Chapter One

He never saw her coming until it was too late. There was nothing either of them could've done to prevent what was about to happen so instead of trying to maneuver out of each other's way, they both braced for impact. The collision came, sending them both stumbling around until they collapsed to the floor in a tangle of limbs, books and scalding hot lattes. As he sat on the floor, a little dazed and in a significant amount of pain, he couldn't hold back the expletive that spilled from his lips.

"Fuck!" Ignoring the bolts of fire shooting up his leg from his ankle, he looked up and was greeted with a pair of deep brown eyes that he probably would've found enchanting under different circumstances. When he widened his view he saw that those eyes were only one of the mesmerizing things about the face he was currently staring into. Her dark skin practically glowed making it seem like she was illuminated from within. Her dreadlocks were a rich brown with golden ends reminding him of the colors of fall and they fell across her face as she crawled toward him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you okay?" She asked, a look of genuine concern marring her beautiful face. He stared at her wordlessly for a moment trying to take in everything that had just happened. He was sprawled out on the floor of Barnes and Noble with a gorgeous woman who smelled like vanilla leaning over him and quickly making him forget that he was late meeting his girlfriend for lunch. Thoughts of her beauty were quickly replaced with annoyance as another sharp lightning bolt of pain traveled along the nerves of his foot.

"What is wrong with you? Were you even trying to watch where you're walking?" He didn't mean to sound like a royal jerk, but from the way she flinched as he spoke he knew he'd crossed into asshole territory but she shook it off quickly and gave him a regretful smile.

"I'm sorry! A little voice inside my head told me it was a bad idea to walk and text while carrying a caramel mocha. Obviously, I didn't listen. Here, let me help you up."

"That's not necessary. I'm fine..." Ignoring the hand she'd extended to help him, he made it to his feet and his quick assessment of his injury seemed accurate until he tried to take a step and immediately went crashing back to the floor grabbing his ankle in pain. "Sonofabitch!"

"I'll call 911…"

"No! I don't need an ambulance!" She kneeled down next to him and lifted his pant leg. "What are you doing?" Frowning, she whistled through her teeth when she saw his ankle and even he had to admit it looked bad. It had morphed into some kind of purplish blue softball in record time and he groaned in a mix of pain and frustration.

"You definitely need to have a doctor look at that. It could be broken." He groaned and rubbed his hand across his forehead.

"It's not broken…it's just sprained…badly."

"Look, if you don't want an ambulance at least let me drive you to the hospital."

"You don't have to do that…"

"Yes I do." She insisted, helping him to his feet. "I'll feel terrible if I don't and this is completely my fault." She made him drape his arm over her shoulders and he leaned his weight against her. They slowly made their way through the bookstore past the staring masses and out to her car.

"Thanks."

"No problem! By the way, I'm Michonne Bishop. Your lawyer will need my name for the personal injury lawsuit you're planning."

"I'm Rick Grimes and I am a lawyer, so..." She shook her head and laughed under her breath.

"Of course you are!"