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Robin made his way through the maze of people on the terrace, when he finally entered the ballroom, he made a quick sweep with his eyes of the room, trying to find his mysterious lady. Seeing a server he quickly went up to him.
"Have you seen a gorgeous lady in black tonight come through here recently?" Robin asked.
"There have been many a lady in black tonight, but there was a brunette who came through a few seconds ago. She headed towards the side doors which lead to the golf course." the server said as Robin quickly thanked him and headed off in search of his masked lady, hoping she had not escaped from him tonight.
Regina felt like an escaped convict, with the bloodhounds hot on her trail. All she needed were a few spotlights and screaming sirens, and maybe a big, ugly guy with a gun.
Stop or I'll shoot!
No way! You'll never take me alive!
It was nonsense, of course, but this frantic flight across the dark golf course was playing havoc with her nerves. Regina stopped for a breather, pulling off her mask and her high heels in the shadow of a tall oak tree. She peered cautiously around the tree. Was Locksley still back there? With only a few stars and a shadowy moon to guide her and the occasional showers of sparks from the firecrackers, it was hard to tell.
But she thought she saw something moving, over there by the water hazard on the fourth hole. Damn the man. Why couldn't he just give up and let her escape into the night, with her dignity intact? As she recalled the fairy tale, Prince Charming was supposed to stand there, clutching the shoe desperately. He wasn't supposed to come after her!
She had to get around the golf course then she could call a taxi and get out of here. She started around the last few trees, seeing one of the side building she quickly made her way there to call a taxi. She put her shoes down, and had just finished the call when she heard footsteps coming up behind her, she did the only thing she could do and put her mask back on.
"There you are," Robin said as he finally came up to her. "Why did you run from me?"
"I need to tell you-" Before she had a chance to say another word, he framed her face in his hands and fastened his mouth over hers. He was so hungry to taste her, to fill his emptiness with as much of her as he could get. He heard the greedy little noise she made at the same time her arms wound around his neck, and he knew she was as eager as he was.
Harder he pressed, and deepened he delved, loosing his bruised ego and his anger, at her leaving him, finding only their combined passion, their combined heat. Her mouth was wet and welcoming under his, and her little hands felt positively sinful rubbing against his neck, ruffling the edges of his hair. He'd never kissed anyone like this, like this mingling of minds and bodies and souls, and he wasn't sure he could handle ever doing it again.
Taking a breath, he found himself smiling like a crazy man, or maybe just a drunken one. "I don't know why you ran, but I'm definitely not letting you go this time."
And then he found her mouth again, selfishly, as if marking his territory.
"Wait, wait," she cried, but he kissed the corners of her lips and the fine line of her chin, nuzzling her neck as she went limp in his arms. "Please," she whispered, "I have to explain."
"Whatever it is, it doesn't matter." He felt reckless, giddy. He'd found her! He wasn't sure if he would ever see her again, and his emotions were all over the place. Relief, anger, happiness. "You're here now, and that's all that matters."
"No, it's not. "He could tell she was reluctant. She pushed back, away from his embrace, and then made a point of fussing with her mask, making sure it hadn't fallen out of place. "I-I have to talk to you..."
He slipped a hand to her waist, trying to persuade her to come back a little closer. "We're talking, aren't we?"
"No," she said plainly. She held him at arms length. "You're kissing me, and I'm forgetting all my good intentions."
But she smiled as she said it. Had he ever seen her smile? It was breathtaking, offering that peculiar mix of innocent and siren that drove him wild. Her smile, her words, her intonation.
"And you have a problem with me kissing you?" Robin asked.
"No. I mean yes. I mean," Regina stammered out.
"So you don't have a problem with me kissing you then?" Robin said with a smile on his face.
"I can't concentrate when you look at me like that." Regina said.
"Like what? Describe how I look at you." Robin dared.
"Like, like you-" Regina couldn't finish her words.
"Like I want to kiss you senseless? Like I want to pick you up in my arms and press you against the wall behind you?" Robin asked as he walked to her, making her walk back until she was pressed against said wall.
"You don't understand," Regina said as he was in her space.
"I don't need or want to. I just know I want to be in your presence as much as I can be." Robin said.
"This is crazy." Regina said.
"I don't question it, I just know I want to follow it." Robin said. "Tell me your name."
Regina was about to say her name, she was so entranced by him, had been since the first time she had met him. Tonight just intensified that. "Wilma, my name is Wilma." Regina blurted out.
"Is that so? Then why do I think that it's not your real name?" Robin asked, not believing her for a second.
"Maybe you should learn to have more faith in people then." Regina said defiantly.
"Okay. Well, 'Wilma' why don't you share your face with me then?" Robin asked her.
"Don't you enjoy the excitement, not knowing who is behind the mask?" Regina asked, trying to sound confident.
"Oh, yes I am. But I also would like to be able to look down into the face of the woman I have become enchanted with instantly. You've thrown me off my game, something I swore would never happen to me again." Robin said as he lowered his head and let his lip caress her, lightly at first, then the kiss developed into a full blown kiss. Regina was so distracted by his kiss, she didn't feel his hands on the back of her head, until he was untying her mask. She made a grab to try to stop it from falling, but Robin grabbed her hands and let it fall.
"There, that wasn't so bad, now was it?" Robin asked as he looked down at the face of the woman who had captivated him all night, had him chasing after her. She was completely stunning, her fair skin was perfect for her, against her dark hair. Her eyes were a shade of brown, that he was easily getting lost in. Her lips were splendid for her face, sultry with a thin scar on the right side of it. He caught himself, right then from leaning down and licking and kissing that scar.
"Why, why did you do that?" Regina asked as she pulled away from him. The mask had fallen on the floor, and Regina let it stay there. One thing she began to realize was that he had not recognized her!
"Because I wanted to see who I was beginning to be smitten with." Robin admitted as he walked up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders, letting their bodies touch barely as he inhaled her scent.
"You can't be, you don't even know me." Regina said, even as her heart was screaming at her that she was already smitten with him. Her head was another matter entirely.
"Then give me a chance, milady. That's all I ask. I promise I don't skin children for their pelts." Robin said jokingly, trying to ease whatever fears she may have about him. When she remained quiet still, he tried another tactic.
"So want to tell me how our rockets matched?" Robin asked as she turned around to look at him, he knew then she had done something to make sure they would. But why?
"Fate?" Regina asked.
"I think it is more than that. You talked to me earlier about trust. Why not trust me now?" Robin asked. "Tell me what really happened."
"Zelena needed to be stopped." Regina said, looking anywhere but at him.
"I thought she might have something to do with that. So let me guess, she tried to match her rocket with mine and you switched them. Am I close?" Robin asked.
"Are you a cop?" Regina asked.
"No, just someone who relies on their instincts." Robin said.
"Well, maybe if the corporate world doesn't work out for you, you should try law enforcement." Regina said.
"You never did answer me. But what I want to know is why?" Robin asked as he put a hand under her chin to make her look up at him.
"Zelena was determined to make sure you danced with her, she thought you would fall for her spending that time with her tonight." Regina said.
"Ah, well her plan seemed to have backfired didn't it?" Robin asked.
"What do you mean?" Regina asked.
"Because, I'm in the process of falling for someone else." Robin admitted to her and to himself.
"You are?" Regina said, shocked at his words.
"Yes. So why were you so determined to spend time with me tonight?" Robin asked.
"Because of Zelena." Regina said.
"I think it was more than that, you easily could have made sure my rocket matched someone else's. So why me, milady?" Robin asked.
"I told you, because of Zelena." Regina said.
"I think you wanted to meet me tonight." Robin said as he walked up even closer to her.
"That's," Regina was saying when Robin started to speak again.
"And I for one am very glad that you did." Robin said as he lowered his lips down on hers. The kiss started off initially as gentle, then it started to build as Robin was encouraged with Regina's placing her hands on his shoulders. Regina admitted to herself how the attraction had been there from the very beginning between them tonight. Robin gently nibbled at her lips and outlined them with his tongue. Regina opened her mouth, encouraging him even further. Robin slowly let his tongue enter her mouth, to match with hers. Regina felt his hands on the side of her hips, bringing their bodies into direct contact with one another. Robin pressed his lower body to hers, letting him feel exactly what she was doing to him, how his body was responding to hers.
Regina felt the hardness pressing up against her, she was partially surprised of his reaction and somewhat pleased he was turned on by her. Because she could feel herself also being turned on by him. She grabbed at his shoulders, to hold on to him because she felt like her legs would go out on her.
"Tell me your name," Robin whispered against her mouth.
"Reg..." Regina started to say when she realized what she was doing. She pulled back and looked at him, seeing his eyes full of desire and want for her. She knew she had to get out of here, now! "I have to go, I'm sorry." She got out and gathered her shoes and took off running out into the night. Robin made a grab for her but only caught air in the process. He made a dash after her, but not knowing what direction she had taken, it took him a little longer to make a decision in what way to take after her. He heard the sound of a car stopping, and turned to see his lady in black making her way to it. It was a taxi and she was quickly getting into it. He took off after her.
"Wait! Don't go!" Robin called out after her, he saw her pause in the process of getting in the door. She turned and looked at her, giving him hope she had changed her mind, when she got into the car and the taxi took off, leaving Robin standing there where only moments ago she was. Robin was completely frustrated and paced the ground, his eyes caught a sparkle on the ground and he leaned down and picked it up. It was a bracelet, Robin walked over to where there was more light and he turned it over. He saw an inscription, To Regina, with love, Daniel.
"Regina," Robin whispered out. He had her name now, Regina, her name was Regina. But who was Daniel? He didn't know, but he knew he had to find her again.