I Can't Get You off my Mind (and Maybe I'm Crazy but it's True)

Chapter Eight: Wood and Freshly Washed Blankets

"I know it's not much, but finding a single apartment on such short notice is really hard," Emma explained as she opened the door to her Boston apartment.

Regina gingerly stepped in, fearing it was some dump- the outside of the building certainly looked like a place where criminals lived- but the inside wasn't too bad. Could use new paint and some new molding, but otherwise livable. At least it smelled nice. Traces of Emma's scent hung in the air, as did the smell of freshly washed sheets which were spread out on the couch. Emma had been doing laundry, staying in, when Regina had phoned her and asked to come over.

Emma didn't realize that Regina was right on her doorstep, so Emma hadn't had time to clean up, or to even change into something more flattering.

"It's...fine," Regina concluded on gingerly. "Did you bring all your art supplies here?"

"Yes, I did. Though I haven't been able to paint much of anything recently," Emma admitted, a hint of bitterness in her voice. It was clear why she couldn't paint. The hurt of her and Regina's previous falling out had infused her soul and made her painting hand too heavy to hold the brush.

Regina internally winced at this, but it was part of the reason why she was here- her crappy treatment of Emma. "Actually, I was hoping to...apologize to you for the way I treated you," Regina spoke up, digging into her pea coat's pocket. She held out a box from Tiffany's in her palm.

Emma's eye went wide at this as Regina opened up the box to show that inside it was a silver ring, simple and yet elegant in it's simplicity. She met Regina's nervous eyes- nervous for how this would be received. Emma couldn't hold back the huff of amusement coming from her lips.

"Are you proposing to me?"

Regina flushed red at this. "I'm not. It's an I'm Sorry ring."

"Are you sure? Because typically when someone messes up with their significant other, they buy a bracelet or necklace, not a ring. A ring...is very permanent. Very possessive," Emma said, tongue pressed against the back of her teeth as she took the box from Regina and looked at the ring.

Emma had hit the nail on the head. Regina's alpha had been unable to resist from purchasing the ring because even though they were barely just dating, just starting their journey into being girlfriends, she wanted everyone to know Emma was hers. The marks had faded, but a ring couldn't fade.

She licked her suddenly dry lips. "You don't have to take it if it bothers you," she said in a low embarrassed murmur at being called out. She had hoped Emma wouldn't have noticed. But she did.

"No. I want it," Emma jerked back when Regina held out her hand to get the ring back. "It's the only thing you've given me. And it's beautiful." She gave a playful smile. "But this doesn't mean I'm marrying you."

Regina rolled her eyes, amused at Emma's antics. "Of course not. I'll never marry you if you don't want that."

Suddenly Emma sobered up a bit. "W...would you? Marry me?"

Regina wasn't ready for the sudden heavy turn in the conversation. Though she should have expected it. She exhaled, formulating her words so she wouldn't hurt Emma or herself. But in the end, all that came out was the truth. "I don't know, Emma. That's a huge commitment and we're nowhere near ready to even think about such a thing."

Emma nodded her head, slipping the ring on. It fit perfectly. How had Regina known her size? "I know. I know," she said softly, having let herself indulge in a long time fantasy of hers to be married to her one true mate. But nothing had turned out how she would have imagined with her true mate and so she wasn't going to push. Regina was scared of matters of love and Emma would not push.

"I also came to tell you you're hired. That is, if you want to work at my art gallery still," Regina said, shoving her hands into her coat pockets to stop them from fidgeting. She was nervous about Emma rejecting her in this too. Emma had all the right to do so, given how rudely Regina had dismissed her previously.

Emma didn't even wait a beat before answering. "Of course I do. When can I start?"

"Whenever you'd like."

After all the complications to getting to where they were now, things surprisingly went smoothly afterwards. It was almost ridiculous how things just fell into a pattern. They went to work, they went on dates (chaste dates, Emma's nether regions bemoaned, but frankly after the disaster that had occurred on Emma's heat, they were taking things slow) and in general spending time over at each others apartments.

It was nice. And when the two of them weren't ardently trying to fight their mate bond, it turned out they got along very well. Well enough that they'd laugh into the late hours of the morning and wind up tangled in each other on the couch or the bed, forgotten TV blaring in the background.

It was easy to believe that they had never fought or struggled to be together when it was like this. Regina worked her ass off on her gallery, sometimes flying over the weekend and going to other states or countries to scope out art trends or new artists to feature. And Emma painted, trying to find a new theme for her work.

She found herself tapping into companionship. Pieces that spoke about the complex reality of relationships. Whereas her last exhibit had been about loneliness, this one was not and it made her reflect a bit on how even though she had been with Killian, she still felt alone. Not truly connected to anyone.

Being with Regina made her feel like the world was right. Like it was just a bit brighter. That was the magic of the true mate bond and Emma understood why so many people craved it.

While Emma was painting one evening, Regina came over, with two containers of hot chocolate. Emma had converted Regina into drinking the sugary beverage even though it set her back on her calorie count.

"I see you've been busy," Regina commented as she looked through the paintings Emma had churned out. There were three of them already.

"I'm feeling inspired," Emma explained, dabbing her brush into red paint and spreading it strategically over the canvas.

"What's inspired you?"

"You."

Regina looked surprised by this. "Really? If I did, where are the knives and my face being punched in and-"

"Stop that," Emma said lowly, annoyed with this self deprecation act Regina fell into so often. It didn't look right on her haughty features, didn't mesh well with who she was.

"I don't know how you could have forgiven me so easily for what I put us through-"

"I just don't want to think about it. It's in the past. Why don't we focus on better things, like our future?" Emma turned from her painting, eyeing Regina who stood frozen, cup held almost crushed in her white knuckled grip.

"I'm worried I might do it again," Regina confessed.

"Do what?" Emma asked, not quite following.

"Hurt you. Run away," Regina supplied, brow furrowed.

Emma got up from her stool. "Are you still not sure...about us?" she voice hesitantly.

Regina nodded her head solemnly. "It's just...a huge commitment. I was never expecting to find my true mate and I feel like there's so many expectations I need to hold up because of that and I-"

Emma shushed her with a gentle kiss, tasting hot chocolate in her breath. "Regina, I don't expect anything more from you than to be you. That's all."

Regina gave Emma a watery smile. "Thank you. That was what I needed to hear."

Emma stepped back, pleased that she had managed to fix this. But she placed her hands on Regina's hips, savoring the up close scent of her. Still so rich and heavy. "So, I was thinking," Emma wagged her brows. "How about I give you an art lesson?"

"I don't think I'm much of a painter," Regina said as Emma ducked in and pressed a kiss to the column of her neck. Regina's pulse jumped in her throat.

"Hm, I was thinking something more along the lines of what happened during the lesson," Emma hummed as she pressed another kiss, this one under the jaw bone of Regina's neck.

Regina gave a low chuckle. "You mean when I embarrassed myself in front of you?"

"It was adorable. It made me feel so very wanted," Emma said but found that Regina was backing out of the blonde's hold.

"Regina..." Emma sighed out, frustrated. "When are you going to stop being afraid? We're in a relationship. When we sleep together it'll be different because we're not dating other people, we're dating each other."

Regina still looked uncertain. "I...are you sure?" she asked at last, looking vulnerable.

"I'm ready to be with you. It won't be like last time. We won't have any regrets," Emma assured.

Regina gave a small smile. She didn't look entirely convinced but Emma knew there was only so much that they could resist each other, their animal sides calling to each with primal hunger. She leaned in and kissed Emma now, her lips soft and delicate but gradually becoming more forceful and hungry. Emma met each kiss with her own hunger, backing up Regina until they landed up against the wall.

It felt so nice to kiss freely like this. To not pull away before the kisses could blossom into something else for fear they would cross a line neither was ready. Regina tipped Emma's head to the side as Emma's hand deviously trailed down and to the alpha's crotch, already finding a sizable bulge had grown there.

She pulled the zipper down and reached in, making Regina whimper against her lips. It had been too long since they'd been like this, and all sensible thought left Regina's head as Emma's deft fingers wrapped around her rigid length and pulled it out, stroking up and down.

Regina's hips bucked and she had to momentarily rest her head against Emma's shoulder as pleasure coursed through her. It was all so much so quickly.

"If you want me to last, you need to stop that," Regina uttered out in a low groan as Emma's hand picked up the pace.

"I wouldn't mind," Emma said, nibbling on Regina's ear shell.

"But I want to make you scream my name," Regina admitted, suddenly all commanding alpha; all repressed desire shooting forth. She pushed Emma's hands away from her and spun the blonde into the wall. Emma didn't mind the change in position at all. "All. Night. Long," Regina said in between nips of Emma's neck.

"Fuck," Emma groaned out. "Bedroom, now." Because she didn't think her legs would stand up for much longer. They stumbled in the direction of her bedroom, shedding clothes on the way until they were at last naked when they finally tumbled onto the bed.

Emma sucked hard on Regina's neck, wanting to mark the alpha as hers. Regina did the same, leaving a red mark she laved over and then chomped down into, eliciting a groan of pain and pleasure from Emma. Her hips writhed, bumping into Regina's erection.

"I want you to mark me," Emma confessed, all her emotions spilling out of her in this highly emotional moment. "I want you to make me yours."

Regina slowed in her ministrations of kissing her way over Emma's body with appreciation, taking time to get to know it. Killian had never done that for Emma before. It was always straight to sex and sometimes Emma didn't even get off and had to go do so in the bathroom later.

But despite how impatient the two of them were, Regina still made time to worship Emma's body with her lips. Almost like Emma was the art work here. And Regina her creator. "You want a true mating mark?" Regina asked, voice steady but eyes alive with the notion of actually claiming Emma.

"Yes," Emma breathed out as Regina's warm hands massaged her thighs gently, peeling them thoughtfully apart. "And I want...I want your knot too," Emma added on, in a lowered voice, a bit ashamed of this. But she needed it. Because then she would have the mark and the knot and everything would be perfect if just for that moment.

A low growl came from Regina's lips, surprising them both. But it seemed her alpha side very much liked the idea of that. Without another word she lowered her lips and resumed her actions of kissing down Emma's stomach before she got to the spot between her thighs. Emma was already so dripping wet it would be embarrassing. But she couldn't care right now. Not when Regina parted her folds with a wicked tongue that gave no quarter as it ravished Emma. It barely took more than a few swipes and Emma was coming, spilling down onto the sheets and into Regina's mouth.

The alpha cleaned everything up quickly and continued to eat Emma out, flicking the blonde's clit, sliding in a finger along the way. Emma's inside twisted in exaltation and she screamed as she came again, thighs clamping hard on Regina's head and holding her there as she rode out the waves of pleasure.

When she relaxed a bit, she pulled up Regina by the chin, kissing her hard and tasting herself on the other woman's lips. "I guess all that arguing worked out your tongue because holy shit," she grinned, a bit delirious from pleasure.

Regina just gave a cocky little half smirk before settling in between Emma's thighs, rubbing her erection teasingly on the folds. And just like that, Emma was ready to go again, spreading her legs wider in invitation. Regina wasted no more time, sliding in easily like they had done this a thousand times. They both let out happy little gasps at finally reuniting.

Emma could feel Regina's dick throbbing with fullness, just about ready to burst and she wanted the alpha to crumble and give in easily. Wanted to see Regina's pleasure. The alpha began to thrust in and out, all the while her lips played with the skin around Emma's collarbone, sucking it in and leaving it red. Emma's hands raked through the brunette's raven locks, nails pricking skin and making Regina hiss at the pain.

Soon the both of their hips were moving at a rapid pace as their climax approached. With a small sharp gasp, Regina stilled and came inside Emma, the feeling of the alpha's release providing that extra edge for Emma to come as well.

They took a moment to catch their breaths, Emma finding that Regina was still hard inside her despite having come mere seconds ago. The alpha gave a few shallow thrusts, finding that Emma was highly sensitive. Each motion made shivers climb up and down her spine and her stomach quiver with another building orgasm.

This time, Regina couldn't thrust in as deeply. The base of her cock had swollen and it was apparent to them both that she would knot. Emma was elated at this idea. It was what her omega side needed, wanted, to know that the alpha had accepted their relationship.

As Regina kept thrusting, eventually having to still her motions and work on getting it in, Emma craned her neck up and bit down hard, right on the junction where mating marks go. Regina let out a surprised grunt but bent her head down to do the same. Copper flooded their mouths but so did relief. Finally, the mate bond between them was satisfied, because through all their differences, they had come to terms at least for this moment and decided to give in to each other like they were long meant to do so.

With a soft pop, Regina was finally able to get her knot inside Emma. The sensation of being full was immense and Emma came with a light shuddering gasp, walls tugging on Regina's cock and making it release for a second time. This time the release didn't have anywhere to go but inside and the warmth felt comforting as well as arousing.

Careful of the knot, Regina rotated their naked forms so that they could be more comfortable on the bed while they waited for it to go down. Both felt a sensation of relief, Regina wrapped her arms protectively around Emma's waist as she lay behind her, nuzzling the back of her hair, breathing in the wonderful scent that was Emma.

"That was worth the wait," Emma said softly, feeling Regina still pulsating softly inside her. Emma's omega side was keening in joy at taking the knot. She needed to take more of them, but with time. There was no rush now.

"Hm, I sure hope so," Regina murmured sleepily in agreement.

"Took us a long time to decide to get to it," Emma commented, touching her mating mark which would scar but lead everyone to know she was Regina's.

"It might take us a long time to get anywhere else," Regina added neutrally. "I suppose we might as well get on with it and do so."

Emma bit back a grin and had she not been knotted she would have turned around and kissed Regina for saying this. But she couldn't move right now. She was just happy because Regina was finally, finally sloughing off the uncertainties about their relationship and going for it. It was better than even sex, to hear this. "If I had known just letting you knot me would change your mind, I would have let you knot me a while ago."

"Don't be cheeky," Regina huffed. "It takes more than just one knot to change me."

Emma chuckled lowly and then they were quiet after that, just basking in the after glow.

Sated and happy they drifted off to sleep, wrapped around each other.