Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You
There was something about Emma Swan. Of course she was beautiful, but there was more than that beneath the surface simmering to boil over.
More than once he found himself unable to tear his gaze from her jade coloured eyes. Those eyes which belied her every thought making her so easy to read. That showed even though she had accepted her family she was still something of a lost girl. The past wasn't as easy to let go of as she let people believe.
Her strength as she fulfilled her unwanted role as Saviour was stunning. Even when she wasn't sure what to do next, she led with conviction. Her heart which he was relieved could not be taken from her as his had, was fragile but held so much compassion.
The whole package was memorising. He had tried not to be obvious at first and had hid his fascination in her behind his teasing. Now he had no need to hide. She had accepted that she had feelings for him so there was no longer a need to hide his adoration for her.
He knew or rather he had heard Regina's comments about he and Emma making eyes at each other. He wasn't offended. Emma was a bit touchy about it and of course denied it. Still, he knew Regina was only projecting her heartbreak at her own love life onto them so couldn't bring himself to feel any ill will towards her.
If it were up to him, he would yell from the rooftop how he felt about Emma. But then she would probably arrest him for disturbing the peace. Not that he minded her handcuffing him but not for that reason.
Even now, sitting in Granny's diner having breakfast together he couldn't take his eyes off of her. She knew he was staring at her. The blush highlighting her cheeks gave her away.
"What?" She finally looked up at him. "You're staring again."
"Sorry Love. I just can't help myself." And he couldn't. He was happy to admit it. "I'm still counting my lucky stars that you even gave a villain like me a second glance even though I am devilishly handsome."
"You're not a villain." Emma was counting her lucky stars for his patience. "You made some bad choices. But you have always put Henry and I first. Don't forget that."
Forever his moral booster, his Swan. "You and your lad mean the world to me." He didn't feel any less guilty for his past. But her words meant the world to him.
"We know that. Now eat your breakfast and stop staring." She knew what he had given up for her and that he had made so many changes to be a better person. He had done it for her. Nobody had ever done so much for her.
"I'll do my best, but it's hardly my fault that you're ravishing." He sipped his coffee. He chuckled as her blush deepened. She was the light in the darkness of his life. If he lived a thousand years, he would never tire of looking at her.
THE END
