Merry Christmas, Baby

A Christmas one-shot with our faves inspired by the canon couch kiss.

It was Christmas Eve, and Michonne Hawthorne was standing behind the counter of The Buttercream Bake Shop finding it difficult to get into the Christmas spirit. She'd decorated her home just like she always did, watched It's a Wonderful Life and How the Grinch Stole Christmas; she'd sponsored an Angel Tree child and gone to the county tree lighting. Still, there was a sadness in her that she couldn't quite resolve.

She'd never admit it to anyone, but her love life or the lack thereof, was the root cause of her funk. She'd survived another year without having someone to kiss on New Years Eve, without a Valentine, without a date to her best friend's wedding, without needing to find the perfect couples costumes for Halloween, without having to split her Thanksgiving between two families, and it weighed on her more than it used to.

Maybe it was because she'd turned 38 that summer and she saw her chances of finding someone to spend her life with slipping even further away. Maybe it was the fact that it was becoming less likely that she'd ever have children of her own. Or maybe it was because loneliness had crept into her heart and taken root there, and no matter what she did, she couldn't shake it.

It hadn't always been like this. For a long time, she'd thought she'd found the person to do all of those things with. Mike had been her study partner for a killer torts class in law school, and eventually he'd become more. They'd fallen in love, moved in together, graduated together, began their legal careers together; and after a decade of being together, she'd believed that was the way it would always be. But after a pregnancy scare had revealed that Mike never wanted kids, that certainty had gone up in smoke.

Five years later, she was still single and trying to navigate King County's less than stellar dating scene. In the last year alone, she'd gone out with Ezekiel, the really sweet but way over the top high school drama teacher. Then, her mama had set her up with her friend Deanna's son, Spencer, but he'd been a bit of a mama's boy. Finally, there was Siddiq, the hot doctor with the wandering eye. After him, she'd sworn off men for a while, and thought maybe they were more trouble than they were worth.

Now it was Christmas, and it felt like the whole world was conspiring against her ever getting out of her funk. It had all started when her little sister Jackie had her first baby a few days after Thanksgiving and had practically begged their mother to come up to Philadelphia to help her. Not that she needed to beg. Sandra Hawthorne's bags had been packed and waiting for the call for weeks. She was supposed to come home for Christmas, but instead she'd summoned their daddy up to spend the holiday with his new grandson. They'd asked Michonne to come too, but she had a stack of cake orders to fill by Christmas, leaving Michonne alone for the holiday for the first time in her life.

Christmas week played a large role in whether or not The Buttercream Bake Shop ended its first year in the black, and Michonne was bound and determined that her little bakery was going to make it. Her mom's offhand comment about Cakes by Maybelle closing its doors after the death of Ms. Maybelle a year ago, had reignited a fire in her that she'd almost forgotten about. Owning a bakery had been her dream ever since she was a little girl helping her grandmother make her famous lemon pound cake.

She'd allowed the idea to simmer in the back of her mind for a few weeks, until she couldn't ignore it any more. She gave up her unfulfilling legal career in Atlanta, moved back to King County, and invested practically everything she had into Maybelle's old storefront on the town square. The modernization had taken months, and had wheedled her savings away to practically nothing, but it had all been worth it the day she'd opened the doors to the public for the first time.

The little bell over the door jingled and she looked up to see a man in a familiar khaki uniform brushing snow off his shoulders. She glanced at the clock and smiled. He was right on time, and she didn't want to admit to herself how much she looked forward to seeing her visitor.

"Hey, Sheriff Grimes," she greeted.

"How many times do I have to tell you to call me Rick?"

"When you're in that uniform, you're always gonna be Sheriff Grimes," she teased.

Rick Grimes had barely turned 33 when he became sheriff of King County, making him the youngest sheriff ever elected in the state of Georgia. That was eight years and two elections ago, but the town still loved him. Even her mama gushed about him, saying, "God bless Sheriff Grimes" after every conversation she had with him. He was the closest thing King County had to a celebrity.

He'd also been the first boy she'd ever had a crush on, but that was more than twenty years ago and it had nothing to do with the way her heart always sped up a little bit whenever he walked through her door. More relevant was the fact that somewhere over the last year he'd become one of her best friends too.

"Coffee?" She asked.

He chuckled and walked up to the counter, his blue eyes sparkling happily.

"I thought this was a bakery not a coffeehouse," he countered.

She rolled her eyes and reached for a mug. He was referencing the review of the Buttercream Bake Shop in the County Courier that maligned the fact that she didn't serve vanilla lattes.

"It is, but I just made a pot and I'm willing to share."

She handed him the steaming cup of coffee with a little bit of sugar, just the way he liked it and he nodded appreciatively after taking a sip.

"You know, your coffee's the best in the square. You should sell it."

She snorted, "Maybe when I can finally hire some help around here, I will. Right now, it would just be another thing for me to deal with."

"Keep selling out this case and that day'll be here before you know it."

She smiled and looked at the handful of cupcakes and cookies left after the midday rush.

"Yeah, today was a good day."

"I see," he agreed. "What I don't see is one of those orange cookies…"

"The Italian Orange Ricotta Cookies?" He nodded and she shrugged, "You're late. I sold out of those about an hour ago."

His smile faded slightly.

"That's too bad."

"Good thing I saved you a couple."

His lips spread into a wide grin when she pulled out a little bakery bag with two of his favorite cookies inside.

"Michonne…you're amazing!"

He was looking at her in the way that always made her heart beat a little faster, and she was grateful when Mrs. Johnson pushed through the door to pick up her Sweet Potato Pound Cake.

She cleared her throat and smiled at her long retired sixth grade teacher, "Hi Mrs. Johnson. You didn't have to come out in this weather. I would've delivered your cake."

"Hello, Michonne dear. My grandson is right outside. He came to get me for Christmas early because of the snow."

"Nick was always a good kid. Your cake is in the back. Let me go get it."

"Take your time, dear. Sheriff Grimes will keep me company," the old woman said as she looped her arm through Rick's.

Michonne laughed and stepped into the kitchen where the old flirt's cake was waiting on the counter. She couldn't really blame her though, Rick Grimes was a very handsome man with his dark hair and sky blue eyes. There was also that deep drawl of his that sent shivers through her, and that sexy bowlegged strut…

She shook those thoughts away. She must really be lonely if she was letting her decades old crush on Rick Grimes command her thoughts. They were just friends and that was for the best. Besides, based on his ex-wife and the women he'd gone out with since, she was definitely not his type.

She brought Mrs. Johnson's cake from the back just in time to hear her trying to set him up with her granddaughter. A relieved Rick grabbed the cake box from her and carried it out to her grandson's car before she could protest.

"You have a Merry Christmas, Mrs. Johnson."

"You too dear."

A few minutes later, Rick came back inside. His cheeks were pink from the cold and he had snowflakes in his hair. She sighed and thought back to the weather report that morning. She'd laughed out loud when WTKR weatherman Cooper Carlson predicted a white Christmas for King County. From the looks of things, Cooper had been right.

"It's really starting to come down out there," she commented. "Glad I'm closing soon."

"Yeah…I hope you already went to the grocery store. They're all out of eggs and milk, and I just had to break up an altercation between Nancy O'Brian and Sharon Evans over the last loaf of bread."

She laughed, "I went yesterday before the confirmation of the coming snowpocalypse, so I'm set."

"Good."

"You know, I've never understood the significance of bread, eggs, and milk. Does a snow storm make everyone suddenly crave French toast?"

He shrugged and laughed, "I don't know, but I like your reasoning. I'm a big French toast fan from way back."

She smiled, thinking of the Sunday mornings she'd find him at the diner with his kids enjoying a huge platter of French toast with bacon. Usually, she'd grab her to-go order and escape with just a wave, but sometimes she'd accept his invitation to join them. That's how she'd gotten to know his son, Carl and daughter, Judith outside of their visits to the bakery. They were such good kids, and they had a good dad.

She leaned across the counter and rested her chin in her palm.

"Tomorrow's Christmas. Did you find that doll Judith was asking for and the video game Carl wanted?" She asked. He'd been stressing about this gifts for weeks after everywhere was pretty much sold out.

"According to the photo in my Amazon Prime account, they were delivered a little after I left this morning," he replied; grinning like he'd won the lottery.

"Nick of time! Nice work, sheriff."

He nodded, but then his smile faded and he turned his attention back to the falling snow.

"Yeah…but it doesn't matter. Lori picked them up last night. I forgot that since I had them for Thanksgiving, she has Christmas this year."

Her heart went out to him. They'd never really talked about it, but according to her mother, Rick had gotten divorced a little under two years ago. He'd been married to Lori Smith; the girl she'd watched him walk down the halls of their high school with all those years ago. They'd been the homecoming King and Queen of King County back then, and everyone thought they'd always be together until they abruptly weren't. For what she'd heard, it was an amicable split; but from the dejected look on Rick's face right then, she could tell that it was still hard on him.

"I'm sorry, Rick."

"Don't be. I had them last year, so it's her turn. It's just…it's my first Christmas without them so it's gonna be strange being on my own."

"That's true…but you have the snow to keep you busy, right? I'm sure King County will need Sheriff Grimes to guide it through the storm of the century," she teased.

He shook his head.

"Actually, I'm off for the next few days. I marked them out when I thought I'd have the kids and a lot of the younger deputies already volunteered for the overtime. Looks like I'll be snowed in just like everybody else," he explained. "How are you spending your Christmas Eve? Is your mama having half the town over for her annual Christmas Eve caroling walk?"

She groaned when she thought of all the years she'd been forced to walk through the streets of King County singing Christmas carols to whomever would listen. They'd have a thermos full of hot chocolate and plates filled with sugar cookies to pass out as they went along. She'd actually been looking forward to doing it that year for the first time in so long, but her mom was out of town and there was no way she was going on her own.

She shook her head.

"My parents are in Philly with my sister, so it's just me this year. But I should have a crock pot full of roast beef with carrots and potatoes waiting for me at home. Other than that, I was planning on making boozy hot chocolate and watching Christmas Vacation. You?"

"Me? I'm planning on having the hap-hap-happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny fucking Kaye!"

They laughed, and went back and forth with more quotes from the movie before he continued, "Really, I'm just gonna go home and watch tv. My dad is spending Christmas in Alexandria with my brother and everyone else is doing their own thing."

She stared at his profile as he sipped his coffee. It was Christmas Eve and both of them were planning on spending it all alone. Something about seeing how sad he was about it, made the walls she'd built up to prevent herself from being sad about her own lonely Christmas come crumbling down.

"Since we're both on our own, why don't you join me?"

The words burst from her lips before she even had a chance to think about them. She'd just invited Rick Grimes to spend Christmas Eve with her and she couldn't believe she'd done it.

He was staring at her with an unreadable expression in his eyes that made her want to retract her invitation to spare both of them from him rejecting her. She was about to do just that when he tilted his head to the side.

"Are you sure?" He asked. "I wouldn't want to impose."

She shrugged like it was no big deal at all, even though it was a very big deal and her insides were full of butterflies because of it.

"Yeah. No one should be alone on Christmas Eve, right?"

He nodded as his lips curved into a half smile.

"Alright then. What can I bring?"

She really didn't need him to bring anything but she had a feeling he was the type who would refuse to show up empty handed.

"Umm…maybe a bottle of wine to go with dinner?" She suggested.

"Will do. What time should I be there?"

After calculating the amount of time it would take her to get home, shower and change, and get dinner together, she replied, "6".

"Can I pick a movie?" He asked.

"Sure," she said with a shrug. "It has to be a Christmas movie though."

That crooked grin she'd adored in high school appeared on his handsome face and it sent her heart fluttering just like it had back then.

"Deal," he agreed, finishing his coffee and handing the cup back to her before covering his head with his sheriff's hat. He placed his hand on the door and was about to leave when he turned back and fixed her with a serious stare.

"Be careful going home," he said. "The roads are already slick."

"I will," she answered with a nod. "See you tonight."

"I'll be there," he confirmed; the serious look replaced by a much gentler one. "It's a date."

He was out the door a second later and she bit her bottom lip as she watched him make his way down the sidewalk to his patrol car. She'd just invited Rick Grimes into her home for Christmas Eve with her and he'd accepted. Topping it off, he'd used the word date…

She shook her head, reminding herself that his use of that word was just a figure of speech, but that didn't stop the fifteen year old version of herself from dancing around inside of her. She took a few deep breaths and got herself together before flipping the sign on the door from open to closed a few minutes earlier than she was supposed to. She had to get home and get ready for her guest. She kept telling herself it was just dinner and maybe a movie, but that did nothing to stop the excitement she felt.

It wasn't a date; but maybe…just maybe…it was the beginning of something she'd hadn't realized she still wanted. Maybe she wasn't completely over her schoolgirl crush on Rick Grimes.

At precisely 6pm, Rick Grimes got his nerves in check and knocked on Michonne's door. It was still snowing; they were well over the two inches the weatherman had called for and it showed no signs of slowing down. A blizzard in Georgia could only be a result of climate change but right then, he didn't mind so much. He was about to spend Christmas Eve with the most beautiful woman in King County and if he happened to get snowed in while he was there…well…if that happened, you'd never hear him complain about it.

He wasn't sure why she'd asked him to spend Christmas Eve with her, but he was certainly glad she did. He'd had a schoolboy crush on her ever since the day she'd breezed into town to reopen the bakery on Main Street, but he hadn't worked up the nerve to do anything about it other than show up at her counter everyday under the guise of love for her Italian Orange Ricotta Cookies. The cookies were good, but his taste for those was nothing compared to the craving he had for their baker.

He didn't really remember her from high school; seniors barely associated with juniors so freshmen had been just kids to him back then. Still, when her mother had introduced them, he'd kicked himself for not remembering her. She was just so damn pretty, especially when she was wearing that cute yellow apron with her hair piled up in a messy bun on top of her head. If she had a bit of cake batter on her forehead or flour on her nose, the crazy fluttering in his chest whenever she was around went into overdrive.

The door squeaked open and there she was looking more beautiful than he'd imagined and the grip he had on the wine bottle he'd brought, tightened. Her fluffy, red sweater hung off one shoulder, revealing a mesmerizing swath of her smooth, glowing skin. His eyes traced down to her black leggings that hugged the curves of her hips like he wished he could, and he had to remind himself to not let his gaze linger on her body for too long. He didn't want to come off as a creeper.

She greeted him with that gorgeous smile he'd gotten so used to and waved him inside.

"Get in here! It's freezing!" She demanded; and he chuckled and stepped past her into the house that was small, cozy, and smelled of roasted meat and mouthwatering spices. The fireplace was giving off just the right amount of heat, and her tall Christmas tree was all lit up in the corner by the window. A jazzy version of Sleigh Ride was pouring out of her speakers and all of it suited her perfectly.

"Nice place," he complimented, and she looked around and shrugged.

"Thanks. It's small but it's all I need really. The rent is cheap, so that's a plus."

She moved into the kitchen and shoved a pan into the oven.

"You can hang your coat on the rack. Dinner is almost ready. Want some wine?"

"You told me to bring wine," he said, holding up the bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon he'd picked up after googling what wine paired well with pot roast.

She giggled, and poured some wine into an empty glass before handing it to him.

"Well...you can never have too much wine."

He took the glass and brought it to his lips.

"Thanks. Do you need help with anything?"

"Yeah, do you mind putting the roast on the table?"

"Not at all."

He joined her in the small kitchen where the roast was waiting and it looked even better than it smelled. It had been a long time since he'd had a home cooked meal like that and his stomach growled in anticipation. His mother had passed away a long time ago, taking her home cooking to the grave with her. Lori hadn't been the best cook, and while he was capable of ensuring that he and the kids didn't starve, he was definitely not capable of putting on the spread before him.

She pointed at the serving dish filled with roast beef, potatoes, and carrots, and he carried it over to the dinette which was already set for two.

"I'm just waiting for the rolls to brown and then we can eat," she said.

"That's good because I didn't know how hungry I was until I smelled all this."

She joined him at the table with a bowl of green beans and a big smile on her face.

"It's been a long time since I've cooked for anyone but myself so don't get your hopes up too high."

A few minutes later, both of them were sitting at the table with their plates piled high with food, and as they ate, Rick could barley stop himself from groaning in bliss at how good everything was. The meat was flavorful and so tender that it practically melted in his mouth, the vegetables were perfectly done, and the rolls were buttery and soft. He didn't even feel bad when he greedily accepted her offer of seconds. It was the best meal he'd had in ages, and he made a point of telling her exactly that between bites.

When they weren't eating, they talked about anything and everything from her previous life as a corporate attorney in Atlanta to her decision to follow her dreams and move back home to open a bakery. He told her about deciding to run for sheriff and being surprised that he'd actually won that first time, and being just as surprised every time they re-elected him.

It was easy talking to Michonne. One of the many reasons his marriage had failed had been his inability to talk to Lori, but with Michonne, it was like he wanted to tell her everything about everything. Even he thought it was a little strange that he felt like he could open up to this woman he hadn't known that long, but it didn't stop him from doing exactly that.

After dinner, they kept talking and laughing as he helped her clean up. He'd never been happier to wash dishes in his life as he stood next her at the sink; so close that their shoulders brushed together whenever they moved.

The crush he had on Michonne Hawthorne was becoming so much more with every passing minute, but he still wasn't sure if the feeling was mutual. He needed to know before he gave in to his desires and made a total ass out of himself if she only saw him as a friend.

Once everything was clean, they sat on her couch and she started the movie. It was one of his favorites too, and it was fun watching with her because she would say the best lines under her breath right along with it. She'd laugh so hard that tears would stream down her cheeks and that's when he lost interest in what was on the screen and focused on her because that laugh sent joy racing through his entire body.

When the movie ended, she disappeared into the kitchen to make her famous boozy hot chocolate and he immediately missed her presence and warmth. She was back minutes later with two streaming mugs topped with whipped cream.

"So what movie did you bring?"

He got up and went over to the bag he'd brought with him.

"Only the best Christmas movie of all time," he said, holding up the dvd case.

She gasped and narrowed her eyes.

"Die Hard? Really? That's not even a Christmas movie."

He walked over to her tv and replaced her movie with his.

"It takes place at Christmas therefore it's a Christmas movie," he explained.

She scoffed, "I feel like that's a loophole."

He rejoined her on the couch and took his hot chocolate from her. Even though he loved Die Hard, the frown on her face weakened his resolve to watch it.

"If you don't want to watch it, we don't have to," he began.

She cut him off.

"No, we can watch it," she sighed; tucking her legs under her on the couch. "You're lucky I like this movie too."

Two hours later, the movie was over and they were on their second cup of hot chocolate. He felt a little woozy; like he was drunk but that was impossible after a glass of wine and boozy hot chocolate.

He glanced over at Michonne and noticed that her eyes were a little glassy.

"What the hell did you put in these hot chocolates?" He asked.

"Fireball," she slurred. "I might've been a little heavy handed with it though."

He got to his feet and walked over to the window. It looked like a winter wonderland outside. King County didn't know how to deal with an inch of snow and it looked like there were at least five inches on the ground already. They were going to be shut down for weeks.

"The snow...it's coming down harder."

"Isn't it supposed to be tapering off?" She asked.

"It's definitely not tapering. I should go before it gets worse."

"You can't. You're drunk," she protested.

He chuckled, "Oh yeah. Your 90 proof hot chocolate did me in."

"I can't help it if you're a lightweight," she teased; a mischievous grin dancing on her full lips.

He flopped back down on the couch next to her.

"Please. You're just as toasted as I am."

She shrugged and giggled, "Yeah, I am. Thank you for accepting my invitation and saving me from being drunk and alone on Christmas Eve."

He stared over at her; her eyes had fluttered shut and that smile was still on her lips. There was no scenario he could imagine that would explain why a woman as beautiful and amazing as she was would ever be alone.

"I was surprised when you invited me over tonight," he said; voicing his confusion over why he was there instead of someone else.

Her brows furrowed and her eyes opened; those deep brown pools fixed on him in curiosity.

"Why?"

He grabbed on to the liquid courage coursing through his veins. He'd opened that door, so he might as well step on through.

"I just figured you would have someone here to cozy up with."

She snorted, "Like who?"

"You were going out with that guy not too long ago. Zane? Zack?"

"Zeke. That was months ago and it was only a handful of dates."

"Didn't seem that way to me. Every time I stopped by the bakery, he was there, saying shit like, I couldn't go all day without setting eyes on my fair lady."

He frowned at the memory of Zeke kissing her hand and fawning all over her. Honestly, he'd been a nice guy and that was why he hated him. Zeke had actually had the potential to steal Michonne away from him before he'd even had a chance to make his move.

She giggled and shoved his arm playfully.

"He's a classically trained actor!"

"He's something all right…anyway, you've got a line of guys trying to flirt with you across the case."

She gasped; disbelief written all over her face.

"I do not!"

"You do too! You're just too focused on selling cupcakes to notice them staring at your…cupcakes."

She shoved him again, clicking her tongue as if to dismiss everything he'd said.

"That hot chocolate is making you delusional."

He shook his head.

"No. I'm the only one seeing things clearly."

She frowned, and it created the cutest little dimple between her eyebrows.

"What about you, huh? King County's most eligible bachelor should've definitely had someone to cuddle up with on Christmas Eve. What happened to Jessie?"

He had to smile at the derision in her voice at the mention of the woman he'd dated for a month or so. Maybe it meant that she'd been just as bothered by him going out with Jessie, as he'd been about her and Zeke. Could she be jealous? If so, she had nothing to be jealous about.

She cleared her throat, still waiting for an answer but honestly, he didn't have one he was ready to share, so he dodged the question.

"You got anymore hot chocolate in there?"

He tried to stand up, but she tugged him back down to the couch, laughing.

"Don't run away! What happened there? You were going all out for her."

He groaned, remembering what an ass he'd made out of himself over a woman he didn't even have strong feelings for. Expensive dates, her favorite cookie from the bakery waiting for her every day at the real estate office she worked at, spending every spare minute he didn't spend with his children with her. All of that to realize that she wasn't right for him and she'd never been, because he was hung up on the sexy baker that made it hard to think straight when he was in her presence.

"Thank God I came to my senses," he mumbled, and that made her look of confusion go even deeper.

"What do you mean?"

He sighed. He wasn't going to get out of telling the story so he resigned himself to telling it.

"We had fun at first...then I realized why I'd been attracted to her," he shrugged. "...she reminded me of my ex back when things were good. Even though she was pretty and sweet, it wasn't her I wanted. It was that old life. Crazy huh?"

"No. I get it."

He took a deep breath and continued, "Besides…there's someone else I think I might have feelings for."

Her gorgeous eyes widened and her eyebrows shot up.

"Oh?" She asked, her voice coming out higher than he'd ever heard it. Then, she downed what was left of her hot chocolate in one gulp. "Who's the lucky lady?"

He chuckled at how oblivious she was to what he was getting at.

He shifted so he was sitting even closer to her.

"What would you say if I told you that the cookies aren't what makes me stop by the bakery every day and the real reason is that I've been crushing on the baker for the last year?"

Her eyes searched his and he saw the exact moment when realization dawned in them. He saw a flicker of joy before she quickly shuttered it and laughed nervously.

"I'd say that this must be all that hot chocolate talking..."

"It's not and I can prove it."

"How?"

He felt her stare as he went over to his coat on the coat rack, pulled out the object he'd tucked into his pocket just in case, and held it behind his back as he rejoined her on the sofa.

"Close your eyes," he commanded.

She twisted her lips and appraised him skeptically before sighing and doing as he'd asked.

"If it's a gift, I hope you remembered that I really like chocolate."

He smiled, pulling the object from behind his back and holding it up.

"It's not a gift, but I'll keep that in mind," he promised. Her dark lashes fluttered against her cheeks and her full lips were tilted up into a smirk. This was it. In about a minute, he'd know how she felt about him either way. He glanced over at the clock and was surprised to see that it was 12:01. It was officially Christmas and he was about to find out if his Christmas wish was going to come true.

"Ok…you can open them."

He held his breath as her eyes blinked open. That confused look was back until her gaze traced his arm up to the object he was holding over their heads.

"Mistletoe…" she murmured.

He nodded and explained, "I've wanted to kiss you for months, Michonne, and I was desperate enough to resort to holiday gimmicks to finally do it."

She didn't react immediately, and he could see the wheels turning behind her eyes. Every moment she didn't respond make him go a little more crazy on the inside. Maybe he'd read everything all wrong. Maybe he wasn't her type. Maybe she didn't want him like he wanted her…

He was in the middle of his downward spiral of insecurity when her gaze flicked down to his lips before meeting his again. Then, she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and that action sent flames coursing through his bloodstream. He slid a little closer; close enough that their breaths intermingled and he caught a whiff of the delicate rose scented perfume she liked to wear. A lone loc had escaped from the messy bun on top of her head and he reached over to tuck it behind her ear; allowing his fingers to trace along the soft skin of her cheek as he pulled his hand away.

She was staring at his lips again and he took that as the last sign he needed. Leaning in closer, he tentatively pressed his lips against hers and almost instantly, she sighed and parted her lips, granting him full access to her hot little mouth. If he thought he was a little tipsy before, he was completely intoxicated now. She tasted like chocolate and cinnamon and that flavor went straight to his head. His hands itched to touch her; so he dropped the mistletoe to cup her beautiful face as he deepened the kiss and drowned himself in her.

She moaned as his tongue swept through her mouth and tangled with hers, and the sound turned him on even more. Without realizing it, he guided her backwards against the couch cushions and wedged himself between her legs. Her fingers slid under his shirt and held him close as he kept kissing her. When his hips started thrusting against hers in time with his tongue, he quickly became aware of what that kiss was turning into. Unable to think, he broke the kiss to look at her. He pupils were dilated and a soft smile danced on her lips. There was so much he wanted to say, to ask, but he couldn't find the words.

Then, her hands moved up to run through his hair and down his neck before finally cupping his face. Her smile grew impossibly wider then, and he knew she was feeling everything he was feeling. Whatever was happening, and whatever would happen between them was what was supposed to happen. This was what he'd been looking for ever since his marriage ended; Michonne was what he'd always been looking for.

He stared down at her in awe before kissing her again. This time, he pressed his body fully against hers; his hardness against her softness, and surrendered to the emotions that fueled him. He wanted her and she wanted him too. They could figure out the rest later. If he had his way, they'd have plenty of time together to do just that.

The bed was empty when she woke up in the morning and her heart clenched thinking he'd left without waking her. She'd never been a girl who gave it up on the first date…hell, she'd barely given it up during the first month. The night before with Rick had been completely different. When he'd kissed her, it felt like he should've been the one always kissing her. It had felt natural; like something inside of both of them had finally clicked together. So taking him to her bed had been the natural next step.

She stretched and the soreness in muscles that hadn't been used for a while reminded her of all the ways they'd explored each other during the night. He'd been insatiable; and if she was being completely honest, so had she. She couldn't get enough of him and that was another reason she was so disappointed that she'd woken up alone.

She climbed out of bed, and after stopping in her ensuite bathroom, she slipped into her silky blue robe and padded out of the bedroom. In the hallway, her senses were quickly overwhelmed. Eartha Kitt was singing Santa Baby through her speakers, the air was filled with the scent of cinnamon and nutmeg, and sunlight was streaming in through the windows. It had stopped snowing, but it was a winter wonderland outside. More snow was on the ground than Georgia had ever seen, and even though the temperature was supposed to get up high enough for it to melt away pretty quickly, it was definitely going to cause problems for King County. Did the county even have a snow plow, she wondered. She also wondered if Rick would be called into work because of the snow. God, she hoped not. She wasn't nearly ready to let him go yet.

Thinking about him made her return to her search for him, and she paused when she found him shirtless and hunched over the stove. God, he was sexy in the morning with his dark stubble and tousled curls. She flushed at the memory of how that stubble felt against her thighs and the way those silky strands felt between her fingers…

She shook her head. She needed to get herself together because there would be plenty of time for more of that later. Right then, she needed to focus on what he was cooking…or trying to cook in her kitchen. On the island behind him was what was left of a loaf of bread, milk, eggs, a few spice jars lined up in a row, and a bottle of maple syrup.

He was doing what snow storm prep demanded and making French toast. She bit her lip to hold in the laugh that would alert him to her presence and she wanted to watch him just a little longer.

"Shit!" He whispered; bringing his thumb up to his mouth to soothe what was obviously a burn.

"Are you ok over there?"

His head swiveled around and he gave her a sheepish grin that was just about the most adorable thing she'd ever seen.

"Yeah…I'm not the greatest cook."

"It means a lot that you're trying." She joined him at the stove and added, "Here. Let me."

He declined, focusing on the griddle.

"It's ok. I'm almost done."

She nodded, and leaned back against the counter next to him.

"You're up early," she commented.

"Yeah, I promised Carl and Judith I'd call them first thing. Then, I realized I was starving so I decided to make breakfast."

"It smells really good."

"I hope it tastes good."

He flipped the last two slices of toast from the griddle and onto the plate with the others. Only a few were slightly burnt, but the rest looked delicious. He tuned the range off and pulled her into his arms. His blue eyes were sparkling and happy as they traced her face.

"Good Morning," he whispered, before planting a quick kiss on her waiting lips.

She threaded her arms around his neck and grinned up at him.

"Good morning. Did you sleep ok?"

He smirked and pulled her in even closer.

"What sleep I got was good. You wore me out." Her cheeks went warm and she buried her face in his shoulder. "I mean, I have kids so I'm used to being exhausted on Christmas morning but this is a much better reason than wrapping presents."

She laughed and kissed along his jawline.

"Glad I could give you a good reason."

His hands found their way to her backside and gave it a squeeze. She'd discovered that he was an ass man the night before and now that he was free to touch her's when he wanted to, he was going to take advantage.

He said, "That does remind me though…I'm sorry I don't have an actual Christmas gift for you…"

Her mind flashed back to the sprig of mistletoe that had sparked their kiss the night before. It had been a gift even if he didn't think so, and she hoped they hadn't crushed it in their exuberance. She would figure out a way to preserve it as a reminder of how they began, and if she couldn't, she'd buy a new sprig every year.

"Don't be. You're my gift, Rick; one I've been waiting a long time for."

"You're my gift too, but when the kids get home, we're having Christmas part two and there'll be something for you under the tree."

"Are you asking me to spend Christmas part two with you?"

"Yes…but I'm also asking for New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, and any other day you can spare."

She smiled and agreed, "That works for me".

"Good…Merry Christmas, baby."

"Merry Christmas."

He kissed the tip of her nose and squeezed her tight.

"Now, let's eat so we can have enough energy to spend as much of Christmas part one in bed as we can."

She nodded and gasped when he swatted her backside as she turned to go to the table. He chuckled as he set about plating their breakfast, and she had to just sit and take everything in. It was hard to believe that 24 hours earlier she'd been feeling sad about spending Christmas alone. Then, Rick had come along and changed all of that. She'd never know what had inspired him to come clean about his feelings for her, but she'd always believe it was the magic of Christmas that had given him the push. Now, all of the things she thought she'd never have, were possible again and it felt like it was meant to be this time. This time, everything was going to work out just the way it was always supposed to.

Rick set her plate in front of her before taking his seat across from her. He was so handsome that it was distracting, and she was so happy to be there with him in that moment. The Christmas spirit had snuck up on her when she'd least expected it and she couldn't be more grateful.

For once, she had to agree with her mother.

God Bless Sheriff Grimes.

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate and Happy Holidays to everyone!