Emma took a deep breath, white knuckling the steering wheel, before turning off the engine. She wasn't nervous, not really. There was just a small fluttering in her stomach; it was the quiet, she told herself. After so much time spent being on the edge of ruin, her body was still dealing with the aftershocks. That's all it was. It had nothing to do with the narrow staircase across the street and the knock that would come at the top, of course it didn't. Her eyes slid to the highest window over the entrance at Granny's, the yellow glow warming the winter air, and allowed a small smile to tug at her lips. With a final huff she shoved the keys into her pocket and stepped out into the cold, flipping up the hood of her coat.
The light snowflakes spiralled up and around, some sticking to her blond curls like crystals, while most drifted to the already heavily covered ground. Elsa and Anna may have left Storybrooke the week before but this ice and snow didn't need any magic. Winter had arrived on its own, quickly and surely, blanketing the streets and buildings. The townsfolk seemed content to stay in and let the storm takes its toll outside, only the groaning branches and wind to be heard. Emma found it strangely comforting after all the action of the previous –
"Swan!"
Emma's heart stuttered in her chest, eyes snapping up to the voice across the street. She had been so caught up in appreciating the lack of sound that she had somehow missed the creaking staircase and the footsteps that followed. Killian approached, no jacket over his mostly unbuttoned dress shirt that was haphazardly tucked into his pants. He quickly strode over and met her in the middle of the deserted street. His hand and hook slid with ease through her opened coat, over her hips. When she tilted her head back to look up at him, his smile reached his lively blue eyes.
"You're here," he whispered and pressed his lips gently to her forehead.
The fluttering in her stomach grew.
"Of course, you promised me -" Emma stopped herself and searched his face. It would have been easy to fall back on a silly retort.
Earlier he had promised her wine and some respite from her hectic home but that wasn't all it was, definitely not. Her hands slid up his chest, feeling the warmth but more importantly the sure and strong beating of his heart. Her throat constricted and she swallowed against the lump.
They were finally getting it: their quiet moment.
The realization gave her a smile to rival the ones he shared only with her but still he waited patiently, knowing her words would come.
"You're here Killian, where else would I be?"
She loved the way his breath caught, his hand finding its way into her back pocket, pulling her tight against him. She kept one hand over his heart but allowed the fingers of her other to lightly trace up his collarbone before tangling in the hair at the nape of his neck.
As she pulled him down to her level, she noticed for the time that his eyes only closed at the last possible moment, drinking her in until she was too close to see.
And then his lips were finally on hers.
What started off as gentle quickly heated as his tongue traced her bottom lip and finally slid inside. As she tugged a little tighter on his hair, he let out a deep groan. His hips pressed forward when she ended the kiss with her teeth teasing his bottom lip. She buried her face just under his chin and felt the cool metal of his necklace.
"You must be freezing," she whispered against him, her lips tickling his neck. He shrugged, and she tilted her head back to look at him.
"Love, I am quite content to stay in this very place. If you'd like to continue to your current ministrations, I feel I'd warm up rather quickly," he said, his eyes playful, hinting at more. He slyly rearranged her hood with his hook, reminiscent of moments spent in the Enchanted Forest. It made her rise to her toes again to press a demanding kiss to his lips. Two can play at that game, she thought.
"Come on, pirate. Let's head in and see if I can warm you up in other ways." She found his hand and locked her fingers with his. She gave a small tug and he followed without hesitation.
"As you wish."
She felt the heat rise to her cheeks and her stomach somersault. She hoped the feeling would never go away.
