Chapter One: 10 & 8

(10:50 AM)

Work had been going pretty slow today. I refreshed my work inbox at least twenty times in the past half an hour and no new work requests had been submitted to the online pages that I look after.

My name is Emma Swan, I've just turned twenty-two, recently ended a four year relationship with a girl named Lily who I had met from University. I've been working at a large international business as a student for three months and I am infatuated and completely head over heels with one of my coworkers; Regina Mills.

I decided to then check Lync to see who was online. Normally I will talk to some of the other students when I have free time to see how they are doing in the company, but recently I've been talking to Regina. And when I say recently I mean for two months, and we talk... A lot. And as of late this talk hasn't been friendly, it's been borderline scandalous. I see that she is online so I send her a quick message.

(10:52 AM): Hey, how's work been? I'm pretty bored.. thank god that it is almost lunch time.

(10:54 AM): Hi, bored? I haven't had a moment for myself all morning dear. I would consider yourself lucky. The requests have been very tedious, the stupidity of some of these people is ridiculous.

(10:54 AM): That's a bummer, I bet I can help you relieve some of that stress ;). I have a nice warm bed that is calling my name.

(11:01 AM): You should not be talking like that over this, someone could be reading these..

(11:05 AM): Regina, no one is reading these… What are you doing at lunch today ;).

I know what you thinking, why would I be sending these obviously flirty messages to a co worker, not to mention a married coworker that is twice my age? The thing that you didn't know is that for the past few weeks we've been sending innuendo messages to each other, and holy shit some of them have been leaving me completely hot and bothered. I know that she married and has a kid but I can't help myself. I adore the way that she smiles, I am able to read her emotions when things are not smooth for her at home, and I love hearing her being passionate with horses… she has this overpowering control over me. So I flirt, hard.

(20 minutes later)

Regina hadn't responded yet. I knew that she was busy and usually when I ask her what she was doing at lunch she'll say that she is running errands or has to do something for the family. This is usually the point where our conversation dies off and I am used to that. What I didn't expect was her reply.

(11:25 AM): 10 & 8?

My heart starts racing. 10 & 8? Was she being serious right now? I can feel a growing warmth in my lower abdomen and I start getting jittery. Regina is referring to my condo. 10th Avenue 8th Street.

(11:26 AM): Yes.

(11:29 AM): Meet you at the elevator.

(11:29 AM): Now.

I jump out of my chair as quick as I can, if anyone had walked by at that moment they would have thought that I had been electrocuted. I rush to lock down my computer and grab my coat. I am aware that it isn't exactly 12:00 yet and I am also aware that it will take us twenty minutes to walk to my place but I don't care. This is happening. Regina Fucking Mills is coming to my condo and this is not a "friendly visit"; I know what she wants.

I rush down the hallway and get to the elevator banks in time to see Regina walking composed in the same direction. She looks calm, cool, and collected and I feel like I just ran 5 miles because I missed the bus and was running late for school. She glances at me, her face is completely neutral but I can see the want in her eyes. Like I said earlier I've become very attuned to her emotions. She doesn't say a word to me when the elevator doors open. She casually walks in and I follow her like a lost puppy. I hit the ground level button and now I am becoming very nervous. No one else gets on the elevator as we made our way down the 38 floors in our tower.

Once outside I give her a quick look and we make eye contact. If looks could melt a person, I would have been a middle.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes".

Little did I know that I was going down a dark and twisted path. But I don't regret a thing.