CHAPTER 4

"I thought I should say thanks," the Governor said.

Andrea had opened the door to find him leaning against the doorframe with the rest of the bottle of Johnnie Walker in hand. Michonne was already asleep in the far bedroom, her katana on the pillow beside her.

"Thanks for what?" she whispered, opening the door wider to invite him inside.

He stepped in and turned to the left to enter the small kitchen. It was late and dark and Andrea was only up because insomnia had become a way of life since the world had gone to hell.

"For saving my ass this afternoon," he replied. She heard a clink as he pulled two glasses off the shelf .

Andrea grabbed the small plate with two lit candles on it and carried it into the kitchen. "You don't have to thank me for that. Anyone else would have done the same thing."

The flickering candlelight was enough to see his mussed hair and grime expression. She watched as he poured generous portions of scotch into each glass. "I appreciate it all the same." He turned around to hand her a glass. "Here."

She took it and watched as he grabbed the other glass and dumped the contents down his throat. He leaned back against the counter and watched her.

Slowly, Andrea took a sip. "Have you been drinking?" she asked him.

"I just did. Observant, aren't you?."

"Before you got here," she clarified.

He shifted his weight from one foot to another before turning away to pour himself another drink. When he turned back around, he leaned casually against the counter again. "Might have had a couple before I came over."

Andrea smiled and finished what was in her glass. The scotch went down smooth and warmed her stomach. "More than a couple. You look like you've had a bottle."

"I'm cutting loose. I almost died today."

"But you didn't," she said as he stepped forward and refilled her glass.

The Governor nodded and reached around to sit the almost-empty bottle on the small kitchen table behind her. "Thanks to you."

"Aww shucks, you'll make me blush," Andrea said, laughing under her breath. She knocked back the scotch in her glass, suddenly feeling brave. This strong man who had built a town-a safe town-was thanking her for saving him. She wasn't weak like everyone thought. She could take care of herself and then some.

His eyes were dark in the dimly-lit kitchen. She could barely make out his expression in the candlelight, but she could tell he was watching her. The heaviness of his gaze was unmistakable and made her breath quicken. Or maybe that just due to the alcohol coursing through her veins while she stood in the dark not more than two feet from an enigmatic man who searched her out after midnight just to thank her.

"Long day?" she asked.

He nodded slowly. "One of the longer ones in recent memory."

"You're doing a great job, you know." Andrea gestured with her glass toward the town. "With all of this. Woodbury is amazing and you've helped keep so many people safe, made them even think about rebuilding society. That's pretty... amazing."

He shrugged and sat his glass down on the counter behind him before turning back toward her. "It's not just me. We all watch the walls each day and night."

"But you keep it together. Not just anyone could have done that."

"You're mighty kind," he said. "I try my best, but I've done some things that..." He trailed off and then picked back up with, "Well, just some things I'm not proud of and wish I hadn't done or been forced to do."

Andrea furrowed her brow. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing." He shook his head and ran a hand through his already messy hair. "I didn't come here to complain. I came here to thank you for having my back."

"No problem," she said, sitting her glass down on the kitchen table just behind her.

When she lifted her gaze back up to him, he had taken a step toward her. Another long stride brought his body just a few inches from hers. Involuntarily, she took a step back and felt the edge of the table hit the back of her thighs.

"I'm very glad you agreed to stay here, Andrea." His voice was soft and she could feel the warmth of his breath as he took a small step to close the distance between them.

She could feel her entire body flush at the thought of a man-a man she found to be exciting and attractive-this close to her. On instinct, her hands came up and she pressed her palms to his chest to steady herself.

The Governor reached a hand around behind her and plucked the bottle of Johnnie Walker off the table. Leaving her hands resting on his chest, he took a small swig and then offered it to her by placing the mouth of the bottle just below her lips. Andrea's breath hitched in her throat as she lifted her eyes to his. His gaze was hot and he was watching her with curiosity.

Andrea flicked her tongue out to taste a drop of scotch from the mouth of the bottle. He sucked in a sharp breath. "You're just teasing me now," he whispered.

She smiled and pulled a hand from his chest to take the bottle from his grip. She tilted her head back and drank the small amount of liquor left in the bottom. "Teasing?" she asked when she'd finished.

"Flirting," he clarified.

"Maybe," she replied, grinning.

He carefully took her wrists in his hands and pulled her hands from his body. "Don't tempt me. It's been a long time." With that said, he let go of her and took two steps back. "Goodnight, Andrea."

She watched him walk toward the kitchen doorway. When he turned around, she waved. "Goodnight."

She couldn't go for more than a few minutes at a time without thinking of the Governor. After the heated moment in her kitchen two night ago, he had made himself scarce. Andrea tried not to take it to heart since Woodbury was a flurry of activity. Three survivors in a beat up van had arrived yesterday. Two groups of people had also ventured out to do supply runs.

As much as she enjoyed the peace she'd found in Woodbury, Andrea secretly itched to go out there, back into the horrible place that was now the real world. She missed the fight a little. Or maybe she missed the fight a great deal. Life just wasn't the same without the electric charge of adrenaline running through her veins. The closest she got to it now was when the Governor was near.

There was something different about him-something dangerous. She never had a thing for bad boys before all this happened. Her life had been pretty ordinary in the world before walkers.

She watched Michonne sorting through items in her pack. The woman who had saved her too many times to count was determined to leave Woodbury with or without Andrea. Each day Andrea talked her into staying one more. She wasn't sure how much longer she could delay Michonne, though.

"You're courting disaster," Michonne said without looking up from the contents of her life scattered across the bed.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Andrea said.

"Him. He's trouble and he's dangerous. We need to leave."

"He's a good man, Michonne."

Michonne shook her head firmly. "He's got everyone in this place on a short leash. He says who lives and dies. That's wrong."

Andrea opened her mouth to argue, but Michonne was right. If he wanted someone dead, all he would have to do is exile them from the settlement. She doubted anyone would question his authority or judgement. These people adored him.

"I came to see where the mysterious Governor of Woodbury lays his head," Andrea said when the door opened to reveal the man himself. A little flirting with Merle had been the easiest way to find out where the Governor's private rooms were.

He seemed a bit thrown off that she was at his doorway, but Andrea stood her ground. "What a surprise," he said, opening the door a bit wider so she could enter. "Do I even want to know how you found me?"

"A girl's got her ways," Andrea replied, stepping inside and looking around. The sheer curtains let in just enough light to see by. One of them was pulled back to reveal a bright line of sunshine that shown across the desk in the far corner.

"Sweet-talked Merle, did you?"

Andrea turned, the surprise showing on her face. "How did you know?"

The Governor smiled at her. "I know everything that happens in Woodbury. I thought you knew that already."

She walked over to the bare window and looked down on the street below. "I bet you just sit up here all day and spy on everyone," she teased.

When she turned around to look at him he had his hands up in surrender. "You've got me. Guilty as charged."

"Haven't seen you around much the last couple days. You been hiding after your little drunken midnight escapade to my place?"

He shoved his hands in his pockets and smiled sheepishly at her. "Might be that I'm a little ashamed of my behavior."

Andrea waved the excuse off. "It happens. Life and death situations will make people do crazy things, Governor."

"Philip," he said, striding over to stand between her and his desk.

"Who?" Andrea asked.

"My name. It's Philip."

She smirked at him, her hands on her hips. "I thought you said you'd never tell."

"A smart woman once told me to never say never."

Andrea chuckled. "Sounds like you should listen to her more often."

"I just may do that," he replied.

She stepped around him to look at the papers on his desk. "You look like you're hard at work. I hope I'm not interrupting."

He moved to block her view. "Not at all. Just making some plans to expand the perimeter further down the street. Maybe pull in some of those empty lots down there for crops next spring. We've got more mouths to feed."

Andrea took the hint that he was uncomfortable with her looking at the items on his desk and turned back to the window. "I want to help again. I like getting out there. Sitting here not moving makes me anxious."

"A woman with a gun in her jeans is damn sexy."

She looked over her shoulder at him. "Excuse me?"

"The gun you've got stuck in your jeans at the small of your back."

Andrea's hand moved to touch the cool metal of the gun she'd tucked away. "Hey, got to protect myself. I feel naked without it anymore."

"Naked, huh?" His eyes were twinkling with mischief.

She rolled her eyes and reached a hand out to playfully push his shoulder. "Don't be such a shameless flirt." she said.

Deftly, he caught her hand and pulled her a little closer. "I sure do like spending time with you," he said softly.

"And I like spending time with you...Philip." His name felt awkward on her lips. She'd been calling him Governor for far too long.

Just as she opened her mouth again to break the silence between them, she heard a soft thump from behind a door to her left.

"What was that?" she asked, pulling her hand away from his and going for her gun.

"What was what?"

"That thump. What's back there?" Andrea nodded toward the door, only a few feet away.

He shifted his weight and moved between her and the door. "Nothing much. Storage mostly. Something might have fallen. I'll look into it."

"Sure it's safe?"

He smiled at her. "I sleep here every night. I'm sure it's fine. Why don't you run on downstairs and I'll meet you there after I wrap up some of this paperwork." His hand was on her arm, guiding her toward the exit and she obliged because you didn't argue with the Governor.