There wasn't much in the way of entertainment within the confines of the Safe Zone, so when she happened upon a new book earlier that day while rifling though various drawers in her house, Michonne was delighted. Another restless night in Alexandria lead her downstairs to the kitchen, where she sat at the granite island with her new find. She suspected the contents of the book to be erotic in nature based on the title, Liberating Lacey, which further heightened her excitement. It had been a long time, too long in fact, since she had experienced any real sexual arousal, and she welcomed the idea. Michonne questioned whether she should limit herself to reading it in her room, but figured the late hour would grant her adequate privacy.

A few chapters in, she allowed herself to get lost in the fiction, as though she was back in her Atlanta apartment and life was as it had always been. Tired of sitting on the hard bar stool, she stood up and leaned on her elbows against the counter top as she continued reading. She felt her face flush as she turned the pages. "You look so sexy wearing my cuffs," he growled. "I'm gonna leave them on when I fuck you. Feel how hard I am? That's from thinking about every stroke, so hot and wet."

"Can't sleep?"

Michonne jumped, her face burning as Rick walked into the kitchen toward her.

"Anything good?" he inquired, eyeing the novel in Michonne's hands.

"Nothing you'd be interested in." she quipped, trying to quell her arousal and embarrassment.

"Hmm." Rick smirked, a knowing smile danced across his lips as he caught a glimpse of the paperback cover. "I bet."

Michonne placed the novel, cover down, onto the granite top and turned to face him. "You doin' okay?" she asked softly, genuinely concerned, but eager to change the subject. It had been a few weeks since Carl's injury during the herd attack. He was recovering, but was still not quite himself. The emotional toll was visibly wearing on Rick, she could see it on his face and in his eyes.

During Carl's critical period in the infirmary, she and Rick had spent a great deal of time alone together. Michonne finally shared with him the truth about what happened to her son, and consequently her boyfriend and their friend. She was fearful for Rick's reaction to the monster she had become during that dark time, but he met her fears with understanding, holding her as she cried. There was a closeness between them now that was deeper than what they had previously shared and Michonne was grateful for it.

"I'm alright as I can be." Rick scratched his head and continued past her to the pantry to retrieve a bottle of water. Twisting it open he continued before taking a drink "he's just still acting so strange. He doesn't remember some things, he seems so...detached."

Michonne nodded, allowing him to continue. "He's not Carl right now." Rick finished, taking a drink from his bottle then capping it and placing it onto the island, standing in front of Michonne. He leaned his hip into the counter top and hung his head, staring blankly to the floor. "I don't know how to help him..."

"You're doing the best you can, Rick" she offered, placing her hand over his. "you're a good father, you know that." she warmly rubbed her thumb over the top of his hand a couple of times before sliding her hand back to the cold surface of the island.

Rick nodded, his eyes softening into hers. "Thank you." he breathed, his eyes scanning Michonne's face, looking down to her lips then back to her eyes. "We're lucky to have you." moving a little closer to her, he continued, "I just want you to know, I'm really glad you showed up, back at the prison." he clarified, tilting his head is his usual way "...and that you decided to stick around."

Michonne smiled, a delicate laugh escaped her lips as she softly shook her head and looked down for a moment, before returning her gaze to meet Ricks. Her eyes darted back and forth between his. "where else was I gonna go?" she teased, shrugging her shoulders and tilting her head to the side to mimic him, the smile never leaving her lips.

Rick laughed, her smile infectiously rubbing off on him. "I just wonder what you see in us, is all. It was a pretty rocky start, things haven't gotten any easier." he stated earnestly. "What have you gained out of all this?"

Michonne's smile faded, a serious haze replacing her expression. "Seriously, Rick?" she straightened her stance as her stare bore into him "you've given me another chance and a family. Carl, Judith, you... Rick, you brought me back to life." her smile returned as spirit flickered back into her eyes.

Taking a audible inhale, then letting the air escape through his parted lips, Rick stared at Michonne for several seconds without words. He was never a man of many, and he knew the woman before him accepted that. Not only that, she accepted him for who he was, flaws and all. After all they had been through, she was by his side whether he was right or wrong, and when he was wrong, she set him straight as only she could. There was something magical about her, it fascinated him but terrified him at the same time.

As if propelled by an outside force, Rick took another step toward Michonne, leaving only a couple of inches between them. Placing his left hand against the counter top next to her body, he moved closer, then placing his right hand on the other side of her, pinning her between him and the island.

"I hope this is okay..." Rick quietly spoke, as his eyes narrowed in on her mouth.

Michonne's breath hitched in her throat as her heart rate escalated. The familiar warmth she had felt earlier while reading her novel returned as she felt Rick's breath on her skin. His natural masculine scent and the heat emanating from his body drew her in as the space between them narrowed. In a second that seemingly came out of nowhere, yet felt like it had been building for months, the distance between them was eliminated.

Rick lips found Michonne's as he pushed his hips against hers and she wrapped her arms around his neck, lacing her fingers into the soft hair at the back of he head. Their embrace was soft and sweet as they explored each other for the first time. Rick moved his hands from the cold granite surface to Michonne's waist, delighting in how her body felt. A blissful rhythm came naturally to them as their kiss deepened, Rick slipped his tongue into her mouth and Michonne met his efforts with shared enthusiasm, pulling him closer, pouring herself into the moment.

Reluctantly coming up for air, their lips parted for a moment. Eyes met, foreheads touching, hastened breaths.

Rick's eyes wandered to the book behind Michonne. He looked back to her with mischief in his eyes and with his left hand he reached for it and looked at the front cover. "What's this about?" he smiled.

She laughed, bashfully looking up at him through her lashes. "Sex. A young, hot cop and sex."

Rick tossed the book back onto the counter and wasted no time grabbing Michonne's face and pulling her back into him. He kissed her feverishly, his tongue rapidly exploring her mouth as his hands draped down the sides of her face to her neck, along the sides of her breasts to her waist until he reached her hips. Reaching behind her, he felt the curve of her backside and firmly gripped her, pulling her against his body so she could feel his arousal. Letting out a low groan, Rick started walking backward, pulling Michonne along with him away from the kitchen...

...

There's more coming... ;)