Wolf Envy
Chapter 4
The next day Regina was in her office swamped with paperwork on her desk. She couldn't focus at all. She kept replaying the previous night events in her head. It was always like this after she spent "one on one" time with Emma.
She would think about what "actually" happened; as opposed to what she "wanted" to happen. She could still feel Emma's breath on her earlobe and it sent shivers down her back, just thinking about it.
"Ugh! I have to adjust my train of thought". Regina was quickly becoming more and more frustrated with her and the savior's dance. She needed a strong distraction. Something so time consuming that it wouldn't allow her to daydream as she attempted to work.
Regina placed her head in her hands and started to massage her temples. Her phone buzzed her away from the brief meditation.
"Mayor Mills", she spoke strongly into the phone.
"Hey Madame Mayor, it's Ruby. I was out on delivery for some of the workers in your building and was wondering if you were up for lunch"? Ruby was actually in the hallway just outside the mayor's office, but she didn't want Regina to know that. She was very determined to get somewhere today. She made it her duty to at least be in the same room alone with Regina.
Regina was surprised to say the least. Ruby was the last person she expected to hear from. Ruby never called her or visited her without Tink or Emma's company. So, she hesitated in answering.
"Regina, are you there"?
"Ms. Lucas, I'm sorry. I was in the middle of some paperwork. I have another thirty minutes til my lunch".
"Well good thing you're the boss"! Ruby stated with her smile blazing through the phone.
"I brought you a chicken Caesar salad, grilled of course; along with a bottle water and granny suggested I bring you an apple muffin".
Regina felt a bit obliged to accept. She knew the town folk were more accepting of her, but sometimes it was a bit overboard in how they showed their gratitude. She could still sense a bit of fear from them as they approached her with offerings.
However, this wasn't the case with Ruby. The wolf always came at her with flirty smiles and not-so subtle advances. It humored her when they were cursed, but now she was feeling a tad confused.
Why would Snow White's best friend be interested in her? It made her feel like she was being pranked or made a fool of. It was all too odd of a situation for her to indulge in.
"Very well Ms. Lucas, I will take an early lunch". Regina figured that she needed to establish a friendship with these women of "ladies night" and if this was one way of doing so, she would concede.
"Great"! Ruby practically yelled in the phone with total excitement. "I'll be right up".
Of course she was on the same floor as Regina's office, so she stood there looking at her reflection on the elevator doors. She was hot and she knew it. She was well aware of the admirers she had in Storybrooke, but she always felt common in Regina's presence.
Back in the Enchanted Forest, Ruby would come across drawings and paintings of the queen and be in total awe of her beauty and wardrobe. She hated her with a passion. That passion also spurred into lust. She came across the queen in person, only in wolf form; it was this Evil Queen who outlawed the hunting of her kind, which only tipped the scales of desire towards her majesty. This desire followed her all the way to a cursed Storybrooke. Thinking back, she remembered Regina coming in the diner daily with this utter bitterness on her face. Ruby use to think to herself, how much she wanted to soften the mayor's disposition, thoroughly. God the thoughts that went through her cursed mind.
She shook herself from her thoughts and gave a once over of her reflection on the elevator doors. She started to walk towards the mayor's office. The secretary wasn't back from her lunch, so Ruby knocked softly on the office door.
Regina opened the door with a smile. "Hello Ms. Lucas".
"Okay, if we are going to have lunch, you have to cut the Ms. Lucas title".
"That is your name dear".
"No, that is my grandmother's name"."Call me Ruby… Red… Legs (Ruby winked as she added that)…anything except Ms. Lucas".
"Very well Red", "Thank you for bringing me lunch". Regina said as she closed the door behind them. She caught the "Legs" suggestion, but decided to ignore it.
"Where should I set up"? "Is here good"? Ruby pointed to the table in Regina's office.
Regina nodded to confirm as she walked over behind Ruby.
"How is your day going Madame Mayor"? Ruby questioned as she set up lunch for the two.
"Quite well", Regina lied. She was getting absolutely nothing accomplished with her fantasies of the savior.
"Red, although I am pleased with your gesture, I have to ask, why did you think to bring me lunch today"? Regina couldn't help the feeling of some grand hoax being played out at her expense. She still had to get used to the fact that people were actually wanting her around.
Ruby sat with her back to the door, across the table from Regina. She started to dig in her food when she saw the look of doubt splayed over the mayor's face. She knew Regina had a hard time trusting anyone in Storybrooke, especially if they felt the wrath of the Evil Queen first hand.
"Well to be honest, this is something I've wanted to do for a long time. Since before the curse was broken"; Ruby added with a shy smile.
Regina chewed her salad slowly before extending a question to her reply. She knew that Ruby fancied her. She also knew of this crush during the curse. However, she really didn't think that Ruby would be inclined to upset Snow by acting on this infatuation.
"I see"…. Regina swallowed some water to rinse down her salad. She was starting to feel nervous. She didn't know why, but she could sense that this conversation was headed in a direction she wasn't ready to discuss.
"Actually Regina, I did try to bring you lunch during the curse, you remember"? Ruby stated as she straightened her posture to present her height advantage over the mayor as they ate.
"I came with some pasta and fresh bread one day when you first adopted Henry; you would come in during breakfast but rarely made lunch". "I noticed your absence from the diner, I always did"; Ruby added while biting on her bottom lip.
"Anyway, I remember coming to this office with offerings in hand for you, with a smile- and fairly pure intentions", she smiled seductively at Regina. "Do you remember that day"?
"Yes, as I recalled you arrived unannounced and awakened my infant son from his nap that I worked so hard to put him down for". Regina said with a smirk of her own.
"Yeah, well I didn't plan on the baby being in your office". "I thought you had a nanny or something". Ruby said guiltily.
"And what did you plan for Ms. Luc….Red", Regina corrected herself, while looking Ruby straight in the eyes.
"Well, honestly, I wanted to get to know you"." You always seem so busy and unimpressed with company". "Everyone in town sort of feared you, even before knowing you were the Evil….uh sorry". Now it was Ruby's turn to correct herself.
"That's quiet alright dear, …..were one in the same". Regina said with a straight face. She knew that no matter what she did in this town, it wouldn't erase her past deeds. She couldn't fault the wolf for the slip up.
"You know, I no longer see you that way, I haven't in a long time". Ruby stated sympathetically as she reached for the mayor's hand.
This action took Regina by surprised, but it was welcomed. She couldn't help but like the affection given by Ruby. She felt like her feelings mattered in this moment.
"My intent was to have lunch with the mayor and possibly become friends", Ruby said as she squeezed Regina's hand. "However, I was kicked out as fast as I entered when baby Henry started to scream in a tone only a wolf could hear"…..she added with a smile.
"I was a bit on edge then", Maybe even a tad cold". Regina stated as she attempted to remove her hand from Ruby's. Ruby wouldn't allow the gesture; she curled her fingers around Regina's hand even tighter, but with a delicate manner.
"Well, now we get a do-over"! "I bought lunch today with the same intent". Ruby spoke softly with a smile as she glared into Regina's eyes.
"So Regina, what do you say, ready for the journey with me", Ruby added as she held onto the mayor's hand and leaned over the table with interest, flirtatiously.
Regina knew this was more than an offer of friendship; however she did not have the mind-set to analyze her sensitivity towards the wolf. She kept eye contact direct and even.
"I believe the friendship quest has already started Red", Regina added while sliding her hand free. "We've been to several affairs together, have we not"?
"This is true Madame Mayor, however, how many times has it just been the two of us"?
"Never".
"Why is that"?
"Well, to be quite honest, you are Snow's friend".
"And Emma is Snow's daughter".
"So is this about Emma"?
"NO…..….not at all". "This is about you and me"…..
"And FRIENDSHIP"?, Regina added sternly.
"Of course, the path of friendship and where that leads"…..
"Leads"?..." Where do you see a friendship with me leading"? Regina was becoming protective of herself. She never allowed anyone to assume where they stood in her life. She had boundaries and no one was allowed to cross, unless given permission. She was still sensitive to Red, but that was because of her love of the beast that lied beneath the lady. She always had a soft spot for the creature, but that didn't include the invasion of her territory.
Ruby felt the air grow stiff. She knew somehow she had ignited Regina's wall to appear. She heard enough about "the wall" from Emma during their drunken twosome nights. She had to fix this and quick.
"Well, I was hoping that we would someday be as close as you and Tink…. or you and Emma".
"And how close do you think that is"?
"Family-close", Ruby whispered as she seized Regina's hand again.
"I have granny and she is my blood", "but Snow, David, Emma, and Henry are family to me". "I would like to regard you as such…someday".
Ruby's confession practically floored Regina. She sat there with her hand engulfed in Ruby's hand with her eyes stilled on the wolf's face. She was looking for any form of deception or method in the wolf's words. She couldn't find any.
Regina gave a slight squeeze of Ruby's hand and spoke with profound emotion. "I would be honored to see where this journey leads".
Ruby's stomach did a 360 loop as she processed those words. She stepped out with determination today with one thought in mind, to get close to Regina, and now she was eating lunch, holding hands, and confirming that they actually had a relationship! Maybe not the kind she wanted at the moment, but the journey was well in play in her mind.
"Wow"! "How's that for growth"? Ruby said with a huge smile. "I've been here for thirty minutes, that's twenty-eight minutes longer than my first attempt".
They both laughed and parted hands as they continue with eating.
"Uh..mm, I guess I missed the lunch invite"….? Emma cut in to clear her throat and make her presence known to the two at the table. She was holding a Granny's Diner take out bag with two drinks.
