A/N This chapter is busting at the seams! Weddings and selfies and questions, oh the questions.. and then.. well just go read it and see for yourself! And please give yourself a hug all of you! I appreciate each and every one of you for taking the time to read this story. It means so much to me!
September comes, but summer is doing it's best to hold on. The nights have cooled off though and Beth loves leaving their bedroom window open and sleeping wrapped up in Daryl burrowed under the bedding. Moving in with him wasn't something she had to even consider. Home. It's been here with Daryl for a while. Now it's just permanent. The second bedroom is packed tight with her stuff because he refused to have her pay for storage space. Once everything calms down she'll organize and get rid of things.
Wedding planning has been surprisingly easy. Maggie wants to keep it small and simple. Beth was floored by this remark but when Maggie went on to explain that she'd rather focus on 'tadpole', her and Glenn's nickname for the baby, Beth's is so proud of her sister. The changes in her life are doing her good.
"A wedding is one day out of my life. Tadpole is here forever. If I'm gonna stress myself out it's gonna be because of him." Beth is rendered speechless by this declaration. Maggie has always been about herself.
"You're gonna be such a good momma Mags." Both girls had been crying by that time, Maggie because of hormones and Beth just because it's always been in her nature to cry. Happy or sad, she's the first to shed a tear.
"You think so?" Beth had been nodding. "And you're gonna be there helping me!" That's one of the things Beth is most excited about, being an aunt.
Daryl's gone out to the farm a few times to help Hershel with repairs to the barn and Beth gets the feeling that he kind of enjoys doing this. Going to a fitting for a tux is a different story. He's gone to the first two fittings on his own, but for the final fitting, her and Maggie are going along to make sure the guys look their best. The wedding is low key but Maggie still wants everyone dressed up. The girls already finished their fittings. Beth, Tara, and Denise have matching dresses. Long and gauzy, they're a soft seafoam green with an empire waist and loose cap sleeves. It's a really pretty dress and Beth absolutely loves it. Maggie confesses that she picked them out with Beth in mind. 'It reminded me of you, Bethy, a fairy princess dress.' Tara and Denise are such good sports, they like the dresses too. And their fittings were more like a party.
The boys, on the other hand, are a hot mess. Glenn is terrified he won't look like Maggie is expecting him too. Hershel just wants to wear his church-going clothes, the ones he's been wearing for years. And Daryl just grumbles about 'a damn monkey suit'. Beth hasn't seen him yet and she isn't prepared for what she sees when he walks out of the dressing room. Daryl looks so handsome. Even with the frown, he's wearing. The grey suit and ivory shirt fit him perfectly. The sheen material accentuates his already broad shoulders. His long hair is curling over the edges of his shirt collar and there is just something so sexy about his rugged good looks in that sleek suit. Maggie whistles and his frown deepens, but he's blushing too. Beth can't take her eyes off of him as she runs her hands over his lapels.
"Daryl, you look so handsome!" She's speaking softly. This is only for him.
"Pshhh," he fidgets uncomfortably and meets her gaze with his steely blue eyes and she can see the question there. "Yeah?"
"Oh yeah!" Smiling she wraps her hands around his neck and pushing herself up on her toes she whispers in his ear, "If we were alone I'd go back into that dressing room with you-" He reaches up and grabs her wrist growling at her.
"Girl ya best stop." Behind them, the seamstress clears her throat. Beth steps back. The way the woman eyes Daryl appraisingly doesn't escape Beth's notice.
"Shame. It fits perfectly. Guess I won't need to pin for any adjustments," she says shaking her head. For a minute Beth isn't sure how to respond or even if she should. She's a little taken aback by the blatant flirting. Beth makes up her mind and slips her hand into Daryl's as she steps back in beside him.
"My boyfriend is pretty perfect isn't he?"
"Boyfriend? Oh! I had no idea, you're so young. Gosh, I'm sorry!" Beth almost wants to laugh because the woman isn't really sorry at all. It's fine if other women admire Daryl. He belongs to her. She can see that way he's watching her and she's pretty sure he's thinking about Andrea and that whole fiasco. But her insecurities about where his loyalties lie are in the past.
"I like 'em young," Daryl says huskily never taking his eyes off of her. The seamstresses eyes about pop out of her head. She bustles away and Beth looks at Daryl in awe. She sees that telling crease between his eyebrows, the one that says something is bothering him. Shaking her head Beth takes his hand and tugs him back toward the dressing room.
"Com'ere." She leads him back to the curtained cubicle he changed in and pulls the curtains closed.
"Beth?" There's a bit of a warning in his tone and a little fear. She finds she likes that fear. She doesn't like that crease though. She reaches up and slips the jacket off and checks how the shirt looks in the back. She's giving him time to tell her what's bothering him.
"I look old enough ta be yer daddy." And there it is.
"Maybe. If you were a teen daddy." He just huffs out a breath. Beth raises his arm and slips underneath it. She turns a little facing them both towards the mirror. "What do you see?" she asks gently.
"Damn money suit." But he says it without any real conviction.
"Daryl?" Now she's the one with the warning tone. Daryl raises an eyebrow.
"See the most beautiful woman in the world, 's what I see," he says kissing the top of her head.
"And?" He shrugs. "Come on Daryl, look at us." Beth encourages him.
" 'M a lot older than you," he mumbles.
"Does that bother you?" He's staring at himself now, she notices this.
"It bother you?" His eyes cut to her and she slides her arm around his waist.
"No, I never even thought about it, Daryl-"
"But that woman-"
"That woman thinks you're hot!" Daryl barks out a laugh and this makes her giggle. "But you're mine, all mine."
"Thas' right. Com'ere." Pulling her into his embrace he kisses her running his hands over her shoulders, down her back, and cups her ass. He's smiling over her shoulder. "I like this mirror, could be useful." Twisting so she can see what he sees she groans as his lips find her neck and she can feel the bulge that is pushing against her leg.
"Mr. Dixon, if you're changed we can wrap the suit up for you." A voice from beyond the curtain interrupts them. Which is probably good all things considering.
" 'M 'bout done," he says gruffly.
"Need some help?" She can't help it, she has to push. Slapping her on the ass he pushes her gently away from him.
"Get outta here." Beth pulls the curtain back and heads out of the dressing room. The woman who's been admiring Daryl watches as she walks out. Beth stops and points back towards where Daryl is.
"Oh um, he uh, he needed my help." She feels her face heat up as if she's been caught doing something forbidden.
"Women technically aren't allowed in the dressing area." Pin lady says primly.
"I've seen him naked so-" Beth says not letting herself be intimidated.
"Beth Greene!" Her father calls from behind another curtain. With a nervous giggle, Beth hurries out to where Maggie is waiting.
X X X
Daryl pulls his t-shirt over his head and runs his hand through is mused up hair, leaning forward he scrutinizes his face in the mirror. He rarely pays that much attention to his looks. He's always felt he's sufficient in that department. And it really wasn't something that ever mattered to him. But if he's being honest that changed when he met and started hanging out with Beth. She made him more aware of his looks just by the comments she'd made which he swore she did just to get to him. He has definite thoughts and feelings about her appearance, so obviously she must have the same about him. The age difference was there from the beginning but those sixteen years never crossed his mind. At least not much. Now looking at himself he sees the fine lines around his eyes and the sprinkling of grey in his beard. His body is lean and the rough and ruggedness comes from life and not age. Besides he doesn't feel old compared to Beth. He connects with her in ways he's never connected with another living soul. He just never paid attention to what they look like to people on the outside.
But they must look a certain kind of way and he could let that bug him, but he won't. Once he's dressed he leaves the suit on the hanger and steps out of the curtained cubicle. Nodding at the seamstress and feeling his ears heat up, he thinks about what Beth told him. Hot? Pshhh! All he cares about is that his girl, his beautiful girl thinks he's something special. When he joins her and Maggie, Beth's eyes light up and her smile, his smile graces her face and that right there is all that matters to him.
X X X
The wedding day comes and it's beautiful, sunny and the sky is blue and Beth is in her element. Armed with coffee and muffins to fuel last minute decorating she's buzzing around the barn like a little bee and Daryl can't help but smile whenever he looks at her. She kind of took it upon herself to be the unofficial wedding planner. She's giving directions making sure that everything is perfect. Tara and Denise insisted on catering even though they're in the wedding too. He isn't sure what they're serving, looked like sandwiches and salads that the ladies from the church were carrying in. Beth told him that Etta insisted on coming to help and wouldn't take no for an answer. She also found out that Etta's been coming out to the farm and making Hershel dinner and playing chess.
"Chess?" Daryl had asked. "Why chess?"
"They played a lot after my momma's treatments. She'd lay in bed and coach Etta so she'd beat my daddy. It took her mind off the nausea and daddy always loved playing momma, although he couldn't ever beat her." Beth had smiled at the memory and Daryl felt his heart ache a little for her.
"So she's been comin' out here?" Daryl had asked eyebrow raised.
"Oh, you stop!" Beth had giggled.
"Never too old ta fall in love." Beth had stopped giggling and had a look on her face Daryl could quite decipher. "Hey I didn' mean-"
"Daryl if my daddy gets another chance, if he can have something like what I have with you, I think that would be pretty amazing. Don't you?" She'd said it soft like and moved in close to him.
"Mmhmm. I do." And he did. Because he was amazed most days that he had this chance with Beth. He never imagined he'd get this. But he had it. And it was everything.
"We better get up to the house. I need to rinse off in the shower-"
"Want some help?" Daryl didn't want to let go of her. Her touch made him feel like nothing bad would ever happen.
"Oh? In my daddy's house?" She'd raised her own eyebrows then and Daryl had frowned and looked around to see if Hershel was anywhere near and might have possibly overheard.
"I was jus-" But Beth had him by the hand and was leading him towards the house. Maybe he wouldn't shower with her, but he can watch her cute little ass shake all the way up the steps to the front door.
X X X
Daryl's standing on the front porch with Glenn and Hershel. All three men are hot and beginning to sweat in their suits. Although Glenn is probably sweating for other reasons besides the warm September afternoon. Daryl would like to have a smoke or a shot of whiskey, something to ease his nerves, but he left the whiskey at home and his smokes are in the truck. He hears giggling and then the screen door opens and the girls come tumbling out. Denise is carrying Judith, the tiny flower girl. She can't really walk all that well yet and Denise has fallen in love with the little girl anyway. She's clutching a little basket full of yellow rose petals and patting Denise's cheek. Tara follows picking up the petals that Judith has spilled along the way. And then Beth comes out. It's the first time he's seen her completely dressed and for a minute he can't breathe. The world around him disappears as he stares at her. Unabashedly. Forgetting that there are others standing there on the porch with him and they are taking this all in too. The pale green of the gown makes her skin glow and she's wearing her hair up with just a few tendrils hanging down the nape of her neck, one of his favorite places to kiss her. And even though she doesn't need makeup and hardly wears any whatever Michonne did up there in her bedroom is working just fine. She's the most beautiful girl he's ever seen. She always is.
"Daryl! You look so good!" she says as she crosses the porch and comes up beside him. Of course she's smiling and of course, it makes everything in him feel like he swallowed pop rocks and chased them with a soda.
"Yeah? I ain't nothing compared to you girl. Thought the bride was supposed ta be the prettiest girl today?" He slides an arm around her shoulders. His hands are itching to touch her. He knows the softness of her skin under his fingers. But somehow wrapped up in that dress it's different. She must sense his need or maybe she just wants to touch him too. Slipping her arms inside his jacket and around his waist she looks up at him her blue eyes intensified by some pearly stuff on the lids.
"Daryl, Maggie looks beautiful," Beth whispers.
"I'm sure she does, but you, Jesus Beth…"
"We make quite the pair then Mr. Dixon. Can I take a selfie of us? Please!" She knows he isn't fond of picture taking. But this selfie thing has definitely taken their relationship to a whole new level.
"Ain't a selfie one person?" He's grumbling but he'll do it. She's been into taking pictures of them lately. And most of the time he just looks constipated when he's trying to smile. The rest of the time he sticks his tongue out and looks like an idiot. But Beth loves all of them so he does it for her. This also means his phone is full of pictures of her. She sends him random pics of her smiling at the camera, drinking coffee, posing with one of her furry patients and he loves these as much as she loves the ones of him.
"Sometimes it is. Or sometimes is something else." She laughs mischievously as she opens the camera on her phone. The others have already headed off to the barn otherwise Daryl might die of embarrassment because he's thinking of the something else she's referring too. A few something else's lately.
It had been a few weeks back, he'd been sitting in his bay at the shop one afternoon when his phone vibrated on the workbench. It had been a text with a picture of her and he'd chuckled. Dwight must have heard him. He'd taken the bay next to Daryl's. And Daryl tolerated this because he kind of likes the guy.
"Something funny Dixon?" Dwight asked. Daryl shook his head. He's cupping the phone in his hands and looking at Beth with her crossed eyes and the caption, 'I need out!'
"My girlfriend." That's all the explanation he offers.
"Mine wants to sext all day and that makes it hard to work!" Dwight laughs. Daryl isn't sure he knows what a sext is. He's definitely sure he doesn't want Dwight's explanation. Too late. He must have seen the look of confusion on Daryl's face.
"You guys don't sext?" Okay, enough of the sext whatever the hell it was. The guy is crossing a line here and Daryl has no intentions of letting it go any further.
"I ain't telling ya about my sex life if that's what ya mean!" Daryl glares at him.
"No man, it's pictures and stuff. On your phone." Dwight had been laughing a little and Daryl was rethinking why he liked the guy. "It's a great way to keep the relationship interesting if you know what I mean." Dwight winked and headed toward the office leaving Daryl to ponder this new piece of information. He does know what Dwight means. Pictures. Naked pictures. Daryl's had a couple of them sent to him. Women from the bar sent them and he'd rather have not seen them and he sure as hell never sent any himself. Now he's thinking about sexting and he has to admit at least to himself he's intrigued. Daryl's met Dwight's girlfriend and she's a lot like Beth, a sweet girl and their relationship seems pretty solid and so maybe… Would Beth like it? Is this another one of those things you do in a relationship?
Right before he closed up shop that evening he'd gone into the bathroom, phone in hand. Thinking about sexting and all it entailed and specifically what Beth could send him if she wanted to made taking a picture pretty easy. He'd been hard all afternoon. It was weird dropping his pants and focusing a camera on his junk, but at the same time, it was kind of a turn on too. Without taking to long to overthink it, he hit send. Still hard, but absolutely not gonna jerk off in the bathroom at work he tucked himself back in his jeans and finished closing up. It was about 5 minutes later on the drive home that he'd received her reply,
'OMG Daryl!'
He'd immediately freaked out and thought the worst and tried to come up with an apology that sounded plausible. Turned out he hadn't needed it at all. Beth had been waiting for him. On the couch. Bare-assed naked. A real-life sext. Well, that's what he told himself. So it turned out Beth liked these kinds of pictures too!
"So? Can I take a picture of us?" Beth's voice brings him back.
"Yeah come on then." He sits on a chair on the porch and Beth perches on his knee and holds out the phone, a big smile on her face and snaps the picture. Then she's holding her phone and just staring at it not saying a word. When she finally looks at him she's smiling and she holds the phone out so he can see.
"Daryl, this is how you look at me." There's wonder in her voice. "I never thought I'd be able to capture it in a picture, but this is exactly how you look at me and it makes me feel like I'm everything." He takes the phone from her and looks closely and the picture really doesn't look like him, at least not as far as he's concerned. He's smiling and he's looking at her like she said, but it's the expression he's wearing, the lines in his face are smoothed out and he looks genuinely happy. And it really is all because of her.
"Cause ya are everything Beth."
"I didn't want to come to the bar that night. I wanted to stay home, watch a movie…" She has the phone in her hands now and she's smiling down at their picture. Her selfie. "I'm so glad I didn't."
Daryl doesn't say anything, just looks at her standing there in her bridesmaid dress. He's thinking though. He's thinking she'd be a beautiful bride.
"Me too girl." His voice is husky with emotion.
"Somethings are meant to be, right?"
"Com'ere." Pulling her against him he tilts her face up and kisses her softly. "Think we was meant ta be?"
She's nodding and squeezing him so tight it almost hurts. He doesn't say it, but it's there just the same.
Me too.
X X X
The wedding was beautiful. Everything went perfectly. Maggie cried, Glenn cried, and Judith clapped her little hands when the bride and groom said 'I do" and kissed. Daryl and Beth paid very little attention to what was going on. They only had eyes for each other. their earlier exchange on the porch had started something and it continued on through the wedding and lunch. They couldn't be too far from one another, brushing up against each other while they filled their plates with sandwiches and salads. As the reception continued they found quiet places in the shadows of the barn to stand or sit together, not really needing any words, just the close proximity, and soft kisses.
Something had shifted between them that day. And Daryl knew, he knew without a doubt what he was going to do.
X X X
The Indian summer passed like day to night. Autumn's officially here and Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Beth felt completely settled into her new life with Daryl. Work had been extremely stressful over the past month and she's been looking into other opportunities. Daryl, of course, is encouraging her to do whatever it is that makes her happy. There's a position for a music teacher at the elementary school, but it's mainly for choir. The community college one town over has a part-time position for a piano\guitar instructor. The class offered will be available for the community children through adults. Beth likes the sound of that but it's fewer hours which means a smaller paycheck and she's determined to pull her weight even though Daryl has told her he doesn't care what she contributes as long as she's with him he's happy.
"You gonna be my sugar daddy Daryl?" Teasing him is one of her favorite things to do.
"I'll be whatever ya want Beth - just don't fuckin call me daddy - that's weird."
Beth laughed, but once she stopped and was serious again she said, "I have to contribute to Daryl. It's how I was raised." She knows he won't argue with her and she loves him for that, she also knows if anything ever happens like what happened with her break down over Norman's birth, he'll probably have a lot more to say about what she's doing. And she loves him for that too.
Thanksgiving is simple and fairly quiet. It's just Hershel, Patricia, and Otis at the farm. Glenn, Maggie, Beth, and Daryl are the only other guests. Hershel had invited Merle and Carol too, but they went to Florida to see Carol's sister. Hershel wanted to keep it small. They spent the morning in the barn reinforcing the stalls that had been taken down to make room for the wedding. With cold weather on the way, all the horses need a warm place to stay. Beth sits with Daryl for a little while before heading into the house to see if Maggie and Patricia need any help. The kitchen is warm and steamy and the two women are putting the finishing touches on their early meal.
"You girls do know why dinner is so early this year don't you?" Patricia glances over at where Beth and Maggie are getting a start on the dishes.
I figured he was hoping to retire early. Daddy isn't getting any younger." Maggie says oblivious to everything that's been going on since the fourth of July party.
"Hardly!" Patricia says with a laugh.
"I think I know," Beth says drying a pot with a dishtowel. Maggie stops washing and looks at her sister suspiciously.
"Well? What's going on Bethy?"
"He's going to see Etta isn't he?" Patricia's smile answers her question.
"Etta Eubanks?" Maggie looks surprised. "No!" Then a smile stretches across her face and Beth smiles back.
"They've been spending a lot of time together. I think it's a good thing Mags. They're both alone- and when the baby comes he's gonna have two built-in grandmas!" Beth reaches for Patricia's hand. She's been like an aunt to the girls since they were little. Of course, she'll be a part of the baby's life too. Beth was worried about how Maggie would take the news that their daddy is kind of dating. Obviously, it's a surprise, but a happy one.
"It is a good thing! All those ladies fawning over daddy at the party and my wedding and it's been Etta all along!"
"Etta is a beautiful soul," Patricia says.
"Momma would approve. I know she would." Beth smiles. Annette loved Etta. They all love Etta so if her daddy did too that would be alright with her.
X X X
Daryl finishes attaching a new sliding door to the last stall and stands back to examine his work. Hershel's gathering up the tools they used and Glenn and Otis are finishing up stacking hay in the loft. Daryl had volunteered to help with the hay, but Otis is a stubborn old fart (Hershel's words) and refuses to back down from the heavy lifting just because there are younger men available to do the work. And Hershel had really needed Daryl's carpentry expertise with the stall door.
"I think we ought to go up to the house and see how the girls are coming along. It's getting close to lunch. At least that's what my stomach is telling me!" Hershel says with a little chuckle.
'That and yer in a hurry ta visit a friend.' Daryl doesn't say this out loud, but he thinking it. Beth had brought it up when her daddy ad wanted to do an early lunch. Hershel hadn't told her anything specific but Beth seemed to just now things.
Glenn and Otis readily agree. Both men are sweaty and covered in dust and bits of hay. They head out to clean up leaving Hershel and Daryl alone.
"Hershel I need ta talk to ya 'bout somethin'." Daryl suddenly feels like a 15-year-old kid. His palms are damp and he rubs them on his jeans.
"Sure, Daryl. What's on your mind?" Hershel asks. Daryl isn't sure where to start. What are the rules for asking a man for his daughter's hand?
"I, uh, Beth's been living with me for a few months now and I, I don't want her ta leave. Ever." He's nervous and this isn't going at all like he'd imagined.
"Well okay. She seems pretty happy to me." Hershel is looking at Daryl and he seems to be waiting for more. Taking a deep breath Daryl looks the other man in the eyes, blue eyes that are so much like Beth's.
"Yeah. I, uh, I want yer permission ta ask Beth to marry me. I want her ta be my wife." It feels like all the blood in his head just rushed to his feet and if there was a place to sit he'd sit. Instead, he leans against the stall he just fixed. Hershel walks towards him and holds out a hand.
"Daryl I'd be honored to have you as a son. And I know Beth will probably be over the moon if you ask her to be your wife." All Daryl can do is nod and shake the man's hand. Hershel's words are still echoing in his head. He called him son. This is his life. And it's so fuckin' good.
"I, uh haven't decided when or how, still gotta figure that out." He scratches his cheek. "Jus' wanted ta take care a this first." Hershel smiles and clasps Daryl's hands in both of his.
"I appreciate that and I won't breathe a word." Daryl nods again. Now that he's done it, gotten the hard part over with and turns out it wasn't all that hard, he just wants to go to her, be near her. She gives him something to hold onto.
X X X
Daryl made Beth a bed underneath the stars, now he's sweating and straining as they struggle to get their mattress from the bedroom to the living room where he's gonna make her a bed in front of the fireplace. He gives the mattress a shove to get it unstuck and she yelps as she stumbles backward and lands on the floor.
"Shit Beth! Ya alright?" She dissolves into laughter as he kneels down beside her. Even though her tailbone smarts a little she's fine and she's having such a good time with him. They ate dinner and packed for his mystery trip. A trip he's refused to give her any details on other than they're going to see the snow. The idea that he's planned something special for her and gone to all the trouble to keep it secret touches her heart. But that doesn't stop her from prodding him with questions. He just smirks and she can see that he's excited about this, probably even more than she is. He's been in a really different mood since Thanksgiving. It's good, it's so good. Like tonight, when they were eating and listening to the rain on the roof she'd said it would be nice to sleep in front of the roaring fire they'd had burning all afternoon. He'd finished his chicken pot pie and disappeared into the bedroom only to call her back there a few minutes later to help him drag their mattress out to the living room. She'd jumped on the bed and into his arms.
"Really Daryl?" And he'd smiled his best smile, the one he gave her and only her.
"Com'on girl let's do this." She'd kissed him quickly and jumped down to help. The mattress, however, was huge and she was small and that was probably one reason she was sitting on her butt now. Hanging on to his arm and standing up she rubs her tailbone.
"I'm sorry Daryl, this thing is so big and bulky. Maybe we should've just used the air bed. Where is that thing anyway?"
"Oh I, uh, I dunno. Ya sure yer okay? Want me ta massage ya?" The little twinkle in his eye makes her face heat up. She already knows where all this is going and her body is responding accordingly.
"Uh huh, all over and not just with your hands.." she whispers as she slides her arms around his neck. He leans in and kisses her hard and it takes her breath away.
"Gotta get this thing moved first," he growls in her ear and she shivers feeling her nipples harden under her long sleeve thermal shirt. He moves away from her, out of her reach and winks at her. She huffs in frustration and grabs her end of the mattress and they continue to maneuver it in front of the fireplace. They laugh a lot and Daryl teases her for being a tiny little thing until that tiny little thing is straddling him on the mattress and pulling off her shirt and yanking at his.
"I want you, Daryl… want you so bad. Please." Her chest is heaving and all she feels is this urgency to get as close to him as physically possible. Every day it's something more that makes what they have even stronger and she doesn't think she could love him anymore but then he'll look at her or smile in a certain way and everything inside of her yearns to just hold him. It's the same for him, she's pretty sure of that even though he doesn't say it in so many words. He doesn't have too. Pushing himself up into a sitting position with her in his lap, he pulls his shirt over his head. He pushes her back on the mattress and she's kicking her leggings off as he fumbles with the button on his jeans.
"Slow down girl, ya got me." His jeans are off and she's still tangled in her leggings. He helps her ease them off, leaning over he kisses her stomach, rubbing his scruffy cheeks on the soft skin. It's an amazing sensation. And his face is so close to the part of her that's aching for him. She squirms out of her panties, but he's gone, moved away from her body. When she turns to look at him he's laying back on the mattress and the firelight is flickering on the lean planes of his muscles. His cock is hard, the skin of the head flush with heat and glistening with pre-come. Dragging her hand up over his thigh, she follows its path with her body. When she's hovering above him he takes a hold of her, his hands can almost circle her waist. He watches, his eyes dark with desire, as she slides her small hand up over his cock, stroking him, guiding him to the entrance of her pussy. She whimpers as he lowers her onto him.
"Daryl… you feel so good. Let me, just... " She pushes his hands away from her hips and slowly rocks back and forth on top of him. There's nothing between them anymore. A prescription for birth control made it possible to stick the leftover condoms on the top shelf of the linen closet. And even though she knows it's highly unlikely she can feel a difference, she likes to imagine she can. He swears it's better, says it's like sleeping with her naked. He's thrusting his hips up against her now and his growls of frustration tell her he's not gonna stand for sweet and slow much longer.
"Making me crazy Beth…" his breathing is uneven and ragged. And she can feel his stomach muscle tense under her hands.
"What do you want…" The words are barely out of her mouth and he's flipping her over and covering her with his body. Nuzzling his face into her neck he sucks hard at the delicate skin until she moans.
"Turnover, raise up for me, ass in the air baby." She does as he asks but falters a little at the hitch in his breath. "Jesus Beth, you're bruised!" His fingers gently skim the area around her tailbone where she fell and this elicited another moan. "That hurt?" She can hear the concern in his voice but she shakes her head.
"No, no, god no keep doing that." There's a soft ache but mainly it's something else, like electricity and it feels good. Taking her by the hips he pushes inside her and with one hand firmly clamped on her hip, he skims the fingers of his other hand in circles on her lower back. Her fists grip the sheet as he rides her and she's so close.
"I'm gonna come Beth, fuck, I.." He keeps up his soft ministrations as he thrusts forcefully against and into her and with one final groan she can feel him, inside her as he comes. That's what she loves about their new condom-free sex life. She can feel that. His fingers on her bruised tailbone send her over the edge and her body clenches around him. Before he collapses on top of her he turns them both on their sides so he's the big spoon. And she can feel his heart pounding against her back as her breathing slows and her own erratic heartbeat evens out. Bringing his hand that's curled around her belly up to her mouth, she kisses his knuckles and weaves her fingers through his.
"I love you, Daryl." He squeezes her hand and she can feel his soft kisses on the nape of her neck. Soft sleepy kisses. "Where are we going tomorrow?" She has to try, one last time and she giggles as her growls against her. They force themselves to get up and grab the blankets and duvet they forgot earlier and Daryl shuts off all the lights and they curl up naked in their little nest of blankets.
X X X
Groaning Daryl rolls over onto his back, the need to pee is battling with his desire to just stay here with Beth where it's warm. He reaches blindly for his phone intending to check the time. When he can't locate it he's forced to open his eyes and it's light, a lot lighter than it should be unless they overslept.
"Shit." Pushing the covers back he emerges from the warm cocoon they'd created and he hears Beth sigh. "Get up girl, we slept through yer alarm." When he finally finds his phone, buried under her leggings he checks the time, 7:24. Glancing over his shoulder he sees Beth stretching, the duvet bunched up around her waist and he has to fight the urge not to jump back on the bed and get a hand full of her soft little boobs or any other part of her he can grab. But they have places to be. He's on a mission and the thought of what he's got planned makes him smile. Leaving her to get out of bed without his prying eyes he heads back to the bedroom and bathroom to take care of the other need he currently has.
Once they're loaded up and on the road, coffee and muffins in the cup holder, Beth starts in. Again.
"Just tell me what letter it starts with Daryl?" She's in the middle seat, her seat. The other being, 'too far away from you' is what she says when he teases her and says she's crowding him. She's breaking off pieces of her banana muffin and sharing them with him while he drives and continues to keep the destination mum.
"Told ya, I ain't telling," he says brushing muffin crumbs from his beard.
"Are we skiing? Is it Cataloochee? Are we going to North Carolina Daryl?" Her eyes are huge and it's comical the way she's carrying on.
"Cata what? Nah, no skiing. I don't even know how." Reaching out he snags the last of the muffin from her lap and shoves it in his mouth.
"But there's snow, right? So, hmmm." This time he does laugh, he can't help it. She's so fucking cute sometimes.
"Girl we ain't got but another 2 hours or so. Then you'll see." She raises an eyebrow and crosses her arms.
"Fine. But we're staying overnight right. In a hotel right?"
"Mmmhmm."
"So is it a big hotel, one of the fancy ones in a chain or…" Still prying.
"Beth," But he loves it, loves all of this and loves her so much and he can hardly stand the anticipation either. But for entirely different reasons than Beth. He knows what's gonna happen and his stomach is doing all kinds of crazy karate moves as he thinks about it.
"What?" She's got the innocent look down pat.
"Put on some music, sing for me." He likes listening to her sing along with the radio or the music on her phone, but especially her guitar. That's his favorite.
"I thought my singing annoyed you?" she asks fiddling with the dial on the radio.
"Only when ya do it naked and I can't concentrate on any damn singin'!" This has her cracking up and he thinks to himself how road trips, something he relished on his own, are even better with her.
X X X
Beth is pretty sure she's figured out where they're going. Daryl told her they are almost there and the next town is Spring Town, on Spring Mountain and they've been twisting and turning their way up a mountain road for some time now. She just can't figure out why. She vaguely remembers driving through it on the way to North Carolina. Before her momma passed they had taken a couple of trips to a Cataloochee Ski Resort. Spring Town is tiny and surrounded by forest.
"Hotel sex!" Beth blurts out. That's gotta be it.
"What the hell?" Daryl is laughing and shaking his head and it's contagious.
"We're here right? Spring Town, but why?" Beth likes the look of the quaint little buildings, decked out in Christmas decorations and lights. They pass a gas station with a convenience store, a small hardware store and a hotel that looks like a gingerbread house. Next to it is a small cafe. "Oh is that where we're staying Daryl? It's adorable!" But they keep driving right through the tiny town and back into the snowy forest.
"Ain't stopping there yet." Is all he offers and the smug look on his face only makes her more determined.
"I guess we aren't having hotel sex." She sits back and crosses her arms trying to look irritated, but he knows her too well.
"Stop it girl. Going ta cut down a Christmas tree." A, wait what? A Christmas tree? He brought her up here to this cute little Christmas town to cut down a tree in a snowy, very Christmasy forest.
"You, you are too much Daryl Dixon! We're really going to cut down our own Christmas tree?" Beth asks unbuckling her seatbelt so she can tuck her legs up underneath herself.
"Yeah, I thought, is tha' alrigh'?" He glances over at her and then quickly looks back at the road, his brow furrowed. She isn't gonna let him second guess himself.
"I think it's sweet Daryl. I love it, I really do." She leans her head on his shoulder and slides her arm under his. She feels the warmth of the tears even before they start to fall. She means to wipe them away because sometimes her tears make him uncomfortable and right now he should be proud of himself. This is amazing.
"Awe Beth, jus' had ta cry didn' ya?" He pulls his arm from her grasp and wraps around her shoulders, pulling her against his side.
"Happy tears Daryl, I promise."
X X X
Happy fuckin' tears. And they just keep coming. He finds the little backroad and takes the turn and it really is a little winter wonderland like Beth says, then she's off and bawling again and he tells her she better stop or her face is gonna freeze when they get out of the truck. The laughter that his growling causes is good and when he parks he hops out of the truck before her feeling for the lump in his pocket. Satisfied that he's got what he needs he reaches in the back of the truck for his hatchet. He grabs his backpack and opens the truck door and tosses it on the seat. Beth's already got her snow boots on and she's smiling like it really is Christmas. Maybe he did okay. He'll soon find out.
"Got hats and gloves in there. We're gonna need 'em." Beth pulls out a soft blue beanie and matching thick scarf.
"These are beautiful Daryl, wait did Patricia make these?" Daryl just smiles at Beth and grabs his own gray beanie. Patricia did make them. In fact, Patricia helped him with quite a few things for this trip and she is the only one who knows what's about to happen.
"Early Christmas presents. Get them gloves on too." They're a dark suede, lined with wool of some sort. He pulls his beanie on and is reaching for his own gloves when Beth launches herself across the seat and into his arms.
"I love you, Daryl, I love this… " burying her face in his neck, he knows she's probably getting all teary eyed again and it's not gonna stop for awhile so he might as well get used to it.
"Com'on girl. Let's go find us a tree," he whispers prying her gently away from him.
Daryl lets Beth take the lead, leaving it up to her to find the perfect tree. She chatters the whole way pointing out the pros and cons of individual trees as they walk. The snow is plentiful but it isn't too deep so walking isn't difficult. While they walk he's going over all the things he wants to say and how he wants to say it. And his hand keeps sliding back to the lump in the pocket of his jeans. Beth's screech brings him out of his head and back in the moment. It also scares the shit out of him.
"Beth?!" He rushes over to where she's standing with her hand raised. She's pointing. At a tree.
"There! That's it, Daryl. It's perfect!" She runs over to a tree sitting on its own. It's a Fir tree and it's about as tall as her. It looks like it belongs on a Christmas tree lot. It is perfect. It's even better with her standing beside it, her cheeks flushed from excitement and the cold air. And that blue beanie and scarf, Patricia was right it matches her eyes.
"Okay. Looks pretty good. This the one?" He's starting to get nervous now. He wants so badly for the next few minutes to be as perfect as Beth's tree.
"This is it! It's gonna look so cute in the living room Daryl! With white lights, I think, yeah only white." She continues to talk and Daryl kneels down with his hatchet, but he doesn't start to cut the tree down, not yet. Reaching into his pocket he pulls out the lump, a box. A small black box. He turns a little to face Beth and he's still kneeling and he hopes he's getting it right. She's quiet all of a sudden and her eyes, they're huge and glistening with tears of course and she's watching him.
"I uh, Beth," he can't remember a single thing he'd gone over in his head. None of it. But he knows what he wants to say. "I wasn't looking for the perfect girl, wasn' lookin' for nothin' til you showed up in that bar. Now I can' imagine my life without ya. I wanna marry ya, Beth. I wanna stay with you forever girl." Looking down he fumbles with the little box, but get's it open and holds it out. Beth still hasn't said a word and his stomach is churning but she kneels down in front of him and takes the ring from the box.
"Oh, Daryl.." It's a delicate silver filigree. There's diamond, and the way the light caught it in the store it looked more blue than white and it reminded him of her eyes. Now she's looking down at it and she can't possibly see it through all the tears so he takes it and takes her hand slipping off her glove.
"So ya gonna stay with me? Forever?" Please say yes. Please say yes. His heart's pounding and is she nodding? Oh yeah. She is. His hand is shaking but he manages to get the tiny ring on her soft finger and then her pulls her against him and they about topple over in the snow and maybe his face isn't wet with just her tears. Maybe Daryl Dixon is crying happy tears too.
X X X
Beth can't remember exactly how the rest of the tree cutting went. She knows Daryl had a hatchet and he hacked away at the small trunk until the tree fell and sprayed snow all over the both of them. He must have carried the little tree back to the truck and she obviously followed. She never put her glove back on. She couldn't cover up that perfect little ring wrapped around her finger. The only thing that pulled her gaze away from it was his voice and his smile. He helped her climb back in the cab of the truck and she pulled out the cookies and thermos she'd brought with them.
"Cookies?" he asks.
"Yep and hot cocoa. It's required when you go to the snow." Daryl chuckles and then he gets ahold of her hand. Rubbing her cold fingers he lets his own finger brush over the ring.
"Ain't a big ole diamond-"
"Daryl I told you that's not what I want. I didn't even know what I wanted until, until you put this on my finger. I love it. I love you." She looks up at him and he's blushing. Both of their knees are soaked and their noses are red and she's even starting to shiver a little but it's the best day of her life and she's gonna remember it forever.
"So how 'bout that hotel and…" she giggles as he waggles his eyebrows at her.
"You are so getting hotel sex, Mr. Dixon." She scoots into his arms and presses her cheek against his chest.
"Yeah well thank you, Mrs. Dixon." That does it. She was trying to keep it together but it's Daryl's fault. Happy tears again. All he does is shake his head and hold out the thermos for her. They finish the cookies and cocoa and once Beth is buckled in beside him he eases the truck back out onto the main road. Clouds have started to roll in and the temperature feels like it's dropped ten degrees. Beth can see patches of ice on the asphalt, but Daryl takes it slow. Beth looks over her shoulder to make sure their little tree isn't moving around. There's loud screeching noise, maybe the branches on the bed of the truck? Beth feels Daryl's hand on her thigh, holding on so tight it hurts and she can't figure out why he's hurting her. Turning back in her seat she sees headlights but they're in the wrong lane. Everything starts to blur and it's going in slow motion like it does sometimes in nightmares she has. Daryl has one hand on the wheel and he jerks it to the right. She knows he's trying to avoid the other car, but there are trees, they're gonna run into the trees and she wants to tell him, starts to open her mouth, but Daryl is on top of her pushing her down on the seat wrapping his arms around her and the last thing she remembers is an intense pain in her cheek and Daryl's voice,
"I gotcha girl."
A/N I'm sorry.