"Would you care for a bottle of wine, miss?"
Emma immediately spoke for the couple before Regina had the chance to say no.
"No thank you."
"Certainly. I'll be back to take your order shortly. Please let me know if you have any questions." The waiter bowed courteously before leaving the women to themselves.
It had been a long week waiting for Friday to roll around. Emma had moved back in with her parents, finding the temptation to stay away from Regina too hard after their first night after the accident. Regina had promised not to drink anything and to call Emma if she had any temptation to. Honestly, with something to look forward to the thought didn't even cross the Mayor's mind. Maybe she was getting over her problem.
The blonde cleared her throat, extremely nervous. She had picked Regina up earlier; as to not cause suspicion with the Mayor suddenly showing up at Mary Margaret and David's house dressed like she was. Thankfully Henry had a sleepover that weekend so they didn't need to explain to a sitter where they would be. It was just the two of them. Well the two of them and everyone else at the restaurant.
Emma shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She had chosen to wear a dress tonight, something that she didn't do very often. She had been mentally preparing for this date all week and when the time came she was very anxious. Regina looked beyond gorgeous in her strapless black dress, which only furthered Emma's anxiety. What was she doing going on a date with a woman? She didn't know what to do or who would pay. Was she expected to order for Regina like a man usually would? Was one of them the man in this situation? Emma looked up and noticed Regina watching her intensely. She should say something.
"I hear the shellfish is really good here." Emma spoke. She didn't know why she was having such a hard time relaxing. This was Regina; they had eaten together numerous times. Tonight should have been easy for her.
The brunette looked down at the menu, reading the shellfish selection. She could sense the other woman's nerves.
"Emma, you can relax around me." Regina offered before moving her hand across the table to take Emma's.
The blonde smiled politely at the motion but it wasn't honest.
"Is it because someone might recognize us?" Regina offered the most logical reason. They had specifically gone to a restaurant outside of Storybrooke just in case.
Emma shrugged. She just felt off. Something wasn't right about this date.
"Do you want to leave?" Regina frowned at the thought of such a bad date. She was unlikely to get another one.
"No, it's fine." Emma gave the same fake smile. "Let's just order."
The waiter came back around and took their orders. Eventually the two of them started talking, but it never got below the surface. It was as if they were both on an interview or meeting someone for the very first time. Their conversation seemed superficial.
When it came time to pay the bill both women fought over the check. Regina eventually won since she argued that she had been the one to ask Emma out.
The car ride home was equally as awkward for the pair. It wasn't until Emma was pulling into Regina's driveway did that dam finally break.
"Okay Emma, what the hell?" Regina demanded. "Why do I feel like that was the worst date you've ever had to endure?"
Emma put her car in park and turned off the engine. Apparently they were going to be here a while.
"I'm sorry."
"Sorry doesn't explain why you were kind of rude to me. It's rude to pretend to be having fun when I know you aren't." Regina was upset and for good reason. She knew they were both looking forward to this date so what was the deal? What had happened?
"I like you Regina, I do."
"But…?" Regina knew it was coming. She could sense where this conversation was going. Hadn't they already duked it out earlier this week? They had kissed twice now and at least one of those was on purpose. This should have been a better date than it was.
"But I'm not sure that I'm dating material. I never know what to talk about and I fumble with my words and I can't relax and…"
Regina cut Emma off with a peck to her lips. Not meant to be sexual, but to comfort the rambling blonde.
Emma looked so confused.
"Emma, did you psyche yourself out for this date? Is that why you didn't have fun?" Regina offered.
"I don't know." Emma shrugged.
"I want you to come inside with me."
"What?" Emma looked very confused. The date had gone horribly and here Regina was inviting her inside.
"We get a do-over." Regina wouldn't take no for an answer. She was out of the car and walking around to the driver side door. She opened it and held a hand for Emma to take.
Emma looked at the hand and then at the person offering it. Before she could overthink anything she was walking up the steps to Regina's house.
She had been there many times before but this night it felt different. Everything felt different.
"Emma, take a seat on the couch, I'll be there in a second." Regina kissed Emma's cheek and disappeared up the stairs. When she reappeared a few minutes later Emma had settled herself uncomfortably on the middle sofa cushion. Regina shook her head at the sight. Emma looked completely out of her element.
"Here, put these on." Regina tossed a pair of pajamas Emma's way. Emma looked up to see Regina had already changed into her own.
"Umm…are we having a pajama party?" Emma looked confused.
Regina laughed, lightening the tension in the room.
"You look so tense in those dress up clothes, Emma. I want you to be comfortable and in your element. So please go put on those sweatpants and t-shirt and return to the couch when you're done." Regina hoped her plan would work. She was just kind of thinking of this on the fly. She didn't have a plan B originally when she went into tonight's date. She just knew that Emma had been completely overwhelmed and it had ruined their night. She could only be flattered by it really. If Emma had been so overwhelmed then it must mean that she cared a lot about how the date really went.
Emma reappeared five minutes later and immediately looked more relaxed.
"There is the Emma I know." Regina smiled as she patted a space next to her on the couch.
Emma slowly made her way over, noting that Regina had lit a fire in the fireplace. It all seemed kind of romantic.
"So, Emma, why were you so nervous tonight?"
Emma sat down eventually and tried not to fidget with her hands. She was still nervous and she hated it. It had already ruined their night. Why was Regina trying to salvage it?
"I guess I just wanted everything to go nicely." Emma shrugged. Her voice hitched when Regina reached over to run her fingers lazily over the blonde's right arm. She loved this little bit of touching.
"And by nicely you mean boring?" Regina teased. "You do realize that you didn't want to talk about anything buy Henry and work, right?"
Regina knew that she was calling the blonde out but she hoped this method would work. Maybe if Emma realized what she had done then she would be able to relax some more.
"I'm sorry." Emma shifted uncomfortably. She didn't deserve to be here with Regina right now. She had fucked up her one shot at a decent date.
"Emma, sweetheart, I'm not mad you know. I'm not even upset with you. I just want you to know that you don't have to be fake with me. You don't have to give the cookie cutter response to everything. That isn't the Emma that I like. The Emma I like is a little more spontaneous and doesn't give a shit what people think about her." Regina tucked a strand of loose hair behind Emma's ear.
Emma was starting to relax a little more. These touches were calming her and the pajamas were a nice addition as well. Regina sure did know how to be romantic at times. The blonde smiled her first sincere smile of the night.
"There you are." Regina mirrored her response.
"I'm sorry Regina. I just get so wrapped up in my head sometimes that I ruin things. I think that I like you more that I realized." Emma laughed nervously, afraid she was still screwing up.
"I understand that, Emma. But I want you to feel at ease with me." Regina smiled. "What can I do to ease your tension?"
The question was an honest one but it seemed a little suggestive to Emma. Of course her mind would go in the gutter. Here Regina is trying to be romantic and help and her mind automatically goes to sex. Well it would relax her…
Regina smirked, reading Emma's mind apparently.
"I'm not going to sleep with you tonight." Regina giggled. She knew Emma all too well.
Emma flushed at the statement.
"Aww, sweetheart, I'm not trying to make you uncomfortable." Regina didn't think her method was working as well as it should have been. "Come here." She reached out her arm and settled Emma into a side cuddle. The kind of cuddle you get in when you are watching a movie together.
Emma felt tense but upon smelling Regina's shampoo began to relax. After a minute or two she had completely melted into Regina's side.
"Better?" Regina grinned at her accomplishment. She could feel Emma relax next to her.
"Much." Emma placed one arm idly across Regina's stomach. Now she was the one causing the brunette to tense. Emma snickered at the change in position. After a minute or two she began to rub circles around her stomach, causing Regina to tense even more.
"Emma." Regina sighed in a strained sort of way. "Remember me saying I'm not going to sleep with you tonight?"
Emma laughed.
"Yeah, well as amazing as that feels you might need to stop." Regina shifted so Emma's arm fell to the wayside.
Emma just kept laughing. She liked this power she had over Regina. She liked knowing that Regina was sensitive to stomach rubs. This was information that could be used at a later date. The blonde grinned inwardly. A later date sure sounded good.
"Thank you." Emma looked up from her cuddle position into Regina's eyes.
"Your welcome." Regina smiled before leaning down to kiss those inviting lips.
The kiss was probably their best one yet. It started off timid but worked its way to being more passionate than their first shared kiss in the parking lot. Regina's tongue sought entrance into Emma's mouth, which was granted willingly. Emma responded with a small moan, encouraging Regina to do that again. The two continued to kiss for another five minutes until Emma pulled back, realizing she had repositioned herself during their kiss and was now straddling Regina's hips. When had that happened?
"You are an amazing kisser." Regina sighed contently as she too looked at their current position. "And God, Emma, you look so sexy from this perspective." The brunette winked to the woman above.
Emma was having a hard time remaining upright. All she wanted to do was give in and recapture Regina's sweet and plump lips. She never realized that the mayor tasted like apples until tonight. They hadn't had any alcohol at dinner but she felt drunk. She needed more of Regina. She wanted more.
"Woah, Emma. What are you doing?" Regina tried to stop the advance but was lost the second the saviors lips recaptured hers. All protests died on her lips. To hell with no sex on a first date. She wanted Emma and she wanted her bad. Moaning into the blonde's lips caused Emma to break away and giggle slightly. The vibrations must have tickled. Emma didn't waste much time away from Regina's body. She immediately found her pulse point on her neck and began to place kisses there. Regina moved her arms from Emma's hips to her back. She stroked up and down, reassuring the blonde. She felt Emma shudder in her grasp. God if they didn't stop soon she would need to take this up to her bedroom.
Emma finally sobered enough to pull back and look down at the lust filled eyes of Regina. She honestly could have continued going but she was scared. Up until this past week she had never thought of a woman romantically. She didn't know what to do with her hands, or more importantly her fingers. She needed to take a chill pill and digest what had already transpired between the two.
"Sorry." Emma blushed sheepishly. "I got carried away."
Regina's eyes fluttered, trying to break her lustful stupor. Eventually Emma moved off of Regina's lap and back to her side of the cushion. Regina frowned at the loss of contact.
"That's very much okay." Regina shook her head, still in a daze. She needed a cold shower and she needed one soon.
"I should go." Emma got up to leave. Regina would have protested but she really did need that shower. One more minute with Emma kissing her that way she had and it might have been too late.
"All right." Regina got up and walked Emma to the front door.
"I had fun on our second first date." Emma placed her hands in the sweatpants pockets. "Oh do you need these back?"
"Keep them. They look good on you." Regina smiled before leaning in for one last chaste kiss.
Emma started to walk down the driveway but stopped when she heard her name being called.
"Emma. Please try to relax for the next date, okay?" Regina leaned against the doorpost, watching the blonde leave.
"Next date?" Emma was hopeful as she responded.
"Well yes, you can't expect me to not ask you for another." Regina chuckled as Emma opened the door to her yellow Beetle.
"Deal." Emma beamed before vanishing in her car and backing out of the driveway.
Regina couldn't help but smile as she closed the door. Their first date had been successful.
