"I didn't even see it coming at all!" Beth spills the ending of her day with Dean as she sits on her cozy couch just like she does every single Wednesday night. "And he was just so sweet. He kissed me and it was… I don't know, just…"

"Oh Jesus," Lou says and Beth can hear her roll her eyes from Ohio.

"Stop it!" Beth says. "Lou, this shit doesn't ever happen to me. I'm not the girl that gets the hot guy."

"Because you're a fucking wallflower," Lou points out. "You never put yourself out there. Beth, you're gorgeous and you're, like, the nicest person I've ever met. Don't play this game."

"It's not a game, Louise. It's life," she points out. "It's my track record."

"Fuck your track record. You're the catch here, dumbass. He's the lucky one."

"You say that because you haven't seen him yet," Beth shakes her head. "He's beyond hot. I mean, makes my teeth sweat kind of hot."

"I shall repeat myself then… pictures or he isn't real!"

"Just think Brad Pitt but hotter and that should do it."

"Bull fucking shit you lying bitch! Do not tarnish the Pitt," Lou immediately yells, making Beth pull the phone away from her ear. "And that's just not even possible."

"It is," Beth assures her. "Actually…"

She gets an idea. She opens her laptop and starts a Google search.

"Actually what?"

"Give me one second."

She types in 'Dean Winchester real estate Lawrence' and easily the website for Stephen's Realty Group comes up with a link to the realtor's page.

"I got him," Beth announces and opens the page. There it is. A company picture of Dean looks right back at her. He has a blazer on as is protocol and the picture is quite dorky, as is also protocol, but it's definitely him, charming smile, bright green eyes and all.

"You got him?" Lou asks.

"Yep," Beth returns with, copying the link and pasting it into an email to her best friend. She presses send. "Check your email."

"Aw, I have to get up?" Lou complains.

"Hey! You're the one that wanted to see the guy."

"Fine!" Lou says stubbornly, making Beth smile. She knew her best friend would get up for her, even though she's notoriously lazy once work is over.

Beth listens to her move around and grab her iPad.

"He's in real estate?" Lou asks when she reads the link.

"I took a wild guess," Beth admits, having easily pieced it together.

"Oh my God!" Lou shouts into the phone. "No!"

"I take it you opened the page."

"Yes! Holy hot men, this guy is not a real person!"

"He's real," Beth smirks, looking down at his picture also. Her heart pumps a little faster when she does. "And the crazy part is that he's not an asshole and he looks like that."

"If I looked like that I would totally be an asshole," Lou admits.

"He's just really sweet and very endearing. He loves his daughter so much… that's got to be a good sign, right?"

"Yeah, but having an ex-wife isn't… you sure you want to deal with that?"

"Well, he doesn't have an ex-wife," Beth explains. "It was his girlfriend."

"Oh, right, because dealing with a crazy ex-girlfriend is just a walk in the park…"

"No, it's not like that," Beth tries to explain. "Alice's mom passed away a couple years ago."

"Oh."

"Yeah. And now I know you don't always listen to me when I talk to you…"

"They never got married?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't ask such a personal question on our first fucking date."

"Oh boy, you better get that story!" Lou warns.

"Yeah, well, if he doesn't get sick of me soon enough then I will," Beth answers back. "A guy like that… he could have any chick he wanted."

"And right now he wants you, you dummy," Lou calls her out. "You're hot. You're nice. And best of all, he likes how you treat his daughter. You're in."

"I guess…"

"And you're cool with the kid thing?" Lou has to ask.

"Yes, I am totally fine with it," Beth answers back.

"I wouldn't be."

"That's because you're a shitty person."

"Hey, call me old fashioned but I want my kid to come out of my vagina, alright?"

"And that's exactly what makes you a shitty person… and your way with words is so beautiful, Louise."

"Don't call me that, bitch."

"I won't if you don't act like asshole," Beth laughs quickly. "And Alice is just a sweetheart. I've had her for three classes and she's a really great kid. Kinda hard not to love her."

"Whatever floats your boat, sis."

"And… we've been on one date. Stop planning my future for me."

"Will do," Lou agrees to the terms. "I do have one request though."

"What's that?"

"You sleep with that man once before you go and fuck this up," Lou says with determination. "And then you call me and tell me everything about it."

"Oh yeah, it'll be awesome," Beth laughs. "I haven't had sex in two years and he hasn't in probably just as long. What a pair we're gonna make."

"What!?" Lou shouts. "I knew about you but this guy, the smoking hot hottie on my computer, hasn't has sex in years?"

"I could be wrong but that's the way he made it sound."

"What is wrong with this world!? Injustice!"

"Injustice or not, he's calling me this weekend," Beth laughs hardily. "I'm hoping we get more time together."

"In bed, right?"

"No," Beth sternly says back. "I would like to figure him out more. Learn who he is… I'm not jumping into bed with him that fast."

"Why, because you like him?"

"That's exactly why!"

"Whatever," Lou gets annoyed. "Just call me when you get home from the date or I'll kill you."

"You'd actually have to visit me to kill me."

"Shit, true."

"Goodnight, Lou," Beth rolls her eyes. "Love you."

"Love you too," Lou says and hangs up.

"Did you call her yet?" Sam questions without looking up from the puppy he's currently coloring purple in the coloring book he's been handed.

"Nah, not yet," Dean answers him, also not looking up from the picture of a prince he's coloring in the book designated to him by his daughter.

"It's Friday. What the he… what are you waiting for?" Sam corrects himself halfway through for the small ears in the room that retain everything these days while looking across the table in Dean's kitchen.

"I don't know," Dean shrugs, reaching for a blue crayon. "I will."

"Didn't you want to… do something tomorrow night with her? We can take the princess for the night."

"I don't want to put you and Madison out…"

"You wouldn't be," Sam assures his brother. "We love the princess."

"Who's the princess?" Alice asks, her tongue hanging out her mouth as she concentrates on coloring the princess' dress on her own coloring page the perfect shade of pink.

"You, honey," Sam explains to her. "You want to come hang out with Madison and me tomorrow night?"

"Can we eat pizza like last time?" she asks with a little bit of home.

"Sure," Sam shrugs. "But only if you've been eating healthy this week."

"I have," Alice answers easily.

"Has she?" Sam of course checks with Dean.

"Ah, yeah," he nods. "We ate really good this week."

"Then definitely," Sam turns back to Alice. "You're coming over my place for pizza Saturday night. It's a date!"

"Ok," Alice answers with a big smile. "Can Daddy come too?"

"No," Sam answers before Dean can cave like he knows he was going to and say yes. "Daddy's aren't allowed."

"Why not?" Alice complains.

"Because your Daddy is supposed to go visit his friend tomorrow night after he drops you off."

"Wow," Dean says with amazement as Sam sets up his night for him. "Really!?"

Sam just shares a shit-eating grin with his brother.

"Who's your friend, Daddy?" Alice asks with her big dark eyes on him and he panics. He's never dealt with this before.

He looks to Sam, hoping the answer man will come up with something since he has so far, but instead gets an equally curious face aimed right at him, his chin in his hand and elbow on the table top.

"I'm gonna kill you," Dean says in passing with a clenched jaw before turning to his daughter. "Just a new friend of mine. We might get dinner on our own while you and Sam and Madison have pizza since it's a no daddies allowed night."

"Oh, ok," Alice easily accepts and goes right back to coloring without a care in the world.

Dean relaxes a bit at this. How the hell does he think he's gonna keep this up? It'll only get harder in the future.

"Hey Dean, didn't you have a call to go make?"

With wide eyes Dean asks his brother what his fucking problem is.

"Go make that call, dude," Sam drives the point home. "Alice and I can hold down the fort."

"Yeah, we'll hold the fort down for you, Daddy," Alice assures as she reaches for the yellow crayon, not even sure what that really means.

"Go, Dean," Sam says, shooing his away with his hands. "We got this."

"We got this," Alice absently echoes her best friend and they sit and color, Sam still smirking the entire time as Dean walks to his bedroom down the hall.

Once he closes the door he paces the room a bit. He should call her. He hasn't talked to her since they parted ways Wednesday and he had such a great time with her. She was funny and so damn easy to talk to and he could just stare at her all day if given the chance. She's absolutely stunning, the first thing Sam mentioned to him after he met her when he picked Alice up from her dance class.

Maybe that's why this is so anxiety filled for him. He just plain liked her. It's like he's a damn teenager again, getting ready to ask out the hot girl in class.

No, you are an adult, Dean, he thinks to himself. Just call her. He wants to see her again, even if running to the comfort of dinner with his brother and daughter sounds just too good instead. No, he wants to see her. He kissed her even, something he hadn't even seen coming.

If he can kiss the first girl he's dated or, well, kissed in years then he can certainly give her a call.

Dean sits on the end of his queen bed and finds the name Beth stowed in his contacts. Deep breath taken, he presses send. The phone rings twice and he almost hangs up. Why the fuck is he so nervous!? He used to be so good at this!

"Hello?"

"H-hi… Beth. It's Dean… Winchester." Fucking idiot. How many Deans could she possibly know that said they'd call her this week?

"Hi!" she answer back, her voice up higher than it normally is. Maybe he isn't the only nervous one. "How are you?"

"Oh, I'm good. Just hanging out with my hot date this Friday night."

"Alice I assume?" she asks with a clear smile from the other end of the phone.

"And Sam of course," Dean tells her and she laughs. It's the light, effortless one that doesn't sound forced at all. Instead it's actually kind of hot.

"Well that sounds like a lovely night," Beth says right back. "I'm spending mine with my DVR so you win."

"Anything good?"

"Um, well I'm pretty insanely obsessed with The Walking Dead right now and I have a couple episodes to catch up on. Have you seen it?"

"Have I seen it!?" Dean repeats with an obvious yes. "I love that show."

"Oh my God, it's so damn good, isn't it!?" she says with excitement. "I love zombies!"

"Best movie monster ever made."

"I totally agree!" she says with sheer glee. "I loved the comics and was so psyched they came out with this show based off of them. They're doing an excellent job with it. Totally the right feel and everything."

"Comic books?" Dean asks with sheer surprise.

"Yeah, you didn't know it was based off a comic book series?"

"No, I did… I just had no idea you were into comic books."

"Oh… right…" Beth answers back as she just now caught onto the slip. "Well, I'm not much of a traditional comic book reader per say. I stick with the graphic novel style mostly."

"I had no idea you were kind of a nerd."

"Oh, there's plenty you don't know about me, Dean." Beth tells him in that once more light, airy laughter.

"Yeah, well, I want to know," Dean tells her, the honesty pouring out of him far too easily for the guarded man he's become for a few years now. "Which is why I'm calling. It looks like my daughter has some plans tomorrow night with my brother and his girlfriend so that leaves me free."

"Really?"

He does not miss the interested and flirty tone she suddenly gives him.

"Really. I was wondering if you'd like to do something with me… maybe dinner?"

"I would love to have dinner with you."

"Awesome," Dean smiles so hard his mouth hurts a little.

"Any ideas where?"

"Oh, uh… you know, I hadn't thought of that yet but I'll come up with something."

"Fine by me."

"Anything you don't like?"

"Um… honestly, no. I like most food."

"We have that in common then," Dean answers back.

"Dean, I'm really glad you called," Beth says to him with more honesty than he was ready for. He's starting to see that she does that, speaks her feelings in the most blunt way she can blurt them out. "I had a great time talking to you the other day and… I don't know. I guess I have a good feeling about you."

"Ok, so… I'm not used to being that honest and just speaking my mind so you might have to be more patient with me," Dean huffs an awkward laugh.

"Yeah, Lou tells me I should hold back more often…"

"No! Don't do that," Dean denies the idea quickly. "I like that you do that. I never have to guess where I stand with you. I'm just saying don't expect the same from me right away."

"So you're saying I have to worry about where I stand with you instead?" Beth sums up in a light tone. "Seems fair."

And there's that giggle again, the sound that's just so… well, sexy.

"From what I can see you don't have to worry much about that either but I'll do my best to tell you."

"Well, ok."

"Ok," Dean grins right back.

That old, familiar dead silence takes over for a few seconds once more.

"Should I let you get back to your date?" Beth asks, making sure she isn't keeping him from his family too much.

"Oh, um… We were just coloring. Nothing too exciting."

"Oh man! I used to love coloring," she tells him with total fondness.

"With how much I'm forced into doing I'm not on your side with that one," Dean huffs a laugh.

"Well, Daddy, don't let me keep you then," Beth offers him a way out to spend time with his daughter. "And I will see you tomorrow night."

"That sounds good." Dean really thinks it does.

"Goodnight, Dean."

"Night, Beth."

Dean ends the call and stares at his phone a second. Was it him or was she truly excited to go grab yet more food with him? He had no idea that a father of one was still actually a wanted and desirable thing but hey, it seems to be working.

And now he actually looks forward to tomorrow night instead of dread it. He can spend some time with a different girl just this once.

"I'm actually nervous," Dean admits to his brother and best friend as he stands in the front foyer of Sam's house Saturday night, watching Madison set Alice up in the kitchen down the hall, ready to make dinner.

"Dude, calm down," Sam nearly laughs as he recalls the confident younger man Dean used to be, taking home chicks left and right and schmoozing his way through all of cute Lawrence. "Remember the old days…"

"This ain't the old days," Dean assures.

"Thank God!" Sam laughs, having hated Dean's behavior back then. He had many a brotherly talk with Dean about his dishing chicks but it took Alice to get him to stop. "Glad that's over."

"Shut up," Dean says with sheer annoyance. "And she's different than those chicks."

"What, she's not a slut?"

"Sam!" Dean gets mad instantly with the label before thinking about it. "Well, yeah… exactly."

"So this is easy," Sam says to him with a hand clapping down on Dean's shoulder. "Just don't treat her like a slut."

Dean shrugs out of Sam's hold.

"I'm serious. Just be nice. Be yourself. Calm the fuck down," Sam whispers the last part to keep the language well out of little girl ear range. "Believe it or not you turned out to be a pretty good guy…"

"So your way to calm me down is to partially insult me before I go out on my first real date in like ever!?" Dean starts to just plain get angry.

"Sorry, look… just do what you did the other day. Talk. Find out more about her. I mean there's gotta be a reason you liked her so much in the first place so go figure out why."

"Well I know why…" Dean trails off, adjusting his white button down he didn't tuck in. Should he tuck it in? Nah, that looks like he's trying too hard… and it's dorky.

"You do?" Sam asks, raising an eyebrow skeptically.

"Well, yeah," Dean admits, looking up at his brother. "She's… good with Alice."

"So am I," Sam points out with a large grin. "You gonna take me to dinner now too?"

"Ew, gross," Dean comments. "Beth is… she's kind. She's very sweet, like she's not some jaded jackass that's seen too much… even if she has. And she's beautiful."

"Well that part's easy," Sam laughs a little and leans against the wall of the hallway by the front door.

"Yeah. She's just gorgeous. I mean, you've seen her."

"Hottie," Sam confirms.

"Definitely," Dean answers and then sighs a bit. "I don't know, I just feel good around her. It's weird. She makes me laugh. She's funny and, and… I don't know. I just know I want to be around her. That's gotta mean something, right?"

"Yes," Sam grins wide, happy to hear his younger brother finally speak this way after years of isolation. "Now go pick her up before you're late and look like an ass."

"Being late makes me look like an ass?" Dean wonders.

"Um, yeah."

"Then I better go because I'm already an ass from our first date," Dean responds and looks down the hallway. "Al! Come here a second."

The little girl runs down the hallway to meet her dad like he asked and Dean crouched to the floor to be at her level.

"Alright, you listen to Uncle Sammy and Madison, ok? No complaints." He holds her face gently and makes sure she's listening

"Yes, Daddy."

"And I'll come get you later after I'm done with dinner."

"Ok," Alice answers, hugging him tight around the neck.

"I love you, babycakes."

"I love you too, Daddy," Alice responds without even thinking. The phrase still melts Dean's heart every damn time he hears it.

"Have fun," Dean tells her when she ends the hug and he kisses her forehead. Dean stands up and watches his girl run back to the kitchen with excitement.

"Good luck," Sam says as he nearly pushes his brother out the front door to be on his way.

"Thanks," Dean says, looking over his shoulder one last time at his daughter as he beats off the urge to stay with her. He barely ever leaves her like this. He can't remember the last time he did. He's going to miss her.

But he needs to get to know another girl so he sucks it up and leaves.

"Don't you clean up nicely," Beth says as she opens the front door to her apartment building, finding Dean standing at the top of the steps waiting for her.

"I do what I can," Dean smiles and looks her over once. Tight, dark jeans with bright red heels catch his attention first. She has a great ass and her legs are long and so toned he can even tell how good they are through the denim fabric. She has a tight red tank on with a black, cotton blazer on over it, just a hint of cleavage showing. Her hair is long and down with a slight wave, her bangs nearly covering her right eye, and she has on just enough makeup to look like she tried but didn't try too hard. She's stunning. "You… y-you look amazing."

"Yeah?" Beth grins and turns around once jokingly.

"Yes, absolutely," Dean confirms, not joking at all.

"That's very sweet of you." Her eyes light up as she looks up at him. He's being honest, she can tell. It's almost insane to think that a guy that looks the way he does can look at her and think she's anything special but hey, she'll take it. "I hope I didn't dress up too much or not enough…"

"You're right where you need to be," Dean assures her.

"Ok, good, because since you refused to tell me where we're going I was in the dark."

"Don't worry about it. You look great," he says to her as he walks to his car parked in the apartment lot, unlocking the passenger door for her first.

"What… are you kidding me?" she asks as she looks over the sleek black paint of the car in front of her.

"No…" Dean starts to say with confusion until he watches her run her hand over the paint of his car.

"You were driving an SUV Wednesday," she says with still running shock. "This is no SUV."

"Ah, no…" Dean laughs. "This is…"

"A classic Chevrolet Impala," Beth answers for him, knowing exactly what she's looking at. "1967, right?"

"Yes," Dean answers her with delighted surprise.

"My God, this thing is mint," she observes, looking the vehicle over. "You brought this just to impress me, didn't you?"

"Well, ah… yeah," Dean says, working slowly but surely on the honesty thing. "Plus, Alice isn't with me. I don't like driving her around in an airbag-less car."

"But these old cars are tanks. Made of pure metal. You can't kill them."

"You know something about cars, don't you?" Dean has to ask her, still standing there with the door open for her as she admires his car.

"A little," she admits. "My dad had an old Mustang he stored in a shed out in our backyard growing up. He used to take her out only in the summer. It was a 1964 in a beautiful blue shade…"

"Guardsman Blue," Dean says knowingly. "Best color after black for a classic."

"Damn straight," she easily agrees. "I convinced him to let me drive it a few times but only a few. Dad was a little protective."

"I can understand."

Beth smiles at him pleasantly before walking to the waiting open door. "She's beautiful."

"Glad you appreciate her," Dean answers back as she stands in front of him, the open door between them. "Not sure this could work if you didn't."

Beth laughs and ducks into the passenger seat. Dean shuts the door for her and walks to his side, smiling like an idiot for choosing to bring his prized possession.

"So, you like food I'm starting to think," Beth jokes at the end of their meal, looking at him as he polishes off the last bite on his plate.

"Little bit," Dean jests as he finishes his bite and puts down his fork. Their night has been quite nice yet again. They talked about their families growing up, Beth's crazy best friend, their high school years, their mutual disappointment in the Chiefs beginning of the season, and Alice, of course.

"That's good though," Beth explains, having given up on the last of her own meal minutes ago out of being too full. "I love food."

"Then we'll get along just fine," Dean answers and tilts his glass of whiskey her way. Beth does the same with her wine and takes a sip.

"My mother used to cook every night," Beth tells him, finding it easy to open up about her deceased family to him for some reason. "I got so spoiled. Now I feel like there's nothing better than a really well made, home-cooked meal."

The way she smiles softly while thinking about her past makes Dean want to make it better for her now since she lost that.

"You don't cook?" he wonders.

"Well, technically I do," Beth tells him. "I'm not saying it comes out edible but I try."

He smiles wide at this. "Ah, bad cook."

"Very bad. I burn water."

Dean laughs again. His mind is forming a plan now, hoping he has the balls to make the offer he wants to. It might be too forward though…

"Do you cook?" Beth interrupts his thoughts.

"Yeah, I do. When Cassie died I kind of had to figure it out. Alice was already turning three in a few months at that point and it was either take-out every night or I figure it out."

"And are you as bad as I am?" she wonders, finishing off her second glass of Pinot Noir.

"I don't burn water," Dean says with a shit-eating grin.

"That's a start!"

"Um, I do alright," Dean tells her.

"A guy that can cook is impressive," Beth mentions before biting her lip and looking down. She gets so shy sometimes when she compliments him.

"What did your mom make for you?" Dean pries on, pulling more info from her.

"Oh, she liked to do…" she pauses as their plates are removed from the table. "Thank you. Um. She always made the classics in the winter and those were my favorite."

"Like?"

"Chicken pot pie was the best," she answers. "Just traditional, peas and carrots, flaky crust chicken pot pie. She kicked it in the ass every time with that one."

Dean huffs a laugh with her way with words as he stores the info away. "You know, um, I wouldn't mind making dinner for you sometime. Since you haven't had a real homemade meal in a while if I'm hearing you correctly."

Beth flashes her bright white smile when she can't hold it back anymore. "That would be really great, Dean."

Dean smiles down at his whiskey glass, taking the last gulp as the server of the nice restaurant hands him the check.

"Thanks," Dean says and pops his credit card into the black folder, handing it back.

"Next time, I'm paying by the way," Beth speaks up.

"Oh no, you're one of those?" Dean complains.

"One of what?" she questions, sitting up taller and looking slightly offended.

"One of those girls that gets all Wonder Woman by kind yet traditional gestures."

She eyes him over with narrowed lids. "No. I'm not one of those. I just know that you are supporting a child all on your own and I would like to not be the reason why her college fund is a little low."

"A couple meals won't do much damage to that," he tries to assure her

"And I hope it's not just a couple," Beth tells him. There goes her honesty again. "So next time, I pay."

"How about this," Dean starts to make a proposal. "I paid for dinner so you can pay for one more dink at the bar. I'm not ready to go just yet."

"Only one though," Beth stipulates. "I'm not a big drinker and I've already had two glasses. That's normally my limit and I'd like to not be a jackass in front of you just yet."

"Fair enough," Dean laughs. He signs their receipt when he gets it returned and stands up, holding his hand out to her.

Beth takes it and stands. He surprises her when he doesn't let go as they head for the bar.

"Hi, Miss Beth," a sing-song voice calls out and she immediately cringes before putting on a kind face and looking for the source of the voice.

"Hello, Colleen," Beth says warmly as the dance mother walks towards her. She quickly drops Dean's hand.

"How good to see you," she says in an over the top way, eyeing Dean over obviously as she hugs the dance teacher.

"Oh yeah. Just enjoying a dinner out," Beth says awkwardly and pulls away. She then gestures to Dean. "You remember Dean from Wednesday mornings, Alice's dad?"

"Of course I do," Colleen says with a Cheshire Cat grin.

"Good to see you too, Colleen," Dean bites out with a smile plastered to his face.

"Imagine my surprise at seeing you two here together."

"Subtle, Colleen. Real subtle," Beth calls her out.

"I'm just saying you look good together…"

"And I'm just saying I hope you enjoy your meal with your husband over there," Beth says obviously as she points to the man Colleen ditched the second she saw her. "We're going to the bar."

"Well then I'll see you Wednesday," Colleen winks, getting the hint, and returns to her table.

"Sorry," Beth winces when she looks back at Dean.

"Don't apologize for the crazy lady," he tells her, taking her hand again and making it the last few steps to the bar. "Just move past it." He holds out a bar stool for her with an over the top gesture due to their previous conversation.

"Chivalry isn't dead after all," Beth smirks and sits down, Dean taking the stool next to her. "And I think our little secret is out." She nods towards Colleen's table and Dean sees her glancing at them while speaking a mile a minute to her husband.

"Was it a secret?" Dean asks.

"Well, no…"

"You were keeping me a secret, weren't you?" Dean jokes on, feeling more and more comfortable with her the more he's around her. "You're embarrassed to be seen with me?"

"Yeah, so you mind keeping it down a little? I have a reputation to uphold," she says before laughing. "No, I was not keeping you a secret. I was trying to protect you."

"From?"

"Gossipy and too nosy dance moms. You're screwed now."

"Shit," Dean says, having not thought about that. "You better get me that drink fast then."

"So, I'm thinking Saturday," Dean tells her as they walk hand-in-hand to the main entrance of Beth's apartment building.

"For?" she asks, her mind unable to focus on much the whole ride home. After the third glass of wine she's feeling pretty good and she couldn't help but continue to sneak glances at the beautiful man driving as they made their way back.

"Dinner," Dean reminds her. "I'm making you dinner?"

"Right!" Beth perks right back up when she's reminded. "That sounds amazing. Saturday it is."

Dean grins at her when they make it up the steps. He gets nervous all of a sudden. All through the date he'd been surprisingly relaxed around her but now, parting for the night, he's a ball of anxiety. He'd love nothing more than to revert to the old Dean, the manwhorish version of himself that would have no problem inviting himself upstairs to her apartment, but he can't do that. He has to pick Alice up first of all and second if he pushes this too fast and fucks it up he'll really regret it.

But damn it she's so beautiful standing there looking up at him.

Beth sighs. She doesn't want to end the night here either.

"You better pick up your daughter before she falls asleep," Beth says to him as she takes out her keys.

"You're right, I should," Dean nods and looks at her, really looks at her. His eyes drift to her lips without his permission. "Goodnight, Beth."

This is where Dean shuts down his nagging brain and actually goes for something scary for the first time in a long time. He ducks down and kisses her. And this isn't the same kiss they parted on last time either. He delves a little deeper, making the kiss last longer, mean more.

And Beth can't help but be grateful for that. Without thinking she brings her arms around his neck and keeps the kiss going. Hell, she never wants it to end. His lips move against hers with such promise, such sheer talent, that she doesn't even know what she's doing when she steps into him, her whole body against his. The wall of muscle that he is doesn't move an inch back so she knows he's feeling the same.

And Dean breaks. He pushes her backwards a bit, her back hitting the brick wall to the side of the front door of the building. When she slides her tongue into his mouth as he presses his entire front up against hers and pins her there, his mouth still on attack mode, he just wants more. God Damn it, he wants her so badly.

Just as Beth hums into his mouth a bit and presses her hips forward into his with sudden, coming-out-of-nowhere need, they get completely interrupted.

"Hello?"

They both hear the voice come on over the apartment intercom. Beth had leaned up against one of the buttons accidentally.

"Oh, sorry!" she apologizes after she pulls her mouth away from Dean's and turns around, seeing what she's done. "I hit your buzzer by accident! I'm so sorry!"

They can hear an older man grumble and then it goes silent. Beth turns back around and looks up at Dean with surprise.

"Ha, I so didn't see that coming," she admits, her cheeks flashing pink. She isn't talking about the intercom mishap.

"Neither did I," Dean says right back, a hand washing down his face in shock of how serious that got in such a short time. "I didn't mean to make that… I mean, I never wanted it to get like that…"

"No, I know," Beth smiles. "And don't apologize. I, uh… I just surprised myself there too. I never act like that."

Dean just looks at her a moment his eyes drifting back to her lips. He can feel himself being pulled to her again so he stops it right there. "I should head home."

"Yes, you should," Beth laughs. "You stay any longer after that and I can't be responsible for what I do."

Dean gets a good laugh out of that. "I know how you feel." He pauses, wanting to kiss her goodnight but not wanting it to return to that frenzied place. "Can I try that again?"

"Keep it simple," she warns with a bright grin, her hand landing on his cheek sweetly.

He leans down, his hands on her hips, and tries again, no hidden agenda like last time. This time he realizes ahead of time that he needs to keep his cool… no matter how sexy she is when she kisses.

He kisses her honestly, not trying to impress her or convey anything more than he just simply really, really likes her. He takes her top lip between his, moving slowly. Languidly, Dean swipes his tongue softly across her lip before ending it, taking his time pulling away.

"Goodnight, Beth," Dean says low, hitting her right in the core of her soul with the gravelly tone to it. She's never heard him sound like that before. Oh God, he has to go home now.

"Please leave, Dean," Beth says with a grin that is purely sexy to him. It kills him to do so but he lets her go and backs away a step.

"I'm going," Dean tells her, hands up in surrender.

"As much as it kills me," Beth tells him, letting him know she's feeling about the same as he is right now.

Dean wags his finger at her and narrows his eyes. "I like you, Beth."

"I can tell!" she plays right back.

"I'll see you Wednesday morning," he tells her. "Coffee in hand."

"Can't wait."

With that Dean turns and walks away from her, every fiber in him screaming for him to turn around. Whatever the hell it is about her it's killing him. Her lips still have their feel imprinted on his and he walks to his car swiping his tongue across them once, tasting her lip gloss.

Beth watches as he gets into his car, leaning on the cold bricks of the building right where he had just had her pinned, this time avoiding the intercom. Yes, he's beautiful. Yes, he's extremely sweet. Yes, he's a father and a damn good one at that. But there's something more to him that she can't put a finger on (as much as she'd love to). Dean has got her hooked, absolutely.

He drives off, Beth waving once from her spot before she rushes inside. She needs to call Lou. Now.