon seeing them in my hand.
"What's wrong Dixon? I swear for a man of 28 I would have throught you'd seen panties before." With my clothing in hand I head to the bathroom, leaving my sexy redneck gawking back at me.
I disrobe and step into the shower, the warm water washing off the grime from yesterday. The bathroom door opens slowly, Daryl walking in. "Bobbie Jo ... I think I'll head on back. Merle 'll be lookin for me."
With a wet hand I grab his wrist, pulling him towards the shower. "No you don't Dixon. You and me, we got some practin to do. I want to be near damn perfect with the crossbow before I get one of my own."
He shakes his head at me, his hands reaching in the shower to take my face. With the warm water dripping down over both of us he kisses me slowly and softly, his shirt getting soaked.
"I'll be back before noon, promise. I just gotta find Merle." He leaves me wet and wanting in the shower, my lips still needing more.
"Daryl!" I call out to him, reaching for my towel. Running down the stairs, wet and semi-naked, I reached him before he gets out the front door. Throwing my arms around his neck I kiss him long, hard and deep. I feel his hand rest on the small of my back, his crossbow in the other.
When I finally untangle my fingers from his hair, I release him from the kiss. With every inch of me on fire I lean forward for another only to have him push me away. His big blue eyes smile back at me, his hand still on my back. I wait for him to say something; do anything but leave me hanging.
"Meet me at our place around noon." His hand moves from my back to my cheek, brushing a wet red curls from my face.
Like some giddy schoolgirl I nod my head. When his hand slides from my face I feel a sudden emptiness, as if a part of me was missing.
I turn to run back up the stairs when I hear a whistle come from the front porch. Creeping up to the living room window I see Jeb standing between the screen door and front. "B.J., come here."
"I'm not descent Jeb Johnson … get out of here." I cross my arms over my chest, as if hiding my nudity.
"You are so wearing a towel and anyway I've already seen ya. Come here, please." I see my gray hoodie hanging from the back of my Dad's recliner and quickly pull it on over my towel.
Going to the door I see Jeb leaning up against the door, his smile half a mile wide. "What?"
Jeb gives me a sly smirk, his brown eyes staring me down. "What you do with your friend is your business, but I suggest if you don't want your Daddy killing him and locking you away, I'd take this little slumber party somewhere else."
"You're right … this ain't none of your business, but thanks anyway." I turn to go back in when an idea hits me full force. "Say Jeb, you wouldn't want to do me a favor would ya?"
He takes off his hat, scratching the top of his head. "Okay … I'm game."
The Georgia sun was powerful strong today, but I was determined to make my rough little cabin in the woods a place Daryl and I could actually stay. In its present condition it was a hunting shack at best, but after Jeb, Jack and I were done with it, I knew it would be someplace Daryl wouldn't mind calling home.
The guys finish tearing out the last of the rotten wood before they head to the truck to get the new boards. Jeb gives me his biggest smile as he smacks me in the ass with one of the 2 x 4's.
"Jeb!" I shout at him, my blue eyes narrowing.
"I was wondering, when you and Dixon aren't using this place, could I bring my girl up here?" He wipes the sweat from his forehead with his bandana.
Jack shakes his head, placing the boards on the cabin floor. I grab a bag of nails, walking over to the one brother I actually liked. "What do you think, Jack? Should I let Jeb use my cabin as a love shack?"
The elder Johnson rubs his chin, nodding his head. "Well, he is helping you fix it up so why not. But honestly Bobbie Jo, if Jeb is using it there won't be much love in this shack."
We both let out a hardy belly laugh when Jeb throws his sweaty bandana at me. "Funny… ha, ha."
"Daryl!" The sound of Merle Dixon shouting comes up from behind the cabin, Jack and Jeb running outside.
"He ain't here." Jack stands glaring back at Merle, hammer in hand.
Merle pushes past Jack, nearly knocking Jeb over as he enters the cabin. The brothers follow him in, Merle walking up to me, backing me against the wall. "Listen little girl, whatever fancy ideas you've been puttin in my baby brother's head all I know is, you and him … done. Am I clear?"
Jack reaches for Merle only to have him punch him square on the jaw. Jeb moves in to tackle him when I move between them. "I don't know what Daryl has done to piss you off, again. It seems to me Daryl is a grown ass man and he can do whatever he wants. For the very last time Merle Dixon … get the hell off my land."
Merle points his finger in my face, pushing it into my shoulder. "When you see Daryl tell him I want my bike back. If I don't get it back by tonight he will get a beatin like he ain't never had and you … well this little lover's cabin will burn to the ground."
I wave at Jack to stop, Jeb standing right against my back. Merle turns to walk away from me when I toss a bag of nails at him. They scatter all over the ground, some hitting Merle in the head. He flips back around, Jack clotheslining him to the floor. With the hammer held tight in his hand, Jack starts shouting at the older Dixon.
"Get the hell out of here, don't come near Bobbie Jo again and if this cabin does burn to the ground I'll make sure you're in it." Jack backs away from Merle, the surly Dixon flipping us the finger as he walks away.
"That one ain't nothin but trouble. Bobbie Jo, I think its best you don't have anythang to do with those Dixon's at all." I slap Jeb so hard my hand begins to throb, Jack wrapping his arms around me.
"Stop it, both of you." Jack lets me go, taking my hands in his. "B.J. I know there is good in Daryl or you wouldn't be around him, but that brother of his just invites trouble. I see now why your Daddy doesn't want you around them at all. I only say this cause you're like a sister to me. Sometimes you can't save them, let him go."
Walking out to the truck I take a hammer out of the tool box, place some nails in my pocket and go about hammering the new wood to the cabin floor. They stand there staring at me, Jeb rubbing his cheek.
A blaring silence falls through the woods, not even the birds make a sound. After the last board is nailed in place, the boys wait for me in the truck. I go over to the passenger door, closing it. "You guys go on back to the farm. I need to find Daryl."
Jeb rubs my arm, my handprint shining very red on his face. "I get it Bobbie Jo, you love him. Just be careful."
They pull away, leaving me to think. I set in the cabin waiting for Daryl when the sound of twigs snapping alerts me to someone outside. Reaching for the rifle behind the door, I slowly open the it.
A hand grabs the barrel of my gun, jerking it out of my grip. Daryl flings the door open, a pair of saddlebags over his shoulder. "Has Merle been here?"
I look up at him, my face going pale. From the tone of his voice and the way he was chewing his bottom lip I knew this wasn't good. "Yeah."
He takes my hand, dragging me out of the cabin. We walk till we reach the dirt road, Merle's bike parked by the white farm fence. Daryl jumps on the bike, throwing the saddlebags on the back. "Get on."
I do as he commands, the bike pulling out casting a rooster tail of dirt. "Where we goin and what the hell is goin on?"
He doesn't answer me as the late noon sun beams down on both of us. Placing my hand around his waist I lean against him, taking whatever I could from this moment. Inside I was scared to death, my pulse was racing, but on the outside I have my arms around Daryl and we are together.
We ride for what seems like hours when we pull up to empty warehouse. Daryl pushes the kickstand down, reaching for the saddlebags. "Stay here." His low growl makes me shiver, but I like it.
"Daryl, what's goin on? Please tell me." His hand caresses my face as his thumb brushing my cheekbone.
"I gotta get Merle out of some deep shit. Stay here, I'll be back." I watch him walk inside as tears well up in my eyes.