Regina paced in her bedroom frantically, her eyes glancing over at the clock every couple of minutes. The closer it got to seven, the more she paced and the more thoughts flowed endlessly through her mind.

She couldn't go on a date with Emma Swan, not now that she knew exactly who she was! Yet, she still had dressed, reading but not replying to Emma's text she'd sent earlier in the day asking her to wear something nice because she was taking her out to dinner. There was only one place in town Emma could be taking her and she knew it was Lumiere's.

What was she even doing? She had asked herself that question repeatedly during the day. What exactly was she doing going on a date with the woman that was supposed to be the one to break the curse she cast? What she should be doing is doing all she can do to get that woman out of her town and her life, not kissing her and agreeing to going on dates with her!

With only five minutes until seven, she knew she didn't have much time left to come up with a believable excuse as to why she couldn't go out with Emma tonight—or ever! Telling her the truth was not an option either, because she knew that she would be looked at like a crazy lady and most likely being looked at like she was desperately trying to come up with an excuse not to go out with her tonight.

Sighing heavily, Regina stopped in front of her mirror and checked over her clothes. She wore what she had on earlier, but she had changed her crisp white shirt and was now wearing her purple silk blouse, the top four buttons left undone to reveal the top of the camisole she wore underneath. She knew she looked great, she always did no matter what she wore and she knew that from some of the appreciative stares she'd received on a daily basis from people who could barely look her in the eye if she looked their way. She knew she was an attractive woman and she knew exactly how to play up every one of her assets.

"What on earth am I doing?" Regina asked her reflection, shaking her head as she leaned in to wipe at the small smudge of her lipstick just under her bottom lip.

The doorbell rang at exactly seven and Regina froze, turning to look at her open bedroom door so she wouldn't have to see the anxious look that had settled across her face. With Henry already at Granny's, staying there for a couple of hours under Granny's watchful eye, Regina was alone in the house and there was nobody downstairs to answer the door for her. Slipping on her black Prada heels, she took one last look in the mirror before heading downstairs, the doorbell ringing once against just seconds before she reached the door.

"Hey," Emma grinned as she opened the door. "You look great, Regina."

"Thank you," Regina replied quietly, looking down at herself for a moment before letting her eyes settle on Emma in front of her. "Let me just get my things, I'll be right out."

Regina left the door open, her breathing becoming erratic a she grabbed her jacket and her keys. She took a few deep breaths as she slipped on her jacket, Emma just out of sight through the open door and she caught sight of her in the mirror as she poked her head inside.

She was the Queen, she didn't do nervous. She most definitely didn't date, but that had obviously changed and was fully out of her control. She also most definitely didn't do women, but it seems like everything she didn't do or wasn't had flown right out the window the very instant she met Emma Swan.

"So, I was thinking this whole no kissing until we've had our first date thing is going to drive me insane," Emma said as she walked up behind her.

Regina felt herself smiling as she turned around to face her. She nearly jumped when she realized just how close Emma was to her, but she barely made her surprise noticeable as she took in the sight of Emma staring adoringly at her.

Surprising herself, Regina closed the short distance between them and placed a soft and rather chaste kiss on Emma's lips, feeling that buzz burn through her body the very instant their lips touched. It was purely addicting, like power and magic, but it felt so different. It felt warm and it drew her in even further. All that from one small lingering peck on Emma's lips.

Stepping back, she let her eyes roam over Emma's body. Much like the clothes she'd seen her in since she met her, she was wearing a pair of black skinny jeans, a white button down cotton shirt and her red leather jacket. The boots she wore had a bit of a heel and were black and came just up to her knees. Her hair was curled a little more than she'd seen it before and she wore very little makeup, if any at all.

Yes, Regina knew that Emma Swan was absolutely stunning in every way and there was no sense in denying the strong attraction she felt for the gorgeous blonde. She had made a promise to herself after hearing what Gold had told her the night before. She would not allow herself to fall for this woman and here she was, standing inches in front of her, about to go on a date with her and all she could think about was how much she wanted to kiss her again.

Emma kissed her before she had a chance to either make a move or step aside so they could get this date over with. Regina knew that just a day before, she had felt so very different about the prospect of going on a date with Emma and she remembered feeling so anxious to see her again, to spend some time with her and to get to know things about her she hadn't already heard from Henry, which really wasn't a lot to begin with.

This kiss however, was nothing close to chaste and Regina found herself melting into Emma's insistent lips and tongue, kissing her back with just as much hunger. Emma's hands were not as hesitant as her own, her hands gripping at her hips and pulling their bodies flush together. Regina moaned as a rush of arousal flooded through her body and she didn't stop, fully enjoying every second she was practically wrapped in Emma's arms and lips and tongue that moved against her own just right.

"Mmm," Emma smiled against her lips, her hands sliding down from Regina's hips to grab at her ass, making her pull back with slightly widening eyes. "We should go."

"Yes," Regina whispered, barely able to find her voice as Emma stepped back and she found herself missing the close contact with her immediately. "Yes, we should go."

Without realizing it, a barely conscious thought, Regina moved to take Emma's hand in her own as they walked out of the house and stopped so she could lock the door. She didn't even let go of Emma's hand until they reached the cruiser parked on the street. Once inside the cruiser, she immediately found herself drowning in another kiss, this time she had been the one to initiate it.

What on earth was she doing? At that moment, Regina could really not care because the warming feeling she felt in her cold, dark heart was the only thing she could feel. When Emma pulled away, they were both left breathless and Regina's hands were shaking slightly as she moved to put on the seatbelt. Emma's hand was slipping in to hers as soon as the cruiser started to roll along the street and she smiled, mostly to herself, at the way that Emma just lifted her hand and kissed the back of her hand, letting her soft, warm and wet lips linger for a moment until Regina looked over at her with a smile on her face.

A smile she couldn't force away. A smile only there because of the way she felt just sitting next to the Savior. Her mind was racing and she wondered, just for a moment, if perhaps Emma wasn't just here to break the curse, but to save her as well. To heal her broken heart, to lift the darkness from inside of it, to help her—dare she think it for a moment—learn to love again.

If Emma had noticed how different she was acting compared to the night before, she didn't let it on and instead she just drove to Lumiere's, making a wrong turn before Regina gently told her to turn around, guiding her to the small establishment. Once the cruiser was in park and their seatbelts were off, neither made a move to exit the car. Regina found herself staring hard at Emma, her green eyes staring right back at her, holding Regina's gaze.

"Regina, I—"

Regina moved to cup the back of Emma's head gently, guiding her in for another kiss, unable to stop herself. She slid her tongue across Emma's lips that parted easily for her, their tongues dancing together as they both shifted closer to one another, the center console making it impossible to get any closer to each other.

Regina tangled her fingers into Emma's golden curls, sighing contentedly against her lips. She couldn't fight this feeling, she was helpless against it because this very feeling was something that had been missing from her life, something she didn't realize she had been yearning for until she had it right there, quite literally in front of her.

"I can't stop wanting to kiss you," Emma said softly and she leaned into Regina's hand as she untangled her fingers from Emma's hair and placed it against her cheek. "But right now, we should go inside and have dinner."

"Yes, that is the whole point of us sitting out here, isn't it?"

"I made a few arrangements with Lumiere himself," Emma said, smiling at her. "We'll have the whole place to ourselves tonight, Regina."

Regina sighed in relief. At least she didn't need to worry about anyone in that town making her feel uneasy about this date, more so than she already was. Even though she had thoroughly enjoyed kissing Emma, and knew there would be so much more of that before their night was over, she was still asking herself why she was going through with this in the first place, her thoughts and feelings completely contradicting themselves.

They walked into the small restaurant to be greeted, not by Lumiere, but by a young waiter who said not a word as he led them to a small table in the dimly lit restaurant and the only table that had two candles lit, plates already set out, the silverware sparkling and the wine already poured into each glass, one with white and another with red for both of them.

"Dinner will be served shortly, Ms. Swan. Madam Mayor," the young man said, smiling at Emma and then at her before turning to exit to the kitchen post haste.

As they slipped off their jackets and sat down, Regina immediately reached for the glass of red wine, inhaling the intoxicating aroma before taking a ginger sip. All the while, Emma's eyes were on her, watching her every move. Her mind went back to the other night when they had nearly been caught by Henry. The weight of the gorgeous blonde on top of her was a memory that had lingered ever since and the feel of her hands roaming over her thigh as they indulged in one another had been tormenting her all day long. It was why she didn't give in to the urge to change into a skirt or a dress, not wanting a repeat of it and at the same time, wanting Emma's hands all over her body.

Feeling the heat rise in her cheeks, she took another sip of her wine before placing the glass back on the table in front of her. She would get through this date and get a hold of her emotions and the feelings that this woman was making her feel and she would most certainly refuse for this farce to continue beyond tonight, but it didn't mean she wouldn't allow herself to indulge in kissing her again either.

After tonight, Regina knew that she would have to deny herself the pleasure of being around Emma Swan because she was most definitely not going to admit that Emma Swan, the Savior, was her one true love. No, she most definitely would never admit that because she didn't believe it to be true. It was just so simply ridiculous and she was choosing to ignore the feeling deep inside her that told her otherwise.

Emma watched Regina fidget nervously, sipping her wine and looking like she was far more nervous about being out on a date with her than Emma thought she'd be. Emma had been nervous as well, especially after making arrangements with Lumiere to ensure they would be the only diners there until he reopened the restaurant at nine. That now gave them an hour and a half for dinner and she was already nervous about where she was planning to take Regina afterwards.

There wasn't much to do in Storybrooke, but after a few more drinks with her new friends the night before, it had been Mary Margaret that suggested she take Regina to the beach and sit under the stars. Of course, even with a few too many drinks, Emma never let it slip just who her mystery woman was, but she was grateful that her new friends had cared enough to help her plan out this first date without realizing they were helping her for real.

"You're quiet," Emma said softly, wanting to reach out for Regina's hand and frowned when Regina placed her hand that was on the table in her lap just as she was about to reach for it.

"It has been a rather long day, dear."

Emma nodded in agreement and couldn't help but notice a small difference in Regina, something she couldn't quite put her finger on. She hadn't failed to notice the surprise in Regina's eyes when she had answered the door and it was a look she hadn't actually seen before. She just kept reminding herself that there was a lot about the woman seated across from her that she didn't know, but it didn't stop her from feeling like she was connected to her.

It didn't make a lot of sense. She had never felt this way about anyone before and while it should scare her, it didn't because it felt so right. As Regina continued to fidget, her hand reaching for her wine glass yet again, Emma was starting to wonder if this was even a good idea to bring her here for their first—and likely last—date.

"Is this okay?"

"Is what okay?" Regina asked just before she took a small sip of her wine.

"Being here?" Emma asked and Regina paused, taking one more sip before nodding her head yes. "Are you not enjoying yourself?"

"The wine is quite good," Regina replied. "Did you pick it out or did you allow Lumiere to make the choice for himself?"

"I told him it was perfectly fine for tonight to be the chef's choice since this is the first time I've been here," Emma replied and she frowned deeply. "Was that not okay?"

"No, it's fine, Emma."

Regina's features softened as she placed her glass down and reached out for Emma's hand. She let out a shaky breath as she intertwined her fingers with Regina's, feeling the slight hesitation she had in doing just that. Repeating the move she'd made in the cruiser, she brought Regina's hand to her lips and lightly kissed over her knuckles, squeezing her hand as she lowered it back down to the table and let go gently.

Emma could not take her eyes off the brunette in front of her and even after they had started talking about Henry, mostly because Emma had started asking Regina questions just to kill the heavy tension that seemed to settle between them until dinner was served. She just hoped that whatever Lumiere had planned to serve them would be something they'd both like, mostly she was just worried that Regina would like it and would enjoy their dinner together.

First dates were always awkward. Emma knew this from experience and form listening to the stories from her friends the night before, all of them laughing drunkenly until Emma had decided her night was over because she had to work in the morning and so did they. This first date, she had hoped it wouldn't turn out to be that way and so far things were, despite the start their night had had with one hell of a kiss at Regina's door and a few others inside the cruiser.

By the time the food was served, the tension and awkwardness between them had eased some what and Emma glanced down at her plate, about to ask the young waiter what it was he'd just served them both, but he was gone, back in the kitchen to give them their privacy as per her request.

"It's Chicken Marsala," Regina said as she smiled at her. "It is quite good."

"Oh. Okay."

"Try it," Regina said, sensing her hesitation to try the chicken swimming in brown sauce and mushrooms on a bed of white rice. "You will absolutely love it."

After watching Regina take a few bites, she tried it herself and moaned quietly at the taste of the chicken and the sauce on her tongue. She had never had anything like it and it was just so good. Regina explained quietly as they ate that this was one of her favourite meals when she would order in from the restaurant. Like most of the night, she had left that very vague as well, but Emma didn't question her, she just wanted Regina to feel relaxed and at ease because of how she'd been acting right from the start.

Emma hadn't ordered or planned desert, mostly because she was sure nothing would top Regina's turnovers she'd had when she had stayed for dinner the other night and mostly because she was just anxious to get her alone on the beach and hoped to hell that whatever lingering awkwardness was there would disappear completely.

After they had left the restaurant and returned to the cruiser, they fell back into heavy silence again. She didn't say a word as she drove towards the small beach, the very same one near the playground with the castle Henry seemed to love so much and she parked the cruiser at the end of the road.

"What are we doing here?"

"I thought maybe we could go for a walk?"

"It's dark."

"I know, but the skies are clear and the stars are out…" Emma trailed off, frowning at the stoic expression on Regina's face. "I thought it'd be a nice way to spent a little time together, but if you'd rather me just drive you home, I can do that instead."

"A walk sounds nice," Regina smiled, something flipping a switch inside of her almost immediately. "I haven't been for a walk on the beach at night since before Henry came here."

"I also brought a blanket. I thought we could just, you know, hang out on the beach and talk or whatever under the stars. I thought it'd be like, romantic or something," Emma continued and she moved to climb out of the cruiser, sighing loudly as she shut the door and silently berated herself for acting like a complete idiot in the last handful of minutes.

Emma popped the trunk and pulled out the folded blanket, one she'd found at the station earlier and she tucked it under her arm and shut the trunk, turning to find Regina standing right next to her. She smiled at Regina under the faintest light coming from the nearly full moon.

"Shall we?" Regina asked as she casually linked her arm with Emma's free ones, her hands both sliding into her jacket pockets. Emma nodded and allowed her to lead the way to the small sandy beach.

The water was calm and there was barely a breeze and it was a beautiful night out. Emma was just thankful everything was working out in her favour, at least weather wise. She wasn't sure if Regina was enjoying herself and she had definitely seen this night going a lot differently than it had gone so far. The beach itself didn't go very far and when Regina stopped, Emma unlinked her arm and spread the blanket on the gritty sand and moved to sit down.

"It is truly a beautiful night tonight," Regina said with a small smile as she sat down next to her.

"Are you enjoying yourself?"

"I am," Regina smiled and the way she said it, it almost sounded more like a question rather than an answer, but Emma took it for what it was and laid back on the blanket and stared up at the starry night sky. Once Regina was laying next to her, their hands reached for one another's and Emma intertwined their fingers as Regina moved to lay a little closer to her. "I have to say that I haven't done this in a very long time."

"Go out on a date?"

"Stargazing," she replied with a throaty chuckle. "And yes, a date as well."

Emma thought back to that first morning in town, after she had met Henry and they'd been in the diner. She remembered he'd mentioned his mom had gone on a date the night before and that it hadn't gone well, but Emma chose not to question Regina about it. Now was not the time.

All she could think about now was kissing the other woman and being so close to her, the temptation was becoming too strong to fight and there was no reason to. She knew that Regina was more than willing to indulge when it came to kissing her. Emma gently let go of her hand as she turned on her side and reached out with her left hand for Regina's right.

"Tonight has been a surprise."

"A surprise?" Emma asked, watching as Regina rolled on to her side to mirror her own position, bringing their faces inches apart. "Is that a good thing?"

"Yes."

"Can I kiss you?"

Regina did not answer her, at least not with words. She leaned forward, kissing over Emma's lips lightly, both of them letting out a soft gasp before Emma let go of her hand and wrapped her arm around Regina's body and deepened the kiss. She was surprised when Regina took control, pushing at her until she was on her back and Regina lay on top of her, the kiss becoming deeper and more passionate as Regina settled her weight on top of her body. It definitely surprised her, seeing that they were on a beach and not in the privacy of Regina's own home, but she was definitely not complaining, not as Regina sucked on her bottom lip and slipped a leg between her own.

Their bodies rocked together, seeking out close contact and much needed friction as they kissed hungrily, endlessly. Emma's head was spinning as her hands moved down Regina's back and she didn't stop until she reached her ass, grabbing it almost possessively and pulled her down harder against her right thigh. Regina moaned into her mouth and she smiled against her lips, doing it again until Regina pulled back, gasping as she looked down into Emma's eyes.

"If this is your idea of slow, I think we need to re-evaluate the definition for you, Emma," Regina smirked, her tone teasing, her voice taking on a huskiness that had Emma's whole body reacting. She bit her bottom lip, staring up at Regina as Regina thrust her thigh against her center, eliciting a throaty moan as their lips crushed together once more.

Emma kept one hand on Regina's firm backside and let the other trail up and under her jacket and shirt her fingers seeking out the warmth of her skin. Regina seemed to mirror her movements, her hand slipping under the front of Emma's shirt, fingers lightly skirting over her stomach, teasing at her skin with her feather-light touch. It was almost too much, with one of Regina's thighs between her legs pressing into her as Regina rolled her own hips against Emma's, the pressure she felt between her legs was growing and she needed more. She was so turned on, growing wetter by the second and her clit throbbed achingly as the need to be touched increased by the second.

"Fuck, Regina," Emma gasped, breaking away from Regina's lips. She almost held her breath as she felt Regina's fingers rising higher and she just stared into her eyes, watching and waiting as those very fingers came into contact with her braless breasts.

"Mmm?" Regina murmured as an eyebrow raised and she didn't stop, her fingers finding a semi-erect nipple that she teased over lightly. Emma's entire body reacted to the light touch, almost embarrassingly so. "Is this what you want, Emma?"

"Yes."

"You wanted me to touch you like this?" Regina asked teasingly, pinching at her nipples with a rather salacious smile dancing over her lips, much like the one she had donned the other night when they had first kissed. "If I didn't know any better, Ms. Swan, I'd say you planned this."

"I-I planned on kissing you under the stars tonight," Emma stammered. "Maybe making out and picking up where we left off the other day."

"Mmm?"

"Fuck," Emma groaned as she felt the flutter deep in her body as a small orgasm started to build from all the sensations her body was feeling. She couldn't control herself or her hands as one went to grab at Regina's breast and the other sliding between her legs to cup her over her pants. "Is this what you want, Regina?"

"Not in public, dear," she moaned softly, her breath spilling over Emma's lips as she rubbed a hand over her center harder. "Emma—"

Emma leaned up to capture her lips in a hard, intense kiss, one hand rubbing over Regina as she bucked her hips against it, the other moving from her breast to the back of her neck to keep her from ending the kiss far too soon. Regina's and slid out from under her shirt and Emma whimpered at the loss of her teasing fingers, but when she grabbed her hip, pulling her harder against the thigh still between her legs, Emma couldn't hold herself back any longer. She gripped at the back of Regina's neck as a small orgasm rippled through her body.

Regina broke away from the kiss despite the tight hold Emma had on her, her hips continuing to buck and roll against the hand between her legs. Emma felt her face flush deeply, completely embarrassed she just came from dry humping Regina's leg like she was a prepubescent teenage boy. When Regina grabbed at her wrist, she stopped, staring into her eyes and trying to gage her emotions, what she was thinking about what was going on between them.

"Perhaps we should stop," Regina whispered. "As a police officer, you should know that this is a form of public indecency, no?"

"Yeah," Emma groaned as she moved her hand away and Regina moved to sit up next to her, using both hands to try to smooth out her clothes and ran her fingers through her hair. "Regina, I'm sorry if I went too far—"

"No, it's quite all right," Regina whispered before ducking down to kiss Emma square on the lips, rendering her breathless for a moment before they both sat up on the blanket together. "Tonight has been rather unexpected, Emma."

Emma brought her legs up and leaned her arms on her knees. "Yeah, it has been," she said disappointedly, wondering if this was the part where Regina flat out rejected her even after everything that had just happened since they got to the beach. "Do you want me to take you home now, Regina?"

"Is our date over already?"

"Do you want it to be?"

"No," Regina said with a shake of her head and a look of mild surprise at her own response. "Could we sit here for a little while? Perhaps we can use this time to talk?"

Emma nodded, smiling at her before turning her head to look up at the stars in the sky. So, maybe this date hadn't gone exactly the way she thought it would, but as long as Regina didn't completely hate it, she was now considering it a small success. She would, however, wait until the night was finally over before asking Regina out on another date, because if what had just transpired between them was any indication of their recent future, she was sure that things would be a lot more heated next time around. It was just a matter of Regina wanting the same things as she did and before she had been so sure, but tonight she didn't feel that way.

Emma shifted uncomfortably on the blanket before moving to lay back down and stare at the stars with her hands behind her head while Regina barely moved from where she sat. In some way, Emma was fine with the silence that enveloped them. It gave her pause for thought and a chance to calm her raging libido down to a more manageable level. When Regina finally moved to lay down beside her, she felt a bright smile curling over her lips at how close Regina made she she was, right at her side with her own hands folded over her abdomen.

No matter how this night ended, Emma was happy. And in some way, she knew that Regina was too.

Regina wasn't sure what had possessed her on the beach, it was if her body and her mind weren't even attached, but the moment the Savior had kissed her, something pushed her to take control and it surprised her how easy it was to melt into the woman beneath her. It was so easy just to lose herself in the kiss, in Emma's wandering hands, their bodies rocking together as they kissed passionately under the stars.

A part of her was appalled when she realized what they were doing. Making out on a beach, dry humping like a pair of teenagers without a single care in the world. She was a Queen, she didn't do such things, especially not such things with another woman. Yet, it had happened and she had thoroughly enjoyed herself. After she put an end to things when the blonde had obviously experienced a small amount of release, she knew things had gone way too far for both of their liking.

They didn't really talk for the next hour they laid on the beach, which was fine with Regina because she had her own thoughts to keep her mind preoccupied long enough to keep her hands from wandering and her body betraying her completely.

By the time Emma dropped her off at her front door, walking her up to it, it was growing late and she still had to pick up Henry from Granny's. After a chaste good night kiss, she left Emma standing on her front door step as she closed the door and clutched at her chest as she leaned her back against it. Her heart was hammering in her chest as the warmth flooded right through it continuously and it didn't stop, not even long after Emma had left and she still stood where she was when she had closed the door.

She had mostly regained her composure after a time, trying to shake off the feeling like Emma had her under some kind of a spell, a love spell perhaps. It was a quick drive over to Granny's to pick up Henry and after paying the woman for watching him, she ignored the questions she received as she groggily led Henry out of the diner and to her car.

"Mom?"

"Yes, dear?"

"Did you have fun on your date with Emma?"

"I did," Regina smiled at her sleepy son. "Let's just get you home and into bed, shall we? Tomorrow you can tell me of all the sweets and junk food that Granny gave you despite my explicit instructions not to feed you any of those things."

"I only had a hot cocoa with cinnamon."

Regina frowned but said not another word as she drove home. Yet after she got Henry home and in bed, she found herself pacing her bedroom floor yet again for the second time that night and found herself contemplating Emma's proposal for a second date.

"Absolutely not," she muttered to herself. "One date and one date only. She is out of her mind if she things that I am going to go on another date with her."

Emma had given her a week to make a decision on the proposal for a second date and Regina knew, deep down she just knew, that she would change her mind over and over again. Because when it came to matters of the heart, she no longer had any control over that part of herself and it scared her because she was always in control, especially of herself.

The true love wish would not win, it would not make her give in to such ridiculousness that this woman, this Savior, was her true love, her soul mate. She was determined not to believe any of it, far too afraid that if she did, if she did by chance believe any of it, the next time she would kiss Emma could be the kiss of her very undoing and the end of her dark curse.