We only kiss when we fuckin'

So, we don't get too attached

'Cause if this turns into something, you know there's no looking back ...

Syd

Bad Dream/No Looking Back

"Hello?"

"Hi, this is Rick."

"Hi, Rick."

"How are you?"

"I am well. You?"

"Good. I'm good."

"Good."

"I want to see you."

"See me?"

"I can have my driver pick you up."

"Doesn't sound like you really want to see me."

"How do you figure?"

"Because you wouldn't send your driver for me if you really wanted to see me."

"Are you available in the next hour?"

"Available in the next hour?" Michonne was surprised by the short notice.

"Yeah. It's how long it will take me to be outside your office building."

Michonne checked the time on her desktop, her laptop, omega watch and the wall clock above her receptionist's head. They were in sync. The last time they were together was two weeks ago during Paris fashion week. Hearing his voice stirred tiny monarchs in the pit of her stomach. Usually, she wasn't easily accessible or willing to be at someone's beck and call. A catlike quality, something Shane or anyone with intimate knowledge could attest too.

Something about this very wealthy man excited her, caused her to forego strong beliefs in purposely going against the stereotypical gender roles. His lean masculinity was sexy. Those very hands that handled two Mast on his schooner were the very hands that knew how to work her body into a frenzy. His scent from the sun, sea, and sweat was off the charts, primal. She could still almost taste the saltiness rising from her desk, grabbing her purse and keys to wait in the lobby on the first floor for him to arrive.

Spotting a black Bentley slowing down, Michonne stepped out on to the sidewalk closing the distance to the passenger side, where the door unlocking mechanism couldn't be heard only assumed once the window began to cascade downward, showing Rick in the driver seat. He put the car in park to get out to open the passenger door for her.

Michonne couldn't help the smile on her face when greeted by his.

"Are you going to get in?" He waited.

"Why would I? You only wanted to see me."

"I want more than to see you, Michonne." His voice was heavy with lust.

"More?"

"I want to see you in my bed."

Michonne felt the instant effect of feeling hypnotized by Rick's blue eyes. Her hand firmly gripped the base of his throat. Rick didn't flinch when she kissed him. She was surprised by his receptiveness to remain lip-locked with her out in public, which increased the intensity of their fiery exchange. Michonne slid into the passenger seat where she waited to be whisked off to his nearby home a few miles outside of Atlanta.

"Hey, what's up? This no longer does it for you?"

Michonne continued to move her hips to imaginary music while her inattentive audience of one continued to type on his laptop.

"You or the wig?" Rick asked.

"Me in the wig?"

"If I wanted a blonde I would go for a natural."

"Well, you are in luck. I am a natural blonde."

Only then did Michonne have his full attention, though brief. She was no longer competing with the keyboard of his laptop sitting on his lap. He was utterly confused by her wordplay and Michonne wasn't going to explain.

"What do you want, Michonne?"

"What do you mean, what do I want? You are the one who invited me over tonight."

"I'm not sure how to respond to you," Rick admitted.

"You can start by gathering your thoughts on what you want to tackle first. OR you can live with the fact that some things are just above you."

"I wanted to see if you would still come if I called."

This took Michonne by surprise. She quickly faltered in her sexy dance routine when Rick followed up with his question.

"Did you sleep with him?"

"Did I sleep with who?"

"You went out the other night. I am talking about him."

"He would be Mike. I did not sleep with him. Why would you even think or suspect I had?" Michonne was curious.

"Did you kiss him?"

"This is getting weird."

"How?"

"Because I didn't sleep with him. For me to sleep with him, I have to be fucking him, and you know I don't fuck unless I am kissing."

Michonne paused. She waited for a response. Rick instead glanced back towards his laptop. He went back to typing.

Her answer to his question was playing at the forefront of his thoughts. They had shared a brief kiss here and there. He received a peck on the cheek when he gave the right response or a beautiful gift a few times. He had even accepted a few morning pecks on the lips every time she had approved of his cooking skills.

"Why am I here?" Michonne finally asked. She was feeling exasperated, and a bit annoyed.

"I don't know. You tell me?" Rick challenged. His swift response peeled back another unexpected layer that Michonne wasn't immediately conscious of when it came to her feelings towards him as he sat with his legs stretched out atop a kingsize bed with his back against his Mahagony headboard. There was a long moment of silence between them. He waited for an answer to only watch her reaction. It wasn't what he anticipated.

"Fuck this," Michonne said more to herself but overheard by him.

Rick felt an acute sensation of dread that translated to how he was fucking up if he didn't act, respond, or say something as he watched Michonne get dressed after removing her blonde wig.

She grabbed her purse and quickly headed to the front door.

Rick allowed his laptop to topple over onto the middle of his bed to go after her, to stop her from leaving his penthouse by ensuring the door wouldn't open when she pulled.

"I didn't ask you to leave, Michonne." Rick said. He placed enough strength to keep the door from opening.

"Let me out of here, Rick." Michonne insisted. She continued to struggle with opening the door while Rick used what seemed minimal effort in keeping it closed.

"Why, Michonne?"

"I need to go."

The last thing Michonne wanted was for any man to see her cry or fly off in a fit of rage. She was going to lose her composure if the climate inside of the penthouse didn't change.

"I have a problem, Michonne," Rick admitted.

"I will too if you don't get out of my way."

"I don't want you out with anyone else," Rick admitted suddenly without warning or any thought if he should allow himself to reveal how quickly he had become attached to her. She was one of the most highly regarded women he had ever come across, and he wanted her all to himself. She was single. Never married and carried no unnecessary baggage. She acquired her wealth from hard work. No children. And no sexual hangups.

"What?"

Michonne was surprised by him being upfront with her. It was enough for her hand to fall away from the door.

"I can't handle it."

"Why?"

"I could barely contain how crazy it made me, to know you were out with someone else. I couldn't sleep. I haven't slept."

"Why would I not go out or see other people if you are? I wasn't bothered when you were texting back and forth with Tara."

"Tara?"

"Ohh, I can't wait to see you."

Michonne exaggerated the text she read from his phone while he was in the shower days before her date. Michonne didn't care if he knew she was tampering with his phone by admitting what she thought she knew.

"Tara is my sister," Rick revealed. He couldn't help the surprised look that was plastered all over his face.

"Sister?"

"We seemed to avoid any talk about our private lives. I am hoping it ends today because I have questions."

"I have questions."

"I have more than I care to admit." The tint to his cheeks suggested that Rick was slightly embarrassed by the little things that were piling up that he wanted to know, like her favorite food, how many pull-ups can she do without assistance? Things that weren't necessarily pubic knowledge, intimate.

"How many sisters do you have?" Michonne asked.

"One."

"Brothers?"

"None."

"Eugene?"

"My cousin. How about you, any siblings?"

"No. I am an only child."

'I believe it."

"What do you mean by that?"

"You are used to getting your way. You are a classic case of an only child."

"Not true."

"How so?"

"I've always wanted a sister, and my parents never gave me one." Michonne pouted.

"Well, I have a sister who wants to meet you."

"You told her about me?"

"Yep."

"Why?"

Rick shrugged before offering the details. "My Lil sis wanted to know if I was seeing anyone. Someone that I consider special."

When asked by his sister Tara, Rick had instantly recalled Michonne's face before she would lean down to kiss him, a random picture of Michonne fast asleep in his bed crossed his mind along with the look on her face when she entered his kitchen to find him cooking for her. Those thoughts piled on top of one another so quickly Rick wasn't aware at the time he was smiling until his sister informed him he had the look of a man who finally found the ONE. The one was someone who accused him of needing glasses because he couldn't see the small smudge while painting her toenails.

"We've been consistently seeing each other." Rick pointed out to Michonne.

"You have called frequently," Michonne added. She enjoyed the fact he wanted her. Only real-time a part was when their schedules conflicted with the other, and he was more than willing to meet her halfway by spending a few consecutive nights at her place. If it weren't for his very subtle ways of courting her, she would have played her position differently and maybe missed out on any opportunity to take things further.

"I wasn't sure in the beginning, especially with our miscommunication from Shane. Before meeting you, I didn't know who or what I wanted. It would be a lie to say I wasn't jealous knowing you were with someone else the other night."

"I've turned down a few here and there since being preoccupied with you."

Rick continued, slightly amused and relieved they were potentially on the same page. He took her hand to lead her over to the sofa where they sat side by side.

"I want continue to keep you very, very preoccupied."

"I am very expensive outside of my office." Michonne forewarned.

"You are in luck. I think I can afford your every whim."

"I will put it to the test at the next fashion week in France."

"I was surprised to run into you there."

"It was your lucky day."

"Didn't know we ran in the same circles."

"I didn't either."

"I would have purchased everything you wanted that week."

"I had already paid for everything I wanted that week."

"You made sure I was fully aware of that." It was an absolute turn on for Rick.

"I had a good time on your boat. Now there is something I don't own. I don't own a boat."

"A schooner and a Yacht." Rick corrected.

"I don't own either of those."

"Now that you have been on my Schooner and yacht?"

Rick had been curious about her opinion between the week spent on his schooner, followed by another week on his luxury yacht.

"It made me fully aware that doubling up on my dosage; I can do damn near anything."

"Really?"

Rick was surprised she was medicated during that time even though his cousin Eugene told him her pupils resembled those of dehydrated zombies.

"I have a fear of lakes, rivers, oceans, and vast seas. Large swimming pools too. I am ok with jacuzzis, bathtubs, and ankle-deep water in general."

"Huh."

Normally this would have been one of Rick's deal-breakers, he loved the water and the outdoors and any woman he chose to spend his time with had to appreciate what the world had to offer when not on land or under shelter. Her attempt was notable. She was willing.

"I had a really good time. I can see myself going back out if you want me too. I need a job on the Schooner. I can help you with the mast."

"Do you know how to swim?"

"Yes."

"Huh."

"Huh. What does huh mean in your world?"

"What about camping or hiking?"

"Is that something you want to do?"

"I've done. Curious if it's something you are interested in?"

"I've never been asked to consider it. Are you asking?"

"I am."

"Then I am interested."

"Huh."

"Such a primitive response."

"Where do you see us in the future?"

"Why am I driving? Here's the steering wheel, Rick. Okay. Where do you see us in the next year?"

"Living together."

"It takes a year?" Michonne was startled by the lengthy timeframe.

"You can move in tomorrow."

"How about you move in with me?"

"I can do that too," Rick smirked.

"After about a year then what?"

"I can see myself settling down."

"If we have moved in with each other, wouldn't that be equivalent to settling down? What more settling do you need?"

"You are causing me to drive aggressively, Michonne."

"Aggressiveness is a quality I prefer."

"If you and I make it a year if I don't drive you away or vice versa, Marriage is on the table."

"Marriage?"

"I think that is where everything leads. If not, we may be wasting each other's time."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"What about kids?"

"What about them?"

"Do you want any?"

"How soon are we talking?"

"Not my question."

"Kids?"

"Yes. Kids? Children? Mini you and me."

"Kids?"

"What if I were pregnant?"

"Are you?"

"No."

"Oh."

"If I were?"

"I'm aware I haven't been cautious with preventing pregnancy on my part, Michonne. I haven't been reckless with anyone else as I have permitted myself to be with you."

"Why is that Rick?"

"Somehow, I feel like you are endgame. The more I am with you. When we are together, the sex is always fantastic. I can finally sleep. I'm at peace when I am with you. I'm afraid to ask for much more when I feel like you are everything."

"Just imagine when we start sharing, I love you's. I miss yous."

"Is there something you want to tell me?"

"Naw, I'm good."

Michonne knew what he was referencing, and it was during the most thoroughly gratifying session of receiving cunnilingus at the foot of his bed did she cry out her love, devotion, and allegiance.

For Rick, this was the affirmation he was seeking. It felt good to find his footing. "Just so we are clear, we are making it official that you and I are dating, seeing each other, exclusive. Any man or woman who isn't paying for your legal time should know about me, us, and this."

Michonne was officially blown away when he kissed her, unprompted. He continued with his face just inches from hers, "This is more than sexual. I want to know what it takes to be that guy who can keep you swept up off your feet and happy. I want you to tell me what you expect, what you want, and what you need."

His intensity was an amazing aphrodisiac.

"I expect you to be loyal. I want you to be faithful. I need you to understand that."

"How did it happen?" Shane questioned from the other side of the bar. He had been expecting Rick to make a visit to talk through a major issue that came up and threatened their friendship. Shane waited for a response. He was in no hurry to prep the bar inside of the Underground Circus with his visitor present and ready for interrogation.

"What do you mean?

"How did it happen? How did you end up with my girl?"

"Your girl?" Rick was entirely at a loss. He was positive his friend Shane was referencing the very woman he was about to marry. The very woman who made other women pale in comparison. Michonne was his girl?

"I thought you needed legal advice. I sent Blondie your way that night. Opening night of my club. You see, I thought you needed the best damn attorney in all of Kingdom Come! Had her thinking I told you she was offering some other type of service. Bullshit! Now for Fuck sake, how did it happen?"

"You and Michonne were a thing?"

"She was supposed to be my wife. Not yours. I just wasn't ready to settle down with a woman who was playing celibate before marriage."

"Celibate?"

The news had caught Rick by surprise. It was something Michonne had failed to tell him, and now it was too late because he was handed a Bro-code violation after already being dick deep and madly in love.

Shane continued, "I was going to wear her down. Stand my ground. Make her drop them panties. Expensive panties. I should have known when she called me telling me you stole them. Fuck! You got in those drawls then!?" Shane threw his lent free cloth across the bar. He was trying to control a full-on tantrum. It took a minute of quick breathing techniques and open and closing of his hands. "Then you come here asking me to be your best man? Get the fuck out of here. I mean, I'm going to attend, but I'm not going to be the best man. I'm going to need two seats near the back corner for me and Jack Daniels."

Rick sat back completely relaxed on the pool lounger, watching his children enjoy themselves. Each child were advanced swimmers and had no qualms about the depth of the water. If it were up to his wife Michonne, their pool would have been no more than ankle-deep from in to end. And even then, he would be expected to play the role of overzealous lifeguard until she came back outside to monitor their safety.

He could hear Michonne shuffling now that their fourth child was due any day. She was a sight for sore eyes.

"Kids, less splashing. Your mother will be here any minute."

"I am here."

"Not yet."

Rick didn't turn to check to see how much farther she would need to go before she was within his sight. He was gauging it strictly by ear.

"If I can hear you that means, I am here, Rick."

"No, it means you can hear very well, from great distances."

"Watch it, buddy, before I pass my incredible abilities to yet another offspring."

Rick thought better of saying anything more. Even though he was tempted.

Michonne knew he was smart to keep it to himself even though she was curious to what kept his eyes lit up with merriment-was it the sight of her pregnant belly in a never been wet one-piece or the retort he was wise to swallow.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"What?"

"I love you." Rick resorted to the safest of all responses.

Michonne accepted his reply as he helped guide her down on to the lounger along-side him.

"Mommie! When you are done having a baby, are you going to show us how you were in the ocean when Daddy saved your life?" Abigail asked while wading in the deep end.

"Uncle Shane says he wants to know how Dad was able to get you on his Yacht in the first place. He said a true mermaid would never leave the water. I told him Dad has one of the strongest hooks." Carlton added.

"Uncle Shane says that hook was for fish. Regular fish. Some edible. Some you toss back in the water." Judith said to Carlton.

"Uncle Shane wants to see the hook you used to snag a real Mermaid," Carlton informed his father.

"That fucker," Rick spoke under his breath. Audible to Michonne, who was next to him.

"Uncle Shane says he wants to take that hook and sell it for millions and millions of dollars," Judith said before swimming closer to the pool's edge where her parents were sitting on a large lounger.

"Dad says he can prove everything, but you have to have our brother first." Carlton quickly briefed his mother.

"Uncle Shane said Mommy is everything he would want in a Mermaid. Uncle Shane says he is going to wait until Mommie dries all the way up. It's the only way to know if Mommy is really human. Can't trust Mermaids who still have water coming from very unusual places. And don't worry Mommy, Daddy said he didn't want red hair or white skin, or green eyes. He wanted you just the way you were in the water." Michonne and Rick were at a loss on how to combat the virus that Shane was masterfully setting forth to destroy perception and fantasy.

Michonne head was spinning. She didn't know which way to go or what to think. What she did know was that Rick wasn't happy with all the Uncle Shane this and that.

There was a situation brewing, bubbling, the more Rick allowed his children to interact with his childhood friend, the more his kids sounded like parrots with no context the more it annoyed him. He was being goaded.

Rick was very secure in his relationship with his wife. She kept him preoccupied with a never-ending, Honey Do list throughout their marriage and he appreciated Michonne for taking his needs into consideration by squeezing in very incredible blow jobs, in between the oil changes for her car, and violin recitals for their twins. Now that Michonne was towards the end of her pregnancy cuddle time was more than sufficient.

"Your Dad is right about me being a mermaid. It is the main reason I am unable to get back in the water. To be honest, I don't want to be a mermaid anymore. I want to be a wife to my husband, a mother to my children, and to live on land. You guys are everything to me. I have forever and ever given up my mermaid life."

"What the hell?" Rick tone indicated to his wife, Michonne; he was very unhappy with her response.

"What?"

"I just told them you weren't a damn mermaid Michonne and to prove it you were going to wait until our baby is born to get in the pool to prove you are human."

"Why would I have to wait for the baby to be born to prove I am human?"

"Good question." Rick waited for Michonne to fill in the blanks.

"Too bad we didn't talk about this ahead of time."

"Where are you going?" Rick watched his wife struggle to get up from the lounger and shuffle over to the pool's edge.

It was warm. It was sudden. It was without warning. [Splush]

Michonne exclaimed, "Rick!"

"For the love of God! Did your water just break, Michonne!?" Rick had noticed the large gush. He leaped from the lounger.

"Mom's a mermaid?" Carlton questioned, mouth agape.

"Mommie is a real Mermaid!" exclaimed both Abigail and Judith at the same time.

A/N: I have a new computer. I have lost so much work trying to learn how to use it and in the process found I deleted big chunks here and there. I think I have the hang of it.