"Regina, I have to head to work this evening," Graham announces, peeking his head into her art studio that's glowing with blinding white lights and pounding with obnoxiously loud music that his wife usually never listens to.
"Hmmm?" Regina quickly turns down the volume, offering her recognition. "What did you say, dear?"
He exhales slowly and drags his feet further into the room. "Her avoiding you for an entire week is really irritating you, isn't it?" He softly questions.
She shrugs, pretending to be indifferent as she lightly scratches the tip of her nose, painting a line of green pastel down her nose. Graham smiles from ear to ear, his hands gripping firmly onto her waist and then hoists her onto the table with no complaint.
"If she blew you off and then avoided you for a week, then she's not interested," he softly reminds her, stepping between her legs and cupping her cheeks lovingly.
"Oh, I know that. Honestly, Graham, I'm fine," she lies and presses a kiss to his lips to shut him up.
"Liar," he breathes into the kiss and she actually laughs at this. "Look," he interrupts their busy lips and rests his forward against hers. "I liked her a lot too. She's smoking hot, a knockout in bed, but more than all that, she is sweet and pretty funny. But clearly it was one wild night for her books."
"I know. I swear I'm fine. I think I'm just upset because she blew me off that day. She could have still come over and told me, 'hey, I was caught up in the moment and I really don't want it to happen again,' I would have accepted that, you know me, honey."
"I know." He gently dips down and kisses her pout away.
"You don't want to be late," she murmurs, promoting him to break away.
"Alright, I'll see you in the morning."
"I hate these night shifts," she bitterly grumbles before redirecting her gaze back onto her project and hopping off the table.
"I know, me too."
And then he's out the door and she's cranking her music back up and scratching at her temple as she assesses her next masterpiece. She tilts her head to the side in consideration, noting the vibrant golden splash that's consuming most of the canvas and then curses herself for feeling so affected by the young blonde across the street. Her subconscious is clearly stating a point as to what's truly on her mind, even if she's creating a landscape piece.
"Regina?"
She jumps, dropping her pastel and tossing her hand over her erratic heart at the timid voice trying to be heard over the music. In a haste, she shuffles forward and turns down the music before her eyes land upon a very nervous Emma Swan.
"Emma," she gasps.
"Sorry, Graham let me in...I didn't mean to scare you," she anxiously apologizes with that stunning color rising to her cheeks once again.
"It's alright, I just wasn't expecting anyone, Graham said his goodbyes for the evening."
"Oh."
They both fall painfully silent. Emma studying Regina in yoga pants and a loose tank top with her hair piled high into a sloppy ponytail and little pieces trying to escape. She smiles at the green stripe down her nose and the golden dust across her temple and somehow she finds her even more attractive. And Regina is scrutinizing the blonde that went missing for an entire week. Her lips are pursed as her eyes examine the nervous tick Emma is displaying, rocking from her heels to her toes, unsure where she should place her hands. She's wearing another plain tank top and Regina feels herself growing angry at those perfect arms flaunting and teasing in her face.
"Why are you here, Emma?" She strictly demands an answer, folding her arms across her chest.
"Yeah, I deserve that," she meekly concedes before stealing a step forward. "I'm sorry I ditched you. I wasn't planning on it. I just..." she breathes out a ragged breath and shoves her hands into the tiny front pockets of her shorts and shrugs. "I was nervous, I'm still nervous. This is intimidating and I am so confused. I'm not quite sure how I'm supposed to feel, but I think my brain is sending mixed signals and I just couldn't come here and talk. I chickened out," she blurts out in one single breath, taking Regina by surprise. "I'm really sorry."
Regina sighs, because she does understand and she doesn't blame the young woman for feeling so conflicted. "I understand, I do. I would have appreciated you just saying that you weren't ready to talk or that you were uncomfortable and needed space," she declares, and snatches up her rag to wipe away the residue staining her fingertips.
"I know you probably hate me, but can we talk now?"
"I don't hate you," Regina drawls, rolling her eyes as she steps away from her work space.
"That's a start," Emma brightens up, flashing the most adorably goofy grin that has Regina smiling instantly.
"Come along, dear," Regina orders, brushing right passed the woman that is bathed in a coconut aroma. "I have a feeling you will need a glass of wine to get through this talk."
"Probably," she mutters and dawdles in Regina's shadow the entire way to the kitchen.
Regina quickly washes her hands before swiftly moving around the kitchen, gathering two glasses and a chilled bottle of white wine from the refrigerator. She pops the cork, and carefully pours two hefty glasses before she extends one to her guest, but Emma decides to, unexpectedly, skim her finger down Regina's nose.
"As adorable as this is, I thought you should know you missed your canvas, or are you the masterpiece?" Emma easily flirts, throwing Regina completely off for a moment because one minute this girl is shy and flustered and the next she's bold and daring and Regina's struggling to find her balance in their conflicting awakes.
She swallows her nerves and uses the back of her hand to scrape away the green tint. "Thanks," she murmurs under her breath and moves to wet a paper towel and wipe herself clean before handing it to Emma so she can clean her finger as well. "How about we take this to the living room?"
"Okay," Emma barely croaks out and suddenly there is this wall of tension between them that neither one understands how it just magically appeared.
Regina feels the weight and uncertainty of the situation as she guides Emma back into her living room. Without a word spoken between them, Regina tucks her legs beneath her bottom and leans against the back of the couch. Emma on the other hand, folds her legs like a pretzel and faces Regina with her wine in her lap.
"So...you...um wanted to talk?" Emma awkwardly chokes out before quickly coating her dry mouth with the sweet wine.
"You came to my house," Regina counters with a stoic mask that rattles Emma's nerves all the more.
"Right." The younger woman guzzles down her wine in hopes to calm her anxiety while her eyes dart all around the room, petrified to land upon the brunette. "Um, I came here to tell you that I've been thinking a lot about what happened."
"As you should, that's perfectly normal."
"I felt really embarrassed and ashamed at first, but," she pauses, the words so clearly stuck in her throat while her grasp around the wine glass becomes so tight that Regina worries it might shatter.
"You can be honest with me, Emma. I won't take offense to whatever you may say, I promise," she earnestly vows, encouraging the other woman to release her breath.
"I know. I just...I really...um...liked it." Her gaze drops to her hands and the color that stains her cheeks, and chest, and even her ears, is a deep burgundy.
"And that's okay," Regina gently places her hand upon a bouncing knee. "Everyone has sexual fantasies and desires and I know this is all taboo, but you don't have to beat yourself up over something that you enjoy."
"I know, but it's wrong. It's so wrong. You are married," she rebuttals with her anguish rattling against her throat and pleading for Regina to comprehend her confusion and guilt.
"I know, dear, but please, think of it like this; together, Graham and I decided to spice up our marriage. Together, we tried toys and role playing and different types of entertainment, and that was all fine, but we were looking for more." Emma is breaking out into another deep blush and Regina really wishes she wasn't so affected by something so minuscule. "And together, we discussed adding another person into our bed one night. Of course, we were both nervous and we both kept looking at each other, making sure it was all okay, but once we relaxed and truly allowed ourselves to enjoy the moment, we realized just how exhilarating it was." Emma's pouting back at her, so she decides to keep explaining as best as she can. "It's not cheating, Graham and I are having sex together and we are simply adding something to the mix to heighten the pleasure."
"So, your third party is basically just a sex toy," she deadpans, causing Regina's heart to seize in her chest.
"No," she harshly spits out. "Not at all. We never want anyone to ever feel that way or feel used, that's why we are so affectionate during and after." Regina straightens her posture, holding Emma's gaze intensely. "That's why Graham tried kissing you the next morning, he wanted to make sure you felt appreciated. Once we sleep with someone together and we know it's going to happen again, Graham and I have an understanding. We are allowed to indulge with some playful kisses without the other around, but both still need to be present for sex," she strictly commands.
"Okay...so if we wanted...we could...make out a little bit?" Emma timidly investigates further into the rules, persuading a small chuckle to escape Regina's lips from the shy demeanor.
"Yes, we could make out," she mocks.
"And like, is there some understanding, like silent contract between you guys and the other person or couple?"
"No, if we would like to join another couple we know who is interested, and afterwards, we are all just friends again."
"Any friends that I should know about that you have secret make out sessions with?"
"Rule number one, Emma, no jealousy," Regina firmly states, reaching into the space between them to stuff that pouty lip back into place. "It's impossible to be involved with something so in depth like this and allow silly insecurities to the forefront of your mind. It's all about pleasure, there's no room for feelings and emotions."
"And you have never slipped up? Never once felt something more and panicked?" The blonde incredulously investigates. "Because if you say, no, I call bullshit."
"At the end of the day, I know who I love and who loves me. I know who has always been there for me, who is my partner and best friend," Regina confidently states. "Why are you getting worked up?"
"I'm not," she hastily defends, but her voice cracks and throws her credibility right out the window and Regina is just staring at her, silently calling her out.
"Emma, would you be interested in another night?" She softly proposes, not wanting to scare the woman away.
"Ugh, I don't know, I'm just so confused between wrong and right and I really, really don't want to be right and really really just want to let loose and have some fun. I'm so tired of textbooks and exams and-"
"Emma, calm down," Regina gently, yet firmly commands, snapping the blonde's mouth shut immediately. She sets down her wine glass and scoots just a tad closer, so she can cup those flushed cheeks. "Listen to me, nothing has to happen again if you don't want, there's no pressure, but if you do want to, you know where I live," she quips, creating a ginormous grin to burst across Emma's face.
Emma curls her fingers possessively around Regina's wrists and maybe it does more to Regina than she cares to acknowledge, before Emma inhales sharply and roughly slams her lips against Regina's. This young woman takes control, slipping her tongue expertly inside Regina's, owning her tongue and reverting Regina into a gooey mess of melting passion. She's absolutely swooning over the contradicting mix of emotions that makes up Emma Swan.
"Emma," Regina breathes to break apart the kiss, provoking the younger woman to reel back.
"What? I thought this is allowed?"
"It is," she chuckles, stealing the woman's glass and placing it down on her table so they don't spill. "So," she smirks salaciously, and waits for those predictable goosebumps to scatter against porcelain skin and it does so deliciously. "You would like to do this again?" She husks, sending her warm breath to tickle against pale lips.
"You have no idea," Emma gasps. "I can't stop thinking about it," she quietly confesses, the volume barely qualifying as even a whisper before she rushes forward to reconnect their lips.
Regina moans into the kiss and allows Emma to take the lead, guiding her until she's molding into the cushions below. She glides her fingers up those rosy cheeks and holds Emma's face into place as a determined tongue firmly meshes against her own. A whimper stirs in the blonde's throat just before she feels a sensational friction pressing into her bundle of nerves and releasing a hot spark of desire to swim violently through her veins.
"Wait, Emma," she sadly says, urging the girl back because she's desperately grinding on top of her, hoping for some kind of relief.
"I know, I know," Emma pants, resting her forehead against Regina's and lifting her hips for safety.
Regina gently lifts Emma's head, so she can peer deep into that sea of green that's quickly becoming her new favorite place to become lost in. "I do want you, probably more than I should admit," she breathlessly laughs and the smile she receives is breathtaking.
"When is Graham coming home?" Emma blurts out a little too eagerly, inspiring them both to laugh.
Regina breathes in the alluring aroma basking around them and tangles her fingers into the silkiest tresses she has ever pulled on. "He's working the night shift for awhile, so he won't be home until six-thirty in the morning."
"Then, I should probably get off you, huh?" Her companion whines, but makes no true effort in actually removing herself.
"Not necessarily," she flippantly says and then grants a short peck to her pout. "Just don't be escalating things and torturing us both," she sternly commands, but her words are cut off by a fierce kiss, full of promise and force, but never any tongue.
"So, an artist, huh?" The woman backs away just the slightest, but stays comfortably on top of Regina and it's the most adorable sight.
She never truly allows anyone so close unless her and Graham are indulging. She always maintains a proper balance and safe distance, even if she is a big flirt, but this woman does unexplainable things to her insides and she just can't seem to shove her away. She's enjoying the warmth emitting from the young girl and warming up the blood that runs through her veins. She's amused by the dancing green orbs and the crooked smile shining down on her and this woman has never appeared so young and naive and she just wants to keep holding her close.
"Yes, I find creating something so different from the every day life is cathartic."
"So, when you're stressed you draw or paint?"
"Sometimes, yes," and she doesn't quite understand why her voice sounds so raw and vulnerable in the moment, but she ignores the hidden message. "Sometimes, when I'm very relaxed I enjoy grabbing my sketch pad and doodling something that inspires me."
"Can I assume by the loud music and deep concentration that you were stressed when I walked into your studio?" Regina narrows her eyes in warning, and Emma would normally cower away, but today she doesn't. "Was it because of me?"
"Yes, but not because of what you may think. I don't like being lied to, I value honesty in all my relationships," she sternly declares and Emma immediately cowers like a small child being scolded.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"
"It's quite alright. I just hope next time instead of running away, you speak with me about your concerns."
"I will, I promise," Emma immediately vows and the sincerity glistening in her eyes persuades Regina to cup her cheek tenderly and pull her down for a slow and lazy kiss.
There isn't a hint of urgency or need, just the compatible comfort soothing between them. Her lips skim softly against the thin mouth, humming at how delicate and soft Emma's flesh is. Neither one asks for permission to enter, instead they both relish in the feel of their lips molding so perfectly together. Heat disperses through her veins like hot candle wax spilling, when she hears the sexy noise of their lips breaking apart only to push back against each other once more.
It's evident that Emma is unsure of lines, boundaries and what's appropriate or not, because she is balancing on her elbows above Regina, not moving, nor touching, just barely breathing and allowing her lips to do all the work. So, Regina gently glides her thumb against the flushed cheek and almost crumbles completely when this girl leans into the touch.
"You're killing me," Emma whimpers into the kiss and provokes a deep chuckle to burst from Regina.
"I'm sorry, dear." She pecks the woman's forehead before Emma drops it to her chest and Regina holds her close. "So, tell me..." the blonde snaps back to attention, "when did you first discover you were bisexual?"
"I was thirteen and at a sleepover with my best friend. I thought she was sleeping and I just remember feeling so uncomfortable and that I wanted...something, from her, but I really didn't know what." Regina tilts her head in thought, absorbing and memorizing every word as she tucks a chunk of hair behind her ear. "So, I don't know if she read my mind, but she crawled on top of me and we started kissing and grinding until we were both happy."
"So, did you ever date this woman?"
"Oh no, I've never actually dated a girl." Regina blenches from this, her confusion written all over her face. "We continued that for awhile but then we grew apart. I continued hooking up with boys and girls, she stuck to strictly boys. I always wonder if she still secretly hooks up with girls or just has no interest now."
"Do you still speak with her?"
"No, we are friends on Facebook though." Regina breathes out a laugh through her nose and is now just realizing that her fingertips are mindlessly twirling in loose waves. "Anyways, I've never had a serious committed relationship, I'm so busy with school, so I just kind of stick with hookups."
"Oh," and she sounds a little too surprised by this.
"The guy I lost my virginity to, his name is, Neal, and I don't know, every time we see each other we end up sleeping together, but it's weird...like we act like the best of friends after. I enjoy sleeping with him, don't get me wrong, he's great, but...I don't know, there's no spark that keeps me wanting more, you know?"
Regina smiles softly, loving how this young woman is just pouring her past into her hands and Regina will be damned if she allows one moment to drop. She feels this urgency to keep those memories close and to cherish each and every one.
"I know what you mean," she leans in and whispers, "now you understand when I say that we can sleep with someone and not get attached." She winks as Emma's smile reaches her eyes and leans down to kiss her quickly.
"What about you?"
"What about me?" Regina fires back without skipping a beat.
"Tell me about you. Tell me about your past before Graham. Tell me about your parents."
"Oh, well, not much to tell. I have very boring parents who live in the suburbs, play Bridge, pay their taxes and never swear."
"And then there's you," Emma enthuses.
"Then there's me," Regina chirps, shrugging carelessly. "My first love was with a man named Daniel, coincidently his first love was a man as well..."
"No," Emma gasps, her eyes shinning with amusement and intrigued for more details.
"Oh yes. We were eighteen when he came out to me and I couldn't be mad at him for that, so I thought, why lose him over this? I still loved him. So, I supported him as best as I could. We purchased some fake I.D's and snuck into some gay clubs," Regina smiles to herself, remembering those days as if they were yesterday. "We had the best of times. So many woman assumed I was gay or bisexual for being there and I just played along, well, more like experimented and found out that I was indeed bisexual."
"That's amazing," Emma giggles, completely enthralled with the story. "Did you ever tell your parents?" She questions, her head tilting to the side like an adorable little puppy.
"I did in fact, but they assumed it was just a phase since I married a man," she scoffs, rolling her eyes.
"How did you end up marrying Graham?" Emma quizzically asks.
"Oh boy," Regina desperately tries to hold back her smile, but it's futile and Emma is gazing into her eyes with excitement, knowing that smile is there for good reason. "Well, I was taking some art classes and Graham just so happened to be one of the nude models-"
"Get out!"
"I can't, you're on top of me," she deadpans, eliciting the most carefree laugh to spew from Emma's mouth.
"Tell me more!"
"Okay, okay. So, apparently he lost some bet, so his friends from the police academy signed him up for the position and so he did it, like he was a professional."
"And then what? You guys locked eyes and the rest is history?"
"Not really...sort of. Well, he came back the following week, fully clothed, and waited for my class to be over and then he properly asked me out on a date and who was I to turn down the hot, nice model?" She playfully quips.
"That's a great story...almost as great as ours," Emma smugly replies with a shit eating grin plastered across her face.
"That's the one where the couple tried to hit on their new neighbors, but realized it was a dead end and snatched up their daughter instead, right?" Regina sarcastically quips, forcing Emma's face to fall.
"You-you didn't..."
"To be honest, Graham and I discussed it, but no we never asked them and we never hit on them."
"Oh my god, you're awful. They are so old."
"They are not," Regina exasperates, "they are only ten years older than me. I am almost ten years older than you," she reasons, but the blonde is shaking her long mane all around their faces.
"No, we are only eight years apart. Still, I can't believe you even..."
"I just think your dad is very handsome, quite the charmer."
"We are done with this conversation or I will march home right now," Emma firmly declares.
"Oh, were you invited to stay?" She sardonically investigates.
"Do you want me to go home?" Emma volleys right back at her without a moment of hesitation.
Regina quickly stretches forward and steals a kiss that immediately turns Emma to putty, her warm body melting heavily on top of Regina. "Stay," she whispers into the kiss.
"I was never leaving."