Beth
Daryl and I prepared the entire meal together. He cut the meat and gather several different types of spices to season the meat, saying, "I can cook one hell of a steak, princess… Meryl was always ridden me, sayin' was a sissy cookin' but his ass would'a starved otherwise."
"Who's Meryl?" I asked as I peeled apple and sliced apples for the pie. "Was he with the group?"
"Meryl's my brother," he answered, and he stopped seasoning the meat long enough to shoot me a glance before he continued, "He was with the group, but lost him in Atlanta… By the time we got back he was gone… Cut his own hand off t' get outta where he was chained."
"Why was he chained?" I wanted to know… How the hell does someone get chained? I couldn't imagine having to cut my own hand off to get free. Just the thought sent a chill down my spine.
He just shook his head, saying, "Shit jus' happens… 'specially now… Most of it's bad…"
His eyes lifted as he met mine. "Sometimes it's not."
That statement stopped me as I mixed a filling for the apple pie. The wrestling about the house reminded me that we weren't alone, but I wanted so bad to just lean over and give him a kiss. It was about this time I realized I never wanted to be away from this man… Where ever he was; was exactly where I wanted to be. It didn't matter where or why… I just couldn't imagine being without him.
Finally, I was able to release the hold his gaze had on mine as we continued to prepare the meal. We made idle chit-chat as we worked. The whole time was pretty surreal really… I had never felt so comfortable and wanted… If you'd asked me hours ago, if I had ever thought this would happen, it would have been a big fat no… yet here we were. And there was no place else I would have wanted to be.
We were just getting ready to call the others in for supper when Daryl's hand on my side stopped me. "Ever sleep under the stars before, princess?"
Taken aback by the question, my brow drew together, as I shook my head, "Been campin' but usually in a cabin… Why?"
"Got'a sleepin' bag?" he wanted to know.
Understanding dawned as I nodded, "Are you asking me to sleep under the stars, Daryl?"
"Yeah, think y' might be able to come down to the camp and stay with the group tonight? Tomorrow me and Rick's goin' t' town… Could look fer some marshmallows or somethin'…"
There was no way I would turn down an invitation from this man, and if I had to fight dragons to be with him I would. There was no way daddy was going to let me out of this house without a fight, and I was prepared for that. No matter what though, I was staying down at the camp with the group tonight. It was time my family saw me as a woman, and not a baby. "I don't need any marshmallows to camp out with you… But if you come across some twinkies then we are talking…"
"Y' know, how hard fuckin' twinkies are gonna be t' find, girl?" He chuckled, saying, "Could barely find the damn things before the world went t' shit…"
"Hey, I'm just telling you the quickest way to my heart," I laughed, and I spotted a twinkle light his eyes.
"So now I need fuckin' twinkies fer yer heart, huh?" he asked his head dipping closer to mine.
He might have kissed me if voices drawing closer hadn't interfered and silently, I cursed the intruders. I would have been content for Daryl and me to be the only ones in this house, hell this farm for at least the day.
As it was, Daddy and Rick were heading our way, their voice getting louder as they made their way to the kitchen. We had taken several steps apart before they actually came into view. Even though I was deeply disappointed about the interruption, I smiled, saying, "You guys are right on time supper is finished… Daryl and I made a feast fit for a king… There is venison steak, roasted potatoes and corn, green beans, and biscuits. Even made an apple pie for dessert."
"It smells great, Beth," Rick said before looking over at Daryl. The corner of his lips lifted as he studied the man next to me. "Never would have thought to see you cook, Daryl…
Should I be worried about eating that steak?"
"Be the best damn steak y' ever put in yer mouth," Daryl replied, taking the plate of cooked meat to the dining room. "Think since I cooked y' might do the dishes. Me and Beth's gonna go down and set up her sleepin' bag at the camp."
"Beth, that's not a good idea," daddy chimed in as I would have passed with the potatoes and corn. "Your mother might need your help…"
"I can help mama in the morning, daddy," I told him with defiant lift to my chin. "Think maybe they might need my help down in the camp. When he opened his mouth to speak again, I said, "Everything will be fine, daddy… Daryl and Rick will be there to watch the camp… Plus, I think Maggie will be down there too…"
"I just don't think that's a good idea," Daddy said again with a pointed stare.
Refusing to back down, I looked him square in the eye. "I wasn't asking… It ain't going to hurt anything if I sleep at the camp tonight."
While I hated having to speak to my father that way, I was determined to assert myself in this world, and it was about time for him to see me as a woman with her own mind. Today was as good a day as any for that. I never seen my father looked as pissed as he did now, but my defiance had its desired effect, and while his eyes were wide, his mouth snapped shut.
Rick didn't speak, he just silently observed the situation with a couple of questioning looks going between him and Daryl. With tension hanging in the air, he finally turned away, saying, "I will call everyone to eat."
Daryl
I hadn't meant to start problems between Beth and her family but thinking of her being away from me for a length of time was bothersome. I wanted her close to me, always… Sounded fucking crazy, I know… The guy who thrived on only his own presence for company, wanting anyone around, seemed fucking nuts to me too. Yet there it was… I wanted her at my side.
Cooking dinner with her this evening had been the most intimate time I had ever shared with anyone. I wasn't ready to say goodnight to that… Not for a minute… Definitely not for an entire night…
While everyone ate and complimented the food, I found I couldn't stop looking at her, and I didn't really give a shit who noticed. And I was pretty sure people noticed too. I felt several eyes dart in my direction, but I still didn't care. Even when her cheeks turned pink, and the dimple near her mouth appeared as she fought the urge to smile, I couldn't look away.
Once the meal was over, Beth wasted no time collecting her sleeping bag and a pillow from her bed. Quietly, we made our way to the camp and I lead her to a spot behind the RV, where my own sleeping bag was setup. Together we spread out her bag, and laid out her pillow, before sitting together up against the warm metal of the motorhome.
The sun was dipping low on the horizon as I turned towards Beth. "Don't want t' cause issues with yer family, princess… This… Whatever is happin' between us, is bound t' cause some problems… Y' know that right…"
She nodded as she acknowledged what I said, but she didn't seem bothered by the idea. Instead of withdrawing because of the notion, she inched closer to me, until her light form was pressed against my side. There was absolutely no hesitation as she took my hand, twining her fingers with mine, and a simple smile pulled at her lips, as she said, "The way I see it, is I have about five people trying to live my life… Why should I let someone else decide what is right for me? I might be young, but I'm not ignorant… Like I said we could die tomorrow, and I'm not letting what someone else think determine how I live… I'm of age, I get to decide what is good for me, and you are what is good for me."
Tightening my grip on her fingers, I digested what she said. "How can y' be so sure? We jus' met…"
"Are we having this discussion again?" she asked, shrugging. "I honestly don't know how I can be certain… I just am… When I look at you… All these… These… feelings just take me over… I couldn't control it if I wanted to… It kind'a feels like magic, right in the middle of hell…"
"I jus' want y' t' be sure," I started, but she didn't let me finish. Her hand coming up to cup my cheek. I liked the way she did that… The way she made touching me seem so natural, and maybe to a woman like her, it was natural. Her thumb skimmed my jaw before caressing the underside of my bottom lip. "How do y' do that?"
"Do what?"
Her brow pulled together as she contemplated my meaning, yet her pupils were dilating as she stared at my mouth. I knew she wanted to kiss me, she had the same look on her face she had in the bathroom, right before I'd given into the urge. Before she made all thought flee my brain completely, I found myself saying, "Forget what the fuck I'm talkin' about…"
"I'm special like that, I guess," she chuckled.
"Suppose y' are." I leaned over into her, finally giving in to the impulse to kiss her.
My lips grazed the tip of her nose before trailing a path down her cheeks to her lips. Her tongue came out to moisten them, and when my mouth covered hers, the taste of her was so compelling. A couple of light kisses turned into deeper ones. Eagerly, I let my mouth cover hers, her lips parting as she invited me in. Savoring her taste, my tongue swept into her mouth intent on exploring her, yet I groaned with need as she tangled her tongue with mine. Wanting her closer to me, my arms encircled her tiny waist, and drew her into my lap.
As I sat there holding and kissing her, I forgot about all the reasons I shouldn't be… She felt good… Right, actually, in my arms, and I didn't want to let her go. So, for the first time in my miserable life, I held tight to something I felt was good for me…
I went through most of my life thinking I wasn't good enough… Good enough to have a family… Good enough to be loved… Good enough to want this sweeter side of life that I was only now getting a taste of… Yet now that I had felt this… this overwhelming need for this girl, I seemed to be addicted…
Most of everyone was settle down for the night. Dale was sitting on top of the RV and around midnight, he'd come down to get me for the next watch. From his perch, unless he was staring directly down at us, he couldn't see my bedding from where he sat. Laurie and Rick were still at the main house, Otis and Shane had went to the school, and I wasn't really sure where the fuck Andrea was… or Maggie, Beth's sister or Glenn, and at this particular moment I didn't really care.
All I knew was I had this delicious woman in my arms, and I didn't want to let her go… So, I didn't… For the first time in my life, I held onto what I wanted with both hands, and nothing was going to change that. Somehow, someway we would make the others understand, because I was pretty sure, it was going to take some persuasion to get them to. But at this precise moment none of that mattered, all that mattered was the way she encircled my neck with her arms and held on tight.
