Chapter 2

"Slipping through the Sheets"

5:45 am; that was when she'd woke after that wild, spontaneous night. Regina stared at the bland white ceiling above her and quickly realized she had made a mistake. Had she really gone home with a man she had never even met, and trusted him enough to sleep with him for that matter? The brunette could hardly process all the wrong in what she had done. Thankfully, however the exaggerated snores coming from the blonde man beside her brought her from her thoughts. Her eyes eased over his form one last time before she slipped herself from under his grasp, covering herself with the powdered gray sheets.

The brunette then gathered her scatted clothing from the floor, hoping she'd gotten the last of everything. Though she had thought too soon. Suddenly the blonde man turned slightly in his deep sleep, his arm slightly hanging along the bed frame. It was then that her red lace thong came into view. Shit. Regina sighed and quietly walked back over toward the bed to gently remove her garment from under his arm. She was slow enough to spark a breath from the man but fast enough for him to remain in his slumber. She smiled then, and let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding in.

In an instant she was yet again at the face of his bedroom door. She carefully turned the knob as the creeks hissed from being pulled apart. She rolled her eyes and quickly made an escape: imagining that the floor was made of hot lava and the air of thick smoke. Surely that would motivate her to move faster and to get the hell out of there. The brunette then gave one last look back at the man between the bed sheets before she'd closed the door and exited his home.

Three Months Later….

In the months that past, Robin had kept himself very busy with the upkeep of the club. He'd managed to square away most if not all of the maintenance issues they'd encountered and even began picking out a symbol for the company club. Oh but the floor plan blue prints for the club were something out of a dream. Robin could see it now: the music, the dancing, the strip- okay, well maybe not strippers, at least not until after 12pm.

It would have an open bar and happy hour with tons of imported alcohol from around the world. There'd be a disco ball hanging from the ceiling and white painted glass on the walls to reflect all the flashing lights. This club would be a hit, he just had to play his cards right and persuade the company investors that this was in fact a winner. They had to see his vision as he saw it.

Will peeked through the blinds to Robin's onsite trailer. He was one of Robin's closest childhood friends and even agreed to invest some of his money into the club. Robin couldn't have thanked him enough for his input, though Will didn't see how helping out an old friend was anything for Robin to feel overly gracious about. After all it was only a few G's and that's what friends were for. Besides, it wasn't as if Robin couldn't pay him back the funds.

No, this ran deeper. The blonde haired man just hated asking for help. Robin was a very independent man and constantly relied on himself to get things done. He firmly believed that there was no task that someone else could do that he couldn't do better. For as long as Will could remember, his friend had always been an over achiever. But, despite all that he'd done to support himself, Will found him to be a poor listener in the area of guidance. One way or another, he knew that Robin would one day face an obstacle far beyond his control. Maybe then he'd realize that asking for a little help from time to time is far from a crime.

"WOAH! Robin who's the blonde?" Asked Will as his lips formed into a curve.

"What blonde?" Asked Robin as he set his mail down on his desk.

The blue-eyed man walked over to peek through the blinds to see the blonde woman approaching. She was 5'8, 125lbs, and had the longest legs Robin had ever seen. He might have even been attracted to her had she not been his childhood neighbor. Emma Swan. Her parents and his had been trying to set them up together since the both of them could walk. But they were so different, she and him. He liked weekend trips to the Poconos and she liked nature walks in the park. He loved watching a great comedy on Sunday nights and she loved touring the art museums of the city's exhibits. Which was completely fine for someone who was actually interested in that stuff. But that person was never going to be Robin. He found her to be an incredible bore, and often tried to avoid her whenever she came around to visit. Sort of like he's going to now..

"No…no no…Will you have to tell her I went to lunch." Said Robin as he ducked under his desk.

There was absolutely no way he was going to let this woman waste his time. Although truly she already was, the mere fact that Robin was hiding from her when he could have been tending to more important things proved as such. Robin rolled his eyes at the simple memory of her. He'd be sure to personally thank his parents for putting him in that sand box next to her in 1982 the next time he saw them.

Will quickly lifted his finger from the blinds. The blonde woman gave two knocks on the door of the trailer.

"Oh ROBIN!" she laughed.

Will opened the door and gave a smile as she stepped inside.

"Hi, ugh I'm looking for Robin. Is he around?" asked Emma, lifting her sunglasses to rest at the top of her hair.

"Well you know, he just ducked out." Said Will as he tried to hold back a smirk.

"Shoot, I thought I might catch him. I try calling him all the time but it seems he's always so buys." She sighed.

"Well come on in, you can leave him a note right on his desk if you'd like." Said Will.

Robin swore that he would kill his testy friend the moment the blonde left. Will was always the pranking type and never truly understood the meaning of the word "boundaries". He often took things way too far and ended up losing a ton of his mates because of it. But truthfully, he never meant any harm to anyone and Robin knew that.

Emma broke her gaze from Will and shook her head.

"No, that's alright. I'm Emma Swan by the way, our families are very old friends."

Suddenly Ramona, walked inside. She was one of the construction site managers. She was a great help, and loved directing traffic, so Robin let her work her magic now and then and promised to only interfere when necessary. With a clipboard in hand, she checked her watch.

"Robin! We need you onsite!" Yelled Ramona as she entered the trailer from the far end.

Will turned to face her, quickly fabricating a lie.

"He stepped out." Said Will.

Yep. That was in fact the best response Will could have come up with.

"…but his car's right outside." The brunette woman replied.

"He took a bulldozer, okay Ramona?" Said Will, giving her a look that meant "leave"

She smiled a fake smile, "Okay."

The brunette quickly fled the scene as she could sense something was going on.

Will turned his attention back to the blonde woman before him.

"He's always in three places at once isn't he?" Asked Emma as she clutched her shoulder bag.

"Well that is our Robin, always itching to take on the next big project." Said Will.

Emma looked away, avoiding contact with Will. The disappointment on her face was all too embarrassing for her.

"I should go. Thank you though..." she said, giving a soft smile as she exited the trailer.

When Robin was sure that the coast was clear he moved from under the cramped confines of his desk. As he stood, the blue eyed man wiped his trousers free of dust.

"You've been avoiding that?" Asked Will.

Robin sighed and rolled his eyes. Of course Will would only think about a woman's looks over her personality. Though he couldn't really fault him, after all it was not long ago that they were quite similar. It was mere months before that Robin was labeled the complete womanizer by "Man About Town" Magazine. Who could forget about his bachelor days as the "Sexiest Man Alive"? Though lately, Robin had been so caught up with working on the upbringing of his club, that women seemed to slip his mind. Sure it hit him when he went to an empty bed every night and; even when he got calls from his friends as they talked his ear off with stories of their families. But Robin made himself a promise: he vowed that the next woman he'd be with would be the woman he made his wife. He would make no exceptions, or negotiations on the matter because this time, the rest of his life depended on it.

"Since primary school mate."

That evening Robin and Will decided to have a personal home based meeting. Joining them would be one of the most sought after investment bankers in the city of Las Vegas, Mr. Gold. The two waited patiently as they went over the floor plans of the club design. Though you could imagine just how short sighted they must have felt when his wife had shown up in his place.

"Good Evening Gentleman. I'm Isabelle, but you can call me Belle for short." She winked.

Will smirked. That wink was definitely not directed toward him.

Robin stood along with Will to shake her hand.

"Hallo Belle, my name is Robin, and this here is my good friend Will."

Belle nodded.

"I know who you are." She said.

Isabelle was a beautiful brunette woman with blue eyes, though it didn't take Robin very long to realize that she was so much more.

"Ugh, please sit." Said Robin as he gestured his hand toward one of the open seats.

It was no shock that she chose to sit in the one directly aside him, though Robin didn't pay it any mind. Will raised both of his brows, clearly amused by the woman's interest. After all, she was married.

"So boys, let's talk business shall we?" She asked.

Belle gave Robin her lighter to light her cigarette. He obliged and returned his focus onto the club. Belle was beautiful, but simply not his type. She seemed a bit too obscure for his liking. Besides how could any man trust a woman who cheats on her own husband? Assuming she was anyway…

"Ugh yeh..great I-"

"Look the economy is booming, business is growing, and I'm up to my neck in paperwork, so please, tell me why I need to invest in your dream on paper?" she asked.

"Well actually I was hoping Mr. Gold could-"

"I am Mr. Gold." She interrupted.

Robin and Will kept quiet.

"My husband loves to talk but I'm the one who carries out his plans. Without me he'd be up the creek without a paddle and know to care to save his ass." She said coldly, a devious smirk spreading across her lips.

"Will dear…" she started.

"Yeh?" he asked,

"Get us some ice…" She smirked and fixed her eyes on Robin. "…and while you're at it, put some scotch in it." She bit her lips.

Robin was quickly becoming uncomfortable. He felt like a single guppy surrounded by a group of piranhas. Her eyes began to devour him, and her long red nails itching to touch his hand.

Suddenly the doorbell rang just as Will had finished pouring their scotch.

Robin saw the perfect opportunity to make a hasty exit and there was no way he was going to miss it. As the blue eyed man made his way for the screen door, Will stopped him.

"I'll get it." Said Will.

"No, I will, you can't leave me alone with her." He whispered.

"Hey, quit stalling. You give it to her, she gives it to us, and you're the cute one." He laughed.

Robin turned back toward Belle with two glasses of iced scotch and a forced smile.

The brunette smirked and waved her most flirtatious wave.

Will walked to the front door and grabbed the knob. When he opened it he was surprised to find a woman, he'd never seen before.

"Ugh Hallo…" Said Will.
"Oh…I ugh..I-I thought…I must have the wrong house." She smiled and began to walk off.

"No, no wait, if you're looking for Robin, he's just inside." Will smiled.

"He is?" The woman asked, a mix of emotions running through her.

"Uh-huh…"

Robin loosened his tie as he began to grow even more uncomfortable.

"With all due respect Isabelle, I-" He started, though as quickly has he did, he was interrupted yet again.

"Ugh Robin, you have a visitor."

Robin had never been so thankful to the heavens in his life.

"I do?" He asked, still quite shocked that he had an escape.

"Oh yah." His friend smirked.

"Would you excuse me for a moment?" Asked Robin as he held up his finger.

"Well…don't be long." She said, arching her brow.

Robin nodded, eager to get out of there. Good thing she was too stupid to sense any of it. He entered his home, through the patio door and went inside. When we arrived in the kitchen he saw, her.

Robin's was truly shocked. It was her, the very woman he'd met that night in the restaurant.

"Regina…." He smiled, walking toward her.

The woman took a sigh of relief and smiled.

"...you remembered." She said.

"How could I forget? I've been looking all over for you. I would've called you but, you disappeared on me." Said Robin as he did his best to give her a valid explanation.

"Well I didn't exactly know what to do. I mean I've never done anything like that before…going home with someone I don't know…"

"Well hey, you and me both…" He lied.

"…but hey there's a first time for everything right?" He smiled.

She smiled and looked down.

"I mean it was just one of those great…phenomenal…spontaneous things." He said.

"Yah, I guess it was…"

Regina swallowed as she held her gaze with Robin, as if her eyes had somehow morphed into his own. Robin was captivated by them, two large pools of chocolate brown drowning him by the second. He never knew death could be so sweet. Finally, Robin had broken their lust gaze as he shook from his thoughts.

"So…how long has it been?" Asked Robin

"Three Months…" She trailed as she spotted some saltines on the kitchen counter.

"...hey do you mind if I have some of these?"

"Sure, help yourself. Ugh would you like something to drink? I've got water, ginger ale, oj."

"Ginger ale would be really nice." She said, hoping to soothe the overwhelming nausea that threatened her stomach.

Regina snacked on a few saltines as Robin poured her a glass of ginger ale.

"Stomach ache?" He asked, handing her the glass.

"Something like that." She laughed dryly.

Robin grabbed himself a glass of water before he turned back to the beautiful woman before him.

"You look incredible…I mean, wow."

The brunette took a sip of her ginger ale to calm her uneasy stomach.

"Thank you."

"So, ugh…how've you been?" Asked Robin with a shrug of his shoulders.

Regina eased the cup from her lips as she locked eyes with the man before her.

"Pregnant."