Regina Mills was a damn tease…
That right there was the most predominant thought running through Robin's mind as he felt one of the woman's hand slid indiscreetly under his unbuttoned dress shirt, the tip of her fingers dragging slowly down his chest while her lips brushed lightly against the outline of his jaw.
The sensation was interesting, the way her digits moved over his skin almost electric, but the British actor didn't show any kind of reaction to that. After all, the provocative undertones of her actions were subtle enough to pass unnoticed to the wandering eye and he didn't want to change that. No, what he wanted was to give the impression that he was undisturbed, unaffected and most importantly, he didn't want people, let alone her, to know that her touch was burning him to his very core.
Oh but it was. For the last few sessions of their photoshoot, he had been trying to play it cool and push away whatever feeling she was arousing in him, but the truth was that the woman wasn't making it easy. First, because she looked ridiculously stunning that day, and second, because with every new pose, the little temptress found a way to do all sorts of deliberate little things to entice him: breathing softly against his face, pressing her chest to his back, letting her hands roam free and the newest thing, laughing raspily in his ear.
The last one had him particularly taken aback because in the months it had taken them to start and then finish the movie, he had never, not even once heard her genuinely laugh. There was the occasional snort or maybe some rare chuckles, but she had never truly laughed in his presence. Now she was doing it, if the photographer or the makeup lady commented something that tickled her funny, she would laugh and Robin was entranced by the richness of the sound. He was totally sold by this and well, it also didn't help that she was smelling too good to be true.
Needless to say, his initial intention of keeping his mindset professional was starting to falter.
He tried to hold onto it, he really did and at first, his resolution had been firm. It was a matter of pride, because after the woman had brutally ignored him during their last weeks of filming, he just couldn't give into whatever she was playing now.
Yes, it may be true that she had her reasons for acting that way with him at first. After all, he did reject her, cutting short his chances of getting to know her in a more intimate aspect. But he also had his reasons, good ones to say no to her and it wasn't fair that she took it against him when he hadn't been entirely wrong.
That maybe he should have let her explain herself? Yes. That he should have been a little less cutting? Also yes. But she should have been clear with him from the moment she decided to cross boundaries with him, and that she omitted the fact that she was married and then let him do things to her that he had no right to do, was entirely on her.
Still… that he had chosen to walk away the only night the woman had partially lowered her walls to him, was something that had been haunting him ever since it happened. What could he say? He was an empath by heart and after his morbid curiosity made him dig into every gossip site around the web and he learned that her marriage had not only crumbled way before he came into the picture, but also that she had been tangled in a nasty legal battle against the man, he couldn't help but to question his premature decision of taking himself out of the equation.
To that day, when everything was apparently settled, Robin couldn't say that he knew the exact details of what really happened. He tried to find out while it was a hot topic all over the internet, but out of what he had seen, Regina was very jealous of her private life and he hadn't been able to find anything that came out of her mouth regarding the situation. Sure, there were videos and photos of paparazzi going after her and asking about the divorce and about a boy she apparently adopted prior to the union, but in each of those videos, the brunette never said a thing.
The former husband, the frontman of a band Robin had never heard before, was on the other hand very fond of talking to the press. He had found countless of online interviews where the singer stated that since he was the one always taking care of Regina's boy, that he should be granted full custody and sure, why not? He also thought he should keep half her assets. Why? As he would adamantly explain, the kid loved him, he loved the kid, and with so many projects, the infamous actress didn't have the time to properly take care of her son. She had the money though, so if she gave the kid to him, he could do the job without a problem. He wasn't biologically hers anyway, so it wasn't like she should care much...
To make a long story short, the more he found about that clown and all the crap he fed to the press, the more he felt for Regina. The whole thing had been a mess, the rumors about how she was an unfit mother brutal… and that he had turned his back on her during a moment where she probably needed someone, was something that he regretted. When he remembered the way he had inadvertently found her crying in her trailer and how she told him her mind had been a mess, he felt even worse.
But damn it, he had tried to make up for it. He tried to reach over the next time he saw her. He had wanted to talk to her and at least offer some kind of support. Maybe it wasn't the moment for them to keep fooling around, but he knew he could be a good friend and maybe, just maybe, something more when the time was right. But by the time he tried this, she was back at being a clenched fist and there was nothing he could get out of her. After a week he gave up, then, when they ended up filming the movie, each went their separate ways as if they were nothing but two strangers.
Now it was this: several months had gone by, the movie was about to be released, and after an intense week of the two of them making all kinds of individual appearances to hype the film up, it was time for them to do something together. Something that was supposed to make the fans bite into the idea that Robin Locksley and Regina Mills were the next it-movie couple in Hollywood. That thing was of course: a photo-shoot.
"That's beautiful." The photographer said, the click of his camera never ceasing. "Now how about if you give me some edge? Robin, turn a bit to the side and look at her. Regina, lean over him, almost as if you were about to kiss him."
Doing as the man said, Robin turned his head towards Regina. She was behind him, sitting on top of a dresser while he rested against her, so the position gave her a slight advantage in heigh. That was why when he did this, her face ended up hovering over his.
It was in that moment that Robin gave himself full permission to really look at her. Not like he had any other choice. In previous poses, he had been able to focus on the camera or even the photographer, but for this she was so close that there was nothing to look at other than her face, so he did… he looked. From her parted lips, full and inviting, to the way her long eyelashes framed her eyes beautifully, and ending with the intensity of those warm chocolate orbs set only on him. He was sure he could even pick some golden hues in those eyes and yes… he was definitely sold on the idea of her being the most stunning being ever.
"Perfect. Keep your eyes on each other like that for a second and then we'll turn things around."
When the man was done taking those frames, he asked him to turn around so he could try other shots. Robin ended up facing Regina, his body between her parted legs and his hands set at each side of her over the dresser.
"Give me something fierce now, something sexy."
The instructions were not exactly clear to Robin, but he didn't have to put much effort into it. Regina did it for him, grabbing the collar of his shirt and pulling him to her. He humored her, leaning so close his lips ended up an inch away from hers. That was when she slid her hands to his shoulders and then into his hair, her head tilting in what could easily lead to a kiss.
"Beautiful." The camera kept clicking, and he wasn't sure if he was ego tripping or what, but he took that moment to grab her thigh, his hand sliding up and up until he was holding her hips. The photographer liked it, and he let them know by asking for more.
Biting her lips, Regina threw her head back. Robin followed her, his nose finding a nice spot along her neck to nudge. Something in the act made the brunette hum low in her throat and at the sound, his fingers instinctively dug a little into the flesh of her upper thigh.
He wanted to press his lips to her, to kiss her right where her pulse was beating, but given the circumstances, he didn't think that would be appropriate. This was still a photoshoot, and this was the woman who had pushed him away without giving him the chance to right his wrongs.
"Guys, I have to tell you this. My camera loves you. This is going to come out fucking hot and you, you'll make that big screen melt when the movie hits the theaters. I was told you have dancing pole scenes?"
Lifting her head, Regina laughed. It was a short thing this time, but the sound still sent a shiver down Robin's spine. Did she feel it? He wasn't sure, but given the fact that they were so close together her chest was flushed against his, he wouldn't doubt it.
"I do have some scenes on a pole, it was crazy."
"What I wouldn't give to have one in this studio. I have this idea for a photo now and it won't leave my mind. Just picture it, you in this sexy little outfit hanging upside down and Robin running his hands up one of your legs as it holds you to the pole. He would have this dark and fiery look on his face while he looks at you, while you would be looking back at him like you want him to do dirty things right on the spot."
Arching an eyebrow, Robin smirked, looking at the man. "And who's to say there isn't a scene like that in the movie already?"
"Is there?" The makeup lady asked, a hand going to her chest a little too dramatically.
There wasn't. At least not exactly like that. There was a lot or Regina in sexy little outfits while pole dancing, which was hot as fuck, and a lot of his character looking from afar, totally smitten. There were also the sex scenes that he could assure were real enough to make some people blush, so he guessed that was close enough for the woman's liking.
"I guess you'll have to watch the movie and find out."
"Oh, I will! Trust me."
"Good." Regina added, her lips curling into a smile.
"We all will. And guess what else people will do? Go crazy with these pictures. There is still one more take though, so how about we do a quick change of clothes and keep on with the next one?"
Moving on, Robin backed away from Regina. As he did so, her eyes settled on his and for a moment, he thought he saw the phantom of a smirk cross her face. If it was real and not a product of his imagination, it only lasted a second, and before he could ask or even throw the idea around that they should talk, she was gone.
When she came back, he was already in a new outfit. This one was more laid back, a long sleeve sweater and a pair of dark jeans. Regina on the other hand, was in a dress that made her look even more gorgeous than usual. It was long and loose, with her entire back exposed and an interesting cleavage up front. Its color, a deep red, provided a stunning contrast between her pale skin and her dark hair and he wasn't going to lie, the image of her like that was breathtaking.
When he was told they were not going to be posing together for this one but that instead, Regina was going to be laying on the floor while he sat comfortably on a sofa, he felt relieved, as he didn't trust himself with her so close while looking like that. But when she assumed her position by his feet, her head turned to him, one of her bare feet gracefully lifted over another sofa and her eyes set on his, he realized he was equally screwed.
Maybe she wasn't close, but damn, she looked like a Goddess in all her splendor and his mind was having a hard time focusing. He wanted to look everywhere, from the way the dress opened at each one of her sides to leave her entire leg and part of her thigh bare, to the way the swell of her breast peeked underneath her dress, and following up to how he could detect her slow breathing making her chest rise and fall. Then there was everything in her face: her lips colored smoothly in red, her dark eyes shining, her tongue pressing to the corner of her mouth… it was crazy, but she was simply stunning, in every way.
To think he had this woman within his grasp, that he had been in her, her tongue dancing with his, her flesh under his palms and the taste of her in his mouth, was truly incomprehensible.
He never had a chance against her. No, he had spent the last few months of his life wishing to erase from his mind what happened between them, and to get there, he had tried everything in the book. From banning the memory of her from taking over his mind, to throwing himself head first into work, and that one time when he tried to find what he had felt with her in other arms; but the truth was that he couldn't just get there. As much as he had tried, he couldn't completely forget about her.
Now he sat there, looking at her while she looked at him, and he couldn't believe he had been so stupid to actually try to deny the pull she had on him.
Sure, as his eyes roamed along the contours of her body and he felt his pulse accelerating with the intensity of her stare, he wished he could take a page out of her book and act in the same way she had acted with him during the last weeks they were filming the movie: distant and indifferent. But then she would do something as simple as blink, and then all his triggers went off. It was almost as if she was working sorcery on him, the method of her spell: the scent of her perfume invading his senses and that interesting raspy tone she had acquired when talking. It was then, that his mind betrayed him and he would go back in time to remember the stolen moments on set when he got too carried away and ended up doing everything with her…
By the time they were finally done, he was feeling somehow lightheaded, his thoughts scattered all over the place. Part of him knew he should grab his things and simply leave, but it was as if his legs had a stubborn mind of their own and instead of doing the sensible thing, he ended up going to her. He found her in the dressing room, already changed out of her dress and wearing a more laid back outfit.
"Can we talk for a minute?" He asked when he was sure she was on her own.
Turning to him, the brunette flashed him the shadow of a smile. It didn't reach her eyes, so he knew she was just doing it for show. It was more than what she had given him back on set when he tried to make the approach, so he was actually surprised by this. At least that was until she spoke, clearly dismissing him. "Sorry, I'm a little late. Maybe next time."
Knowing that there was not going to be a next time until the premier of the movie two weeks from that day, Robin lifted a hand to his face and scratched along his jaw. "Will this next time happen before the premier? Because I want to have this settled by then."
Throwing a handbag over her shoulder, Regina pursed her lips. "I'm pretty much sure everything is settled between us."
At her words, Robin laughed, moving a step closer. "That's… not true and you know it. We never talked about what happened."
Her eyebrow arched. "Maybe because there is nothing to talk about. Whatever happened, it wasn't that deep so… if you excuse me, I have places to be."
Before she could walk past him, Robin grabbed her arm, making her swirl back to him. "The way I remember it, it was deep… actually, I was balls-deep inside of you so I'll say there's plenty to talk about."
The pretty brunette scrunched her nose. "Ugh, now don't be tacky."
"Then don't try to be elusive, Regina." Letting his hand move down her arm, Robin whispered.
Clearly annoyed, the woman sighed, her eyes lowering down for a moment. "Listen, I'm really running late, so why don't we leave this for another moment?"
"What moment?"
With a shrug, her eyes lifted back to his. "After the premier?" She replied, her hands lifting up until her fingers were playing with the collar of his shirt. "If you go alone, you can come find me and we'll do whatever you want to do."
Robin wasn't sure what kind of game Regina was trying to play now… actually, when it came to the woman, he wasn't sure why she did any of the things that she did. She was an enigma wrapped in the most beautiful form, an intricate puzzle he hadn't been able to figure out in time. But whatever she was trying to do, he knew he was doomed to fall for it.
"We'll have a talk."
"If that's what you want to do, fine." She scoffed, dropping her hands and licking her lips. After that, she slipped out of his grasp and started to move away.
Robin knew this was the moment he was supposed to let her go, but once more, he ignored everything his mind was screaming for him to do and he grabbed her instead, his hand settled on the hollow of her waist so he could swirl her around. When she turned to him, he took a step forward and without giving her time to react, he cornered her against the wall to kiss her.
Regina didn't protest his impertinence. In fact, it was as if her entire center gravitated towards him. She ended up pulling him closer, grabbing him until his body was flushed against her in the most enticing of ways. By the time his tongue was touching hers, sliding over it and sneaking past her lips, one of his legs was between her own and his free hand was running through her silky hair.
If it hadn't been clear before, this would have been Robin's moment to understand what was going to happen after the premier. He wanted this woman with every fiber of his being, and he craved to get as close to her as he could. He wanted to strip her off her clothes, to kiss every inch of her skin and bury himself so deep into her, that she wouldn't even know where she ended and he started. He wanted her to make her moan as he kissed her long and deep, to make her skin flush and make her breath hitch at the back of her throat, and screw everything and everyone, he was going to do it.
In case she didn't have it clear, he let her know too. He told her without words, kissing her deep, parting her legs with his thigh, letting his hand run up her ribcage, closing over her breast and then down between her legs. He told her when he pushed the dress out of his way and his hand slid inside her panty, and he got his response when he found her wet and ready, one finger and then two going as deep inside of her as her flesh allowed them to go.
"Robin." She whispered against his mouth, her tone low and throaty. "Not now, I…"
Sliding his fingers out, Robin let the digits swirl around her clit before pulling completely away. "I know, you have places to be."
Regina pressed a hand to her face, almost as if she couldn't believe she let him do what he just did. "I do."
"Alright… then we'll keep talking after the premier," Robin didn't give the woman a chance to reply. He just turned around and after grabbing his things, he walked out of the studio.
He was feeling confident, and now more than ever, he couldn't wait for the premier date to arrive...