Sequestered - Chapter 4
Regina can see Emma fighting to stay awake in the juror's chair to her right. The blonde's head jerks backwards every few minutes, and each time Regina has to suppress her desire to laugh. It reminds her of how Henry was as a baby. How he would battle his sleep until the very last moment. He wouldn't surrender until every bit of energy was expended. The memory of her son tugs at Regina's heart, and she wishes she could see him. They have been talking over Skype every night, but she misses him terribly. She can tell he is starting to miss her too, although he won't admit it. Regina sighs. Her thoughts drift back to the blonde sitting next to her, to the girl who visits her strange and vivid dreams every night.
"Alright, let's break for lunch." The judge says quickly before standing and disappearing into the small door behind his massive leather chair.
Regina takes her time jotting down a thought and organizing her papers. The room has emptied by the time she places her notebook neatly under her chair. When she gets up to leave, however, her back spasms sharply and she doubles over in pain.
"Regina? Are you alright?" Emma asks, worried, as she jumps over the railing, immediately at the brunette's side.
"Yes, yes. I'm fine." Regina says unconvincingly, wincing as she tries to straighten up.
"Don't move," Emma warns. Regina has no choice but to listen, seeing as how she couldn't move if she wanted to– and boy does she want to. Pain and embarrassment seize her body. "I'm going to do something," Emma says authoritatively. "It's going to hurt a little, but then you'll feel much better, ok?" Emma leans forward to meet Regina's eyes. The brunette's face has turned pale and Emma can see tears starting to form. Regina holds her breath and tries to straighten out by herself again, but is met with another sharp slice of pain and returns to her bent position.
"Stay still," Emma repeats as she presses down on the base of Regina's spine. The pressure causes the mayor to breathe in sharply and whimper softly.
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Regina asks, her voice is lacking it's usual acerbic tone.
"Yeah. It's pretty bad, though. OK, I'm going to stand behind you and pick you up. Bring your legs up with you so that your knees are tucked in, ok?" Emma instructs, positioning herself behind Regina. The brunette nods and holds her breath. "Now cross your arms on your chest. Almost like you're giving yourself a hug." Emma adds, watching in surprise as Regina complies without further question.
Emma's pelvis is flush against Regina's backside as the blonde bends over and wraps her arms across the mayor and effortlessly lifts Regina off the ground, putting all of the brunette's weight on herself. Regina feels a pang of panic that the blonde will drop her, but Emma's arms feel sure and steady.
"Slowly bring your legs down until your feet touch the floor," Emma directs softly into Regina's ear, losing herself in the other woman's perfume for a moment. Regina starts to move but cries out in pain and stops before she makes any progress.
"I know it hurts. Move slowly. Take your time. Inch by inch you'll start to feel the tightness in your back loosen." Emma's voice is a soothing whisper, reminding Regina of the time Kathryn made her try yoga from a DVD she'd ordered. Regina closes her eyes and tries to do as she's told, moving very slowly. She focuses on Emma's gentle encouragement, the blonde's voice in her ear like a lullaby, her soft breath whispering against Regina's neck.
"You did it," Emma whispers proudly, a genuine smile on her lips. It takes the brunette a minute before she understands the meaning of the words Emma has uttered. They swirl in her brain as she enjoys the warmth in the blonde's arms, not even having noticed that her feet had touched the ground. Nor is it registering that Emma's arms are still holding her tight, despite the fact that she can stand on her own. Regina's eyes open slowly, her brain emerging from a light fog, as if she's just fallen from a cloud. In fact, it's only when she sees the bailiff's eyes popping out of his skull from his position in the corner, that Regina fully regains her senses, and realizes she is being held, rather needlessly, by a woman she barely knows in the middle of a courtroom.
"Thank you," Regina states, trying to regain some semblance of control over the situation. Her voice is raspy, as if she's just awoken from a deep sleep. She clears her throat and Emma drops her arms away before they both start walking toward the door.
"You're welcome," Emma says, smiling broadly, holding the door open for the other woman as they rejoin the group for lunch. Emma is about to follow after her as the bailiff holds his fist out to her, his face exhibiting true admiration. Emma grins and taps him back with her own fist, rolling her eyes playfully before finally leaving the room.
The knock on the door awakens Regina from her 6:00 pm nap. She has never gotten this much rest in her life, but her back is still sore and it hurts when she moves. She pulls the white earbuds out of her ears before slipping her borrowed iPod into the pocket of her new robe. The hotel had mercifully replaced the first one a couple of days ago when they replenished her supply of toiletries.
"Thank God," Regina says to herself as she walks to the door, hoping her clothes had finally arrived. Kathryn texted her yesterday to say her things were finally due to be delivered this evening.
When Regina opens the door she is surprised to find her blonde neighbor standing there with her hands full of stuff. She hadn't expected visitors, but it immediately dawns on her that she should have expected this one.
"Hey!" Emma greets her cheerfully.
"Hello," Regina responds dryly. After having survived so many days with no other clothing options, the brunette is no longer scandalized by the fact that she is basically nude but for one article of clothing loosely tied around her waist.
"Can I come in?" Emma asks, struggling to keep her armful of stuff from falling. Regina hesitates, but soon moves aside allowing the blonde entry. Once inside, Emma moves across the room with purpose, and the brunette begins to close the door behind her.
"Hold it open for a sec, would ya?" Emma calls out, setting her cargo down and walking quickly back out into the hallway. "Just one more thing," she announces, locking eyes with the austere brunette, their clothing brushing as she passes by. Regina just stands there, uncharacteristically silent. Emma returns quickly, lugging a huge white square thing with a big leather handle.
"What on earth is that?" Regina asks, gazing down at the object in the blonde's hands.
"A massage table," Emma responds matter-of-factly, as if it were quite obvious. Regina quirks an eyebrow at the blonde. Where the hell did she get a massage table? she wonders, continuously surprised at the blonde's capacity to procure the miscellaneous.
"What do you plan on doing with it?" Regina queries, eying the table suspiciously.
"Build Noah's Ark, what else?" Emma responds snarkily, grinning. Regina narrows her eyes, not finding humor in the other woman's sarcasm. Emma sets up the table in the middle of the room, not deterred in the slightest by Regina's skeptical glare. She grabs two towels from the pile of items she brought. "I'm giving you a massage, otherwise you're not going to be able to stand tomorrow." Emma says, expertly arranging one towel on the padded table and folding the other in half.
"Well," Emma says, turning to look at Regina expectantly. "Off with it." She gestures at Regina's robe.
"Absolutely not!" Regina responds vehemently, horrified by the prospect of getting naked in front of a stranger, and this stranger in particular.
"Oh come on Regina, grow up!" Emma says dismissively, rolling her eyes. "It's nothing I haven't seen before. Keep your underwear on, if you want." Regina growls under her breath. She would put her underwear on if it weren't hanging soaking wet in her bathroom. She'd even sent her suit out to dry clean in anticipation of her clothing arriving this evening, so she literally has nothing to wear but what is currently on her body.
"I appreciate the offer, Miss Swan. Really. But I don't feel comfortable–"
"Regina," Emma interrupts, not commenting on the name issue again. "Your muscles are extremely tight. If we don't do this, you'll throw your back out. . . and it will be much worse next time. I promise this will make you feel better," Emma adds reassuringly, reminding the brunette that this is for her benefit. Certainly Emma wouldn't have reason to want to rub oil all over her naked body or anything. . .
Regina stares at the blonde, looking for a motive, for the catch. After all, no one is ever this nice for no reason. Brown eyes bore into green, attempting to coerce the truth from Emma's lips. The blonde remains strong telling herself, This is for Regina's sake. As if on cue, another muscle spasm flows through Regina's lower back and she gasps. Against her better judgment, she decides to take the blonde up on her offer, not sure she has a choice.
"Fine," Regina sighs. She doesn't want to be stuck in bed with a bad back, and she's sure it's about to happen. "Turn around," the brunette orders, taking the folded towel from Emma's hands. Emma bows her head and spins on her heels, giving Regina her back, and effectively concealing her huge grin.
The flop of Regina's robe hitting the floor and the creaking of the table as the brunette lays herself over it makes Emma's heart hammer in her chest. She did not expect the idea of simply massaging the other woman to have any effect on her, but now that she's committed to it, Emma starts freaking out a little.
"Ok," Regina's voice beckons to the blonde, signaling that she's ready and concluding that she must be insane for agreeing to this.
"Great," Emma states simply, attempting to sound friendly and absolutely in control, and walks to where she left the massage oil. She hasn't gathered enough nerve yet to look at Regina lying on the table. The blonde takes a breath to steady herself, feeling like Jurassic-sized butterflies have moved into in her stomach. She tells herself that she has done this before and there is nothing special about Regina Mills.
Nope, nothing special at all, Emma repeats as she finally allows her eyes to travel over the exposed tan skin of Regina's back. The brunette's ass the only thing covered by the towel. The rest is skin. Smooth beautiful skin. Emma reminds herself to exhale.
"Do you have the iPod I lent you?" Emma asks, thankful that her voice didn't crack like a thirteen year old boy in the midst of puberty.
"In the pocket," Regina says, pointing to the terry cloth robe she'd removed, careful not to expose her nakedness. A warm feeling spreads across the blonde's abdomen. Regina had been using it, her iPod. Had been listening to her music. Despite the fluttering this realization causes in her chest, the blonde manages to maintain a calm facade. She plugs the iPod into some tiny speakers she brought and hits the "Zen" playlist.
Emma starts rubbing her hands together to warm the oil. The scent of lavender and vanilla fills the room. Regina inhales slowly and immediately begins to relax, despite how awkward she feels about the identity of her masseuse. The truth is that Regina is desperate for some relief and is willing to suffer being felt up by a strange co-juror in order to get it. Or this is what Regina tells herself.
"Just relax," Emma says as the soft instrumental music starts in the background. "Breathe deeply," she instructs and takes a big cleansing breath herself. As soon as Emma sees the tendons in Regina's neck loosen, she moves her hands over the mayor's shoulder blade. Emma's touch is warmer and more assured than the woman on the table is prepared for and she nearly jumps at the contact. Emma notices the other woman flinch, but doesn't comment on it as she begins to massage the flesh beneath her fingers. She starts by making slow circles with her thumbs on the first knot she feels, near the base of Regina's neck. Emma uses a good amount of pressure, hoping it conceals the tremble in her hands.
It's only been a few minutes, but Regina already feels like she's floating. Emma's hands are magical, the way they move over each concentrated section of her upper back and meticulously identify each sore muscle before kneading the tender flesh until the pain literally dissolves.
Emma focuses on the motion of her hands and not on the naked woman under her touch. She tries to name all the states starting from Maine to California. That helps her get to the middle of Regina's back without thinking anything sexual. Her fingertips continue applying pressure back up to Regina's muscular shoulder and down her arm rubbing soothing circles until Emma is holding Regina's hand, thumbs moving rhythmically in her palm. That is the first time Regina feels something . . . unusual. Emma laces her fingers in between Regina's and pulls the digits to stretch them, feeling Regina's fingers tighten almost reflexively around her own. The blonde releases them before she might feel anything in response. Emma refuses to have any impure thoughts while she massages the woman in front of her, not wanting to feel like a total creeper copping a feel on an unsuspecting victim.
Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida. . . Emma forces her mind to focus once again as she moves around the table, intending to repeat the action on Regina's other arm and hand. This time Regina keeps her fingers still.
Louisiana, Arkansas. . . Emma leans over the brunette's body to push both her hands up from the base of Regina's spine to the mayor's shoulder blades. Regina moans in appreciation, and Emma's heart stops, even though her hands continue.
Regina is only vaguely aware of the noises she's making with each stroke of Emma's hands over her body. She's never experienced anything like this. That's not strange, is it? To feel good while getting a massage? That's the point, isn't it? she asks herself. Her mind slips between consciousness and something else. It doesn't matter, she decides. All that matters are the warm hands running over her body, the intoxicating aroma, and soft melodies in the air. That's all that feels real at this point. Her mind circles back to those hands. Those hands that are moving higher on her back. The fingers that stop and pull at the back of her neck. Regina feels an electric current shoot down the center of her body when Emma grips her skull and pulls her hair with it. The brunette moans again, this time louder she's sure, but she doesn't care.
Emma can feel the sweat drip down and collect at the end of her own spine. She is trying her damndest here but Regina is making it impossible not to think about sex. The woman was practically writhing in ecstasy while the top of her neck and scalp were massaged. Emma had had to stop and move back down to the brunette's lower body because she couldn't handle hearing that delicious moaning again, especially not with her fingers burying and twisting in the other woman's silky black hair.
Strong, sure hands move to Regina's waist and lower. Emma's open palms knead the firm flesh over the top of Regina's backside. Emma's thumbs sneak under the towel to reach the knotted muscles there. Emma looks away, unable to look at where she is touching the other woman. Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota . . . Emma sneaks a peak despite herself. Regina's towel has moved lower exposing a swell of curves. Emma can't tear her gaze away, literally finding the body before her to be the sexiest she's ever seen. At the moment, the blonde is extremely thankful she is not a man,and that her body does not visibly betray her arousal. She tries closing her eyes. Montana, Wyoming.
Regina feels a slow simmering heat that grows with each flick of Emma's wrist. Heightens with each pull of her flesh. A definite ache has started in between her thighs. Emma's hands move over the towel massaging the back of her legs, her thumbs gesticulating between her thighs and Regina can't help parting them to give Emma more access. Regina lets her mind wander, imagining what it would feel like if Emma's fingers, covered in such slippery oil, where to just accidently ease too far in between her thighs. Regina groans at the combination of Emma's actual hands rubbing her thighs, and the imaginary ones she envisions touching her growing wetness.
Emma watches Regina's face flush red. She could have moved on from her location and down to the brunette's calves and feet, but seeing the effect her hands are currently having right where they are is exhilarating. Emma is so close to Regina's naked center that she can feel the heat coming from the brunette. The masseuse swallows hard and closes her eyes again as she moves up closer still to where the warmth is emanating.
"That feels so good," Regina whispers, and Emma is sure she is going to faint. Her thumbs continue moving inward while her palms remain splayed on the backs of Regina's thighs. Emma's fingers are moving against Regina's ass, the brunette rocking slightly into her touch.
It takes all of Emma's willpower to drag herself away and down to the rest of Regina's legs. She knows that another few moments and she would have easily lost control. When she has worked her way down to the tips of Regina's pedicured toes, she finally speaks.
"Turn over," Emma whispers, voice husky before clearing her throat. She turns away to give Regina privacy to cover herself, taking this time to catch her breath and think of something else.
"Ok," Regina responds with a sultry tone, and Emma bites her lip while looking up at the ceiling praying for willpower. The blonde counts to ten to ensure the brunette is really ready before she turns around. When she twists back around, Emma is immediately thankful that Regina's eyes are closed, and can't see the red flush of Emma's skin.
Emma pours more oil on her hands as she sets to work on the top of Regina's shoulders and the front of her chest. This position is so much worse, Emma mutters inside her head, realizing she can now observe all the facial expressions the brunette makes to go along with each sexy little noise. Fuck. She watches Regina bite her lower lip and moan at the same time, and decides she needs to wrap this up. Quickly.
Long strokes of Emma's palms pull down Regina's arms. Emma moves from Regina's hands to her shins and then upwards in smooth movements. This time when Regina parts her legs to allow Emma to access her inner thigh, it's Emma who moans.
The blonde's hands feel like fire as they grip and release the flesh so close to where Regina hasn't been touched in a long time. The brunette feels pressure building and keeps her eyes shut impossibly tight. She feels herself throbbing in response to each pass of Emma's fingers just inches away from her center. Regina moans when Emma's fingers move closer still, but don't come close enough. Another pull and Regina feels her back arch without her permission. Regina knows she's out of breath. She knows that she must look like a wanton mess with nothing but a rectangle of cloth covering the bare minimum of her chest and nether regions. Regina can feel the edge of the towel rubbing against her hard nipples every time Emma moves over her. The teasing of her sensitive flesh feels amazing, and Regina wonders if Emma has noticed.
Emma has nearly chewed her bottom lip out of existence. She watches in rapt attention as her ministrations cause Regina's chest to rise and fall faster and faster. Despite her attempts to control her arousal, Emma is completely turned on and she call feel her own wetness move against her throbbing flesh. Without thinking much about it, Emma stops rubbing so roughly and just allows her fingertips to glide gently over Regina's skin. Her hand reaches under the towel to feel the other woman's abdomen which is twitching and quivering. Emma's hands are so soft and so warm as they slowly move higher and graze the bottom of Regina's breast. Another moan, but Emma doesn't know who made the sound this time. She is lost in the brunette, in this moment. Her hand moves across Regina's stomach and down, and Regina shivers when Emma's fingers trace her bellybutton, lingering inside the dip. A jolt of heat rips through both of them as they imagine the sensation of the same touch further south. Fuck, they think in unison. Regina moves her head to the side, exposing her neck to Emma. The blonde leans down, smelling the intoxicating perfume mixed with the natural scent of Regina's skin. Green eyes travel the short distance to Regina's plump red lips. Her hand is still moving, now over Regina's hip bones. She moves closer. Regina can feel her and all she wants is Emma's hand to plunge between her thighs. To push inside of her. To feel her soaking wetness.
"Regina," Emma whispers and the brunette turns her head, only a breath away from the blonde. Brown eyes force themselves to focus and immediately tumble down into dark green depths. Regina gasps through parted lips. The gaze is intense, crushing even, but neither looks away. They search each other, looking for signs of falsehood. Neither finds any; this moment is pure. Emma is overpowered by the heat and desire pumping hard inside her veins, and Regina feels Emma's soft sweet breath against her cheek. Emma's hand stops just on top of Regina's pelvic bone. Low enough to know that Regina grooms very thoroughly.
"What was that?" Regina whispers, the first to notice a noise breaking into their private experience. Emma tries to focus, and then she hears it too. Someone is knocking at the door. Emma's hands dart out from under the towel and she hands Regina her robe before turning around once again to give her privacy. Regina's legs are so wobbly, she isn't sure she can walk. "Would you mind answering?" Regina asks, voice strained. Emma can only nod, her whole body trembling. Regina disappears into the bedroom.
"Yes?" Emma asks, opening the door.
"Jeez lady, I've been knocking for five minutes!" the delivery man complains. "I've got a few boxes for Regina Mills. That you?" he asks, wiping the sweat from his brow. Emma surveys the three huge boxes in the hallway before nodding dumbly and then signs his paperwork. "Where do you want them?" he asks next, putting the first box on a handheld cart. Emma feels like she's forgotten English, which is unfortunate because she doesn't speak any other languages. All she can manage to do is to point at a spot near the door. The delivery man gives her a strange look and wheels in the first box. He notices the scent. . . and the music. . . and the table, and looks at Emma again, but doesn't say anything. His smirk says it all.
"Tip?" he asks when he brings in the last heavy box. Emma wants to say something funny in return like in the movies, but her brain isn't operating normally yet, so she gives him the only money in her pocket. She is pretty sure that lugging those boxes is worth more than five bucks, but he's lucky she gave him anything at all considering.
Emma walks to the bedroom door, but doesn't try to open it. A weird panic has set into her chest and she just wants to leave this room now. "Your stuff arrived from Stoneybrook. It's in the living room, I'm gonna go, ok?" She says not waiting for a response. Emma hears what she thinks is a faint "ok," as she steps into her own room where she quickly pulls on a hooded sweatshirt and her sneakers. A run in the cold is exactly what she needs.
Regina feels more than just a little confused by her body's reaction to Emma's massage. She tries to ignore it, but as soon as she steps out of the bedroom, she begins replaying the entire last hour on a loop. What is wrong with me?! She thinks, opening the first box and unpacking her things. She chastises herself for acting the way she did and probably humiliating herself in front of Emma. She shuts her eyes tightly, as if that will wipe the images from her mind.
Maybe it wasn't obvious? She tries to soothe herself. But she knows that it was, and that sheer desire was the only way anyone could have read her body language. Regina starts to arrange her clothing in the closet, her mind thinking back not just to her reaction, but Emma's as well. She notes that the blonde was just as flushed as she, that her eyes were saying more than this is just a friendly physical therapy session. There was much more than that between them, and as the heat spreads in Regina's chest she starts to really question what it all means.
A/N: Who wouldn't suffer through jury duty for that! Hope you all liked this installment, and thank you so much for reading!
Remember that reviews feed the writing monster. . . Just sayin. ;)
Thanks as always to RileyGirl1 for her mad Beta skills.
