She had never been so terrified in all her life as she had been when she told Emma how she truly felt about her, but once the words had slipped out, it felt like not only her heart, but the whole world and time itself had stopped. She hadn't meant to tell her, not then at least. She wanted one last night with Emma without anything emotionally burdening either of them, but it was far too late to take back what she'd said and all the words they'd exchanged earlier in the day.
She thought back to what Emma had said earlier, about how she wanted Regina to ask her to call the wedding off, but even though she'd told her that she was in love with her, she couldn't ask her to call the wedding off, not now, not two days before and definitely not when her own marriage was in the midst of falling apart.
"You aren't going to ask me to call the wedding off, are you?" Emma murmured quietly and Regina shook her head no. "Why not?"
"Because we have both been incredibly selfish enough as it is, Emma."
"But you just told me that you're in love with me, Regina!"
"I know what I told you," Regina said and she trembled. "It's too late."
"No, no it's not."
"It is, Emma. It's too late," she repeated and she tried to swallow the lump that seemed to grow bigger by the second in her throat. "I—I don't want to spend today talking about that or thinking of that," she said and Emma nodded her head slowly in understanding. "I just want to be with you, Emma."
"This is the last time, isn't it?"
Regina couldn't give her an answer, but a part of her told her that she should be saying "yes", that this should be the last day they have together as lovers before putting an end to the whole affair. Instead of answering her, she just pulled Emma in for a deep, passionate kiss that left her wanting so much more and for moments like that to last forever.
It was so easy to become lost within one another, it always had been, and it was what had scared Regina for so many years because it made her feel like they could have something real together, something so much more than the affair that they'd been having for more than a decade.
Piece by piece, their clothes came off, and not in the desperate way they normally tore at each other when they had a chance to shed their clothes completely. Emma led Regina down on to the bed, choosing to lay on her side next to her as they continued to kiss deeply. Everything about the moment they were sharing felt far different than it ever had before, but Regina was so desperately trying not to think about that and just lose herself over and over in her lover as she always did.
She let her hands roam over the smooth expanse of Emma's back and trailed her fingertips up her side, eliciting a breathy sigh past Emma's lips and a slight shiver to run through her body. She wanted to memorize every inch of her despite the fact that she already had many times over the years. She inhaled deeply when she parted from Emma's lips and trailed her fingers up to trace along her jaw and chin with a smile.
"I have always thought you are so beautiful," Regina whispered. "Yet, every time I look at you, you always take my breath away."
"Regina…"
"I don't want to think about anything else other than you and me right now. I want to make love with you until we can't find the strength to go on. I want to sleep right here in your arms all night long. I don't want to think about the rehearsal tomorrow or your wedding on Saturday or the fact that I won't see you for several weeks."
"Then don't think about, Regina."
"Help me stop."
"Tell me how."
"Kiss me," Regina murmured, brushing her lips against Emma's lightly. "Touch me. Make love to me."
She felt Emma grin into the light kiss they shared before Emma rolled them over and the move, while it shouldn't have caught her off guard, caused her to laugh in delight at the way Emma would just take control at the drop of a hat. Regina scratched her short and well-manicured nails down Emma's back and they both moaned as Emma deftly slipped a thigh between hers.
Regina loved the feel of Emma's weight on top of her, the warmth and softness of her skin, the way they fit together almost so perfectly it hurt to imagine a life without Emma in it at all, intimately or otherwise. Regina tried to reign in her emotions and gently eased her fingers through Emma's hair and guided her down for a deep and sensual kiss.
Emma parted from the kiss a moment later with a small gasp and she smiled down at Regina before trailing her lips down her neck, pausing to suck at her pulse point on her left side before moving to the right. Her teeth scraped over her skin lightly and as she always was, she was careful not to leave a mark.
It had been so very long since Emma had left a visible mark on her skin and Regina suddenly craved that. She wanted Emma to mark her and she didn't care if it was visible or not. She was already lost in a lust-induced haze and the feel of Emma's lips upon her skin. She gently threaded her fingers in her hair and held her firm against her neck, moaning when Emma sucked harder over her pulse point and dragged her tongue across her throbbing, tender skin. She eased her hold on Emma and smiled when Emma lifted her head to look at her.
"I don't want to mark you."
"I want you to."
"Regina—"
"If not there," Regina murmured. "Elsewhere."
"Where?"
Regina smirked and Emma chuckled quietly with a small shake of her head. She leaned back, bracing herself up on one elbow while trailing her fingers across Regina's left breast, her nails lightly scratching over her semi-erect nipple.
"Here?" Emma whispered as she traced a circle at the spot just mere inches from her nipple. "Maybe a little bit lower?"
"Lower."
Emma licked over her lips before ducking her head down to teasingly lick over her nipple. Regina grabbed the pillow and placed it under her head and watched Emma as she kissed along the curve of her breast, her right hand trailing down her abdomen, stopping when she reached her navel. She shifted until she laid between Regina's legs and kissed along the center of her abdomen, her tongue flicking out to tease the sensitive skin just below her navel.
"Here?" Emma asked, her voice low and husky and it sent a delicious shiver through Regina's body. Regina bit her bottom lip and shook her head no. Emma laughed again and nipped at her skin playfully.
Regina swept her hands through Emma's hair, pulling it back just as Emma began to trail feather-light kisses down her lower abdomen, stopping short where her closely cropped strip of pubic hair began. Everything about this intimate moment was different on every level. They weren't rushing because they weren't pressed for time and the dynamic had changed with the talk they'd had beforehand. Even Emma knew it was different and Regina only sensed that because of the way her lips lingered a few seconds longer with every kiss she placed along her body.
Neither spoke another word and they didn't need to as their bodies communicated in synch with one another effortlessly. Regina spread her legs the lower Emma's lips descended and she threw her head back against the pillow hard at the first swipe of Emma's tongue along her cunt.
Emma's name fell breathlessly along her lips and her hands moved to grasp at the sheets when Emma teased the tip of her tongue over her clit. She bit her bottom lip and watched Emma rise up to her knees and use the elastic band that was around her wrist to pull back her hair into a loose ponytail. They just shared a small, knowing smile before Emma settled back down between her legs, her lips and tongue no longer teasing as she used her fingers to spread Regina's nether lips and licked over her fully.
Regina's back arched the moment Emma's tongue plunged inside of her, twisting and curling until a steady stream of moans fell past her lips in conjunction with her name. She could feel her orgasm building quickly and she clenched the sheets in her fists tighter, not wanting to tumble over the edge so soon, so quickly. Still, Emma didn't let up, but each stroke of her tongue was both teasing and firm, her fingers stroking over her sensitive flesh whenever she pulled back to take a deep breath.
She gasped when Emma plunged two fingers deep inside of her and stilled them, her orgasm just on the edge of breaking free. She gripped at the sheets hard enough to rip them, but was careful not to as she lifted her head to look down at Emma, watching her as she kissed along the inside of her right thigh.
"How about here?" Emma whispered against her skin. "Do you want me to mark you here, Regina?"
"Yes."
Regina's right hand went to the knot of Emma's loose ponytail and held her against her inner thigh the moment her lips touched her skin. She cried out the moment Emma sank her teeth into her flesh, hard but not hard enough to break it and the pain caused a shockwave of pleasure to further push her closer to the very edge
She let go of the sheets with her other hand and placed it over Emma's, coaxing her to move the fingers she had buried still and deep inside of her. Emma chuckled and licked over the tender flesh she'd been biting and sucking on before she began to move her fingers, slowly out and hard in. Regina kept her hand over hers and the other clenching at the loose ponytail, only letting go of her hair when she felt Emma's lips wrap around her throbbing clit.
"Emma!" Regina cried out, both hands falling back to grip at the sheets as her back arched off the bed and her toes curled. "Fuck!"
Regina panted and moaned loudly, not bothering to hold herself back. Emma was relentless in her assault on her clit and her fingers pumped inside of her hard, fast, and deep, drawing out an intense orgasm she felt in every inch of her body all at once. Emma slowed down, her tongue laving over her swollen, throbbing bundle of nerves and her fingers slipped out ever so slowly.
Emma sucked her clit once more before moving to kiss along the mark she'd left on her inner thigh. It was just as tender as her clit and throbbed in time with her racing heart. She licked over her lips and looked down at Emma, watching her as she licked a line from her inner thigh, over her cunt and up her lower abdomen, stopping just below her navel before she pulled back and smiled up at her.
Every kiss that Emma placed along her skin brought those delectable lips closer to hers and she found herself growing impatient, her body still feeling the effects of her orgasm that still fluttered through her body in waves. Emma smiled again as she settled her body on top of Regina's and grinded her center against Regina's right thigh. She could feel how wet Emma was at the first contact and she grasped at the back of her neck to pull her in for a deep, longing kiss.
Her hand was shaking when she eased it between their bodies and slicked her fingers over Emma's wet folds. She pulled back from the kiss a little and stared into Emma's eyes and when she saw Emma glance away for a split second, she just laughed throatily and teased her fingers over her slippery clit.
"Did you—"
"Yes," Emma murmured. "When I marked you."
Regina moaned and crushed their lips back together. Emma rolled her hips down against her hand, their moans mixing together as their kiss intensified. Regina slipped a single digit inside of her, revelling in the warmth and the tightness that wrapped around her and drew her in further.
In a move that surprised her, Emma manoeuvred their bodies quickly until Regina was on top and Emma's hands were on her hips, encouraging her to grind against her cunt. Regina's hands were braced on either side of Emma and with their current position, it made it difficult to close the gap between them and kiss her. Instead, they locked eyes as Regina continued to grind against her hard and quick, the gaze between them smouldering and intense.
Emma's hands moved from her hips to grasp at her ass, pulling her harder against her. Her right hand slid along her body, their eyes not once breaking contact until Emma leaned forward just as she cupped Regina's left breast and wrapped her lips around a straining nipple. Regina threw her head back and moaned, unable to keep quiet as they normally had to, and loving the feeling of being so unrestrained with Emma for the first time in a very long time.
She refused to think that this could be the last time for a long while too. She didn't want to stop seeing her, she didn't want to lose the stolen moments they shared with one another, and she didn't want their day together to feel so final.
Shifting her thoughts from thinking of anything other than the way Emma felt beneath her, she dipped her head down just as she lifted Emma's chin, the need to kiss her suddenly overwhelming and the moment their lips touched, Regina felt a surge of warmth flow through her entire body. She lost herself in the kiss, in Emma, only breaking free with a gasp as she inhaled deeply for a much needed breath. She leaned on her left elbow and lifted a hand to trace along Emma's brow with a single finger, her lips following the trail she made, each one lingering lightly on her flushed skin.
She exhaled softly, moving to kiss Emma once more, her lips landing on Emma's bottom lip and she nibbled lightly before pressing her lips more firmly against hers. Emma moaned into her mouth and Regina felt it reverberating throughout her entire body and it was only then that she began to roll her hips again, feeling the slickness of Emma wet cunt against her own.
"Regina," Emma gasped and Regina nuzzled her nose against hers before slipping a hand between their bodies and slicked her fingers over Emma's swollen clit. She lowered herself down on to Emma's left thigh as their lips met once again in a heady, wanton kiss.
Regina teased her fingers over Emma's entrance before plunging two deep inside of her, eliciting a loud moan past Emma's lips. She could feel how close Emma was by the way her inner walls clamped tightly against her fingers and by the way her hips shook and shuddered with every hard, deep thrust she made. Emma stopped her the moment she broke away from her lips and was ready to descent down her body and she shook her head.
"Kiss me," Emma pleaded softly. "Kiss me and don't stop, Regina. Please."
She complied with Emma's plea without a second thought, silently reminding herself they had plenty of time to be with one another and that there was no need to rush, no need to devour like they were pressed for time.
Emma sucked her top lip between her own and Regina thrust her fingers harder, deeper inside of her, her own body reacting to the feel of Emma's smooth, strong thigh that she rolled her cunt over in time with her thrusting fingers. Emma placed a hand on her lower back and the other fell on the one between her legs, urging her to slow down just a little by stroking her fingers along the back of Regina's hand softly.
She drew out Emma's climax slowly, their lips parting only for mere seconds at a time. She pulled back when Emma came suddenly and she kept her fingers still and deep inside of her, her thumb circling over her clit to draw her orgasm out. Emma scratched her nails over the back of Regina's hand and up her arm slowly, stopping only when she reached the back of her neck and pulled her in for another deep, languid kiss.
Regina moved to lay at Emma's side, neither breaking away from the kiss, not even when Regina withdrew her fingers and stroked them along Emma's inner thigh. With her emotions still unstable, Regina had to fight back her tears and the rush of thoughts that came back to the front of her mind suddenly.
They lay side by side, kissing lazily while their hands roamed lightly over one another's bodies, both enjoying the post coital snuggling they very rarely got to indulge in at all. When Emma pulled back from Regina's lips, it was with a naughty smile that curled over her lips.
With a firm kiss to Regina's lips, Emma rolled over on the bed and pulled open the drawer in the nightstand. Regina propped her head up with her hand and watched as Emma pulled out one of their toys that was kept in a black suede bag. Regina immediately took it from her and pulled Emma in for another kiss, one that was rough and deep and full of promise of what was to come.
She ended up back on top of Emma and grinned salaciously as she leaned back on her haunches and pulled the purple feeldoe out of the suede bag. She ran her fingers over the girth of the silicone toy and then the base ever so slowly. While keeping eye contact with Emma, she slipped the smaller, wider end inside of her and bit back a moan as her pussy adjusted to the feel of it inside of her. Her breath caught in her chest when Emma moved to her knees and bent forward, taking the tip of the phallus between her lips and licking over the tip while tugging on it enough to make Regina feel it rub deliciously against her clit.
Regina curled a finger under Emma's chin to guide her up to her lips once more. The fell down on to the bed together with Emma beneath her and her legs spread, ready and waiting. With one hand on the back of Regina's neck, keeping her right where she was as they kissed hungrily, Regina felt her grab the silicone phallus with her other hand and guide it inside of her.
"Fuck," Emma murmured against her lips. "Regina, don't hold back."
"Don't you want me to…take you from behind?" She husked and she thrust her hips gently, pushing the feeldoe inside of her, inch by shallow inch. "I know how much you love it when I do."
"Later."
Emma moved both hands to Regina's hips and forced her to bury the toy deep inside of her, causing them both to gasp out in ecstasy. Regina delivered a sweet kiss to Emma's lips before bracing her hands on the mattress and began to thrust inside of her, each one slow and deep until Emma wrapped her legs loosely around her hips and Emma's hands went to her shoulders and gripped on tight.
She was careful not to let the feeldoe slip out as her thrust grew quicker and harder and her brow furrowed with concentration as a stream of grunts and moans fell past Emma's parted, kiss swollen lips. Emma's body moved in perfect synchrony with Regina's and she sank a hand into Regina's hair to pull her back down to her lips for a needy, rough kiss they broke apart from in the seconds that followed, gasping as Regina steadily pumped in and out of her.
Emma kept her fingers tangled in her hair that was damp with perspiration and Regina didn't let up, finding a pace that had Emma practically screaming her name in between the moans that slipped past her lips. Regina pushed back until she was on her knees and she eased Emma's legs from around her hips, gripping at her thighs hard as she pressed them against the bed and continue to fuck her hard and deep.
Emma's back arched off the bed when Regina thrust particularly hard inside of her and it caused the headboard to bang loudly against the wall. With a smirk curling over her lips and encouraged by the delightfully pleasurable squeal that followed, Regina continued to fuck her just as hard, her whole body and mind swimming in the sounds coming out of Emma's mouth and the way the headboard hit the wall, and especially with the sound of how wet Emma had become.
"Fuck," Emma cried. "God, Regina, don't stop!"
Regina gasped as she felt the delicious burn building deep in her core and she thrust harder and faster and deeper inside of Emma, her nails digging into the soft skin of her thighs until she let go an fell forward, her lips claiming Emma's in a rough kiss as her hips began to slow with every thrust. When the feeldoe slipped out, Emma was quick to move out from beneath her, turning over until she was on her hands and knees, her legs spread with her cunt on full display, ready and waiting for more.
Regina readjusted the appendage before kneeling behind her and she ran her hands over Emma's supple ass and licked over her lips before ducking her head down. She swiped her tongue along Emma's swollen, wet pussy, moaning at the taste of her and how hot the flesh felt against her lips and tongue.
"Regina…" Emma whimpered and she subtly pushed back against her mouth.
"Mmm," Regina murmured before wrapping her lips around her swollen clit and sucked, hard. When she let it go with an audible pop, she moved quickly to kneel behind her and guided the tip towards Emma's entrance, watching it slip inside of her with ease.
She kept a firm grip on it and began to pump inside of Emma without abandon, placing one hand on her strong, smooth back and loving the way she could feel the muscles flex and tense with every thrust. Her hand glided up the smooth expanse of Emma's back before grabbing a hold of her hair that had fallen almost free of the loose ponytail she'd tied it back into and she tugged, albeit a little playfully and was only encouraged to continue at the lascivious moan that followed.
She let go when Emma fell forward, her body almost spent as she began to let go completely and tumbled over the edge, her orgasm taking over hard and fast. Regina slowed each thrust down until she buried the appendage inside of her fully and they both fell to the bed together. Regina's heart was racing hard and she could feel how hard Emma's was racing as well as she lay on her back and closed her eyes, revelling in the moment that lingered between them.
Regina relaxed as she stroked along Emma's right arm and she felt the feeldoe slip out from inside of her slowly. She gasped and sank her teeth gently into Emma's shoulder before laving over the skin with the flat of her tongue.
After several long moments, they both moved to lay at each other's side and Regina watched as Emma reached between her own legs to pull the feeldoe free. Emma lifted it to Regina's lips and she willingly licked it clean, enjoying the tangy taste of Emma's wetness that coated it completely.
"Fuck," Emma moaned, pulling the toy away from Regina and tossed it haphazardly to the side. "Come here."
"Emma—"
"I love it when you get rough," she murmured against Regina's lips. "You haven't done that for a while."
"We haven't exactly found time to have a little bit of…fun, have we?"
"No," Emma replied with a frown. "I'm sorry."
"Whatever for?"
"For us not having time to be together. We've been together for eleven years," Emma continued and Regina inhaled sharply, not wanting to dive back into the emotional territory they had been in before. "We need to make more time to be together, don't we?"
"Yes."
"We'll figure it out, won't we, Regina?"
"Yes, darling, we always do."
"We do," Emma replied and the frown finally slipped away as a shy, adorable smile took its place. "I am in the mood for a drink, but I don't think I can actually move right now. Do you think you can—"
"Of course," Regina said with a nod. "Wine?"
"Yeah," Emma said, her eyes sliding shut. "There is a bottle of white in the fridge. Red too, if you prefer that instead."
"Rest," Regina whispered and she placed a kiss on Emma's forehead and then one to each of her closed eyelids. "I'll be right back, my love."
Regina slipped off the bed and didn't bother to slip on Emma's robe that hung on the back of the bedroom door. She padded her way out of the bedroom and into the kitchen stark naked and without a single care in the world. She ran her fingers through her hair several times before retrieving two stemless wine glasses out of the cupboard and then the bottle of white wine that sat on the shelf beside a bottle of merlot in the refrigerator.
She searched through the drawers for the corkscrew, but it wasn't in its usual place. She searched through the kitchen quickly, the house a little cool and causing her to shiver in her undressed state. She found the corkscrew behind the coffee maker and muttered under her breath about the carelessness of Emma not putting things away where they belonged. She just about had the cork out of the bottle when she heard footsteps approaching the kitchen.
"Emma, darling, go back to bed. I'll be right there."
"Regina?" Ruby gasped and Regina spun around with wide eyes.
"Ruby?"
"What the hell are you doing? Why are you naked in Emma's house?"
"I'd ask you the same thing! What the hell are you doing here?" Regina screeched and she grabbed the apron that hung on the wall near where she was standing and tried in vain to cover her naked body. "Ruby!"
"What?" Ruby asked. "What the hell are you two doing?"
"Excuse me?"
"You and Emma," Ruby said pointedly. "And I'm going to guess this isn't the first time either, is it?"
Regina knew there was absolutely no point in denying it, especially not when Ruby had caught her naked in Emma's kitchen. She sighed and reached for the bottle of wine and jerkily poured herself a glass while holding the apron to her body. She downed the glass quickly before moving to pour herself another.
"Regina?"
"What, Ruby? What do you want me to say?"
Ruby crossed her arms across her chest and frowned. "How about the truth?"
"How about a glass of wine?" Regina offered and it only caused Ruby to laugh quietly and nod her head. "I don't know what to tell you, Ruby. I—"
"Are you and Emma having an affair?"
"Yes."
[X]
Emma groaned quietly and she sat up slowly. Her whole body was aching with delicious pleasure and she was growing impatient for Regina to return to the bedroom with the wine. She stretched out once she stood up from the bed and she walked towards the slightly ajar bedroom door.
The second she heard Ruby's voice coming from the kitchen she froze in place just inside the doorway. She grabbed her robe from the back of the door and slipped it on, scared but also intrigued by the faint conversation she could hear coming from the kitchen between Ruby and Regina.
A part of Emma wanted to shut herself in the bedroom, lock the door and will for this whole situation that had suddenly turned her day around to go away. That wasn't going to happen and there was no way that Ruby was going to just up and leave without any answers as to why Regina was naked in her kitchen. She bit her bottom lip that was trembling just as much as her whole body was and she quietly made her way towards the kitchen, stopping short and out of sight.
"Are you and Emma having an affair?"
Emma held her breath when she heard Regina say yes. She was about to launch into a full-blown panic attack before she heard Ruby start to laugh.
"Tink definitely owes me fifty bucks now!" Ruby said and Emma's eyes went wide in surprise. "Oh come on, Regina, I have known you both for a long time and I can see the way you two look at each other."
Regina was silent and Emma moved to lean against the door frame, still out of sight from the two of them in the kitchen. Emma shakily pushed herself off the frame and entered the kitchen, sheepishly trying to hide behind the hair that had fallen over her red face.
"What are you doing here, Ruby?" Emma asked as calmly as she could manage.
"Emma!" Ruby spun around to look at her and Emma felt her face flush hotter at the way Ruby was almost leering at her. "Is it true?"
"What do you want me to say?"
"Emma," Regina said quietly from where she stood on the other side of the kitchen and hiding her naked body behind an apron. "There is no sense in lying now, is there? Ruby obviously caught us red-handed."
"So," Ruby said slowly. "How long has this been going on?"
"Long enough," Emma said under her breath before making her way over to the bottle of wine on the counter and she poured herself a glass. She looked at Regina with wide eyes and gulped hard before downing her glass of wine and turning to look back at Ruby. "You aren't going to tell anyone, are you?"
"No," Ruby said. "Aside from Tink, because she owes me fifty—"
"You bet on whether we were having an affair with each other?" Emma asked incredulously and she didn't calm down, not even when Regina reached out to place a hand on her lower back. "Are you fucking kidding me, Ruby?"
"Not at all," she replied calmly. "Come on, Emma, how long did you think you two were going to get away with this?"
"We managed just fine for the last eleven years."
"Holy shit!" Ruby yelled. "Eleven years?"
"Oh god," Emma groaned and Regina just continued to rub over her lower back.
"So, what's the deal here then?" Ruby pressed on. "Are you two like secretly in love with each other or what?"
"Yes," Regina answered and it took Emma by surprise as much as it did with Ruby. "It is complicated," she continued. "And probably something that we should discuss when we're adequately dressed for a conversation of this magnitude."
"I'll just wait out in the living room. Do you two want me to make you a drink while I wait?"
"Something strong, please," Emma muttered under her breath while Regina just gave Ruby a curt nod in reply. The moment Ruby walked out of the kitchen, Emma turned to Regina in a panic. "Regina! She just caught us! What the hell are we going to do? And what the hell is she doing here?"
"I don't know why she is here, Emma, but we'll find out, and we will deal with this as best as we can, all right?"
"Deal with this?" Emma groaned and Regina just wrapped her arms around her tightly. "Regina, she knows we're having an affair."
"Yes, darling, I know. I was here for the whole being caught naked in your kitchen moment, after all."
"What are we going to do?"
"First," Regina said before she placed a soft kiss to Emma's lips and wiped away the tears that had begun to fall down her cheeks. "We are going to get dressed and then we are going to have a nice, strong drink and then, then we are going to talk to Ruby about this."
"It's too late to convince her we're not having an affair, isn't it?"
"Yes, unfortunately."
"Oh my god, Regina, she knew we were having an affair before we fucking admitted it to her!"
"Emma—"
"Shit!" Emma was panicking and Regina continued to calmly try to keep her calm to no avail. "If Ruby knows, who else knows?"
"Aside from Thelma?"
"God, you know she hates being called that," Emma said with a soft laugh and one that disappeared immediately. "Regina, seriously, who else knows about us?"
"I don't know, darling. Like you, I was blissfully unaware of anyone even suspecting that we were having an affair until Ruby rudely allowed herself to enter your home unannounced."
Emma's tears continued to fall and she let them while she buried her face into Regina's neck and revelled in the feel of her arms around her and Regina's hands gently rubbing over her back. She felt mortified and embarrassed and terrified about what would happen from there on out. That guilty feeling hit her like a brick wall and she shivered while not letting go of the tight hold she had on Regina.
After a few moments, Emma pulled apart from Regina and wiped at her own tears. This was her own doing and it was her fault they had been caught. They had been careless in thinking that they had the day all to themselves when she should've known to expect Ruby to show up out of the blue and unannounced. She just quickly led Regina back into the bedroom where they gathered their clothes and dressed in relatively heavy silence. Emma wrapped her arms around herself and watched Regina try to straighten the sheets on the bed for a few seconds before she walked up behind her to stop her.
"Emma," Regina sighed softly and she turned to look at her. "It's going to be okay. You know that, don't you?"
"Is it?" Emma asked flatly. "How is it going to be okay, Regina? I admitted to Ruby we've been having an affair for eleven years!"
"I know and we'll deal with this together, all right?"
"How?"
"I am not certain yet," Regina sighed. "But we will figure it out, my love."
"Don't."
"Don't?"
"Don't call me that," Emma muttered and she took a step back from her. "Don't call me any of those little names you do when we're alone together. Not in front of her."
Regina paled a little but nodded her head before she walked over to the bedroom door. "Shall we get this over with?"
"Do we have a choice?"
"No," Regina frowned. "We don't, unfortunately."
"What do we say?"
"The truth?" Regina offered.
"Regina—"
"Look," she stopped her from continuing and placed her hands on Emma's shoulders. "Ruby is our friend and if anything, she'll understand, maybe not entirely, but just enough to know better than to run her mouth off to anyone outside of the three of us. Including confronting Thelma about the money she owes her."
Emma frowned deeply. "How can you be so sure?"
"I'm not, Emma. Not about this. Not about her knowing about us. I'm not sure about anything anymore. I'm sorry."
"What are you sorry for?"
"For waiting for so long to tell you how I truly feel about you and now, it is too late," she replied softly. "It's too late."
"Regina, it's not—"
"It is."
Emma frowned and lifted her hands to push back Regina's hair away from her watery eyes. "No," she murmured. "It doesn't have to be."
"You're getting married on Saturday."
"Then ask me to call the wedding off, Regina."
"I—I can't do that."
"Why not?"
"Because, Emma, I can't let you do that to him," she replied. "And now that Ruby knows—"
"Regina, ask me—no, tell me to call the wedding off. It is not too late for us. We can still make this work between us. I don't have to marry him. It is not too late! It can't be!"
"It is. You already said yes when he asked you to marry him. You've planned your wedding. Everything is booked and paid for and the guests have all RSVP'd. It's too late to ask you to not marry him and to be with me instead."
"Regina," Emma tried, the desperation clear in her voice. "Please. It's not too late. I—I should've asked you not to marry Daniel when you did, but I was too much of a coward and I—I thought all we had was—"
"I wouldn't have called it off, not then. We were young and stupid and I believed I was in love with him just as I believed it was impossible and incredibly selfish to be in love with more than one person at a time."
Regina's blunt honesty hit her hard and she backed away from her with a hard shake of her head. "I can't believe you, Regina. I would drop everything just to be with you and you won't even ask me to do that. Do you honestly love me?"
"I do, Emma."
"Then ask me not to marry Neal!"
"No."
"Then get out of my goddamn house," Emma said lowly as she yanked open the bedroom door. "Get out."
"Emma—"
"Go!" She screamed at her and she grabbed her arm roughly and pulled her out of the bedroom. "Just go, Regina. Please."
She let go of Regina's arm with a small gasp and watched the flood of tears that fell from her eyes before she turned and left without another word and without looking back. The sound of the door slamming broke Emma's heart into pieces and it wasn't until she felt Ruby's arms around her that she let it all go completely.
"Come on," Ruby urged gently. "Let's go have a drink, Em."