"I think I finally understand the saying like a moth to a flame. I'm the moth. My heart flutters like the paper thin wings. And he is the flame, incendiary, scorching my soul.
He inhales so heavily, like he's been holding his breath under water. He presses his lips against mine and tugs at my hair gently. My head falls back and my mouth falls open. His tongue, slick as silver, dances with mine.
I'm wrong. I'm not a moth. I'm Icarus and I've flown too close to the sun."
― A.D. Evans, Born Wicked
Honey Bee. Honey bee. Honey bee.
Michonne watched an excited Andre when she found the book at the local library. It was a story he couldn't get enough of and Michonne was happy that she was able to check it out for another two weeks for Andre. He was four years old and was her life.
"Honey Bee. Honey bee. Honeybee." He hugged the book to himself and danced around through the house. Andre's autistic. Mildly compared to some who are but extremely compared to those who aren't.
Four years since Michonne had been in a relationship. Three years since she last had sex and that was with Andre's father, Mike. A slip up she will never make again. Ever. Asshole. Mike blamed the autism on Michonne. It was all her fault. Asshole.
Michonne has been thinking about buying Andre, a dog but that was an additional responsibility that she wasn't ready for yet. She had too much on her plate, and she was thankful for the flexibility that her job at Go Start Insurance provided when it came to family time or the morale coverage that was provided. She been there for two years and was hoping to make a career out of it. The job just provided too many opportunities to pass up.
She worked, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and had, Thursday, Friday, Saturday off. Lucky for her when Noah came to live with them because he made sure that he got Lil man to his special school for autistic children that was funded by Go Stop Insurance and got him home safe, fed, bathed and to bed by the time Michonne got home.
The office was buzzing. The CEO was in the building. All of the management was on pins and needles which meant the subordinates had to look busy and darn happy about it. Rick Grimes was in the building without notice to anyone. No heads up. He was there, and the fluttering began.
Jessie, one of the supervisors, looked herself over in her hand-held mirror, stood and straightened her skirt and made her approach to her team which consisted of Andrea, Maggie, Michonne, Ron, Zach, and Carol.
"Mr. Grimes is in the building. Do not talk to him unless he talks to you. Be as professional as possible." Jessie eyed Zach based on him being the youngest. Everybody else nodded their understanding, and when she walked away, they began to chuckle when she was out of earshot.
Quickly, Jessie made her approach over to Rick who was bombarded by three top managers wanting to know about the changes being implemented.
"Can someone get the conference room set up? We can do a virtual tag team with the office in Sacramento." Scurry. Scurry. The whole building was a buzz.
Rick was headed in the direction of Jessie who was all smiles which caused him to smile slightly, "Hi, Jessie is it?"
Jessie waved, "Yes. Hello, Mr. Grimes. What brings you into the office today? It seems like we see more and more of you. Is there something we should be worried about?"
"Well, nothing that comes to mind. We are exceeding our projected goals."
"Yes. Yes. We are. This is the best year yet." Jessie was drowning in his blue eyes that were intense with everyone...anyone that engaged him in conversation.
"Um, do you know where I can find Michonne? Michonne Benton?" He scratched the top of his head.
Jessie was surprised, "She's on my team. Why?"
Rick gave Jessie a gesture to lead him without a response to her question.
"I hope she didn't do anything wrong. If so, I can file the papers with Human Resources to have her terminated immediately."
"On what grounds Jessie?" Rick was truly puzzled, "Is that the impression that I give that it has to be something negative?"
"Oh no, sir. I just thought. Well, I don't know what I thought." She led him straight to Michonne who was just finishing a phone call.
"Michonne you can sign off the phones. Mr. Grimes would like a word with you." She tipped her head to inform Michonne that Rick Grimes was behind her seat.
"Mr. Grime-" Michonne could feel the presence of someone standing behind in her cubicle.
"Michonne Benton, could I have a word with you?" Rick said all business like to a stunned Michonne.
"Um, Sure." Michonne could feel all eyes on her as she signed off the phones. Her team members eyes were wide, and mouths were agape, hungry for the details from the sweetest flower plucked from her seat.
Jessie was bringing up the rear, but Rick stopped her. "That's okay; I want to speak to Michonne in private if you don't mind."
"Oh. Oh sure." Jessie stood back, and Rick waited for Jessie to start walking in the opposite direction of where he and Michonne were headed which was the empty break room.
Rick looked around the room to make sure they were as alone as possible as Michonne leaned against the vending machine her arms hugging her waist.
"Why aren't you answering my calls?"
"I didn't want to talk to you."
"How about now?" Rick gazed at her intently trying to keep a safe enough distance that if anyone came waltzing by nothing would look askew other than him talking to an employee.
Michonne didn't know what she wanted at that moment.
"I ask you and Andre to the boathouse, and then I turn- you're gone."
"I don't have time for your fan club. Becky, Cindy, Tammy, Tara. Your fan club here even. I don't think I can handle it." Michonne admitted.
Rick pinched the bridge of his nose, "I got rid of them. I can't help the rest wherever you think they are lurking." He was speaking honestly as possible.
He knew he was one of the wealthiest eligible bachelors. Never married, even though he was a proud father of a 16-year-old son named Carl by his on again off again girlfriend, Lori. Currently, they were off temporarily if Lori was telling the story if the story was told by Rick...permanently off.
Michonne shrugged.
Rick grabbed her arm and led her into the closest windowless room that was across the hall from the break room. This room stored extra office chairs. He closed the door behind them and turned Michonne to face him. He kissed her. He kissed the lips that he could not get out of his thoughts. For the first time right then and there.
Michonne was shocked. Surprised, because this was their first kiss. The forcefulness had her stunned for a second. Just a second. She hadn't been kissed in a long time. She didn't realize how hungry she was until that first attempt. The first taste. Second taste body pressed together she kissed him back matching his intensity each time. Her hand was on the back of his neck pressing his mouth to hers. When her tongue entered, he tasted wonderful. The air of passion had her heady. His arm was around her waist. She had him against the wall. He chuckled.
He peppered her with kisses and nipping at her lips before he pulled away, "Next time I call you...Answer your damn phone." His forehead rested on hers as he held her chin with his index finger.
Michonne eyes were hooded, "Okay."
"I want to date you Michonne."
"Okay."
"Okay?"
"Yes. Can we keep kissing?" She was starving for more of his mouth on her lips.
"I would like that, but I don't think it would be wise. I have an impromptu meeting and a hard on that I need to tame before I go in there." He loosened his grip on Michonne.
Michonne could feel him against her body, and she moved to give him space. She understood. "I will leave first, so no one sees us leaving out at the same time from this room. Give you a few minutes alone."
"Leave the door open." He wanted to watch her.
Rick, watched Michonne leave. That strut. That ass. He knew he would be in that room with extra chairs for a while, especially when she turned to look at him and smiled.
Damn.
...
"I got us some fine ass ladies waiting for us on my Yacht tonight. Where you at?" Shane had called Rick. Music could be heard in the background.
"Sorry, I am in Georgia."
"What the fuck for?" Shane asked.
"Well for one my son Carl is here," Rick explained.
"Okay. You in Georgia means you and Lori are back at it." Shane accused.
"No. Lori and I are not back at it, we are done, or at least I am. Can't re-invent the wheel."
"I am going to ask you one more time. Why are you still in Georgia? Don't give me that bullshit about your son he's damn near grown and is hardly around you and Lori, doing his own damn thing. What's her name?"
"You know I have a call center here." Rick tried to divert.
"What's her name?" Shane insisted.
"Michonne. Michonne Benton." Rick divulged.
"Never heard of her."
"I know."
"Where you find her?" Shane asked.
"She has a son that is in that new program I got off the ground a few years ago for Autistic children."
"She's a teacher?"
"No."
"An employee at the Go Stop Insurance?"
"Yes."
"What have I told you about shitting where you eat?" Shane scolded.
"This is different."
"How so?"
...
The new training class was filing in which was a welcome change. Go Stop had hired enough people to fill every seat. Michonne was one of the many new hires, but she was the only one that caught his attention. She walked into the room at the same time he was going to walk through the door. He hesitated.
"Lady first." he gestured with his hand for her to proceed ahead of him.
Michonne shyly smiled at him and said, "Thank you."
She smelled very nice. Very nice. Rick watched her take the seat in the back corner next to the woman who introduced herself to the class as Maggie when introductions began.
The way she moved in that skirt.
Michonne noticed the handsome man sitting in the front facing the class that was introduced as Rick Grimes, CEO of the company. They were told it was a rare moment to have him in the building. The same man that allowed her to enter before him.
Rick tried to read from his note cards but kept getting distracted by trying to catch a glimpse of the woman who introduced herself as Michonne Benton to the class. She has a two-year-old son. Never been married. Studied fencing and self-defense. He remembered. Crisp white blouse, a black pencil skirt that barely reached her knees, black strappy heels. Nails painted. He remembered. The way she walked out the classroom for the 10minute break. Those lips. That ass.
Eight months later he found himself back, and he remembered. Rick began to try and engage her in conversation which he found challenging because Jessie was always around or some random manager feeling the need to escort him through the aisles of cubicles.
"Michonne. Right?"
"Yes."
Michonne couldn't help the smile. Impressed that he pronounced her name correctly.
Mr. Grimes remembered no one else name, and it didn't go un-noticed. Four months later he was back surprised that Michonne was moved to a different floor of the building, but he found her. Two months later he was back. This time for two weeks. Michonne weighed heavier on his mind, in his thoughts, forever active in his dreams.
"Hey. We can always bring the party to you." Abe grabbed the phone from Shane.
"She will be pissed."
"Who would be pissed?"
"Her name is Michonne. Michonne Benton."
"Lori was pissed, and you didn't care. Why do you care if this Michonne is pissed because you are having fun?"
"Because I care if she's mad. I care. I want to date her, and I don't want any problems that can be controlled...within my power to interfere with that."
"Get your ass on the next flight right now asshole." Daryl grabbed the phone from Abe. "If you don't get here we heathens will bring the debauchery to you."