Chapter 10

Daryl and Beth spent the day before the rehearsal dinner visiting shops in Atlanta. Beth had decided that the dress she had bought for the rehearsal dinner wasn't the one so she had dragged Daryl round a few shops before he had finally had enough and told her he would meet her back at the hotel. She finally found the perfect dress, black and lacy, cut just above the knee. Beth made her way back to the hotel and caught a glimpse of Daryl in the hotel bar as she passed it. She made her way over to him, dumping the shopping bags on the floor near her feet, and plopped down in the chair opposite Daryl. He raised his eyebrows at the bags, an amused look on his face. Beth had told him she was going to get one dress. There were 4 shopping bags on the floor and he could see a fifth one poking out the top of another.

"What, ya gotta assemble the dress yaself?" Daryl smirked at her, "That why it's in so many bags?"

Beth frowned at him but her eyes shone with mirth. She shook her head before reaching over to take a sip of his beer.

"Don't get ya germs on my drink, Greene." he reached forward and took his beer off her and placed it on the table in front of him. Beth raised an eyebrow at him before she frowned, her face serious.

"You, uh, you do realise that we, I mean, that me and you we're gonna have to... Y'know. At the wedding." Daryl looked at her, confusion on his face. "Kiss." Daryl spluttered on the beer he had just taken a sip of. "Y'know, so people believe that we're a couple. That's what couples do, right?"

Daryl grunted, looking anywhere but at Beth, his face was bright red, Beth thought it was cute.

"We could always practice, if you want?" Beth looked at him, expectantly, but he shook his head.

"Nah, don't think that's a good idea, Beth." He downed the last of his beer, placing the empty bottle on the table. "I'm gonna head upstairs." He reached down, picking up Beth's bags for her and looked at her, silently asking if she was going up to their room too. She shook her head.

"I'm gonna get a drink." She smiled at him brightly and he nodded leaving Beth to her thoughts.

She ordered a drink and sat there thinking about Daryl. About how they had shared their first, sloppy kiss. About the things that she had told Sasha about him. Mostly, she thought about the way she had felt sharing a bed with him last night. Daryl had made sure to sleep right on the edge of the bed, so close to the edge that Beth thought he would roll out at the slightest movement but Beth had wished he was closer to her, she wanted to feel his warmth, feel his rough hands on her body. She was silently pleased when she woke up and found that he was behind, their bodies still inches apart, with his arm slung over her waist. She had made sure to roll out of the way before he woke up, knowing that the embarrassment he would display on waking would ruin the moment for her. Beth drank 7 drinks, all the while thinking about Daryl Dixon. She was just leaving the bar and heading up to their room when she heard a familiar voice speaking to the receptionist. She looked over towards the desk and saw Zach and Andrea checking in. Damn. She should have known they'd be staying in the hotel, since it was where Sasha was holding the wedding reception and the rehearsal dinner. She watched the couple from behind the pillar she was standing by. Andrea was draped all over Zach, but Zach looked more interested in the blonde receptionist behind the desk. God, was he bored of Andrea already? Beth made her way up the stairs, hoping the two didn't notice her, hoping even more that their room was nowhere near hers and Daryl's. She raced up the stairs and in to her and Daryl's room. He was sitting on the bed watching TV and raised an eyebrow at her as she slammed the door behind her.

"Zach and Andrea are here. Just saw them checking in. Didn't want them to see me." Beth panted, she didn't think she had ever run as fast as she just had. Daryl just nodded, a dark look on his face. Beth moved over to sit next to him on the bed after she had caught her breath. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. She thought that maybe the drinks had made her brave because she definitely wasn't planning on saying what she said next.

"I think we should kiss."

"Is that right?" Daryl looked at her, his face a mix of surprise and amusement.

"Mhm." Beth nodded. "It needs to believable, right?"

Daryl looked at her before leaning in towards her. Beth closed her eyes and leaned towards Daryl, puckering her lips. She felt Daryl's lips touch hers, barely there for a second before she felt him pull away.

"I, uh," Daryl cleared his throat, "Think that's enough practising for today, Beth."

"That's not how couples kiss!"

"Sure it is." Daryl stood from the bed and headed towards the bathroom. "I'm gonna take a shower. Sleep it off, Greene, got a busy day tomorrow."

Daryl's shower took longer than normal, mostly because he was cursing himself out for being so damn stupid. Kissing Beth Greene was one thing, kissing her in the bed they were forced to share was another. Daryl argued with himself for a long time, before he made the decision to tell Beth that he wouldn't be going to the wedding with her. There was no way he could stand by while she mooned over that Zach asshole. When Daryl left the bathroom, he sat in the bed next to Beth, who was lying on top of the covers with her eyes closed. Daryl could tell she wasn't asleep but she was close.

"Beth," he whispered. "Beth!" Her eyes fluttered open and a small smile graced her face.

"Daryl," she whispered back, "Thank you so much for doing this for me. You're the best person I know."

Daryl sighed and Beth snuggled deeper in to the pillow. Daryl found that, despite the fact that he didn't want to watch Beth make sad puppy eyes at Zach, he couldn't deny Beth Greene anything. Even if it was going to kill him.

Beth sighed as she slumped back in the chair. The rehearsal dinner had been uneventful and Beth had teared up a bit at the speeches. Everything had gone to plan and Beth smiled as she watched Sasha and Bob spin around the dancefloor. She glanced across to Daryl who was standing at the bar, talking to Tara. Beth's smile grew as she remembered the look on Daryl's face when he had seen her in her dress earlier. His jaw had dropped and she had known then that whatever was between them was definitely more than the friendship that had been there before. At least, she hoped that's what it meant. Daryl swaggered back over to her, drinks in hand, and she took in his tie, no longer tied neatly but undone and draped around his neck. His shirt was untucked and he had undone a couple of buttons. Beth knew that Daryl was uncomfortable in the shirt and held back a giggle when she thought of how he would feel tomorrow wearing his full suit. Daryl sat down beside her and the two began talking about the rehearsal dinner and sipping at their drinks. Daryl kept glancing away while he was talking to her and the next time he did it Beth followed his gaze to see Zach and Andrea sitting at the bar. They hadn't been at the rehearsal dinner but had obviously decided to join in with the party in the bar. Daryl saw her looking towards the two.

"That's him, ain't it?" Daryl sounded angry. Beth nodded. "Keeps lookin' over here. Don't look none too happy 'bout me bein' here with ya."

Beth nodded again and looked away from Zach.

"Can we talk about something else?" Daryl nodded and told her the story that Tara had been telling him at the bar. Unsurprisingly, it was another embarrassing story about Beth, and she laughed as he teased her about it. Daryl kept glancing to Zach, who couldn't seem to take his eyes off Beth and Daryl, jealousy written all over his face. Daryl had had enough. This jerk thought he could screw Beth Greene around then sit on the other side throwing daggers at Daryl. Before he could even think about what he was doing, Daryl cast another glance at Zach, smirked, then grabbed Beth by the back of the neck, pulling her towards him. His lips met hers and he felt her stiffen in surprise before she melted in to him. H flicked his tongue out and ran it along her bottom lip. She opened her mouth, and met his tongue with her own, kissing him back passionately. Daryl's hand moved to her hair and he fisted his hand in the blonde curls at the back of her head. She reached her hands up, resting one on his chest and clasping the back of his neck with the other, pulling him impossibly closer. Daryl slanted his head to deepen the kiss and Beth moaned in to his mouth. He pulled back slightly and placed light kisses on her lips before pulling back completely to look her in the eyes. She had a small smile on her face and her pupils were wide. Daryl gave her a half smile and she lifted her hand to her mouth, a far away look now in her eyes.

"Mhm," she mumbled, "That's couples kiss."

A/N - I have 100 followers, OHMYGOSH!