I Give it (Less Than) a Year (To Fall in Love With You)
Chapter Seven: Is This Heaven?
*ramps up sexual tension by several notches*
Emma awoke the next morning, feeling unreasonably blissful, and like she'd gotten the best damn sleep of her life. The fire had gone out and it had gotten chilly during the night, but the bite of the cold air was practically a distant thing because of the human furnace known as Regina Mills, laying gently in her arms.
Blinking sleep from her bleary eyes, Emma noticed that her arms were wrapped protectively around the shorter woman who was snuggled up to her chest, breathing softly. Emma was afraid to move, least she wake the woman up. Which was ridiculous. They weren't even a couple for her to be worried about such a thing. She should just get up and get the fire started before the temperatures dropped too low. But Emma was loathe to leave the warm hold. Graham hadn't so much as hugged her in the past last three months of their rocky marriage and she craved human contact. Craved the warmth and security of it. And Regina was just so cute this way. Her hair had curled up a bit from sleep and it tickled Emma's chin a little bit.
Emma couldn't stay here. She had to leave before things got awkward. What if Regina woke up and found it weird that the two of them were cuddling without the influence of alcohol? As Emma slowly began to slide her way out, she felt a hand grab her wrist, stopping her.
"Where do you think you're going?" a sleepy voice mumbled out.
Shit, she'd woken Regina up. "I'm going to light the fire."
"No, you're not," was Regina's half awake command and she pulled Emma back to her once more before snuggling into her chest and drifting back off to sleep.
"Uh, I guess I'm not," Emma said to herself, feeling her heart squeeze with how cute Regina had just acted. She didn't want Emma to leave her side. A fact that Emma could use in their game. So Emma stayed there, holding Regina, listening to the sounds of blowing snow outside the window and to the steady slow beat of Regina's heart.
Emma didn't know how much time passed, for the light from outside was dark and gloomy, but she eventually drifted off again and woke up shivering. The temperature had dropped too much and she needed to start the fire. This time Regina didn't protest when she pulled out of bed, sitting up herself and rubbing her eyes to remove the sleep from it.
Emma pulled on her stiff clothes, wincing at their freezing temperature before she went to the fireplace and tossed in the last two logs. It wouldn't be enough. The chairs in the kitchen would have to go.
Regina got out of bed, sliding on her clothes quickly and then made the bed as well. Would she say anything about the last night? About all their cuddling? Cuddling that certainly didn't feel platonic? Emma busied herself with breaking apart the flimsy chair with sturdy kicks of her foot and by using leverage points. Meanwhile Regina clicked away at her phone, probably trying to get a reception.
"Still nothing," she sighed out at last. "And my battery is going to die."
"Turn off your phone. Might as well. Given that we probably won't have any reception up here until the storm ends."
"Yes, but when will it end?" Regina mussed, looking out the window's with concern.
"The wind's not as bad as yesterday and the snowfall seems to be slowing down. I think it should stop by the end of this night," Emma said.
"Hopefully," Regina added before turning to Emma. "Do you need some help with the chair?"
"Nah, I'm okay," Emma said, because she wasn't sure if she could handle touching Regina anymore than she'd already done. They had spent the whole night like that, and it had filled up Emma's limit on how much she could handle the pretty brunette's touch.
And even though it had been innocent cuddling meant to keep warm, for some reason it felt so dirty. Like she and Regina had slept together. Like Emma had cheated on her husband. And she couldn't get the stupid idea out of her head no matter how hard she tried.
Once they had a roaring fire going once more, there was nothing really for Emma to distract herself with. No way for her to avoid Regina.
"What do we do now, Emma?" the CEO asked and in such suggestive manner that Emma couldn't help but imagine a hot bath with the two of them naked and wet skin sliding against wet skin as they pleasured themselves.
"Uh, nothing, I guess. I don't suppose you've brought a book to read?" Emma asked, rubbing her hands nervously on her pants legs. Damn it, she hated what a blubbering mess she was right now. Where had smooth Swan gone?
"I don't suppose you want something to eat?" Regina asked and damn it, why did everything she say now sound so coy for some reason? She was definitely making Emma think of eating something alright, but it wasn't food!
Emma was hungry, but she doubted a granola bar could do much to help tame her monstrous appetite. "I'll take a bar," she said and Regina handed one of them over to her. It was gone in mere seconds and it did take some of the edge of the hunger off. They couldn't indulge in more; they had to ration them for later.
"How many more do you have?"
"About three. So we each can get one for dinner and then share the last one tomorrow if need be," Regina said, the curve of her lip going up. "And you owe me another favor, Miss Swan, for me sharing my food with you. I do hope you intend to repay it favorably."
Right. Emma had forgot all about that from last night. Regina had hinted at her nefarious plans if Emma agreed to taking her food. "I owe you three favors now?"
"You do indeed," she said arrogantly and with a touch of playfulness to her tone.
Conversation waned after that. Regina stayed by the window, looking out it as if staring at the snow would make it go away. Emma sat on the bed, kicking her feet lightly and trying hard not to think about Regina.
At last Regina heaved out a great sigh. "I'm bored." Unsurprisingly she sounded like a petulant kid.
"What, the thrill of being stuck in the middle of a blizzard not doing it for you?" Emma cheekily asked.
Regina shot her a glare so heated that Emma wouldn't be surprised it could melt snow. "Let's play a game. Twenty questions."
Emma rolled her eyes. "How old are you."
"Old enough to play the adult version."
"And what's the adult version like?"
"It involves drinking and talking about our deepest secrets."
"Drinking already? It's only five pm."
Regina shrugged. "You don't have to play it if you can't handle it."
"I can handle it. I can handle anything you throw my way," Emma blustered, standing up to get them something to drink.
"Then prove it," was Regina's tempting smile.
Emma came back with a wine and some whiskey. It was the last of the drinks left over. She set it down on the floor between them and then sat down. "I'm ready when you are."
"I'm always ready," was the confident response as Regina joined the spot on the floor. "What's your favorite color?"
"We're starting with colors? Isn't that a bit tame?"
"I'd thought we'd go slow, so you wouldn't get frightened away, but if you want more intimate questions, what kind of lingerie do you wear when seducing someone in bed?"
"None at all," was Emma's cheeky response.
Regina laughed at that. "I really like that response."
"What about you?"
"Black, or purple. My two favorite colors." Emma had already seen Regina's black lingerie set and it looked amazing on her. It probably would look even better off.
"Do you send nudes?" Emma asked, taking the first sip of the night. They were going to start with the whiskey and end on the wine.
"Not really. I don't want them getting leaked," she explained. "It would be bad for my credibility. Do you?"
"From time to time. But only if the person deserves it."
"And how do you determine that?" Regina arched a brow, curious.
Emma shrugged. "More of a gut feeling really. Like if I trust them, then they'll get nudes. If not, than not."
"What's something you regret doing sexually?"
Sheesh, would all of their questions be like that? Not that Emma didn't enjoy learning more about Regina. "Allowing myself to be slapped, as a sort of kink for the guy. I didn't like it. Made me feel like shit. How about you?" Emma asked and handed over the bottle.
Regina took a generous sip before answering. "Inexperienced lovers. I'm a busy woman. I don't have time to waste on someone who can't walk the walk."
That was interesting. Regina was not an easily pleased woman.
The continued the game for several more rounds, consuming more and more drink until their cheeks were flushed and the room had a nice spin to it. Emma could almost forget about the blizzard outside as she opened up the half full wine.
The second to last question was up- or at least Emma guessed because she didn't know what number they were on by now- and it was Regina's turn.
"Are you a cuddler?"
Emma shook her head. And the alcohol was affecting her because she blurted out, "but you are."
"Me? I am soooo not a cuddler," Regina said, hiccuping lightly.
"Yes you are! You wound your body around me this morning and when I tried to leave, you wouldn't let me go!"
Regina gasped. "You're lying."
"Nope. It's true," Emma gave a lopsided shit eating grin.
"I'm calling bullshit on that."
"You can't call bullshit on something that's true. And it's fine if you cuddle. It's perfectly natural to be clingy in bed."
"I am not clingy!" Regina protested with some indignation.
"You are clingy. You wouldn't let me go. So cute," Emma teased.
"Shut up!" Regina hissed, flushing red and she shoved Emma harshly by the shoulder.
Emma just laughed and laughed, finding Regina's reactions too hilarious.
"I said shut up," Regina said and got to her knees to push Emma for laughing at her. Emma fell flat on her back, only laughing more.
"Emma!" Regina whined in such a childish manner. It seemed the usually confident CEO had something that embarrassed her and Emma was going to milk this moment for all it was worth. "That's it," she huffed, upset Emma wasn't stopping. "I'll give you something to squeal about." And then latched onto Emma, digging her fingers into all of Emma's ticklish spots. Now Emma's laughter became something more horrified and panicked.
"Staph. Staph it!" she hollered out between chuckles and gasped breath. She tried to crawl away but Regina used to her crazy athleticism to hold her down, even going so far as to straddle her waist. All Emma could do was buck up and squirm under the iron grip of Regina's thighs.
"Not until you apologize!"
"There's nothing to be ashamed of!" Emma was literally crying right now and she was swatting away at Regina's manicured hands.
"Just apologize!"
"Fine, fine. I apologize!" Emma only gave in because she was going to piss herself otherwise if she didn't. Regina stopped immediately, Emma sucking in huge gulps of air, making her chest heave up and down, leaving her mouth gaping wide open.
Regina sat frozen on top of her, eyes glued to Emma's face. One hand gently came up to wipe away the tears that had streamed down Emma's pale cheek. Emma was touched by such a gentle caress. Almost a thoughtful, caress.
Leaning down slowly, resting her weight on her left hand while her right cupped Emma's cheek, Regina whispered, "If you make fun of me like that again, I'll have to punish you more severely next time." Her husky voice sent an irrepressible shiver down Emma's body, one that Emma was certain Regina could feel because something sparked satisfactorily in the woman's dark hooded eyes.
"Oh, but it's fine for you to make fun of me?" Emma asked, proud of how her voice didn't shake a lot as she said those words. Unconsciously her hands had crawled up to Regina's hips and they held tight there. Her whole body was burning and she felt her mind go under a little haze- either from the drink or the lust or just Regina being on top of her.
"Mmmn." That little sound, neither confirming or denying, just the way it was pronounced- Emma couldn't explain it, but it did something crazy to her. She bucked her hips up at the same time she pulled Regina's down to meet hers. A gust of air left Regina's lips at the motion and her eyes fluttered. "Maybe I might need to punish you?" Emma said in a low voice buzzing with manufactured threat.
"Emma," Regina hissed out, lowering her face ever closer to Emma's, so close that their noses brushed. They were going to kiss, Emma knew it, and she would have let it happen had an image of Graham not flashed in her mind. Emma twisted them around at the last second, because she knew if Regina kissed her, than nothing would stop Emma from going the full nine yards with her.
Now Emma was on top of Regina and the both of them were starting intensely at each other, emerald eyes meeting citrine eyes that kept flickering back and forth from Emma's lips.
There was a little furrow between Regina's brows that denoted she was no doubt confused about the sudden switch and she opened her mouth to ask before Emma, in her panic at not wanting to address all this, ground her hips down into Regina's. Hard.
Regina was forced to swallow down her words as a breathy sigh left her lips instead.
This...this was fine, right?
This wasn't cheating, right? Not if she wasn't touching Regina actually. Regina's hips bucked up to encourage Emma to do that again and Emma swallowed deeply, limbs feeling swollen with hot coursing arousal and racing alcohol.
Their clothed hips continued to rock against each other, their loud breathing and thudding hearts drowning out the blizzard outside. For Emma right now, the world might not as well exist. All she could focus on was the heat radiating from between Regina's legs, the way her back would arch up from time to time, and how she desperately looked like she wanted to kiss Emma. But Emma wouldn't let her, keeping their upper bodies apart and pinning Regina's arms by the wrist over the brunette's head when she tried to reach for Emma.
And the whole time they kept their eyes pined to each other, drinking in the emotions running across their face, locked in one of the most intense staring competitions Emma had ever been in.
The pressure was delicious but it wasn't enough and they both knew it. Knew they would need more even as they frantically moved together. Regina's hips picked up pace and a soft "fuck" left her lips as she tried to fuck herself harder against what little Emma offered her.
Hearing the CEO curse sent a bolt of heat right between Emma's legs and she was forced to stifle her own moan. "You have a dirty mouth, don't you?" she heard herself saying.
"Why don't you do something about it," was the breathless challenge.
Oh how Emma would love to do something about it. She'd kiss those lips all day long if she could. Bite them, suck on them. Worship them with her teeth and tongue and mouth.
Her eyes closed as she struggled to remember herself. As she tried to recall her moral boundaries.
What the fuck was she doing? She shouldn't be doing this. Regina had gotten under her skin, in her bloodstream, clawed her way into Emma's heart and mind.
Emma was married! Her emotions for Regina might not even be real, just something caused by Emma's marital problems and Regina paying her too much interest.
"Emma," Regina calling out her name pulled Emma free and she looked down at Regina's face, cheeks flushed with arousal.
This had to stop.
It felt wrong.
It felt right.
Painfully, Emma pulled herself away, even as the heat and wetness between her legs cried at her to finish what she had started.
"What are you doing?" Regina husked, looking so lost without Emma covering her. She sat up on her elbows, hazy eyes confused as to why Emma would leave her so soon. She looked positively disheveled for the first time ever since Emma had laid eyes on her and it brought Emma some joy to know it was her fault.
Emma stood by the fireplace, looking down at it as her brain fumbled with an answer, with composing itself. At last she turned to Regina, giving her what she hoped was a cocky enough look. "Isn't it obvious? I'm punishing you."
Regina let out an aggrieved huff and got up from the floor. "I see," she said but she didn't look happy about it. "I'll be in the bathroom," and she strode off.
Once she heard the door angrily slam shut, Emma heaved out a thick breath and ran a hand through her curls. Fuck.
What the fuck had she been thinking?
She was going to fuck things up with her client. Her client. Not just anyone.
But it wasn't just her who was making dangerous strides in potentially bad territory.
The game of flattery had quickly turned into something more intense. Something beyond their control.
And Emma was worried that Regina might be catching feelings for her. There was no way the woman would reveal that, not unless she had the crucial information that Emma liked her back too, otherwise it wouldn't be an opportunistic move, a sound business venture in lay mans terms, to express open interest. But it was obvious in the way that she kept flirting with her, testing the boundaries, and how she even let Emma top her twice. During their snowball fight, and here. For a woman who didn't think Emma would be a top, she certainly let Emma top a lot.
"Shit. Fuck." This was bad. It was one thing if Emma's stupid heart got feelings. But it was another if Regina did. Because that could lead to complications. If they ever worked again Regina might make a move on her, and Emma knew she would be hard pressed to say no. She rarely said no to Regina's challenges.
Emma needed to stop this. She needed to tell Regina she was married. But how would she even bring that up in a conversation? And why did the words feel like they would have a heard time coming out?
Emma frantically paced in front of the fireplace and rubbed her hands together, wondering what the hell to do. This closeness that the two of them shared, it would have to be brought back to professional terms.
The fire was beginning to die down so Emma grabbed the last kitchen chair and began to rip it apart so she could feed the fire. At this time Regina came back from the bathroom and any anger she might have had at Emma cutting off that weird moment between the two of them was gone.
In fact, she only seemed more determined than ever. When Emma got a splinter from the wood, she picked her hand up and actually pulled the splinter free, getting way too up in her face about it.
"You're so clumsy," Regina had said, as she knelt next to Emma and pulled it out quickly before continuing to soothe Emma's hand, fingers sliding against fingers. She didn't take her eyes once off of Emma's face as she said this and Emma could feel her cheeks burning up.
"I'm not clumsy," Emma responded with.
Regina hummed like she didn't believe her, before pressing a small kiss to her practically non-existent wound. Emma felt her body flood with immense heat at that touch. She was sweltering in her skin, the fire cool on her back. How the hell could Regina affect her that much with such a small gesture?
"We can't afford getting hurt," Regina said before getting up and sitting by the window where she watched Emma. Emma felt shaken to the core and she turned back to the remains of the chair, suddenly not sure what had been doing minutes before.
She sucked in a breath and tried to regain equilibrium but she couldn't truly, not all the way. This was all driving Emma nuts. But how could she get distance from Regina in this small ass cabin?
Done with the chair she wordlessly went over to the other rooms and pretended she was considering what other furniture she could use to make into kindle. And when that only worked for so long, she went to the bathroom to freshen up her face and her mouth. The water was ice cold, and in some moments floating in chunks and it wasn't much fun. But that too only worked for so long before she had to go back.
The snow had begun to fall sparsely outside and the wind had stopped it's howling, making the cabin almost silent, with the exception of the ongoing fire.
Heavy feet trudging to the bedroom, Emma found Regina was already taking off her clothes and getting ready for bed. "Are you going to join me?" she asked. The bottles had already been thrown out- they were empty anyways- and the bed covers pulled down for them.
"I'll join you in a little bit. I just wanted to stay up to see if the snow picks up again or not. If it doesn't, we can probably leave in the morning," Emma said, feeling awkward and not entirely able to look Regina in the eye.
Should she apologize for what happened between them?
No, she felt like doing so would actually be worse.
"Alright," Regina said quietly and continued undressing while Emma stepped out of the room to the next one and sat by the window until she couldn't hear any ruckus from the next door room meaning Regina had finally fallen asleep.
Emma waited until Regina was asleep in the bed before she finally felt it was safe enough to go in. The brunette was lying facing the fireplace, features peacefully arranged, back slowly rising and falling. Emma quietly undressed and carefully slid under the covers with her so as not to disturb her.
As if possessing a sixth sense, Regina immediately drew closer to Emma, snuggling up to her chest. Emma had to contain a squeal on how adorable this was before she inadvertently woke up Regina. Not a cuddler, psh yea right. The warmth of the brunette's body and the warmth of the fire behind, lulled Emma into a comfortable sleep.
When Emma awoke the following morning, the blizzard had truly and well ended. Now they could finally begin their long journey home. Gently shaking Regina awake, for Emma needed to get some fresh air, to get some space from this closeness, the woman awoke. Somehow over the course of the night Regina had shifted to lying on top of Emma, one leg slipped in between hers, while one of Emma's arms had wrapped around her waist during sleep, the other laying haphazardly around.
"What's up?" Regina asked, her voice still deep with the last vestiges of slumber.
"The blizzard's over. We can go."
Hurriedly they dressed, consuming both one granola bar before they collected their skis and opened up the door. Outside greeted them snow tall enough that it went up halfway to the door. Emma's eyes went up. Great. Even though the storm was over, how would they navigate the newly snowed on landscape?
"Let's see if we can find the path. If we can't, then let's see if we can get some reception and then call for help."
"Good idea," Emma nodded her head and then carefully made her way up the snow mound.
Next Time: Emma finally makes a move? And Regina is bested at her own game?
