"You're headed to Jamaica!" Rick announced. Whoops of joy filled the empty mansion. Of the six contestants remaining, only three would be selected for hometown visits next week. Jamaica would be the final stop for half of them.
"Michonne in a bikini?" Abraham shifted in his seat.
"We're all goners." A slight blush touched Glenn's cheeks.
Rick stifled a grin. He and Michonne had been together almost every night since their first time together. Her sexual appetite was a formidable match for his own raging libido. And all the sneaking around was excellent foreplay for their lovemaking. Their latest rendezvous had involved a copious amount of bubbles in her private jacuzzi. Thoughts of her drenched skin peeking through white suds as he pounded into her from behind already had him imagining all the fun they could have in Jamaica.
"Don't get your dicks in a twist." Negan's booming voice commanded the room's attention. "The only one seeing that 'back for days' in a bikini is me. I'm getting the one-on-one."
Negan's postering rubbed Rick the wrong way. He'd tussled with hyper-masculine guys like him since high school and had found that a figurative kick in the balls usually put them down for the count. Rick planned to be the last man standing in the competition for Michonne's heart and he'd handle Negan when the time came. For now, he needed to focus on his duties as host. "Settle down, fellas. A beach getaway means you'll be the ones baring all for the cameras, not the Bachelorette."
"Got nothing to hide," Negan smirked.
"As we're all aware," Rick chimed.
Daryl coughed, hiding a smile behind his fist. Glenn chuckled.
"Be sure to get your beauty sleep, gentlemen. Enjoy your meal." Rick planned on room service with Michonne later that night.
The contestants headed to the dining room for dinner. The chef had prepared a low-carb spread of steak and veggies, with fruit salad for dessert. The men would need to be in peak condition for their shirtless scenes.
"Rick. Can we talk for a second?" Morgan asked, his expression almost apologetic.
"Of course." Of all the men in the house, Rick had the best rapport with Morgan. They were both single dads raising girls in an increasingly misogynistic world. Morgan had even turned him on to a few children's books for empowering young girls.
He led Morgan out by the pool, away from the cameramen. They sat on the cushioned pool chairs. "What can I help you with?"
From the way Morgan roughly rubbed his chin, Rick could already guess what he wanted to share with him. "I think it's time for me to leave." Morgan's declaration prompted mixed emotions in Rick. He was glad to not have to compete with him for Michonne's heart, but sad to see his friend go.
"Are you sure?" Rick asked, concerned about what might be driving Morgan to leave. "I thought you really wanted to get to know Michonne."
"There's no doubt about that, she's more than I could ever hope for in a wife. And she would be an amazing role model for Shea."
His words stirred up something in Rick. While Morgan had only been on a few dates with Michonne, he could already see her as his wife. Rick, on the other hand, had taken their relationship to the most intimate level, but he was still wary about committing a lifetime to her. He was certain that their chemistry - both physical and intellectual - only came around once in a lifetime and he was hesitant to gamble it away because of his fear of falling in love again.
"Does this have to do with Negan?" He'd heard from Andrea that Negan had confronted Morgan about his intentions for being on the show.
"Yes and no." Morgan was a lot more gracious than he was. "I'd never even watched this show until I saw Michonne on GMA. I left my daughter to travel across the country. But as much as I'm interested in this singular woman, I miss my daughter too much to spend another day away from her. I think Negan figured that out."
"I see…" Rick could understand the dilemma Morgan faced as a father. He wasn't sure what he'd have done if he had to be away from his children for even a few weeks.
"Plus, it's pretty clear her feelings are strongest for Negan."
"What makes you say that?" Rick kept his tone neutral.
"He's the only one she's kissed."
"When did this happen?" Rick was sure he hadn't seen anything on tape.
"According to him, late last night. He managed to dodge the night crew and sneak into her hotel room."
"That's a lie." Rick couldn't reveal that he'd been with Michonne that night and had snuck out just before dawn.
"Either way, there's something between them that I can't compete with. I figure I should cut my losses and fly back home to my baby girl."
"You do what you have to do, man." He respected his friend's decision. They shook hands and hugged, Rick following him back into the mansion. "Tell Shea hello for me."The two men parted ways for what Rick hoped wasn't the last time.
Now, he had to deal with the man with his woman's name in his mouth.
"Negan, we need to talk." Rick found him at the dining table with the other men, finishing off a rare steak, blood staining his plate. He didn't bother explaining himself before walking back out to the pool.
As he'd expected, Negan joined him in no time. "It's bad manners to come between a man and his meat," his smile lost on Rick.
"We're here to talk as men, there're no cameras rolling."
"From all that bass in your voice, I'm guessing this has something to do with Michonne."
Rick faced Negan, who had at least six inches on him. "I won't tolerate you spreading lies about her."
"What lies exactly?"
His smirk alone made Rick want to clock him.
He had to tow the line carefully, he didn't want to hint at his midnight rendezvous with Michonne last night.
"There's absolutely no footage of a kiss between you two."
"I slipped into her room without anyone noticing. It really wasn't that hard."
"Bullshit. The producers never lose track of a contestant." Rick straightened, looking Negan square in the eye. "I don't know what second-rate reality TV shows you've built a career on, but ruining someone's reputation is unacceptable here."
Negan leaned down. "And does that rule apply to you?"
His question temporarily shook him. "What are you implying?" Rick needed to know exactly what he knew, or thought he knew.
"I'm implying," Negan bounced, "that the only one capable of ruining Michonne is you. I saw you with her last night."
Rick's eyes watered in both fear and anger. He held back the urge to use his fists to fight a battle for the first time in his life. "Another lie."
He studied Rick, as though this was what he'd been seeking all along. "She deserves a man who will protect her, not put her in harm's way. That's obviously not you."
"Michonne's a grown woman, she doesn't need a man to protect her."
Negan shook his finger at Rick. "Every woman wants a man to protect her. It's in their wiring. Only a pussy would think otherwise."
Rick imagined his right hook connecting with Negan square on the chin, sending him flying backwards into the pool. But he remained level-headed, knowing it was Negan's intention to get him to do just that.
Negan crowded him. "Not even willing to fight for her, huh?"
They were suddenly interrupted by a drunken Merle. "Ya'll having a party without me?" He took a long gulp of his beer.
Rick turned his attention to Merle, glad for the distraction. "How about you call it a night, buddy? Looks like you've had more than enough to drink."
"First off, I ain't your buddy. Second, ain't no such thing as enough to drink." Merle downed the rest of his beer and burped with the finesse of a hobo.
Negan grabbed Merle by the shoulders, leading him back inside. "You still owe me a game of poker. Hope you're ready to lose."
"The only one losing tonight is you," Merle slurred his words.
Negan laughed. "I doubt that." He roughly brushed Rick's shoulder on his way back into the house.
Rick realized this was his first time almost coming to blows over a woman. It was exhilarating.
Michonne reveled in the tropical breeze stirring her locs as she mixed two rum and Cokes. The salty aroma of the ocean tickled her senses, making her feel as light as a feather for the first time in a while.
Usually around this time of year, she was up to her neck in cases, trying to complete as much work as possible before the holidays started. If she missed even one holiday dinner, her mother would guilt her well into the new year.
She quartered a lime, squeezing the juice of two sections into each drink before dropping the wedges in as well. She licked the tangy juice from her fingers and wiped her hands down with a damp dish towel.
She joined her guest on the spacious balcony, which overlooked the clear blue waters and white sand of the private beach surrounding the resort.
"Mmm, my favorite," Sasha hummed, accepting the drink Michonne handed her.
"Hands down the best rum in the world," Michonne said, joining her on the double chaise lounge. She leaned back into the white cushions. This was everything she never realized she needed.
"I could get used to this." Sasha grinned underneath her floppy straw hat.
Michonne basked in the sun. "We're only here a few days, so enjoy it while you can."
"You don't need to tell me twice. I've got a date with the fine brotha working the front desk. I almost died and went to heaven when he called me a queen with that accent."
Michonne chuckled. If she'd been in Jamaica alone, she would've been checking out the nightlife right alongside Sasha, enjoying everything the island had to offer, including the wealth of ridiculously gorgeous men.
"You work hard. You deserve to enjoy yourself. Let's head down to the boutique later and pick out an outfit for your date."
Sasha almost fell out of her seat. "I couldn't. Those dresses are like hundreds of dollars."
"It's my treat. Well, the show's treat. They're covering everything, including my wardrobe. There's no way I could spend the entire allowance on my own."
Under circumstances that were stressful at best and chaotic at worst, Sasha had become the younger sister she'd always wanted. Buying her a new wardrobe was the least she could do for her.
"I don't know, it's too much, Michonne. You don't even know me like that."
She noticed the almost pensive shift in Sasha's mood. Her confidante hadn't been her chatty self lately. She not only enjoyed her company but she'd been extremely grateful for having someone to confide in during this whole process. Deciding on who would join her in Jamaica, in addition to sneaking around with Rick, had been almost as taxing as cramming for her bar exam.
"I honestly might have quit this whole thing by now, if it weren't for you. With all this Merle nonsense, I was ready to tell everyone on this show to kiss my black ass."
Before selecting the six guys who would join her in Jamaica, she'd been visited by the Executive Producer of the show. Phillip had wanted to meet with her personally to discuss Merle.
Although he'd been nothing less than a gentleman, something about being alone with him kept her on edge. He'd congratulated her on being the first African American Bachelorette, understanding the weight of being in this position.
"You have an opportunity to bring people together in this country," he'd said. "If you could find common ground with someone like Merle, maybe that could help others do the same."
Michonne had decided to give Merle a chance, on the condition that he be completely sober for the rest of the show. Phillip agreed, telling her to come directly to him with any issues.
She was now wondering if she'd made the right decision. Merle had only lasted this long because he'd flown under the radar and was always on his best behavior when they'd been together.
However, according to Rick, he drank nonstop and got in frequent arguments with the men. He'd even accused Glenn of being a Chinese spy. Glenn was Korean American.
She wasn't sure about giving someone like him a platform, even if she could run circles around him mentally. Her 2-on-1 date with the two men would help her play out a few of her own ulterior motives and hopefully give Glenn a chance to put Merle is his place.
"I have something to tell you," Sasha pulled her back into the present. "And I'm not sure how you're going to take it."
For a split second, she considered that Sasha may have accidentally spilled the beans about her and Rick. But if that were the case, Andrea would have been the first one knocking on her door.
She removed her sunglasses, looking Michonne straight in the eye. "Tyreese is my brother."
Michonne removed her sunglasses in turn, swinging her legs over the chaise to face her head on. "What do you mean he's your brother? You two know each other?"
"He's my older brother."
"Why didn't you say anything earlier?"
"I didn't want our friendship to affect your relationship with him."
She did a mental rewind of all of their past conversations, hoping she hadn't said anything disparaging about Tyreese in Sasha's presence. She was relieved to recall that she'd only mentioned the two of them not having much chemistry and hadn't gone any further than that.
"I get it."
Honestly, though, her trust in the woman she'd considered a friend was wavering a tiny bit. Had she been too impulsive in confiding in her about Rick? She hoped this wouldn't come back to bite her in the ass. "It must've been tough to find out I eliminated him."
"I was surprised." Sasha crinkled her brow. "Tyreese was really into you, more than any other woman he's been with."
"Really?" She found this tidbit of information both surprising and confusing. She was even more uncertain of Tyreese than she'd been before.
"Whenever I had the chance to see him on set, he would go on and on about how beautiful and intelligent you were. How he never believed in love at first sight until he met you that first night, outside the mansion."
Michonne's heart fluttered with guilt. She'd felt an immediate connection with him that night as well, but for some reason they hadn't clicked beyond that. Maybe that reason was Rick.
"He really is an amazing man. He was by far the most difficult one to say goodbye to." She'd cried herself to sleep the night she eliminated him.
Sasha took Michonne's hands in earnest. "I'm not saying this just because he's my brother. You two would be perfect together. He's honestly the best human being I know, with more heart than is good for him sometimes."
"I don't think I'm what he's looking for."
"But he would complement you in so many ways. If you could just spend some more time with him, I'm sure you would see it for yourself."
The conflict between her head and heart raged. When Michonne imagined her future husband, it was someone exactly like Tyreese. Successful, kind, a good sense of humor - and black. "I'll think about it."
Sasha hugged Michonne. "Thank you. If you bring him back, I promise you won't regret it." She jumped up, grabbing their empty glasses. "Next round is on me." She disappeared inside.
Michonne sighed. She'd purposefully avoided making Sasha any promises, but she could at least take what she'd said into consideration.
She watched the sun dip below the horizon, the purple and orange of the sunset contrasting brilliantly with the cobalt blue of the sea. She licked her lips as her thoughts strayed deliciously to Rick and making love to him with the lull of the waves for ambience.
Michonne could barely hold back the laughter as she watched Merle struggle to get free of Glenn's hold. The knee digging into the larger man's back kept him pinned face down, one half of his face caked with mud.
Security arrived, relieving Glenn and carting off a red-faced Merle.
"You'll pay for this, bitch!" he screeched.
Michonne held back Glenn, who looked ready to put Merle down for the second time that day.
"Don't worry about him," she assured. "He'll get what he deserves. Men like him always do."
"Are you okay?" Glenn asked, brushing the dirt from her knees.
Even before their 2-on-1 date, Michonne had planned on sending Merle home, but not before taking him on an arduous 5-mile hike in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. Regardless of Phillip's assurances that Merle would be sober for the rest of the show, he'd shown up ruddy-cheeked and wasted, as she'd expected.
During the hike, she and Glenn chatted about his family, while Merle tripped and slipped and grunted behind them, barely keeping up. At one point, they'd even lost sight of him, only to find that he'd fallen into a ditch.
The satisfied smirk on Glenn's face, as Merle finally emerged from the trail an hour after he and Michonne had finished the hike, was enough to make keeping him on the show worth it. She summarily awarded Glenn with the group rose date, eliminating Merle in a blaze of glory.
"Hate has no home on this show, or anywhere else in this country. I want you to remember that a black woman rejected you for the insignificant human being you are."
Rick, who'd managed to join them for the date today and was off on the sidelines, looked very pleased with that last bit.
"I can't believe he put his hands on you," Glenn squinted at the small gash on her knee. He was referring to the aftermath of the elimination, when instead of leaving with what little dignity he had left, Merle decided to lash out instead, waiting until her back was turned to shove her to the ground. Glenn had stepped in right away, debilitating Merle with a sucker punch and pinning him to the ground.
"It's a good thing you were here," Michonne said, massaging his pride, even though she could have taken Merle down if she wanted to. She was a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
"I'm just glad to be rid of that piece of trash, once and for all. Now I can focus on what really matters." He pulled an alcohol swab and bandaid from his pocket, proceeding to clean up and bandage her cut.
She laughed. "You brought your own mini first aid kit?"
"I was a Boy Scout, I'm always prepared."
Glenn never failed to surprise her. As the crew packed up their gear, they talked more about his hometown.
"I'd really love the chance to introduce you to my mom. She would love you."
"Are you sure about that?" Michonne asked, eyebrows raised. She'd only dated a few Asian men in her life, but none had ever brought her home.
"My first girlfriend was Black," Glenn said, addressing her unspoken concerns like a pro.
"Alright then," she smiled, trusting that he would never put her in harm's way.
"I don't know what to say," Andrea interrupted them, looking mildly impressed. "I couldn't have asked for a better shoot."
"We aim to please," Glenn joked.
"I hope you give Merle the edit he deserves," she said to Andrea.
"By the time I'm done with him, the only support he'll have is his AA group."
Michonne could tell she meant it. Before she could thank her, the woman was off to handle the next logistic. She really was a tough nut to crack.
"Ready to head out?" Rick asked when she and Glenn reached the parking lot. "I'll be driving you back to your hotel. Your driver had a family emergency."
From the glint in his eye, she suspected Rick had paid off the driver to take the rest of the day off.
"Sure," she nodded, trying to mask her giddiness. She hugged Glenn before jumping into backseat of the black Jeep Wrangler, Rick shutting the door behind her.
I guess he wants to keep up appearances. she thought, wanting to join him in the front seat.
Rick's blue eyes sparkled in the rearview mirror. "Buckle up, ma'am. It's going to be a rocky ride."
"The rougher the better," she smirked, her desire mounting.
"Good to know." His eyes lowered to her breasts. The thin sports bra did little to mask her pebbled nipples.
Rick started the vehicle, maneuvering carefully on the twists and turns of the steep mountain road. With him in the driver's seat, she felt safe and enjoyed the view that had escaped her during the terrifying ride up the narrow road. There was no need to speak. She just admired the luscious mountain view, partly eclipsed in fog, with the man she…
"We're here," Rick said, parking the car in front of a small hut in the middle of nowhere.
She'd been so entrenched in the view and her busy thoughts that she hadn't noticed that Rick had gone off road.
"Where are we?" she asked, her heart thumping wildly against her rib cage.
"Welcome to Paradise." Rick's eyes, dark with mischief and desire, held onto hers in the rearview mirror.
Rick tried to focus on setting up lunch and not on the sounds of Michonne in the outdoor shower. Her precisely off-key singing would certainly keep any jungle critters away.
The owners of the secluded retreat had delivered a lunch of roasted goat, peas and rice, baked yams and fresh watermelon. But his mouth only watered for Michonne.
They had a few hours before either one of them had to prep for the night's rose ceremony. He planned to make the most of their time together, in one of the most romantic places on the planet.
He decided lunch could wait.
She was in the middle of a mangled verse of "No Woman, No Cry" when he joined her without a stitch of clothing on.
She jumped when he lightly touched her shoulder, almost slipping on the handmade clay tile. He reached out, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her flush against him, her soaking buttocks pressed against his groin.
"Rick," she sputtered, looking back at him with eyes half open and her hair sudsy with shampoo. "I could kill you for sneaking up on me."
He laughed, guiding her under the spray of the powerful showerhead. "Let me," he said, lacing his fingers through her locs. He concentrated on the task at hand, rinsing the shampoo from her hair, doing the best to ignore his growing hard-on.
She moaned. "If I'd known I'd get such special treatment, I'd have made a fool of Merle sooner."
Rick chuckled. "You don't know how hard it was for me to do nothing when he dared to put his hands on my woman."
"Your woman, huh?" She turned to face him.
Speckled with water, the sun dancing across her left shoulder, her nipples at attention - if Rick died in this moment, he was grateful this would be the last thing he saw.
"You heard me."
Her hair clear of shampoo, he focused on the woman right in front of him, literally baring her all to him. He slipped his hands down her slick back, not hesitating to grab her round ass with both hands. He easily hoisted her up, Michonne wrapping her legs around his waist, her cheeks riding his stiff member.
She kissed him slowly, sucking and licking the dripping water from his lips, her tongue circling his. He maneuvered their bodies until she was pressed against the smooth rocky wall.
"Oh God, yes," she whispered, as he wasted no time slipping into her, the water and her natural lubricant allowing for quick entry.
His heart raced at the thought that he wore no protection, that she could end up pregnant with his child, and yet she still let me make love to her. Being with her in this way, skin-to-skin, was suddenly the only way they could ever be. They'd been flirting with it this whole time and had finally just taken the leap.
This was his first time having unprotected sex with anyone he wasn't married to and it felt right because it was Michonne.
She moaned loudly as he bounced her up and down on his dick, the stream of warm water beating against his back. He pumped furiously into her. The hidden birds in the trees chirped around them, singing the mating song.
"I'm gonna come," he said, not wanting to pull out.
"Do it," she cried slamming down on his cock, her muscles clenching with her orgasm.
Rick's seed spurted into the dark, warm depths of her, as he came with all the purpose of his being.
After lunch, they made love again, taking the time to explore places they hadn't already been. They'd open all the windows of the hut, which offered a majestic view of the mountains from the comfort of their bed.
Michonne giggled as Rick nuzzled the most ticklish part of her neck with his nose. She squirmed in his arms, feeling him growing hard again.
"Down boy. We need to get going soon." The last thing she wanted was to leave the comfort of his arms, but they were sure to draw suspicion if they stayed for much longer.
"I wish soon was at least a week," Rick said.
A sudden thought hit her like a ton of bricks. "I'll be engaged in a week."
She'd finally spoken what had gone unspoken between them the past couple of weeks, in the hopes of just getting to know him better as a lover and possible life mate. But her obligations as the Bachelorette were real and imminent - she would need to choose a man to propose to her. That was the reason she was even here, right?
Rick's silence sliced her deeper than any sword could. Why did she even have to bring it up? Why couldn't they just stay in this safe cocoon that was all their own, away from he cameras and the obligations and the other men?
Because she was here for a husband and Rick obviously wasn't up for the task.
She slipped out of his arms, keeping her back to him, afraid of what his eyes might reveal if she looked back. She dressed in silence, the warmth seeping out of her as the distance grew between them.
Rick had become the thing he hated most in life - a coward.
The silence between him and Michonne had continued on the drive back to the resort. He'd wanted to live his truth, to share his true feelings with her, that he saw a future with her. But he'd kept quiet, not wanting to tell her that he couldn't propose to her. How could he? They'd known each other for less than three months.
His punishment was to now watch her being entertained by other men. Men who would propose to her. Men like Negan.
A pat on the back snapped Rick out of his self-pity.
"Michonne really is a star," Phillip said from beside him. He'd flown in that night to oversee the final rose ceremony before the hometown visits. "This is only the beginning for her. And she has you to thank for it."
"Me?" Rick asked, honestly thrown for a loop.
"I heard you had a big hand in helping things run smoothly this season. Andrea can't stop singing your praises."
"I'm genuinely shocked to hear it."
Phillip laughed. "I know it might not seem like it sometimes, but she respects you the most of anyone here. And I don't blame her. You've handled Michonne like a pro. What's your trick?"
Rick wasn't sure where this was going. Maybe Negan had shared his suspicions with Phillip. Either way, he wasn't about to bait the hook.
"Like you said, Michonne is a star. She managed to make this show her own, with her dignity intact. All the credit is to her, not me."
"Let's just hope she chooses Negan. He's the only one who can knock it out of the park."
Rick clenched his jaw. "She's got a tough decision ahead of her."
"She's a smart lady, she'll make the right choice." Phillip patted him on the back. "And Negan will help things along nicely."
"What's he up to?"
"He plans on giving her a promise ring tonight. A promise to propose to her if she selects him."
He hated to admit Negan had made a good move. It pretty much guaranteed his selection for the hometown visits.
And if Michonne chose him in the end, it would guarantee an engagement between the two of them.
Dread was a foreign emotion to Rick, but he felt it hovering in the background, feeding on his doubt.
Negan was right. Michonne deserved a man who would fight for her. Given his inability to act, he wasn't sure if he was that man.