8 Weeks In Georgia Chapter 18
Wednesday Evening
The doorbell rang. Daryl was here. Kate had only just finished applying her coat of lipstick which was the final step in getting ready. She stared at her face in the mirror, smoothing out any errant hairs. This was it. Ready or not she was going out for an evening with a man, whether she called it a date or something else.
Her heart was thudding dramatically in her chest all the way to the front door where she stopped at her little entry table to spray herself with perfume, remembering the way he had looked at her only days before when she had done the same action in his company. Kate convinced herself that she was nervous because the idea of riding on the back of a motorcycle reminded her of the squashed possum she'd jumped over on her morning jog instead of the man waiting on the other side of the door. She didn't want to believe that any man could turn her into a feeble, wordless, jittery mess. Still, her heart beat a nervous tune right up until the very moment she opened the door where instead of racing it all but stopped.
"Good evenin' Ma'am," Daryl's voice rolled the word ma'am easily, almost seductively, preventing her heart to even think about picking up a normal rhythm.
"Good evening," Kate's words were no more than a whisper as he stepped back allowing her to join him on the perilous steps of her house.
Daryl was wearing black jeans that had long faded to a softer shade of charcoal and a black t-shirt that was partially obscured by his leather jacket. The same leather jacket she had spent an evening in. Kate laughed under her breath as she turned to lock the door. She was wearing an almost identical outfit to him except where his t-shirt was black her shirt was green.
Bloody hell, she decided as she followed him down the steps, coming face to face with the terrifying pile of metal and wheels that was waiting for her. Kate tried to let the small bubbling fizz of excitement fill her top to toe but the fear was more flood than fizz and it was winning over making her feel palm sweatingly sick.
She stepped past Daryl and ran her fingers over the seat which was still warm from his journey to her house. It was probably far too late to change her mind about any of this. "Can I tell you a secret?" she said, wrapping her arms around herself as some form of protection before she turned to look at Daryl.
His dark blue gaze that was as intense and unnerving as ever, never shifting from her as he said, "sure."
She licked her lips and reconsidered admitting the following information to him. God she hated to admit she was shitting herself, terrified even. Yet she wanted to say something, the smallest hint, the tip of the iceberg, "I'm a little… unsure… about this."
Daryl stepped forward, his eyes soft yet serious as his fingers found the very tips of her hair. He held a strand, running his thumb over it before he smiled, confident and completely reassuring, "I won't let anythin' bad happen to ya."
Of course he wouldn't. For a second Kate had the unthinkable urge to press her cheek against his chest and see what it was like to be held in his arms, to see if they felt as safe as they looked. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been held like that or if she'd ever been held like that. She almost got her wish as he stepped closer, one arm reaching behind her, bathing her in the musky scent of his skin for the briefest of moments until he retrieved what was hidden behind her.
Daryl held out a little pink helmet for her approval, although he didn't wait for her to say anything before he was slipping it on her head. Kate stood motionless, her hands hanging uselessly at her sides as she let him fasten the straps she could have fastened herself. All she could think about was the way his fingers brushed against her neck, sending shivers along her spine until the sharp click of the strap ended his gentle touches.
When he stepped back she lifted her hands to the shiny helmet, she hadn't thought about this part and she was kicking herself for even caring but she found herself saying, "do I look ridiculous?"
/
Daryl couldn't imagine a time when he'd think Kate would look ridiculous. Even when she was a hungover mess he was still attracted to her. Lord knows what that said about him but dirty, clean, made up or not he wanted her just as badly.
"Never," he promised before he pulled on his own black helmet. He'd borrowed Kate's from Charlene who had finally forgiven him for the Cassie mess and even ironed his t-shirt before his big date.
His big date, he pushed away thoughts of messing things up and once more wished that their date didn't have to involve bowling shoes. Maybe it didn't. Maybe all he had to do was open his mouth and say something. "Can I tell you a secret?" Daryl said, watching her eyes flick from the bike to him.
"Of course."
"I hate bowlin'."
Kate laughed and cocked her head to the side as she considered him for a moment, "why on earth are you taking me then?"
"I dunno… I just…" Daryl scratched his chin and cleared his throat, "I wanted to spend time with ya."
"Let's do something else then."
"Alright," that was easy. Just like that. Maybe he was getting better at this dating shit. Daryl decided that he would think of something while they were on the road.
"But first…" Daryl gestured to the bike, which was to him the main event of this evening. At least the main event that he could plan for.
Kate bit her soft kissable lip, drawing his attention to it. He often thought, especially when he was alone, about the tips of his own teeth giving that very lip a gentle tug, paving the way for his tongue to explore her mouth.
Daryl ran his hand over his own mouth, brushing away his lust filled thoughts and instead focused on the moment he was in rather than the kissing fantasy he had planned for later. He rolled his shoulders, climbed easily onto the motorcycle and looked at Kate. She was rooted to the pavement, a cautious look on her face and just as he had done with Ace he waited for her to come to him.
Eventually he actually saw the change in her face, the submission, as if she was thinking 'just do it'. She let out a light sigh and stepped forward, taking his hand, letting him hold her steady as she kicked her leg over the seat with exactly the kind of finesse he expected. From the way Kate walked in her high heels to the way she carefully tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, there was something graceful and ladylike about how she carried herself which was what made her so intoxicating to watch like every more was part of some kind of dance.
He turned his head to look at her, she was all nervous wide eyes and sitting too far back. Luckily for Daryl, Kate had to get closer than was probably considered appropriate for a first or second date. Not that Daryl cared about what was appropriate, "I ain't gonna bite ya."
Kate glanced down at the space between them with a light as air laugh, before she gingerly reached forward to place her hands on his body.
Daryl braced himself for her touch as he felt all nerve endings firing up. It wasn't everyday that somebody put their hands on him, even when he was intimate with a woman he didn't usually let them touch anything above his waist. Kate's hands landed on his shoulders. Her touch was soft but firm as she shuffle along the seat, bringing her body to his.
Jesus, he tried to remember to breathe but something as filling his lungs and releasing them seemed impossible. He was all sensation. All he could think about was the feel of her thighs as they wrapped flush around the backs of his and the feel of her hands slowly slipping from his shoulders, along his shoulder blades, and down his back until they sat lightly on his waist.
Daryl looked down to her hands and cleared his throat, trying to regain the power of speech, "ya gonna have to hold tighter…"
"Like this?" Kate whispered, gripping his waist a little more.
Daryl noticed that his hands were gripping the motorcycle handles so tight that his knuckles had turned to porcelain. Stop being so fucking weird, she's just a fucking woman, a soft, sexy woman that has her body wrapped around yours, Daryl tried to calm himself down and failed miserably.
Instead, he took one head clearing big breath and released his vice like grip of the handles. Without much thought, he picked up both of Kate's hands, pulled them all the way around himself and savoured every second of it. "Like this," he whispered before he let her go, hoping she would keep him in her tight embrace.
She did and it was so fucking nice. Daryl could feel the rise and fall of her soft chest that coincided with the light hot breeze she was blowing onto his neck, setting his whole body on fire.
He'd thought that riding with her on this motorcycle was a genius idea, a way to get her close to him. Now he wasn't sure how the fuck he was going to concentrate on the road when his mind and body was completely elsewhere. He couldn't think about anything but the way Kate was holding him and the way it made him feel. The buzz of bees, the tingle of anticipation and the satisfying warmth. He'd never really understood why people liked to hold each other, why women sometimes asked if he wanted to stay the night and cuddle with them. Cuddling had always been the very last thing on his mind after he had just fucked some random chick. He couldn't wait to get the fuck away as quickly as possible. But right now, he felt like he could stay in her arms for the rest of the night and longer.
"Have you changed your mind?" Kate's voice filled his ear in a breathy whisper.
"What?"
"We're not moving…"
"I was just… thinkin'... 'bout where to go…" Daryl covered for himself while wondering just how long they had sat there while basked in her.
He needed to pull himself together. What the hell was this woman doing to him? The engine roared to life and Kate gripped him even tighter than before. Sweet Jesus. He'd be lucky if he made it through the damn night.
/
The motorcycle felt out of control, speeds of 50 miles an hour felt like one hundred and all Kate could do was keep holding on and try not to worry that she was gripping him so tight that he couldn't breathe. She pressed her face against Daryl's back, her nose brushing against the leather as she squeezed her eyes shut. It somehow felt safer when she couldn't see the world whipping by. Instead she left all control in Daryl's hands rather than anticipating every twist and turn of the road.
Still, despite it all there was something addictive about the heart pounding terror of racing down the road that made her feel a little disappointed when they were pulling up outside their apparent destination.
Lynette's Bar and Grill.
Quite like horseback riding the motorcycle left Kate's thighs hot, sore and more than ready for a reprieve. Which she got the taste of the second she slipped of the bike and stretched out her legs. Her eyes glanced quickly to Daryl's crotch while she wondered how he managed to ride around all day.
"What did ya think of ya first ride?"
Kate wondered for a moment if he had caught her looking but he hadn't, thank god. "It was very fast."
"It's like driving, ya get used to it."
Daryl was probably right. Kate still remembered her first driving lesson, the little red Vauxhall Corsa, her middle aged balding instructor and the feeling that she was going to spin out of control until she noticed the speedometer was ticking nicely at 22 miles per hour. She didn't remember the moment when driving the speed limit had felt akin to walking but at first it had felt more like flying a rocket.
She unclipped her helmet and pulled it off her head before shaking out her hair and praying to God that it wasn't too misshapen. Daryl didn't give her any funny looks so she assumed the best. He hung their helmets off the bike before gesturing to the bar and hopping in front of her to get the door like a gentleman.
The floor of Lynette's was polished cherry wood that glistened so brightly that it might have doubled as a mirror in broad daylight but instead it was only semi reflective in the dim but cosy low hanging lights that littered the ceiling. On one side there was a long, fully stocked bar next to which there was an open hatch that gave a peek a poo preview of Lynette's grill. The tables and booths were cherry to match the floor and in the center of each was a red cut glass candle holder complete with a tea light flickering in the centre. Evergreen walls were covered in a mishmash of photographs and memorabilia from a pair of drumsticks to old licence plates. Past the tables and the mishmash of patrons who were tucking into their dinners she could see the bright green felt of two pool tables and the bright yellow glow of a jukebox that played its songs low and comfortable with the hubbub of voices that filled the atmosphere.
A man bustled between them, knocking against Daryl's shoulder before stopping to inspect them both, "hey Daryl, sorry man, didn't see you there… "Ma'am..." he said to Kate before running his fingers along his handlebar moustache, paving the way for a wide grin.
"Don't worry 'bout it," Daryl insisted and the conversation ended as quickly as it had began when the man nodded before turning to find the party of people he was looking for.
"You come here often?" Kate asked.
"There ain't many places to go 'round 'ere."
Dale's farm and the places that surrounded it was what she assumed he meant by that. The area, which she didn't know the name of, was his childhood home and he seemed to draw back to it like a moth to a flame, showing her all the places he knew like the back of his hand.
"An' I didn't think it would hurt much to save a little face 'round town… they can at least think I tamed the girl that made a damn fool outta me."
The roguish look on his face made her blush a little as she remembered dousing him in beer, "I don't know what your talking about Mr Dixon. "
He began to drop his jacket from his shoulders, shaking his head with a small chuckle, "ya like to play pool?"
"I love to."
Daryl let out what sounded like a sigh of relief before he asked, "is coke okay for ya? Probably best ya don't drink an' ride," he licked his lips and his eyes narrowed, "ya might get too relaxed."
"Right," what was he trying to do? Remind her of every stupid and weird thing she had done since knowing him? "Diet coke…" she took off her jacket and smiled her nice as pie smile, "I'm quite sweet enough."
Daryl smirked, considering her statement as he began to dig through his pockets, "ya wanna pick a song?" he nodded to the jukebox which he must have noticed her looking at, before passing her a handful of coins.
"Any requests?"
"Whatever ya want sweetheart."
Sweetheart. Kate tried to pretend she hadn't heard it, except that she had and it had turned her to mush. A blushing, girlish, ridiculous mush. Bloody hell, she wasn't sure how much more of this she could take before the nervous butterflies tore her apart like a supernova.
She left him to fetch the drinks and made her way to the pool tables, threw her jacket over the back of a chair, put the money in the jukebox and was still flicking through the endless options when Daryl joined her.
Daryl's hand rested on her hip as he leaned over her shoulder, his body close to hers but not quite touching as he looked at the songs, "big decision…" he teased to make sure the butterflies were still aflutter.
"Actually… would you believe I've never chosen a song on a jukebox before."
"You're so weird," he laughed like she'd said a joke that only he knew about. "Don't ya have anythin' in England?"
"We have them," she gave him a pointed look, "I've just never used one… which is sort of crazy since I love Grease… the movie I mean... and this makes me feel like I've stepped into it."
"I never saw it."
"You've never seen Grease?" Kate looked at him again, shaking her head with mock disgust, "oh my… I'm not sure we can be friends anymore Mr Dixon."
"Says the woman who's never used a jukebox."
She laughed and keyed in the code for her very cheesy first jukebox song in honor of Grease and her much younger self that had watched the movie about a million times before realising what 'bun in the oven' or the terrifying 'it broke' meant. But as soon as the song started up she quickly realised she had entered the wrong code.
Kate's cheeks were not just hot but burning red as The Platters announced Only You to Daryl and the rest of the bar. Maybe she was being paranoid but she felt like all eyes were on them now which only added to the distinct need for her to look at the floor, a stray chair, the wall, anything that wasn't another person.
/
Only you, for a split second Daryl thought she was trying to send him a message but then she turned around and could barely look at him.
Maybe not.
"Interestin' choice."
"Perhaps I should stay away from jukeboxes…"
"Ain't so bad…" Kate was so beautifully embarrassed and like the ying to his yang he felt a wave of confidence. He knew everyone in Lynette's and he knew the sight of him with a woman would have been strange enough on its own, "least now everyone knows ya 'ere with me…"
He wanted to add 'as his girl' but instead he just looked at her and tried to ignore the sissy ass lyrics that seemed to sing to the tune of his stomach full of bees. Being here with Kate, the chance to talk to her, touch her, maybe even kiss her, really was like a dream come true. A daydream, one he had invented ever since she had first clattered into the Museum.
Luckily the song was only a couple of minutes long so the strange limbo it seemed to lock them in was quickly released when another song came on.
/
Kate pushed her musical faux pas to the far recesses of her mind and joined Daryl at the nearest pool table where their drinks were sitting side by side along the edge.
He passed her a cue and then he began to rack up the balls while Kate's eyes wandered around the bar until they landed on the place they had intended, Daryl's firm behind. Staring at him like he was a piece of meat felt wrong, shameful even, yet at the same time she didn't intend to stop. She sipped her coke and enjoyed the flex of his shoulders under his t-shirt and the light little grunt he made when he knocked his knee against the corner of the table. Kate could have sworn she was never such a bloody pervert before but then it had been such a long time since she had opportunity or inclination.
A woman with cherry red hair approached the table, momentarily blocking Kate's view and reminding her she was in public. The woman leaned against the edge, right next to Daryl, her tiny dress riding up higher than was decent. She had a waitress's apron tied around her waist, the tip of a notebook sticking out of one of the deep pockets. "Hey baby," she gave the back of Daryl's leg a light kick with the toe of her shoe, "your big brother comin' here tonight?"
"Jesus…" Daryl grunted before he looked to Kate, "I sure hope not…"
"Well, you'll tell him I was asking for him won't you."
"Ya could do better than Merle, Cherry."
A name to match her hair.
"You're too hard on him… he's got his good parts," then she laughed and cocked her head to Kate, "at least one good part, you know what I mean honey..." Cherry's eyes dropped to Daryl's crotch with an approving nod and a slow seductive smile.
"Cherry please…" Daryl was turning as red as her hair and Kate bit back the ridiculous giggle that wanted to erupt from her mouth.
"Ya'll want anythin' else to drink?" Cherry checked, "ya prefer a bottle wine or a pitcher of beer to take a shower in..."
Daryl rubbed his hand over his face and shook his head, "ya weren't even there…"
Cherry laughed before pointing to the man who had crashed into them earlier, "Bob gave me ten dollars just to come an' rib on ya'll…."
Bob was laughing, as were his group of friends. Kate covered her mouth with her hand, stifling her laugh but it was useless. Daryl could see her giggles and he wasn't mad which made her feel guilty, he was taking it so nicely even though he was probably never going to live it down whereas she would be leaving and never have to face these people again. But the idea made her feel more sad than it did relieved.
There was something sort of nice about Daryl's little world that revolved around the kind of places where everyone knew your name. And where everyone knew she had poured a pitcher of beer over his head.
"I sure as shit learned my lesson never to piss ya off ever again..." Daryl's words were more playful than scolding.
/
"You can break," Kate said sweetly as Daryl reached for the cue ball. It occurred to him that, like Charlene, she might be a terrible pool player. Then it occurred to him that he could use that idea to his advantage.
"Ya wanna make a wager?"
She leaned her head against her cue, a smile prying at her lips, "you're sure you want to do that?"
Was he sure? Daryl rested his hands on the pool table, looking Miss Uppity up and down, getting the measure of her. She was wearing tight black jeans and an olive green chiffon shirt with the buttons undone to just where he could catch a glimpse of black lace. He was sure. "That sounds like fightin' talk."
"Maybe…" Kate raised one eyebrow, picked up a piece of chalk, twirling it between her fingers before she threw it underarm towards him.
Daryl caught the little cube with one hand then ran the chalk over the end of the cue while he wondered what exactly the stakes should be. There was no damn way she would be better than him at pool. No way. Which meant there was no way he was going to miss out on a golden opportunity to get the woman where he wanted her.
"If I win..." Daryl remembered laying out under the stars with her, "ya have to come campin' with me."
Kate let out a surprised laugh, "you mean spend the night with you?"
Daryl's throat felt dry, this conversation had gone into dangerous territories but there was something seductive about the look in Kate's eyes and the way her long glossy hair tumbled over her shoulder as she leaned against her cue, emphasizing the curve of her waist. "I only got one tent."
"I suppose you only have one sleeping bag too?"
"Ya won't need one, it'll be so damn hot in that tent…" he took a sip of his coke and enjoyed the slight flush of Kate's cheeks before saying, "we are in Georgia afterall."
"And what if I win…" she stepped closer, "what shall I make you do?" Kate tapped his shoulder with her cue before she looked him up and down, her brown eyes playful and a little wild.
"Whatever ya want..."
"Whatever… I… want…" she circled him like a shark waiting to take its first bite
"When I win…" she smiled, a slow knowing smile, a smile that made him feel slightly nervous about this little wager, "you have to get a tattoo."
"A tattoo?"
"Of my choosing."
"What the hell kinda tattoo?"
"I don't know… maybe a fluffy pink bunny."
Damn she was good, she was also pretty fucking pleased with herself. He should have thought of that, he kicked himself. "I recon I should change my bet, make ya get a damn tattoo, my name," his finger ran carelessly across her soft skin just below her collarbone causing her to let out a light gasp, "right there."
"Too late," Kate's fingers wrapped partway around his wrist, removing his touch from her skin. "You've already set your stakes… besides... I wouldn't let you choose my first tattoo," she dropped his wrist and poked his arm at the place where the hint of a dragon was sneaking out of the sleeve, "and you've already got one."
"I have more than one…" he said and watched her big brown eyes fall to his body as if she might be able to see through his clothes.
"One more won't hurt then will it."
"It might… if it's some pansy ass rabbit."
Kate bit the smile on her lips and stepped around the table, dragging her cue behind her, "well, have we got a wager or not Mr Dixon?"
Shit, Daryl thought to himself. If he backed out now he would look like a pussy, but there was no way he was gonna lose. Of course she had a deal, he'd have said yes to anything if it meant the chance of bundling her into the middle of the wilderness for the entire night with him, "yes ma'am… but don't expect me to go easy on ya..."
"I wouldn't expect anything less, Mr Dixon."
He was chalked and ready, he leaned over the table and was just about to make his first move when the unthinkable happened.
"Baby brother," Merle's voice boomed.