Regina stalked haughtily into the diner, and the first thing she noticed was the blonde so engrossed in her newspaper she never even looked up when the bell had chimed. Regina sighed irritably suddenly aware of the situation she was in with the young woman, one slip of the tongue and she would find her whole reputation tumbling down. The mayor indulging in office sex, during office hours no less, with the town sheriff.

Pursing her lips Regina makes her decision and slides into the booth so that she is facing the blonde. Emma visibly jumps when she catches sight of Regina out the corner of her eye, she raises her eyebrows in a challenge to the mayor to hide the fact that she is embarrassed about being caught off guard, especially by this woman. They sit in silence for over a minute, Emma knows that Regina would not have sat down for no reason, but is using the silence to make her uncomfortable. To her frustration its working, she is determined to stare the other woman down, and no matter what she is going to ignore the collarbone she can see, almost hidden beneath the collar of the silk shirt Regina is wearing. The brunette smirks as she watches Emma's internal struggle play across her face, allowing her own eyes to slip off the blonde's face and down to the small amount of cleavage afforded by the usual white tank top. Maybe she was wrong in her earlier assumption, perhaps the blonde was something she could control. Only time would tell. Leaning closer to the other woman, Regina's shirt falls forward slightly and a causing a slightly pained expression to cross Emma's face. This did look promising.

"I understand we have an agreement Miss Swan..." The mayor begins silkily, but pauses as the blonde shakes her head. Graham had assured her the situation had been taken care of.

"No Madame Mayor we do not have an 'agreement', I don't care much about your sense of image if I'm honest. But as much as it would give me pleasure to pull you down a peg or two, Graham is my friend and I do happen to have an agreement with him over what I saw the other day" Emma pauses making sure her next words will have full effect "Besides I don't think it would be helpful to Henry to know the sordid little details of your personal life do you?"

A less controlled person than Regina Mills would have winced at those words, bringing to mind the newspaper reports that had been published not so long ago. There was an undertone of a threat there. Regina would have to play her cards very close to her chest.

"You will not bring my son into this do you understand me Miss Swan?" She hissed, fighting the urge to jump over the table and wipe that look off the young woman's face. Alas, that was not the way things worked in this world. "You have no idea what I could do to you"

"Oh Madame Mayor, I know exactly what you could to do to me" Emma replied however, the second the words were out of her mouth she recoiled, not before a small look of shock graced the mayor's features.

Dammit Emma, what was that about? So much for being able to control your lust. You can't even have a conversation...

"Miss Swan if you are suggesting what I think you are, I'm afraid you are going to find yourself sorely disappointed." Regina's voice was now low and hard, Emma had to strain just to hear her, but there was no mistaking the menace in her voice. "As you are now well aware, I am having everything taken care of by that dear friend of yours. Now dear, I have been informed you are this town's new deputy sheriff, that's quite a job opportunity for you. Now I'm sure the sheriff will be able to inform of any extra duties you might be required to attend too." The mayor arched a single eyebrow at the blonde challenging her to rise to her bait. Emma remained silent. She knew that Regina's threat was an empty one, but it was still one she had no reply to. She sat seething that she had allowed herself to start this discussion with the brunette in the first place especially since Regina had well and truly won this round. Seeing that she is going to get no reply the mayor slides gracefully out of the booth and heads towards the counter to order.

"Oh and Miss Swan, do not make me pay for your incompetencies" she tosses the phrase over her shoulder without looking back, smirking because she can feel the blonde's heated gaze on her back. Well if nothing else today has started out pleasantly.

Regina collected her coffee and was just turning to leave the diner when Graham walked in. Always at her beck and call ready to provide a service, even when she was not aware she had called him. This day was getting close to perfect. Flashing him her most charming smile, she made her way over to him. She saw him shoot an apologetic glance at Emma who was watching every movement like a hawk, but he made no attempt to go over to her.

"Sheriff how nice to see you, listen I was not completely satisfied by the outcome of our meeting the other day, so I would like you to come over to the office this afternoon." Regina lay a possessive hand on his forearm, before stepping round him to walk away, without waiting for a reply. To the average customer this was nothing more than the mayor being her usual icy self and a bit of casual contact, however to Emma Swan it spoke volumes, and it told her exactly who was in control.

[xx]

"What the hell Graham?" thankfully Emma had used the small amount of tact she had in order to save her questioning for the sheriff station, but that did not mean that she was not severely pissed off.

"I don't know Em I honestly don't" Graham's face was honest but pained "It's like the mayor has some sort of hold over me" Emma's eyebrows flew up to meet her hairline

"Whoa there! Need to stop you never you share something I do not want to hear, but" Emma could not believe she was saying this but she couldn't stop the words from coming out of her mouth "seriously she's that good?!"

"No...well yes, but that's not what I meant, I just can't say no to her" Graham looks determinedly at the ground, unsure how to blonde will take this conversation. Emotional maturity was not her strong point.

"Jeez, again with the over share" she muttered, but she silenced his defence with a shake of her head "you have to choose its as simple as that. You can't have both worlds." With that Graham raises his head and catches Emma's eye with an intense gaze.

"I don't want both worlds Emma, I want one but I don't have the strength to leave the other" he crosses the room in two strides, before he pulls Emma into an embrace. She sighs against his chest before squirming out of the oddly intimate embrace. She is many things but she is not the type of woman who will be intimate with a man when he's involved with someone else. Even if they are a bitch.