A/N: Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope everyone's is enjoying their day, whether you celebrate or not! I come bearing gifts in the form of Richonne smut. It's also kinda cute, I think, although I'm never quite sure how AUs connect with people. But anyway. I hope you like! And more importantly, from the bottom of my heart, I hope you're happy today and every day. Because you guys make me happy today and every day. I love y'all. -Ash

Chapter 1: Hello

When he stepped into the bakery, her long chocolate legs were the first thing he noticed, and they looked more delectable than anything on display in the store. As much as he hadn't been a fan of the warm Atlanta winter, he was so thankful for it in that moment. No need to bundle up in layers of clothing that would've hidden her gorgeous shapely figure. Instead, her hip-hugging red dress with a bow at the small of her back made her look like a Christmas gift. Her legs in a pair of strappy gold stilettos were just the cherry on top.

He stepped into line behind her, quietly hoping she would turn his way so that he could see the rest of her. He admired her curly dreadlocks and the way the tips of her hair matched her shoes. He couldn't wait to see the face that belonged to this vision. But instead, his phone vibrated against his thigh, and he pulled it from his pocket to find his girlfriend's face staring back at him. He rolled his eyes as he answered the call.

"Hey."

"Hey," she greeted him. "Do they have any left?"

Annoyed, he turned to the window of the small bakery, where his car was parked just a few feet away, with her waiting inside. "Jessie, I literally just walked in. There are seven people in front of me."

"So you can't see what they have?"

"I'm gonna go."

"Rick," she whined.

"I can see some of what they have," he sighed softly. "I'll text you when I get closer."

"Call me."

"All right." Clearing his throat, he hung up the phone and made a half-assed attempt at seeing into the display case.

"Picking's are slim," said the lady in red, turning her head just barely in Rick's direction. "Some chocolate and vanilla ones left, but most of the good flavors are gone."

He smiled at the fact that the lovely stranger in front of him had addressed him first, after obviously overhearing his conversation. "You didn't come for any of the good ones then, I take it."

"Well I came for red velvet," she smirked, finally looking his way. She was taken aback by the fact that the country twang behind her belonged to such an attractive face. Chiseled jaw, dimpled cheeks, dark curly hair, and eyes so blue, they looked clear. "I stayed for sweet potato," she eventually finished with a flirtatious grin.

"I see," he nodded, trying not show his hand in his instant attraction to her. But she was stunning, and her smile nearly knocked him to the ground.

"I guess it's a good thing I came for sweet potato."

"Smart man."

"I have my moments."

"Are you also bringing them to a Christmas party because you were too lazy to pick out a good bottle of wine?"

He chuckled, though he couldn't stop his eyes from scanning her entire face – enjoying her plump red lips in particular – and regions south. Her long-sleeved dress covered most of her skin and somehow, still showed off all her assets. "If I know my friends, they'll have more than enough to drink."

"Sound like my kinda people."

"You're welcome to join me," he offered, only half-joking. "Ditch your stuck up friends for some fun."

"Oh, my friends are stuck up?"

"They are if they care what kinda wine you buy."

She nodded in amusement, laughing at the enticing idea as they moved up another spot in line. "And how would Jessie feel about me joining you?"

"I dunno, I think she'd be all right with it," he smirked. "The more, the merrier."

"You're terrible," she giggled.

"You have no idea."

She glanced out to the dark parking lot, wondering if she could spot the woman her handsome stranger was obviously attached to. Her eyes settled on a black BMW with a blonde sitting in the passenger seat, and decided that it matched him and his Ralph Lauren duds to a T. "So is that your wife?"

"She wants to be," he revealed, feeling inexplicably at ease with the woman in front of him. He briefly turned in Jessie's direction as well, shaking his head. "But no."

She raised her perfectly arched eyebrows at him, feeling the urge to pry, but refrained. Mostly because it was nearly her turn to place her order. "Well, I'm afraid I'll have to join you two some other time. I probably shouldn't skip out on this particular party."

"Work event?" Rick guessed, wincing at the thought.

"Sort of." In truth, it was her boyfriend's work event, being thrown by his boss; an event where she would be arm candy for the night. But she didn't want to ruin the repartee she had going with this guy by bringing her boyfriend into the conversation. Given that she'd likely never see him again, whe wanted to take advantage of the harmless flirting - some form of stimulation - before she set off to be a Stepford wife for several hours. "It's too late to cancel."

"So you would if you could."

"I get the distinct feeling you're nothing but trouble, but… yeah," she admitted, admiring the gray flecks in his beard; the way the navy blue of his suit brought out his eyes. "Another time, another place, maybe this could've been something interesting."

"Name the time and place and I'll be there."

"I like how you completely ignore the fact that you've got someone out there waiting for you."

"I just know not to pass up something good when I see it."

"You've got her. I've got plans," she shook her head regretfully. "I'm thinking fate's trying to intervene here."

"You're breaking my heart," he grinned. He noticed her begin to pull her credit card from her clutch, so he tried and failed to get a peek at her name.

"Those damn hearts are so fragile, aren't they?" She winked as she stepped up to place her order. "Hey," she greeted the clerk with her blinding smile. "Could I get two dozen of the sweet potato cupcakes? And then half a dozen of the chocolate with the candy canes."

"I'm so sorry," the employee winced, pointing towards the back, "we're at our last twenty on the sweet potato."

"Twenty is fine," she nodded. "I'll just do ten of the chocolate then."

"Awesome. Sure."

"You've gotta be kidding me," Rick declared from behind her, his eyes scanning the sparse display case for any other options.

She turned back to him, realizing she'd taken the last of what he'd come in for. "Oh god," she said, affectionately grabbing his arm as she leaned into him. "I'm so sorry."

He felt his face flush as her body came into contact with him, her hand brushing his skin, and he no longer cared about cupcakes. "The only way you can make this right is to give me your number," he smiled, quirking an eyebrow at her.

She wanted to. She really, really did. But she had a boyfriend, and offering her number to this alluring stranger was a slippery slope. She was thankful when her completed order interrupted their exchange. "Another time," she whispered, reluctantly releasing him from her grip and stepping back to the counter.

"That'll be $112.35."

She handed over her card, collecting her boxes as she willed herself to forget about this man and everything they'd said, everything she'd thought in the past five minutes. It was harmless, meaningless flirting. She couldn't just blow up her life for some guy in a bakery, even if it sounded like something she wanted. Maybe even needed.

"Happy holidays, ma'am," the clerk said, handing back her card and receipt.

"Same to you," she smiled, a bit sadly then, turning for the door without giving her new friend another look. She quickly scurried toward the Audi parked clear across the lot, and struggled to pull open the back door with all the items in her hand. All while her boyfriend sat in the front seat, being utterly unhelpful.

"Jesus, Mich, did you have to make the fucking cupcakes yourself?"

Michonne glared at her mate and his need to rudely comment the second she finally got the door open. "Pete," she sighed, not bothering to think up a reply. She began to carefully arrange the cupcakes on the floor so that they wouldn't slide once the car was in motion. .

"We should put that shit in the trunk," he added. "Last thing I need is cupcake frosting all over my seats."

"They'll be fine unless you plan on driving like a maniac," she quipped, slamming the back door shut before swiftly climbing into the front seat.

"Seriously, what took you so long?" Pete pressed as he backed out of their spot.

"It's crowded in there," she frowned. "And they're out of nearly everything, so people have to rearrange their orders."

"You have to rearrange ours?"

"I got sweet potato instead of red velvet."

He scoffed at the revelation and briefly considered telling her to return them. "I knew you should've gone this morning."

"Because I had so much time." She started to roll her eyes, but her glare immediately softened when the lovely stranger she'd been flirting with made his way into the parking lot. He was empty handed, and she felt bad for stealing his order; even more so for being silly enough to turn him down.

"You had time to get your hair and nails done," Pete muttered, erupting into her thoughts.

"I wanted to look nice," she replied calmly. "You told me to look nice."

"And you do. But I would've preferred you look a little less nice and getting there on fucking time."

She shrugged as they turned onto the street, and she got one last glance at her stranger before he disappeared into his own car. She really wished she had gone with him instead. "Can't always get what you want."

A little over an hour later, Lori Walsh, alongside her husband, Shane, were standing at the center of their crowded home, making small talk with their two most recent guest arrivals – Dr. Pete Anderson, and his exquisite girlfriend, Michonne. Shane was off on a tangent about the best and worst golf courses in the city, while Lori had somewhat tuned out of the conversation, surveying the party to make sure that all of her guests were enjoying themselves. And then a giant smile overtook her face when she noticed her best friend make his grand entrance, along with the latest in his lineup of not-quite-girlfriends that she'd been waiting to meet. "Rick," she called out to him excitedly.

He caught his friend's eye, and nodded towards her and Shane, prepared to head their way and introduce them to Jessie. But just then, another guest moved from his line of sight, and like some sort of mirage, somehow, there stood the illustrious lady in red. Standing there with his two best friends, her arm linked with some guy he'd never seen before. And she had noticed him too, visibly inhaling as she clutched at the neckline of her dress.

"Come," he instructed his girlfriend, not bothering to see if she'd follow. He coolly maneuvered through the small crowd and approached the foursome, trying to suppress the smile that wanted to burst past his lips. "Hey," he greeted them.

"Hey, sweetie," Lori returned, happily offering her friend a giant hug, complete with a kiss on the cheek. "I was just about to call and see where you were."

"Hey, man," Shane welcomed his buddy with a half-hug.

"We had to stop at two places," Rick revealed, handing over a bottle of champagne to the lady of the house. But he didn't take his eyes off of the woman that had enchanted him back at the bakery, and she didn't take hers off him.

"You know you didn't have to bring us anything."

"I do know that." He turned just enough to see that Jessie was, indeed, beside him, then took a step back to make her the center of attention. "She wanted to make a good impression."

"You must be Jessie," Lori grinned, pulling her into an embrace as well. "It's so nice to finally meet you."

"Oh, I didn't… I didn't realize you'd been waiting," Jessie stuttered, happy to hear that Rick had even mentioned her to his friends. "It's nice to meet you, too."

"Well it's been almost a year," she declared in disbelief. She wrapped her hand around Jessie's shoulder to introduce her to the rest of the small group. "This is my husband, Shane," she said, "and this is one of my coworkers, Pete, and his girlfriend, Michonne."

"Hi," she grinned at the three.

Rick took in the introductions as well, happy to be able to put a name to his stranger's face. "Good to meet you," he said, extending his hand to Pete. He did his best not to stare any more as he shook Michonne's soft hand. "I'm Rick."

"It's nice to meet you, Rick," she smiled.

"Can I get y'all anything to drink?" Shane offered, taking the bottle of Krug champagne from his wife. "Shit, we got the good stuff tonight."

"He's pretending that they don't always have the good stuff," Rick joked to the rest of the group.

"Bring a glass for everyone," Lori laughed. "It'll be our little secret."

"Oh, none for me," Pete inserted into the light conversation. "That's all a little too rich for my blood."

The laughter came to an awkward halt at Pete's declination, Rick glaring at him, while Jessie and Lori looked at each other and then down at the floor. Shane was the one to break the tension. "Well you're in my house, so you're gonna drink my goddamn champagne."

"Just give it a try," Michonne whispered beneath everyone's laughter. She didn't want him to say or do anything to make the situation any more uncomfortable. "If you don't like it, I'll finish it."

"I can finish a glass of wine," he rolled his eyes.

"So we're good?" Lori asked, staring expectantly at Pete. She knew from working with him that he was difficult, but she had hoped he would lighten up for the occasion of a Christmas party.

Michonne smiled sweetly, while Rick looked on, annoyed by the entire exchange. "We're good," she promised.

"Six champagnes, comin' right up," Shane declared, just before disappearing towards his kitchen.

"So Pete, you work with Lori at the hospital," Rick questioned, still agitated but doing his best to dismiss it. "Did I hear that right?"

He nodded, faking a smile in her direction. "She's the one who tells me when I've used too many rubber gloves, or lost track of too many pens," he joked. "She's a stickler, that one."

"Hey, the budget's the budget," she shrugged, catching his backhanded compliment. "I do my best."

"All jokes aside, I'm finding that she's a quite effective administrator," he nodded. "Which could not always be said for other hospitals I've worked at."

"And Pete is a very… gifted surgeon."

Rick offered an equally phony grin at the good doctor, and then directed his attention to Michonne. "And what about you?"

"I don't believe I've used more than my share of rubber gloves," she discreetly winked at him.

Rick chuckled, appreciating her wit. "So you're a doctor, too."

"No, most certainly not," Pete cut in bluntly. "Michonne here is a defense attorney."

"Uh oh," Lori chimed in, glancing Rick's way. "Am I gonna have to break you two up?"

"Why, what's wrong?" Michonne wondered, a bit nervous to find out the answer. Seeing this guy walk through the door, finding out that they were attending the same party, it had been the best possible outcome she could imagine. She didn't want anything to ruin that.

"Rick's a prosecutor for Fulton County."

Rick smiled at Michonne knowingly, albeit a bit disappointed, raising an eyebrow at the information. "You fight for the bad guys, huh?"

"Three sides to every story," she shot back with a smirk.

Lori tapped Rick in his back when she realized that he was flirting with this woman in front of his girlfriend, not to mention her boyfriend. She did her best to pull his focus back to where it should've been. "You said Jessie was an artist, right?"

"Aspiring artist," she replied, shyly shaking her head with a smile. "Along with like twelve other things."

"You paint?" asked Pete.

"Mostly sculptures," she said, "but I've been known to cover a canvas or two."

"She acts shy about it, but she's really very talented," Rick submitted.

"Well I'd love to see your work," Lori added, just as Shane returned to the group toting a tray full of champagne flutes. She instantly began to distribute the glasses as she promised Jessie, "We'll talk."

"Talk about what?" Shane questioned. "What'd I miss?"

"Just getting caught up on everyone's career paths," she revealed, kissing him on the cheek as she collected her own glass. "Thank you, baby."

"Shall we toast?" Michonne asked, thankful for something that would hopefully loosen her up. What with standing there between Rick and Pete, and across from Jessie, she felt stiff as board from all the tension in the room.

"Oh, that's all Rick," Shane replied, turning towards his buddy. "Do the honors, man?"

"Well," he accepted, his steely blue stare flitting toward Michonne once more as he held up his glass. "I'll keep it short and say, 'Here's to friends… old and new. Merry Christmas.'"

"Merry Christmas," they all replied. Michonne made sure to catch Rick's gaze before taking her drink. To new friends, indeed.

"I don't know if you noticed, but there's a party goin' on inside."

Michonne smiled at the sound of her stranger's gravelly Southern twang, turning from the beautiful view of the Walshes' backyard to the even more beautiful view that was Rick Grimes. "I needed some air," she said, moving down the balcony railing a few inches to give him some space to join her.

"Yeah, your boyfriend does a good job of taking up all the oxygen," he smirked, happily sauntering her way.

"Believe it or not, this is him being polite."

He simultaneously leaned over the handrail and moved in close to her, their arms grazing one another as he swirled his glass of scotch in his hand. The night was quite perfect, he noticed, as a light breeze swept past them. The stars twinkling, aligned for the two of them, it seemed. He still couldn't believe that the woman from the cupcake shop was standing beside him; not after he'd resigned himself to never seeing her again. Fate had intervened. Even though it knew she had a boyfriend. He smiled as he turned his head toward her. "Why are you with him?"

"I'm with you right now," she shot back, avoiding his stare.

"You know what I mean."

She shrugged. "Same reason you're with her, I'd venture to guess. Better than going home alone."

"At least she's nice."

She scoffed at his lack of defense. "Yeah, well at least Pete's not boring."

"No, I suppose not," he chuckled sarcastically as he nodded. He took a sip of his drink, letting it warm his chest before he went on. "You just don't seem like the type to settle. You're not even living a life here."

"You're making a lot of assumptions about someone you just met."

"I make it a point to observe."

She didn't miss his innuendo as he took a step back to admire her physique. "And what have you observed this evening, counselor?"

"A woman too good for that man in there," he said, whispering the words over the top of her head. "All this beauty, this poise, this wit. You're wastin' it on him."

She quietly inhaled his scent as the compliment washed over her and she smiled. "I'm not that elegant, I assure you."

"Prove it."

"You're bad," she chuckled upon seeing that devilish smile that got her so flustered back at the bakery. She quickly sobered up as she leaned over the railing herself, giving her tired feet a rest. "Whatever Pete and I have, it's mutual," she explained. "Neither of us ask for a lot from each other, and that's what we get in return."

"Does that apply to sex, too?"

"The sex is fine," she shrugged.

He rolled his eyes at the use of the word 'fine' in describing sex. "And you wanna claim he's not boring?"

"Sex doesn't have to define everything."

"It should still say somethin'," he countered. He studied the side of her gorgeous face as she lowered her head, her fingers tracing the ridges of the wrought iron they were standing against. "I know he's a doctor or whatever, but you don't need this guy as a placeholder. You know you can have any man you want."

"People say that, like it's so easy. Like people we're compatible with just grow on trees," she shook her head. "But the reality is, it's very hard to find someone that meets all your needs. People settle all the time." She watched as his gaze trailed into his glass and he took another big gulp of his brown liquor. "Hitting a little too close to home?"

"I don't know what you're talkin' about," he smirked.

"Mmhm," she smiled back. "Well I've observed a couple of things, too, and I know you're out here with me, while your doting girlfriend is inside, probably wondering where you are. Why you aren't with her. Why you won't love her," she said, letting her words hang in the air. "She's certainly not ugly. You said it yourself, she's not mean, not pretentious. She seems sweet, in fact. …But you don't want sweet."

"So you think it's all me?"

"It's her fault she can't give you what you want?"

"It's because I don't know what I want," he admitted, noticeably watching her mouth before letting his eyes wander southward again. "But I'm wanting."

Her sultry stare took him in, absorbing his words as she stared back at his lips. She was wanting, too. "You may not want to admit it, maybe it makes you feel less shitty if you don't say it out loud, but you do know."

The two of them stood face to face, and while Rick would normally stand a few inches above her 5-foot-7 frame, her heels gave her the height to whisper directly in her ear. "And what is it that you want, Michonne?"

She bit her bottom lip as her eyes dropped to her new friend's waistline, and hesitantly roamed back up to his face, staring into those eyes of his. "They're right inside," she whispered back, wishing she could keep the smile off of her face.

"You don't need him and I don't want her," he said, scanning the balcony for a secluded spot. He found one in the corner, beneath the staircase to the upper terrace. No one would notice them unless - until - they walked outside. "I want you."

Michonne swallowed hard, knowing that she was only pretending to be uncertain. She wanted him from the moment she laid eyes on him, and now that the opportunity had presented itself, it was silly to act as though she wasn't going to take it. She glanced toward the balcony doors, making sure that the coast was clear, and then palmed his dick as she breathed against his throat. He dropped his glass into the grass below them and she smiled at his reaction. "I want you, too."

His breath caught in his throat as she released her grip and turned to walk away, that bow on her back looking even more enticing than it did before, now that he would get to unwrap the present. She walked down the steps toward lower ground, the pounding of her heels against the walkway matching the beating of his heart as he followed her. Unsure of where he was headed, and unable to wait any longer, he caught up to her and pushed her against the side of his friends' house, pinning her against the brick and mortar. He kissed her without warning and she welcomed him, tongue and all, as her body melted like butter in his hands. He groped her breasts as she sucked the air from him, neither of them able to get quite enough of the other. Her fingers gripped the curls at his nape, while he slowly inched her dress up her waist. They were moving fast, not even because they had to, but because they couldn't bear to wait. Her luscious lips, sucking at his, were the precursor to an instant erection, his dick throbbing to get to her.

"You think the neighbors'll see us," Michonne whispered as they pulled apart, her hurriedly unbuckling his belt.

"I hope so," he mumbled, lapping at her neck. Her dress was up around her waist as he groped her ass excitedly. Her thong offered little obstruction, and he had his fingers inside her before either of them knew what was happening. She was slick already, after an entire evening of salivating over the man she was about to fuck, so foreplay wasn't needed. Still, he enjoyed playing with her wet folds, teasing her clit with his forefinger while his middle and ring fingers briefly penetrated her center. She was so warm, it almost didn't feel real.

"Fuck," she moaned quietly. Her fingers were fumbling with his pants, desperate to feel his cock in her hands. And more importantly, inside her before they got caught. "Oh god."

He continued to finger her, his movements a little more rapid and erratic as she pulled his length from his boxer briefs, and he felt the breeze hit his bare ass. Her warm hands felt like a mouth that he hadn't been prepared for.

"Fuck me," she said.

He didn't need to hear anything further, and gave her clit one last rub before taking his cock into his own hand. He hoisted her against the wall once more, while she wrapped her legs around his waist, and he pushed her panties to the side as he blindly guided the head of his dick into her waiting wet pussy. Both of them grunted at the delicious sensation, and Rick had to pause to simply find his bearings after the immense delight. She was tight, fitting his solid eight inches like a glove that was meant for him specifically. And the farther he pushed in, the better it felt. "Fuck," he groaned, pressing his hand against the brick for leverage.

Michonne squeezed her walls around him, already feeling herself at the edge of an orgasm as she took him in. He was thrusting into her hard, while his lips sucked at her neck. Two minutes in, and it was already the best sex of her life. "God," she whimpered, holding onto his strong shoulders. Her breathing quickened with every plunge, her back beating against the house. "I'm gonna die," she whispered.

"Don't," he joked, using his free hand to clutch her ass. He nearly died himself when she began to roll her hips, her wet depths encircling his hard length. He covered her lips with his once more, sucking her tongue as they crashed into one another. The warm night air had them sweating, their heartbeats racing, while their heavy breaths just slightly drowned out the sound of his cock sliding into her.

Michonne felt herself coming undone, feeling the tip of his dick deep inside her. Feeling his veins against her walls, his shaft hitting her clit each time he pushed into her. She wasn't kidding when she said she was dying. The pleasure was unbearable. Her orgasm started with a low rumble in her core, feeling her legs beginning to shake, and it grew from there. He continued to fuck her, oblivious to the fact that she was already coming, and it got bigger with every thrust. Her wet pussy creaming around him as her climax filled her entire body. "Rick," she moaned into his ear.

He could feel her body going lax, as her warm cum coated him. She was done, and he didn't need to hold back any longer. He hammered into her harder, faster, willing himself to quickly finish what he started. As much as he didn't want to be done, they needed to be. Getting caught wouldn't do anyone any favors. "Shit," he breathed against her throat, his lips latching on as he felt his dick quivering as he came. His thrusts slowed and his ass clenched as he exploded into her.

She felt his release and let out a soft exhale, letting her back rest against the house as she came down from her high. "God, that was good," she sighed.

He didn't say anything, but smiled as he gave her one more kiss, and then slowly, carefully pulled out of her, while she descended from his waist. They silently fixed themselves up, Rick pulling up his pants as Michonne pulled down her dress. They watched one another as they moved, the moonlight bathing their glistening faces. He almost couldn't believe that stopping for cupcakes had somehow led to this.

"You're quiet," she noticed, feeling her back to make sure her bow was still in tact.

"I don't know what to say," he answered honestly. For a man like him, who so often used his words well, it was baffling that they were failing him now. "I don't wanna go back in there."

"Well," she smirked, placing her hands squarely on his chest. She could smell her perfume on him, see her red lipstick smeared across his chin. "We have to."

"I can't go back in there and watch you with him."

"I'm not all that excited about seeing her fall all over you either," she admitted, running her thumb over his lip. "But I'll be thinking about this the rest of the night. I'll be thinking about you."

He loved the sound of that. He rested his hands on her hips as he nodded. "What happens after this?"

"I don't know," she admitted, her stare darting toward the ground. She really didn't want to go back in there either. Not when she could stay there with him, holding her the way he did. "But maybe… Maybe we just get through the rest of this night," she offered, looking back up at him. "Make it through this party with him and with her. And tomorrow, we'll… do what we need to do."

He closed his eyes, loving the sound of that, too. "And then we get to live."