A/N How about some Bethyl Halloween Fun and Fluff? This is my contribution for the Halloween portion of the Bethyl Holidays Fest. I hope you enjoy the Love.
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She's just not sure about this Halloween party. A friend invited her, well she's not even a friend really. It's just someone Beth knows from spinning class. Beth tried to say no, in the nicest way of course, but the woman, Andrea, was just so insistent. She's the kind who just will not take no for an answer.
Beth hasn't dressed up for Halloween since she was a kid, and back then Mama made her costumes. She mentioned to another woman in the class how she was struggling to decide what to wear and the woman, Rosita, said "don't worry, I have the perfect costume. It's so cute and you'll be adorable in it!"
The way Rosita went on to describe the costume it did sound cute, a kitty costume. It never occurred to Beth a kitty costume could be so skimpy, or so tight, or so sexy. It's certainly not like anything Mama would make.
Darn it, if she wasn't always so worried about hurting other people's feelings she would have just given it right back to Rosita and said thanks but no thanks, it's not me. But gosh, the way Rosita had gone on and on about the darn thing, like it was the greatest costume ever, Beth just smiled. Now she's stuck.
She tries to convince herself it's no big deal, all she has to do is make an appearance at this dumb party. Smile and say hi to a few people from class, eat some snacks and leave. An hour tops, then she can come back home, put on her sweats, curl up on the couch and forget all about Halloween and kittens.
In the meantime, she's dressed in the too tiny costume and making one stop before going to the party. She was asked to bring an appetizer to share and hard seltzer. She's got sliced cheeses in a cute little container and now she just has to pick up those hard seltzers at the Quickie Mart.
It's been a helluva Friday, nothing but non-stop work all day long. It's almost seven and he's just now leaving the shop. He has a very simple plan for the evening, get home, order a big ass pizza and drink a six pack. Maybe two six packs.
Shit, and it's Halloween. Who comes up with these crazy holidays? This one's okay for kids, maybe, but what's with all the adults who dress up? Not that it really matters to him, no one ever comes down his road to trick or treat anyway. Where he lives, just outside the city limits, there are no street lights and no sidewalks. And just to make sure no one ventures to his house, every October 31st he keeps his porch light off too.
He pulls the big blacked out Triumph into the lot of the Quickie Mart and heads in for his 12 pack.
He's not two feet inside the door when he sees her. He has to do a double take because, holy crap, he can't believe his eyes. It's the secretary, Beth, but she doesn't look a thing like she looks at work. She's always prim and proper, like she's going to Sunday School or something. This get-up she's got on now though, it's…well shit it's sexy as hell and whatever kind of cat she's supposed to be is his new favorite kind.
Being honest, he's had a little case for her ever since she came to work at the tire and auto, but he never bothered to ask her out for a beer or anything. No one had to tell him he isn't her type of guy. Shit, she isn't his type of woman, yet there's something there. Some kind of draw he can't deny. Now this, damn, this is miss prim and proper in a whole new way.
She sees him, oh no! Not Daryl, oh my gawd No! No! No! No! But it's too late, he sees her too and he gives her that barely-there smile of his and a nod of the head. Shoot, shoot, shoot! She smiles back and gives him a little wave, while she's praying to God the floor will open up and swallow her.
Her face is on fire and his eyebrows are raised so high there's no doubt he can't believe what he's seeing.
Oh my gawd. She just wants to become invisible.
Shoot, shoot, shoot. This is going to ruin everything. Not that there was ever anything between them to begin with, but ever since she went to work at Dixon's Tire & Auto she's been wishing the younger Dixon brother would ask her out. She's sure that will never happen now, he probably thinks she's a joke.
Not that she really expected it to happen, him asking her out, but she sure liked daydreaming about it. She's not at all his type though, she's positive about that. My gosh, the brothers are bikers, big, muscley and manly, and tough as nails. They probably look at her and think she's about as dull as warm milk and dry toast.
Not that they're not nice to her, they're always very nice and polite and very respectful, but other than anything work related, they have nothing to say to her. Even if they did there's never really any time to visit at work. The shop is busy from the moment they open until the minute they close, and sometimes later. They've got the service contracts for the county sheriff's department and the county road crew, and everyone in-between.
There's not even a chance to chat at lunch, Daryl and Merle both hop on their motorcycles and go riding to blow off steam. When they get back thirty minutes later, Beth takes her lunch. It's usually something exciting, like a salad at her desk.
If she were going to run into Daryl Dixon outside of work why couldn't it have been when she was at the park, or even the grocery store, dressed like her usual self. This is awful. How is she ever going to face him again?
She hurries to pay for her seltzers and get the heck out of there.
The view of her walking away is adorable, that cute little tail swinging back and forth, yeah, cute. He's so busy watching her he doesn't even realize he's just been standing there holding the cooler door open. A guy waiting to get his own 12 pack finally says, "Hey man, ya mind if I reach around you and get one of them?"
Daryl quickly grabs the 12 pack and says, "Sorry man, I got distracted."
The guy laughs and nods, "I can't fault ya brother. I was enjoying that view myself."
For some reason the remark irritates the shit out of Daryl Dixon.
There are four mechanic bays in the shop, Merle's, Daryl's and Oscar's. They're thinking about whether they want to hire a guy for number four.
Beth's office is right across from the bays. The upper half of the wall is glass with a window that slides sideways so the mechanics can hand her the work orders, and she can hand the customers their invoices. The glass enables her to see who may need assistance. It also gives her an excellent view of Daryl Dixon, second bay in.
Some days it's all she can do not to spend all her time looking at him, especially when he wears those shirts with no sleeves. The truth is, she doesn't just dream about Daryl, she's been crushing on him hard since day one.
Daryl's been half tempted to board up that damn glass wall. Why the hell did Merle have to hire her? Wasn't there some sweet old lady that could have done the job?
He walks out of the Quickie Mart and there's Beth standing next to his bike. He sees those big alligator tears in her eyes and he's concerned, "Hey girl, what's wrong? Someone bother you?"
"No, nothing like that Daryl, it's my darn car, it won't start and I'm supposed to be at this party and…oh gosh the thing is a piece of junk. I should just buy a new car but I was going to hang onto it until the bitter end. I think this is the bitter end."
He can't help smiling, "I'm sorry, but it is kind of a piece of crap. That don't mean I can't get it runnin' good for ya though. Ya might even get another couple years out of it, but I ain't gonna fix it here or tonight. I'll take care of it tomorrow."
"Oh, that's okay, I don't expect you to have to fix my car. I wasn't going to ask."
"Yeah, well we'll call it an employee benefit. In the meantime, I can take ya where ya need ta go if ya don't mind ridin' on the bike."
"Really?"
He shrugs, "Well yeah, ya think I'ma leave ya here cryin'?"
She smiles at him as one last tear trickles down her cheek, "Thank you so much Daryl, I really appreciate it."
Then he asks, "Where's your coat?"
"Oh, I didn't bring one, I didn't think I'd need it."
"You're gonna need it. Here, ya wear mine."
He strips it off and helps her into it and she's never seen him smile as big as he does when he steps back and looks at her, "Damn girl, I'm a little worried ya might drown in that thing."
"It's warm though."
"Good. Ya got all your stuff?"
"I just have to get a bag out of my car."
"Lemme help."
He bungees her bag and their drinks on the back of the seat, and asks, "Address?"
"Yes, in my phone."
She brings it up, shows him her screen and he nods, "Okay, I know where it is. I'll get on the bike and you get on behind me, keep those bare legs away from the pipes and hang on."
"Hang on?"
"Yeah, ta me."
"Oh, okay."
What he doesn't know is she can't wait to hang on, and what she doesn't know is he can't wait to feel her arms around him.
Too soon it's over, they've arrived.
She takes his hand as she dismounts the bike, and he's off right behind her. She's already got the coat off and as she's handing it to him he asks, "Ya sure ya don't need it?"
"I'll be alright, I'm going to be inside." Her heart feels heavy and she looks down when she says, "Thank you for the ride Daryl. I guess I'll see you at work Monday."
He shakes his head and grumbles, "I ain't leavin' ya out in the parkin' lot, I'll walk ya to the door, and here, lemme carry them drinks and the sack."
"Oh, okay, thank you." Her heart is singing now.
They can hear the party long before they ever get close to the door. Techno pop is blaring and still the voices of the people at the party can be heard above the music. He shakes his head, "I'm surprised ya run with such a loud crowd Beth Greene."
She hurries to explain, "Not really. I mean, they're not really my crowd or anything. It's a woman from my spinning class, she invited me, and I have a terrible time saying no, so here I am."
"So, what the hell is a spinnin' class?"
"It's…well it's like, well you ride a stationary bike but they deliberately make it super hard and fast."
"Is that fun to you?"
"No, but they say it's good exercise."
"Seems like a person could just take a bike ride around the lake and that'd be good exercise too, probably might even be fun."
"You're right. I may have to make a change."
"So, this party you're goin' to requires ya wear your best kitty outfit?"
She's shaking her head, she's embarrassed but he's funny, "No, no, it's not mine. Another woman in the class loaned it to me. She told me it was a cat outfit, I almost died when I tried it on." He doesn't doubt that for a minute.
She rings the doorbell and some big bruiser dressed like Bam Bam opens the door and says, "Well c'mere and let me pet you kitty kitty."
Daryl stiff arms him growling, "Back off man."
The guy seems a little afraid of a fight, but he has to save face, "Oh yessir Mister Wannabe Biker."
"Yeah right." Daryl lets it slide, he's just looking out for her right now. Still he can't help throwing a shoulder into the guy as he pushes passed him, his open hand on the low of Beth's back as he escorts her in.
The place is crazy but they manage to make it through a sea of people to the kitchen, and Beth sets her dish of cheeses on the island. Daryl stays close and some woman says, "Oh my gosh Beth, I love your costume, and your boyfriend's too. He looks like a real biker."
Daryl let's that slide too, and doesn't budge from Beth's side. He's noticed there are a lot of handsy guys at this party, and none of these people seem like Beth's kind of people. They damn sure aren't his kind.
He must have had it pegged because she looks at him like she's about to have a panic attack and asks, "Can we go now?"
"You bet, I thought you'd never ask." And they get the hell out of there.
Once back at the bike he decides to take a big fat chance, "I's gonna order some pizza, have a couple of beers and maybe catch a movie, wanna come over?"
She's so excited she could faint, and then she asks something dumb, "Um, do you have any cokes?"
"Ya don't drink beer?"
"Well no, not really." Oh Beth please, get it together.
"Yeah, I got some coke. I drink one every mornin' before work."
She smiles, "It's better than coffee, isn't it? Can we stop at my house so I can change?"
She thinks she's really blown it now, but he's smiling and as he slips his leather jacket on her again, "Sure, you bet. Where do ya live?"
Her little apartment is all frills and flowers and pink things. It suits her. He waits while she changes, and although he'll kind of miss the kitty costume, she looks pretty damn fine when she comes walking out of the bedroom in jeans and t-shirt, topped off with a red flannel and cowboy boots. He catches himself smiling again, she does that to him, "Ya ready ta ride Kitten?"
"Kitten? Are you going to start calling me that?"
"Unless ya tell me ta stop."
She smiles and shrugs and he digs those pink cheeks when she answers, "I don't mind. Just not at work."
"Never at work. C'mon, let's do this Kitten." Merle would have a heyday.
She wondered how a biker lives and is pleased to see his house is rustic, in a really cool way. She likes it a lot, it's cozy too. It suits him.
He gets a fire going in the woodstove and asks, "So whaddya like on your pizza?"
"Just plain cheese is fine with me."
He and nods, "Okay, sure," he's not even surprised. He orders himself a large with everything on it, and her a medium cheese. He cracks her open a can of coke, then thinks to ask, "Ya want a glass?"
"Yes please, if it's no trouble."
"Nah, no trouble." Then he cracks himself a beer, not bothering with a glass.
He takes a long hard look at her, sets the beer down on the counter and gets closer, cradling her face in his hands, "I like ya Beth, I have for a while."
"I like you too Daryl, I have all along."
"You know, you n me, we ain't got one damn thing in common, do we?"
She shrugs, "Probably not."
"You think that matters?"
"It doesn't matter to me."
"Then I guess it don't matter at all."
He presses his lips to hers and she responds to the warmth. What they're feeling for each other is all that matters now, and all that will ever matter.
Happy Halloween!
A/N There it is, a little fun and fluff for Halloween. There's a chapter photo of the Biker and Kitten on my tumblr blogs gneebee and bethylmethbrick, please have a look. If you have a chance, please check out my WIP Bethyl ZA, Love's Long Road. Until I see you again remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee
