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Chapter 7

Hallie laid the twenty down on the bar next to her margarita. She took a napkin from the prep area beside her, swiped it carefully all around her neck and behind her ears and placed it back on the bar, smoothing out any wrinkles "Ok, you got it? The napkin goes under the Cuervo. Once he's had his four, he can come find me." She laid a fifty on the bar. "If you mess this up, I'm taking your tip back the hard way, Slim." she narrowed her eyes.

"Damn, Lady, I don't know what kind of game you're playing, but can I get in on it?" the bartender said with a leering smile.

"This ain't no fuckin' game." she said quietly and slid down the bar stool. She turned around and pulled out a five, throwing it down on the bar. "Give me one of those Cuervos, while you're at it." she said. The bartender poured her a shot and she threw it back, her curls bouncing behind her.

She went to the furthest corner of the bar and pulled out a chair facing the wall, her back to the rest of the patrons. She pulled down her short denim skirt and smoothed down her blouse as she sat down. Reaching into her purse, she pulled out a mirror and checked her makeup. It was almost six o'clock and the place was getting very crowded. It would be hard for him to see her with people standing about.

XXXXX

Daryl threw the truck into park and ran his fingers through his hair, smoothing it down as best he could. Quick beer or two, he thought, then home. Early night. He was tired from work. He exited the truck and walked through gravel lot to the door and the sound of music blaring and people talking. County Line was a definite step down from Pete's. It was a redneck bar, plain and simple. County music on the jukebox and PBR on tap. Bad band on Saturday nights. He sat down at the last empty seat at the bar and the bartender came over. "Beer me, Freddy my man." he said with a smile.

"Cain't." the skinny blonde-haired bartender replied.

"You cain't? What tha' fuck does 'at mean?" Daryl looked at him, lighting up a Camel and looking at him sideways. "You cain't?"

Freddy pulled out a shot glass and filled it with Cuervo Gold. He sat it carefully down on the napkin Hallie had wiped with and said "It means I got orders. You drink whatever I give you. Then you can get up."

"What the fuck?" Daryl said, as the scent on the napkin wafted to his nostrils. His eyes widened as he realized who's scent it was. "Where is she?"

"Don't matter. You can't get up until the Cuervo's gone."

"Fuck you. Where IS she?" Daryl insisted, his hand smacking the bar. He stood up.

"Dixon, sit your ass down and enjoy this. That little doll has paid for four shots of tequila for you and a real nice tip for me. She's obviously got plans tonight and if I were you, Buddy, I'd sure as HELL go along with whatever that sweet thing wanted, especially the way that there napkin smells!" Freddy's grin was from ear to ear. "Now. Shoot it."

Daryl put the napkin to his nose and breathed in deeply, the sweet, spicy scent filling his brain with snippets of their night together. He could remember the feel her silky hair on his face, his neck, the warmth of her hands on his skin, the way she tasted, the softness of her lips, the way she moved against him. Daryl folded the napkin in two and tucked it in his shirt pocket, still able to catch her scent.

"Well, fuck. Four, huh?" he said, tossing back the first shot. "May as well gimme' that beer after all."

XXXXX

Hallie sat with her back to the room for almost an hour. Two different guys came up and offered to sit with her or buy her a drink, but she politely declined, explaining that she was waiting for someone.

Hallie had finished her margarita a few minutes earlier, nursing it as long as she could. She could hear footsteps behind her and her heart skipped a beat. A hand appeared from out of her field of view and sat a shot glass down in front of her. It was filled with clear gold liquid. A square bottle appeared next to the glass, the label all too familiar. Fuck, she thought, I wasn't expecting this. She closed her eyes and pressed her lips together. When she opened them, Daryl was sitting across the two-top from her.

"Your fuckin' turn." he said, showing no emotion. He pointed at the shot glass, waiting.

Hallie opened her mouth to say something and then decided to keep quiet. She downed the shot and sat the glass down without a sound, wincing as the liquid hit her stomach.

"Again." he commanded, filling the glass from the bottle on the table.

She threw back the second shot.

"I don't want to do this drunk." she said, wiping her lips with the back of her hand.

"Do what? We're just playing it cool." he said with more than a touch of sarcasm, glaring at her. "Remember?"

"Daryl."

"Drink." he said insistently, refilling the glass.

"No." she said, looking into his eyes. They were dark blue, angry. Hurt."

"I said drink." he snarled angrily. "You're gonna' have four, just like me."

Hallie downed the third shot as the first and second started to take effect on top of the margarita and the shot she'd had while waiting on him. The fourth one was poured and her hands were shaking as she picked up the glass.

"Daryl, please." she said, looking into his eyes, pleading with her own. He narrowed his eyes and she swallowed the fourth shot, her blood now hot as it raced through her.

"Now, let's just be cooooool." he said coldly, dragging out the word. "How they hangin', Hallie? How tha' hell r' ya'? 'S'at cool 'nuff fer' ya'?"

"Fuck. This was a big mistake. I'm outta' here." she said, trying to swallow the lump building in her throat. Hallie stood up and grabbed her purse. She scooted her chair back and quickly left the table, threading her way through the crowd to the door. Unclipping her keys from the loop on her purse, she almost sprinted to her car and opened the door, only to have a hand pull her arm back and slam the door shut.

"No! You ain't going nowhere. You ain't cuttin' out on me now." Daryl's voice was hard and his hand around her arm was tight.

Hallie pulled back on her arm and Daryl's hand clamped tighter. "Let go of me. I seem to remember YOU were the one that cut out on ME last time, so don't EVEN go there, Dixon."

"I didn't cut out on YOU. YOU were the one who didn't want ME." he hissed, his face near hers now, his eyes furious. "I seem ta' 'member you sayin' you didn't know what was next, if anythin'."

Her words coming back through his voice cut her like a knife. She jerked her arm from his grip and turned her back to him, forcing the tears to dissipate by sheer will alone. I will not cry. I will not cry, she commanded herself. His hands were on her shoulders, rough, spinning her around, pushing her back hard against the car door.

Hallie froze, turning her head to the side, unable to look in Daryl's face.

"Look at me." he growled. "Fuckin' look at me right now, God damn it!"

Hallie turned her head slowly. Daryl's face was bright red, contorted into an angry scowl. There was vein now visible on the side of his neck, dark and pulsing. He was sweating lightly, a thin sheen of perspiration on his forehead, beads forming at his temple. His jaw was tense and his teeth were clenched, his lips pulled back tightly.

"Look me 'n tha' eye 'n tell me that was just a one-night stand." he said, his hands tightening on her arms, shaking her a bit then letting loose. "Tell me ya' haven't thought 'bout me since that night, that ya' don't wanna see me again. Tell me ya don't get wet all over again when ya' 'member ever'thin' we did, ev'ry place I touched ya'." Daryl was whispering by now, leaning on her, pressing into her with his hips, his hands in her hair. "Tell me yer' not dyin' to do it all again." His lips bruised hers with a fevered kiss, his tongue forcing her lips apart, moving forcefully, insisting, overpowering. Hallie's hands clutched his waist, pulling him tighter.

Her knees were near buckling now and between Daryl and the tequila, her head was swimming. She closed her eyes and they continued to kiss, Daryl's body pressing her against the car, making it impossible for her to move, impossible for her to do anything but respond.

Daryl stopped and pulled away, panting. He looked at her, his eye lids heavy, his chest heaving. "Tell me." he said, as he put his hands on his thighs and bent over, trying to catch his breath. He looked up at her and cocked his head sideways. "Just try an' tell me."

"Of course I do. Of course I am" Hallie whispered. "Do you fucking think I would have come here if I didn't?" her head dropped down, the effects of the alcohol beginning to take hold. "I came to apologize. To try to talk to you." she said quietly. "Now I'm gonna be shit-faced in ten minutes and God knows what will happen then."

"Nothing will happen. I ain't gonna' take advantage like that." he said, moving to her.

"That's not what I meant." she said. "I don't know what I'm going to say to you now."

"Why'd it be any diff'rent when yer' drunk than if 'yer' sober?" he asked.

"Aw, Christ, you don't get it, do you?" she said, putting her hands over her face. "It's me. I fuck things up. I can't have a boyfriend. I suck at it." she sighed heavily. "I like you too much to put you through this, Daryl. You deserve somebody so much better."

Daryl was confused now. He put his hand on the back of his neck and thought for a minute. "So, what, ya' screw around? 'S 'at it? Y'a fuck other guys?"

"No. That's not it. I'm just not good with guys. Especially guys who are good guys. I drive them away. Only assholes like me." she said.

"Well, thanks a fuckin' LOT!" he snorted. "Guess that makes me KING a' tha' assholes, huh?"

"No, that's just it. You're NOT an asshole. You'll get tired of my shit and you'll leave. Then I'll be right back to square one." Hallie was leaning against the car now, trying to stay upright. "Fuck, Daryl, we can't do this. I can't do this to you!" she whined a bit as she wrung her hands. "It'll hurt too bad again."

Daryl leaned against the car next to her, silent for a long time. "So lemme' get this straight. I gotta' be a' dick ta' be with ya'?" He chewed at his thumb nail with his teeth. "'K. I can do that. Smack ya' 'round. Call ya' bad names. Hit on yer' friends, fuck, might need ta' even sleep wi' one. Drink up all yer' money, wreck yer' car when I'm drivin' drunk. I got this." he grinned. "Hey, maybe I should buy ya' a puppy so I can kick it!"

Hallie fought the urge, failing miserably. "Yer' an asshole!" she laughed.

"'xactly!" Daryl chirped, the four shots of tequila now starting to hit home with him as well. He drew her to him, catching her as she almost tripped over her own feet. "I'll do whatever it takes, Hal." he said, his hands on her waist, pulling her to him close to kiss her gently. "Just tell me. Just tell me what ya' need me ta' do."

"Just don't..." she leaned her forehead against his cheek and closed her eyes, "...don't give up." she said.

They stood like that, holding each other until a thunderbolt made a crack in the distance. The wind picked up suddenly. Daryl stepped back and looked at her. "We need ta' get inside 'n play pool 'till this storm passes an' we both sober up."

"Good idea. But no more tequila, ok?" she said, grinning.

"No mas." he shook his head, taking her hand and pulling her towards the front door as the rain started.