A/N: The M rated chapter (15) of One More Night. I will not post this chapter with the story, as I would like to keep the story rated T.

I fell asleep in the tub, poor Rick only waking me up once we were pruned to the point of preserving. I'd inadvertently ruined any chance of hot tub shenanigans.

"Sorry about that," I said, reaching for the snow-dotted towel as I stepped out. Rick didn't say anything at first, opting to just ogle my breast and ass brazenly. I rolled my eyes.

"It's okay. I know you barely slept last night," he said. "Plus, I had fun watching you sleep."

"You mean you had fun watching me sleep in a bikini."

"If you want to get technical."

Rick gathered the damp clothes I'd left strewn on the deck and hung them by the fire. He loaned me his thermal shirt to wear while I waited for them to dry. The charcoal gray top was enormous on me, but even when wrapped up in it I still felt buck-naked wearing nothing underneath. I remembered my bra and underpants were thankfully still tucked in the pocket of my jacket hanging behind his front door.

You see, now would've been the perfect time for Jessica to come over unexpectedly.

I changed into my underthings when Rick went upstairs to dry off and I reclined on the couch with my book and glass of water. I struggled to focus on the words while Pretty Rick in low slung lounge pants, settled back in front of his laptop.

I gave up when saw I had a voicemail on my phone from Ruth, checking to see how things were going and asking if she and some of her Wiccan friends could come by the next day. I actually laughed out loud listening to the message. She used the word 'coven' referring to her group of magical friends, it sounded completely ludicrous. Either way, I called her back and we arranged for her to visit on Tuesday morning.

I fiddled around on Facebook and Instagram, feeling wistful at the abundance of Christmas related posts. I sent a message to Morgan asking about the kids and any news he was willing to share. Rick shut the laptop with a snap and strode over to the couch.

"I can't write. Hell no...Not when you look so fucking sexy in nothing but my shirt."

A flame burst to life within me and I threw my phone down. I jumped to my feet and he pulled me close into a hard kiss. I gripped myself to him, rising on my toes to meet his lips, my hands roaming the hard planes of his back. He squeezed my hip with one hand, the other moving over the curve of my bottom. We stood making out like horny teens and exploring each other until my neck began to ache and I dragged him back to lower us onto the leather couch cushions.

He lay over me, settling between my knees, the question flashing on his face. It was different, him seeing me like this compared to in the hot tub. Sure, it was the same amount of skin, and yes, my current underwear set was on the sheer side…but I was revealing myself. On purpose. Just for him. I slowly exhaled, trying to calm my nerves and pulled the top over my head. He drew back to his knees, gazing at my breasts and body hungrily. He brushed a flat palm along my stomach and gently ran it over the cup of my bra and back down, tracing a line with his fingertip on the along the curve of my waist and hip. I twitched with the light movement.

"You're beautiful," he said, voice so low I almost didn't catch it.

He kissed me again, this time slowly and settled his weight onto me, the feel of his bare skin hot against mine. I adjusted myself to him, slinging my leg around his thigh, lightly grinding my pelvis against his. He groaned, finding that sweet spot with his lips just under my ear that did crazy things to my insides. I squeezed his sexy little ass, so turned on by the fact only the thin layer of my panties and his fleece pants stood between us and total skin-to-skin contact.

"I want you," I whispered into his ear.

He hummed his agreement, propping himself up on an elbow, leaving just enough space for his hand to slowly stroke a path along my thigh and up between my legs. The tips of his fingers lightly traced the crease where my panties met my thigh, my breath hitching as they roamed tantalizingly close to where I needed him to be.

"You want me…?" he asked in a voice that was pure sex, lips brushing against my ear. "Where?" His fingers drew light, teasing circles over the cotton. ...Here?" His finger drifted further down. "...Or here?"

I have a rush of boldness and palmed his hard manhood. "I want all of you."

He shifted to look me in the eyes. "I don't have any condoms, I threw them away after…"

"I have the implant birth control, it's good for a while." I felt my cheeks redden. He threw his condoms away after Jessica. I guess he didn't want to be tempted. Judging by today, she was persistent. "I also had a full panel at my last appointment with my doctor, so I'm good."

I was out of the experience with these talks, and they were inescapably awkward. Had to be done, even if it meant pumping the brakes on our make-out session. Rick, on the other hand, looked very pleased with himself.

"I was given the clean bill of health a week after you arrived," he said. There was something about his tone. I pressed my palms to his chest and leveled him a stare.

"You got yourself tested after you met me?"

He smirked. "Can the defense claim plausible deniability?"

"Most definitely not," I scoffed. "This is all on you, you presumptuous ass. I can't believe you'd do that. Like it was a given we'd end up in bed!"

His smirk stretched into a full grin. Not a single shred of sheepishness.

"I might be presumptuous but isn't it good that I am?" His index finger drew distracting circles on the fabric of my bra around my nipple. I huffed out a sigh which seemed to amuse him more.

"Okay, then… Prove it."

His face really lit up.

We stumbled up the stairs and fell onto his bed, Rick sweeping the white quilt to a pile on the floorboards first. Legs entwined, fingers and mouths exploring; I unclipped my bra and Rick dropped his head to my chest, showering my breasts with attention and complimenting each in turn.

I pushed him gently onto his back and drew his pants down over the sizeable tent. He watched, his lips parted, as I took him in my hand, gently stroking him up and down. His eyes flickered shut when I pressed a soft kiss to that sensitive spot on the underside of the tip. A growl reverberated through him when I took him into my mouth, tongue swirling and moving around him while my hand stroked what my mouth couldn't reach.

I felt him begin to swell and strain and he urgently pulled at my shoulders drawing me up to him.

"You're a bit too good at that," he trembled out and he traded places with me, rolling me onto my back and pulling my panties down over my ankles, adding them to the pile of bedding and clothing growing on the floor.

He parted my legs and paused to take in my naked form, his face holding an expression I'd not seen before. A mix of hunger, excitement, and appreciation. Laying between my legs, he rested his cheek against my inner thigh and dragged his finger with an achingly slow between those two places that were just begging to be touched. My hips rose unconsciously from the bed seeking contact.

"Please…" I gasped, my voice unexpectedly throaty.

His finger slipped into me just as his tongue flattened against my clit. I drew in a sharp breath and moaned, all discernible thoughts stolen from me as his mouth and fingers worked me over. The momentum of my pleasure built quickly, propelled by the days, the weeks, of wanting the unbelievable man that was currently between my legs. His fingers curled inside of me and I clenched reflexively around them, my breaths coming ragged and fast. God, I was too close and the main act hadn't even played yet. His fingers twisted slightly, curling once more.

"Rick," I pleaded, running my fingers through his hair to gently tug his face away from me. "I'm going to..." The words were replaced by a long, lingering moan as his fingers kept moving, gaze on mine. "I need... I need you inside me."

His blue eyes blazed, locking onto mine, fingers pumped faster, harder, forcing me to that precipice and moved his tongue to lick me one last time with conviction. I cried out, clenching hard around his fingers, pleasure racing through me.

He pushed himself up and over me on his hands and knees, dipping his head to kiss me roughly on the mouth, muffling my moans, while his hand moved his tip to my entrance. He gently pushed his hard length into me while my orgasm played itself out around him.

"Fuck. You're so wet, so tight," he rasped against our kiss.

My hips rose to meet him, legs hooking around his waist. Fingers raking up his back and through his hair, grabbing him closer as he rocked into me, stretching and filling me. He felt so good. My orgasm sustained against our urgent lovemaking and it drew me out in smaller, shuddering peaks. I was lost somewhere incredible, I wasn't sure if I was ever going to get myself back.

He clasped my hands above me on the bed, leaning down to rest his forehead against mine. We moved against each other, panting, eyes locked. My chest constricted; the raw, intimate emotions between us rearing up unexpectedly. I couldn't look away though, I couldn't pull my eyes from his. I couldn't escape him, he was everywhere, everything. He continued for half a second longer before I felt him swell inside me. His hips shuddered, mouth seeking mine as he rode out his orgasm with a stifled groan.

He lowered his weight onto me, resting his head and panting into the crook where my neck met my shoulder. I hugged him tightly to me, trying to catch my breath too. Trying to regain gravity, because surely, I was floating somewhere above the bed. God, I forgot how good it felt to be thoroughly screwed.

His torso shook against me and I realized he was laughing softly.

"Sorry," he groaned. "I'd like to say I could've lasted…I'm lucky I lasted as long as I did. God, you felt so good." He pressed a kiss to my neck. "You're incredible."

He rolled off me and fell back onto the sheets beside me.

"No…I … No." I tried to rally some coherent sentences. Thoughts, even. "It's fine. Better than fine. Don't apologize. You were amazing. I'm pretty sure I just lost my virginity for the second time." I exhaled hard. He laughed and I joined in after a beat. I felt so light, so good. Like all the cobwebs and darkness had been swept clean from my soul.

I got out of bed and shakily crossed the hall to the bathroom to clean myself up. I playfully smacked Rick's ass as we passed in the corridor on the way back. "sexy little strumpet," he chuckled. I was feeling bold.

I hauled the blankets onto the bed and experienced a shiver of self-consciousness as the post orgasm glow faded away. I pulled the blinds closed, turning the wooden Venetians so they let in some of the fading afternoon light. I pulled my panties back on and found a t-shirt and pulled it on.

He took his time returning to bed and I curled under the covers letting my thoughts wander. Had we really only kissed for the first time two days ago? Maybe we should have waited a little while longer before sleeping together? No, I shook the echo of regret away, it felt right. Life was short.

With the next breath, a surge of guilt scooped my stomach hollow along with the realization I wasn't feeling remotely guilty for moving on for the first time after Daryl. It hadn't even played across my thoughts. It was an awful, confusing, upside down logic to the emotion. Guilty and not feeling guilty at the same time. I roughly brushed the tears gathering in my eyes when I heard Rick moving back down the hall.

He appeared in the doorway, naked as the day he was born, holding a wine bottle with two glasses in one hand and a wooden chopping board filled with a selection of snacks in the other.

I gave him a rickety smile and sat up on the bed.

"Nice t-shirt." He winked and settled down beside me. Rick did surprisingly well with his selection of appetizers considering how bare his kitchen was. Apple wedges, cheese cubes, crackers, and slices of pepperoni. I made us each a cracker while he poured us a glass of red.

"You're alright?" he asked, passing me the wine. I guess my eyes were red and watery.

I nodded popping the cracker into my mouth in one go. Best not to speak just yet, I'm pretty sure crying would ruin the post-coital moment.

"Would you like to sleep here tonight? Noah seems pretty set up downstairs guarding the living room."

"He's as much a guard dog as you are full of pure intentions," I said once I swallowed down my mouthful.

He shrugged, stretching out his legs and crossing them at the ankle. I tried not to stare at his cock but it was a sexy piece and he is very comfortable in his own skin, surely a European thing. Or maybe just a Rick thing.

"You should still stay."

"I'll think about it." I swirled the wine around my glass and licked my lips. "Although… I could be convinced if you make it worth my while." The strange twisty feelings inside me were still there, but rapidly disappearing in Rick's company.

"I was hoping you'd say that." He surprised me by kissing me sweetly.

Things were comfortable after that, our conversation wandering from place to place. Rick told me about the festival where he got the t-shirt I have on. He'd spent a few weekends in Maine researching for a novel and happened to stay there during some famous seafood festival. Spur of the moment, he joined in on the oyster shucking competition. He showed me the small pale scars on the side of his index fingers where he had mauled himself with the oyster knife.

"I lost badly." He gave me a goofy, boyish smile and bit into an apple slice.

"So, you were sure enough of me to get tested but still didn't buy condoms?" I asked, bold as brass. The question was petty and there was no smooth way to segue into the topic.

"Michonne, your temper might not be predictable but I have you pegged."

I paused mid-sip of my wine and raised my brows at him.

Proceed carefully, Grimes.

"Are you the type of person who doesn't stay on top of your health at all times? I bet you would've brought your own condoms if you weren't already on any birth control."

That was, that was… Right. Damn him. I huffed and rolled my eyes at him.

"And what if I still wanted to use one even though both of us are clean?"

"Then we would have happily improvised with other… activities."

"You're such an a– "

"A presumptuous ass, so I've been told."

We didn't leave his bed for the rest of the day. Rick brought his laptop up when it got dark and put on a movie for us to watch, although I couldn't tell you what it was about. We were tussling under the covers again as soon it began playing.

This time I took the reins, riding him on top, holding his thumb to my clit and guiding it in slow circles so I could reach my end the way I'd wished the first time - with him inside me. I squeezed his other hand to my breast. Rick looked like his every last wish on Earth were granted. An expression of almost disbelief ghosted across his features. His unfocused eyes watching as I ground and rode my way to a blazing climax, leaning forward and pressing his shoulders onto the bed, moving slowly on top of him teasing and drawing him to the edge time and time again only to pull away at the last second.

He growled when he caught on to my game and rolled me onto my back as I giggled my butt off. He drew my legs around him and he entered me slowly, moving within me with sure, smooth strokes. He dropped his head, kissing me softly, his lips then marking a trail along the line of my jaw, his breath warm on my neck. The sudden change in dynamic caught me completely off guard. I closed my eyes and buried my face against his shoulder, breathing him in. I was totally unprepared for it, unprepared for him to be like this. Yearning and sweet. He cried out and cursed as he came and afterward we lay side by side spooning, silent and completely spent.

"So, I guess I'll stay the night," I said with a beleaguered sigh.

"Eh, doesn't really matter now…" he replied offhandedly without missing a beat. I gasped in indignation and elbowed him as he laughed, locking me in place with his arms as I squirmed trying to get away. We kept talking long into the night, our conversations taking us to weird and amusing places, from absurd conspiracy theories to our ideal versions of utopia, and then back to more everyday topics, like our favorite movies and music, swapping childhood memories.

Dolores's warning, Ruth's words, the entity haunting me, and even the emotional ghosts of my marital past seemed like an unreality. Just like Rick had said, they felt like things which existed and moved independently to the bubble we had created for the two of us. I knew the bubble would have to pop eventually, too much was going on for it to not, but at that moment it was like nothing could reach us.