Chapter 3
Regina groaned long and deep into the pillow she had pressed against her face. She was so stupid. How could she have kissed him? Not once but twice. She didn't count the kiss at the door, but the ones in his room, the ones they shared with her tongue in his mouth, those were…
"I'm such an idiot," she moaned into the cushioning.
"I knew those hormones would get the better of you."
She looked up as her friend came into the living room holding two cups of tea. Regina glared at Emma from her spot in her chair.
"It's not funny. I don't know what I was thinking"
Emma held out a cup to her with one of her eyebrows raised, her look very reminiscent of someone who was becoming bored very quickly with their conversation. "It was just a kiss."
"It wasn't though," Regina paused to set her cup aside. She was too wound up to drink anything at the moment. She was so happy after their date, but then as the night wore on, doubt seeped into her, making her overthink everything to the point where she finally gave up trying to sleep around one in the morning. She sent a message telling Emma about what happened, but the blonde was out for the count. She didn't hear back from her until seven the next morning when she let Regina know she would be over later in the afternoon and to save her freak out until then. Eight hours later, Regina was no better; if anything, she was even more apprehensive than before. "Can you imagine what he thinks of me now?"
"That... you... like to kiss?" Emma said while fighting a smile.
"He's going to think I'm a floozy."
"A floozy?" Emma snorted. "Nah, maybe an eighty-year-old."
"That's not funny." Regina scowled at her. "Look at me Emma. I'm twenty-four, alone, pregnant…"
"By a donor."
"But he doesn't know that." Regina let out a sigh and dropped her head into her hands.
"So tell him."
"How would it look?"
Emma's eyes widened. "Um, a hell of a lot better than what it looks like now."
Her stomach twisted in knots. Her behavior the night before wasn't like her. Not really. He was just so kind and handsome, and she felt this pull to him she didn't understand but wanted to know more about. As soon as he shook his head at her, the moment he looked over at her and told her he should stay where he was because he would want to kiss her, that had been it for her. She wanted him to kiss her just as much, probably even more so.
"It does look bad."
Head dropping back, Emma groaned. "Regina, if you weren't pregnant, would you have worried about kissing him on your second date?"
She pursed her lips. "Probably not, no."
"Then stop obsessing," Emma told her, taking a seat on the couch.
She rubbed her hand soothingly over the spot where her daughter was kicking. "I like him, Emma. More than I should."
"Yeah, it's the hormones."
Regina groaned as she shifted on the couch to tuck her feet under her. "It's so horrible. I've never been so…so..."
"Horny?"
"God, it's so embarrassing." During the years she and Emma spent together, there wasn't much they hadn't discussed. Her feeling excessively frisky wasn't the worst thing she'd ever admitted to Emma, yet she felt her face flame. "Does it go away?"
Emma shook her head. "Not really, but once you start leaking in places you'd rather not, it becomes less appealing."
Regina covered her face with her hand. "God, Emma."
Emma laughed. "I warned you it wasn't all roses and baby unicorns."
Regina dropped her hand and picked at the lint from the pillow. "It doesn't matter because he hasn't called me."
Emma looked over at her with wide eyes. "You just went out with him last night!"
Regina blinked at her. "So?"
Emma shook her head before taking a drink of her tea. "So give him a day or two. He's probably one of those guys who thinks he's gotta wait three days or whatever it is."
"That's a stupid rule," she muttered.
"Yeah, well, it's a guy rule so…"
Regina's phone that had been sitting in her lap began to ring. She looked down at the unfamiliar number, and her breath caught in her chest as she slipped her finger across the screen to accept and hoped.
Emma raised an eyebrow. "Is that him?"
"Hello?"
"Hey, beautiful..."
Her smile that came answered Emma's question, and Regina pushed herself up off the couch. "Hi…"
"Finally," Emma muttered. "Now maybe you'll settle down."
Regina ignored Emma and made her way down her hall to her bedroom. The blonde could watch TV while she talked. It's not like Regina hadn't sat through her share of Emma and Neal arguments.
"How are you?" Robin asked.
Regina shut the door to her room. "Good, just spending the afternoon with my friend. You?"
"Good as well. Having a completely unproductive afternoon."
Regina raised a brow and teased, "Did you at least fold your laundry?"
Robin laughed. His deep rumble filled the line, making her smile widen. "I did it last night, but I was tempted to leave it as it reminded me of a kiss I shared with the most beautiful woman…" Her heart sank even further though. It probably should have pleased her that he was thinking of her, of the kiss they shared, but it only made her wonder what he thought of her now. She sighed, hating how much this was bothering her. "Regina? What's wrong?"
"I'm sorry," she murmured.
"For what, love?" His tone was soft and confused.
"For being so forward and kissing you like that. I know what I must look like, being pregnant and then coming onto you like that, but I'm not… that's not me."
There. She said it.
He was silent a moment, but then his voice was there, and it was filled with nothing but assurance. "Regina, first, I want you to know I never thought you were forward. If you recall, it was me who brought it up, and second, I never thought of you as anything other than a beautiful woman I'd like to get to know."
Did he always say all the right things?
"You're too charming for your own good, you know that?"
He chuckled again, and boy, did she like the sound of it. "I'm happy you think so. What are you up to this weekend?"
She blew out a breath and sat down on the edge of her bed while absentmindedly running a hand over her belly. "I was supposed to go have dinner with my parents, but they're going out of town for some benefit, so it looks like I'll be staying home. I have some photos I need to put some final touches on and get sent out. How about you?"
"Not much, sadly. My roommate's trying to talk me into going down and playing a set with him since one of his band mates is sick, but I don't know if I want to deal with the crowds and all that."
She felt a tinge of something akin to jealousy at the thought of him in a bar surrounded by girls her age who weren't six-months pregnant swooning all over him.
Trying hard to keep her annoyance from her tone, she said, "Hmm, a handsome man on stage, I bet you'll have all the girls swooning."
"Perhaps, but there's only one girl I want to swoon, and I'd rather not take her into a rowdy bar."
Her top teeth sunk into her bottom lip in an attempt to contain her smile. "Maybe she could talk you into coming into the city instead?"
He laughed. "Oh she could easily talk me into it. What were you thinking?"
Why was she asking him out? They just went out. Way to show him you're not that kind of girl. Regina sighed, changing her mind. "I thought about going to a movie, but maybe it's too much?"
"What? A movie?"
"No," she began, shaking her head. "I shouldn't be asking to see you again so soon."
"Nonsense, darling. It's the weekend, and I haven't been to the cinema since I've been back. Besides, isn't that what dating is all about?"
Why did his soft, soothing voice always send butterflies through her stomach?
She took a deep breath. Yes, it was but… "You don't think three dates in five days is a little excessive?"
"Not at all. However, four dates would ruin it all."
She laughed. "Stop it."
"You think too much, love," he told her.
"So I've been told," she mused.
"It's not a bad thing, but you've got nothing to worry about with me. Truthfully, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you."
Her heart leapt in her chest. "Really?"
"Really. So what movie are we seeing?"
Regina tried to recall what she'd seen playing recently, but with everything going on in her life, she couldn't recall anything off the top of her head. "Is there anything you want to see?"
"I really don't know what's out. You choose this time, and I'll pick the next, yeah?"
The next? She fell back gently on the bed. "Deal."
Ten minutes later she hung up with Robin and walked out from her room to find Emma flipping through the channels.
"Well, do you feel better?" the blonde asked.
"I do," she said, taking her seat again.
"So... are you guys going out again?"
"Yes, we're going to the movies tonight."
Emma snorted and without taking her eyes from the TV said, "Floozy."
Regina grabbed a pillow and sailed it in the direction of her friend, but she was too quick and caught it easily.
Maybe she was being impulsive, but when it came down to it, she was crazy about him.
#
He wasn't so sure about meeting her at the movies, but she insisted going to her apartment was silly when it was out of the way from the theater. He tried to tell her it was no problem, that he really didn't mind, but he was beginning to discover just how stubborn she was when she wanted to be. So meeting there was what they were doing.
He found her easily enough, waiting for him outside the doors and looking up at all the different titles currently playing.
She had been watching for him too, it seemed, because her eyes glanced around and fell on his at his approach. "Hey."
"Hello, beautiful." He leaned in and kissed her cheek. Pulling back, he was delighted to see a faint blush dust across her cheeks. "Have you decided on one?"
"There's two I want to see, but I don't know how you'll like them."
"Are they romance, then?" His hand rose to brush against the small of her back. Her eyes rose to meet his.
"One might be," she said with a small wink that wasn't really a wink, but bless her for trying. She looked away, thankfully missing his grin that came from her failed attempt. "I can't decide between P.S. I Love You and August Rush."
"Why don't you pick the one you want to see most, and then we'll go see the other one later?"
She bit her lip right before she smiled. Happy, that's what he made her.
"Well, I think we'll both enjoy August Rush..."
He wanted to tell her she should pick the one she would enjoy more, as he really knew nothing about either, but it made her happy to do so, so he relented. Besides, he'd rather not have to compete with Gerard Butler for her attention. "Let's see that one then."
He took her hand and was rewarded with a shy smile for it.
After he purchased their tickets, they got sodas and popcorn with extra butter. He even got her some Reese's Pieces she'd been eyeing since they got up to the counter.
When they got into the theater, he suggested seats in the middle, but she had been hesitant. His brow furrowed a moment before she reluctantly told him it might be easier for her if they got seats on the end in case the baby decided to use her bladder as a trampoline.
He bit down on his tongue to keep from laughing. Not that it was funny, but she looked so exasperated by it that, once again, he couldn't help but find her completely captivating. She took a seat on the end, and once they got situated, he held the popcorn between them; they munched on it while the previews started up. There were movies coming out that they both wanted to see, and they made some tentative plans to see a few of them together. He figured whether they would actually go or not was up in the air. Her baby would be born by that time, and there was no telling if there'd be time for movies or if it was something they'd watch from home.
The movie started, and he was easily immersed into the story as it followed a little boy on his journey around New York in search of the parents he knew were out there somewhere. It was a sweet movie, and more than once he saw Regina swipe at her eyes. He had wanted to put his arm around her since the movie began, but as she was worried about how close they were becoming, he held back. However, the moment August's mother found out he was alive and he heard her sniff, all his hesitance went out the window. He put the popcorn in the chair next to him and reached his arm around her, pulling her closer to him.
It wasn't long before her head fell on his shoulder. He knew he should be thinking of the movie, and he was for the most part, but damn him if he couldn't help but focus on the way her hair smelled of blossoms, the way she pressed against him, and the way her skin felt as his thumb grazed up and down her arm. He would give anything to kiss her.
Letting out a breath, he shifted his mind back to the movie. He'd almost succeeded in forgetting about his desires, but then her hand fell on his knee before coming to rest just on the inside of his thigh.
Well, so much for that.
Luckily for him, the movie by then was nearly over, so when it ended and she removed her hand, he wasn't sure if he was more relieved or disappointed.
They held hands as they left, and on the cab ride back to her apartment, they discussed all the things they loved about the movie. She enjoyed it and he agreed it was one he would purchase when it came out. He took her hand once again as they walked up the stairs, and he joked he was going to pay someone to fix the lift.
Reaching her apartment, she turned to him. He expected to leave her there, to kiss her on the cheek and tell her he would call her later, but her dark eyes looked up at him playfully as she said, "Do you want to come in for a while? For tea."
She looked at him from under those eyelashes. Her voice was playful but held a warning tone that a repeat of the night before would most certainly not be happening again. At least not tonight.
"I'd love to," he said chuckling. Following her inside, Robin's jaw went slack as he took in her apartment. He was sure he could fit three of his apartments into just her living room and kitchen. "This place is enormous. You live here by yourself?"
"I do."
He turned on the spot. "It must cost you a small fortune."
She chuckled. "It's not as bad as you think. It was my grandmother's, and my father is good friends with the owner of the building. He let us keep the rent control."
Shaking his head, he told her, "That's bloody brilliant. Never get rid of this place."
"I don't plan to." She smiled and went into her kitchen, flipping on the light. "What kind of tea do you like?"
He followed, taking a seat on one of the barstools across the large counter from her. "I'm afraid I'm a boring Englishman, Earl Grey?"
Her lips pulled up into a sideways smirk. "You're in luck; I have some."
He watched as she reached for cups and went from one side of the kitchen for the teapot and back to the sink to fill it with water. "Do you want any help?"
"I think I can manage tea just fine."
"I'm sure you can." Once she had the water on and tea bags placed in each cup, she walked around the counter and sat in the seat beside him. He turned to face her and smiled softly when she did the same. "Have you thought of any names for her?"
Her hand fell over her abdomen, the way it always seemed to when she or he brought up the baby. "I have, but nothing I really love."
"The perfect one will come to you," he assured.
She took a deep breath before letting out a light laugh. "I hope you're right because before I know it, she'll be here, and I won't have a name for her."
"You'll have to get one of those books of names." he suggested.
"I've been meaning to, but I haven't made it down to the bookstore yet."
"You still have plenty of time."
She raised a brow at him. "Was your roommate disappointed I stole you for the evening?"
Robin laughed, remembering how put-out Killian had been until Robin had reminded him a few of the times Killian had ditched him for a woman. "A little, but he'll get over it. He can still play without another guitar."
She smiled, and bracing her elbow on the counter, she propped her chin in her hand and asked, "Is that all you do?"
He felt his neck heat, but he admitted, "I have been known to sing a bit, but I'm nowhere near as good as Killian."
She made a soft humming noise and narrowed her eyes. "I just may have to see this after all. Where is it?"
"Uh, it's at a pub in Brooklyn called the The Dark Horse."
"Are you planning on playing again?"
Not really, he wanted to say. That part of his life, the night life and the drinking were behind him, but for her… "If you want to hear me, I'd play for you. Just don't expect anything too brilliant."
Her head shook slightly, and she pursed her lips while studying him. "I have this feeling you're better than you're letting on, but I'll reserve my judgement until I can hear it for myself."
The kettle went off, and she got up from her seat. She came back with two steaming mugs, and they retreated into the living room where they sat on the couch, talking and drinking their tea until she began to yawn.
"I think I better let you get to bed."
Her mouth tipped down into a little frown, but another yawn followed and she agreed.
"Thank you for going out with me tonight." She unbolted the door and held it open, leaning against it.
"Thank you for asking me," he replied, lingering in the doorway. "I'm always up for a movie."
"You have my number."
"I do, and you have mine." He smiled and leaned in, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "Call me anytime, Regina, even just to chat."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Good night, love."
He just made it out into the hall when she called him back.
"Robin." He turned, and the smile she gave him had him retracing his steps back towards her. "I know I said no kissing but…"
His top teeth sank into his bottom lip, and he grinned. "I'm allowed a kiss goodnight, then?"
"You are."
Closing the distance between them, he reached up with one hand and tangled his fingers in her soft hair while his palm cupped her cheek. He watched as her tongue came out to wet her lips right before her eyes closed.
Feeling his lips against hers, it wasn't long before their mouths opened under each others. His tongue found hers, and they stood there in her doorway, drinking one another in for long moments. She tasted of sweet orange and passionfruit. Her hands came up, grasping his biceps, pulling him towards her.
He would love nothing more than to stay and kiss her all night, however, he made a promise to go slow, so for her, for them, he drew gently away.
"Goodnight, love," he whispered, lips inches from hers.
Her hands ran up his arms and around his shoulders. Her brow fell softly against his. "Goodnight, Robin."
#
Sunday they didn't talk but messaged throughout the day. She complained to him how much she missed coffee and he how much he hated laundry. He texted her about his ironing mishap. How he went and burned his hand trying to iron his shirt for work the next day, and she teased him that if she were there, she would kiss it better.
Most of the day continued on this way. She sat at the table with her laptop and a slice of the apple pie she finally made, and worked on photos until her baby had enough of her sitting in a hard-wooden chair, making her put her things away for the time being. Retreating to the couch, she turned on Gilmore Girls, and for the rest of the night, she watched TV and her daughter's little feet as they raised her belly with her little stretches and kicks, until she grew sleepy and headed to bed.
The next day she was just starting to make herself dinner, when her phone rang.
"What do you think of Juliet?"
Her brows rose. Juliet? As in Romeo and… "No," she told him.
"Hmm," his voice trailed off. "Karen?"
Holding the phone to her ear with her shoulder, she carried her sandwich and glass of milk into the living room. "Are you just thinking of names you'll think I'll hate?"
Robin let out a scoff. "I'm reading them from The Biggest Book of Baby Names, thank you very much."
She set her things on the coffee table and taking the phone in her hand, said, "You didn't buy a baby name book."
"I did...well, not for me personally but for you."
Her eyes burned, and she had to blink hard to keep tears from falling. Was it possible to feel so much for someone you just met? There was still so much she didn't know about him, but the small little things he did for her told her more than anything she could learn from his past. "Robin, you didn't have to do that."
"I know, but I was on my way home, and I passed a bookshop on the way."
She let the tears she had been holding back fall. She was a pregnant, hormonal mess sure, but he was the sweetest, most considerate boyfriend, no... man… she'd ever known. "That is sweet of you, thank you."
"You're welcome."
Sitting down, she swiped the last tear away and grabbed her sandwich, asking him, "Speaking of, how was your first day?"
"Boring. I spent most of the morning in human resources and then the rest of the day being introduced to everyone. Tomorrow will hopefully be more productive." He was quiet for a moment and then he asked, "What are you eating?"
Regina covered her mouth with her hand. Those damn crunchy cheetos gave her away. She swallowed. "Peanut butter and jelly."
He laughed. "That's some crunchy peanut butter."
She blushed even though he wasn't in the room. "I put cheetos in it."
"I'd say it's safe to say you're pregnant alright."
"It's good," she defended, right before licking some grape jelly from her thumb.
"I'll take your word for that, darling," he said chuckling.
There was noise in the background making it hard to hear him. "Are you home?"
"No, not just yet." He sighed. "I'm going to have to get my own car. I'm pretty sure I'd be home already if I had driven."
"Probably so." If she were living in Brooklyn, she would much rather drive than have to deal with commuting. Each of them were silent, and not ready to end the call with him, she said, "Read me some more of those names."
His laugh filled the line. "Alright, let's see… Petunia… Jessica."
Her nose scrunched. "Ugh, no. Neither."
His deep rumble laugh filled the line once more. She sat back with her plate, balancing it on her belly while he read her off some more names. None of them she really liked, but she really just loved listening to him, the wonderful man in her life who she'd only known a little over a week and couldn't imagine life without as he tried to help her name her baby.
#
Wednesday came, and shutting his apartment door behind him, Robin yawned widely before clicking the dead bolt. He knew when he took this job the first few days would be a bit boring, but God, he was ready for his own project or at least something to keep his mind occupied. He'd shaken hands with more people than he ever thought possible. Richard Lionel and Associates was a huge architectural firm, and he was sure being introduced to all the different departments would be of use in the future, but he didn't give a toss about meeting Jackie in payroll and then hearing all about her three cats before moving on to the next.
One day of introductions, maybe two, he understood, but by his third day, he was done.
His apartment was dead quiet. He tossed his keys on the kitchen counter as he made his way to the fridge. Pulling it open, he frowned. All he found was a half drank six-pack, ketchup, mustard, and three hotdogs. He really needed to go shopping. They were out of bread, and he had the last of the milk with his Apple Jacks that morning. Shutting the door, he put his hands on his hips. There were really only two options, go shopping or...
He reached over and grabbed the menu clipped to his freezer door. Pizza it was. Taking his phone from his back pocket, he walked into the living room where he collapsed on the couch. Pizza and the rest of the beer in the fridge sounded like the perfect end to his day.
Well… the perfect end would involve a phone call to Regina, but he would do that in a little while after he had time to change and have a shower.
After ordering his dinner, a whole pie with pepperoni, peppers, onion, and mushroom, he went to his room and undressed. Paulie's was usually pretty quick with their deliveries which was good because he was starving. His lunch had been cut short due to a meeting his mentor thought would be interesting for him.
It hadn't been, and ten minutes in, he was tempted to go back to his sandwich.
Finishing his shower, he dressed in sweats and a tee. He stopped in the kitchen to grab a beer before returning to the couch. He eyed the PlayStation. He still had a bit to play on Tony Hawk, and he still hadn't opened Heavenly Sword. He found he wasn't in the mood to play, so he decided to just see what was on TV. The only thing he found amusing were reruns of The Office, and five minutes later, his pizza arrived.
He nearly groaned when he opened the box. Taking a plate, he threw a slice on it and then closed the box, taking it and his plate over to the couch. He ate and took sips of his beer, watching, but not really paying attention to what was happening on the screen. His mind on Regina and what she might be doing.
Throughout the day, they traded messages as they had been all week. He hadn't seen her since the movie Saturday. He had asked her about meeting for dinner Tuesday night, but she had been stuck at a photoshoot uptown, one she had been cursing all day. The building she was working in was without air conditioning, making her one very impatient pregnant woman.
He felt a bit sorry for the poor bastards working with her even though he found her all the more adorable when she was cross. He chuckled to himself. Then again, her ire hadn't been directed at him yet.
Finishing up his third slice, he decided it wasn't too late to give her a call. He told her he'd ring at nine, and it was a half hour till.
For a moment, he thought it was going to go to voicemail and then she answered. "Hi…" she began.
"Hey..."
"Hold on one second."
"Alright." He heard something like the sound of running water in the background and then nothing.
A moment later he heard her sigh softly before saying, "You have impeccable timing."
His brows raised. "Why's that?"
"I was just thinking about you."
A warmth spread through his chest, making his lips pull up. "Oh, and what are you doing that has you thinking about me?"
"Right now I'm taking a bath."
Swallowing, he felt a warm sensation for a whole different reason. Shifting in his seat, he cheekily asked, "You're thinking of me in the bath?"
Her laugher filled the line. Closing his eyes, he let his head fell back on the sofa, trying very hard to keep from thinking of her naked.
"You have a dirty mind, Robin Locksley."
"I can't help it, darling. Now all I can imagine is you naked and soapy."
Her tone changed into something filled with disbelief. "Hm, it's not as attractive as you'd think at the moment."
He supposed she would think that, not being used to being pregnant, her body would have changed, but there was absolutely nothing unattractive about her or her shape. He was already half hard just thinking about her, had been since he heard her pick up the phone. "That's where you're wrong, love. You're stunning pregnant."
"I'm glad you think so, but I'm not convinced." He heard her let out a breath and was about to open his mouth to tell her otherwise when she started speaking again. "What I was thinking was asking if you might want to come over Saturday? Emma and her husband, Neal are coming over, and I thought it would be nice if you came and kept me company when they start bickering."
The thought of her having to sit at home and listen to arguing all day didn't sit well with Robin. "Is it that bad?"
She sighed. "No, it's just becoming a thing with them. They argue just to argue lately."
He'd seen that kind of marriage before. His aunt and uncle had done that for a long while before they eventually got divorced. "That's too bad for them, but yes, I'd love to come." He'd love to do anything that involved spending time with her, and if it kept her from having to listen to her friends, all the better. A thought struck him. "On one condition."
Her voice was soft and curious. "Oh?"
"You come out with me Friday night."
She hummed softly, and he closed his eyes again. He could easily imagine her making that sound other places. Like in his ear in bed with him.
"What did you have planned?"
"Actually, I thought I'd make you dinner and perhaps talk you into a movie at my place."
"You cook?"
Sort of, he thought. He wasn't bad. Years of living on his own and getting tired of bland things like boxes of mac and cheese and cans of soup had him branching out and getting creative with things. And his time at the bar while he was away gave him an opportunity to spend some time in the kitchens when they were short staffed in the evenings. He wasn't a chef, but he learned a thing or two. "I'm not amazing or anything, but I've been known to whip up something decent."
"In that case, I'd love to."
"Excellent." He grinned. Getting to his feet, he headed back into the kitchen for another beer. "Now about this bath of yours, tell me… are there bubbles?"
Regina laughed and then her voice dropped. It was low and seductive, and he'd never heard anything sexier in his life. "Wouldn't you like to know..."
Yes. Yes, he would.
#
On Thursday, Robin spent his entire evening after work at the market. He spent a good bit of money buying groceries to have throughout the week but also for his dinner with Regina. There were many things he thought of making her, but in the end, he settled on the one thing he knew she would enjoy.
He made fajitas for himself once. They were simple, filling, and quick to make. He made sure to do the prep work earlier in the day, wanting to spend more time with her than actually cooking.
He was just finishing up frying the strips of steak when he felt her hand on his back. "Do you want any help?"
His lips pulled up. He liked this, liked having her there with him. "No, I've got it. You can go relax, sit down, put your feet up."
She leaned back against the wall and told him, "Pregnant women don't really need to put their feet up unless they're swollen, you know."
His eyes slowly slipped down. She was barefoot, having already kicked off her shoes after she arrived. "I take it back then. Your feet look just fine, love."
Her eyes darted from the pan to the peppers and onions on the counter beside him. "You never told me what you're making."
"Fajitas."
She groaned. "Steak?"
"Would you like a sample?" he asked chuckling. Taking a fork from the drawer beside him, he speared one of the strips he knew was done and held it out to her.
"Mmmhmm, God, I love you." She looked up. Her eyes were wide and looking into his with so much shock and embarrassment, it was hard to keep from smiling at her. "I mean… because of the food, not that I… I didn't mean..."
He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers to stop her from speaking. It was light, a soft press of their lips together and then it was over. Looking into her eyes, he assured, "I know what you meant, love."
She licked her lips before moving away and tucking her hair behind her ears. "I think I'll go maybe watch TV until it's ready."
"I have some movies in my room if you want to go pick one out," he told her as she slipped around the corner.
Turning back to the stove, he shook his head. Even though it wasn't how she mean it, the words still stopped his heart nonetheless.
#
Initially, she had gone into his room to escape.
She told him she loved him like an idiot, and while he may have found it an adorable blunder on her part, she was mortified.
She liked him.
Liked him a lot. Liked him enough to date him even when she was determined not to see anyone for the foreseeable future. But here she was, on her fourth date in a week now, telling him she loved him. She blamed her pregnancy for this, for making his lips and his food irresistible. Not that they probably wouldn't be if she weren't, but still… not to this degree.
Her only saving grace was that he had known not to take her seriously and seemed more amused at her slip than anything.
Taking a deep breath, she glanced around his room. Her lips tipped up, noticing he had made his bed. It was a full size with a dark gray comforter and pillows. She remembered sitting on it and sinking into the soft mattress, most likely a pillow-top. The rest of the room, while small like all the other rooms in his apartment, was neat, and it wasn't hard to find the stack of DVD's and Blu-rays lined up on his bookshelf.
Star Wars collection, Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek, Contact, Deep Impact, Armageddon, Lord of The Rings, Labyrinth. She smiled to herself. He was such a sci-fi nerd, and she adored him for it. Her finger slipped over the spine of Avatar, intent on picking it out when his voice came from behind her.
"Oh good, you found them."
She turned and smiled. "I did. Though I have to tell you, there are other genres out there besides sci-fi."
His brows rose. "I'll have you know there is a good mix of sci-fi and fantasy. All of which include drama, comedy, and a good deal of romance."
He reached out and pulled a DVD from the shelf and held it out. "This, for instance, is a classic and fits all of these."
She took the case from him. If he wasn't adorable before, he was now. "You own The Princess Bride?"
"To paraphrase the grandfather, it is much more than a kissing book."
She bit her lip and gave it back to him. "Put it in and we'll see."
Robin wasn't lying when he said he could cook. The fajitas were amazing. She'd pigged out more than she should have eating three instead of stopping at two, but he was going back for his fourth, so she figured why not.
Halfway through the movie, after they finished their meals, they made themselves comfortable on his couch. Though she sat right next to him, her shoulder just grazing his, she still felt like there were miles between them. What she wanted to do was be in those arms. She watched his hands which were currently tapping on his thighs.
This was so stupid.
Turning slightly, she poked his arm. He looked over at her frowning, until she raised a brow. Her eyes fell to his arm and then she tilted her head to the side.
Robin chuckled and raised his arm. She slid over and settled against him. This was much better.
"I didn't know how cuddly you wanted to be," he told her, with his nose inhaling her hair, making her glad she had used her new shampoo. The one that smelled of coconuts and moroccan oil.
"I'd say it would be safe to assume that if we're watching a movie, I'm going to want to be right here." She looked up at him and was taken back by the look in his eyes. His blue eyes held hers with so much unguarded want and need, it sent a low burn in her belly. Her breath was a bit breathier than she would have liked when she asked, "Do you want to kiss me?"
He leaned in but stopped just shy of her lips. "You have no idea how much."
He was waiting for her, for permission to kiss her, and the thought that he would do that, that he would wait when he wanted to so badly, made her heart fill with something more than just like for him. Her eyes fell between them to his lips, and God help her if she wasn't trembling, wanting nothing more than his lips on hers.
"Please," she whispered.
That was all he needed.
His warm lips were on hers. His hand came up and tangled in her hair, something he liked to do whenever he kissed her, at least these last couple times anyway. Her mouth opened under his, and she felt his tongue slide against hers. A low moan escaped her, but she was past caring how it looked. He knew she liked him. It was obvious how they made each other feel and to deny it was just dumb. They were only delaying the inevitable.
For long moments there was only the sound of the movie and of their breathing as they kissed and kissed. The angle was beginning to hurt her neck though, and she tried to switch. It was a bit awkward sitting side by side. What she really wanted to do was crawl into his lap, but how weird would that be with her belly between them?
Before she could make a decision however, he shifted on the couch, twisting so that she could rest her head on the back of the couch while he hovered over her. She moaned, relaxing into this new position. That was much better. Her hands rose, palming his cheeks in her hands, feeling the short, soft stubble tickle her fingertips.
The low burn began to grow as the intensity of their kisses cranked up a notch. He was so good at kissing, but soon she was going to want a hell of a lot more than just his kisses.
Easing them back she broke from the kiss to pepper his cheeks and neck with soft, light pecks. "If we don't slow down neither one of us is going to care much about stopping."
He laughed, and his head dropped down onto her shoulder a moment. Her hand rose, and she threaded her fingers into his soft hair. His head lifted and smiled sheepishly. "I apologize, it's just I've been waiting days to do that. I couldn't help myself."
"I'm not complaining," she laughed. "I just think it'd be good if we paced ourselves a bit." She smiled and then leaned toward him, kissing the tip of his nose and making him smile.
"As you wish," he told her before dropping one last kiss to her lips and settling back in his seat, lifting his arm so she could cuddle close to his side.
She felt her daughter move and kick from her rapid heartbeat and intense emotions she wasn't used to feeling. Dropping a hand to her belly, she rubbed the spot where she felt her little girl's foot and sighed, feeling Robin kiss her brow.
This she could get used to.
#
Saturday morning she woke to the sun streaming into her room and the buzz of her phone. She reached for it and blinked at the time. It was after nine. Falling back into her pillow, Regina sighed. She hadn't slept so late in forever, but then again, she didn't get home until after eleven. After The Princess Bride, they watched Avatar, well… there really wasn't as much watching as there was kissing, but after the movie was over, he took her home.
She smiled, remembering the kiss at her door. They might as well be hormonal teenagers the way they stood in the hall not wanting to part and soaking in as much as they could. She loved kissing him, not only that, but the way he kissed her, too. The way he held her face so gently and the way his fingers tangled in her hair, it was nearly overwhelming to feel so precious to someone.
Bringing up her notifications, she saw she missed a call from her mother, probably calling to reschedule that dinner she escaped, and a message from Emma and Robin.
She pulled up Emma's first, knowing whatever she wanted would be a quick response and sure enough, Emma had sent her a text telling her she got to choose her first case. Regina sent a quick reply back congratulating her and then went to Robin's text.
Morning beautiful. Shall I bring anything with me this afternoon?
She bit her lip, wanting to tell him an extra set of clothes because she didn't want him to go at the end of the night, but she knew they weren't quite to the sleepover stage yet.
Just your handsome self. ;)
Sending her reply, she dropped her phone beside her and stretched. She had to pee and now that she was awake, so was her baby girl. If she didn't get up soon, she was going to need to cross her legs on the way to the bathroom.
She tossed her blankets aside and got up from bed. When she finished in the bathroom, she got back in bed. Her work was done for the week as she finished up the last of her photos and sent them off to Mal the day before. There wasn't anything for her to do until Monday when she had to go into work for a few headshots and upstate on Tuesday for the day to shoot a bed and breakfast that was going to be featured in the magazine next month. She might as well enjoy her weekend because next week she would be busy.
Her phone buzzed just after she got back into bed. Another text from Robin.
No chocolate or something sweet for you?
Her lips pulled up as she typed, I'm making apple turnovers.
Ah, you must know the way to my heart because I love apple.
I'm certainly getting to know it.
You're already there, love.
Her heart knocked hard in her chest. With Daniel, their love developed over time. Not long, but it was months before she felt the things for him that she already felt for Robin. Perhaps it was because Daniel was her first love, her only love, so she didn't recognize the small things like she did now.
Holding her hand in the air, she studied the ring she still wore. She should take it off. He was gone and she was… she was moving on. She already put away his pictures and gave his clothes and his things to his parents. The only thing left of him was the ring she wore.
She just wasn't ready to let that last part of him go yet.
Picking her phone up, she sent him back an, I know. and then a, See you soon.
She may have been there in that place with him, may have feelings for him she shouldn't be feeling so soon, but she needed more time for her to be sure.
#
Afternoon came and so did Emma, Neal, and the baby. For a while being all together again was nice. Just like the time not so long ago when they were all in college together and Emma and Neal got along and joked around only now, there was Henry.
Emma baked ribs and made coleslaw, while Regina made turnover crust and chopped apples. Everything was good, but as they say, all good things come to an end.
Neal, bored with the baseball game, came into the kitchen holding Henry. "Regina, Em says you have a guy coming over?"
Finishing her last turnover, she looked up and nodded. "I do. His name is Robin."
His brow furrowed. "How's he feel about the kid?"
What a question to be asked. She supposed she had it coming. Shrugging, she said, "He's fine with her."
"Wow, good for him." Though Neal's words were positive his tone, however, conveyed nothing but disbelief.
Emma's head snapped up. "What does that mean?"
Neal stole a carrot from the plate of raw vegetables while shaking his head. "Nothing babe, it's just some guys wouldn't want to be saddled with a kid so young, you know?"
Regina watched as her friend's eyes widened. "Saddled with a kid…"
Here it comes, Regina thought, right before taking her baking sheet and walking over to the oven. She didn't care what Neal thought of her and Robin's relationship or what Robin thought of the baby.
"You know I didn't mean it like that," Neal replied his shoulders falling in resignation.
"Hey, you know what," Regina began, closing the oven door. "It doesn't matter because he's fine with the baby."
"Did you tell him about it being a donor kid?" Neal asked.
"Neal!" Emma scolded.
"What? I don't know these things." He bounced Henry in his arms. His eye glued to his wife. "You don't talk to me."
"Maybe if you were home more I would," Emma muttered before going back to mixing the cabbage.
"I gotta work, baby," Neal's voice softened.
Regina shook her head. This had nothing to do with her or her baby. It was about them.
"Not like that you don't." Emma looked back up at him. "Look, Regina hasn't told him about it yet, so let's not mention it."
"Okay, all right." Neal held up his free hand. "It'll be nice having another guy around. We'll outnumber the ladies, won't we kid?" he told Henry.
Regina frowned at him and pointed to her belly. "Hey, there are three girls here thank you."
Neal's eyes fell from hers to her stomach and back. "That one don't count until she's on the outside."
The apartment filled with the sound of the buzzer outside. Emma crossed the room and walked over to it, and pressing the speaker, she called, "Hey, come up." Turning to Regina, she asked, "You want to go change again before he gets up here?"
Regina scowled at the blonde as she walked over to the door. "Shut up."
She opened the door and waited for the sounds of his footsteps before opening it fully. A grin broke across her face. "Hi."
"Hey, your lift isn't broken anymore." He said with a crooked grin of his own. Leaning down, he placed a lingering kiss on her cheek. "How are you, love?"
"Good." She sighed a happy sigh. "You brought flowers, again?"
He gave her a small shrug. "Just something cheerful for you, oh and this."
Her head tilted to the side as he held out The Big Book of Baby Names. "Thank you." She took it and raised her head up, kissing him softly. From behind her, there was a cough. She looked back to see Emma and Neal standing there watching them. Rolling her eyes, she stepped back, allowing Robin to step inside. "Robin this is Emma, her husband, Neal, and their son, Henry."
"Hey." Neal lifted his chin up, giving him a nod hello.
"Nice to meet you," Emma said.
Robin smiled. "Likewise."
It fell silent between them all for a moment until Emma took a deep breath and said, "Okay, I don't know about you guys but I'm starving."
The blonde turned and her husband followed.
Regina took her flowers from Robin. "I hope you're hungry."
"Starved," he told her chuckling.
#
Regina smiled and tilted her head before going inside. He shut the door behind him and followed her inside. He watched as she got a vase for her flowers, but stepped to the other side of the counter as Emma held out plates for both he and Neal, who had just come jogging into the kitchen after having put baby Henry in his playpen in the living room.
They all loaded their plates with ribs, coleslaw, and vegetables before gathering over at the table. He and Regina on one side with Emma and Neal across from them.
"So Robin," Neal began, swallowing the bite he'd taken. "What do you do?"
Robin swallowed the drink he'd taken and replied, "I'm an architect."
Neal's wife's eyes narrowed a bit, and she cast a glance over at Regina. Robin's brow furrowed, wondering what the look was for, but Regina was too busy licking sauce off her thumb to pay attention to he or Emma.
Neal took his attention from the ladies as he said, "Wow, that's awesome. How much you make doing something like that?"
Emma smacked her husband's arm. "Neal."
Neal looked over at his wife with wide eyes. "Ow, what?"'
"You don't ask people things like that."
Robin held back a laugh? and there was a pause as Neal gave him a slightly put-out look. "Sorry."
Feeling a bit on stage, he answered with a simple, "It's not as much as you probably think."
"Yeah, still... " Neal shook his head. "I'm pretty sure I went into the wrong field."
Robin lifted his fork and asked, "Oh, what do you do?"
"I own a small business, a pawn shop over in the Bronx."
"Oh, that's interesting. I bet you see a lot of things come in there."
Neal shrugged. "Sometimes. I once had a guy bring in a Super Bowl ring."
That was certainly something. He always wondered what kinds of treasures people would take in to an establishment such as that. "Really?"
"Yeah, turned out it was stolen, but it was still pretty damn cool."
Robin chuckled. "That it would be."
#
An hour later, Regina and Emma stood at the kitchen sink, washing and drying the dishes from lunch. Robin and Neal had retreated into the living room where they could watch the Yankees play the Red Sox. They got along easily, falling quickly into a discussion about team managers and the joys of the game.
"They're getting along at least." Emma said while taking a plate from Regina to dry.
Regina frowned. Their relationship was none of her business, but this was getting a bit ridiculous. Especially since she had to hear about it all the time. "You and Neal really need to work out this working thing."
"Tell me about it. I got the job, I'm debating on whether or not to tell him about it."
"You need to tell him."
Emma's eyes widened as she hissed, "I will, but first I'm going to do it for a while, and then when he tells me it'll take away time with Henry, I'll be able to shoot that down before it escalates."
"With you working, he won't have to work so much," Regina pointed out.
Emma let out a snort. "Tell him that."
"I will when you tell him." Regina pressed.
There was the sound of footsteps, and Emma's eyes left hers to look at the person coming up behind her.
She felt hands on her hips and then Robin's lips on her cheek before he said, "Well I don't know about you ladies, but I ate so much I could use a nap. Thank you, love. Can I help you ladies clean up?"
"Nah, you can go sit with that one in there while we finish this up." Emma's chin jutted out in the direction of the living room.
She looked back at him and gave him a small smile. "We're almost done and then we can start the movie."
He shrugged and told her, "No rush," before kissing her sweetly and heading back into the living room.
Emma watched him go. "He's nice."
Her lips pulled up. "He is. He's very nice."
"And an architect…" The blonde trailed off her eyes never leaving Regina's. "That's great."
Regina's brow furrowed, not understanding why this information was so appealing. Yes, he made money, and yes, it was a great career, but she didn't understand the focus of it. "Are you trying to get at something?"
Emma took another plate from her. "No, not at all. I think it's just a funny coincidence that's all."
Finally done with the dishes, she rang out the sponge and tossed it on the counter. "Coincidence?"
"Em, this guy needs changed," Neal's voice called out from the living room.
Emma, who had just finished putting the last plate away, tossed the towel over her shoulder, and with her hands on her hips, said, "Are you serious?"
"I changed the last one."
Regina stepped around Emma. "I'll change him," she said, walking over to the couch and taking the baby from Neal. She cuddled him close and told him, "Come on, baby boy."
#
Hours later, she tucked into Robin's side while she held a sleeping Henry on her shoulder, and they watched Sweeney Todd. She gazed up to find Robin watching her with a soft smile on his face.
"What?" she asked him.
"You're a natural with him," he murmured. "You're going to be a fantastic mum."
His statement took her breath from her. She always hoped she would be. She knew that she was good with Henry, but hearing it from someone, from him, gave her a bit of belief that she really would. She leaned up, and he got the message, meeting her halfway in a kiss.