Warning: explicit sexual content at the end of this chapter.
could it last?
The sky was dark and the city was lighting up as Beth and Daryl walked hand-in-hand down the sidewalk, and even though the dress she was wearing was getting her a few more glances than she would've preferred, being with Daryl made her feel less noticeable. Because who would suspect that this guy's date was a wanted fugitive? They'd have to be out of their minds. And it only reassured her further every time they passed a group of younger guys whose eyes lingered a little longer than normal and she felt Daryl giving her hand a squeeze and leaning just the slightest bit closer to her. No, she knew that no guy in his right mind would attempt to confront her tonight.
The night sky was clear and cloudless and there was a slight chill in the air, but Beth didn't feel cold. She and Daryl were keeping pace as they walked, passing businesses and apartments and homes. There were still plenty of other people on the sidewalks and the streets were packed with traffic, as always. For a few minutes, Beth tried to guess where Daryl was taking her, but he just kept shaking his head and chuckling lightly, assuring her that she would find out soon.
She clung to his arm and followed closely as he led them around a corner and approached a large, brick building. They'd been walking for maybe twenty or thirty minutes and hadn't gotten far from the East Village. She looked around quizzically, searching the front of the building for any signs or posters. But it was unlabeled, though there were lights on and it reached up high towards the sky, higher than Beth could see to tell if there was some sort of sign at the very top of the building. As far as she could tell, it was just another apartment building.
But Daryl approached the door and opened it, gesturing for Beth to enter first before joining her. She stepped into the lobby of what appeared to be a hotel, though it was smaller than she would've expected. Daryl pulled her to the side, standing near the elevators. A few people were coming and going on and off the elevators, but they paid no mind to Beth and Daryl. Beth watched as Daryl wordlessly pulled his cell phone from an inside jacket pocket and appeared to type out a text. Then he looked up to Beth and smirked.
"What're we doin' here?" She asked, glancing around again. Surely he hadn't brought her to a hotel just to stay in a hotel room for a night…?
"Jus' texted m'buddy – he works here," Daryl explained, watching the elevators as they opened and closed and dinged every few seconds. "He'll be here any minute."
"But – it's a hotel, right?" Beth asked.
He smirked and glanced over at her. "Don't worry, we ain't usin' the hotel part."
"Then what – "
"'S a surprise – relax," he assured her.
A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth and she rolled her eyes, leaning back against the wall and watching the elevators with him. Her heart was thumping in her chest – from excitement rather than anxiety, for a change.
A couple minutes passed, then a small group of people emerged from one of the elevators and Daryl stood up straighter, taking a step forward. Beth stood away from the wall and watched as a large, black man in an impeccable black suit approached Daryl with a smile.
"Daryl! My man," the man's deep voice boomed as he reached out and took Daryl's hand in a firm, enthusiastic handshake. Then he wrapped an arm around Daryl and pulled him in for a tight hug before stepping back and grinning. "Good t'see you, man!"
"You, too, Ty," Daryl smiled. He seemed just as happy to see the other man, who appeared to be a few years older, a few inches taller, and at least a hundred pounds heavier than him – though it was almost all muscle – with short, cropped, black hair and a neatly trimmed beard. Daryl turned sideways and gestured to Beth, "This is my girl, Rosie – Rosie, this is Tyreese. He owns the place."
Beth's eyes widened and she took a step forward, reaching out and taking the hand that Tyreese was holding out for a handshake. He beamed down at her, glancing her up and down briefly. "Nice t'finally meet you, Rosie – I've heard a lot about you."
She felt herself blushing and smiled, nodding. "Nice t'meet you, too." She gave Daryl a sideways glance and he smirked back, leaving her wondering just how much he actually talked about her to other people. She'd never even heard of this Tyreese guy. Then she looked back up to Tyreese and said, "You own this whole place? It's beautiful."
He chuckled. "Thank you! But you haven't even seen the best part."
She glanced over at Daryl questioningly and he just smirked again, looking back to Tyreese and nodding. Tyreese nodded back and gestured for them to follow him to the elevators, where they waited for a door to open up before stepping on. Tyreese casually asked Daryl about work and Mal as he stepped aside and let Daryl and Beth enter the elevator first before stepping in with them and pressing a button that was simply labeled 'R.' Daryl replied that things were going well before the men fell silent.
As the elevator ascended with Tyreese standing close to the doors and Beth and Daryl standing toward the back together, Tyreese's deep voice filled the small space. "Beautiful weather tonight."
"Yeah – 's perfect weather, actually," Daryl commented, and Beth glanced over at him with another questioning expression. But he pretended not to notice.
Tyreese turned his head and looked over his shoulder at Beth, smiling excitedly, and said, "You're gonna love this."
She didn't bother asking what to expect because she knew she'd be finding out soon, so she watched silently as the light moved its way up the column of numbered buttons, until it was ticking past '22,' then '23' and '24,' until it finally stopped and left the 'R' brightly lit up. The doors dinged to announce their arrival before slowly opening, but Tyreese stood in front of them and obscured Beth's view. Daryl squeezed her hand tightly and she looked over to see him watching her with a sly smile.
Tyreese stepped aside and held out his hand, extravagantly presenting the open door for the couple. He looked at Beth with raised eyebrows and smiled. "M'lady."
She giggled in response and did a slight half-curtsy in response, earning a low chuckle of amusement from both men. Then she stepped off the elevator and onto the rooftop, cool evening air hitting her skin and sending goosebumps down her legs. Daryl and Tyreese stepped out close behind her and Tyreese led them towards the right of the elevators.
Beth looked around to see that they were atop the huge, open-air rooftop of the tall, brick building, at least twenty-four stories up in the sky. The city sparkled around them and the rooftop was decorated with strings of colorful lights hanging around every edge and garnishing the dozens of canopies, as well as various potted plants and flowers. There were various partitions set up around the rooftop, standing ten-feet tall or so and separating various areas. To the left of the elevators appeared to be a bar, filled with patrons and employees, and Beth could tell there was more to be seen beyond the partition that obscured her view of the full bar. A large sign was posted in the center of the partition that read: 21+ Only. Music played at a medium volume throughout the rooftop, though it sounded like it originated near the bar. There were tables and booths everywhere, and at least half of them were occupied with people already. But Tyreese was taking Beth and Daryl away from the crowds, towards the right and to the quieter part of the rooftop. There appeared to be more booths and tables, and an open area near one of the balconies that stretched out and away from the rooftop, where a couple of people stood and smoked cigarettes while chatting, laughing, and sipping drinks. Tyreese led them farther on, past a small, closed-off area labeled as a restroom, then taking a turn and walking through what looked like an employees-only area. Then they took another turn and Tyreese stopped and stepped aside, holding out his hand again and proudly presenting a small, open area near the edge of the rooftop, set away and closed-off from the noise and commotion of the entire rest of the rooftop. A small dining table with two chairs had been set up near the railing of the edge, overlooking the bright lights of the city below. There was a crisp, white tablecloth and a single, lit candle in the center of the table, and on either side of the chairs were two large, decorative vases filled with dozens of bright yellow sunflowers.
Beth's mouth dropped open and she stared in awe, unable to comprehend that this was for her and Daryl. When he'd said it was a surprise, she certainly hadn't expected anything like this. Her heart was doing somersaults, and when she finally looked over to Daryl, she saw him watching her expectantly.
She smiled and raised her eyebrows, glancing at the setup again, still in disbelief. "This – is for us?"
"Fer you," Daryl rumbled, and smirked as her cheeks turned bright pink.
"Get settled in, I'll send the server in a couple minutes," Tyreese said, watching their interaction with an amused smile. "You guys want drinks?"
Daryl nodded. "Yeah – whatever's good."
Tyreese winked and nodded, giving them a brief thumbs-up. "Everything's good, man. I'll send a couple house cocktails, maybe a nice bottle of wine."
Beth couldn't stop smiling as she looked over at Tyreese and nodded. "This is – so beautiful. Thank you."
Tyreese chuckled. "Don't mention it. I'm just glad t'see Daryl gettin' out there again, meetin' nice young ladies. Most of this was his idea, by the way.
Daryl scoffed but chuckled lightly. "Right – how 'bout those drinks, man?"
Tyreese laughed. "Alright – let the server know if you guys need anything. And if there's any problems, just let me know."
Beth and Daryl approached the table while Tyreese disappeared, heading back in the direction of the elevators. Beth was still gazing around, her head on a swivel as she tried to take in every beautiful detail of the rooftop and the view surrounding it. Before she could reach out for her chair, Daryl was stepping forward and pulling it out for her, a sheepish half-smile on his face.
She giggled quietly and smoothed down the back of her dress before sitting down on the chair, allowing Daryl to scoot her closer to the table before he walked around and took his own seat. She was grateful they were in dim lighting and outside at night, because she was sure her face was bright red at this point. She tried hard to suppress the grin that wanted to permanently plaster itself to her face.
"Wow – such a gentleman," she said teasingly, though she knew he could tell that she was seriously appreciative.
He shrugged, another sheepish smirk on his lips as he watched her with wistful eyes. "Yeah, well… I can be. When I got a reason ta be."
Beth bit down lightly on her lower lip, still smiling, then turned and gazed out at the view of the city below them. All the buildings and cars appeared so much smaller that it made her breath catch, and she couldn't help but marvel at the endless sea of steel, lights, and city life.
"It's so… beautiful up here," she commented, her voice breathy and full of wonder.
"You like it?" Daryl asked. "'S kinda like Denise an' Tara's – but better."
Beth grinned and looked over at him, finding that he was still watching her with a dreamy gaze. "Are you kidding? I love it. It's definitely better."
His lips grew into a full smile and her heart did a joyful leap inside her chest. He pointed out at the city, toward a tall building in the distance. "There's the Empire State Building," he said, then pointed to another tall building in the distance. "An' that's the Chrysler Building…"
She looked out to where he pointed, smiling and spotting the various landmarks as he named them. Then she glanced over her shoulder, at the vase of sunflowers sitting a few feet behind her. He looked back at her with a proud smirk and she asked, "Did you do that, too?"
He shrugged, still smirking. "Maybe. Can't say they don't spruce the place up a bit, though."
She giggled and nodded in agreement. "I really… wasn't expectin' this. I mean, not that I don't appreciate it, I just didn't want you t'go ta too much trouble – "
"Don't say that," he interrupted her, leaning forward and resting his elbows on the table as he stared into her eyes. "Don't matter how much trouble it was. Yer worth it. Who else do I got ta do shit like this for?"
Beth looked down at the tablecloth sheepishly, shrugging and smoothing a tiny wrinkle in the cloth before looking back up to meet Daryl's gaze again. "Well, it means a lot… But I think I'd be happy doin' just about anything – with you."
A tiny smile tugged at the corners of Daryl's mouth and he grunted, quickly glancing down at his hands. She barely heard him mumble, "Me, too."
The server appeared a few seconds later, a guy in his late twenties wearing a spotless, ironed uniform with colors that matched the partitions around the rooftop. His shiny, silver nametag read: Ryan, Senior Hospitality Expert. He smiled politely and set out two tall, colorful drinks garnished with fruit. Then he set out a bottle of wine near the edge of the table, and two small, laminated menus in front of Beth and Daryl. They thanked him and he gave them a few minutes to look over the menu, walking off quickly with the empty tray that had held the drinks.
While they looked over the menus in their hands, cursive script at the top of the pages reading 'Sasha-Karen Rooftop Club,' they chatted idly about the options they were debating between, commenting on some of the other dishes and their interesting names or ingredients. Then they gradually grew quiet, making their decisions silently, and Daryl set his menu down first, reaching out and grabbing the drink in front of him to take a tentative sip.
Beth placed her own menu down on the table and watched Daryl's face express his pleasant surprise with the drink as he pulled the glass away from his lips and gazed at it thoughtfully. Smiling faintly, she asked, "So how d'you know Tyreese?"
He set his glass down and rested his elbows on the table again, meeting her eyes. "Met 'im a couple years ago, he came inta the shop wantin' a couple custom bikes. Told him I'd build 'em for cheap since the shop ain't really got anybody that wants ta build customs, 'cept for me. He wanted some imported parts that were hard ta get but I got a guy that hooked it up. We go ridin' together every now an' then."
Beth raised her eyebrows, intrigued. "Oh, cool. He seems really nice."
Daryl nodded. "Yeah, he's a good guy. Used ta play in the NFL. Linebacker, I think. But he got injured a while back an' couldn't play anymore. Said he used all his savings ta buy this place an' turn it around. Now he's got all kinds of awards an' shit fer havin' one a the best spots in town fer locals. Pretty cool shit."
Beth's mouth made a small 'o' of surprise and she said, "Wow – really cool."
He smirked and took another sip of his drink, and she looked at her own drink sitting before her. She picked it up and raised it to her lips hesitantly, breathing in the fruity scent before taking a small sip. It was sweet and then tart, but she couldn't even taste the alcohol. She took a longer swig, then set it down again to see the server, Ryan, approaching the table, prepared to take their food order.
Once their food was ordered and Ryan had taken the menus back and disappeared to fetch their appetizer, Beth and Daryl sat and sipped their drinks, chatting casually about how Tyreese had named the rooftop after his sister and his wife, and about some of the funny things Daryl recalled from some of his and Tyreese's rides together. Beth listened and smiled, chuckling at the funny parts and asking little questions about motorcycles here and there – mostly because she loved the way his eyes would light up when he talked about something he really loved. The appetizer arrived and they munched on calamari while continuing to chat and joke. Beth gazed out at the city lights below every couple of minutes, still amazed at the view.
The main course arrived quicker than she'd expected, or maybe time just passed faster when she was talking to Daryl and sitting with him. Ryan cleared away the empty appetizer dishes and replaced them with a medium-rare steak meal in front of Daryl and a shrimp linguini meal in front of Beth. Then he set out fresh drinks and glasses of water before disappearing again. The couple's conversation died down as they dug into their food, and Beth giggled when a loud "mmmm" came from Daryl's throat.
She looked up at him and shook her head, smiling teasingly. He smirked back at her and winked playfully, and she rolled her eyes in return. She took another sip of her drink and watched Daryl shovel another forkful of mashed potatoes into his mouth, nearly choking as she let out another laugh.
"Feels weird havin' supper without Mal," she commented, and he looked up to meet her eyes and half-smile while he chewed and swallowed his bite of food.
He nodded. "Yeah, it does. Ain't used ta finishin' my own food so fast."
Beth giggled and took another bite of shrimp linguini.
"Oh, that reminds me," Daryl said. "What would ya think about meetin' my buddy, Dwight, an' his wife?"
Beth furrowed her brow briefly, then shrugged. "Like… when?"
Daryl shrugged back and took a sip of his drink. "I'ono, this weekend? Carol's wantin' ta take Mal fer a night, they're doin' some overnight thing at the museum fer little kids."
"You don't wanna take him?" She asked.
He shook his head. "Didn't even know about it. But nah, museums ain't my thing. 'Sides, she's gonna have a helluva time keepin' his hands off everythin' in sight."
Beth chuckled. "Right. So what're you wantin' to do?"
Daryl shrugged and took another bite of his steak, quickly chewing it and swallowing it with a thoughtful look on his face. Then he said, "I'ono. Figured I'd ask Dwight tomorrow, see what him an' his ol' lady wanna do."
Meeting Dwight already, she thought, gazing back at Daryl. Someone else from Georgia… but how can I say no? He'd take it personally, or he'd think I really am way too paranoid and fucked-up. What are the chances that this guy could even recognize me?
She nodded. "Okay – I'm in."
He continued watching her, like he was studying her, and she gave him a quizzical look. Then he asked, "You sure? Don't gotta say yes if yer not ready…"
Her stomach fluttered a little and Beth smiled, afraid the doubt was showing on her face. "I am, though. I mean, you said he's been your friend for years – an' I'm really tryin' ta… move forward."
Daryl nodded, understanding what she meant.
It wasn't a total lie. She knew that, realistically, Dwight hadn't lived in Georgia for years, and what were the chances he or his wife would recognize her, or know her from somewhere? Slim to none. Or at least that's what she told herself. Plus, she had to stop appearing so paranoid, especially considering how much Carol was picking up on lately. Beth knew she couldn't continue to act like a wanted fugitive, or else someone would put the pieces together on their own.
Or worse, Daryl would grow sick of it and decide she was far too damaged to waste his time on.
A faint half-smile formed on Daryl's mouth and he rumbled, "I think you'll like 'em. Dwight's been talkin' about havin' a 'double date' all week." He rolled his eyes when he said the words 'double date.'
Beth giggled and nodded. "Well then, double date it is. Got any ideas for what we might do?"
They both paused to take bites of their food, then Daryl replied, "A few."
She smirked and began wondering what he might be planning as they both returned to eating, finishing the last of their meals. They sat and sipped on their drinks, plates empty before them, chatting about funny things Mal had said and drifting to Daryl telling a few funny stories from when Mal was a baby. Beth laughed loudly at a couple of parts, and she barely noticed when Ryan showed up to clear away their plates and present them with dessert menus.
"Oh my gosh, I think I might burst out of this dress if I eat any more," Beth chuckled, looking over at Daryl across her small menu.
He smirked back at her. "Not possible. How 'bout we share somethin'?"
She nodded sheepishly. "Okay. What d'you wanna get?"
They looked over their options and decided on a fancy slice of cheesecake, which Ryan brought out within just a few minutes. Then he offered to open their bottle of wine and fill the wine glasses that had been sitting on the table. Daryl looked to Beth and she shrugged, so he nodded and thanked Ryan, who opened the bottle and poured two full glasses for the couple. Then he disappeared again, leaving them to their plate of cheesecake in the middle of the table and their glasses of wine.
"Fancy," Beth wiggled her eyebrows playfully at Daryl and he chuckled, taking a small bite of cheesecake with his fork. She took her own bite right after, then a long sip of the wine. She braced herself for the tart taste, remembering the couple of times in her life that she'd tasted wine. But this was different – sweet and delicious, sliding down her throat almost too smoothly.
"How's the wine?" Daryl asked, picking up his own glass and gazing down at it, raising it to his nose to take a sniff.
"I'm no wine expert, but I think it's delicious," Beth replied, taking another small bite of cheesecake as she watched him take a tentative sip. He raised his eyebrows in surprise and took a larger sip. She chuckled. "'Member when you told me you only drank when you couldn't sleep?"
He grunted and half-smiled at her, wine glass still in hand. "Yeah, well, that an' special occasions. I'd call this a special occasion."
She blushed lightly and asked, "Sittin' on the couch together is a special occasion, too?"
He didn't look away from her eyes as he mumbled, "When it's with you, yeah."
The blush grew brighter on her cheeks and she looked down to scoop up another small bite of cheesecake, suppressing the grin that wanted to appear on her face.
They finished their dessert quietly, joking and flirting and chatting a little more. Ryan didn't show up as quickly as he had been, leaving them to enjoy their wine together in peace. As the night got darker around them and more stars appeared faintly in the sky, the music from the bar area got a little bit louder, and Beth recognized the sound of a live band playing across the rooftop. After two glasses of wine, her head was becoming swimmy, but it was a good feeling. The food settled in her stomach and she and Daryl grew chattier, smiled more, and laughed louder.
They were sharing funny stories from when they were younger, most of Daryl's involved Dwight or some people that Daryl didn't talk to anymore, while most of Beth's were from school or situations that didn't involve her sister. Then Daryl was telling another story about Mal, and the strangest feeling arose in her chest, finding its way up to her head.
Maybe it was the alcohol, or just the relaxed environment they were in, or maybe Beth was finally admitting to herself that she couldn't continue hiding quite so much. That little thought was drifting in and out of her head, reminding her that eventually, something would slip out, something wouldn't make sense, and she'd have to answer for more senseless lies. What better time to begin the long process of coming clean than when her inhibitions were the slightest bit lowered?
Not really coming clean, though. She wasn't that brave. But there were those little lies, the things she'd made up and avoided this whole time out of fear and paranoia. The broken little stories she'd told without much thought, in hopes that no one would recognize the details of her life. They were a good place to start. A good opportunity to be able to tell Daryl the truth about at least some parts of her past.
She took a long sip of wine after chuckling at the conclusion of one of Daryl's stories, and he did the same. Then he turned his head and gazed out at the view of the city, one arm slung over the back of his chair as he leaned back. Beth looked out at the view for a bit, too, but then turned back to gaze at Daryl. His hair ruffled slightly in the light breeze, and she wondered what was going on in his mind. She wondered if the wine was going to his head, too. He had a reminiscent look in his eyes.
She rested her elbows on the table and leaned forward, rubbing her right thumb into the skin just below the scar on her left wrist. He didn't seem to notice her watching him, and despite the liquid courage in her system, Beth's heart began to beat a little faster.
"Can I… tell you somethin'?" Her voice came out quieter than she'd intended, but Daryl heard her clearly and turned his head to meet her gaze.
"'Course," he replied, furrowing his brow as he studied her face quizzically.
She licked her lips and glanced down at the tablecloth, at the base of the candle sitting in the center. "About… my family. An' how I didn't – exactly… tell the truth about them."
A lump formed in her throat and she struggled to swallow past it. She looked up to see Daryl's expression, but he didn't appear angry or confused. Just intrigued.
His voice was tentative as he rumbled, "What d'ya mean…?"
Beth looked down again, focused on the shiny silver of the candleholder. "I didn't… well, I was scared. An' really paranoid. I was afraid he'd – find me. If anybody knew any facts about me. I thought, if he came lookin' for me, askin' around, and people knew that I had a brother an' a sister and – well, I thought he'd know it was me, and he'd find me."
Daryl was stroking his chin hair thoughtfully, watching Beth intently as she spoke. He nodded and she met his eyes again. Still no anger.
"Yeah, kinda figured," he mumbled.
She furrowed her brow. "You… did?"
He nodded again, then gave the smallest shrug, still stroking his chin hair. "You been like a deer on the highway fer the last three weeks. Skittish, scared, ya jump at every little noise. But then ya get caught in the headlights, yer stories don't add up – I get it. Figured you'd tell me eventually… Glad ya did. Don't gotta hide stuff like that. Ain't no reason ta be that paranoid. Don't care who he is, he ain't trackin' ya down like that. I wouldn't let 'im."
Beth was still unsure of his reaction and she continued watching him, bracing herself. "Guess I'm pretty transparent sometimes…"
He smirked and she felt her shoulders relax. He rumbled, "Maybe jus' ta me."
And Carol, she thought.
"You're not… upset?" She asked softly.
Daryl shrugged. "Prob'ly woulda been upset if ya hadn't felt like you could tell me the truth. Then again, ain't necessarily my business. Not like I wanna talk about my shitty family, I could understand why ya didn't wanna talk about yers. But I already told ya… ain't gotta hide nothin' from me."
She nodded and smiled weakly, then gazed down at her hands, picking at her fingernail instead of the scar. "Well, I… wasn't raised by my brothers. I only have one brother, and a sister, an' they're both older than me. My mom didn't leave – but she did die. It's not my dad that died – he's… in prison."
A long couple seconds of silence passed, in which Daryl appeared to be processing this information, then he muttered, "Damn… alright. Well, that makes a lot more sense."
Beth looked up and hesitantly into his eyes, but she didn't see disappointment. He was studying her, fiddling with his chin hair again, his other hand loosely wrapped around the wine glass.
Then he nodded slowly and said, "My ol' man was in prison, too. Few times. How long's yers got?"
She blinked, a bit surprised at the casual tone to his voice. She replied softly, "Dunno… a long time. Life, I think."
Daryl tsked, then said, "Sucks. Sorry ta hear that… Easier ta say he's dead when it's like that."
She nodded, watching his eyes as he slowly pieced together a new image of her in his head. Or maybe it was just making more sense to him now.
"Guess we got a li'l more in common than I thought," he said, voice a bit quieter and deeper. The look he was giving her said, 'me, too,' and she remembered how he'd told her that his mom passed away when he was younger.
"You were… a kid when your mom died?" She asked without thinking.
But he didn't seem to mind, taking a quick sip of his wine before replying, "Yeah, pretty young. Went an' got herself burnt up in that house fire. Fell asleep smokin', they said. I wasn't home at the time… What about yers?"
Beth frowned, feeling a stab of sympathy for Daryl. She wondered just how young he was when that happened, and how much of his dad's abuse he'd had to endure all alone. She answered quietly, "She was… murdered. With my brother."
Daryl's brow furrowed and he leaned forward a bit, eyes focused intently on Beth. "Jesus – yer brother got killed, too?"
She nodded, suddenly realizing there were tears burning behind her eyes. She quickly blinked them away and swallowed hard, then feigned a small smile as if to assure Daryl that it was all in the past. "Yeah. Less than a year ago. But… my sister's still back at home."
I can't tell him she's in prison, too, she thought to herself, quickly grabbing her glass of wine and taking a long sip as Daryl watched her thoughtfully. I'd rather pretend she's not, anyway.
"You still talk to her?" He asked. "On the phone or whatever?"
She shrugged, thinking back to how she'd lied about talking on the phone to Irma. That relationship was a lot tougher to explain – it would make more sense to say she talked to her sister.
"Yeah," she answered simply.
"Know it don't mean much, but… I can see why ya didn't wanna tell the truth about that," he muttered. "I don't even mention my mom mosta the time, an' that was twenty-somethin' years ago."
Beth nodded weakly and took another sip of wine.
"Wasn't yer… dad, was it?" He asked tentatively, and she gave him a quizzical look. He elaborated, "That… killed 'em?"
She quickly shook her head. "No – no way. He… loves us. Always did. Jus'…"
Her voice trailed off, and when she couldn't find the right words, Daryl finished for her, "Shit happens."
She nodded in agreement and lifted the wine glass to her lips once more. Daryl was gazing out at the city again, and she looked out as well, admiring the view for the thousandth time.
Then she asked, "You said your dad's gone, too… right?"
She saw him nod from the corner of her eye and he rumbled, "Long gone. 'Fore I left Georgia. My brother really spun out afterwards."
Beth pursed her lips and watched a plane in the distance as its white-and-red lights faded into the darkness. A long moment of silence passed, but it wasn't tense or awkward. There seemed to be a new thread of connection formed between them. Or maybe it was just in Beth's head. But she didn't think she was imagining the look in Daryl's eyes when he gazed at her. For a second, she debated pouring out all her other secrets. Right here, on this rooftop, with the candle flickering low between them. But the urge faded quickly, and she swallowed down the words.
"Wanna hit the bar?" His low voice interrupted her thoughts and she looked over at him. "They got a dancefloor."
She smiled in surprise and raised her eyebrows at him. "A dancefloor?"
He nodded.
"You gonna dance with me?" She asked, her smile growing wider.
He shrugged nonchalantly and quickly drained the last of the wine in his glass, setting the glass down and standing up. "Maybe. If ya get a couple more drinks in me." Daryl buttoned his jacket together again, leaving the rest unbuttoned, then pulled out his wallet and dug out a couple of bills, slipping them beneath his empty wine glass while Beth drained the last of her own wine. Then he put his wallet away and walked around to her side of the table, holding out his hand.
She smiled sheepishly and took his hand gently, standing from her chair. Then he kept hold of her hand and led her away from the little table and the closed-off corner of the rooftop, back in the direction they'd come. They weaved between partitions and past people and employees, quickly finding the bar as the music got louder.
The bar area was filled with people now, more than Beth would've expected on a Thursday night. Some of them glanced at Beth and Daryl, but most didn't pay them any attention. They slipped through the crowd until they could see a small stage set up on the other side of the bar, where a band of four men were playing right in front of a large, open area where people were dancing. Beth recognized the song as a cover of The Killers' "Mr. Brightside," and she watched the band play, intrigued. It made her hands itch to play the guitar again. She let Daryl lead her to a small table for two near the dancefloor, where she sat down and continued watching the band while he went to the bar and ordered drinks.
When Daryl returned to the table and took his seat across from Beth, drinks set in front of them, the band had begun playing a cover of Survivor's "High On You." Beth thanked Daryl for the drink and took a sip as she tapped her foot to the music, quietly singing along to the song as she watched the band perform. Daryl watched and sipped his drink, nodding his head lightly to the song.
In between songs, the singer/lead guitarist paused and grabbed his microphone, waving out to the small crowd that was dancing and the larger crowd that was watching from around the bar. He said, "Thanks, everybody! We're Uptown Girls, and no, we don't play any Billy Joel covers. We will be taking requests – tip your servers!"
Beth smiled and Daryl glanced over, smirking when he saw her face. As the guitar started up again, she took another sip of her drink and leaned in closer to say, "This is awesome!"
He smiled wider and nodded in agreement, then raised his glass silently as a rock cover of Mario's "Let Me Love You" began to play. Beth raised her glass, as well, and they gently tapped them together in cheers, then simultaneously took large swigs. She couldn't stop grinning as she watched the band energetically perform, and met Daryl's eyes every few minutes, sharing a look of contentment and a shy smile.
The band played a few more covers, a handful of people walking up to the edge of the stage between songs to make requests. Beth and Daryl finished their first drinks and Daryl got them another round as they tapped their feet and nodded their heads to the music, sipping their drinks and loosening up in the carefree environment. There were several other young couples around them, dancing on the dancefloor, kissing, and talking animatedly while they drank or threw back shots near the bar or at their tables. Beth could feel herself fading into the crowd, growing comfortable with her surroundings as the alcohol swam through her system.
Daryl glanced over at her a few more times than usual and she began to wonder what he was thinking about, then he flashed her a mischievous smirk and stood up. She looked up at him quizzically as he slipped off his jacket and hung it on the back of his chair, but he gestured for her to stay put, then he walked away and approached the edge of the stage just as the band finished their song. He was the first in line, and the singer leaned down to talk to Daryl quietly. Beth watched as Daryl spoke to the singer, then turned his head and briefly pointed in her direction, then talked some more. She furrowed her brow and watched as the singer grinned and nodded enthusiastically, and Daryl smiled before shaking his hand and walking away.
He rejoined Beth at the table and held out his hand, nodding his head toward the dancefloor. Her brow was still furrowed in confusion, then she heard the singer speaking into the microphone.
"Alright, this next one is for Rosie and Daryl! Here we go…"
Her heart thumped in her chest and she grinned up at him. He just smirked, still holding his hand out, and she quickly took it and stood up, letting him lead her to the dancefloor.
"Oh, don't you dare look back, just keep your eyes on me. I said, you're holdin' back – she said, shut up and dance with me!"
The music started and she immediately recognized the song, finding a spot toward the middle of the dancefloor with Daryl as he took both of her hands in his, a bashful smile on his face while he barely shuffled his feet. She grinned in excitement and clasped his hands tightly, beginning to dance.
The singer belted out the lyrics into the microphone, drums vibrating inside Beth's chest as the people around her began dancing happily, some of them singing along. "…She said, shut up and dance with me! This wo-oman is my destiny, she said, ooh-hoo! Shut up and DANCE with me!"
The other instruments kicked in and the dancing crowd came to life, moving and swaying enthusiastically. Beth felt the alcohol really kicking in now, as she danced around and tried to get Daryl to dance with her. He moved a bit, but he was still way too shy to be dancing so openly in public. Beth giggled and moved his arms around with her as she danced, heart thumping in her chest along with the drums as she moved around happily, swaying her hips and hopping around on her toes, a big grin on her face. She mouthed along to the words, "…We were bound to be together, bound to be together!" And watched as Daryl chuckled at her, then he lifted one of her hands above her head and spun her around dramatically. She laughed loudly and continued dancing.
They were both panting and trying to catch their breath by the time the song ended, and as the next song started up, they headed back to the table together, hand-in-hand. Daryl sat back down in his chair, leaving his jacket hanging on the back, and Beth sat in her chair before grabbing her drink and taking a long sip.
"So is that like, our song now?" She asked playfully, speaking loudly over the music and grinning at him across the table.
He shrugged and smirked. "Jus' about the only song I ever danced to – an' I know you like it."
She chuckled and grinned again.
They sat and finished their drinks as they continued to watch the band play. After a couple more songs, Daryl brought another round of drinks from the bar. Beth tapped her foot along to the music, singing along to the songs she knew and glancing at Daryl every now and then. When she needed to go to the restroom, he insisted on walking her there, and she couldn't say she hated that.
As the band finished playing a cover of Weezer's "Buddy Holly," he leaned forward and said, "Wanna come with me ta have a smoke?" He pointed with his thumb in the direction of the balcony behind him, on the other side of the dancefloor, where there was a designated smoking area.
Beth nodded and grabbed her glass, throwing back the last of her drink before setting the glass back down while Daryl slipped his jacket back on. His glass was already empty, and he held out his hand for her to take, then began to lead her across the dancefloor to get to the other side. But then the music started up again, and she immediately recognized the song: "Earth Angel." She stopped and tugged on Daryl's hand, and he stopped as well, looking back at her quizzically.
"Oh, I love this song!" She said over the music, grinning.
Other couples began filling the dancefloor around them, coming together for slow dances. Daryl glanced around, then back to Beth before giving a faint smile.
The singer began softly into the microphone, "Earth angel, earth angel, will you be mi-ine? My darling dear, love you a-all the time. I'm just a fool, a fool in love with yo-ou…"
Beth's grin grew larger as Daryl shrugged and turned to face his body to her, stepping forward and grabbing her other hand to place it on his shoulder. Then he placed his free hand on her hip and pulled her in close, slowly and carefully stepping around in a half-dancing motion. She giggled and moved along with him, faintly remembering the slow dance at her junior prom – the only prom she'd ever gone to. This was so much better.
"Ple-ease be mine, my darling de-ear… love you all the time…"
She silently mouthed along to the words as she gazed up into Daryl's eyes and swayed slowly along with him, and he smirked down at her sheepishly, squeezing her hand. Near the end of the song, she leaned in and rested her head against his chest as they swayed, carefully and slowly stepping together. She felt him kiss the top of her head softly, and she could feel him humming along to the song in his chest.
The song ended all too quickly for Beth's liking, her head swirling with elation and a permanent smile plastered to her face. When the rooftop grew a little quieter again and the band prepared to play their next song, she pulled her head away and stepped back.
"You didn't have ta slow dance jus' for me, ya know," she said, still smiling up at him.
He shrugged. "'S a good song," he said, and began pulling her hand to come along with him as he led her off the dancefloor and toward the smoking area.
There were half a dozen other people on the smoking balcony, hanging out and chatting amongst themselves with drinks in their hands and cigarette smoke swirling up and away against the night sky. Daryl pulled his pack out and leaned against the railing of the balcony, Beth standing beside him and resting her hands on the railing to look out at the city. He lit up his cigarette and took a long drag, then turned to look out at the city, as well. The people around them were talking about people they'd dated and what they did for a living, some others were talking about their kids or what they were studying in school. But Beth was lost in her own head as she gazed out at the sea of lights, Daryl's arm lightly bumping against hers as another cloud of smoke left his lips and floated up into the darkness.
"This was… the best date I've ever had," she said, Daryl's cigarette half-smoked. He turned his head and looked at her with a small smirk.
"Yeah?" He asked.
She nodded, smiling. "Definitely."
He grunted. "Dunno if I can ever top it, but… "
"You don't need to," she chuckled softly. "Trust me."
Daryl snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her in until their hips were touching, leaving his hand resting on her upper thigh, above the hem of her dress. She rested her head against him and continued gazing out at the city while he smoked. And she wondered if she'd ever feel this happy again, or if it could really last. The gun and the truth about what she'd done, why she'd come to New York, was still lingering in the back of her mind, taunting her.
She wrapped an arm around Daryl's middle and pulled him closer.
"Sure you ain't cold?" Daryl asked.
They had left the rooftop, stopping and saying goodbye and another thank you to Tyreese before finding their way to the front doors and out onto the sidewalk. They were walking home, arm-in-arm, stumbling just the slightest bit every now and then while Beth giggled half-drunkenly. Daryl had bought a tall cup of coffee before leaving, and he carried it in his free hand, taking sips every few seconds. She shook her head and he chuckled, walking at a slower pace than normal. The sidewalks were busier than usual with other people, but Beth didn't seem to notice them as much right now.
"I'm fine – I think the booze helped warm me up," she joked, and he chuckled again.
Their laughter died down as they walked, chatting casually about the rooftop club and what Tyreese had done to the rest of the building, how he stayed busy with running a hotel and a club at the same time. Then Daryl talked a bit more about Dwight and Sherry, and a couple memories he had from his younger days in Georgia. The walk seemed to take much less time than before, and before Beth knew it, they were walking through the East Village again.
She was telling him a story about one of the first times she'd ridden her horse, Princess, and he smirked as he listened. "…an' I didn't know that my sister was right around the corner on her horse, so I – "
But then a loud voice interrupted her, catching both their attentions as it came from a passing car, "NICE ASS, SLUT!"
Her brows furrowed and her stomach dropped as she looked over at the same time as Daryl, both of them spotting a young guy half-hanging out of a car's passenger side window as he yelled at her. The car rolled past quickly, in the lane closest to the sidewalk. Beth could hear Daryl growl from low in his throat.
"Hey, FUCK YOU!" Daryl shouted loudly, watching the car drive on to the stoplight at the end of the block.
Beth sighed and they continued walking, but Daryl was picking up his pace and she pulled her arm out of his, grabbing it. "Daryl, it's fine – "
He laughed humorlessly and pointed up ahead with his free hand, glancing back at her. "Look at that shit – he's stopped at the light!"
She furrowed her brow and watched quizzically as he grabbed her hand and pulled her along with him, half-jogging down the sidewalk. She picked up her own pace, grateful that she'd worn flats and not heels. "So what?"
"C'mon, we're gonna teach that dickweed a lesson," he called over his shoulder, and she couldn't refrain from grinning in excitement and running to keep up with Daryl.
They reached the end of the block within seconds, and Daryl ran faster to purposely get ahead of Beth. Then he approached the car that had driven past, the passenger's window still down. Beth could see the guy from where she stood, and she paused in place as she watched him talking to his friend in the driver's seat while Daryl ran up. He didn't even realize Daryl was heading towards him until the full cup of coffee was being tossed through his window, hitting him directly in the face and splashing everywhere.
"What the FUCK!" The guy cried from inside the car, wiping at his eyes. With perfect timing, the stoplight turned green and all the cars began to move, and Daryl immediately turned and dashed back to Beth.
"Go, go!" He laughed, grabbing her hand and pulling her down the sidewalk with him as they ran away.
They could still hear the guy yelling angrily while they ran as fast as they could down the block, but his voice faded away and they knew he'd had no choice but to go straight down the street and out of sight. They were only a couple blocks from the apartment building, and as they reached the end of the block, they slowed, panting breathlessly. They crossed the street hurriedly and walked at a slower pace, and their surroundings became more familiar to Beth. She was still laughing and trying to catch her breath.
"I can't believe you did that," she panted, grinning as she squeezed Daryl's hand and looked up at him.
He smirked back. "Couldn't pass up an opportunity like that. 'Sides, coffee was gettin' cold, didn't hurt him or nothin' – even though I woulda liked to."
She laughed and leaned in closer to him as they walked together.
The apartment building came into view a few minutes later and they breathed a collective sigh of relief, exhausted from the long night. Daryl held open the front door for Beth and she entered the quiet, empty lobby, waiting for him to join her before heading for the stairs. They climbed the three flights slowly, legs aching from walking and dancing. Daryl made a joke about being too old for so much physical activity and Beth scoffed, assuring him that wasn't true.
The third floor landing was quiet and apartment 3B appeared dark. They approached the door to apartment 3A and Daryl unlocked the door, letting Beth step inside first and turn on the lights before entering and locking the door behind them. Beth headed straight for the fridge while Daryl unbuttoned his jacket and hung his keys up.
"Want a water?" She called from the kitchen, pulling out two bottles of water and closing the fridge.
He appeared in the doorway to the kitchen and held out his hand, taking the water and immediately opening it to drink gratefully. Beth did the same, finding her mouth dry from the walk home and the excess of alcohol throughout the evening.
"Gonna get this thing off," Daryl mumbled, heading toward his bedroom while slipping off the suit jacket.
Beth did the same, slipping into her bedroom and changing out of the dress. She put on some pajamas and checked her phone, scrolling through news sites and assuring herself she wasn't missing any big updates. There was nothing new pertaining to her or her family, so she set her phone back down and went to the bathroom.
After using the restroom and washing her face, she left the bathroom to see that Daryl's bedroom door was open, but she couldn't hear him moving around. Curiously, she stepped into the doorway and peeked inside to see his empty bottle of water sitting on the nightstand, next to the framed photo that was still sitting face-down. And on the bed, Daryl was lying atop the covers, wearing nothing but a pair of boxers and a black wifebeater, hands behind his head and eyes closed.
"What're you doin'?" She asked, and he opened his eyes to look over at her.
He smirked and nodded his head toward the empty spot next to him. "Waitin' fer you."
Beth smiled and stepped lightly over the carpet until she got to the bed, climbing up on the end and crawling up to take the empty spot next to Daryl. She scooted in close to him and felt the warmth of his body radiating against her skin.
"Don't wanna watch TV or anything?" She asked, watching him as his eyes drifted shut again.
He shrugged. "Not really. You ready fer bed? I'm pretty beat."
She nodded, admitting to herself that the alcohol was beginning to make her pretty sleepy. "Me, too – I'll get the light."
She crawled back out of bed to shut off the light and close the bedroom door, then returned to her spot to find Daryl beneath the covers. She slipped beneath them, as well, and cuddled up close to him. Mal's nightlight was still plugged in on the other side of the room and it cast a dim glow over the bedroom, just enough that Beth could rest her head on Daryl's chest and see the overturned photo still sitting on the nightstand.
She wanted to ask about it. Wanted to ask Daryl if he felt guilty, or if he felt ashamed. Wanted to ask him if he thought Lucy would disapprove of her, if he felt like he was somehow letting Lucy down or betraying her memory. But she wasn't quite buzzed enough to muster up the courage. She didn't want to risk ruining the pleasant mood they were both in from the evening. So she closed her eyes and turned her face in a different direction, listening closely to Daryl's heartbeat as it sped up a bit rather than slowed down.
Then she felt his arm lifting from where it was wrapped around her, and his fingers were running through her hair, petting her head and massaging her scalp, playing with the strands of dark hair. She hummed quietly, goosebumps forming up and down her arms as her whole body relaxed. His heartbeat was slowing against her ear.
"I can't believe you threw your coffee on that guy," Beth said quietly, smiling to herself at the memory.
Daryl chuckled beneath her, chest rising and falling rapidly. "Lucky I didn't do somethin' worse."
"Guess that's what I get for wearin' such a short dress," she mumbled sarcastically.
He scoffed. "You looked great – don't mean some random asshole's gotta yell obnoxious comments out his window."
She smirked to herself sheepishly and muttered, "Thanks…"
He continued playing with her hair, sending chills through her body. Then, riding on the last waves of liquid courage, she lifted her head from his chest and leaned down to meet his lips. She couldn't explain why she still felt so flustered with him, so nervous and shy. She tried to remind herself this was her boyfriend now.
Boyfriend… doesn't sound right for him, she thought, his chapped lips rough against hers. But he was still kissing her back just as softly as he always did, and his hand had moved to grasp the back of her head, fingers tangled in her hair.
Their breathing grew heavier as their kiss deepened, lips parting to allow the others' tongue to explore. Beth felt that familiar heat and tightness building up inside her, and she was mentally counting down the days until she was healed. Daryl pulled her just a little closer, pressing his lips harder against hers. Then he seemed to catch himself and pull back. She opened her eyes to meet his.
His hand was still grasping the back of her head, and he whispered breathily, "Makin' this real difficult for me… We still got another week."
She smirked and gazed back at him with hooded eyes, whispering back, "I know… you don't think it's just as difficult for me?"
He smirked and rumbled, "I mean – there's other things we could do…"
She quirked an eyebrow and smiled mischievously. "Yeah?"
He nodded and leaned in to kiss her again, slipping his tongue between her lips. Then she felt his other hand reaching over and firmly cupping her ass, pulling the rest of her body toward him. She followed his cues and sat up, throwing a leg over him and straddling his lap while she leaned down and continued kissing him. They pushed the blankets down to the end of the bed, their bodies heating up almost instantly. His fingers massaged the back of her head while the other hand grasped her ass, teasing the spot between her thighs with his fingers as they got dangerously close, igniting a whole new heat between her legs.
She squirmed atop him and felt him smiling against her mouth, so she kissed him a little harder, nibbling down on his lower lip. He growled from his throat and his hand immediately let go of her ass, only to rear back and connect his palm with the fatty part of her ass cheek in a loud 'slap.' She gasped in surprise, a jolt of pleasure coursing through her body, then slipped her hand behind his head to grab a handful of dark hair before kissing him even deeper, biting down on his lower lip harder than before. He growled again, but it ended as more of a groan in his throat.
As they continued to kiss, and Daryl's hands wandered from her ass to her hips and then up to her breasts, beneath her thin shirt, Beth writhed against him. She pressed herself down against his crotch and felt his erection growing quickly, getting harder and harder, twitching every time she grinded against it through the cotton of her panties and the fabric of his boxers. He was making low groans every time he felt her against him, and before she knew it, there was a tense, pulsing ache in her panties.
His rough hands gently massaged her breasts, teasing her nipples and eliciting breathy moans from her lips and against his mouth. He kissed her hungrily, bucking his hips just slightly upward, obviously holding himself back as his body searched for hers any time that she wasn't grinding against him. He slid his hand down from her breasts, across her soft tummy, to the waistband of her panties, slipping his fingers beneath the elastic and teasing the sensitive skin there.
Beth pressed herself against him harder, Daryl's hard cock twitching beneath his boxers. She could feel a damp spot of precome forming on the fabric as it brushed against her inner thigh, and she grinned against his lips while his fingers tickled and teased her.
He pulled back half an inch and whispered out, "Can I touch you? Or are you…"
She nodded eagerly. "I'm not bleeding anymore – "
He quickly kissed her as she pressed down against his erection. Then he pulled back again and growled, "Blood don't scare me – jus' wanted ta make sure yer okay with it."
She smirked and kissed him hungrily again, breaking apart just long enough to pull her shirt off and toss it to the floor. In the dim glow of the nightlight, she saw him bite down on his swollen lower lip and look her up and down, sliding both his hands down to grasp her hips and hold her before him like a piece of art while he admired her, eyes lingering on her chest a few seconds longer than anywhere else. She felt herself blushing, but then he was pulling her back down and eagerly placing his lips around her nipple, fingers digging into the tender skin of her hips as he sucked on her breast. She moaned out, louder than intended, and grinded against his erection once again. He groaned from his throat and switched to the other nipple, nibbling lightly and eliciting a surprised 'oh!' of pleasure from Beth's mouth.
Then he pulled back and cupped her breast firmly in his hand, keeping her sitting atop him and straddling his twitching erection, while his other hand reached down into her panties and found her swollen clit. When his calloused fingers found it, she let out a moan of pleasure, and he pressed into it hard, massaging her breast with the other hand and occasionally tweaking her nipple. He rubbed in circular motions with two fingers, speeding up while his hard cock pressed against her through the fabrics of their underwear.
"Oh, Daryl," Beth moaned out, eyes shut as she let the waves of pleasure wash over her, forming deep in her gut and spreading outward. The tightness inside her was getting firmer.
She heard him groan quietly, then felt his hand leave her breast and pull her down to him, grasping the back of her neck as they kissed hungrily. His fingers continued to work her clit, rubbing furiously, pausing and teasing her, switching directions every few seconds. Her legs twitched and she felt him smiling proudly against her lips.
When he pulled his head back just enough to breathe, he whispered out in a low, husky voice, "Lemme watch you touch yerself."
She opened her eyes and stared at him in disbelief for a second, then his fingers did that one thing again and she jolted against his hand, gasping in sharply. Suddenly, the idea sounded… really good. Even though she'd never done anything like that before – and she was a little self-conscious of letting someone watch her like that.
"I've – never… are you sure?" She panted out breathlessly, trying to form sentences around the shocks of pleasure that were randomly coursing through her as Daryl's fingers continued relentlessly.
Her eyes fluttered shut but she could see a tiny smirk form on his lips from beneath her eyelashes. He whispered back, "Is it too weird… if we watch each other?"
She lifted her eyelids and gazed at his face in the dim lighting, a look that she hadn't seen many times. As closed-off as he normally was, he was certainly more open in the bedroom. Or maybe Beth was just way too inexperienced to be sleeping with a guy like this.
However, that thought quickly fled as she watched Daryl bite down on his lower lip and felt his fingers moving in that direction on her clit, causing her to squirm atop him. She gasped in sharply again, then smiled mischievously, matching Daryl's expression.
She leaned in and kissed him deeply, slowly. Then she pulled back, their lips still barely touching, and breathed out, "Is that gonna get you off…?"
She felt him shudder beneath her and he nodded, quickly kissing her, fingers working vigorously at her clit. She moaned into his mouth and he bucked upward, against her inner thigh. Before she could do anything else, Daryl was stopping what he'd been doing and grabbing her by the hips, flipping her over and lying her on her back on the bed, while he got up onto his knees and slipped his boxers off. Beth followed suit and slipped her panties off, then gazed up and made eye contact with him in the low light. His eyes were dark and hooded, full of hunger. He positioned himself between her legs, eyes slowly drifting down her body until he was staring longingly at the small, blonde patch between her thighs. She quickly slid her hand down, fingers finding her clit as she stared at Daryl, eyelids hanging heavy over licentious eyes.
She watched him reach out and grab her leg with one hand while the other went to his hard cock, standing erect between his legs and glistening with precome. He groaned as his fingers wrapped around the throbbing shaft and he watched Beth slowly rubbing her clit, gradually picking up speed while her breathing hitched. His hand began to stroke, working at a faster rhythm as he watched her touching herself. She glanced between his cock and his face, watching the pleasure wash over him and feeling it reverberating through herself. The tension built higher and higher somewhere below her gut, the sight of Daryl with his hand wrapped around his hard cock sending waves of pleasure through her. A pleasure she'd never really thought about, let alone experienced. There was something extremely satisfying about seeing him stroking his thick cock, his eyes glued to her body, knowing he was getting off to the sight of her.
"Fuck, yer sexy," he growled out, sliding his hand down to grip her thigh while he stroked himself, biting down on his lower lip. His eyes were glued to her body, watching every motion she made between her legs.
Her legs twitched again and she let out a little moan, eyelids fluttering. She pressed harder into the spot on her clit and continued rubbing, staring back at Daryl with a mischievous smirk. She licked her lips and moaned out again, fingers moving faster as she felt herself reaching climax.
He nodded toward her and she saw his thumb flick over the head of his cock, his lips parting and gasping in slightly. He grunted, "You gonna come?" She realized that he could already recognize her body's signals and signs.
Beth gasped again and quickly nodded, her voice higher-pitched than usual as she breathed out, "Y-yeah…"
She could see Daryl's hand tighten around his cock and he stroked a little faster, watching her intently as she continued rubbing her clit, bringing herself closer and closer to the edge. Then, she was there, and it was inching over the shore and suddenly washing over her. Every muscle in her body momentarily tensed and she gasped loudly, fingers freezing as the orgasm overtook her.
Daryl's fingers dug into her thigh and her eyes had slammed shut, but she could hear him growling, "Yeah – come, baby. Fuck… I'm gonna come, too."
Beth's breath hitched at his words and another wave of pleasure submerged her in the midst of her orgasm. She forced her eyes to open and stared ahead at Daryl, his hand working vigorously at his throbbing, glistening cock. She could see him tensing up, and as she relaxed and let the aftershock of the orgasm leave her body, she watched his eyes shut and his head tip back, mouth agape as he groaned loudly and his hand froze. Pearly white come spurted from his cock, spilling over the head and onto his hand. He gave a couple more long strokes, and Beth felt a whole new kind of pleasure igniting inside her as she watched. He shuddered with the last of his orgasm, and his muscles appeared to relax as he let go of his cock and let out a deep sigh of relief.
She didn't look away from him, watching him shut his eyes for a few seconds and catch his breath before meeting her gaze. He blushed lightly and smirked at her, then crawled off the bed and headed out of the bedroom, toward the bathroom. He returned a few seconds later and cleaned up the mess he'd made, then returned to the bathroom while Beth grabbed her panties and slipped them back on.
Daryl returned to bed a few moments later, putting on a clean pair of boxers before slipping beneath the covers and cuddling up with Beth. She'd left her shirt on the floor and, right now, it felt right. They were taking advantage of having the apartment to themselves for the night, sleeping in nothing but their underwear while wrapped up in each other's bodies.
"Sure that wasn't too weird for ya?" He asked quietly as they lay in the dark, beneath the blankets, their heartbeats and breathing steady again.
She chuckled softly. "No – it was… well, I guess you never know what ya like till you try it."
He grunted in a sleepy half-chuckle and wrapped his arm around her tighter.
They were silent for a few minutes, and Beth was focusing on drifting off to sleep. Daryl was breathing steadily and she could tell he was about to fall asleep. But then his deep, rumbling voice cut through the silence.
"You sure… you want this?" He asked quietly. "Me an' Mal, I mean…"
She furrowed her brow and opened her eyes, lifting her head just enough to look at him. He was gazing back at her in the dim nightlight glow with sleepy, half-closed eyes.
"What?" She asked, smirking like he was joking. "You serious?"
He glanced away from her eyes momentarily and she saw him retreating inside himself, if only briefly. He mumbled, "I'ono – jus' seems like you wouldn't wanna be with somebody like us… I mean, Mal's a great kid, so I don't wonder about that. But, I'm just some asshole redneck livin' in the city."
Beth frowned and waited for his eyes to drift back over to her. Then she said softly, "That's not true, though. You're… one a the best people I've ever met, I think."
He half-shrugged and blinked lazily. "Still… Not everybody's ready ta play step-parent. Maybe it jus'… hasn't really sunk in with ya yet."
Beth's smirk faded and she studied his face, his glazed expression. She felt a stab of guilt. After all, it should be her feeling unsure that he would want to deal with her life, not the other way around. She couldn't imagine a woman in her right mind who would think Daryl and Mal were somehow "too much." Yet he was so doubtful, and she could see how certain he was that she'd eventually change her mind and want nothing to do with him. It made her chest ache with the heavy need to tell him the truth.
"Daryl," she whispered, gazing at him solemnly. "I know what bein' with you means… And I wouldn't want it any other way. I promise."
He studied her for a moment, but then he seemed to accept her answer and gave a tiny half-smile. He wrapped his arm around her again and pulled her in closer, holding her against him tightly. She rested her head against his chest and breathed in the scent of him and his bed.
And as his heartbeat slowed in his chest and his breathing steadied, all Beth could seem to think about was how unfair it was that she couldn't tell him the truth about everything. How unfair it was that she had to fear for her own freedom in a way that forced her to lie to the people she cared about most. But then again, her life had been nothing but unfair for as long as she could remember. So why would she think this should be any different?
to be continued…
A/N: I think that was my first time writing a mutual masturbation scene. So I hope it was okay. Thankfully, we'll be back to the real smut soon. Please let me know what you thought, or just that you're reading and enjoying! :)