Hard Earth

The day was unusually hot. Rick had been toiling in the garden since wee hours of the morning and by 9:00 am it was sweltering. Shirtless and armed with a pick axe, Rick pounded and chiselled away at the hard earth to remove embedded rocks while he cleared an area next to the vegetable garden to grow fruits. Once he cleared a spot, he planned on growing passion fruit, strawberries and blue berries as they were all Michonne's favorites. Well, so he overheard Maggie say.

For hours, he worked in the heat. Preparing the soil proved to be challenging. The earth was dry and hard. It had been more than three weeks since he last saw rain. Some rain would help to soften the soil but this would not be the case today. He cursed under his breath when he realized it was a losing battle. He asked himself how was he ever going to provide for his people if this drought continued on.

But, there was another reason why he worked in the garden. There was something gnawing at the back of his mind for months on end. Michonne. He'd spent many nights thinking about her. He dreamt of making love to her. But, alas, they were just dreams. Frustrated, he needed something to do and working in the garden was his way of working her out of his system.

Nine months ago, a day after his daughter Judith was born and his wife Lori died bringing her into the world, Michonne walked into his life. His son, Carl made fast friends with the mysterious sword wielding beauty and whenever he saw them interact, it made him smile. It gladdened him to see his son smile and laugh again. It gladdened him to see her smile too. One day Carl said, "I think she is one of us.". From then on, he believed his son was right. For time and time again, she fearlessly defended their home and protected the group, especially his children. She never once complained. She never fussed. She just kept on giving. Never had he met a woman who had more grit than ten men combined. And a pretty one at that.

Whenever he saw her radiant and beautiful smile, enough to brighten a whole universe, his soul softened. Her face was exquisite and beautiful. A beautiful face came with an equally beautiful body. Likened that of a dancer, a marathoner, a swimmer all rolled into one, she moved with poise and calm grace. He found himself watching her from afar and near. Her hips and round buttocks sway in rhythm to the beat of his heart. He found himself staring and wanting to hold her close. Her full breasts, ripe and firm he wanted to own and taste. Her soft lips, perfect and delightful, he wanted to kiss.

No one at the prison, least of all himself, knew what secrets and painful memories she carried. He found out from Andrea that Michonne survived on her own for many months before she found her and saved her from certain death. And for many months after that, before they found others, Michonne kept them fed and safe. He was marvelled by this. That a lone woman had so much courage, strength and smarts to survive the fall of civilization all on her own. In a lawless, order less world where cannibals, murderers and rapists reigned supreme, it was short of a miracle that she was able to cover hundreds of miles on foot before coming to the prison. Like him, she was quiet, contemplative and private. She never once spoke of her past. He could tell that she built walls around her to keep her safe. But, yet, whenever she smiled, and her face lit up, he knew there was more to this woman. He knew beneath the hardened exterior she was soft inside. He knew the only way to her heart was to pound and chisel away at those walls. He was determined to find a way.

He took off his work gloves and wiped his brow with the back of his hand. He paused and looked up and saw not one cloud in the sky. He cursed at the heavens for rain. He looked down at his hands. Bloodied and blistered. It was time for him to go back in.

xoxoXOXoxox

Alone in the shower room, Rick washed the dirt and sweat and grime off his body. He closed his eyes and wished he was sharing the shower with Michonne. He imagined their soapy bodies rubbing up against each other, his hands exploring her soft curves. He held his hard cock in his hands and stroked it imagining his hands were her mouth and pussy milking him and bringing him to that high. Then he came. "Michonne.". Her name escaped his lips.

XoxoXOXoxox

Feeling hungry, he made his way to the kitchen to see what was there to eat. Just as he got to the kitchen, Michonne was already seated at a table eating by herself. The moment she saw him, she got up from the table and headed towards the exit. He didn't know what came over him but he confronted her. He walked straight up to her and grabbed her firmly by her shoulders and said,

"Why are you avoiding me?"

His eyes were wide and pleading and searching hers for answers.

She didn't reply. She only stared back. She just didn't know what to say. For months she felt dead inside carrying the weight of sadness and guilt of losing her son, Andre, his father, Mike and countless other people close to her. Not long after she arrived at the prison, she developed a crush on Rick, but, she felt she was not ready to love again and forced herself into denial. She believed that as the leader, everyone's lives were in his hands and in addition, he had his own two young kids to worry about. She felt it would be selfish and reckless of her to distract him and get in his way. The survivors living at the prison spent a great deal of time searching for food, keeping their prison secure, and just staying alive. How could there be any room for romance in the world they lived in. So she thought it was best to avoid him altogether and hoped that eventually she would get over him. Unfortunately, it was not going to be that easy. She had strong feelings for the man. So strong she dreamt of him at nights. She thought of him during the days when she wasn't stealing glances at him. Up until this very moment, she didn't know that he was interested in her too.

He grabbed her hand and took her to the adjoining hallway just a few paces away and backed her up against the wall. He kissed her on the lips hotly, and madly. At first she struggled against his hard body and tried to push him away. But, it was useless. He wasn't having it today. She was his prey and he was determined to not let her go. One way or the other, he was going to break her. One way or the other, he was going to have her. She ceased from struggling and then, she closed her eyes, parted her lips and let him in. An entrance was all he needed. Taking his tongue, he delved into her mouth where he was set free to explore. She responded by mimicking his actions, she too explored his mouth and discovered how nice he tasted. Capturing her bottom lip between his, he sucked on it and found she tasted like a fruit.

He tore away from her sweet full lips and trailed hot kisses down her smooth neck to her clavicle licking her perfumed skin along the way. With her eyes shut, she sighed. She wanted to run her hands through his curly locks and cup his face but she couldn't. For with just one hand, he held her two above her head and pinned them against the wall. With his other free hand, he searched and found the ends of her tank top and ran his hand under it, stroking her warm, smooth stomach. Her skin was unbelievably soft to touch. His calloused hands set her skin on fire. She loved it and imagined them caressing and moulding her entire naked body. She wanted him. She wanted him to take her right this second.

Then, just like that, he suddenly stopped kissing and stroking and walked away. He never so much as gave her a backward glance. He just kept on walking at a slow easy pace. Breathing heavily, she was left by herself in the hall wanting, needing, undone and confused.

xoxoXOXoxox

The Next Day...

During a warehouse raid, a team of five, Glenn, Tyreese, Daryl, Rick and Michonne discovered a large stash of canned foods and bottled water. A sizable number of walkers were moving between the tall heavy-duty shelves. There were too many of them to deal with. It didn't make sense to kill them all as it would take a lot of time and energy to accomplish such a task. There was an easier way to get at the supplies. Flares. With flares, they could draw the walkers away from the main section of the warehouse where the supplies were stored. Popping the flares, one by one, Daryl threw three of them in a large enclosure that would've served as a senior manager's office. Attracted to the flickering crimson flames, the walkers moved slowly towards the office. While the team hid in another room, they waited for the animated dead to file into the office. While they waited, the five of them silently crouched down in the dark room. Rick looked at Michonne. He looked at her like a hungry animal. Her heart skipped a beat.

Once it was safe, one by one, the team exited the room to begin loading up on supplies. Daryl, the first to leave, headed for the manager's office to close the door and trap the walkers in. Not far behind Daryl was Tyreese, followed by Glenn. Michonne was next, but Rick had other plans. On her way out, he grabbed her from behind and firmly held her against his body. Holding her hips, he rubbed his crotch up on her rear and softly groaned. Then he reached up and moved her hair to one side, exposing her neck and ear. He leaned in close and she could feel his lips lightly touching the back of her ear. Delicately, he trailed his lips along her neck, smelling her skin along the way.

From behind, she could feel him growing and expanding. His bulging hard mound poked vehemently against her buttock. He took her hand and guided it to his crotch. Cupping his mound, she felt his hard penis yearning to be set free. He reached under her tank top and cupped her bare breasts and squeezed her nipples, tugged and rolled them between his thumb and index fingers. She gasped. Her body responded and she wiggled her hips and ground against his thigh. Blood rushed to her vagina and her clitoris began to swell. She instantly became wet and was glad she wore black denims. Her heart raced wildly in her chest. She knew that at any time, someone could walk in on them. But yet, she wanted him to rip her clothes off and mount her right there. Before she could make her escape, he put his lips to her ear and whispered,

"Why do you torture me so."

Then he removed his hands from under her blouse and backed away from her and walked away. Breathing heavily, she stood alone in the room. Once again, he left her in a state of burning sexual unrest.

Addled and out of sorts, she came to her senses when she heard Daryl calling her.

"Michonne, ya comin'?", Daryl yelled from outside the room.

She swallowed, cleared her throat and replied, "Yeah!"

xoxoXOXoxox

The Following Day...

After breakfast, the team set about mending the fences. Sasha, Maggie and Daryl arduously tried to clear the fence of walkers clamoring at it. They used long metal rods to pierce their brains rendering them dead. Meanwhile, Daryl devised a clever way to distract as many walkers as possible by setting off alarm clocks at the opposite end while Michonne, Tyreese, Carol and Carl could do their work patching in peace. Resources were scarce so they used wire and any scrap metal they could find to make damaged areas as secure as possible. The fence, their main line of defence, kept walkers from getting in. So it was important to maintain and fortify the fence.

Rick was returning from the garden after spreading compost on the vegetable and fruit patch. Putting on his work gloves, he headed towards the group to lend a hand when he heard Carol say,

"We're running out of wire."

"There is a roll in the workshop.", Maggie replied.

Just then, a walker came up to her from across the fence. She took an iron rod and ran it through its eye.

"I'll get it.", Michonne offered, and quickly headed for the entrance.

None of them saw Rick as they were busy at their tasks. Using a different route, he headed for the workshop.

xoxoXOXoxox

Michonne entered the large, airy room with high ceilings, flooded in natural light. It was surprisingly clean and organized. Drill press, jig saw, table saw, wood planer and other large machinery were strategically placed in the room. There were several peg boards with tools hanging from hooks. The counters were slightly dusty but the floors appeared recently swept. She saw a pair of work gloves on the counter and they looked a lot like the ones Rick used. They were just as worn and dirty in the same way as his. She thought maybe it was a coincidence and thought nothing of it. She continued her search for this roll of wire Maggie spoke of. Sand paper rolls, duct tape, wire. Bingo.

Just as she reached for the wire, someone grabbed her from behind. It was Rick. He pressed his body against hers, trapping her against the counter. He lightly kissed her soft cheek and jaw line, trailed his kisses up and down her smooth neck, breathing in and enjoying her scent. He found her ear lobe and sucked it. She sighed and relaxed under him and forgot why she came to the workshop in the first place. Then, he whispered softly in her ear,

"I want you."

He kissed her neck and she closed her eyes and rocked her head back on his shoulder. With one hand, she slowly reached up behind her and ran her fingers through his hair. She could feel him already growing against her butt. She turned her head to one side and opened her eyes and looked into his. His blues stared back into her dark browns. Her face was relaxed. Her skin was soft and smooth, free of blemishes. Her eyebrows were perfectly arched. Her eyelashes thick and long. Her lips, soft and wanting. He leaned closer and kissed them. They both closed their eyes while they kissed. He relaxed his body and gave her room. Not breaking away from his mouth, she turned her body around to face his and cupped his face in her hands.

Suddenly, without warning, he grabbed her by her narrow waist and lifted her up from off her feet and plunked her down on the counter. Standing between her legs, he ran his hands up her thighs then up her sides. He coiled his arms around her torso, pulled her in closer while he leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. She responded opening her mouth slightly. He let himself in. He kissed her some more, exploring her lips and her tongue with his. He tore away from her lips and grabbed her tank top that was buttoned down in front. With both hands, he ripped it open sending the buttons flying. She gasped. Her soft, full, firm globes sprang free and lurched forward. He took them in his rough hands and gently gave them a squeeze. They felt like soft warm pillows in his hands. He groaned at the sight. His eyes appeared to grow more piercing and wild. Her womanly breasts were round and full and her nipples were erect. Ready to be plucked.

He leaned in and caught one in his mouth and sucked on it and at the same time, he played with the other. She rolled her head back and closed her eyes while caressing his head in her arms. He tongue flicked her hard nipple and rolled and tugged the other between his naughty fingers. Blood rushed to her groin and her vagina became swollen. She could feel her warm secretions flow downwards and pool at her panties. He switched to the other breast and did the same, sucking and licking and lapping. She mewed softly. He imagined she would taste delicious but not this good. He felt he could kiss and suck her titties all day.

He held her breasts in both his hands and gently squeezed them, pinching her nipples at the same time. He looked up and watched her face as he did this. She breathed heavily. Her eyes were closed, her lips slightly parted, her faced relaxed. She glowed. Her oval face with perfect soft features, she looked like a wanton angel. Her breasts so soft and luscious, he imagined their babies suckling them. Then, without warning, he stopped fondling and released her tits and walked away. In three strides, he found the exit and disappeared down the dark halls.

Breathing heavily, Michonne opened her eyes and saw that he was gone. So too were his gloves.

xoxoXOXoxox

Some time later, Michonne finally went back to the fence with a roll of wire in tow. Rick, wearing his work gloves was already there helping out. They exchanged looks. Michonne fought hard to not blush. She saw when he dipped his eyes, licked his lips and stare at her breasts. Her heart sped up and she felt her loins quiver. She handed the wire to Carol. Carol, who was crouched down mending a hole near to the base, took the wire, looked up at her and said,

"What took you so long?"

"Ah..", Michonne started.

"Why'd ya change clothes?", Maggie asked.

Michonne couldn't help but notice Rick grinning at her while he stood next to Carl. All eyes were on her as they waited to hear her response.

"Look it's hot, alright!", Michonne blurted out. Her eyes were wide and defensive.

Daryl who was standing at the fence a few yards away said to Sasha,

"She on the rag or sometin'?"

xoxoXOXoxox

Later at Night...

Michonne lay in her bed thinking about Rick. She thought about his burning kisses in the prison hallway. His rough calloused hands moulding her breasts at the warehouse. His hot lips sucking her titties in the workshop. There were many rooms, corners, and, tight halls in the prison, and, so far only two places they've explored. She didn't know if she could take anymore of his stalking and his teasing. She felt like she was going mad. As much as she desired him, she fought against it. She told herself that should she ever cross that line, then things are going to get weird. How would it look if everyone found out about her and Rick. She felt she was far too damaged to be girlfriend material. She wasn't sure she was ready for this. But, he did say he wanted her and she was certain that she wanted him. Feeling like the grey prison walls closing in on her, she sat up in her tiny bed and decided to go outside. She needed to think. She needed to clear her mind. Fresh air should do me some good, she thought.

Walking outside in the open air, she began to feel better. She looked up at the clear night sky and took in the stars that sparkled like gems. It was the first full moon and it shone brilliantly in all its glory. The night air was cool and sweet, she breathed it in and could almost taste it. Life is short and precious. Why fight it. She thought inwardly. With that, she'd made up her mind. She leaned up against the wall, rocked her head back, calmly closed her eyes and imagined the moon's silvery rays caress her body.

She thought of Rick's lips. How they felt. How they tasted. How they made her feel alive. Then, out of the blue, a familiar pair of lips covered hers. She opened her eyes and saw it was Rick, kissing her softly. She closed her eyes again and savored his mouth and hoped he would stay and not take off and leave her frustrated.

He tore away from her lips and undid her skinny jeans. He bent down and yanked them down past her knees. He lifted her leg from out of them, one by one then tossed them to one side. He removed her panties in the same fashion and dropped them on her pants. He relieved her of her tank top and vest and they too ended up on the ground. Completely naked, she stood before him and wondered what he was going to do next. Was he going to leave her or was he going to continue what he had started. She hoped the latter.

He stared at her for what seemed for a long time. His blue eyes grew more piercing and intense. A good six inches taller than her, he stood over her, his body, fully clothed almost touching hers. She could feel his warm breath on her cool skin. He took his time lightly and slowly run his fingers along her lips, her neck, clavicle, and, chest. He traced the peripheries of her areolas and flicked her nipples with his thumbs. She gasped and she could feel them tighten. He cupped her breasts and played with her nipples some more. Her vagina throbbed, she could feel her groin grow warm. He released her breasts and held both her arms above her head and pinned them to the wall. He bent down and captured one tit in his mouth and sucked on it. She moaned softly feeling his tongue flicker her hard nipple. He sucked harder and she moaned again. He let go of her arms and kneeled down on the ground. He then lifted one of her legs and placed it on his shoulder. He licked her wet pussy, sucking at the folds. She mewed. Her juices flowed and dripped between her legs. He lapped and licked her wet vagina, tasting her sweet musk while she gyrated on his needy mouth. She came.

He stood up and told her to turn and face the wall. She did as told. Then he told her to place her palms on the wall and spread her legs apart wide. She did as told. What seemed like an eternity, there was silence. She began to wonder if he ditched her again and thought it would be wicked of him. Then, suddenly, he held onto her hips and entered her vagina with his ten-inch dick, all in one go. She moaned as she stretched to accommodate him. He slammed into her hard and rigorously picking up speed. She moved her hips back and forth matching his pace. He reached up and played with her jiggling tits. Then, he grabbed her arms and crossed them behind her back while he pounded her from behind. She licked her lips as though she could taste him from below. She wondered if anyone else was watching. Maybe they were. She didn't care anymore. It turned her on to be fucked in the open. It turned her on at the thought of being watched. His hard cock became slick in her juices. Her thick cum coated his length. She loved his nakedness inside of her. They kept at it for a while. Fifteen minutes rolled into half an hour. Neither of them tired.

He pulled out and grabbed her and turned her around. Facing him, she saw that he was completely naked. She had seen him without a shirt before whenever he worked in the garden under the hot sun and liked the scene. She always appreciated a man with a hard muscular body, strong arms and rough hands. In the moonlight, she took in his form and his cock, his large circumcised, delicious, meaty cock. He reached up and gently stroked her cheek and leaned in and kissed her with all the passion he could muster. She cupped his face and stepped in closer. While they kissed, he lifted up one of her legs and positioned his penis at her opening. Then, he entered her warm, slick, quivering vagina. They made love in that position, against the prison wall across from the courtyard. He quickened his pace. He pistoned in and out of her with vigor and force and she welcomed it. Not letting up, they kissed and kissed and kissed. He slowed down some and made circular motions with his hips. She moaned on his lips. Then, he picked up the speed again. He held her buttocks in his hands and squeezed them while he moved in and out of her at a maddening pace. She came and he could feel her inner walls contracting and milking him to near insanity. He fought against the tide that rose up in him for he didn't want the feeling to end. But, he couldn't.

He pulled out just in time and spewed his thick white load on her thigh.

xoxoXOXoxox

About two hundred yards away, across the expanse courtyard, two naked figures hid in the watch tower.

"Aw. That's nice. Those two finally did it.", Sasha said watching Michonne and Rick through a pair of binoculars. Lying on blankets on the floor was Daryl.

"Quit your spyin' and git your sexy ass over here.", Daryl said looking up at Sasha. He didn't care much what Michonne and Rick were doing. He only had eyes for Sasha. He smiled at her beautiful bare bottoms and reached up and grabbed her by the waist. He pulled her down on top of him. She giggled and they made love again.

~~ooOXoXoXoXoXOoo~~

A/N: Sorry about the unusually long chapter. It didn't seem right to break it up into two chapters. Please do not be put off by Rick's primal ways. Like most people I prefer a slow burn rather than a quick wild fire romance. But, the pace at which the writers and producers are moving is driving me crazy. They are making Rick look like he is unsure of himself. It is high time he got assertive with Michonne and march her to the bedroom. The wait is driving me nuts. Approaching four years and not even a single solitary kiss from them. Shameful. Well, this chapter darn well makes up for those four years. I hope you liked it. Let me know what you think.