The brunette raises an eyebrow, studying the Sheriff intently from her position in the doorway. Emma eyes her back cooly; fully aware of the way the Mayor's dark eyes flicker favorably over her semi-clad form. She decides she doesn't much care; pushing herself up from the bed with a nonchalant shrug while subsequently offering the older woman a better view of her bare legs. Regina runs her tongue over her bottom lip, admiring the somehow teenage gap between the blonde's slender legs and the simple black cotton to which it leads.
"I suppose I ought to make sure you clean that head wound sufficiently."
Her response is snide and she mimics Emma's shrug as though the notion bears her little interest. This lack of sentiment is easily overlooked, however, as both women know this is just a formality at this point. Emma smiles and pads lightly over to the doorway, gesturing with a sweep of her arm that the Mayor should proceed down the steep iron staircase. Regina complies, wondering if she should call Sydney and let him know that her meeting looks to be taking longer than she'd expected and advising him she will be back later to relieve him of watching Henry. She decides this really isn't her problem and doubts the peculiar ex-reporter has anywhere he needs to be.
"Which way?"
The brunette hesitates as she reaches the bottom of the stairs, casting an inquisitive glance back at the Sheriff who stands a few steps from the bottom of the wrought iron staircase. Emma points to a weatherbeaten door to the left and the older woman walks authoritatively onwards, finding herself in the small, lavender scented bathroom the two younger women share.
A modestly sized claw foot tub centers the room; tarnished gold framing protruding up and around it to allow for a pair of lilac curtains to be pulled shut in a waterproof cocoon. The need for this becomes apparent when the Mayor notes there is no separate shower, but instead just a handheld version attached to the bath. A mismatched hook is welded to one of the gold bars and she supposes that when settled within this cradle, the shower head is at the perfect height to wash one's hair.
A threadbare white mat lays between the bath and a chipped porcelain toilet, leaving the unfinished wood in front of the basin and laundry hamper bare. Upon a rust-speckled shelf adorning the far wall rests an artillery of bath products; neatly separated into two sections. The collection of bottles on the righthand side is primarily pink and purple in hue and is comprised of a great many flowery and fruity concoctions. The smaller selection to the left is either nihilistic in design or strangely ornate and seems to be predominantly honey and vanilla scented, or simply labelled 'odorless'.
Regina needs no clue as to which section belongs to which woman.
Feeling ever so slightly foolish, the brunette makes her way over to the tub and turns the rusty taps to initiate a shuddering stream of hot water. She tests its temperature with the back of her hand in a way she hasn't done since Henry was an infant and deems it to be hot but not scaldingly so. Turning back to the blonde as she waits for the tub to fill, she primps at the invisible creases in her dress pants before fluffing her hair.
Emma stands with her backside rested against the sink and watches as the Mayor goes about fixing her a bath. She hadn't been sure how literally Regina would take her suggestion, and she raises a brow at the way the darker woman tests the water. She watches as the brunette stalks over to the shelf that holds the bath products and salts and feels a twitch at the corner of her lips as the Mayor deliberates over the selection before reaching for a slim bottle of almond scented bubble bath and a bar of vanilla and orange-blossom soap. Both these items are two of her favorites, but she keeps her mouth shut.
Soon, the scent that fills the bathroom is sweet and inviting and a small layer of steam wisps above the luxuriously filled bathtub. Regina turns to the Sheriff questioningly, and the younger woman offers her a small nod.
Emma pulls her sweater up over her head along with the skimpy white tank she wears beneath, and the Mayor muses that no matter what state of play their relationship finds itself in; the blonde's toned stomach and peaked hipbones are a sight she will find eternally enthralling. She simply watches the Sheriff expectantly as the pale woman stands in just her simple cotton bikini briefs and curiously pink bra.
"Shy?"
Emma looks over at her irritably before deftly plucking the remaining fabric from her slender frame; leaving just the shocking white flashes of the plasters at her knees. She raises an eyebrow at the brunette who currently drinks in the finished product and takes a step towards her.
"You aren't joining me?"
Regina spares the modest tub a wary glance and looks back at the blonde with a smirk.
"My dear, I fear you may be overestimating the capacity of the bath somewhat."
The Sheriff shrugs, and again the Mayor is struck by how endearingly boyish the younger woman can be, despite her beautifully lissome frame.
"We can top and tail."
Emma climbs easily into the tub, shivering slightly as the blissfuly hot water turns her pale flesh pink. She lowers herself down into the deep liquid warmth until the lather of bubbles covers her from the chest down.
The Mayor briefly wonders how it can be possible for one to possess such an enticing sternum.
"Plenty of room."
The blonde lifts her leg up out the water pointedly, and not for the first time, Regina marvels at her flexibility. She can in no way entertain the thought of the Sheriff studying dance, but she imagines that if the younger woman were to refine her ways slightly, she would find herself well equipped within the world of gymnastics.
The brunette moves to perch on the edge of the tub, looking down at the Sheriff cooly. Inwardly, she deduces that she prefers the blonde's bare-faced look- or, just bare look in general- but she's not about to go and tell Emma this. Instead, she plucks a prim, lilac washcloth from its place draped between the taps and dabs its tip repeatedly into the warm water of the bath. She pauses before putting it to use however, deciding that the almond scented body wash is unlikely to possess the medicinal properties she needs for the task. Stalking quickly over to the blonde's bath products once more, she finds an odorless, antiallergenic liquid soap and squirts some onto the damp cloth in her hand. Rubbing it into a thick lather between her thumb and forefinger she returns to her previous position perched on the tub's side.
"This will probably sting a little."
She warns, using her free hand to scoop back the Sheriff's mane of hair- banishing the peculiar urge to braid thick, silken gold- and gently rubs at the thin laceration to the blonde's temple. Her actions cause the injury to begin bleeding once again and Regina finds herself inwardly smug as she notes the prissy purple cloth in her hand is now stained with a swatch of maroon. She also notes the way Emma's hands squeeze the sides of the tub in a death-grip, and she eases up her rubbing until she just dabs softly at the cut.
"Well... At least it's pretty much cleaned up now..."
She breathes quietly, and the Sheriff glances up at her awkwardly, aware that the older woman's reason for staying has now been rendered moot. Her eyes travel the intelligent lines of the Mayor's face and deliberate on the small nick to her upper lip. She has an intense urge to run her tongue across that small imperfection and shakes her head as though to shake it away.
Beautiful.
Deciding she doesn't really give much of a fuck whether the brunette catches her cold, Emma suddenly pushes herself from the bath and pulls the darker woman into a wet embrace; finding her lips and running her tongue over the scar before demanding access.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?! I'm soaked!"
Regina steps back from the tub with her hands splayed in disbelief, allowing the blonde to take in the sopping wet fabric at her chest. The Sheriff contemplates this curiously; her tongue darting out to wet her bottom lip as she takes in the clear shadow of the brunette's bra beneath her shirt. She raises an eyebrow and smirks impishly
"Well, you're wet now; may as well get in with me."
The darker woman offers her a long-suffering sigh as she plucks at the sodden front of her shirt. Emma waits expectantly, but the Mayor seems momentarily preoccupied with sulking in her bemusement. The blonde relishes the way this causes the brunette to purse her lips- so reminiscent of scarlet rose petals- and her dark eyes to flash angrily. Coming to the realisation that Regina has no intention of sharing a quick soak, Emma clambers swiftly from the bath and presses the darker woman against the sink; her naked form soaking the Mayor's clothes instantly as she wraps her arms around the brunette's neck.
"Really, Sheriff..."
Regina mutters, disgruntled, into the blonde's ear, but her hands find the younger woman's damp waist instinctively, and she searches out her lips with an aggressive need. Running her tongue over Emma's, the Mayor groans as deft fingers slip slyly between her legs; playing maddening patterns over silk and lace.
The blonde moves both hands to the Mayor's pleasantly rounded rear and cups firm flesh momentarily, before lifting her to sit perched up on the lip of the basin and manoeuvring herself to stand between splayed legs. She studies the brunette's fine features for a moment, before moving her attention to the smooth skin of the older woman's throat; letting out a small hiss as the latter's fingernails drag roughly across the bare skin of her back.
Regina moves her hand so that her fingers brush against the blonde's exposed sex, causing the younger woman's breath to hitch. The position allows her knuckles to rub deliciously against her own covered heat and she gives a little moan of approval as she begins to move her hand at a steady pace, returning her lips to Emma's and leaning into the younger woman's touch as the latter begins to undo the small buttons to her shirt.
Once her task of relinquishing Regina from her blouse is complete, the blonde moves her hands to cup perfect breasts; her thumbs playing teasingly over peaked nipples. She grins as the brunette groans against her lips, before letting out her own gasp of pleasure as Regina slips a finger sweetly into her wetness.
Murmuring into the mass of golden curls that fall against her cheek, the Mayor ups the pace of her fingers while her other hand presses softly against the muscle of the blonde's stomach.
"You had me a little worried, Miss Swan; wandering off into the night the way you did, the way you looked... The way you look... Bad things can happen to a pretty girl, even in this sleepy town..."
"Did you just admit to being worried about me and call me pretty in the same sentence?"
"Mmm, I hope you appreciated it, Sheriff, because I can promise you such a slip of judgement won't happen again..."
"Just admit it; you like me."
"... Don't ruin this now... Dear..."
She wraps her legs around the Sheriff's waist, speeding up her ministrations until she feels the blonde sag into her; knees buckling with pleasure as she lets out a hoarse moan into the flushed flesh at the brunette's sternum. Regina bucks her hips once, twice, and lets out a similar choked cry as her hands fly into Emma's hair and she pulls the younger woman's lips desperately to hers; their teeth clashing clumsily in the afterglow of pleasure.
As her breathing slows, Regina leaves one last, lingering kiss on the blonde's sex-swollen lips before pushing her away. Emma pulls a towel swiftly around herself, shaking out her long hair of which the bottom two inches hangs wet and limp from dragging in the bath water. Looking up, she smirks as the brunette casts her eyes down to survey the water damage sustained to her clothing. With a coy grin, the Sheriff places her hand on her hip and regards the older woman with mischievous intent.
"Never mind, you'll just have to borrow something."