A/N: I'm still working on new chapters, trying to get my writing groove back. I hope you're still with me. I had this chapter and one more already done and as soon as I get another one complete, I will post it right away. So much love to y'all for the support and helping me get back my Bethyl groove.
To Reignashii - come hell or high water I will finish this story as promised.
Chapter 20: Blur
The last few days had passed by in a blur. They had left the cabin and were staying in a hotel in Atlanta. Abe was paying for the rooms and the rehearsal hall. After hearing the demo tapes, he was even more excited to see how they'd do on stage.
The Southern Rock Festival was in two days and downtown Atlanta was a sea of people. When Rick had signed them up for the battle of the bands, it was to get them some much needed publicity, but now it was to get them a record contract.
The two new songs were near prefect as well as Tara's song they hadn't recorded yet. Ten hours a day they spent going over the songs, learning the chords, memorizing the words and coming together as a band.
Maggie called Glenn and Beth every night to see how things were going, but most nights they were too tired to talk long. Beth would usually change into her shorts and t-shirt, then curl up next to Daryl.
Their little arrangement in the cabin was no different now. They had become damn near inseparable. There were soft kisses and longing looks, but Daryl made sure to not let their make out sessions get too carried away.
With another week behind them and the prospect of actually getting a recording contract, the band was on this exuberant high. They powered through the first six hours before they called for a break.
Beth picked her water bottle up and took a big swig. She smiled over at Daryl as he placed his bass down.
He walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist. Dipping his head down, he gave her a gentle kiss. The smile on her face made him want to kiss her again.
"Everyone thinks we're… sleeping together," Beth darted her eyes over to Tara and Glenn as they whispered to each other.
"We are," Daryl answered her, letting out a chuckle when she slapped his chest.
"You know what I mean. They think we're having sex. Tara asked me if we're being careful. I told her, you can't get more careful than not doing it." The blush that covered her face was too adorable. Daryl wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close to him. His lips were on hers, his tongue seeking entrance into between her sweet, lush buds.
"Get a room!" Glenn sounded back at them, gaining a middle finger from Daryl.
"Told ya," Beth said as soon as she pulled back from Daryl's embrace.
"Let 'em think what they want to. They know the truth, just want to tease ya about it." Daryl smiled back at her, before kissing her cheek. She closed her eyes and let out a please hum.
They finished up rehearsing for the night and made their way over to the restaurant they'd been eating at for nearly a week. Beth sat down beside Tara with her slice of cheese pizza, while Daryl talked shop with Rick and Glenn. Tara was flirting with the waitress when Beth slid in beside her, causing the waitress to leave.
"Sorry," Beth said as she took a bit of pizza.
"No worries. Was just cruising for a hook up. Things seem pretty steamy between you and Dixon. You can tell me, y'all together or just have an arrangement?" Tara played with the ketchup on her plate with a fry. She glazed back at Beth a few times as she watched her fidget around.
Beth chewed on her pizza, doing her best to ignore her. Tara elbowed her in the ribs and wiggled her eyebrows. "Come on Beth."
"What do you think?" Beth grabbed her plate and made her way over to Daryl. Daryl reached his hand out to her, pulling her in front of him and wrapping his arms around her small waist.
Rick smiled at how close they were, how sweet they looked together. He was nearly giddy about this new development, knowing it would gain him some amazing chemistry on stage. It was that chemistry that impressed Rosita and it was that chemistry that will get them that million dollar contract.
"Rosita wants to meet with y'all before the concert. I'm givin' ya tomorrow off to let loose. Don't go crazy, I'm lookin' at you Merle." The four of them darted their eyes over to Merle in the corner, nursing his third bottle of beer.
Merle held up his bottle as if to give them a toast before he tossed it back. Daryl shook his head at his brother. Merle was a lot of things, but being a stick in the mud wasn't one of them.
After dinner, they headed back to the hotel. Daryl got a shower while Beth got ready for bed. He could smell the sweet vanilla of her body wash all around him, bombarding his senses until he found himself stroking his hard cock under the cooling water. Being close to her was torture, but as long as she was happy, he was too.
They did as they had done for the past several nights. She cuddled up to him, giving him a goodnight kiss and he stroked her cheek with the back of his knuckles as he got lost in her pale blue eyes. Being so close without any intimacy in the mix was new for Daryl but then again, it wasn't customary for him to share his bed with the girls he fucked.
The next morning found them tangled up in each other. Beth was nearly lying on top of him, while his hand was splayed out on her back. Her tank had risen up in the night, leaving her skin exposed. Daryl felt her nipples rubbing his chest as she squirmed around.
"Beth, wake up," he nudged her as he tried to pull her shirt back down. He wasn't ready to see that much of, but he looked anyways.
She wiped the sleep from her eyes and rolled away from him. Her hands went up to her shirt to pull it down while Daryl helped her. The feel of his fingertips grazing her sides, her stomach and even catching a feel of her left breast made her core tingle.
"I got it," her cheeks blushed a deep crimson as she rolled out of the bed and patted off to the bathroom. Daryl was glad for a few moments to calm himself and take a few cleansing breaths. His morning wood had sprung up, pitching a tent so high in his lounge pants it was nearly painful. He was about to slide his hand down his pants when he heard a pounding on the door.
"Keep yer pants on. I'm comin'," he mumble as he climbed from the bed with his hand over his bulging crotch.
When he opened the door, he slammed it shut. Merle banged on it again, yelling out his little brother to let him in. "When ya said yer were comin', didn't know you meant it literally."
"Fuck off, Merle," Daryl shouted back at him, hoping he'd just go away.
Beth came back in with her toothbrush between her lips and opened the door. Merle walked in, winking at Beth. "Get dressed, Darylina. Got plans today."
Daryl was about to protest when Tara and Maggie showed up at his door. Maggie had that look in her eyes, like she was ready to get into some trouble. She and Tara waltzed in and into the bathroom where Beth was.
"Might as well go with Merle and Glenn today, Daryl. We're taking Bethy shopping for some stage clothes," Maggie yelled back at Daryl from the bathroom. Daryl shook his head as he looked back at his smirking brother.
"Okay, you win. Where we are goin' today?" Daryl really didn't want to go on a Merle Dixon field trip, but if Glenn was in the mix, he had to go to protect the wet behind the ears drummer.
Merle walked out to the hallway, stopping by the door. "You'll see. Trust me… we're gonna have us some fun in Hotlanta."
Beth came out dressed in a red thigh high halter dress and black flats. She had her hair up in her usual ponytail with a braid down one side. Her makeup was minimal, with just a touch of shiny pink lip gloss. She was a looker without any of the extra bells and whistles, but she was every man's wet dream when she was all dolled up.
She was for sure Daryl's wet dream and the cause of his erections, morning, noon and night. After seeing her in that dress, he was sure he'd have blisters on his hands by the end of the day.
As she waltzed passed him, he smirked at the playful way she was twisting her ass. "You wanted some fries to go with that shake, Greene?"
Maggie and Tara giggled from the hallway as she stopped to get her purse. "You offering, Dixon?"
Daryl pulled on his ball cap, trying to hide the smile on his face. She blew him a kiss as she joined the girls for their shopping trip. Tara gave her a whistle and Maggie grinned from ear to ear. She ignored both of them and headed off to the elevators.
Once in the shop, Beth could tell right away what her sister and Tara had in mind. She was a singer in a rock band and she should look the part. The walls and racks were full of leather, studs and shiny tops. There wasn't one single thing here that was her, but maybe the shoes.
Tara pushed her into a dressing room as Maggie tossed clothes over the door. She began trying on the leather pants when Maggie started her twenty questions.
"You and Daryl still keeping it friendly?" Maggie knew they were but she wanted to hear it from Beth's own lips.
"Are you and Glenn still dancing around the marriage thing?" Beth turned the tables on her, coming back with an equally stinging question.
The two sisters were quiet for a while, only speaking to Tara or giving advice on the clothing Beth was trying on. The marriage question was a low blow and Beth knew it. Maggie wanted to be married, but Glenn wasn't on the same page yet. Maybe she did it just to get Maggie off her case. Her sister meant well, but since her incident over Zach's death, Maggie had been a mother hen.
Beth already knew what she was wearing Saturday for the Battle of the Bands, but she was appeasing her sister and Tara. When she came out wearing a mess white top with black bra and black leather shorts, Maggie and Tara both stared at her.
"Oh my God, Bethy. You look amazing." Maggie made her do a twirl as she tried to not look completely embarrassed.
"Okay, we have three outfits. Can we go now… I'm starving." Beth went back in the dressing room when Maggie came in.
"Bethy… I'm sorry for being so over protective, but I love you. Dixon has enough baggage for the two of you. Just make sure you don't let him drop all of it on you." Maggie moved to hug here when Beth put her hands up, stopping her.
"I know you mean well Maggie, but last I checked, I'm a grown woman. If or when I hook up with Daryl, that will be between us. Daryl is more than what you see. Let me handle my problems and you handle yours. I love you Maggie and that will never change." Beth lowered her hands and hugged her big sister.
Daryl climbed into Merle's van, seeing Glenn grinning from the back. He looked like he'd just won the lottery as he bounced on the back seat. "Merle said he's got big plans for us today?"
"I think he means big tits. Am I right, Merle? It's Hooters for lunch, then a strip club." Daryl pulled his cigarettes from his pocket, waiting for Merle to chime in.
"Yer right, little brother. Glenn needs to drop the ball and chain for a day and you need to remember what a woman looks like. Maybe when you get back, maybe those Greene girls will get the best ride of their lives." Merle started up the van and headed out towards the freeway.
They eat their lunch as Merle gave Glenn pointers on how to properly motor boat a woman. Daryl excused himself to check his cell phone and have a smoke. He looked down at the text from Beth.
Getting a few things – Beth
Attached was a photo of some tiny white lace thongs. His throat when dry and his dick twitched in his pants. She was trying to kill him and the next picture was proof of that. The matching red satin and lace bra and pantie set was making his imitation work overtime.
"What ya got there, Daryl?" Merle snuck up behind him, looking at his phone.
"We ready to go?" Daryl turned his phone off and swiftly walked to the van as he adjusted the hard package in his jeans.
The parking lot to the Inside Cat looked full for a Friday evening. Joe was working the crowd in town for the music festival and the place was packed with horny twenty somethings. Daryl walked in behind Glenn, watching his eyes get bigger and bigger.
Merle clapped his hand on Glenn's shoulder and grinned back at both of them. "Breaking the stripper cherry, uh… Rhee?"
Daryl kept a close eye on Glenn as the night went on. He kept getting text from Beth, showing off the spoils of her shopping trip and one of her drinking at a bar with the girls. He wished he could be there with her, when the thought that some of these same horny guys might be at that bar hitting on her.
A very pretty, busty blonde walked his way and began thrusting herself on him. He closed his phone, slide it back in his pocket and promptly moved her away. He stood up and grabbed Glenn's arm.
"Merle, have fun. Here's twenty, have a lap dance on me. Glenn and me need to get to McGinty's before our girls get into trouble," he was dragging a somewhat drunk Glenn out when Merle started laughing.
"Yer girls? Glad you finally stopped lying to yerself, baby brother." Merle took the blonde that was flirting with Daryl by the waist and shoved the twenty between her boobs.
The cab pulled up to the bar and Daryl nearly dragged Glenn out. When they got inside, they were both taken by surprise as Tara, Maggie and Beth were on top of the singing. Daryl walked up to the bar and held up a dollar. Beth smiled down at him and took it from him. "What can I sing for you, handsome?"
"Private Dancer… do you know any Tina Turner?" Daryl gave her a wink and she sat down on the bar, wrapping her legs around his waist. She was tipsy as hell and ready to throw caution to the wind.
"I got something else in mind," her lips meet his in a heated, sultry kiss. His hands hold her face, his thumbs stroking her cheeks as he gives her back tongue teasing kiss back.
She climbed back up on the bar, marched over to Tara and whispered in here ear. Maggie jumped down and cued up the karaoke machine. Beth and Tara join her on the stage as the crowd begins to cheer.
This is for the ladies
Don't be scared no
I got something you have to see
So get your ass a drink
You better grab a seat
Daryl did just that. He took a seat up front with Glenn as the girls sang and gyrated on the stage. Beth kept her eyes locked on Daryl as she sang every line as if it was meant for just him.
You could be my muse
Oh yeah, uh-huh
You could be my muse
You could be my muse
First, let's just get this straight you are just a man
But this just may be something you need to understand
It's a different day but you may just come in hand
'Cause I may need you
To get down on the floor do exactly what I say
If you catch me in my zone it may be your lucky day
But don't get out of control cause I may lose my patience with you
'Can somebody please tell me why do men try to be
Something they could never be
Cause us women our totally different pedigree
You won't believe how I can be, but you may see
You can be my muse
The cat calls and wolf whistles were getting louder and louder behind Daryl. He wanted to tell them to shut the fuck up, but he didn't want to seem like the asshole boyfriend either. Wait… boyfriend? Was he acting like a boyfriend? A jealous, asshole boyfriend that wasn't secure in what he had with his lady? That's exactly what he was acting like and he knew it. As she finished the song, he stared back at her. She moved closer and closer to him until she was right in front of him, until she was straddling him. She ground her hips to the rhythm of the song as she sang the rest of it from her position on Daryl's lap.
Oh ha, yeah uh-huh
You could be my muse
You could be my muse
Mama always told me not to need a man
But one thing I should know is that I have the upper hand
And if I do indulge in showing him my plans
The one thing he should know is I can also wear the pants with my fucking heels on
Looking like a real strong woman
Any daddy would proud to say I'm his
You just stepped into the kill zone
I just keep it real
Have you calling me your daddy
I just tell it like it is and I find it funny cause
Men try to be something they could never be
Cause us woman are a totally different pedigree
You won't believe how I can be but you may see
'Cause you can be my muse
Oh ha, yeah uhhuh alright
You could be my muse
You could be my muse
Cause you could be my muse
Oh, yeah uh-huh
You could be my muse
You could be my muse
Daryl took the mic from her and kissed her so hard she bent backwards. When they came up for air, Beth's face was blushed, her eyes were a dark sapphire and she was nearly panting.
"Let's go back to the hotel. Need to sober y'all up. Got a big day tomorrow." Daryl stood up, setting her back on her feet.
Beth puckered out her bottom lip as she took his hand. "Party pooper. Okay… you win. But you're giving the best cuddle of my life tonight."