"There you are," a sultry voice floated toward Daryl from across the parking lot an hour later.
"Shit," he grumbled. Although he knew he didn't stand a chance, he pretended not to hear the apartment manager closing in on him. He sat his extra helmet on the seat and hung his on the handlebar. He'd been looking forward to a motorcycle ride with Beth, but now it looked like someone else was hoping for the opportunity.
"Daryl!" Nikki called as she stumbled closer. She was clearly sloppy drunk; her jean shorts were covered in wet spots from whatever drink she'd spilled all over herself. Her eyes were red and she reeked of liquor.
"Yeah?" he replied gruffly.
"I locked myself out of my room." She stumbled and hiccuped.
Daryl glanced at her and looked back down to his bike side bag. "No, you didn't. Your keys are in your hand."
"Oops. Well, maybe something's broken in my apartment you could come look at. I see you've got a package there that you could use a hand with." She giggled and openly ogled his crotch. "Just one time. We don't have to tell my supervisor. I manage this place good. I can manage you good, too." Her words came our slurred and slobbery-sounding.
"Stop." Daryl backed up and bumped into his bike.
Nikki licked her lips. "Come on. Enough of this cat and mouse. I'll be the mouse tonight. How does that sound? I've been told I'm real nice." She shimmied back and forth before tugging down her low cut tank top, flashing her breasts at him.
"Get out of here," Daryl barked. "You're drunk."
"Don't be mad at me," Nikki whined, teetering toward him on her heels. Her breasts, still hanging out, bounced as only artificial breasts could. She threw her arms around his neck and leaned in to kiss him. Her hot breath suffocated him.
Daryl ducked out from her grasp. "I'm busy. Get out of here!" A familiar feeling washed over him and he forced himself to fight down nausea. A brief flashback of rough hands and hot breath on his shoulder caused him to swear and spin away from Nikki.
"Baby," she whined. "It's okay. Come back to my place. We can have some drinks."
"Fuck off," he snarled as he marched toward building 3.
The scrape and tapping of high heels on the rough concrete followed him. "Daryl, wait. Hey, wait."
"Put your fucking shirt on, Nikki," Daryl called over his shoulder. He glanced over his shoulder and was at least relieved to see the woman tucking her breasts into her top. He ducked into the building and leaned against the wall, taking a moment to force himself to focus on his breathing and not the memories haunting him. After a moment he felt better, but caught movement out of the corner of his eye. Nikki had been able to stumble after him.
Daryl took the stairs two at a time and ducked into the second floor as the manager threw open the door and puffed upward behind him.
"Daryl, I can see you!" she called after him. "And I can fire you, you know. No job, nowhere to live!" she cackled. "No one else in King County will hire you. Everyone knows you nearly beat Ed Peletier to death. If you weren't friends with the sheriff, you'd be in jail!"
Daryl froze in the entryway to the second floor. Fuck. She'd never taken it that far before, but Daryl knew she was right. He doubted whether she'd remember the threat in the morning, though, so he ducked into Beth's hallway and spilled through her door just as Nikki's footsteps reached the top of the stairs.
"Hey," he gruffly announced as he entered the colorful little apartment. He froze again and his eyes widened in surprise.
Beth had just gotten out of the bath and was talking on the phone in nothing but a fluffy pink towel.
"Shit," Daryl swore, quickly shutting and locking the door and shielding his eyes. The adrenaline and sudden image of Beth's glistening skin and flushed cheeks had him hard in a moment. He turned away from her and cleared his throat. "Sorry. Sorry. I didn't see nothing. I just- sorry."
Giggling, Beth stepped into her bedroom. "You know what, someone just walked in the door. I'll talk to you later, Glenn. Thanks."
"You should lock your door," Daryl growled as he looked through the peephole.
Nikki was stumbling around in the hallway, but heard his voice and turned for Beth's. She pounded on the door. "I hear you, Daryl. Open up."
Beth peeked out of her room, still undressed. "What the heck is that?" Her brows furrowed in confusion. "I'm not expecting anyone. Oh, wait. If it's Maggie, don't let her in!"
"It's Nikki," Daryl groaned. "She's drunk and threatening to fire me if I don't fuck her. Didn't mean to barge in. Just thought I could get away." He glanced at her for a moment before shaking his head and looking back down. Her bare shoulders and collarbone looked more erotic than anything he'd ever seen. Or was it the perky personality that lured him in? He considered leaving to spare himself the humiliation, but he couldn't. Stuck between a threat and a temptation. Both dangerous, he thought without a hint of amusement.
Dishes in Beth's cabinets rattled as the pounding at the door continued. Daryl bit the inside of his lip. Outside, the drunken tirade began again "Come out. I mean it. No one else is going to hire the likes of you and give you somewhere to live. Other people warned me not to take you in, you know! They say you're dangerous!"
Daryl didn't dare look up at Beth. His neck and ears burned hot with something like shame. That bastard Ed deserved every bruise Daryl had given him, but Nikki was right. He should be in jail and he owed everything to Rick Grimes for saving his neck. Now Beth's gaze was on him, and he couldn't even shake his head. Sure, he'd told the story, but hearing it peppered at him like a shotgun blast had the same impact.
"You're such a tease," Nikki added from behind the door. "It's not like you don't want this. You've been begging me to fuck you. Quit being dramatic."
Beth's eyes were wide as she slowly walked toward the doorway. "What did she say?" she whispered.
The pounding stopped and was replaced by the thump of Nikki leaning against the door. "You can't just strut around my office, bulging muscles, tight jeans, and not expect me to want something of that." The muffled voice then turned to a muffled laugh. "You're going to have to see me Monday anyway, it's going to either be with a good morning kiss or a pink slip and eviction notice."
"No," Beth snapped, suddenly stomping toward the door.
"Hey," Daryl hissed, reaching out to grab her arm but immediately pulling it back as he realized she was still clutching a towel around herself.
Flinging the door open, Beth stood with her hip popped out. She put on the best authoritative bark she could muster. "Hey. What do you want?"
"Him." Scowling, Nikki tried to push past her.
Beth shoved her back out of the doorway. "Leave my boyfriend alone. He ain't interested, didn' you hear?"
"Boyfriend?" Nikki gasped. Her voice twisted into a cruel expression. "Then you should know he's been cheating on you with me. You should know. Us girls gotta stick together, huh?" She glanced back toward Daryl, then smiled at Beth.
Beth rolled her eyes. She'd always ended up as the babysitter at college parties. This would be easy. Drunks were stupid. "I don't think so. I have a good hold on him every night. He ain' got time to be with you." She glanced back at Daryl, who was staring at the floor, uncertain of the right move.
The manager stumbled, steadied herself on the door frame, then finally locked eyes with her nemesis. "You're lying. Just give him to me. You just moved here. It took me months to get him to talk to me. There's no way he's your boyfriend," the manager slurred. "Prove it, then!"
"Prove it?" Beth repeated.
"You can't." Nikki narrowed her eyes.
Beth reached out and grabbed Daryl's collar with one hand as the other clutched at her towel. "Fine," she sang out as Daryl's body crashed into hers.
Before he could react, Beth's open mouth was pressed against his. His hands found her waist and his knees trembled. The girl's breath was sweet and her skin smelled like vanilla. He kissed her back and tried not to think about the fluffy pink fabric between them.
"What?" Nikki screeched. "Get off of him!"
Daryl's head was spinning. Suddenly Beth was gone. His lips were still wet from her sudden attack. He licked them to dry them off and realized it was Beth's saliva on his tongue.
"Daryl is my boyfriend and I'm sick of you," Beth announced. "Leave my man alone or I'll have your manger know you're harassing tenants in their homes!" She pointed across the hall. "Poor Mrs. Dewey has a sleeping baby you've probably woken up. I bet I could get all sorts of witnesses to you being a hot mess. Maybe it's you who should be worrying about your job! It's not a good idea to piss off a reporter, you know."
Now it was Nikki who looked scared. "You wouldn't. Daryl, tell her she can't do that!"
"Night," Daryl said, slamming the door and locking it once more. He and Beth stood in silence for a moment before they heard the stairwell door open and slam shut.
"By the way," Beth said. "I really do lock my door. I swear. I just forgot tonight." She turned back toward her room. "Give me a sec. I'll get dressed!"
"That could have been some creep comin' in here while you were in the bath. It's Saturday night. Everybody's drinkin'." Daryl leaned against the door and touched his lips. She kissed me. Holy shit. He looked around the apartment to ground himself. You ain' dreaming.
"I know. I'm glad it was you," Beth called. She reappeared a moment later in jean shorts and a tank top that showed a lacy red bra underneath. "Ready, if you're still up for a ride after whatever that was. Sorry, by the way, if that was too much." She mimed a kiss. "It got her to leave, at least?" She giggled.
Daryl blinked at her. He didn't know what to say in regards to the kiss, so he went with the most obvious. "You ain' wearin' that on the bike."
Beth looked down at her outfit. "It's hot out?" she replied in confusion.
"It'll be cooler on the bike. And if we get hit and slide, you're going to want jeans to protect your legs. Won't help much, but if might save a layer of skin." Daryl sat down on the couch. "Go change."
"Okay, okay," Beth said as she ducked into the bedroom. "Is she always that awful to you?" she called as dug for a pair of jeans. "That's not right. I mean, she's not wrong that you look really good in your tight jeans and bulging muscles. But that doesn't mean she can say something about it. You don't see anyone else chasing you down like a freak."
Daryl glanced at his jeans. These are tight? The compliment felt a lot better coming from Beth than Nikki, but the whole evening left him feeling off. Maybe he'd give Carol or Mrs. Hudson a call and see what to do about Nikki.
"You know what, on second thought, why don't we just stay in and have a drink?" Beth called.
"It's fine. I'll take you out on the bike," Daryl called back.
Suddenly Beth was next to him, still in her jean shorts. "I don't really want to see her again. She's probably outside somewhere."
"All right," Daryl shrugged. He'd hoped to have the bike under him and the handlebars in his grasp to keep him from doing something he regretted. Without having to control hundreds of pounds of machinery, he was free to pull Beth onto his lap and finish that kiss. No, he thought. Don't. It was just an act.
"Are you busy tomorrow?" Beth asked as she pattered into the kitchen. She returned with a six pack and strolled across the living room to the balcony.
"Nah," Daryl replied, sheepishly following her onto the balcony, taking care to make sure the sliding screen was shut tight so bugs wouldn't fly in.
"Maybe we can go on a ride tomorrow night?" Beth looked out over the parking lot before turning her eyes skyward. "I still think it'd be fun. I'm definitely okay with just staying in tonight. It's been a day."
The girl's pale skin seemed to glow in the starlight. Everything about her seemed damn near angelic in the light. When she turned her big blue eyes toward him, Daryl blushed and looked away. He'd never felt more unworthy. "Yeah." He chewed the inside of his lip.
"You don't say much, but I feel like you've got a lot to say," Beth replied, popping a beer cap off on the arm of her lawn chair. She handed the bottle to Daryl before popping one open for herself.
Daryl took a long drink. "Guess so."
"Well, I'm listenin' whenever you want to get it off your chest. Whatever it is." She took a drink and sighed happily before leaning and watching over the railing again. "Look," she exclaimed. "Full moon!" She stood up and leaned over the railing, obviously completely at ease. "And there's the big dipper. Look!"
Daryl stared at the bright flowers on the balcony instead of Beth's ass, perfectly propped up and eye level. "So why you back?"
Beth sighed. "My own father wants me to marry a guy who cheated on me with one of my friends. So does my sister. When I was on the farm, my dad had invited Jimmy to dinner! I just wanted to see my family but they had to bring that asshole over." Her pale cheeks flushed in anger. "Believe me when I say that people appreciate a guy who will fight for a woman when she can't do it herself!" She huffed and took a drink.
"Sorry," Daryl mumbled. "I didn't have a great dad neither. But inviting your fiance over is low."
"Ex," Beth snapped. "And I didn't even want to marry him. It was- there was a lot of pressure from my father. My mom had just died and, oh, it's just all a mess." She waved her hand dismissively and looked back up at the stars.
"Thanks," he said suddenly. "For back there. For gettin' Nikki to leave." He stood up and leaned on the railing next to her. When his arm brushed against hers, he wondered if he was too close.
Beth looked over and wrinkled her nose. "I thought maybe she'd leave someone else's boyfriend alone, but I guess not." She bumped his arm and grinned. "I must be crazy to kiss a guy who barges into my apartment while I'm naked and brings a crazy bitch along, huh?" She giggled.
"Yeah," Daryl nodded with a grin. He looked up and noted the big dipper and Orion's belt.
Beth finished her beer and sat her empty bottle down. When she leaned back on the railing, her arm was solidly pressed against Daryl's. "That's definitely the weirdest first kiss I've ever had."
Daryl nearly choked as he finished his own beer. First kiss? As in, more to come? Words wouldn't come, so he savored the feeling of her soft warm skin against his. "Yeah," he repeated lamely.
She turned her head so that her face was inches from his. "So maybe we don't have to count that one."
"No?" His stomach flipped nervously. Beth is about to kiss me. Holy shit. Nerves suddenly gave way to excitement. As her lips touched his, he placed a hand on the small of her back and pulled her toward him. The first time had shocked him, but this time he was ready. He eagerly kissed her back.
"I see you!" A screech from below came. "You don't have to rub it in!" Nikki's drunken cry came.
Daryl pulled away in disbelief. "You're shittin' me."
Beth laughed aloud. "We're going to need another first kiss redo. Let's go inside."